Chapter 223: The Hapless Eldest Sister 38
"They’re also kids you watched grow up. They’ve never worked before, how could they manage doing that kind of work? Yuan Chun, you’re a good child. If you just say a word, return half of your uncle’s salary to us, then... "
Yuan Chun interrupted her coldly, "Ma Xiaolan, no one is born knowing how to pick coal slag or garbage. I learned bit by bit. If I can learn to do it, why can’t they?"
"Back then, you heartlessly forced me, a seven or eight-year-old, to pick coal slag and garbage to earn money. They could also watch me work from dawn till dusk to support them, and even deliberately snatch away the white Mantou I earned, leaving me hungry. Why should I pity them?"
"Ma Xiaolan, since I left the Zhong Family, I’ve no longer been one of your Zhong Family members. Why should I compromise for you?"
"Zhong Damin gives me half his salary as compensation for the property my dad left me. If you don’t want me to take Zhong Damin’s half-salary, then you must return all the money and property my parents left me."
Ma Xiaolan didn’t have money to return to her.
Even if the money wasn’t lost, Ma Xiaolan wouldn’t be willing to take it out to give back to Yuan Chun.
Ma Xiaolan said with a face full of disappointment, "Yuan Chun, you’ve changed. You weren’t like this before. You were so understanding and obedient before. How could you become like this? Don’t you care about the family bond between us anymore? I know, over the years I haven’t been good to you. But after all, I raised you for over ten years, acted as your mother for over ten years. Could it be that all the feelings between us can be calculated with money?"
"Yuan Chun, you don’t lack money now. Just think of it as helping the Zhong Family. Don’t take your uncle’s salary for now. Wait until your three younger siblings graduate and start working, then I’ll return it to you, alright? Just think of it as me pleading with you. If not, I’ll kneel down and beg you."
Saying this, Ma Xiaolan was really going to kneel down in public.
Yuan Chun calmly gave an implicit signal, causing Ma Xiaolan to pause and change her tone, "Forget it. It’s the Zhong Family who wronged you, made you suffer so much. We wronged you, and wronged my elder sister and brother-in-law as well. I... I won’t make it difficult for you anymore. From now on, I won’t come looking for you, Yuan Chun. You should just live your life well."
Ma Xiaolan turned with a rigid expression and slowly left the school.
Upon returning home, Ma Xiaolan simply forgot about Yuan Chun.
Since then, Ma Xiaolan never appeared in front of Yuan Chun again.
Due to poor grades, Zhong Guoqiang failed the middle school exams again. Zhong Damin was very angry but dared not beat him, fearing he would get hurt and have to pay for treatment.
But this time, Zhong Damin had Zhong Guoqiang drop out of school, not like the previous life when he let Zhong Guoqiang repeat three years before dropping out.
This life, Zhong Guoqiang also didn’t learn hairdressing after dropping out, as that barbershop didn’t exist yet.
After staying at home for a while, Ma Xiaolan used her connections to get Zhong Guoqiang a job at the Zhao family Mantou shop, the same job as in the previous life.
But Zhong Guoqiang was lazy and liked to eat. He couldn’t get up in the morning and quit after a few days.
Ma Xiaolan had to use her connections again to find him a position as a culinary apprentice at a newly opened restaurant.
Zhong Guoqiang refused, "Mom, didn’t you say men don’t belong in the kitchen? Didn’t you say men shouldn’t do that kind of work? And now you want me to learn to cook? That’s women’s work. I’m not going to do it."
So, Ma Xiaolan had to help him find work elsewhere. Coincidentally, a newly opened shoe factory was hiring, and Zhong Guoqiang got a job there as a loader.