Chapter 563: Learning
Chapter 563: Chapter 542: Learning
Even Lin Shan couldn’t persuade Chen Fengjiao, to say nothing of Gu’er and Sui’er. Lin Zheng would sometimes complain to Gu’er that Chen Fengjiao would nag him as if he were a child. But no one could do anything about Chen Fengjiao. Though she loved to nag and her way of thinking was sometimes incomprehensible, she never did anything truly detestable, so everyone put up with it as best they could. Since they were family, they simply started avoiding telling her things.
After the fifteenth of the month, the holiday guests had all departed and everyone had returned to work. Gu’er and Sun Jiaming, too, got busy.
After the New Year, Jiji was already three years old. With Cao Qiu around and his grandmother, Chen Fengjiao, also coming over sometimes, Gu’er no longer had to watch him all day. He was weaned and could run and play on his own, so she didn’t need to keep her eyes glued to him anymore.
Gu’er and Sun Jiaming started going out every day. They visited other department stores to observe them, learn from their strengths, and improve upon their own store’s shortcomings. In addition, they also needed to find new suppliers and channels to bring new products into their store.
Although their department store was already considered the leader in the city—so much so that even the main department store couldn’t compare—and was number one in the hearts of the locals, Gu’er felt they couldn’t afford to be complacent. If they didn’t keep learning and innovating, they would eventually fall behind and be replaced. By then, it would be too late to change.
Therefore, Gu’er and Sun Jiaming not only studied their local market but also traveled to places like Beijing City, Shanghai, Guang City, and Shenzhen. They went to these major cities to observe their development, learn from their management experience, and study their strengths, all to apply those lessons back at their own department store.
Over several months, the department store underwent considerable changes. Its scale expanded, the variety of products increased significantly, and they hired many new employees. Correspondingly, the store’s business became better and better.
For the past six months, Gu’er and Sun Jiaming had been exhausted. But seeing their department store flourish made them very excited, and they felt all their hard work was worth it.
The couple also made an agreement with Li Zhi and the others to travel once a year. They would visit different places to learn more and bring back new experience so their department store wouldn’t fall behind or be replaced.
May 18th was Xinghua and Dong Liang’s wedding day.
The two families chose the restaurant together, and the menu was also planned jointly. The Zheng Family, despite having more money, didn’t act arrogant or look down on anyone. On the contrary, they consulted with the Dong Family on every matter and showed great respect for Wang Qiu.
After interacting with Zheng Changsheng and Lin Shuying a few times, Wang Qiu felt that their entire family was very easy to get along with. She no longer had to worry about her son being mistreated in the future. The Zhengs had no intention of having her son marry into their family—after all, they already had two sons of their own. She was completely relieved and, as a result, treated Xinghua even better.
Wang Qiu had also met Lin Shan. She truly never expected to have any connection with the city’s deputy mayor. In the future, her son Dong Liang would be calling Lin Shan “Uncle.” Lin Shan had even warmly addressed her as an older sister. Wang Qiu felt she had truly lucked out. Although she had never wanted her son to marry into wealth and power, she was content that he had found such a wife. She had gained face among her neighbors and could now face Dong Daguo and the Dong family ancestors in the afterlife.
As for the house Zheng Changsheng bought for Xinghua, she was initially reluctant to accept it. She wanted to work hard with Dong Liang to buy a house together after they were married.
But Zheng Changsheng said it was his dowry for his daughter. Zheng Zhongshan had received his share, and Zheng Zhonghe had received his; it couldn’t be that Xinghua got nothing when it was her turn. Not unless she no longer considered him her father.
Xinghua was deeply moved and accepted the gift. She discussed it with Dong Liang, explaining the situation with her family. Dong Liang nodded and told her that when Zheng Changsheng and Lin Shuying grew old, they would take good care of them both. As for Zheng Zhonghe, they would treat him like a real younger brother and they would all look out for one another.
Xinghua felt the same way. Since Zheng Changsheng treated her like his own daughter, she would treat him like her own father and properly fulfill her filial duties. It wasn’t because he had bought her a house, but because of the genuine care he had shown for her and her brother.
So for the wedding, Xinghua and Dong Liang were set up in the new house. The furniture and everything else was already in place, and the home was neat and tidy.
Many tables were set for the banquet at the restaurant. Besides Xinghua’s relatives and friends, many of the Dong family’s friends and relatives also came. They all said the Dong Family had really lucked out this time. Not only did they get a beautiful daughter-in-law, but a new house came with her. They had everything now and no worries for the future. Many people sighed, lamenting that their own sons weren’t as capable. If only they could marry such a wife, wouldn’t life be so much easier for their families?
Of course, there were also many who privately gossiped about the Dong Family. They said Dong Liang only married Xinghua because the Zheng Family was rich. They spoke ill of the Dong Family, predicting that Dong Liang would be henpecked by his wife in the future, and so on.
Naturally, Wang Qiu and Dong Liang were uncomfortable when they heard these things, but they knew it wasn’t true. They knew that Xinghua, the Zheng Family, and the Lin Family were all good people, so they didn’t care what others said. After the incident with Dong Daguo, they had grown used to being the subject of gossip. What was a little more idle chatter? Xinghua, the Zheng Family, and the Lin Family didn’t look down on them for their bad reputation, so what did they have to complain about? Living their own lives well was what truly mattered.
Yang Chun also came to see Xinghua and Dong Liang’s wedding. To be honest, Yang Chun’s life was not going well these days. After realizing she had no chance with Dong Liang, she returned to her husband’s family and began deliberately trying to please her husband. And as for men, when their wives become submissive, gentle, and attentive, they naturally feel smug. So, he started treating Yang Chun well.
Seeing her husband treating her well, Yang Chun became complacent. Believing she had him wrapped around her finger, she started acting belligerently toward her sisters-in-law. She refused to do chores she was asked to do, or she would just slack off. She would even tattle to her husband, claiming his sisters-in-law were bullying her. She had gotten cunning enough not to complain about her mother-in-law anymore.
But as these incidents piled up and conflicts mounted, the household lost its peace, devolving into endless arguments. Once, after another conflict with her sisters-in-law, they ganged up and taught her a harsh lesson. Yang Chun suffered a major setback. She cried to her husband that night, and the next day he tried to stand up for her. This led to a huge fight among the brothers that got completely out of hand. Yang Chun’s parents-in-law gathered the whole family, and everyone pointed the finger at Yang Chun, saying she was the one causing all the trouble. Seeing that his wife was just a troublemaker sowing discord, her husband, in a fit of rage, hit her.
Once he hit her the first time, a second and third time were sure to follow. From then on, whenever Yang Chun’s husband was displeased, he would beat her. The rest of his family ostracized her. When she went back to her parents’ home, her sister-in-law saw her constantly returning empty-handed to eat and drink for free and grew resentful. She started saying nasty things to Yang Chun, too. Her life was utterly miserable.
She hated her husband’s family, she hated her husband, she hated her sister-in-law, and she hated her parents. If her parents hadn’t persuaded her to break things off with Dong Liang back then, she wouldn’t be living this kind of life now.
She hated the Dong family and Dong Liang, thinking him heartless and cruel.
She hated Xinghua, believing that Xinghua had stolen the good life that should have been hers.
Yet, when Dong Liang and Xinghua got married, she couldn’t stop herself from coming. She wanted to see what kind of wedding they would have, hoping to watch them make a fool of themselves. But things didn’t go her way. Dong Liang and Xinghua were doing wonderfully—a grand banquet, a new house… Staring at the newlyweds, her eyes burned red with jealousy and resentment. She wanted to rush in, to destroy everything for Dong Liang and Xinghua.
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Thank you to Sleepless Night Angel for the peace charm, and to Pacific Stone Monkey and Thinks It Through for the monthly tickets. Thank you all for your support.