Chapter 248: Going Out for a Week
Shirley tucked the money into her bag and suddenly felt a sense of clarity in her heart. She had received her salary today, twenty-three yuan, a bit more than usual as a bonus. The money at hand was gradually increasing. At twenty-six years old, she thought about the years spent with the Xu Family; there was a time when she even considered giving up completely, thinking that nothing could be worse, and that many women in the village lived even harder lives—they all did the same work, what was the big deal?
But every time in the dead of night, looking at Lai Zi’s despicable face, she thought again that she couldn’t give up, she had to stay clear-headed, especially with children to think about. Dezi was already a lost cause, part of the Xu Family’s lineage, but Daya and Xiao Ya are good kids; they are all good kids, and girls too. If she neglected to act, what would happen to those two kids’ futures?
She felt like a headless fly, without a single idea or clue. She had once considered getting close to Liu Yan; if she was lucky, Liu Yan might be able to help her leave this mire.
But it didn’t take long after they became acquainted for her to realize that Liu Yan wasn’t as nice as she seemed on the surface, with a mentality as complicated as a wasp’s nest. Shen Meng was also sharp-minded, but she didn’t trouble others unless they troubled her first; she had her own principles and bottom lines.
She had never imagined she would one day escape this quagmire and start anew. All of this was given to her by Shen Meng, and ever since she started living alone with her children, she had received a lot of care from everyone. No matter what, she should thank them.
"What’s that, I have a day off tomorrow and was thinking of treating everyone to a meal, what do you think?"
"What meal?"
Shirley put on a sincere smile and said to Shen Meng, "Of course, as a gratitude meal. Ever since I got divorced, everyone has been so helpful to me, even now that I have moved to the county to work, neighbors often bring vegetables to my house and help with my private plot. I should express my gratitude both morally and emotionally."