Chapter 227: Seven-Zero Treasure Appraisal System (1)

"Xiao Xie, your Qin Zheng went off on a long-haul trip right after getting married? Hasn't he been gone for many days? This business trip has lasted quite a while!"

Just as she opened the door, Xie Yang was stopped by Kuihua Sao from next door.

Xie Yang nodded.

Kuihua Sao didn't know whether to feel envious or sympathetic.

Truck Drivers for the Transportation Team had plenty of perks; by bringing along a few goods not available in the city, they could earn quite a bit of extra money.

But constantly running long-haul routes was also exhausting.

Without a man in the house, not only was there no one to consult when something came up, but there was no one to change a broken lightbulb or carry the Coal Balls when they were bought; even that business between a husband and wife—if the man didn't come home for a long time, that wasn't right either!

Especially since Xiao Xie had just joined the family, it should have been the time when the young couple was most lovey-dovey, yet on the second day of their new marriage, Qin Zheng was sent out by the factory to run a long-haul route. He'd been gone for over half a month now, poor Xiao Xie, this delicate new bride, left to guard an empty room...

Thinking of this, the look in Kuihua Sao's eyes as she gazed at Xie Yang was filled with unspeakable sympathy.

Xie Yang: "..."

"Oh, is Xiao Xie going out? Going to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative again?"

At this moment, the wife of Wang Tieqiang from diagonally across the hall opened her door carrying a basin of dirty laundry, cast a meaningful glance at Xie Yang, and said with a smile:

"Xiao Xie, you really are blessed! After marrying over here, you don't have to take care of parents-in-law, nor do you have to serve a man every day. Whenever you need something, you can just go to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative to buy it, and if you want to eat something fresh, you can just go to the State-run Restaurant and order a couple of dishes... Unlike us, we spend all day spinning around the elderly and children, and we hate having to split a single penny into two to spend it."

If the original owner were here, she would surely have been stung by the wife of Wang Tieqiang's sarcastic tone, jumped up on the spot to curse her for being a busybody, and then been gossiped about behind her back as a "country bumpkin with no upbringing" who was "lazy and gluttonous, yet couldn't stand being told so."

As for Xie Yang, she loved throwing straight punches:

"That's right! My luck is indeed good! My parents-in-law are reasonable, and my husband lets me do as I please. I go to the Supply and Marketing Cooperative whenever I want, and I buy whatever I want. Unlike you all, spinning around the elderly and children all day, so busy you're running in circles, and in the end, you don't even get a word of appreciation. I really feel it's not worth it for you. You say this marriage is more bitter than not being married at all, so is there even any point in being married?"

"..."

The wife of Wang Tieqiang was left with a face turning blue and white from the retort. She pointed at Xie Yang and stammered "You" for a long time, then finally stomped her foot in anger, turned back into her room, and slammed the door shut with a bang.

Xie Yang raised an eyebrow. This combat effectiveness was only so-so; how was it that in the memories she had just received, the original owner had been cried to tears by her several times?

This time she had transmigrated into the Seven-Zero Plane, as a village girl with high ambitions but a thin-as-paper fate.

The original owner was from the countryside but was single-mindedly determined to become a city dweller.

Yet her parents were honest and simple country folk; expecting parents who didn't know a single character and blushed for half a day just asking for directions in the city to achieve class mobility was simply harder than ascending to heaven.

Just then, Bai Xiuyuan, a neighbor of a similar age, found a partner who was a key driver for the Mechanical Factory's Transportation Team.

After this news spread through the village, the original owner nearly went mad.

The original owner's family and the Bai family were both members of the Tongling Brigade of the Hongqi Commune, living as neighbors, and their family structures were also very similar—

Both the original owner and Bai Xiuyuan were the youngest children in their families, each having an older brother and an older sister above them. As the youngest daughters, they were often compared to each other from childhood:

For instance—"The youngest of the Xie family doesn't seem to have much scholarly air; she often fails her exams. The youngest of the Bai family is said to have very good grades."

For instance—"The youngest of the Xie family is a glutton, often pestering her family to buy this or that for her to eat; I'm afraid it will be hard for her to find a husband in the future. The youngest of the Bai family is a sensible person; not only does she not waste the family's money, but she also helps the family with all the chores every day."

Or for instance—"I said long ago that the youngest of the Bai family is destined to marry into the city and enjoy a good life! She is so virtuous and generous; marrying into the city is just a bargain for the city folk! The youngest of the Xie family is far behind..."

It was one thing that her grades were not as good as Bai Xiuyuan's when studying; after all, the original owner herself admitted she lacked scholarly air and wasn't cut out for reading.

But she was unwilling to accept that she couldn't even compare to her when it came to finding a partner!

She prided herself on being much better looking than Bai Xiuyuan—an oval face, a slender willow waist, fair skin, beautiful features, and a curvy figure. She wasn't bragging, but if she had taken a liking to those crooked melons and cracked dates in the village, the threshold of her house would have been trampled flat by matchmakers long ago.

What kind of eyes did those gossiping women in the village have! To actually say she was far behind?

That city partner of Bai Xiuyuan's must have had something wrong with his eyes too!

This was intolerable!

The original owner cried, made a scene, and threatened suicide, insisting that her parents, brother, and sister find her a city partner as well.

"If you don't find me one, I will never marry! I'll eat and live at home and make you support me for the rest of my life!"

The two elders of the Xie family truly had no way to deal with this youngest daughter.

Mother Xie wiped away tears, blaming herself for being too headstrong when she was pregnant, working in the fields with a big belly, and then, through a moment of carelessness, slipping and falling, which led to a premature birth.

This resulted in the youngest daughter being as weak as Lin Daiyu for a long time after birth, getting sick every few days, and because of this, they pampered her more than the two older children, which led to her being spoiled and somewhat willful.

They had the heart to correct her temperament, but they were afraid she would cry, make a scene, or go on a hunger strike and hurt her own body; in the end, it would only be them who felt the heartache.

"How about we let the eldest go talk to the eldest of the Qin family? I remember his younger brother is quite promising; he also got into the Mechanical Factory's Transportation Team two years ago. I don't know if he has a partner, but if he doesn't..."

Father Xie tapped his pipe, his eyes filled with hesitation and struggle.

Mother Xie understood what he meant. The Qin family owed the Xie family a favor that hadn't been repaid, but earlier their own family had clearly stated they didn't need it repaid. If they went back on their word now to find them and even asked their family to use the younger son's marriage to offset this favor, it would inevitably lead to gossip.

But their own daughter was acting like she would die if she didn't marry a city dweller, otherwise, she would refuse to eat or drink and go on a hunger strike. Yet they had no ability to find city in-laws, and the Qin family was the only one with a glimmer of hope... In the end, they decided to try.

Just like that, the original owner got her wish and found a key member of the Mechanical Factory's Transportation Team as a partner, and eighteen days ago, she married into the city on the same day as Bai Xiuyuan.

But she was still very dissatisfied.

Although both she and Bai Xiuyuan had husbands who were key drivers for the Mechanical Factory's Transportation Team, when the Family Building was assigned, they were specially arranged to be together by the factory leadership, becoming next-door neighbors.

But Bai Xiuyuan's parents-in-law were both city residents, dual employees at the Steel Factory, and had given birth to four sons and three daughters; the whole family was lively and united. Bai Xiuyuan was called over to eat at her parents-in-law's house every few days and would even bring back a lunchbox of braised pork.

As for her own parents-in-law, they were from the countryside; her father-in-law had passed away young, and her mother-in-law lived with her eldest son's family, who were farmers. The roads in the countryside were covered in sheep dung here and cow dung there; she was reluctant to even return to her own parents' home, let alone her in-laws'. The things her in-laws sent over were either this wild vegetable or that wild vegetable—how could that compare to the braised pork Bai Xiuyuan brought back?

That wasn't even the main thing; what made her most unwilling to accept was: Bai Xiuyuan's husband, He Ximing, looked better than her husband.

He Ximing had a refined and delicate appearance, double eyelids, large eyes, and a very sunny smile. If he tucked a briefcase under his arm, one would think he was a white-collar Cadre from some government agency. The original owner liked that type.

Yet her husband, Qin Zheng, was a rough man, tall and sturdy, with an introverted personality and a face that rarely smiled, and there was even a faint scar from the corner of his eye to his ear. The original owner disliked him so much she couldn't bear to look at him twice, to the point that on their wedding night, she made an excuse that she was tired and unwell and simply didn't even consummate the marriage.

Early the next morning, Qin Zheng had another long-haul Task, although this had been arranged a month in advance.

He was the most familiar with this route in the entire Transportation Team, and this shipment was very important, so the factory trusted him enough to send him.

When the wedding date was set, Qin Zheng had explained this to her, but she was the one who wouldn't listen and insisted on marrying into the Family Building on the same day as Bai Xiuyuan.

The original owner didn't think it was her own problem; instead, she felt her husband was useless.

With so many drivers in the Transportation Team, why did they have to send a newlywed on a long-distance trip? If that wasn't useless, what was?

Bai Xiuyuan's husband was very capable; before the wedding, he had applied for a transfer to the short-haul group, and after the wedding, he only ran the route around Yongcheng, coming home every day to show off his affection.

During these days, the original owner had enough of the couple next door consummating their marriage every day while she couldn't sleep alone, so she was in a bad mood whenever she saw Bai Xiuyuan.

Bai Xiuyuan, however, relied on her virtuous and generous nature to build a good reputation in the Family Building, which in turn made the original owner, who frequented restaurants and the Supply and Marketing Cooperative every few days, appear even more gluttonous and lazy.

Out of a desire for revenge, the original owner seduced He Ximing. It didn't succeed, however; after Bai Xiuyuan caught them, she threw the evidence in front of Qin Zheng, who had just returned from a business trip.

She said, "Even if you can tolerate your wife cheating on you, I can't! If you don't divorce her and make her move out of here, I will make her scandalous behavior known to the entire factory."

The original owner was just like that at the time, and the two quickly finalized their divorce.

This short-lived marriage lasted only a mere twenty days.

Not reporting her, and not making her wear a placard and be paraded through the streets for public criticism, was the final shred of dignity Qin Zheng left her.

After the divorce, the original owner, fearing the gossip of the villagers and unwilling to return to her maiden home, married He Jianming, Bai Xiuyuan's younger brother-in-law, in order to stay in the city.

Logically speaking, the He family's conditions were so good that they shouldn't have needed to find a divorced woman for their youngest son; the main reason was that he was infertile, and taking a wife was meant to cover up his inability to procreate.

The original owner did not know the inside story and even thought that Bai Xiuyuan was returning good for evil, not only not holding a grudge against her for seducing her husband back then, but even being willing to act as a matchmaker for her.

The original owner was incredibly grateful, and from then on, she no longer felt hostility or jealousy toward Bai Xiuyuan, instead becoming good sisters-in-law with her.

After marrying into the He family, seeing that she couldn't conceive for three or five years, she assumed it was she who couldn't give birth, and out of guilt, she desperately tried to compensate her in-laws in other ways, willingly providing the bride prices for Bai Xiuyuan's five sons to take wives.

By the time she was overworked and suffering from a severe illness, her five nephews, aside from symbolically showing their faces once with a few shriveled apples, never came to see her again, using work, studies, and family busyness as excuses.

Only her maiden family, in order to help treat her illness, exhausted their savings and fell into debt, their lives always tight and never once affluent.

There was also her former in-laws; because they were unaware of the reason for the couple's divorce back then, upon hearing the news of her illness, they even entrusted people to bring her grain and wild medicinal herbs gathered from the mountains several times.

It was also at that time that she learned Qin Zheng had died in an accident at the end of the year they divorced.

It is said that he encountered highwaymen while driving, and in order to protect public property, he died under the blades of a group of desperate robbers.

Both she and he were tragic figures in this story.

Looking at Bai Xiuyuan, she conceived before her honeymoon was even over, gave birth to a big, chubby son for the He family on her first pregnancy, and subsequently became pregnant every year, giving birth to five children in a row.

She also usurped the credit for the original owner's act of saving someone, used this credit to trade for a job position, and had her husband transferred to the Municipal Government Transportation Team, no longer a dirty cargo driver, but a leader's exclusive driver.

Her marriage to He Ximing was also very enviable; the couple was loving, their children and grandchildren were numerous, and with the original owner—that big sucker—raising her five sons, she often took money back to her maiden home to build houses and buy appliances, becoming a famous filial daughter for ten miles around.

After receiving the memories poured into her by the Main System, Xie Yang: "..."

The profanities in her heart were endless!

Fortunately, she arrived just in time; if she had been half a day later, the original owner would have carried out her disgraceful "revenge and seduction" plan.

(End of chapter)