Chapter 177: Then Comes the Persuasion

Qin Huairu was also panicking at this moment; Director Luo, don't really do this, what should she do?

She looked at Yang Qing, and Yang Qing winked at her.

Then Qin Huairu relaxed.

Because of the pressure of not being able to survive and having to go to the countryside, Jia Zhangshi anxiously counted on her fingers.

She had 2000, the famine was about to pass, monthly living expenses were 10 yuan, yearly 120, so 2000 yuan would last about 16 years.

And Bang Geng is six this year; in twelve years he'll be able to work and support himself.

It seemed she could get through it.

She visibly sighed in relief, the panic on her face gone, instead she looked at Qin Huairu with schadenfreude.

"Director Luo, since this job will eventually go to my family's Bang Geng, can his household registration now be changed to urban?"

Director Luo shook his head, looking at Director Wang.

Director Wang also shook his head, rejecting it.

"Jia Zhangshi, unless Bang Geng starts working now, we can only wait until he works, then change the household registration."

Yang Qing saw some information from the series of facial expression changes of Jia Zhangshi.

He interjected.

"Jia Zhangshi, this job belongs to Qin Huairu, Xiao Dang, Huaihua, Bang Geng, and you collectively."

"If they can't reach an agreement, then this job has nothing to do with Bang Geng."

"After all, this involves urban household registration."

"You also know how hard it is to get an urban hukou nowadays."

"Others can't get it even with money, let alone Qin Huairu—after all, she's a mother, she wouldn't fight her own child for this spot, but you say once Xiao Dang and Huaihua grow up, will they fight over it?"

Jia Zhangshi glared and gritted her teeth, like a fighting cock among chickens.

"They dare—two money-losers, what right do they have to steal my good grandson's job?"

Yang Qing laughed, then pointed at Xiao Dang.

"Because her grandmother is unkind, always scolding her as a money-loser, and soon they'll have to return to the countryside to endure endless suffering."

"They originally had a chance to live in the city and become urban residents."

"But because of someone's selfishness, they can only return to the countryside to live a hard life."

"And the person who harmed them lives comfortably in the city."

"If it were me, I'd have the determination to fight such a wicked person to the death, yet still think about snatching this job from my hands."

"Dream on—I'd rather scrap this job than give it to whoever harmed me."

Jia Zhangshi felt a pang of panic; Yang Qing's words shattered her beautiful hopes for the future.

She flew into a helpless rage.

"Bang Geng is their brother; how could they treat him like this?"

Yang Qing gave a hehe laugh.

"Brother? He's been stealing my food since childhood; often because he's not full, he's even caused me and my mother to return to the countryside to suffer."

"What good is a brother like that?"

"This isn't family at all—it's practically an enemy."

Bang Geng really didn't want Qin Huairu to leave; hearing that Xiao Dang would hate him afterward, he was frightened.

"I don't want Mom to go, I don't want my sister to go..."

He thought of the miserable state of children at school without mothers or fathers, being bullied, being scolded for having no mom or dad...

The more he thought, the more frightened he became; he lay on the ground and started rolling around.

Qin Huairu also had tearful eyes, squatting down to comfort her son.

"Bang Geng, Mom isn't really intending to abandon you."

"It's because your grandmother won't let me work; if I don't work, we mother and son can't get an urban hukou."

"Without an urban hukou, Mom and the two sisters couldn't survive in the city."

"I have no choice—don't hate Mom."

Bang Geng heard Qin Huairu's words, looked at Jia Zhangshi, and shouted angrily.

"Grandma, you're a bad grandma; you've left me without a mom."

"You're bad, you're bad..."

Jia Zhangshi heard this and her body swayed slightly.

Her most beloved grandson actually hated her.

Yang Qing spoke at the right moment.

"Ah, if Bang Geng hadn't said it, I almost wouldn't have remembered."

"This incident involving Dong Xu brother seems also related to Auntie Zhang."

"It's said that lately Auntie Zhang has been quarreling with Dong Xu brother every day, not letting him sleep well; she also drove Qin Huairu away, so no one cooks for him, thus Dong Xu brother can only eat steamed corn buns."

"If you don't eat well or sleep well, you have no strength or energy."

"This lack of strength and energy, plus the recent increase and hardship of work at the steel rolling mill,"

"The truth is out, everyone."

"Dong Xu brother may be destined to face this calamity."

After Yang Qing's analysis, everyone thought, it really seems to be the case.

"Yes, if you don't think about it you don't know, but once you think about it it's shocking; it really seems to be the case."

"If we put it that way, Old Jia back then was probably similar to now."

As for the war on the peninsula, weapons are urgently needed, and Old Jia also often works overtime to preserve production.

At that time, it seemed that Jia Zhangshi also had argued with Old Jia.

Speaking of that, I also recall some things; it seems that at that time, Jia Zhangshi, angry with Old Jia, wouldn't let him onto the heated brick bed and wouldn't cook for him.

Hey, don't say it, but it seems that those few days Old Jia caught a chill from the rain and then had an accident.

Catch a chill in summer?

The more people talked, the more truths were uncovered, and the matter began to develop toward a dark side.

Even Director Luo's expression changed upon looking at Jia Zhangshi.

In that case, the factory could again shift part of the responsibility.

Even Director Wang's look at Jia Zhangshi was not good.

Because of the matter of Jia Zhangshi's vigil, everyone had long been full of opinions about her.

When saying these words, they basically did not avoid Jia Zhangshi.

Faced with the crowd directing their accusations at themselves, and in the crowd's words, it sounded like they were saying, "It's you, Jia Zhangshi, who killed Old Jia."

Many mouths can melt gold, ah; this harm is immense.

Jia Zhangshi was frightened, she panicked and shouted loudly.

"It's not me, I didn't do it, it's all because of Qin Huairu; Qin Huairu herself is the jinx."

"Old Jia and I have no relation; it's just an accident, don't believe you—go ask the eldest uncle."

At this point, someone said a line.

"Then why is it that everyone else is fine, but the man from your family met with misfortune?"

Ultimate fatal blow.

Jia Zhangshi plopped down onto the ground, frightened and burst into tears.

"I didn't, I really didn't, you're wronging me."

Director Wang then said.

"Jia Zhangshi, if you're doing it for the Jia family's good, why not let Qin Huairu take this job?"

"If Qin Huairu gets this job, the three children will all become urban residents."

"Even adding you, it wouldn't be too hard."

"After all, with a set quota, one person buying grain costs only five yuan a month; for four people, that's only twenty."

"Because Jia Dongxu suffered a work injury, Qin Huairu previously became a formal worker."

"That is, at least twenty-seven per month."

"For your five people, if the grain is divided evenly, twenty-seven is enough for you to eat."

Yang Qing also said.

"You don't think for your own granddaughter, but you should also think for Bang Geng."

"Without urban residency, the factory only gives a subsidy of eight yuan."

"Even if it's not a famine year, eight yuan buying expensive grain—can he fill his stomach?"

"Aren't you still going to dip into your savings?"

"Let's not talk about whether Bang Geng can get a job then; even if he gets one, what then?"

"You drove his mother and sister out of the house, letting him be mocked from childhood for lacking parents and also be bullied."

"You say, when he grows up, what feelings will he have toward you?"

Yang Qing's words pierced straight into Jia Zhangshi's heart.

She thought well, but in reality, many things are not within her control.

Others then gloated over her misfortune.

"Those children without parents, nobody teaches them—how many turn out well?"

"The old bun shop owner on Front Street, in order to raise that grandson, suffered how much hardship?"

"As a result, that child masters eating, drinking, whoring, gambling, and smoking, yet refuses to learn properly; when out of money, he demands from the old bun shop owner, and if refused, he gets beaten."

"In a famine year, the old bun shop owner died in the wasteland digging grass roots; they didn't even collect his corpse—how miserable!"