Chapter 330: Chapter 329: Deep Water and Fiery Trial
Moreover, Gu Junming had been pursued by Bai Fanglan before, and he had also had several conflicts with Sun Chan, so he didn’t want to be seen as kicking someone when they’re down, hence he couldn’t bring himself to speak. Seeing Gu Junming’s attitude, Wang Hu’s heart gradually cooled down.
If there were no issues, Gu Junming would say so directly, but speaking like this clearly indicates there is a problem!
He said, "I understand, I won’t make it difficult for you. I’ll go and ask, but about this issue, I..."
"I know, I will keep it a secret," Gu Junming said solemnly.
Wang Hu sighed and strode out.
Gu Junming thought to himself, Wang Hu is very career-oriented and serious. But only in matters of love, he’s truly unfortunate to have such a wife.
Wang Hu made several phone calls to people he knew in Shenzhen and also to some colleagues from the hospital, asking them to find out what had happened when Bai Fanglan went to Shenzhen.
The other party said they would help investigate, and Wang Hu began to wait for the news.
Gu Junming went to his workplace and told Yan Kai about it. Yan Kai frowned for a while, only saying he understood, without any intention to get involved. They were always outsiders.
Bai Fanglan was cautious for several days, noticing that Wang Hu spoke even less. Although he still spoke gently to her, there was a distant look in his eyes, and he showed less concern for their children than before. He promptly found a place and moved with Bai Fanglan.
Bai Fanglan spent most of her time at home staring blankly, with a nanny helping with chores, yet she couldn’t find comfort.
Does Wang Hu suspect something? She felt she might be overly suspicious and guilty like a thief. But after testing several times, Wang Hu just said she was overthinking, and nothing was there.
Bai Fanglan was anxious and helpless, only able to endure each day, thinking that things would be better once the child was born.
Besides Bai Fanglan, there was another person plunged into turmoil, Sun Lijuan.
Sun Lijuan, after failing to gain benefits during her visit to the Yang Family, returned to the village.
During the holiday, she received her internship notice, only to find out Gu Junming had arranged for her to go to the Poverty Alleviation Office!
She was very angry; wasn’t this a trap for her?
Though it was as promised, a formal job in a government department, it was completely different from what she had envisioned!
Zhao Xiuxia was actually quite happy: "You have a formal job; how many people with village registration can claim that? It’s such a good thing! Just now, the village head came by and was flattering us. Don’t put on a sour face."
Sun Lijuan, however, irritably threw the notice on the ground: "Mom! Do you know how bleak working in the Poverty Alleviation Office is? I don’t want to go! You can’t force me!"
Zhao Xiuxia quickly picked it up: "What are you talking about? It has a salary and a quota. After five years of work, there will be housing. It’s such a good thing! Don’t cause trouble, be good, you are just..."
Sun Lijuan said angrily: "Gu Junming is hurting me! I want to go to the city; I want to be a city person, but what does the Poverty Alleviation Office do? It’s rooted in rural fields; I won’t ever think about entering the city in my life!"
The main work of this Poverty Alleviation Office is distributing various pesticides and seeds to five guaranteed households in villages, helping difficult households learn about new crops, planting things like tobacco and medicines, and coordinating with the Women’s Federation on family planning. During holidays, they’re supposed to visit five guaranteed households, families of military martyrs to deliver goods and register.
The job is chaotic and strenuous, requiring staying in the village for three hundred days a year!
No chance of going to the city, nor any hope for a specialized career. It’s a lifetime of such work!
"Gu Junming, how dare you trick me!" Sun Lijuan shouted through clenched teeth.
Zhao Xiuxia found it not so bad; after all, she had eaten more grains over the years and couldn’t compete with Sun Chan.
"What’s our relation with them? We might as well be enemies—Sun Chan, that dead girl, has now run off to the Yang Family; no benefits will come to us. Even if we make a fuss, probably no good will come from it. Now Gu Junming has given you a job, better accept it early!"
"I don’t want it!" Sun Lijuan shouted loudly: "I want to go into the city, wear beautiful clothes, ride a bicycle to work, and get married in a building! I’m about to graduate from vocational school; everyone else has good jobs. Why don’t I have one? I can’t just accept it. I’m not willing, Mom, everything is taken from me by that wicked girl. Why is my life not better than hers?"
Zhao Xiuxia frowned: "Listen, girl, you’re turning twenty-one this year. In the village, there are few who don’t find a match at this age, and you’ve also lost your virginity. You might not be able to have children, but if you find a decent job, you could marry into a good family with kids and money." You’re not ugly. You’ll surely..."
"I don’t want to hear it!" Sun Lijuan covered her ears and shouted: "Why am I so unlucky? Wasn’t it caused by Sun Chan? I definitely want to marry into a good family!"
Zhao Xiuxia was also angry, punched her daughter on the shoulder, and Sun Lijuan was stunned, not expecting her mother to hit her.
"What do you want to do, Mom?"
Zhao Xiuxia cried; "I also don’t know what I want to do! I only know we don’t have that fate! Stop fighting; if you keep causing trouble, you’ll lose even this job—a month with bonuses and subsidies, a hundred and eighty yuan—what a good thing! If you don’t agree, go to the city, cause trouble, and fuss! I won’t care anymore!"
Sun Lijuan saw her mother walk straight out, leaving her momentarily bewildered. Do they all believe she won’t have a good life?
Sun Chan also knew causing a scene might not yield results. The Yang Family wasn’t easy to deal with, especially Zhao Jieyun, who was sharp-eyed and could read Sun Chan’s intentions at a glance.
The reporting time was near and she hadn’t stirred up a commotion, so she stayed in the village.
Zhao Xiuxia was happy, but Sun Lijuan was thoroughly dumbfounded. What kind of job is this, dealing daily with riff-raff, shrews, or illiterate elderly who require every sentence explained dozens of times?
It’s meant to benefit the people, yet often results in cursing and getting beaten. Nearby villages have roads not yet paved, needing people to carry things across dozens of miles, feet about to break!
Sun Lijuan, raised in comfort, had never endured such hardships!
She ran back home after less than two weeks of work.
Zhao Xiuxia was at home boasting to neighbors about her daughter’s great job when she saw Sun Lijuan return home with a cold face, her heart sinking.