Chapter 240: Time To Suffer? Why Should You?!
Wu Xiaoxia said a whole bunch of words in one breath.
Sister Qiao finally nodded in satisfaction. She pulled Wu Xiaoxia aside and said to her in a low voice, “Xiaoxia, you’re right to think that way. A good horse doesn’t eat the grass it turned back to eat; there’s reason in that saying. Look at Meng Liben—apart from having no fertility, in what way is he not better than Ding Zichuan?”
“Besides, the era is progressing. In the future, medical skill might improve, and this illness could be cured.”
“If it can’t be cured, so what? You already have two children; that’s enough for this lifetime. Just nurture the two children until they grow up. When you’re old, you two will have each other for company.
To tell the truth, counting on children for elderly care really isn’t reliable.
Just look at us now, all going to work—where’s the time to take care of the elderly? So what’s the difference between our children and us in the future?
First, we have to make sure we live well ourselves. Otherwise, what’s the point of coming to this world?
To suffer? Why should we!”
Wu Xiaoxia nodded heavily in understanding. “Mm, I know what I should do and what I shouldn’t do. Thank you, and thank Qiao Ge too.”
She smiled at Lu Qiaoge, without looking at Ding Zichuan or at Chen Dafeng. Throughout, she didn’t give Chen Dafeng a single glance, as if this person didn’t exist.
Chen Dafeng finally felt embarrassed and annoyed.
She wanted to say something, but what could she say?
She wasn’t familiar with them; apart from cursing, she had no other topics. But with Lu Qiaoge there, she didn’t dare curse— what if Lu Qiaoge caught her words and sent her to the Security Department?
Besides, this young woman had such great strength.
Meng Liben also thanked Lu Qiaoge and Sister Qiao. Sister Qiao waved it off repeatedly, but didn’t say anything else.
She and Lu Qiaoge were colleagues; they were one unit.
Moreover, if she distinguished too clearly from Qiao Ge on this matter, it would make their relationship become distant.
Meng Liben gave Ding Zichuan a warning glance. If there was a next time, he wouldn’t be polite.
Like a mangy dog—really contemptible.
Sister Qiao also thought it was too amazing; Chen Dafeng actually didn’t say anything.
It seemed to really fit that saying: brine curdles tofu—one thing subdues another.
She looked at Lu Qiaoge, not knowing how Lu Qiaoge would handle these two people.
Unexpectedly, Ding Zichuan suddenly shouted, “You’re from the Neighborhood Committee. I want to divorce Chen Dafeng now; I can’t live with her even one more day.”
Chen Dafeng was stunned for a moment, then immediately jumped up and pounced toward Ding Zichuan, cursing, “You conscienceless bastard turtle, if you dare divorce me, I’ll hang myself at your main door!”
Ding Zichuan pushed her away with one hand and roared, “Then go ahead, go hang yourself.”
Sister Qiao scolded, “Enough, you two aren’t kids anymore. Who are you putting on this life-or-death show for? If you can live together, then live well together. Is marriage that easy that you can just do it once? Besides, if you really want to divorce, you should negotiate it at home first. What’s the point of shouting it on the street to us? Do you think we’re just going to do nothing and follow behind you to settle your disputes?”
It was the first time Lu Qiaoge had seen Sister Qiao get angry.
She could imagine that Sister Qiao really couldn’t hold back anymore.
Lu Qiaoge didn’t speak. Neither of these two was a good person; both were quite harmful. Why divorce? Just live together for a lifetime and spare others the harm.
They say to strike while the iron is hot; Ding Zichuan had been making trouble on that momentum. Now that Wu Xiaoxia and Meng Liben had left, he suddenly felt powerless all over.
What could he do now?
He couldn’t lose face outside with this shrew Chen Dafeng.
So Ding Zichuan pursed his lips, furrowed his brows, and walked forward without looking back.
So what could Chen Dafeng do?
She didn’t dare to cause trouble for Lu Qiaoge, and it was even less possible to cause trouble for Sister Qiao.
She could only grit her teeth, glare at the two of them, then stamp her foot at last and chase after Ding Zichuan hatefully.
Sister Qiao checked the time, took Lu Qiaoge’s hand, and left. “Don’t delay; hurry home for dinner.”
In the afternoon, Sister Qiao reported the dispute Lu Qiaoge had handled at noon to Director Hu and Deputy Director Huang.
Old Hu didn’t know, but Huang Juan had indeed heard about it.
She suggested to Old Hu, “I think we should still strengthen study now; ideological education has slackened. Look at these people acting lawlessly, spewing filthy words the moment they open their mouths, as if speaking doesn’t require responsibility. If it goes on long enough, there’ll definitely be big trouble, especially those in the Family Courtyard who love to gossip and spread rumors and slander people—they need to be properly educated.”
So the two directors decided to hold a study class every Saturday night.
With the good weather now, it would be in the open space of the Family Courtyard.
Comrades from the Neighborhood Committee would come to teach lessons to the families.
One hour, basically all content from the Newspaper.
Lu Qiaoge would take the lead; this Saturday, she was to give a moral character lesson to the people in Family Courtyards of Districts One to Three.
Then on the night school side, Old Hu and Old Huang easily found a teacher.
No salary, willingly passing on knowledge.
And even thanking Xiangyang Neighborhood Committee for giving them this opportunity.
So Shao Le posted a notice at the main door; night school was preparing to officially start classes on September
Unexpectedly, night school was actually assigned to Shao Le to be responsible for.
Shao Le had been at the Public Security Office every day lately, dealing with all sorts of trivial matters; he really wanted to make a big splash like Lu Qiaoge.
Unfortunately, he had never had the opportunity.
Shao Le at this moment was very excited and very thrilled; rubbing his hands, he went to find Lu Qiaoge. “Was it you who suggested to the leader that I take charge of night school? Thank you.”
Lu Qiaoge glanced at Shao Le and said with a smile, “Night school work is also very hard. Night school, as the name implies, means going to work at night too. I really didn’t suggest you go, but our director decided to have you do it, so he must feel you’re very suitable for this work post. Though the hardship is certain.”
Shao Le waved his big hand. “I’m not afraid of hardship or fatigue; I’m just afraid of having nothing to do. Right, tell me how I should carry out the work on the night school side?”
Lu Qiaoge readily told Shao Le the set of plans she had thought up.
Shao Le listened while taking notes.
If he didn’t understand, he asked Lu Qiaoge. If he really didn’t understand, he wrote it in his notebook, and Lu Qiaoge told him that when problems arose in the work, he would naturally understand.
Actually, getting night school running was much simpler than the Food Factory and Handicraft Factory.
But Lu Qiaoge didn’t say this.
In her planning, the Military Factory should have its own vocational technology college.
Best if it could take shape next year.
That way, not only would it solve employment problems for a large portion of the children, but it would also be her work performance.
Lu Qiaoge thought happily: if she kept doing this, to what extent could she go?
—
Three days without seeing Qin Hengzhi. When Qin Hengzhi came to pick up Lu Qiaoge for dinner, she learned that the Old Gold Mine had already been taken over by the Gold Military.
The place Qin Hengzhi took Lu Qiaoge to was Wangjiang Tower, just the two of them.
The sun was blazing, yet because of the moistening of the river water, the air carried wisps of coolness.
In the window-side private room, the latticed window was half open, framing a bay of green water into a natural landscape painting.
It was really beautiful here, the air fresh, even the blowing wind seeming to carry the fragrance of grains.
Lu Qiaoge leaned comfortably against the chair back, slowly sipping the tea.
Qin Hengzhi silently glanced at her; he could always discern something different from her calm and poised posture.
Her fingers holding the cup were slender, knuckles like jade; her earlier movements pouring tea had been smooth as flowing clouds and water.
She could be like a Precious Sword unsheathed, sharp and revealing; or like a bay of spring water, tender and gentle.
Qin Hengzhi sighed: truly a complex little girl!
