Chapter 176: Do You Need Someone To Control You For Life?
Fan Xiaoyu looked at the silent Lu Qiaoge.
This young woman was younger than her, but much more capable than her.
She first saw Second Sister-in-law being scolded and not daring to speak.
Fan Xiaoyu’s heart was thumping uneasily.
She was just cowardly by nature.
From childhood, no one at home had ever taken her seriously.
She was clearly the youngest, but she did the most work at home.
She didn’t dare sit at the table when eating, didn’t dare fight back when beaten, and her two older brothers never treated her as a younger sister.
She washed clothes, cooked, served the family, and later even had to serve the sisters-in-law who came through the door and take care of their children.
She thought every family was like this, but later found out it wasn’t—only her family was like this.
She even suspected she wasn’t their biological daughter.
But she really looked like her mother.
No one would believe they weren’t family, yet no one treated her as family.
Mother’s job went to Second Sister-in-law. She thought Second Sister-in-law’s temporary worker job could go to her, but unexpectedly Second Sister-in-law gave it to her own younger sister from her mother’s home. She went to complain to her mother, who said you, a money-losing good, will eventually marry into someone else’s family anyway—what job do you need? Just stay home cooking and taking care of children.
But Second Sister-in-law’s younger sister was also a girl—why could she have a job?
Later she went to the countryside to work. If it weren’t for the brigade secretary forcing her to marry his fool son, she wouldn’t want to come back here.
The world was so big, yet there was no place for her. Just now, she really didn’t want to live.
But the different Lu Qiaoge made her feel like something was off somewhere.
Money-losing good—according to her mother, weren’t all these girls money-losing goods?
But why was she the only money-losing good living so miserably?
Lu Qiaoge looked at the terrified and uneasy yet angry Fan Xiaoyu.
This was the first time she had seen a sister-in-law bullied so badly.
Hoping she could stand up on her own was still a bit short of the mark. Lu Qiaoge didn’t mind adding fuel to the fire.
“Fan Xiaoyu, did you hear? Your Second Sister-in-law violated regulations by throwing things from upstairs. I’m going to fine her five yuan, but she clearly threw your things and still wants you to pay the fine. Do you agree?”
Lu Qiaoge said word by word, her gaze fixed on Fan Xiaoyu.
A lot of neighbors gathering at the doorway to watch the excitement were whispering discussions at this time.
“Xiaoyu, that’s your sister-in-law, your Second Brother’s wife, who gave your Old Fan Family a big grandson. What’s wrong with you paying the fine for her?”
Fan Second Daughter-in-law smugly lifted her head and snorted lightly through her nose.
“What nonsense are you spouting? Why should she pay the fine for her? Xiaoyu, you’re too honest—you can’t let your Second Sister-in-law bully you like this!”
“Don’t add fuel to the fire, harmony in the family brings prosperity in all things—don’t be petty.”
“Xiaoyu, don’t listen to them. Make up your own mind. See, now there’s a neighborhood committee cadre here to back you up—what are you afraid of?”
“Yeah, you can’t just do whatever your family tells you to do. This is the military factory family courtyard—you can’t have no backbone at all. What if your family sells you to the deep mountains and old forest to be a wife for an old bachelor? Would you be willing too?”
The last few sentences from this person were said biting the words, as if there was some other meaning in them.
Fan Xiaoyu’s heart skipped a beat, and she looked at Lu Qiaoge again.
Lu Qiaoge silently looked at her.
But her glance was warm and encouraging.
Mingming was several years younger than her.
Suddenly, Fan Xiaoyu shouted in a trembling voice: “No, I don’t agree. This woman has never been good to me at all. She even spread rumors slandering me for stealing things and got my parents and Second Brother to beat me. Not to mention I have no money—even if I did, why should I pay the fine for her?”
Many people looked at the Fan Family with condemning glances.
How could they treat Fan Xiaoyu like this? They didn’t know until she said it.
Not a single good person in this family.
Lu Qiaoge smiled: “You’re absolutely right. If you pay the fine for her, wouldn’t our so-called punishment become a joke?
If everyone who makes a mistake gets someone else to accept the punishment for them, what’s the point of laws and regulations in this world?”
Wang Dama was stunned for a moment, then clapped her hands and said excitedly: “Little Lu cadre, what you said is so good, so right, so reasonable! I thought earlier her behavior was a bit off. She made the mistake and needs to pay the fine—why make her sister-in-law pay it?
Now that you say it, I get it. If Fan Xiaoyu pays the fine for her, then next time she throws things, won’t she be even more bold? Because anyway someone will pay the fine, right?”
Fan Second Daughter-in-law wasn’t afraid of Wang Dama and stomped her feet hard: “You old Mrs. Wang, who do you think you are? Do you think you’re Mu Guiying, always jumping into every fight? This is our family matter—what’s it got to do with you?”
Lu Qiaoge stopped Fan Second Daughter-in-law who was about to open her mouth: “It doesn’t matter if you don’t say which work unit you’re from. Just wait for the salary deduction.”
Lu Qiaoge ignored the others and asked Fan Xiaoyu: “Have you packed all your things?”
Fan Xiaoyu nodded: “Yes, all packed. I don’t have much anyway.”
“Then come with me first.”
Fan Second Daughter-in-law jumped three feet high at the doorway: “I’m telling you, Fan Xiaoyu, you money-losing good! Once you step out this door, don’t think about coming back for the rest of your life. If you dare come back, I’ll break your legs.”
From beginning to end, Old Fan Tou and his wife, as well as Fan Second, hadn’t said a single word.
This kind of throughout silence was also quite a skill to cultivate.
“Don’t think having a street cadre backing you means anything. She can protect you for a moment, but not for life. Let’s see what you do then?”
Lu Qiaoge smiled brightly at Fan Xiaoyu: “Do you need someone to manage you for the rest of your life?”
Fan Xiaoyu was stunned.
And by now they had gone downstairs and were standing in the open space outside.
The weather was a bit overcast, but for some reason Fan Xiaoyu’s mood suddenly brightened.
Wang Dama patted her shoulder from behind: “Little Lu cadre is asking you something?”
Fan Xiaoyu gritted her teeth and said: “I won’t let anyone manage me for life. I can support myself.”
Lu Qiaoge smiled satisfied and thanked Wang Dama.
Wang Dama lowered her voice and said to her: “Little Lu cadre, I heard that the residents’ committee is adding a team this autumn. I want to run for team leader.”
Lu Qiaoge immediately extended her hand and shook hands very solemnly with Wang Dama, saying earnestly: “Wang Dama, you must work hard!”
Wang Dama nodded excitedly: “Yes, I will definitely work hard!”
Fan Xiaoyu was somewhat shocked.
Did this young little girl have such influence when she spoke?
Was it because she was a neighborhood committee cadre or because she was capable in her own right?
Lu Qiaoge couldn’t go home at noon, so she took Fan Xiaoyu straight to the hospital.
Although there was no prior contact or communication, the matter was sudden and she made the decision on the spot. She figured both directors would support her.
Lu Qiaoge smoothly brought Fan Xiaoyu into Chen Gou’s hospital ward using her work permit.
Chen Gou had fractures, so one arm and one leg were in casts, and he was still sleeping.
Second Aunt Lin was very happy to hear Fan Xiaoyu was coming to take the night shift: “I was just about to tell Deputy Director Huang that I can’t do it tonight—these past few days staying up late has given me headaches…”
