novellhall Chapter 144 I Want to Move In
Chapter 144 I Want to Move In
Zhuang Qingxiang pushed the door, but couldn't open it, so she pounded on it forcefully.
"Who is it? What are you doing so late at night?" came an impatient woman's voice from inside.
Zhuang Qingxiang immediately recognized the voice as that of her stepmother, Cao Xiang.
"Auntie, open the door, it's me, Qingxiang," Zhuang Qingxiang called out.
Cao Xiang, standing at the entrance to the main room, shuddered and quickly went into the east room: "Master, what is that brat up to?"
"Dad, open the door!" Zhuang Qingxiang continued to shout, "If you don't open the door, I'll keep banging on it, and then the whole village will be alarmed."
Qian Dayou spat angrily and said to Cao Xiang, "What are you all standing there for? Hurry up and open the door, or everyone around will know."
"Is it alright to let her in now? What if the leaders in Beijing find out and they start accusing us of something?" Cao Xiang was still worried.
These past two days, they've been calling Qian Dayou in for questioning, as if they're trying to force them to admit to having connections with the bookmakers in Beijing. But didn't the bookmakers in Beijing already flee the country?
If this really gets involved, their family will be finished. What a terrible situation.
"Alright, open the door first, or the villagers will laugh at us." Qian Dayou said as he got off the kang (a heated brick bed), put on a coat and shoes, and went outside.
Cao Xiang ground her back teeth as she opened the front door.
When she went to open the door, everyone else also peeked out. They all recognized Zhuang Qingxiang's voice, but none of them wanted to pay attention.
"Mom, you actually opened the door for her?" the little girl Qian Cao couldn't help but exclaim. "Everyone in the village says she's a bad element now."
"Get lost! What do you know, you little kid? Go to sleep!" Cao Xiang cursed and opened the door.
Outside the door, Zhuang Qingxiang looked at Cao Xiang calmly and said, "I have something to tell Father."
"Come in," Cao Xiang said irritably.
Zhuang Qingxiang walked into the main room and saw that Qian Dayou was already sitting in a chair. She then said directly, "Father, I want to take the two children home to live."
"What the hell?" Cao Xiang, who followed behind, exclaimed upon hearing this, "Are you crazy?"
Qian Dayou was taken aback by her words. After regaining his composure, his face immediately wrinkled: "No way!"
Cao Xiang: "You're a married woman with two children to support, what right do you have to come back and live here? There's no place for you in the house, don't even think about it!"
Zhuang Qingxiang said expressionlessly, "I can't work for Director Lu anymore. I have to move out first thing tomorrow morning. I have nowhere else to go for the time being, so I have to move back here. Don't worry, I'm just staying here for a few days. I'll move out as soon as I find a place to stay."
"What do you mean you have nowhere to go? Go live at your in-laws' house! Even if your husband is dead, those two kids are still their offspring. If you're going to go, go to your in-laws' house," Cao Xiang said, pursing her lips.
Zhuang Qingxiang said calmly, "Auntie, you make it sound so easy. If you had said something like that when they kicked us out, and if Father had stood up for me, I wouldn't be homeless now."
Cao Xiang's eyebrows shot up instantly: "What kind of talk is that? A married daughter is like water spilled from a bowl; how are we supposed to know how you're doing in your husband's family? How can we speak up for you?"
"So, I'm telling you now, I can't go back over there. I can only bring the child back here. You have to agree whether you like it or not."
Zhuang Qingxiang paused for a moment, then said, "Otherwise, I have a lot to say to the two comrades from Beijing. I think our family's status as poor peasants needs to be changed. After all, how could poor peasants afford to build such a grand red brick house? And how could they allow Dad to dominate the gambling world..."
"Shut up!" Qian Dayou nearly jumped up in shock. "You...you mustn't be talking nonsense! Are you trying to ruin my whole family?"
"Am I lying? Do you want me to calculate for you how much money you spent on my mother?" Zhuang Qingxiang asked.
She then turned to Cao Xiang, "And you, how much dowry did you ask for? Where did the money come from? Do you want me to tell you? You must have asked for the most dowry among the surrounding villages, right?"
Cao Xiang's expression shifted, but she stubbornly insisted, "So what? I'm a perfectly healthy young woman marrying a widower with two children, so I should give more dowry. I haven't done anything wrong."
"I didn't say you were wrong," Zhuang Qingxiang said calmly. "I just think those two leaders from Beijing must be very curious about the source of the bride price."
Cao Xiang was speechless with frustration. She glared at Qian Dayou and snapped, "You handle this! I don't want to get involved! Qian Dayou, let me warn you, if you hinder my son and daughter's future, I'll divorce you immediately!"
"You don't need to make a fuss," Zhuang Qingxiang said calmly. "I'm just staying for a few days. As long as you agree, I won't say anything."
Qian Da looked troubled: "Qingxiang, you know our family's situation. We really don't have enough rooms. If we had enough space, we wouldn't have separated your brother from the family, right?"
"I think you should stay at Haoqing's place for a few days. There are only two people in their family, so they can always find a place for you to stay."
Zhuang Qingxiang forced a smile: "I'm still used to living here. After all, it's where I've lived for over twenty years. Let Haojiang sleep with you for now, or we can set up a plank bed for him in the main room. I'll sleep in his room with the two kids. It's only for a few days, so it won't be too much trouble for him."
No sooner had he finished speaking than a tall, thin figure rushed in.
"I disagree!" Qian Haojiang, who had been eavesdropping outside, jumped out to protest. "You have your own younger brother, why should you come to my house and make me make room for you? I won't do it! Dad, Mom, I don't agree to this, make her leave immediately!"
Zhuang Qingxiang pursed her lips. Although she already knew what they were, she still couldn't help feeling disappointed and sad.
Qian Haojiang is eighteen years old now. She has been taking care of him since he was born. Except when he was drinking milk and needed to find Cao Xiang, he grew up on her back.
Not just Qian Haojiang, but every child in the family was raised by her.
But they never treated her as a sister or a relative; they only treated her as a fool who did all the work for nothing.
At this moment, the door to the west room opened, and Qian Haoshan, her other brother whom she had raised by hand and who was not related to her by blood, came out of the room, accompanied by his wife Zhang Yu.
Before Qian Haoshan could speak, Zhang Yu frowned and refused, "I don't think it's appropriate either. Haojiang is already eighteen, and they're about to get married. If he lives in the main room, it will be inconvenient for my husband and me to come and go."
"Yes," Qian Haoshan nodded. "Big sister, you should go stay at my place. There's really no room at home."
"Oh……"
Zhuang Qingxiang scoffed, turned and walked out. "Fine, very well! I'll go talk to the leaders from Beijing right now. The sooner we have a thorough discussion, the more at ease everyone will feel."
"Stop!" Qian Dayou shouted hurriedly.
Cao Xiang looked embarrassed and, unable to bear venting her anger on her two sons, yelled at Zhang Yu, "What do you know? Go back inside! Who gives you the right to speak here?"