novellhall Chapter 284 Principles for Family Members
Chapter 284 Principles for Family Members
Zhuang Qingxiang felt that Jin Guilan's words made sense, and after hesitating for a while, she agreed.
After dressing the two children and putting them in the stroller, she took them out.
The supply and marketing cooperative wasn't as crowded as it was before the Lunar New Year, but there were still quite a few people there.
Jin Guilan told her to wait while she squeezed in. A little while later, she squeezed out again, laughing and saying that she had managed to grab some dried shrimp and carrots.
"Dried shrimp is a good thing. Sprinkle some on the soup when you make it, and it tastes great. Here, I'll share half with you," Jin Guilan said generously.
Zhuang Qingxiang quickly said no.
Jin Guilan thought about it and then stopped refusing.
"Since that's the case, I'll take it. My grandson likes to eat it."
Zhuang Qingxiang remembered Jin Guilan mentioning that her grandson was already two years old, and couldn't help but ask curiously, "Sister Jin, when you go out to buy groceries every day, who takes care of the child?"
"My distant niece is helping to look after things," Jin Guilan said with a smile. "I don't need to worry about it; I'm just responsible for buying groceries and cooking."
Zhuang Qingxiang looked at her with some confusion.
Although Jin Guilan has a plump appearance, her demeanor and attire suggest she is an office worker, not a housewife who is preoccupied with the kitchen.
She couldn't help but ask, "Sister Jin, don't you go to work?"
Upon hearing this, Jin Guilan's smile turned into regret.
"I'm not going anymore!" she sighed. "I've transferred the job to my youngest daughter; I can't just watch her go to the countryside."
Zhuang Qingxiang was even more surprised.
Her husband is the deputy director of the Industry and Commerce Bureau, yet he couldn't even arrange a job for their daughter? Sister Jin had to give up her own job instead?
Speaking of this, Jin Guilan's face showed a proud expression.
"My husband, Lao Li, isn't that kind of person. He's very principled and has the utmost disdain for those who use connections to get ahead."
What followed was a five-minute-long eulogy to Li Weixing.
Zhuang Qingxiang secretly developed a sense of admiration for Deputy Director Li after hearing this.
But when Lu Congyue came home from get off work, she told him about it, and Lu Congyue gave her a half-smile.
Zhuang Qingxiang: "What's with that expression? Is Sister Jin wrong?"
"Yes! No, no..." Lu Congyue raised an eyebrow slightly, "Deputy Director Li is indeed quite strict with his family, and he has a lot of principles."
"What about outsiders?" Zhuang Qingxiang sensed the unspoken meaning.
Lu Congyue smiled and said, "I'm more... tolerant towards outsiders."
"What does that mean?" Zhuang Qingxiang asked anxiously.
Lu Congyue laughed and said, "It's quite a coincidence. I just received some news today that he's going to arrange for a distant relative to work at the Second Department Store."
Zhuang Qingxiang was shocked: "He arranged for a distant relative? Why didn't he arrange for his own daughter?"
Lu Congyue tapped her on the head: "Don't pry into other people's family affairs, and don't meddle in their business."
Zhuang Qingxiang was speechless. It was just her first time seeing an official who arranged for distant relatives to be included but not his own daughter, and she was simply curious.
"Don't mention this to Sister Jin," Lu Congyue reminded her. "Since she thinks Deputy Director Li is a very principled person, it means she doesn't know about these things. Don't let Deputy Director Li find out."
Zhuang Qingxiang naturally wouldn't mention it. What if the couple had a fight and came to settle scores with her?
Within two days, Jin Guilan also started taking her child to the supply and marketing cooperative.
"My distant niece is incredibly lucky. A couple of days ago, there was a job opening at the department store. She just casually signed up, took the test casually, and actually got the job."
"Since he's a successful person, I can't keep him at home helping take care of the child. I'll have to take care of him myself. At least he'll be able to go to kindergarten in another year, so it won't be too tiring for him."
Jin Guilan's face was full of envy when she talked about her distant niece's good fortune.
If she and her youngest daughter were that lucky, they wouldn't have had to give up their jobs...
After listening, Zhuang Qingxiang had a lot to say.
Sigh, I can't say...
Since they both had children with them, neither of them stayed outside for long.
That evening, Zhuang Qingxiang told Lu Congyue about it: "You were right. He arranged a job for Sister Jin's distant niece, so now Sister Jin has to take care of her grandson by herself."
"However, wouldn't you say that Deputy Director Li is being quite good to Sister Jin? He even arranged a job for a distant relative..."
Lu Congyue continued to smile without saying a word.
Zhuang Qingxiang was so angry she wanted to kick someone: "Say something! The fact that you're laughing like that means something's wrong, right?"
Lu Congyue coughed lightly: "Anyway, if it were me, I'd be fine with arranging jobs for my wife and kids, but who would want to arrange one for a relative? Especially a distant relative, not even a close relative of our own family..."
Zhuang Qingxiang's expression changed: "You mean, they..."
"I didn't say anything," Lu Congyue interrupted her. "Without solid evidence, saying anything would just be spreading rumors and causing trouble."
Zhuang Qingxiang remained silent for a while, then gave Lu Congyue a strange look.
Lu Congyue: "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Zhuang Qingxiang pouted: "Look at you, you're getting older too, you're already thirty-three. When you're as old as Deputy Director Li, who knows what mistakes you might make..."
Men are all the same.
She used to think that the fact that the men in the Zhuang family took concubines when they got older was a problem with their background.
Now, Li Weixing, the deputy director, is doing this behind his wife's back. How is that any different from a man in a wealthy family taking a concubine?
Men, haha...
Zhuang Qingxiang's disdain was blatant.
Lu Congyue's eyelids twitched as he looked at him: "Even when I'm old, I won't be like him! You know better than anyone how chaste I am! Even if a woman throws herself at me, I'll turn a blind eye."
"That's the past and the present. Who knows what the future holds? Take Deputy Director Li, for example. He certainly wasn't like this when he was young. Otherwise, Sister Jin wouldn't have married him and trusted him so much. It's just that he's gotten old and started to act disrespectfully." Zhuang Qingxiang whispered.
She also wanted to say that her father had also married a young and beautiful concubine.
Perhaps when men reach a certain age, they want to find younger women to prove that they are still young and attractive.
"Zhuang Qingxiang!" Lu Congyue could tell from her expression what she was thinking, and called out warningly, "I don't care what others are like, but I won't become like them. You have to trust me."
"Yes, I trust you," Zhuang Qingxiang replied softly.
Could that perfunctory tone be any more perfunctory?
Lu Congyue was furious.
How could she compare him to a man like Deputy Director Li?
Is there any basis for comparison?
"You woman..." He sat up abruptly and pulled back Zhuang Qingxiang's blanket.
Zhuang Qingxiang quickly covered her mouth and whispered, "What's wrong with you?"
"Go to the west room," Lu Congyue said coldly. "I need to teach you a lesson."
"What kind of class is this in the middle of the night?" Zhuang Qingxiang protested.
She had no choice but to comply, Lu Congyue warned her, "You either go obediently, or I'll just carry you there myself. It's your choice. I don't want to say anything more to you here; it'll wake the child."