Chapter 20: Stepsister’s Competence!
Lin Wan pulled her arm out of the girl’s grip and asked rather bluntly, “What do you want from me?”
Ma Xiuying reached out to tug at her arm again. “Let’s go into your room to talk.”
Lin Wan dodged her once more. “Stay away from me. Don’t go giving me lice!”
Ma Xiuying was the filthiest girl in their class. Lin Wan had once personally seen plump lice fighting in the strands of her hair. Moreover, numerous tiny white eggs could often be spotted clinging to her hair.
That did it. Lin Wan’s arm began to itch just thinking about it. She couldn’t help but scratch it.
Ma Xiuying looked displeased. However, remembering the purpose of her visit, she forcefully suppressed her irritation. No matter how forced the smile on her face was, she didn’t dare let it drop.
“If you have something to say, say it right here. It’s not like we’re close friends!” Lin Wan said.
Back when they were in school, Ma Xiuying had spread bad rumors about the original host everywhere, and the original host hadn’t held back either, openly detesting her filth and treating her very harshly.
Seeing that Lin Wan refused to speak with her in private, Ma Xiuying had no choice but to state her purpose. “I just wanted to ask how you found out the post office was recruiting. I want to—”
Huang Guixiang pulled Lin Wan behind her back, crossed her arms, and barked, “Keep dreaming!”
“What good would it do even if our Wanwan told you? The exam is already over!”
“Alright, alright, if there’s nothing else, hurry up and beat it. Don’t just stand around our house waiting to be fed.”
Ma Xiuying grew anxious and explained, “Auntie, that’s not what I meant. I just mean that since we’re all classmates, Lin Wan didn’t even drop a hint to everyone when there was recruitment information…”
Huang Guixiang laughed from pure anger and directly used a broom to sweep her right out the door.
“Ptooey!”
“What an absolute idiot!”
“Show me a single family who would broadcast recruitment information to the public after finding out! Show me!”
“Sour grapes! Why don’t you take a good look at yourself in the mirror? Dreaming of such nice things all day long!”
“Winter hasn’t even arrived, yet your nose is already bubbling with snot!”
The neighbors watching the commotion pointed and gestured at her. Huang Guixiang wasn’t wrong either—who wouldn’t keep recruitment information closely guarded and hidden? Why advertise it? To invite competitors for oneself? Out of their minds!
Ma Xiuying was moved to tears by the sheer anger. Stamping her foot, she ran away.
After grumbling a few words to the neighbors, Huang Guixiang went inside and shut the door. She sternly admonished Lin Wan, “You are about to become a post office employee, which is incredibly glorious.”
“In the future, when dealing with this kind of shameless person, don’t say a word. Let Mom handle it!”
“If Mom isn’t home, Hongqiang, you directly beat them out.”
“You’re just a kid. Who would bicker with you? Whoever does is the unreasonable one!”
Zhang Hongqiang puffed out his chest, thumping it with loud thuds. “Don’t worry, Mom!”
“I will definitely protect my sister well!”
Lin Wan’s heart warmed. The feeling of being unconditionally favored and protected was truly, deeply satisfying!
She rushed over from behind Huang Guixiang and threw her arms around her. “Mom, you’re the best. I love you so much!” She even nuzzled her face against Huang Guixiang’s back.
Zhang Hongqiang hurriedly rushed over to hug Lin Wan’s leg. “Sis, you’re the best too. I love you so much too!”
The corners of Huang Guixiang’s lips couldn’t be suppressed no matter what. She patted Lin Wan’s hand. “You’ve been running around all day and even bought so many things back. Hurry to your room and rest for a bit! Mom will call you when it’s time for dinner!”
“Oh right, do you want to go buy a pair of small leather shoes?”
Lin Wan shook her head. “No need. Let’s see if the unit distributes labor protection gear first.”
Thinking about it, Huang Guixiang agreed. “I forgot, post office employees all get work uniforms.”
“By the way, Mom, there’s something I need to tell you.” Lin Wan pulled Huang Guixiang’s hand into the room and handed her the one hundred yuan along with the coupons she had extorted from Zhang Qin.
“Zhang Qin and Guo Xuyang registered their marriage…” Lin Wan spilled the entire story like beans from a jar, explaining how she had caught Zhang Qin stealing the household register and turned around to sell it back to her for a hundred yuan. She wanted to prevent Huang Guixiang from being caught completely off guard if she suddenly found out later.
Huang Guixiang let out a cold sneer. “Ungrateful wolf! Sneaking off to register a marriage certificate with a man behind our backs. The groom’s side didn’t even come to the house to propose, and there isn’t a single shred of a bride price. She’s cheapening herself!”
“Wanwan, let me tell you, as a woman, you must first view yourself as precious before others will view you as precious. Otherwise, if you don’t even take yourself seriously, how can others take you seriously?”
Lin Wan nodded in absolute agreement. In this regard, she had to praise Comrade Huo Xiao. Even though he was playing along with a fake arrangement, the gifts he brought upon his visit could be considered unparalleled in the entire family compound. It gave her and her mother, Huang Guixiang, an immense amount of face.
In the evening, the large household returned. The house instantly became bustling and noisy.
Bao Yan and Zhong Hongmei set down their satchels and washed their hands to help Huang Guixiang. Catching sight of one meat dish after another, the two of them were completely stunned. What kind of special day was this! They had just eaten meat, and now they were having a feast again! Were they planning to blow through all the household money and stop living from now on or what?
Lifting the pot lid—oh my god, a massive pot filled to the brim with steamed white rice!
Before Zhang Aimin even stepped through the doorway upon his return, he began shouting, “Guixiang, I heard our Wanwan tested into the post office!”
The rest of the family instantly widened their eyes. What? Tested into the post office?
A job at the post office was a highly coveted profession, incredibly sought-after! The most popular occupations at the grassroots level were the “Eight Great Professionals”: drivers, mail carriers, nursery teachers, barbers, service staff, shop assistants, cooks, and conductors.
Bao Yan and Zhong Hongmei were envious to the extreme. Although both of them had jobs, they were only temporary workers with no benefits, and their monthly wages could never exceed thirty yuan for their entire lives. Yet even those temporary positions had cost a fortune to purchase. Furthermore, with their setup, they counted as dual-income households, making their lives significantly easier than single-income families.
But compared to Lin Wan, the two sisters-in-law truly couldn’t help but feel green with envy. Their troublemaking stepsister’s luck was simply too incredible! Her boyfriend was a driver, and she had entered the post office as a permanent worker right off the bat. As her seniority grew, her wages would only keep rising. Not to mention the post office offered excellent benefits!
Huang Guixiang grinned so wide her teeth showed. “Yes! Wanwan tested into the post office! Tonight’s table of food was all purchased by Little Huo at the state-owned restaurant to celebrate Wanwan securing the job! You two have been riding on Wanwan’s coattails these past two days, getting to eat meat!”
╭(╯^╰)╮ It’s letting this pack of ungrateful wolves off too easily! If it weren’t for the blistering sun making it impossible to store these dishes, Huang Guixiang would never have brought them out to share! Wouldn’t it be wonderful to keep it for their own mother-son group to enjoy in secret? At most, she’d include Old Zhang.
Zhang Aimin was so delighted he practically spun in place. “This is a cause for massive celebration! Guixiang, with such a huge occasion, can we open a bottle of Maotai to celebrate? Look at how excellent these dishes are…”
Zhang Hongbin and Zhang Hongqi instantly directed glittering gazes toward Huang Guixiang.
Huang Guixiang rolled her eyes. “The moment there’s good wine in the house, you start plotting. You can’t save a single thing! Maotai, my foot. The Lao Erguohead we bought last time hasn’t been finished yet. Drink that instead.”
The good wine and cigarettes had to be saved for Wanwan. Later on, when she started working, she could use them as gifts for the leadership, or when she married Little Huo, the young couple would inevitably have times to entertain guests, and bringing them out to maintain appearances then would be perfect.
Zhang Aimin and his sons felt a bit disappointed, but the feeling vanished in a flash. Having wine to drink and meat to eat made it feel just like the Lunar New Year. What more could they possibly ask for?
The massive household sat down to eat. Oh, it smelled incredible!
Lin Wan could only drink congee and munch on plain steamed buns. Tearful drops of envy practically drooled from the corners of her mouth.
“Why isn’t Wanwan eating?” Zhang Aimin asked.
Lin Wan forced out a thoroughly aggrieved smile. “Uncle Zhang, I have gastroenteritis. The doctor ordered me to drink plain congee for two days!” Pure sorrow and rage.
After everyone buried their heads to eat heartily for a short while, Zhang Hongqi stood up, raising his cup to congratulate Lin Wan. “Wanwan, you are truly, incredibly capable. You are this big brother’s pride, and your nephews and nieces should all learn from you!”
He genuinely and sincerely thought so. Lin Wan had a foul temperament, but she was truly competent. Back when she was studying, she would manage to bring some items home every now and then. Now, just when she was facing the countryside, she had swiftly reeled in an excellent boyfriend, and she had even managed to get a job into her hands! She hadn’t spent a single cent; she tested in on her own merits! And she had even pulled off a first-place finish! How capable did one have to be for that?
His biological sister Zhang Qin hadn’t let him ride her coattails in the slightest, yet the stepsister everyone detested was letting him eat meat and drink wine!
Zhang Hongbin hurriedly followed suit.
When Zhang Qin brought Guo Xuyang through the door, she witnessed this scene and suddenly felt as though she didn’t belong to this household at all—Lin Wan did. A wave of inexplicable grievance struck her, and her eyes instantly turned red.
Guo Xuyang wasn’t pleased to see this scene either. He cast a tender, protective glance at Zhang Qin, squeezing her hand: You have me. In the future, I will treat you well. You don’t need to care for this cold, uncaring home where everyone is completely blind!
Lin Wan lifted her head and locked eyes directly with their gazes. Observing the morose, self-pitying displays of this pair, the bright mood she originally possessed instantly turned gloomy.
