B5SB -Chapter 206 Payday

Lu Family Courtyard

Grandma Gu pressed a chicken’s wings with her foot, held its beak with her left hand, and with the knife in her right hand, moved it back and forth at its neck.

She muttered softly, “Chicken, chicken, don’t be upset. You’re a dish for the living this year; go peacefully. Lay eggs quickly next year.”

After saying this, she cut at the chicken’s neck with the knife. Once it stopped struggling, she threw it into a porcelain basin.

Tie Dan walked to the living room doorway to pick up the wooden toy gun Hao Hao had thrown and happened to see Grandma Gu looking at the chicken in the basin with a pitiful expression.

He asked in puzzlement, “Grandma Gu, if you can’t bear to kill it, why do it?”

Grandma Gu didn’t answer Tie Dan but instructed, “Tie Dan, go back inside and play with Hao Hao for a while. Tonight, Grandma will fry the chicken for you.”

Tie Dan’s eyes widened. Looking at Grandma Gu in surprise, he exclaimed, “Really?”

Grandma Gu smiled and nodded, “I’m not lying to you.”

Tie Dan realized that Grandma Gu wasn’t just saying that because he was a child.

He quickly nodded obediently and turned to enter the living room, where he started playing with the little one sitting on the floor.

Grandma Gu poured the hot water she had prepared over the chicken.

She didn’t want to kill this chicken either, but seeing that the other chickens laid eggs every day while this one not only refused to lay but also stole food, she couldn’t just let it be. After all, the egg-laying chickens were precious.

When Gu Yihan got home, she saw Grandma Gu sitting on a small stool in the courtyard, plucking the little feathers from the chicken’s legs in the basin.

Curiously, she asked, “Grandma, how could you bear to kill a chicken?”

Grandma Gu glanced at her granddaughter.

With no patience, she said, “What else could I do? It’s had this long enough, yet it doesn’t lay eggs.”

Gu Yihan parked her bicycle, squatted down beside Grandma Gu, and carefully observed the feathers on the ground.

Just as Lu Huailin had described—the chicken was old and no longer laying eggs reliably; otherwise, the army wouldn’t have let it be eaten.

Gu Yihan’s gaze drifted. She thought, Even if we give it more time, it still won’t lay eggs!

She stood and earnestly said to Grandma Gu, “Grandma, is there anything your granddaughter can help you with?”

Grandma Gu examined the chicken closely, and after confirming there were no downy feathers left, she stood up and refused, “No need. Go back inside and keep Hao Hao company.”

Gu Yihan slapped her forehead and hurried into the living room.

She pushed the door open and saw Hao Hao laughing and clinging to Tie Dan.

“Aunt Lu!”

Gu Yihan was startled hearing Tie Dan call her “aunt.” She quickly asked, “Tie Dan, how old are you?”

Before Tie Dan could answer, Hao Hao steadied himself on Tie Dan’s arm, grinning, and shakily stood up.

Seeing Hao Hao able to stand while holding onto something, Gu Yihan’s eyes filled with joy. She quickly walked to the little one’s side, bent down, and lifted him up, kissing his soft little face.

“Giggling.”

Tie Dan looked enviously at Hao Hao laughing and answered Gu Yihan’s earlier question, “Aunt Gu, I’m seven years old.”

Seven?

Gu Yihan looked down in surprise at Tie Dan’s thin arms and legs. By his height, he seemed only about five.

She sat down on the mat with Hao Hao in her arms and took three Big White Rabbit candies from her pocket, placing them in Tie Dan’s hands.

She advised, “From now on, call me ‘sister’—‘aunt’ doesn’t sound nice.”

Tie Dan looked at the candies. Hao Hao’s mother was bribing him with such good treats? Wasn’t that a little silly? He raised his eyes to Gu Yihan and, after a moment, spoke in his innocent little voice, “Sister Han, you’re really pretty.”

“What sister?” Lu Huailin pushed the door open, meaningfully looking at his wife playing with their son.

Gu Yihan glanced at Lu Huailin, who had a mischievous smirk, and said, “You’re definitely up to no good!”

Lu Huailin reached out to ruffle Tie Dan’s hair and smiled, “Don’t listen to your Aunt Lu.”

Tie Dan raised his head to Lu Huailin and replied, “I’ll listen to Uncle Lu.”

Lu Huailin walked over to his wife and leaned toward her ear.

In a low voice he said, “Honey, how about calling me ‘uncle’ tonight and see how it sounds?”

Gu Yihan’s face turned red instantly when she heard what he said, and she glared at him.

By dinner time, it was already seven o’clock.

Grandma Gu placed a chicken drumstick in Tie Dan’s bowl and smiled at Lu Huailin, “Tie Dan often comes to play with Hao Hao.”

Tie Dan glanced at Lu Huailin. Seeing that he didn’t look displeased, he smiled at Grandma Gu, “Thank you, Grandma Gu.”

Lu Huailin looked at Tie Dan, head down eating his drumstick, and a trace of amusement flashed in his eyes. He knew that Tie Dan often came to their home to help Grandma Gu watch the kids.

Gu Yihan munched on a chicken wing and said, “Grandma, your chicken is really flavorful.”

Grandma Gu looked proudly at her granddaughter enjoying the meal, “Of course. Didn’t add a drop of water—dry-fried.”

Hao Hao sat on Lu Huailin’s lap, chewing and biting the drumstick with his baby teeth.

“Sweetheart, the chicken you bought this time is really good,” Lu Huailin said, tasting the firm and tasty meat.

Gu Yihan: “…”

“This chicken has been raised for nearly two years,” Grandma Gu said impatiently.

Lu Huailin immediately looked at his wife and saw her nod. He realized that the chicken he had brought home hadn’t escaped its ultimate fate.

Half a month passed quickly.

Time soon moved into April.

The accounting office was still quite busy today—it was the beginning of the month, payday at the factory.

“Sister Min, just give me Cheng Bo’s wages directly,” Hu Shan said with a smile.

Sister Min counted Cheng Bo’s wages and handed them to Hu Shan, asking her to sign.

Teasingly, she said, “Cheng Bo really trusts you—he even lets you keep his wages.”

Hu Shan signed and took the money from Sister Min. Carefully counting it, she confirmed everything was correct and smiled, “Thank you, Sister Min.”

That day, people were coming and going in the office, busy until four in the afternoon.

Gu Yihan sat at her desk, fingers interlaced, flexing her fingers—they were cramped from counting money.

Su Yonghong placed Gu Yihan’s wages on her desk and raised her voice, “Education pays off! Her salary is higher than everyone else’s!”

“Sister Xiao Han’s salary increased?” Sister Min looked at Su Yonghong in surprise.

Because of the accounting department’s special duties, wages had to be cross-checked. Gu Yihan’s wages were calculated by Su Yonghong.

Since Su Yonghong had announced it openly in the office, Gu Yihan didn’t feel the need to hide her raise.

She looked at Sister Min calmly and said, “Yes, it increased.”

Sister Min’s expression instantly darkened. What does this mean? The work is the same—why is Gu Yihan’s salary higher than ours?

Su Yonghong wasn’t done making a fuss and added sarcastically, “By 15.5 yuan.”

“What?” Sister Min’s eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at Gu Yihan, exclaiming.