B5SB -Chapter 349 Elbows Out

Father Lu carried Haohao into the hospital room and said coldly, “Have you discussed it?”

Lu Eldest Sister glanced at Haohao, quietly lying in Father Lu’s arms, and frowned.

Compared like this, her father really was too biased—he hadn’t considered Miaomiao’s feelings at all.

Lu Eldest Brother said, “Dad, we’ve already discussed it. From now on, Mom will stay with each family for four months.”

Father Lu nodded, and to Lu Huailin he instructed, “Since it’s settled, you can go back now.”

Lu Huailin gave a soft hum of acknowledgment, stepped forward two paces, took Haohao in one arm, and held Gu Yihan’s hand with the other as they left.

Father Lu glanced at Lu Eldest Sister, shook his head slightly, and sighed, “I hope you won’t regret today’s decision.”

Then, expressionless and with a cold look toward Lu Eldest Brother, he turned and left the hospital room.

Family Compound

Back at home, Gu Yihan kicked off her shoes and lay half-reclined on the sofa barefoot.

Lu Huailin entered with Haohao and saw the shoes scattered haphazardly—one on the left, one on the right.

A trace of helplessness flashed in his eyes. His wife was too headstrong.

Knowing full well that her uncomfortable days of the month were approaching, she still walked around barefoot.

He muttered, “Why don’t you take better care of your body?”

Gu Yihan, lying on the sofa, smiled and said, “It’s fine, I’m wearing socks.”

Haohao ran up to her, pressed his small body into her arms, and whined, “Mom, hold me.”

Gu Yihan laughed and hugged him, signaling Lu Huailin to fetch a big blanket for the two of them.

Lu Huailin sighed and resignedly went upstairs to get a blanket, covering his wife and son.

“Huailin, what kind of work does my brother-in-law do?”

Lu Huailin tossed a cushion onto the sofa, curled his legs up, and sat down with his back against it.

He said, “My brother-in-law is an engineer on a key project supporting the Third Front construction.”

Gu Yihan pursed her lips. “An engineer on a key project—no wonder your eldest sister is so confident and could easily promise two job positions.”

Lu Huailin reached out, pinched his wife’s fair cheek, and shook his head with a smile.

“Not as simple as you think.”

“But your eldest sister promised, can she really go back on her word?”

“Fang Yi said clearly: there’s work, then she’ll take care of your mom. Implied: no work, she won’t. I don’t believe your eldest sister didn’t catch that.”

Lu Huailin glanced at the just-fallen-asleep Haohao and spoke softly, “You don’t know, the Zheng family feels indebted to my eldest sister.”

“Indebted?”

“Yes. My eldest sister was pregnant twice but lost both babies, and her health was affected.”

Gu Yihan’s eyes widened. She immediately sat up, leaning in to listen carefully, causing the blanket to slip off Haohao.

Lu Huailin carefully covered Haohao with the blanket and continued: “My eldest sister’s husband, Zheng Huan, is someone who only cares about work. Even at home, he buries himself in the study and doesn’t come out. There’s no choice—she had to serve him every need.”

Gu Yihan said with a frown, “Spoiled. He only comes out when hungry.”

“If my eldest sister didn’t take care of him, my eldest brother-in-law would forget to eat, which left all the household responsibilities on her.”

Gu Yihan twitched at the corner of her mouth and looked at Lu Huailin.

“Are you saying my eldest sister’s miscarriages were from overwork, so her in-laws feel indebted to her?”

Lu Huailin nodded. “This time, she asked her in-laws to arrange two jobs for them. They’ll help, but that’s as far as their guilt goes.”

Gu Yihan pondered. So, it’s an exchange of benefits.

The Zheng family married Lu Eldest Sister to serve their son, and in return, they gave her jobs.

Afterward, don’t mention emotions—the Zhengs wouldn’t truly care about her anymore.

Zheng Family

Zheng Father, wearing glasses, sat on the sofa, having just hung up his son Zheng Huan’s call.

Lu Eldest Sister pushed open the door and walked in.

Zheng Father glanced at her, took a deep breath, and restrained his anger.

With a smile, he said, “Oldest daughter-in-law, why didn’t you stay longer at the hospital with your mother-in-law?”

In the kitchen, Mother Lu, hearing her eldest daughter-in-law had returned, hurried out and held her hand.

“Juan, have you eaten dinner?”

Lu Eldest Sister gave a small smile and shook her head. “Mom, I’m not hungry.”

Mother Lu thought, “Not hungry means she hasn’t eaten.”

Not acceptable. She quickly pulled her to the dining table. “Juan, wait here. I’ll get you a bowl of noodles.”

Before Lu Eldest Sister could respond, Mother Lu turned back to the kitchen to prepare the noodles.

Lu Eldest Sister sat across from Zheng Father in silence for a moment, then said, “Dad, did Zheng Huan tell you?”

Zheng Father’s mouth curled just so, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

He smiled, “Zheng Huan said to help arrange a job for your eldest brother and sister-in-law?”

Lu Eldest Sister nodded sheepishly.

“Fine. I happen to have two job openings. They were originally for your fourth brother-in-law’s wife, but since you need them, take them first.”

Lu Eldest Sister’s face flushed. She didn’t want to take the fourth sister-in-law’s openings.

“Dad, are there other openings? I’m worried if we use the fourth sister-in-law’s slots, she’ll resent me.”

At that moment, Zheng Mother came out with the noodles. Hearing their conversation, she frowned.

“Juan, don’t you already have a job?”

Lu Eldest Sister said, “Mom, it’s my younger brother who doesn’t have work.”

Zheng Mother’s face suddenly turned cold. They couldn’t even handle their own family members.

Seeing her mother-in-law’s displeasure, Lu Eldest Sister hurriedly explained in detail how her eldest brother had to sell work positions to pay for medical treatment.

Zheng Father’s lips curled in irony. Father Lu and Lu Huailin weren’t dead; why would they need to sell jobs to pay Mother Lu’s medical bills?

Such a flimsy excuse—only Lu Eldest Sister would believe it.

Zheng Mother glared at her and coldly said, “Them losing money and living miserably has nothing to do with us!”

Lu Eldest Sister’s lips trembled. She pleaded, “Mom, Huaixu is my brother; I can’t not help him.”

“Your own family isn’t dead. Your biological father and brother don’t help, so it falls on you, the married-in sister! Do you know how long your father had to plan to get these two job slots, and how many favors he had to call in? And you, just by opening your mouth, got them handed over.”

Zheng Mother grew angrier. She was furious at Lu Eldest Sister.

Since marrying into their family, they might not treat her as a true daughter, but close enough.

Yet here she was, elbows out.

Lu Eldest Sister lowered her head, silent.

These two job positions—she couldn’t let go. Otherwise, her eldest brother and Fang Yi wouldn’t be able to establish themselves in Beijing.

Zheng Father saw Zheng Mother’s anger and furrowed his brow, trying to soothe her: “Alright, enough. As for the fourth sister-in-law’s job, we’ll figure something else out.”

“You make it sound easy. Factories aren’t hiring now—where will you find a solution?”

Zheng Mother shouted, glancing sharply at Lu Eldest Sister, and slammed the door behind her with a “bang.”