MGASC -Chapter 79 Focus on Making a Little Money

Lin Tianyue saw the worry in her eyes and gently ruffled her hair again.

Zhang Qiao looked up at him. His hand was still resting on her head as he said calmly, “Everyone has their own fate. Don’t take it to heart. Didn’t you say before—don’t pin every problem on some scapegoat?”

Wang Yan being executed was not a burden he or Zhang Qiao needed to carry.

If Wang Yan felt that fate had treated her unfairly, then it was a wall she had chosen to crash into herself.

Zhang Qiao nodded, the weight on her heart easing quite a bit.

That was true. When all was said and done, Wang Yan was just a paper-thin character in a book. Even without this incident, she would have exited the story early anyway.

Otherwise, why was there no further plotline involving her later on?

Thinking this way, Zhang Qiao suddenly felt much more at ease.

But then another thought struck her—

Wait. In the book, she herself was also cannon fodder. Wouldn’t that make her short-lived too?

Oh hell no!

…

At home, Zhou Xiaoxiao followed Zhang Qiao’s arrangements and conscientiously took on the role of “Teacher Zhou.”

“Lin Jin, listen to me read it. This sound—de.”

Lin Jin stared intently at her mouth. “Te, te~”

“No, not te, it’s de!”

“Te! Not te, it’s te!”

After repeating it several times, Zhou Xiaoxiao looked utterly drained of the will to live.

Oh heavens, save her!

She came here to learn English—so why had she turned into a pinyin teacher?!

Now she finally understood why her usually gentle and beautiful teachers always seemed to snap the moment class started.

Because right now, she also felt like losing her mind!

To make things worse, Lin Jin was acting cute on purpose. “Big sister, am I learning well?”

Zhou Xiaoxiao gazed sorrowfully out the window. Lin Ran was hopping around outside like the Monkey King, showing off how light and agile he was. For the first time, freedom felt incredibly precious.

“Not bad… very good.”

Just… don’t learn anymore next time!

“Yay! Big sister praised me! Then can I go play for a bit?”

“Go, hurry!”

Lin Jin dashed off as if granted a royal pardon, joining Lin Ran in their jumping-and-climbing escapade.

Propping her chin in her hands, Zhou Xiaoxiao thought gloomily: she absolutely could not have a younger brother in the future. Otherwise, she’d be angry enough to fall ill.

“Xiaoxiao, have some candy.”

Two pieces of White Rabbit milk candy lay neatly in Lin Xun’s palm, smiling sweetly up at her.

The boy standing in front of her was gentle and composed—far better behaved than the two little rascals outside.

“Wow, this is my favorite candy! Thank you, Brother Lin Xun.”

Zhou Xiaoxiao took the candy, thinking to herself: maybe she didn’t like younger brothers, but having an older brother at home didn’t sound bad at all.

Best if he wasn’t too noisy.

Polite and refined.

And handsome.

Lin Xun continued standing nearby, his gaze falling on Zhou Xiaoxiao’s schoolbag and stationery.

Everything she owned looked so pretty, so delicate, full of a dreamy quality. It felt like even touching it would be a kind of desecration.

“Brother Lin Xun, has Lin Jin always pronounced things so unclearly?” Zhou Xiaoxiao asked in a soft, milky voice while sucking on the sweet candy.

Lin Xun replied, “Mainly because when he was little, no one taught him.”

“Didn’t Auntie Qiao teach him?”

Lin Xun lowered his eyes. When Lin Jin was learning to talk, Auntie Qiao didn’t even know where she was yet.

Thinking she’d upset him, Zhou Xiaoxiao quickly apologized. “Sorry, I forgot that you don’t have a mom.”

Uh… somehow that sounded even worse.

But Lin Xun said calmly, “It’s okay.”

Only then did Zhou Xiaoxiao relax. She smiled sweetly. “It’s fine—you have Auntie Qiao now! And I’ll help Lin Jin too. Also, I don’t have a mom either. So we’re the same.”

“Mm.”

In the yard, the two little monkey-like boys had just jumped down from a haystack when Lin Ran suddenly grabbed his brother. “Shh—listen!”

From afar came the familiar sound of footsteps.

It was their dad and Auntie Qiao.

“Run!”

Lin Ran yanked his brother and charged into the house. In no time at all, they were seated at the desk, books in hand, pretending to read aloud with great seriousness:

“At birth, human nature is good. Natures are similar; habits set us apart…”

Zhou Xiaoxiao stared in shock. You could do that?!

Lin Xun, already used to it, even “thoughtfully” picked the straw off Lin Jin’s head and explained to her, “Auntie Qiao must be back!”

As soon as he finished speaking, the front gate opened.

Zhang Qiao and Lin Tianyue appeared in the doorway.

Zhou Xiaoxiao’s eyes went wide with admiration for Lin Xun’s judgment.

…

At the gate, Lin Tianyue grabbed a few tools. Seeing Zhang Qiao about to go inside, he quickly asked, “What time is Xiaoxiao being picked up this afternoon? It’s kind of troublesome for Director Zhou to come back and forth. How about I find someone to take her?”

Without turning her head, Zhang Qiao replied, “No need. You go do your work.”

Lin Tianyue felt a bit awkward. Why did it feel like his wife was still being rather cold toward him?

She’d been enthusiastically encouraging him in the car just now…

A woman’s heart really was like a needle at the bottom of the sea.

Zhang Qiao went inside and saw the kids studying diligently with their books. She felt deeply gratified and praised them.

At noon, she even made them a delicious chicken stewed with mushrooms. The mushrooms had been sent by Chen Gang a couple of days earlier, and she added a handful of vermicelli. The dish was rich and glossy with sauce, so fragrant you could smell it from far away.

In the afternoon, Zhou Junlin’s driver came to pick up Zhou Xiaoxiao and also brought Zhang Qiao her translation payment. Together with the advance she’d already received, it totaled a full 350 yuan.

Now the daily sales from the pickled fish were also bringing in income. Tutoring Xiaoxiao earned her a few dozen yuan a month. Adding this lump sum, Zhang Qiao thought that even if she really gave birth to a daughter, she’d have more than enough to support the two of them.

Still, to be on the safe side, she needed to find more ways to make money.

Because Zhou Junlin’s driver mentioned that Director Zhou was worried her body wouldn’t be able to handle it. In the future, only urgent materials and books would be sent to her for translation. Less pressing work would wait until after she gave birth.

Over the next few days, Lin Tianyue stayed busy with factory affairs. Zhang Qiao hired two helpers from the neighborhood—Li Guihua (Sister Li) and Xu Qin (Sister Xu), both young women who worked efficiently. Sister Li handled killing and filleting the fish, while Sister Xu washed, dried, and chopped vegetables.

As for the fish and pickling ingredients, Zhang Qiao had arranged long-term purchases and made agreements with the suppliers to deliver everything to her door. That way, her job was reduced to preparing the seasonings and supervising quality—easier than before.

Auntie Liu had also wanted to help, but she was getting on in years. Zhang Qiao worried about tiring her out. Knowing that Auntie Liu’s son worked at the supply and marketing cooperative and had access to goods, Zhang Qiao suggested she open a small convenience shop instead. It would earn money and be convenient for the neighbors too.

Auntie Liu thought it was a great idea and immediately got busy setting it up.

In the past, the neighbors had all kept their distance from the Lin family. But now, who didn’t greet Zhang Qiao warmly when they saw her? Many of their sons or husbands had been recruited to work at Lin Tianyue’s factory, and the women who stayed home were eager to get work opportunities from Zhang Qiao to earn a little extra cash.

Some who liked to joke even started calling her “Madam Factory Director.”

Before long, these lively bits of news spread throughout the surrounding villages—and eventually reached Zhang Qiao’s mother, Chen Guilan.

She heard that her daughter’s man had started a factory and was making big money.

Thinking back to how she’d insisted on breaking Zhang Qiao and Lin Tianyue apart over a few hundred yuan in bride price, and how she’d angrily gone to make trouble for Zhang Qiao, Chen Guilan couldn’t help but feel deep regret.

This time, she had truly misjudged things—and misjudged people.