Chapter 9: First meeting Qin Huairu! (Please collect! Please recommend!)
When Jia Zhang heard Jia Dongming’s shout, she suddenly remembered Jia Dongming’s warning to her. Realizing that she might upset her eldest son again, Jia Zhang asked Jia Dongming with a guilty look on her face, “Dongming! Why don’t you stay in the room and rest? Why are you running out for no reason?”

Jia Dongming, who was in the room, heard clearly what Jia Zhang had just said to the aunt. Coming from the future, Jia Dongming thought about Jia Zhang’s character and knew that his plan to reform Jia Zhang would not be accomplished overnight.

Jia Dongming carried Xiao Dang in front of the aunt. Seeing her pale face, he apologized to her sincerely, “Aunt? My mother is a country woman who speaks without thinking and without restraint. On behalf of my mother, I apologize to you first. I hope you will forgive me and don’t take it to heart.”

When Jia Zhang saw that Jia Dongming was helping her to apologize to the aunt, she immediately became angry. Just as she was about to refute Jia Dongming’s words, a look from Jia Dongming made Jia Zhang swallow the dirty words that were about to come out of her mouth.

Seeing that Jia Zhangshi did not stab him again, Jia Dongming took out the key to the other courtyard from his pocket and said to Jia Zhangshi, “Mom! This is the key to the courtyard. You use the key to open the gate, and then help me check how much cloth is needed for the bed in the main room. I will go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy the cloth later, and you can help me make the bed sheets and quilt.”

When Jia Zhang heard what Jia Dongming said, she hurriedly walked up to Jia Dongming, took the key that Jia Dongming handed to her, and under the envious gaze of everyone, she used the key to open the gate of the villa and walked happily into the villa.

“Qin Huairu! Qin Huairu! Someone is looking for you outside. They said that there is something important at home and your mother-in-law wants you to go home immediately.” At around three o’clock in the afternoon, when Qin Huairu was slacking off in the workshop, a security guard suddenly ran into the workshop and shouted at Qin Huairu.

Qin Huairu, who was dawdling at work, heard the guard’s shout and subconsciously raised her head. She quickly walked to the guard and asked him with a puzzled look on her face: “Comrade! Did the person who came to report the incident tell me what happened in my house?”

When the guard heard Qin Huairu’s question, he shook his head subconsciously and replied, “Comrade Qin Huairu! The young comrade didn’t say what the matter was, but only said that your mother-in-law asked you to go home immediately.”

After hearing the security officer’s introduction, Qin Huairu politely thanked him, “Thank you, comrade. I will ask the director for leave now and go home.”

“Huairu! What happened!” Just as Qin Huairu was about to go to the workshop director to ask for leave, Yi Zhonghai walked up to Qin Huairu and asked her with concern.

Facing Yi Zhonghai’s question, Qin Huairu shook her head subconsciously and replied, “Uncle! The security guard just said that my mother-in-law asked me to take leave and go home immediately, but didn’t say what the matter was.”

After hearing Qin Huairu’s answer, Yi Zhonghai immediately instructed her, “Huairu! Jia’s sister-in-law is in a hurry to call you back, which means something must have happened in your family. I will ask for leave from the workshop director for you. Hurry up and pack your things and go home!”

Qin Huairu packed up her things and walked out of the steel mill gate. She saw Yan Jiefang coming to report the news. She hurriedly walked to Yan Jiefang and asked him nervously, “Jiefang! What happened in my family?”

When Yan Jiefang heard Qin Huairu’s question, he immediately introduced her to her: “Sister-in-law of the Jia family! Banggeng’s uncle is back, and Grandma Banggeng asked you to go back immediately.”

Qin Huairu was visibly stunned when she heard what Yan Jiefang had introduced. She had been married into the Jia family for so many years, but she had never heard the Jia family mention that Jia Dongxu had an older brother? Seeing Qin Huairu’s reaction, Yan Jiefang remembered the topic discussed by the aunts in the courtyard, and introduced to Qin Huairu with a gossipy look on his face: “Sister-in-law of the Jia family! The situation is like this. I heard from Banggeng’s grandmother that Banggeng’s uncle got separated when he was very young, and Banggeng’s uncle’s house was allocated in our courtyard, and Banggeng’s grandmother would not recognize it.”

Yan Jiefang introduced this, as if he suddenly remembered something, and hurriedly said to Qin Huairu: “Oh, right! Sister-in-law Jia, I heard from my mother that Banggeng’s uncle is now the security chief of your steel mill!”

When Qin Huairu heard the news Yan Jiefang told her, she immediately remembered the young man who looked very similar to Jia Dongxu that she saw when she went to the cafeteria to get lunch at noon. She thought to herself, “Could it be him?”

Twenty minutes later, Qin Huairu, feeling puzzled, finally returned to the courtyard with Yan Jiefang.

When Qin Huairu entered the middle courtyard, she heard Jia Zhang’s voice coming from the other courtyard. She hurriedly followed the voice and walked into the other courtyard. Seeing Jia Zhang holding Xiao Huaihua in her arms with a proud look on her face, she asked Jia Zhang carefully, “Mom! You were in a hurry to ask Jiefang to call me back. What’s the matter?”

Jia Zhang, who was showing off to the aunts and young wives in the courtyard, turned around instinctively when she heard Qin Huairu’s question. Seeing Qin Huairu with beads of sweat on her forehead, she immediately ordered her in a commanding tone: “Huairu! Dongxu’s eldest brother is back. This courtyard was allocated to our family by the steel mill. Go get the bucket and rag and clean these rooms inside and out.”

“Mom! This must be my sister-in-law, right?” Jia Dongming, who was teasing Xiaodang in the house, heard voices coming from the yard and walked out of the house. When he saw Aunt Thirteen standing in front of Jia Zhang, he asked Jia Zhang with a smile.

When Jia Zhang heard Jia Dongming’s question, she immediately introduced him, “Dongming! This is Dongxu’s daughter-in-law. Now she has taken over Dongxu’s job and is an apprentice in the steel mill.”

At this point, Jia Zhang introduced Qin Huairu with a proud look on her face: “Huairu! This is Dongxu’s brother, Banggeng’s uncle. He is now the security chief of the steel mill. His monthly salary is 135 yuan. This yard was allocated to Dongming by the steel mill.”

The moment Qin Huairu saw Jia Dongming, she recognized him as the man she had met at the entrance of the steel mill canteen at noon.

Qin Huairu was also very happy when she heard what Jia Zhang said and learned that Jia Dongming was the head of the security department of the steel mill and earned 135 yuan a month. She hurriedly greeted Jia Dongming respectfully and said, “Uncle! Welcome back.”

In Jia Dongming’s mind, Qin Huairu is a complex and multi-dimensional character. Her behavior and personality show different aspects in different situations. There is a side that is criticized as scheming and selfish, and there is also a side that is praised as kind and considerate of others.

After hearing what Qin Huairu said, Jia Dongming said to her in a friendly manner, “Huairu! Mom told me everything about the family. On behalf of my mom and Dongxu, I want to thank you for your contribution to the family over the past year. With me here at home, you don’t have to work as hard as before.”

(End of this chapter)