Zhang Cui and Xia Changzheng’s snack business had finally been openly acknowledged by the family.
Xia Dajun still couldn’t escape being blamed. He didn’t dare go to Qijing Village to ask his ex-wife and daughter for grain, so Old Madam Xia made him go out and take odd jobs to earn money for Xia Ziyu’s living expenses.
He didn’t dare resist. After all, he had nothing else going for him except strength.
Among the grandchildren, Old Madam Xia favored Xia Ziyu most. Among her three sons, the one she loved most was definitely the third, Xia Hongbing.
Before Xia Dajun left, he heard his mother say,
“ Hongbing doesn’t need to go out. Your eldest and second brothers are already away, and the farm can’t do without people. ”
Xia Hongbing agreed immediately.
It wasn’t even a busy season. The fields didn’t have much work, and the weather was mild and comfortable. Old Madam Xia was clearly playing favorites, just wanting Xia Hongbing to enjoy a few easy days.
Why was Zhang Cui helping Xia Dajun out?
Because Xia Ziyu had sent back a telegram telling Zhang Cui and Xia Changzheng to stay out of Xia Xiaolan’s business for now. Zhang Cui didn’t want anyone in the family getting too involved with Xia Xiaolan and Liu Fen.
It had already taken so much effort to drive that mother and daughter away—what if Xia Dajun kept contacting them and Liu Fen brought Xia Xiaolan back to the Xia family?
A divorced middle-aged woman, living in her natal home with a grown daughter in tow—Xia Xiaolan was already difficult enough, always acting proud and stubborn.
Who knew how miserable they were living?
The Xia family didn’t need any other granddaughter. In Old Madam Xia’s eyes, the only one worth seeing was Ziyu. Making sure the whole family supported Xia Ziyu through school was Zhang Cui’s real goal.
With that kind of thinking, even Xia Hongxia started to feel like an eyesore.
A teenage girl could already be considered for marriage. Before going to the county seat, Zhang Cui had mentioned it to Old Madam Xia.
Xia Hongxia was the least outstanding granddaughter in the family. Xia Ziyu was good at studying, Xia Xiaolan was genuinely beautiful, and Xia Hongxia was mediocre in both looks and ability. Still, Wang Jinkui and Xia Hongxia’s mother both wanted to find her a good match.
That was exactly why, when Old Madam Xia brought up Xia Hongxia’s marriage, Wang Jinkui seized the chance.
“ Ziyu is already a college student. Hongxia can’t just marry some farm boy from the village either! Sister-in-law, let Hongxia help out at the shop. Pay her whatever you like—mostly it’ll be so she can stay close to school. Maybe our Hongxia will have her own good fortune too… ”
Zhang Cui’s smile nearly froze.
The snack shop didn’t need that many people.
Hiring her own younger brother and his wife was one thing—Zhang Cui was helping her natal family.
But Xia Hongxia looked nothing like Xia Xiaolan, and when it came to being lazy, the two girls were equally matched. If the shop needed anyone, it definitely wouldn’t be Xia Hongxia.
But Old Madam Xia was tempted.
The better her granddaughters married, the more the family benefited. She favored Xia Ziyu, but Xia Hongxia still carried the light of her father, Xia Hongbing, so Old Madam Xia kept her in mind.
“ Your eldest brother and his wife are already helping someone else. Why would Hongxia need wages? Eldest daughter-in-law, take her to take a look. If your younger brother is willing to use her, let her stay and help. Just feed her. ”
Xia Hongxia pouted. Work for no pay?
She clung to Old Madam Xia’s arm, trying to act spoiled. Old Madam Xia thought she was a fool—if she really stayed at the shop, they were all relatives anyway.
Would Ziyu’s maternal uncle really refuse to pay her?
“ If you don’t want to go, then stay home and take your time looking for a match. ”
Xia Hongxia opened her mouth, but Wang Jinkui pushed her forward.
“ Listen to your Grandmother! Sister-in-law, I’m leaving Hongxia with you. If she’s disobedient, don’t go easy on her—give her a good beating! ”
Zhang Cui felt stifled.
Old Madam Xia still ruled the Xia family. Since the matriarch had spoken, Zhang Cui could only hold her nose and bring Xia Hongxia to the county seat.
The location of Zhang Cui’s snack shop was excellent.
Anqing County had two major consumer groups: the workers from the farm machinery factory and meat processing plant, and the students.
County No. 1 High School was the best high school in Anqing County.
Xia Ziyu’s grades in middle school had not been great. She had even repeated a year after graduation before getting into County No. 1 High School.
She had started school late, and by this year she was already twenty when she entered university. Even a so-called top student like Xia Ziyu had needed to repeat a year to get in, so although the school was looked down on by people from the provincial capital, it was still considered excellent in Anqing County and the surrounding counties.
Some of County No. 1 High School’s students came from poor families, but others came from decent homes. They might not have much spare cash, but they were willing to spend a little on snacks.
Zhang Cui had followed Xia Ziyu’s advice and opened the shop right by the entrance to County No. 1 High School. Although it was still more than thirty meters from the gate, it was also convenient for workers going to and from the nearby factories. To the left was the meat plant, to the right the farm machinery factory.
It was a prime intersection with heavy foot traffic—how could the business not do well?
Xia Hongxia wore her best clothes and followed Zhang Cui into the county seat.
The sign for Zhang Ji Snacks could be seen from far away. Compared with the street stalls around it, the two-shopfront store looked quite impressive.
It hadn’t started out that way. At first, Zhang Cui and Xia Changzheng had very little capital. Xia Ziyu was in school and didn’t need much care from Zhang Cui, so she set up a street stall outside.
After three years of growth, Zhang Ji had become what it was now—growing from a stall into a proper storefront, from Zhang Cui handling everything herself to hiring Xia Ziyu’s maternal uncle and aunt to help.
Looking at the shop, Zhang Cui felt deeply satisfied.
“ Sis, you’re here? The last half month— ”
Zhang Cui’s younger sister-in-law rushed out, eager to show off and report on business. But when she saw Xia Hongxia, she stopped short.
“ Hongxia from your third brother’s family—you haven’t seen her in years, have you? ”
“ Sister-in-law, I’m Hongxia! ”
The younger sister-in-law swallowed the rest of her words. They had agreed long ago that in front of outsiders, Zhang Cui wasn’t to be called the boss. Xia Hongxia definitely counted as an outsider.
“ Hongxia’s grown so big already? You haven’t eaten yet, have you? Come in and sit—I’ll get you two buns. ”
She pulled Xia Hongxia inside, then glanced at Zhang Cui.
Zhang Cui sighed. “ Ziyu’s grandmother said Hongxia is old enough now and wants her to help at the shop. I don’t know whether you’re still hiring, so I brought her to take a look. ”
Xia Hongxia lowered her head and secretly looked around the shop. The two storefronts held seven or eight long tables. The walls were covered with price lists in all kinds of handwriting. The breakfast rush was over, and the tables were piled with bowls and chopsticks that hadn’t been cleared yet.
“Aunt, please keep me. I’ll work hard, I promise. ”
Xia Hongxia had a bit of cleverness. When Zhang Cui’s sister-in-law told her to eat buns, she ignored it and rolled up her sleeves to start helping instead.
At that point, Zhang Cui’s sister-in-law couldn’t exactly chase her out. She was suspicious, though.
Could Zhang Cui be worried about her and her husband watching the shop, and have deliberately sent an informant from the Xia family?
Zhang Cui’s sister-in-law was named Jiang Lianxiang.
The snack shop made good money. Cash passed through Jiang Lianxiang and her husband’s hands every day. Especially during the half-month Zhang Cui spent back in Dahe Village, Jiang Lianxiang and her husband, Zhang Manfu, had managed to pocket quite a bit.
Jiang Lianxiang would have preferred her sister-in-law to stay in the countryside forever. The Zhang Ji Snack Shop was a golden hen that laid eggs.
With that suspicion in mind, she didn’t dare openly tell Xia Hongxia to leave.
Zhang Cui thought her younger brother’s wife was really not very bright. Zhang Cui herself couldn’t play the villain and refuse Xia Hongxia outright—wasn’t it enough for Jiang Lianxiang to make a few excuses?
If it weren’t for her brother Zhang Manfu’s sake, why would she have brought Jiang Lianxiang here to help?
Zhang Changzheng arrived a day earlier than Zhang Cui. Early that morning, he had already gone out to buy supplies for the snack shop. When he came back and saw Xia Hongxia, he thought it over and decided to keep her.
Xia Hongxia was lazy and greedy, but she was still a Xia.
The shop was called Zhang Ji, and Zhang Changzheng knew why, but he still felt uncomfortable. His younger brother-in-law, Zhang Manfu, was the type to grab whatever he could. By keeping Xia Hongxia, Zhang Changzheng was also giving Zhang Manfu and Jiang Lianxiang something to worry about.
By accident, Xia Hongxia ended up staying to help at the snack shop. Zhang Changzheng kept her there, but he was stingy enough that no one ever mentioned paying her wages.
Xia Hongxia only lasted one day before showing her true colors—lazy at work, but very sweet-talking, especially with the male students from County No. 1 High School who came to eat.
She was practically eager to fawn over them.