I Became a Vicious Supporting Role in the '70s
Chapter 70: I’m Too Ashamed to Live

Chapter 70: Chapter 70: I’m Too Ashamed to Live

Shen Meng held a face full of grievance as she spoke to everyone, "Years ago, I wanted to buy a bicycle, but Lu Zhenping wasn’t home, and with such a big family like the Lu Family, there were always expenses. We hadn’t divided the household and any money I had would be borrowed away. We’re all family; could I really make them sign IOUs? When you have money or something nice, you can’t keep it because you’re afraid of doing something wrong and getting resented for it. Finally, after we split the household, I thought I had saved enough money and industrial tickets to buy a bicycle, with the help of Lu Zhenping’s comrade in arms. Sister-in-law Lianhua, you know this, our production team and the commune’s primary school are so far apart, and on rainy, cloudy days, the roads are full of water. It’s so difficult for children to go to school. I just wanted to make it a little easier for the kids. Who did I ever offend to deserve being treated like this, along with my children?"

That wasn’t her original plan, but now that things have come to this, she might as well use it to her advantage, or those eyeing her bicycle will still be tempted.

Daqing moved up to fourth grade this year, and Guo Xiuxin’s family also has children in school. These rural dirt roads are just like this. It was still okay years ago, but these recent years a few production teams made money and bought tractors.

And so the roads are frequently flattened by their passing, deep ruts are formed.

When it rains or snows, water and snow accumulate and the muddy ground becomes impassable, and it’s common for children walking to school to slip and fall, getting covered in mud.

"That’s right, your family has three children in school. If it rains, and you don’t hurry to pick them up, they’ll get so cold they might fall ill, especially now that the weather is getting colder."

"Such a valuable item, and Zhou Jiaojiao dares to just reach out her hand and ask for it. It’s clear she’s used to asking for things; she sees something nice and thinks it should fall into her own hands."

"Exactly, you weren’t there, but you should have seen her acting all justified and telling Mingyang, Mingliang, and Ming Fang not to be childish. It’s as if Lu Jiaxuan going to work at the commune is the proper thing to do. Oh, it just makes me so angry!"

Zhu Juying was genuinely furious. Her daughter-in-law was no pushover; every time she demanded something, she did it with such a sense of entitlement, as though she was owed it by birthright. If Juying didn’t want to give it to her, she would play the grandchild card, saying she bore a grandson for the Lu Family.

She had given everything that was due for the grandson, and she loved the child dearly too, but with such meager family resources, the whole family needed to eat, and you can’t just focus on one person. Oh Lord!

At that time, looking at Zhou Zhou and Jiaojiao, she saw the same image as her bothersome daughter-in-law.

Hearing everyone’s indignant words, she was getting the result she wanted.

"I won’t lie to you, in the past, out of consideration that we’re all one family, if the bicycle was needed for an emergency, I would lend it. But now, huh, don’t even think about it. My poor Ming Liang and Ming Fang have really suffered a lot."

Indeed, when people came over, they didn’t come empty-handed. Some brought eggs, some brought brown sugar. Wang Lianhua and Xifeng, who didn’t have anything valuable to offer, picked some in-season vegetables from the fields to bring over.

They had originally agreed to work together in the evening, but that got delayed.

While they were talking, someone from outside the courtyard arrived, claiming to be from the brick and tile factory. Inside the house, Zhu Juying gestured towards him, "Go ahead, we’re watching over here, nothing to worry about."

As soon as Guo Xiuxin heard that someone from the brick and tile factory was looking for her, she pushed Shen Meng outside too, but she followed as well. She wanted to find out what was going on. She knew the people from the brick and tile factory; they look down on others through their nostrils. How did Shen Meng come to be involved with those people?

"Hurry up, those people aren’t easy to deal with. Let’s see what they want."

Shen Meng feigned ignorance and, with a shake of her head, reluctantly followed Guo Xiuxin to the door. The visitor was the young gatekeeper from the factory.

"Hello, Mr. Shen, do you remember me? The day you came, I was the one who received you."

"Comrade, hello, I remember you. What brings you here? Come inside for some water and take your time talking?"

The comrade shook his head: "No thank you, I’m actually quite busy and won’t come in. This is a slip; our factory manager specially approved it. Just take it to the brick and tile factory and directly ask someone to haul as much as you need. Once the goods are handed over to you, I’ll be on my way."

Shen Meng, watching Guo Xiuqin’s envious expression, tucked the slip into her bosom and reached out to hold the gatekeeper’s bicycle.

"It really wouldn’t do. Having come all this way, have some water before you leave. This is our production team’s women’s director, and her presence won’t cause any bad influence. You’ve helped me so much; how can I let you leave without even having a sip of water?"

The young man couldn’t refuse and followed her into the yard, thinking to himself that it’s no wonder she’s from a military family – so hospitable.

Shen Meng poured some brown sugar tea for the young man and washed a couple of autumn sweet melons before she let him go.

After he left, Guo Xiuqin immediately asked, "Wow, Xiao Meng, you’re really something, managing to connect with the brick and tile factory."

"Not at all," Shen Meng replied. "I went to the county today just to inquire about the brick and tile situation. I didn’t expect to receive a response by the afternoon. The folks over there are really responsible."

Her words made Guo Xiuqin choke with annoyance – those snobs with their nose in the air.

In the heat of noon, it wasn’t good for everyone to stay for long. With such an incident having occurred at home, Shen Meng asked Wang Lianhua to notify Erqing, telling him to ask for leave for the three children so that they could skip school the next day.

At the Lu Family, the atmosphere was bleak, with Lu Jiaxuan looking at Zhou Jiaojiao’s swollen cheeks, feeling an unbearable heartache, and harboring a deep resentment against Shen Meng.

"Jiaojiao, you’ve suffered. The elder sister-in-law is truly unreasonable. You just asked a question; how could she be so heavy-handed? She doesn’t act like a sister-in-law at all."

After rummaging through his kang cabinet for a while, Liu Sanjin managed to find a few ounces of brown sugar and brought it over to Zhou Jiaojiao.

"Don’t be sad, girl. Mom has brought you some brown sugar. Later, I’ll have your second sister-in-law cook two eggs for you to apply to your face. Don’t go to work this afternoon, just rest well. Your elder brother will probably have family-visit leave this year. When the time comes, we will have him thoroughly teach her a lesson."

She didn’t dare to confront her herself; no good had come from it after several tries, and her own reputation had greatly suffered.

"I’ve lost all face. My big brother is familiar with the commune leaders. Getting a job isn’t something just anyone can do; Jiaxuan is truly capable, otherwise the leaders wouldn’t value him. I just thought big brother must be looking out for Jiaxuan – why else would the elder sister-in-law buy a bicycle right after he got the job? They’ve never thought to buy one over so many years. Isn’t it obvious that it was prepared for Jiaxuan to commute to work? Even if it wasn’t, couldn’t the elder sister-in-law have talked it out nicely? To treat me like this in front of so many people, Jiaxuan, damn it, how can I show my face to others after this!"

She had been crying and making a fuss all afternoon, and Zhie Jinghao had listened until she was sick of it – in the end, it was still about greed. Otherwise, why would she so brazenly ask for something so valuable?

When the elder sister-in-law had left a sweet soup behind for her, she was afraid of taking advantage of her elder sister-in-law, not wanting her children to eat one bite less. Yet, this one was something else – to open her mouth and ask so straightforwardly, tsk tsk.

"Mom, the elder sister-in-law is pushing things too far. It’s said that one should not hit the face when striking someone; I must have a proper talk with her about how she treated Jiaojiao today, to see what she’s up to. Our family was living in harmony, does she want to break us apart to be happy?"

Lu Jiaxuan was furious, and as he turned to leave, he didn’t notice and brushed the glass chimney of the kerosene lamp on the kang cabinet, which fell to the ground with a "smack". The sound made Xie Jinghao, who was listening from outside, jump.