The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 512 - 511: The Liang Family’s Plot Falls Through

Chapter 512: Chapter 511: The Liang Family’s Plot Falls Through

Liang Xiling was convinced that her job at the food factory was a sure thing, so she stopped looking for work and just waited at home for Shen Hongmei to come knocking.

The Liang family harbored the same thoughts.

Especially Liang’s mother, whose feelings were mixed; she both feared and hoped that Shen Hongmei would not come.

Just the thought of her precious son being sullied by Shen Hongmei’s "worn shoes" caused her great anger and pain.

But if Shen Hongmei didn’t come, her daughter’s job prospects were up in the air.

One day.

Two days.

Before they knew it, the third day had arrived.

Shen Hongmei had still not paid a visit, causing the Liang family to grow anxious.

"Mom, should we have Kean inquire about it? There might have been some complication," suggested the eldest daughter-in-law.

Liang’s mother glared at the one who made the suggestion, "What’s there to ask about? She can come if she wants. Our Liang family certainly doesn’t beg her."

People can arrange jobs, you don’t beg for them, but there are plenty of others who will.

The Liang family’s eldest daughter-in-law grumbled to herself but cajoled Liang’s mother, "Mom, Xiling’s job is important, sixty to seventy a month, that’s almost a thousand in a year, isn’t it? With that money, you think Kean won’t be able to find a wife?"

Liang’s mother fell silent.

The Liang family’s eldest daughter-in-law exchanged glances with her sisters-in-law.

The second sister-in-law understood and spoke up, "Mom, the food factory has employee dormitories. Once Xiling starts working, she can stay in the dormitory, and Kean’s room will be vacated. It would be perfect for his wedding room."

Liang’s mother was persuaded.

Kean was already 26 years old, if he didn’t get married soon, he would become a bachelor for life.

During dinner, Liang’s mother somewhat reluctantly gave Liang Kean the order, "Kean, if you are free tomorrow, go ask that Shen person, see if Xiling’s job will materialize."

Liang Kean hesitated for a while before he spoke.

"I’ll ask Chen Liang to inquire for me. I’ve already boasted about it, it would be too embarrassing to ask for help again," he said.

Liang’s mother wasn’t happy with the idea of her son bowing down to a "worn shoe" either, but she thought the plan was very good, and her mood improved significantly.

Seeing that the whole family was worrying about her job, Liang Xiling felt somewhat ashamed and couldn’t help but mutter quietly:

"Shen Hongmei will definitely come tomorrow. With a man as good as my third brother, if she misses out on this chance, there won’t be another like it."

Liang’s mother gave her a fierce glance, "You don’t need to say anything; no one thinks you’re a mute."

Liang Xiling pouted but also didn’t dare to say any more.

...

"What’s wrong? You’ve been frowning ever since you hung up the phone. Did Kean ask you to set him up with another date?"

Yi Ling teased Chen Liang, who was sitting on the sofa smoking a cigarette.

Chen Liang sighed, "I don’t know what Kean is thinking. He boasted to someone earlier, and now he’s asking others to help arrange Xiling’s job, and wants me to ask how the job placement is going. How can I even bring that up to sister-in-law?"

Yi Ling also felt speechless, "Nevermind his business. In terms of closeness, sister-in-law is our real family, and she’s also been good to us. She never fails to bring us things, big or small; we can’t be ungrateful."

Chen Liang was distressed.

During his school days, when he and Yi Ling were dating, there was never enough money. Kean had bailed him out a few times, and that kind of favor was not something you could just cut off.

Chen Liang was also someone who used his head. He reached out to Chen Yi.

"Brother, I’m creating an opportunity for you. Take the chance to have a good chat with sister-in-law."

The laughter from Chen Yi on the other end of the phone was full of exasperation, "Well, I really must thank you for that."

"You’re welcome."

Upon receiving Chen Yi’s call, and learning that Chen Liang was looking to help Liang Kean ask Shen Mingzhu about work, Pei Wenping fired up—

"Has Chen Liang’s brain been eaten by a dog? If he wants to ask Mingzhu about something, why doesn’t he just call her directly? Why take such a roundabout way, as if phone calls are free?"

Hearing Pei Wenping’s temper, Chen Yi felt a sense of nostalgia and affection, and his tone became much softer, "Little Liang is timid; you know that."

Pei Wenping snorted, "I’m not dealing with this idle matter, and neither should you. He agreed to it, so let him handle it himself. He’s a grown man; no one is coddling him!"

"Alright, I’ll listen to you. I won’t baby him."

The indulgent tone made Pei Wenping momentarily disoriented.

Back when the two of them were dating, Chen Yi always used to say that.

Back then, she just felt blissful, but now her heart felt suffocated, as if it were stuffed with cotton.

"Meow~"

As if sensing her mood, the cat in her arms raised its head and let out a meow toward her.

"You got a cat?"

"None of your damn business! If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up!"

Listening to the dial tone on the phone, Chen Yi couldn’t help but smile wryly.

Temper seems to be getting bigger and bigger.

But that’s a good thing.

His mood suddenly improved.

"Your sister-in-law said, don’t interfere, let you handle it yourself."

When Chen Liang heard Chen Yi’s reply on the phone, his throat tightened, "She’s still managing you even after you guys divorced?"

"She’s still your sister-in-law even though we’re divorced, goodbye."

Chen Liang stared at the phone with a ferocious expression: Fine, fine, fine, I’m just a part of your chase-wife funeral pyre play, huh?

In the end, Chen Liang still went to Shen Mingzhu personally.

When Shen Mingzhu learned of Chen Liang’s purpose, she offered the excuse that there were no suitable vacancies at the moment.

Having been targeted so many times, she had learned a rule well, it’s better to offend a gentleman than a petty person.

Because you never know when these offended people might trip you up.

Anyway, the goal was achieved, so why not save face for the Liang family?

...

Chen Liang went to the Liang family and conveyed Shen Mingzhu’s words in front of the Liang family members.

"...My sister-in-law means that there are no vacancies in the office at the moment, and they are not hiring this year either. If Xiling really can’t find a job, she can go to Shenji to wait tables."

Liang Xiling naturally wasn’t happy about it.

As soon as Chen Liang left, she started to complain angrily.

"She must be holding a grudge because my third brother didn’t date her, so she’s deliberately not arranging a job for me."

"That little whore, she’s also petty-minded, tsk, as if she could enter the doors of the Liang family with her kind of history, in her dreams!" her mother cursed indignantly.

"Enough, say a little less," said Liang Kean with some irritation.

This issue was actually of their own making, and he had already broken up with Shen Hongmei; it was natural for Shen Hongmei not to want to help.

Liang Xiling was a self-centered person, caring only that her job was lost, full of resentment in her heart.

"She’s been slept with by men since she was a teenager and even had an abortion; only countryside old bachelors would want someone like her with a history like that. She’s still clinging to you, her skin is really thick."

Listening to Liang Xiling say more and more outrageous things, Liang Kean’s brows furrowed, and he was about to scold her when, from the corner of his eye, he saw Chen Liang return and stand outside the door.

"Chen Liang, why did you come back?"

Liang Xiling hurriedly turned around and became embarrassed when she saw Chen Liang outside the door.

Her mother reacted very quickly, "Chen Liang, my Xiling doesn’t know better and speaks without thinking; don’t take it to heart, alright? Some things, we just keep among ourselves and shouldn’t spread outside."

Chen Liang nodded, "Auntie Wang, I have something I want to discuss with Kean."

"Sure, go ahead and talk," she said, pulling her daughter, Liang Xiling, into the house.

Liang Kean tried to smile at Chen Liang to ease the awkward atmosphere, "Chen Liang, was there something else?"

"There’s a new vocational school that just opened over on Nora Road. You could let Xiling learn some skills there; it might make it easier for her to find a job in the future."

"All right, I’ll take Xiling to have a look when I have a chance."

After leaving the alley where the Liang family lived, Chen Liang propped his leg and stopped his bicycle.

He went back because he remembered that Pei Yang’s pager shop seemed to be hiring shop assistants.

Working in selling pagers was a good job now, one could earn quite a bit, even several hundred a month.

But he hadn’t expected Liang Xiling to be so malicious in private.

With such a mindset, he naturally wouldn’t introduce her to Pei Yang’s place.