"My sister, you're so nice!"
And so stupid!!
Yi Jing feigned teary-eyed gratitude and hugged her, "Thank you, sister..."
Thank you, you fool, for giving up the job for me.
"Indeed, my sister is the best sister in the world. I will be good to her too."
Yi Chichi's eyes flashed with sarcasm, if being good to her meant grabbing her job and forcing her to go to the countryside.
Then that's certainly nice.
"I'm hungry."
She pushed Yi Jing away, looked pitifully at Zhang Lanxiang, "I want a bowl of egg noodles, can I?"
"No..."
"Yes!"
Yi Jing, who hadn't officially secured the job yet, didn't want unexpected complications, so she immediately interrupted Zhang Lanxiang and gave her a look, "Mom, sister gave her job to me, why don't you cook her a bowl of noodles..."
She was worried Zhang Lanxiang might disagree, so she pinched Zhang Lanxiang's hand and intensified her tone, "Mom, Xiao Chi is going to the countryside to suffer on my behalf, we should treat her better."
Can't let her cause a scene at such a critical moment.
Zhang Lanxiang reluctantly took a deep breath but pretended to be generous and said, "Alright, mom will cook you a bowl of plain noodles."
"Egg noodles."
A bowl of plain noodles wouldn't do, her body was desperately low on nutrition, she needed to eat better.
"The plain noodles need eggs, I want two... no, four eggs."
"How many? Four eggs?"
Zhang Lanxiang was shocked.
Four eggs, really thinking they were some wealthy family, which wealthy family lets one person eat four eggs.
This little brat just wanted to cause trouble.
Zhang Lanxiang, distressed over the eggs, looked displeased, her gaze turning fierce.
Hungry and irritated, Yi Chichi retorted, "A job at the embroidery factory could not only let me eat eggs without worry, but also let me eat braised pork at state-owned restaurants and buy new clothes, or I might as well not go to the countryside and let sister..."
"I'll feed you!"
"I'll cook it for you right now!!"
Unable to handle her, Zhang Lanxiang interrupted her and rushed to the kitchen at the speed of a sprint.
Yi Chichi looked at Yi Jing and found her staring fiercely at her.
In that moment of eye contact, she immediately changed her expression to a fragile smile, "Sister, it's not that mom is unwilling to feed you, she's just used to being frugal, you understand, right?!"
"I understand."
Frugal indeed, but only towards her.
The family didn't always eat lavishly, but having meals every other day was feasible.
Eggs, even more so, were available daily.
Yi Yong's salary along with his corruption earnings could completely afford it.
But since the stepmother entered the Yi Family, the original host hadn't eaten an egg even once, not even a lick of it at the bottom of the bowl.
Meat like fish or pork, she didn't even dare dream of it.
Thinking of fish and meat, she realized she was craving braised pork.
But no rush, braised pork will come, pig's feet will come.
She touched the bump on the back of her head and looked pained, "Sister, my head really hurts."
"You too, could've just talked it out, but chose to argue with dad, knowing well how bad his temper is..."
Seeing her unhappy glare, Yi Jing held back her impatience and feigned helplessness in a gentle tone, "Alright alright, don't be upset, once the noodles are done, I'll tell mom to give you some money to see a doctor."
She couldn't let her go to the countryside in this state, or she'd carry the reputation of being harsh on a stepsister into the Liu Family.
Thinking of Liu Qingsong, who stood straight and clean in a white shirt like a young poplar, Yi Jing's eyes filled with ambition.
She must marry into the Liu Family, no one could stop or ruin her plan.
"Never mind, I'll go with you, get the medicine and we'll deal with the embroidery factory job."
Yi Chichi obviously wouldn't follow her plan, the job definitely wouldn't be given to her.
"Alright then, it's good to have sister accompany me, just won't it hold up sister's plans?"
She glanced at the clock on the wall, feigned an unintentional reminder, "It's almost twelve, if I remember correctly, Tunnel Warfare starts in half an hour."
Yi Jing, "!!!"
Yi Jing's eyes widened suddenly, she remembered the movie date with Liu Qingsong.
The job was important, Liu Qingsong was equally important.
Wanting Yi Chichi's job was a way to get bonus points to marry into the Liu Family.
But if sacrificing the job damaged her relationship with Liu Qingsong, all her previous efforts would be wasted.
This wouldn't do, absolutely not.
Thinking of this, she feigned apology, "Sorry sister, I just remembered I have something later."
"You go see the doctor yourself."
"Don't worry about money, I'll talk to mom to give you some extra money to buy things for going to the countryside."
"Really?"
Yi Chichi feigned surprise.
Yi Jing nodded, "Really, you gave me your job and even going to the countryside on my behalf, I can't treat you poorly, once I start working I'll send you five yuan every month."
"Don't worry sister, I'm not an ingrate, I'll remember your kindness forever."
She spoke with genuine emotion, whether she'd do it only she knew.
Yi Chichi felt 'moved' with genuine emotion.
The sisters, each with their own calculation, smiled at each other, everything left unsaid.
With the lure of the job, Zhang Lanxiang and her daughter's performance was impeccable.
Not only did they meet Yi Chichi's demands for plain noodles and eggs, Zhang Lanxiang also, under Yi Jing's persuasion, hesitantly gave her two banknotes and some coupons to buy things for going to the countryside.
Full and with some strength, Yi Chichi naturally feigned thankfulness and left the house amidst the mother and daughter's eager reminders and expectations.
At half past five, Yi Yong came home from work.
Hearing the door open, Zhang Lanxiang immediately came out of the kitchen to greet him warmly, "Old Yi, you're back."
"Hmm."
Yi Yong casually removed his coat and handed it to her, "Is the dead girl still making a fuss in the room?"
"No, she went out."
"Went out?"
Yi Yong's anger immediately flared up, "When did she leave? Why didn't you watch her?"
"I let her go."
Zhang Lanxiang had the typical delicate, innocent appearance, seemingly weak, coupled with the ability to feign gentleness and small attentions before Yi Yong, a typical male chauvinist, she had him completely under her control.
Soft hands caressed his shriveled chest, she resisted disgust and explained softly, "Xiao Chi agreed to give the job to Jingjing and go to the countryside, the child is grown, she needs to buy things before traveling."
"I gave her fifty yuan and some coupons to take care of the embroidery factory job and to buy everything needed for going to the countryside."
"Don't misunderstand her, it's also me who gave her the money."
If she hadn't spoken, it would've been fine, once spoken Yi Yong immediately conjured the image of Yi Chichi being unreasonable, demanding fifty yuan from Zhang Lanxiang.
"Fifty yuan? She needs fifty yuan to buy things just for going to the countryside?! Aren't the cotton clothes and quilts from home usable?! Does she really think the family has a mountain of gold or what? That dead girl needs a beating, when she comes home I'm going to beat her to death!"
Yi Yong grew more furious as he spoke, Zhang Lanxiang's eyes briefly flashed with malice but her face showed nothing, continuing her soft tone, "The child wants dignity, Northeast is cold, buying a cotton coat is reasonable."