Another week passed, and Zhuzi's life was still in order.
This morning, Zhuzi was helping to pack goods at the food factory. Everyone wore masks and helped to peel boiled eggs.
Because the braised eggs need to be shelled, after they are cooked, remove the shells, then boil them once in the prepared braising soup and soak them in the flavor.
The most time-consuming part for their group is peeling and packaging the eggs.
Qian Shulan kept moving her hands and glanced at Zhuzi, "What has your mother been busy with these days?"
Zhuzi didn't even raise his head. "I stay at home making clothes every day, and occasionally go to the matchmaker."
Liu Yueqin heard this and asked with a smile, "Does your mother want to find you a wife?"
Zhuzi's face turned red instantly.
People of this era are so innocent. Qian Shulan looked very happy and said with a smile, "Men should get married when they are old enough and women should get married when they are old enough. What is there to be shy about? What kind of girl do you like? I will help you keep an eye out for her."
Zhuzi pursed his lips for a while before opening his mouth, "I like those with good tempers and who are a little smarter."
After hearing this, Qian Shulan went over the idea in her mind. To be honest, she had not been out much in recent years, and she had not seen many girls of this type.
Liu Yueqin was quite surprised. "You have a very strange idea. I only heard people say that you should find someone pretty, plump, and kind. This is the first time you say you should find someone smart."
Xu Cuilan was a little speechless when she saw her making such a fuss. "Zhu Zi is a high school student and wants to find someone educated. What's so strange about that? Third sister-in-law, you are so funny!"
After hearing what her sister-in-law said, Liu Yueqin thought, "Huh? It seems to be true."
"There's nothing wrong with finding someone who can talk to you and looks more compatible," Qian Shulan tried to smooth things over. But she felt that Zhuzi wanted to find someone smart because he had a stupid adoptive mother.
When they returned, Qian Shulan asked him tentatively.
Zhuzi was a little embarrassed. "I can't even handle my mother alone. If there is another one, I guess I will do nothing all day and just clean up the mess for them."
Qian Shulan stroked her forehead and had to admit that his idea was very practical. Finding someone smarter would save both trouble and effort.
As the two were talking, a bicycle bell rang from behind, "Third sister-in-law, wait a moment."
Qian Shulan and Zhuzi both looked back and saw Wang Lide riding her bicycle. He had said that he was going to the county town in the morning and asked her to borrow it.
The bicycles in the team were men's 28-bar bicycles, which were a bit dangerous for Wang Lide at his age, so he borrowed her women's bicycle, which was lighter and less likely to cause him to fall.
"Are you back?"
Wang Lide smiled and nodded, "Yes, it's just right for me to return your bicycle." He stopped the bicycle and said to Zhuzi, "Zhuzi is here too, I just happened to talk to you about something."
Zhuzi was stunned, a little surprised, "Third uncle, please tell me."
Wang Lide handed him a large bag on the front of his bicycle. "I went to the county education bureau for a meeting. The deputy director asked me to bring this to you. He said that he wanted you to be a propagandist for our commune."
Zhuzi frowned and subconsciously looked at Qian Shulan, "Grandma, was this her idea?"
Qian Shulan also thought that who else could have been responsible for making Zhuzi a propagandist for no reason other than Zhuzi's mother
Seeing him standing there stupidly without accepting the gift, Wang Lide gently pushed him and said, "What are you doing? This is such a great thing. Others would have a hard time finding such a good thing, but you have come across it, so just be happy."
Zhuzi didn't want to take it, so Qian Shulan took it for him and said to Wang Lide, "What's the last name of the deputy director you're talking about?"
"His surname is Pang, and he was just transferred here. The previous one has retired." At this point, he smiled at Qian Shulan, "Third sister-in-law, did you use your connections to get this done? You're amazing. I can't do anything with the Education Bureau, but you managed to find connections. That's awesome!" As he spoke, he gave Qian Shulan a thumbs up.
Qian Shulan was speechless. This matter had nothing to do with her. "When he told you this, didn't he hint at something?"
There was no joy on her face. Wang Lide was just happy for Zhuzi just now, and he thought that Zhuzi was so overjoyed that he lost his composure, but his third sister-in-law was not that kind of person. It was such a good thing, there was no reason for her not to be happy for Zhuzi. He immediately realized that something was wrong, "Is there something wrong?"
Qian Shulan did not hide it from him, "Some time ago, Zhuzi's biological mother wanted to take Zhuzi back. She said she wanted to find a job for Zhuzi. She said she wanted to be a clerk in the Education Bureau."
Wang Lide was a little puzzled, "Isn't this a good thing?"
Qian Shulan rubbed her face, "If someone is being nice to you without any reason, he is either a traitor or a thief. If she was really a loving mother, why didn't she take Zhuzi with her when she remarried? She is not a pure and kind person. And the relationship she used was through her man. There are few men in the world who are so generous as to use such a big favor to find a job for their ex-wife's son. You think you are just acting. You are just dreaming."
As a teacher, Wang Lide would not think badly of others. But after hearing what Qian Shulan said, he felt something was wrong. "You mean, she also specially arranged this propagandist?"
Qian Shulan spread her hands. "Don't you think so? Zhuzi has always been quiet and not a show-off. How could anyone notice him with this kind of personality?"
Wang Lide patted Zhuzi on the shoulder and said, "It depends on your choice. I can't help you. I thought this was a good thing."
Zhuzi gave him a forced smile.
After Wang Lide left, Zhuzi looked at Qian Shulan and said, "Grandma, what do you think I should do?"
Qian Shulan glanced at the posters in her hand. These should be posted on the wall of the production team. Judging from the slogans, there is nothing wrong with them. Qian Shulan immediately felt relieved and looked up at the pillar and said, "When your mother comes, if she persuades you to accept her again, you should play along and see what your mother wants to do."
Zhuzi nodded. To be honest, it was a terrible feeling to be led by the nose.
Qian Shulan patted his shoulder and said, "If your mother wants to find a girl for you, just say you already have a boyfriend."
Zhuzi was stunned, "Grandma, are you saying that she will try to get me married?"
Qian Shulan had asked Qian Weihan to find out about Zhuzi's mother's situation, but she hadn't received any news in such a short time. "I've asked someone to find out. You should keep her calm first. I'll give you some advice after I figure out what she wants to do."
Zhuzi nodded and said, "Okay."
Early the next morning, Zhuzi's mother came again.
The first thing she did when she saw Li Chunhua was to complain to her, "Zhu Zi refused to be a clerk. He must be worried about his elder sister, so I used my connections to find him a job as a publicist."
Li Chunhua was very satisfied to see that she was so thoughtful.
With her active persuasion, Zhuzi was finally "convinced" to accept the job.
When Zhuzi's mother saw that Zhuzi had loosened up, she was overjoyed and immediately took him to the county town to fill out an employment application form.
Zhuzi's mother tried to talk to Zhuzi as much as possible on the way, but Zhuzi remained cold and indifferent.
Although Zhuzi's mother was very anxious, she also knew that this matter could not be rushed.
After completing the entry procedures, Zhuzi declined her request for dinner and went home hungry.
Zhuzi's mother was very angry as she looked at his back. How could there be such a stubborn person
Thinking of her youngest son who died young, Zhuzi's mother could only place all her hopes on Zhuzi. Otherwise, who would she rely on when she got old
After Zhuzi returned home, Li Chunhua asked him all kinds of questions. When she found out that he didn't have to go to the provincial capital every day and could still get a salary of 260 yuan a month, she immediately smiled from ear to ear.
Seeing that his mother was still in a daze, Zhuzi came up with a plan and praised his mother. Since she thought her mother was good, he followed her wishes and let her know how good his mother was. "When my mother came, she took me to a big hotel for a delicious meal and ordered several meat dishes for me. I ate so much that my stomach was full." To match his words, he puffed up his stomach.
When Li Chunhua heard Zhuzi's words, she was very happy at first, but gradually she felt uncomfortable.
She just wanted Zhuzi to accept his mother's job, not to accept his mother. What did he mean by praising his mother for being generous
Zhuzi seemed not to notice her cold face and continued, "I thought about it and I have accepted the job. It would be unreasonable not to recognize her. After all, she raised me. I should recognize her."
Li Chunhua was so angry that her nose turned blue. "How dare you!"
Zhuzi spread his hands and said, "Mom, you said it, it's not easy for her either. If a widow remarries and treats her previous children badly, people will gossip about her. I think you are quite right. It's really not easy for her." Not easy at all! She chose it herself, what does it have to do with him
Li Chunhua was speechless. She couldn't argue with him, but her status was there. "I am your mother. No matter how hard her life was, could it be as hard as mine? I raised you to this age. I have endured so many cold words from the villagers, and you actually treat me like this? Do you have a conscience?"
Zhuzi advised her earnestly, "Mom, she is my biological mother, and you are my adopted mother. You are both equally important in my heart. I will be filial to both of you in the future."
"What are you talking about? You should be filial to me." Li Chunhua was a little confused, and it was obvious that she couldn't accept her son's change of attitude. She was so anxious that she jumped up and down. The son she raised with great effort actually wanted to recognize his biological mother. She instinctively felt that something was wrong.
She wanted to order him not to recognize his biological mother, but she had clearly told him before that she was very pitiful. Why did she feel like she was going back on her word
Li Chunhua couldn't do anything about him, so she had to go to her mother-in-law.
Qian Shulan listened to her complaints and looked up at her. "Since Zhuzi has accepted the job, it means he has accepted the person. Isn't that just what you want? Isn't it too late for you to complain to me now?"
Li Chunhua was so anxious that she got angry. "I just want Zhuzi to accept the benefits, not his own mother."
Qian Shulan looked at Li Chunhua as if she were a monster. "What are you thinking about? You can't impose your own ideas on Zhuzi. Do you know what Zhuzi is thinking?"
Li Chunhua felt guilty when her mother-in-law scolded her, "I..." She felt that Zhuzi's mother gave birth to Zhuzi but abandoned him, so it was only natural for her to want to compensate him.
Qian Shulan sighed heavily, "Zhu Zi has never hated his mother. Although his biological mother didn't want him anymore, she still sent him to our family to be raised, and our family never mistreat him. For this reason alone, he has no reason to hate her. Therefore, the mother-son relationship between Zhu Zi and his biological mother ends here, and there is no question of who owes whom. You force him to accept the other party's benefits, but how can Zhu Zi accept the other party's benefits with peace of mind? He will definitely repay the other party."
Li Chunhua was dumbfounded. "Mom, do you mean that accepting her job means accepting her as a person?"
"Not really! There has to be a gradual process!" Perhaps fearing that Li Chunhua was not hurt enough, Qian Shulan added, "His mother is obviously a female cadre. She can give Zhuzi much more than you can. In Zhuzi's heart, I'm afraid she will be more important than you. You! You really picked up sesame seeds and lost watermelons."
Although Li Chunhua often felt that her mother-in-law was overbearing and a little unreasonable, in fact, in her heart, besides her husband, her mother-in-law was the smartest person. Although she sometimes couldn't understand what her mother-in-law said, over time, she could always prove that what her mother-in-law said was right.
After hearing what her mother-in-law said, she was completely stunned. She couldn't accept it. She squatted on the ground with her head in her hands and screamed, "Ah! I don't want it! Zhuzi is obviously my son, and she wants to take him away!"
Having said that, he jumped up from the ground and rushed out.