Transmigration: On the Gossip Front
Chapter 234 True or False First Love 34_1

Chapter 234: Chapter 234 True or False First Love 34_1

Watching the beaming Zhou Lina, Yang Zhaodi felt her legs going weak.

The happier Zhou Lina seemed, the more likely someone was about to be in trouble.

"I’ll go find someone right away," Yang Zhaodi signaled her daughter-in-law to call for help.

Zhou Hong’s wife certainly didn’t want to go out and ask for help. Didn’t materials and labor cost money?

Yang Zhaodi was no fool, and she quickly understood her daughter-in-law’s calculations, which displeased her greatly.

She had opposed Zhou Hong marrying this woman in the first place, as her family was very poor, and marrying her would mean endless subsidies in the future.

But Zhou Hong had insisted on marrying her, and Yang Zhaodi, without a choice, had agreed, hoping that living separately and keeping some distance would help avoid mutual disgust.

After the wedding, they had three grandchildren, especially the eldest who was very smart. Yang Zhaodi was finally somewhat satisfied with her daughter-in-law and became more generous.

She had thought that, being exposed to so many good things in Zhou Hong’s house, she would no longer calculate against her in-laws as before.

But she was still as calculating as ever, which annoyed Yang Zhaodi. Yet, no matter how angry she was, she had to endure it.

"You go and call for help, since you know exactly how much material is needed," Yang Zhaodi urged Zhou Hong’s wife to act more efficiently.

"Oh yes, remember to call a few more people; even the window frames are loose now."

"And this stove, it’s actually cracked quite a lot."

Zhou Lina knew not to expect Zhou Hong and his family to take care of the place, but at least for now, while they were living there, shouldn’t they maintain it a little for their own comfort?

But the fact was they didn’t cherish it. "When you borrowed the house, you said it wasn’t good to leave it vacant and that you would take good care of it."

Zhou Lina kept shaking her head, "I really regret it."

"I actually would have been fine living here alone." The mother and daughter, who were under the care of Father Zhou, suddenly needed Zhang Shifen to take charge, and they became somewhat flustered.

"All right, you made a promise back then, and now you should fix it properly."

"And don’t think about not calling someone to repair it, or not paying at all. I’ll have them go to the machinery factory to find you."

"We also need skilled craftsmen." There was no need to be polite; since offence had already been taken, she might as well follow her heart.

"Otherwise, if it’s done poorly and needs reworking, it’s just a waste of money."

Zhou Hong’s wife had originally not wanted to pay in full, thinking maybe she’d pay just a bit and let them ask Zhou Lina for money. It was her house that needed repairs, after all. Wasn’t it normal for the homeowner to pay?

Zhou Hong’s wife was so frightened by Zhou Lina’s incessant demands that she regretted not leaving earlier.

Watching her daughter-in-law flee in panic, Yang Zhaodi kept shaking her head. If only she had listened to her earlier, this mess would never have happened.

"Xiao Na, it’s not that your auntie wants to criticize you, but you were too eager to take over the house."

Then she could ask her younger brother-in-law, "You’ve already driven us out; what can I do?"

"Of course, I need to roll back home quickly."

"I know you don’t like to part with money, auntie, but Brother Hong has collected quite a lot from the rent over the years, hasn’t he?"

"Just because we don’t say it, doesn’t mean we don’t know." Zhou Lina didn’t want to listen to those supposedly well-meaning words for her at all.

"This way is much better. We live in our own house, Brother Hong and his family live in theirs, and you don’t have to worry about someone driving you out, right?"

Watching Zhou Lina talk forcefully and even display a threatening demeanor, Yang Zhaodi was fuming.

She had wanted to properly complain about how unkind Zhou Lina was, but now she really didn’t dare.

Yang Zhaodi believed that if pushed too hard, Zhou Hong’s money-making behavior could very well blow up.

By that time, everyone would stand on Zhou Lina’s side, thinking that Zhou Hong’s actions were too excessive.

When Zhou Hong’s Wife went out to find someone to repair the house, there was a moment when she really wanted to just hire anyone if it meant saving some money.

But remembering Zhou Lina’s unyielding nature, she lost her nerve.

After all, if things went south, the one without a good outcome would be her, and only her.

Thinking of the small amount of savings left, and the imminent reduction of a steady monthly income, Zhou Hong’s Wife let out a soft sigh.

Zhou Hong said that moving back would be cheaper, but that meant she would not be able to help her family anymore.

The thought of this made Zhou Hong’s Wife feel upset, but renting a place would mean a substantial monthly expense.

In the end, Zhou Hong’s Wife still hired a skilled craftsman, although it was more expensive, at least it would mean fewer problems.

Soon she brought the craftsman home, only to find that Zhou Lina had already left, feeling a faint sense of regret.

If she had known that she wouldn’t be around, did she really need to hire such a good craftsman?

Yang Zhaodi looked at her frustrated daughter-in-law and suddenly understood why Father Zhou’s mother had looked down upon her when they first met.

It really was because she acted with too much pettiness, Yang Zhaodi herself thought that this daughter-in-law wasn’t presentable.

"Good craftsmen do quality work that is visibly apparent to anyone with eyes."

"But does Zhou Lina understand?" It wasn’t that Yang Zhaodi looked down on Zhou Lina, but in her heart, she really couldn’t do anything.

Having already said so much and still not getting it, Yang Zhaodi was truly exhausted, "She might not understand, but the people around her do."

Suddenly, she recalled Zhang Shifen’s blunt friend, a doctor at the steel plant, who was indeed not one to mince words.

Every time she saw her, Yang Zhaodi felt scrutinized, and if it weren’t necessary, she absolutely, absolutely didn’t want to meet her.

Yang Zhaodi didn’t want to continue with her imprudent daughter-in-law, and turned to discuss with the craftsmen how to go about the house repairs.

Zhou Hong’s Wife knew that the home had undergone various makeshift fixes for the children over the years, which looked passable from afar but definitely not on close inspection.

They thought it wasn’t their house and there was no need to be too careful, so they didn’t pay much attention.

However, when they heard the craftsmen’s quote, Yang Zhaodi gasped.

Zhou Hong’s Wife became anxious, "It’s just a coat or two on the walls."

"And some minor repairs here and there."

"How can it, how can it be so expensive?" Luckily she had contacted them herself, or she would really have thought they were colluding with Zhou Lina.

The craftsmen could only patiently explain to the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. Yang Zhaodi had hired someone for repairs before and knew the price was about right.

Yang Zhaodi didn’t ask further, but Zhou Hong’s Wife, not giving up, continued to haggle with the workers.

The craftsmen, having pride as tradesmen, were straightforward upon hearing such nitpicking, "Your salaries increase every year, don’t we deserve to raise our rates?"

"If you think our price is high and should be what you suggested, fine, go find someone yourself."

The craftsmen picked up their tools, ready to leave. They were skilled workers, and wherever they went, people treated them well.

They had never been treated like this, almost as if the young daughter-in-law was accusing them of being greedy and overstating their prices.

If that was the case, then they might as well leave directly, as there was no shortage of work for them.