Wealthy Beauty in the 60s
Chapter 102 - 101: Between Neighbors

Chapter 102: Chapter 101: Between Neighbors

Wang Hong said, "Guo Yufeng, what do you mean? Clarify your words. When did I ever steal Li Wenjuan’s task? The factory promoted me because of my hard work and skills. It’s not my fault that Li Wenjuan couldn’t become a regular worker after so many years."

"Spit, everyone knows it’s because your daughter is dating a leader. You joined the factory later than Wenjuan. What makes you think you can take her place?"

At that moment, Guo Yufeng and Wang Hong started arguing, and Li Wenjuan couldn’t stop them. Just then, a woman came downstairs and said, "Enough, what are you arguing about? If you have any complaints, go coordinate with your factory leaders."

Guo Yufeng and Wang Hong didn’t speak further. Wang Hong snorted and went straight through the door, slamming it shut with a bang.

Xia Xiao saw that the woman had an armband that seemed to belong to the neighborhood committee. At this time, the aunties from the neighborhood committee had some authority.

"Virtue." The neighborhood committee’s aunt glanced at Wang Hong’s door and said to Xia Xiao, "This is the Xia family’s eldest daughter."

"Yes, Director Li, this is my youngest sister. She’s an educated youth who just returned from the countryside to celebrate the New Year," Li Wenjuan said.

Xia Xiao sweated, wondering why there were so many people with the surname Li. Her mother’s surname was Li, Li Shengmei’s surname was Li, and now even the neighborhood committee’s director was a Li, also called Director Li.

"Hello, Director Li," Xia Xiao greeted the neighborhood committee’s Director Li.

"Not bad, you look quite pretty," Director Li nodded to Xia Xiao. "Work hard, and when you have a chance to come back to the city, I’ll help you find a good match."

Xia Xiao forced a smile, and Li Wenjuan said, "Thank you, Director Li, for stepping in."

Director Li waved her hand, "It’s nothing. Wang Hong has indeed been too arrogant lately. If we don’t press down on her now, we won’t be able to later."

Guo Yufeng agreed, "Yes, she might even be eyeing a position in the neighborhood committee."

Only then did Xia Xiao understand. Apparently, Wang Hong also wanted to enter the neighborhood committee, and it was clear that Director Li didn’t like her either.

"Yufeng, stop," Li Wenjuan shook her head. "After all, there will be chances next year too."

Guo Yufeng pouted, "Next year, who knows if she will play dirty tricks."

When Xia Xiao and her mother went back inside, Xia Xiao understood the whole situation. Li Wenjuan had had the best chance to be promoted at the factory, but it was taken by Wang Hong.

Also, as the two families lived close by and there were several textile factories here, everyone was dissatisfied with Wang Hong. Wang Hong wasn’t originally from the textile industry but was just a homemaker without much education. However, her daughter had gone to university and started dating a leader at the textile factory, thus Wang Hong was also placed in the textile factory as a temporary worker.

So, Wang Hong joined the factory two years after Li Wenjuan, and just when Li Wenjuan unexpectedly got pregnant. Although the pregnant Li Wenjuan worked as hard as before, the annual award went to Wang Hong. Naturally, the opportunity for a permanent position that should have been Li Wenjuan’s was taken by Wang Hong, who was now a regular employee, while Li Wenjuan remained a temporary worker.

Li Wenjuan felt somewhat aggrieved but couldn’t really fault Wang Hong, nor could she blame her younger son for being born at an inconvenient time. Moreover, she couldn’t afford to provoke Wang Hong, fearing the loss of her job, given the poor conditions at home and her husband’s situation. She had to rely on her son.

"Mom, don’t worry. If not this year, there will still be opportunities next year, and even the year after," Xia Xiao consoled Li Wenjuan.

"If I could become a regular worker, I’d earn more money, and my job would be safer," said Li Wenjuan, looking worried.

"It won’t happen," Xia Xiao reassured her. At least not for now, layoffs wouldn’t come so soon, and she wouldn’t let the Xia family suffer too much.

Xia Chunrong spread out the table, placing several dishes on it, mostly vegetarian, like tofu, bean sprouts, and scrambled eggs with chives. This was already quite a feast.

Two-year-old Xia Hua could already eat by himself; Li Wenjuan put some tofu into her younger son’s bowl, and he happily ate.

"Xia Xiao tasted the dishes made by Li Wenjuan, nodding her agreement that Wenjuan’s cooking skills were comparable to Zheng Xianghong’s.

"You haven’t eaten Mom’s cooking for a few years, eat more," Li Wenjuan added eggs to Xia Xiao’s bowl.

Xia Xiao smiled slightly and said, "Yes, Mom’s food does taste delicious."

Hearing this, Li Wenjuan laughed happily...

The family meal was harmonious, and Xia Xiao very much appreciated the atmosphere at the Xia household. Mr. Xia and Li Wenjuan, while valuing their sons more, were also good to their daughters, not exhibiting the typical preference for sons over daughters.

If the Xia family had been biased, she and her sisters couldn’t have possibly gone to school. Looking at Mr Xia and Li Wenjuan, Xia Xiao felt that her parents were indeed quite valuable.

After dinner, the family sat together to chat. Xia Xiao sat quietly, listening to the Xia family’s stories.

Then Xia Chunrong took Xia Xiao for a walk nearby, joined by her sisters, and the little brother who cried along was also brought along.

City S was indeed bustling, even more than some smaller cities could compare to at this period.

Thus, conducting private business was very difficult now. Xia Xiao was relieved she hadn’t taken things for Gao Jiaxing to help sell, otherwise she didn’t know what troubles might befall Ge Lai and Gao Jiaxing.

Moreover, indications of a special period were already emerging. It would start the year after next.

At night, Li Wenjuan slept with Mr. Xia, Xia Chunrong and Xia Hua slept together, Xia Jing and Xia Hong slept together, and Xia Xiao shared a bed with Xia Lin.

The two beds were separated by curtains. Lying in bed, with Xia Chunrong and Xia Hua below, this was the first time Xia Xiao experienced such a setting, and she really couldn’t sleep.

When everyone in the room settled into steady breathing, Xia Xiao looked at the sleeping Xia Lin beside her, her mind filled with many thoughts.

She pondered how to improve her family’s living conditions and thought giving money might be the most practical. Her family could buy whatever was needed.

But she couldn’t give too much, or her family might become suspicious. Being home for five days, Xia Xiao could also use the excuse of buying groceries to let her family have a meat meal.

Or maybe cook in her space and then bring it out? Anyway, Xia Xiao thought about many things.