After two days of rest.
Tian Jing and Da Mai prepared a lavish dinner to host the Lu family.
Lu Xinggang introduced Li Zhengguo and Tian Jing to his parents.
"This is my comrade-in-arms and boss, Li Zhengguo, this is his wife, Tian Jing, who is also my boss's wife."
Seeing Li Zhengguo, who was about the same age as their elder son, Lu's father and mother felt emotional. Other people's children.
"Thank you, Boss Li, for taking care of Xinggang. If there's anything he does poorly, Boss Li, please don't hesitate to criticize him severely."
Li Zhengguo waved his hand. "Uncle, Aunt, just call me Zhengguo. Don't call me boss. Xinggang and I have a life-and-death friendship."
"Then we'll take advantage of our age and call you Zhengguo."
"That's the way it should be. Uncle and Aunt, please don't be so polite."
After introducing his parents, Lu Xinggang introduced his brother's family of three.
"This is my brother, Lu Xingqiang, his wife, Wei Haiyan, and my eldest niece, Lu Jingjing."
Li Zhengguo shook hands with Lu Xingqiang.
Wei Haiyan merely placed her hand on Tian Jing's, then immediately withdrew it, rubbing it against her thigh.
Li Zhengguo narrowed his eyes.
Lu Xinggang also looked displeased. His sister-in-law, considering herself highly educated and of high status, always looked down on others at home.
Tian Jing turned and washed her hands in a basin nearby.
She knew how to show disdain too.
Lu Xingqiang glanced at his elder brother and, seeing anger in his eyes, quickly tugged at his wife.
Wei Haiyan was provoked by Tian Jing's action of washing her hands. She didn't care that they were guests at someone else's home.
"She's just sleeping her way to the top, what's there to be proud of?"
This remark made everyone in the Lu family's expression change.
"That's right."
Tian Jing wiped her hands and nodded. "I'm proud of my looks. Unlike some people who are neither beautiful nor refined, but walk around with their noses in the air."
"I invited guests, not ancestors. Some people can leave now."
Wei Haiyan, pulling her daughter, turned and left.
Lu Xingqiang was about to follow but was grabbed by Lu Xinggang. "Xingqiang, if you dare to follow her out, we'll end our brotherhood here. Tomorrow, you will move out of the house."
"Elder Brother!"
Lu Xingqiang was anxious. "You know she just speaks without thinking."
"Heh, 'speaks without thinking'?"
Tian Jing sneered. "You know nothing, understand nothing, yet you mock me for relying on my looks to get rich. Is that 'speaking without thinking'?"
"Let me tell you, Lu Xinggang works for my husband, but my husband is just the nominal boss. I am the actual investor."
"Who she looks down on is not just our family, but your elder brother as well."
"Whether I got to where I am by relying on my looks or not, saying such things in front of your brother's boss is aimed at ruining your brother's second job."
"Fine, I'll fulfill her wish. Remember to tell her that Lu Xinggang has been fired by me and replaced by this beautiful lady, Jing Xian."
Tian Jing pulled over a woman who was standing next to Lu Xinggang, her lips pursed in silence.
"I'm hiring this beauty for a hundred yuan a month to help me. Is she satisfied now?"
"However, whether she's satisfied or not is none of my concern. You, good riddance."
Lu Xingqiang broke free from his elder brother's grasp and rushed out of the courtyard.
Watching Lu Xingqiang's hasty departure, Tian Jing shook her head, linked arms with the woman beside her, and walked towards the main hall.
"Hello, sister-in-law. I'm Tian Jing. I don't know your name yet."
Du Hongjuan, who was suddenly overwhelmed with surprise, finally came to her senses. "Hello, sister-in-law. I... my name is Du Hongjuan."
"Don't be nervous."
Tian Jing pulled her to sit at the square table. "This courtyard is very cozy. I like it very much. I want to thank you. You've worked hard."
Du Hongjuan shook her head. "It's not hard, not hard. I don't have much to do."
"Sister-in-law, that's not right."
Tian Jing glanced at the Lu family members awkwardly standing in the yard.
"Just cooking three meals a day is hard enough, not to mention taking care of children, washing clothes, sweeping the floor, and washing dishes. These can keep you busy all day. How is that not hard?"
"If you implicitly admit that you're not working hard, others will also think you're not working hard."
"Over time, others will disregard your labor and think that you don't work and live off others."
"What I'm saying is the truth. By replacing Lu Xinggang, you fulfill my husband's desire to support his comrade, and I get to vent my anger."
"The reason that woman dares to act like that is because she's been spoiled by everyone in your family."
"She knows that even if she ruins Lu Xinggang's job, you can't do anything to her. I won't tolerate that."
"If you didn't take this job, Lu Xinggang would still be fired."
"I'll take it, I'll take it!"
Du Hongjuan quickly nodded. Regardless, this job went to their family.
"That's right. Women are more confident when they spend their own money. Not only have you gotten rid of tedious housework, but you're also living your own life."
In the main hall, Tian Jing was indoctrinating Du Hongjuan.
In the courtyard, Li Zhengguo patted his good brother on the shoulder. "Your sister-in-law has a fiery temper. She immediately retorts when she sees something she dislikes."
"Alas... If your younger brother were under my command, I would have beaten him 365 times by now."
"Come, let's go inside for a drink. Losing your job isn't a big deal. Your wife has picked it up, and you, as her mentor, will have to guide her well."
"Uncle, Aunt, come inside and eat. Don't overthink it, we're all straightforward people."
Lu's father and mother exchanged glances and entered the main hall, bowing to apologize to Tian Jing.
"Tian, Boss's wife, our younger daughter-in-law is just too..."
Tian Jing quickly stood up and moved aside. "Uncle, Aunt, you're flattering me too much."
"She's an adult, she doesn't need you to apologize for her. If I hold a grudge against her, at most I'll hold it against Lu Xingqiang."
"As for everyone else, they truly don't need to be responsible for her actions. Uncle, Aunt, please sit down. Just call me Tian Jing."
"I have a fiery temper. If others are soft, I'm soft. If others are strong, I'm even stronger. Please don't take it to heart."
Lu's father and mother quickly waved their hands. "No, no, it's just that we were too impolite."
Tian Jing extended her arm and pointed to the chair next to her. "Uncle, Aunt, please sit and talk. Let's not mention this matter. We're just having a simple meal and discussing the change in work."
Li Zhengguo and Lu Xinggang entered.
Lu Xinggang had already made up his mind. His wife had always been invisible and stifled at home. It was good for her to get this job.
Their son was already in primary school, and now that his wife was working, she wouldn't be mocked by Wei Haiyan anymore.
Hearing Tian Jing's words, he spoke. "Since Xingqiang's family isn't here, Mom and Dad, I have something to tell you."
"In front of my boss and his wife, I don't fear washing our dirty laundry in public. I've already warned Xingqiang."
"If he doesn't move out tomorrow, I'll move out myself. I'll find a small courtyard nearby to make it convenient for Hongjuan to work."
"Think carefully about who you want to side with. After you make your choice, don't regret it."
Lu's father and mother nodded. "We will discuss it tonight."
Seeing that Lu Xinggang had resolved the family matter, Li Zhengguo tried to ease the atmosphere.
"Alright, let's eat. Uncle, Aunt, please try our local specialty dishes."
The dinner, while outwardly harmonious, left everyone with a churning stomach.
After a hasty dinner, Lu Xinggang took his family and left.
Da Mai, while clearing the table, said, "If this were in our Koushan village, I would have ripped her apart by now."