Chapter 213: Catharsis

Mrs. Fu had been about to ask why on earth she’d had someone buy so much rice and meat again.

But then she remembered her daughter was earning good money, so it was only right that they ate a little better.

"Alright, I’ll make you some braised pork belly tonight. By the way, that colleague of yours is so thoughtful, always buying so many things for you. You have to thank them properly."

"I know." ’It’s not like this friend even exists,’ she thought.

After marveling at the salary and ration tickets, Mrs. Fu handed them back.

"Take this money and these tickets back and put them somewhere safe. I still have some on hand—"

Fu Mingxue pulled out eight ten-yuan notes. "Mom, you take these. Thirty yuan is your salary. Just because you’re my mother and Qin Wenhao’s mother-in-law, it doesn’t mean you should have to watch the kids and do the housework for free. You deserve a salary, too."

"The other fifty is for living expenses. A big family like ours needs to eat well."

Mrs. Fu was stunned.

Her eyes widened. "What nonsense are you talking about? How could I possibly take a salary from you? I look after these two children because I want to. I’m happy to do it."

She’d never heard of a mother-in-law demanding money to look after her own daughter’s children. What kind of person would that make her?

Seeing that her mother refused no matter what she said, Fu Mingxue changed her tactics.

"Mom, just take it. Think of it as you saving the money for me. Don’t you always say I’m a reckless spender? Then you should hold on to it."

Mrs. Fu considered it. That made sense.

So she took the money.

"Thirty is enough. As for the fifty for living expenses, you save it yourself. I’m getting old; it’s not convenient for me to hold on to so much."

’Who needs fifty yuan for living expenses? Are we eating dragon meat or something?’

’It’s simply outrageous.’

For a family like theirs—even eating very well—twenty yuan was more than enough.

Plus, her daughter was always buying rice, flour, meat, and vegetables herself. At most, she would only spend about ten yuan of the money, and sometimes she couldn’t even spend that much.

Of course, with two children in the house, she still made them something delicious every day.

Seeing her mother’s insistence, Fu Mingxue had no choice but to put the rest of the money away.

"Alright, then. I’ll give you thirty yuan a month from now on. Don’t be afraid to spend it. After all, your daughter earns a high salary. We don’t need to pinch pennies."

Mrs. Fu gave her a look. "Pinching pennies? We’re practically eating meat every day! Who else eats the way we do?"

"Alright, I’m done talking to you. I’m going to go cook."

She first went back to her room to put the money away safely.

Then she saw the slab of pork. ’This girl... why did she buy so much meat?’

’This has to be over ten pounds, doesn’t it?’

Mrs. Fu started to regret not taking that other fifty yuan.

’At the rate she spends, no amount of money would be enough.’

She cut off about half a pound to make the braised pork belly for dinner and prepared to salt the rest to make cured meat.

In the residential compound, no one lived very far from each other, especially not the next-door neighbors. The aroma of the braised pork belly was particularly strong.

When Mrs. Hao smelled it, her face instantly darkened, and she nearly slammed her chopsticks down.

"Damn them," she cursed. "Eating meat every single day, why don’t they choke on it and die? I bet her husband’s meager earnings are all being squandered by that mother and daughter."

Hearing this, Cui Meihong couldn’t help but chime in, "Fu Mingxue has a job, too. She has her own salary."

I hear it’s quite high.

’It’s not like she’s living entirely off her husband.’

Mrs. Hao was not happy to hear that. With a SLAM, she slapped her chopsticks down on the table.

"What’s that supposed to mean? Are you trying to say that you earn a salary, too? Let me tell you, what good is that little bit of pay you get? You’re still completely dependent on my son to support you!"

But what infuriated her the most was what happened after that little brat got her face scratched last time. This wretched woman actually had the gall to tattle to her son when he came home.

And after that, her son stopped giving her his allowance and this wretched woman’s salary.

No, that wasn’t right. He did give her some.

Her son had left her five yuan.

Hah. What could five yuan possibly do? It wasn’t even enough for her to put aside for her younger son back in their hometown.