I Became a Vicious Supporting Role in the '70s-Chapter 278: They Are Doing Better Than Anything Else

The trucks, carts, and tractors from the county going to aid in the disaster relief moved imposingly toward the disaster area. The red slogans on the vehicles were exceedingly conspicuous, and everyone who passed by knew about Ning County’s disaster relief efforts to the Southern Region. When they passed through the national highway of the Provincial City, the news also spread.

Shen Meng wasn’t involved in the subsequent events as she was now busy with the wedding preparations of Shen Xiaobin and Lu Xiangxiang. The two families had been preparing for the young couple’s wedding for months and wanted to get it done before Zhenping’s leave ended.

Shen Xiaobin’s new room was the most spacious in the Shen Family household, outfitted with two brand new mahogany bed cabinets stacked on top of each other and a new kang table next to them, the thirty-six-legged furniture making the room exceptionally cozy.

Every day, Shen Fugui and Wang Guizhi would go to the room to check and think about what additional items might be needed to make their youngest son’s wedding beautiful.

Shen Meng had already helped purchase a bicycle, a watch, and a radio, and now she added a sewing machine. The dowry, all three items, had now been moved to Lu Xiangxiang’s family home.

Aunt Juying looked at the home filled with dowry gifts and was so happy that she couldn’t stop smiling, and she started putting quilts together with other aunts on the straw mats at her home.

Lu Xiangxiang wasn’t working either and was sewing soles at the front door of the main hall.

"Did you hear? The family that your Xiangxiang mentioned earlier is in total chaos now. I heard that the mother-in-law is kind-hearted but makes life harsh. The poor girl who married into their family got so tormented that the people in the village didn’t believe it at first. Oh dear, the poor girl almost jumped into the river."

"Well, I didn’t know about that. I’ve been so busy preparing for Xiangxiang’s wedding that I’ve barely had a moment to spare, let alone listen to other people’s gossip."

"That’s true, but your Xiangxiang is really lucky. In our village, she gets along with Xiao Meng just like sisters, and marrying her brother now, she won’t suffer a bit in the future. You and Mr. Guai can rest easy."

Zhu Juying smiled, feeling delighted. She was overjoyed to have found such a good marriage for Xiangxiang; she could wake up laughing from her dreams. Previously, Shen Xiaobin’s job at the textile mill, she heard, was just to ensure the young couple would have a good life in the future.

A secure job, if one were to buy such a position, it wouldn’t be less than three to five thousand, and Xiao Meng just offered it like that; they didn’t know how to repay her generosity. And then Xiao Meng also managed to get Xiangxiang a job as the leader of a small group at the Head Flower Factory. Now that they moved from the factory, a subsidiary food workshop instead provided a means to earn a wage - all good places indeed!

"Exactly, who could have thought of this? Ah, the Shen Family prepared so much for Xiangxiang, and Mr. Guai and I can’t be vague either. I plan to let Xiangxiang take away all the dowry we prepared, and we have to ensure everything needed, like the bedding and clothes, is ready. Having the young couple live well in the future would make my heart sweeter than sugar!"

"If my girl could have the same good fortune as your Xiangxiang, I would wake up laughing from my dreams. I’d probably just stop sleeping altogether."

Listening to this, Lu Xiangxiang’s face blushed with shyness. She thought back to just over half a year ago, when she was living a tough life, never imagining such a turn of events and gaining such a position. Without Sister-in-law Meng’s help, she feared she would still be arguing daily with Mao Chun!

"Xiangxiang, is Xiangxiang at home?"

"Ah, it’s Xiao Meng! Xiao Meng, come on in, Xiangxiang is home!"

Shen Meng came over with Xiao Kai, carrying a basket. Zhu Juying hurriedly set down her sewing and welcomed her into the house. Lu Xiangxiang also took an apple out from the cupboard and handed it to Ming Kai, and she poured a glass of water for Shen Meng, knowing she didn’t like brown sugar water and had not added any.

"Sister-in-law, here’s some water for you."

"Ah, don’t be too busy, I just came to see if there’s anything missing so I can help with buying some stuff."

"There’s nothing missing, the date is set, and a few old sisters in the courtyard can help cook and steam bread. I’ve asked the village chief to order fifty pounds of pork from the meat factory so everyone can have some meaty dishes."

When the old lady who was helping out with the duvets in the courtyard heard about the fifty pounds of pork, she got incredibly excited. They were the cooks, and they would be able to eat a bit more than others on that day, how could they not be happy!

Some people even stretched out their hands and gestured. Normally during the New Year, they would only get two or three pounds each, but for this banquet, they bought fifty pounds all at once, everyone sighed that Mr. Guai’s family really had made it big.

"That’s great, fifty pounds is not too little. I’ll also add something on top. I’ll find someone to send you some fish and tofu, then we can make a spicy tofu fish dish, which will be a great dish too!"

"Sure, that works, as long as it can be a bustling event, all is good. Just tell me how much it will cost later, and I’ll pay."

Shen Meng smiled and didn’t speak. The fish in her space were so crowded they almost jumped out of the lake. Luckily, her parents’ house was having a celebration, and this side was also having one. Otherwise, she wouldn’t know what to do.

They have already sent half a side of pork and one hundred pounds of fish there, and they might as well also send one hundred pounds of fish here, just so the remaining fish can spread out.

"There are only two days left till the wedding. My sister-in-law is still in the county city. She also wants to attend the wedding, but she is close to giving birth. I’m thinking of going to the county city with Xiangxiang tomorrow to visit her. If Xiao Bin can also come and she misses attending, it still makes up for the regret, right?"

"Yes, of course, why wouldn’t it be okay? I’ll get some gifts for your sister-in-law to bring over. The tiger shoes I’ve made for my niece and nephew are almost ready. I can send them to her tomorrow, so she can see them!"

Lu Xiangxiang said, showing off the shoes she made. They were indeed beautiful, little red tiger shoes with yellow stitching, making them extremely cute.

"They look so pretty, Xiangxiang, your craftsmanship is truly great! Once you have children, you can make some for your own kids too!"

Lu Xiangxiang got teased and instantly blushed.

Shen Meng caught her shy look and couldn’t help but laugh out loud, too reserved! If this were in the future, any girl who could make such beautiful things would be so proud, at least she certainly would be.

"These vegetables are from my garden. Although planted early, they all turned out great. Aunt, you just cook and eat them when you get back, and if you run out, you’re welcome to pick from my garden. There’s plenty more!"

"Oh, thank you Xiao Meng."

It was just ordinary vegetables, but she accepted them. When she took the basket thinking of putting these fresh green veggies in the kitchen, she found about ten eggs and a strip of pork belly. She was momentarily stunned, and looked towards Shen Meng, who blinked at her and pursed her lips indicating the other aunts busy in the courtyard, and quickly closed her still opened mouth.

This really couldn’t be shouted out. If it got to Liu Sanjin’s ears, who knows what drama she might stir up? That old woman no longer pretends to be generous and virtuous now, always carrying a sour face, as if everyone owes her a lot of money.