Let’s Squander A Billion First!

Chapter 1427: Chapter 1427: Memories of the Seventies (Part 2)

At this time, it’s neither too early nor too late in the timeline. The original character is already with that educated youth, and it won’t be long before her stepmother introduces her to the man from the neighboring village.

The scene just now involved Ling Jiaojiao, the stepsister, breaking a music box belonging to Second Aunt Ling, who came complaining about it.

Such a music box, in this era, is indeed a rare item.

But it’s also a second-hand item that’s been resold several times, unlikely worth twenty bucks.

Everyone knows twenty bucks is high; after all, during this era, a worker in a factory only earns twenty to thirty bucks a month.

Just for that broken box, it cost more than half a month’s salary.

However, that thing is foreign-made, so you have to take responsibility for breaking it.

Ling Jiaojiao turned around and claimed it was the original character who broke it.

Ling Jiaojiao often pulled these stunts.

The original character was just there to take the blame for her.

Good things were hers, and bad things were the original character’s.

Truly a wretched state.

In the plot, the original character’s father agreed to pay, but afterward, the original character got a good beating, while Ling Jiaojiao suffered nothing.

-

Chuzheng slowly walked back along the village’s field path and saw Second Aunt Ling walking away, cursing from a distance.

Looks like Ling’s father agreed to pay up.

The other villagers dispersing after watching the commotion, some heading home, some to the fields.

At this time, the household farming system hadn’t been implemented yet, and people still relied on work points. Each family had to earn work points to have enough to eat.

”Sister.”

Someone waved at Chuzheng from the field path.

A sun-kissed dark-skinned little girl ran over after avoiding a ridge quickly: ”Sister, are you okay?”

The little girl also had braids with pretty strings wrapped around them, adding a touch of playfulness.

She wasn’t bad-looking, just that her skin was tanned by the sun.

In the original character’s memory, this little girl left quite an impression—Ling Mei.

Following the family hierarchy, Ling Mei should call the original character cousin.

Most people in this village had the surname Ling, and the original character couldn’t quite make out all the relations, just went with what the adults said to call them.

”I’m fine,” Chuzheng said.

”I just heard Second Aunt came to your house raising a fuss?”

”Yeah.”

Ling Mei just heard about it and didn’t know the details, which is why she came to ask Chuzheng.

She had the best relationship with the original character; usually, when the original character had nothing to eat, Ling Mei would spare her some secretly.

In the plot, Ling Mei didn’t have a good life either.

Ling Mei initially had a chance to marry into the city; her uncle did well in the city and treated her like a daughter, so he introduced her to a boy from the county town.

But who knew Ling Jiaojiao got jealous and found people to bully Ling Mei.

Even though nothing really happened, it spoiled the marriage in the end.

It was because of this incident that Ling Mei didn’t marry well.

After exchanging some concerned words with Chuzheng, Ling Mei left, and Chuzheng slowly returned to the original character’s house.

The house was a mud structure, looking shabby and old, but it occupied quite a big space.

”You still know to come back!”

As soon as Chuzheng stepped into the yard, a broom made of sorghum stalks was hurled out.

Chuzheng sidestepped to avoid it, the broom hit the outside, kicking up a layer of dust.

The stepmother, Zhang Xiaoping, stood under the eaves with hands on her hips, her face filled with spite: ”You money-losing wretch, where were you just now? Why don’t you just die out there!”

”Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m alive.”

This apology didn’t carry any hint of remorse.

Sure enough, Zhang Xiaoping’s eyes widened as soon as she heard, ”You dare to talk back!”

What’s been said has been said, why wouldn’t I dare.

Chuzheng ignored Zhang Xiaoping and walked to her room.

”Stop right there!”

Zhang Xiaoping rushed over, her expression fierce and sharp.

”I’m talking to you, what’s with your attitude? What are you doing, rebelling?”

Zhang Xiaoping’s voice was so sharp, it could probably be heard from afar.

Chuzheng thought she should enter a rural loud voice contest, she would surely win a championship.

Chuzheng stepped back a few feet, her gaze coldly fixed on her: ”What do you want?”

”What do I want?” Zhang Xiaoping seemed to hear a joke: ”What did you do? Wasn’t it you who broke that box?”

”It wasn’t me.”

Zhang Xiaoping: ”Alright then, not only do you talk back, you also learn to lie! Darling’s father!! Come look at your daughter!”

Zhang Xiaoping shouted into the house.

Ling Shu came out from inside.

”Why are you yelling, haven’t we had enough embarrassment?”

Ling Shu stood at the hall door, his face sullen, now he does have a bit of the head of the household manner.

”Come in.”

-

The hall was also cluttered with stuff everywhere, Ling Shu sat in a worn-out wicker chair, whereas Ling Jiaojiao was not there, probably returned to her room.

Zhang Xiaoping kept cursing and blaming Chuzheng.

Chuzheng stood at the hall doorway, looking at them with a cold expression.

”Did you break that box?” Ling Shu asked Chuzheng.

”No.”

”Jiaojiao said you broke it.”

Ling Shu frowned, seemingly displeased that Chuzheng was lying.

Yet he hadn’t truly understood the truth, and already assumed the original character was lying.

”Second Aunt said, her child saw Ling Jiaojiao break the music box.”

Chuzheng spoke slowly, striving for Ling Shu and Zhang Xiaoping to hear clearly.

”She didn’t say I broke it.”

Zhang Xiaoping was displeased: ”Oh, then you mean our Jiaojiao is lying?”

Chuzheng nodded earnestly: ”Glad you know.” After all, your daughter lying isn’t a first or second time.

Zhang Xiaoping: ”...”

Zhang Xiaoping pointed at Chuzheng, repeatedly poking the air: ”Look at her, look at her. Not admitting her wrongdoings is bad enough, but she shirks responsibilities.”

Chuzheng’s tone was cold: ”I didn’t do it, why should I admit it?”

Ling Shu wrinkled his brow: ”Call Jiaojiao out.”

”Call her out, then!”

Zhang Xiaoping went to call Ling Jiaojiao.

This house isn’t soundproof, Ling Jiaojiao had already heard everything.

She opened the door as soon as Zhang Xiaoping approached, following her to the hall.

Ling Jiaojiao entered and apologized: ”Sister, I’m sorry, I didn’t know Second Aunt was so fierce, I got scared... I also didn’t know it was so expensive, I thought it wasn’t worth much, so I previously agreed when it was said I broke it.”

She hung her head, looking sad, guilty, and a little scared.

It seemed like she really agreed to take the blame for Chuzheng, but got scared by Second Aunt’s appearance and said it out of fear.

One might say she perfectly portrayed the image of a good little sister.

Hearing this, Zhang Xiaoping started scolding: ”You still want Jiaojiao to take the blame for you, how shameless can you be!”

The uneducated Zhang Xiaoping had a foul mouth.

Chuzheng calmly waited for Zhang Xiaoping to finish scolding: ”Bring someone from Second Aunt Ling’s house to ask, then you’ll know if I’m telling the truth.”

Ling Jiaojiao said with difficulty: ”Sister... it was you who told me to hold it, you did it deliberately for Ling Kang to see.”

Chuzheng: ”...”

In this era, there isn’t any surveillance, and the only eyewitness is from Second Aunt Ling’s family, which is truly troublesome.

...Maybe I should just get rid of her.