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Chapter 104: Chapter 104: Incitement
He Fang knew full well that Aqiang was a bear in the mornings, stir him during sleep and the consequences were serious. Just as she cautiously sought to slip out the room, Aqiang woke suddenly, sparing her a sideways glare as he grumbled, "So you’re back now?"
Frightened, He Fang’s legs gave way and she crumpled onto the ground. She hastened to crawl to the edge of the bed, pleading on her knees. "Aqiang, please don’t hit me anymore. My body still aches all over. I have to go to work tomorrow. If you hit me again, I won’t be able to work. Tong Yao has brought her sister-in-law here. If I don’t show up tomorrow, she’ll definitely fire me. Without this job, how will we three survive?"
These past years, they had borrowed money from everywhere, failing to pay back their loans. Their relatives avoided them as though seeing ghosts. Now, with this hard-earned job, if they were fired, the three of them would be in dire straits.
"I haven’t hit you yet, who are you playing dead for?" Aqiang got up impatiently. He had consumed a bottle of grain alcohol at noon. Having sobered up somewhat in his sleep, he was now quite thirsty. He kicked He Fang and commanded, "Go get me some water to drink."
As Aqiang got up, He Fang instinctively covered her head. To her surprise, Aqiang had merely given her a light kick. Realizing this, she wasted no more time and hurried to the kitchen to scoop up some cold water. Aqiang gulped down the water, feeling somewhat refreshed and less intoxicated.
"Fang, I have something I’d like to discuss with you."
"Wha...what’s up?" He Fang was taken aback. She had been married for several years now, and usually Aqiang’s word was law, she was never given the chance to decide anything. He hadn’t hit her this time and now wanted to discuss something with her. This was truly a first.
"Tell Tong Yao tomorrow to give you a raise, up to one hundred yuan a month." Aqiang said he wanted to discuss the matter, but truthfully had no intention of giving He Fang the opportunity to refuse. In essence, he had made a decision and was giving her a heads-up.
"One...one hundred yuan a month?" Dumbstruck, He Fang began to stammer. "Aqiang, you must be talking nonsense because you’re drunk! I’m only helping her sell bubble tea, no way it’s worth one hundred yuan a month!"
This was no different from committing daylight robbery.
Not to mention Tong Yao would disapprove, even He Fang felt it was far-fetched. She knew how much work she was actually doing, and earning thirty-five yuan a month was higher than any job she’d ever held before, let alone one hundred.
Even manna from heaven didn’t fall that easily. Chances were, Tong Yao would get fed up and fire her outright.
"Don’t you have any ambition?" Seeing He Fang’s reaction, Aqiang blew his top. jabbing He Fang in the forehead forcefully he scolded, "With your low IQ, if you were sold you would go around counting the money for them. Thirty-five yuan would be turned down by beggars, yet you’re smiling like an idiot."
Reeling from the jab, He Fang whimpered softly, "If Tong Yao was to raise my salary by three to five yuan, that could be arranged. But a hundred is too extravagant, she certainly wouldn’t agree."
"What gives her the right to disagree?" Aqiang scoffed coldly, his eyes filled with scheming malice. "Tell me, doesn’t she make over a thousand a month? Isn’t the majority of the work done by you?"
"Indeed, it is." He Fang nodded. She did do more work than Tong Yao. The water for the bubble tea was her responsibility, as was preparing everything for the stall each morning and waiting for Tong Yao to arrive. Cleaning the pots after selling the bubble tea was also her responsibility. All Tong Yao did was brew the bubble tea.
"She leaves her stuff at our house, uses our water, our food stall, our people, everything is ours. What gives her the right to earn over a thousand yuan while only giving you thirty-five? Forget about giving you a full hundred, even giving you half would be fair." As Aqiang spoke, he got angrier and began prodding He Fang on the forehead more forcefully, his crude words filled with insults. "People treat you like a dumb mutt, throwing you a leftover bun and you’re content. You even treat them like they’re your master, I’ve never seen a bigger fool than you. Tell me, with a brain like yours, don’t you deserve to get beaten?"
Any other wife with sense wouldn’t be this foolish; protecting people who took advantage of her, being grateful to them, what a fool!
Tong Yao’s bubble tea utensils were at his place. They held all the cards. Without He Fang, Tong Yao’s business would crumble. Start with asking for a hundred. If Tong Yao agreed, it means He Fang was worth more, and he would then demand even more money. If she disagreed, they would start their own stall.
Even if they made ten yuan a day, they’d have three hundred by month’s end, which was more than what they had now. Once He Fang started making money, he wouldn’t need to worry about money anymore. All those people who look down on him now will come running, calling him ’Brother Aqiang’.
Aqiang was already playacting the scene in his mind. He was beyond joyful.
"No wonder Tong Yao was so nice to me, she was just using me for being a fool." He Fang widened her eyes in surprise. She had never considered this before, always feeling that Tong Yao was giving her too much. But Aqiang’s words made her understand the truth for the first time.
No wonder Tong Yao was so generous, letting Niuniu drink as much bubble tea as she liked. Even if Niuniu drank ten cups a day, it wouldn’t make up a significant amount.
Among the two of them, she did a bit more work. Why did she only get a measly share? She had thought Tong Yao was a good person, calling her ’sister’ all the time. However, despite being relatively young, Tong Yao was cunning.
Luckily, she hadn’t been completely fooled. She hadn’t taken Tong Yao’s advice and divorced Aqiang, otherwise, her family would have fallen apart due to Tong Yao’s meddlesome actions.
Though she understood the situation, He Fang still lacked the courage to ask Tong Yao for a raise. She was soft and indecisive, always hesitating before jumping into action. "What if Tong Yao doesn’t agree?"
With Si Xiaohui around now, Tong Yao wouldn’t be short of help. What if she fired her? Lose-lose.
Niuniu would be starting school soon, and they had no savings. Such circumstances were not sustainable; a stable source of income was needed.
Aqiang’s response was a dismissive snort. "I say you don’t have a brain, and you truly don’t. Haven’t you learnt the bubble tea recipe after being with her for so long?"
"I have." He Fang’s heart pounded with excitement. She finally understood her husband’s intentions. Indeed, she had been envious of Tong Yao’s hefty earnings, and it was untrue to claim that seeing Tong Yao earn tens of yuan everyday didn’t make her eyes green. "Are you suggesting that if Tong Yao doesn’t agree, we start selling bubble tea ourselves?"
"Watered-down merchandise is cheap. As long as you go sell it, we’re bound to make money." Aqiang had thought everything through, right down to how to steal Tong Yao’s business. He put his arm around He Fang’s shoulder and smirked, "Just price your items a bit lower at the start. Once we make some money, I’ll get you gold earrings and rings, and a few good-looking outfits. Next year, we’ll have another child, a chubby little boy."
None of their family members were civil servants, they weren’t worried their bowl might be broken someday because of exceeding the birth quota. They could afford to pay a fine. By then, all their relatives and neighbours would be flattering their family. Those relatives who used to look down on them would not be able to reach their level.
He Fang swelled with joy as she listened, seeming to see the rosy future that Aqiang portrayed.
At that moment, both husband and wife believed strongly that since Tong Yao was earning more, they deserved more. They didn’t bother to wonder why she should give them so much money.
He Fang was just a worker, not a shareholder. Even if the boss made ten million, would they have to give her a million?
