An Accidental Military Marriage

Jiang Dahai knew in his heart that he couldn’t blame his daughter entirely. After all, she had only tricked her uncles to help the family collect on a debt.

If he hadn’t given the Ruan Family money in the first place and had made things clear back then, it never would have escalated to this point.

He also bore a great deal of the responsibility.

So, when he heard Jiang Moli take all the blame, he actually felt bad, and his tone softened.

"Alright, I’ve thought of a way. I’ll make a trip to Red Star Village and ask the village director to help mediate. If that doesn’t work, the only option is to report it to the police station."

Jiang Peng and Li Hongying both thought this was a good idea.

But Jiang Moli disagreed. "Whether a village official mediates or the police come to kick them out, it’s only a temporary fix. They can just walk right back. If they’re determined to come to our house, no one can stop them."

Jiang Dahai looked at her. "Then what do you suggest we do?"

Jiang Moli didn’t answer directly. "Dad, over all these years, you’ve lent them money a total of twenty-one times. That’s twenty-one times you’ve helped them. Now, we’re just asking them to take one step back, and they refuse. What does that tell you?"

Jiang Peng blurted, "It means they’re heartless!"

Jiang Moli said, "See? Even a blockhead like Xiao Peng can see their true colors—greedy and utterly ungrateful."

Jiang Peng thought, ’Don’t I get any respect?’

Jiang Dahai lowered his gaze and didn’t say a word.

He, too, felt his heart grow cold with disappointment at the Ruan Family’s heartlessness.

Seeing his distress, Li Hongying couldn’t help but try to save his pride. "Moli, your dad was just thinking that we should help our relatives when we can, so that in the future, if we’re in trouble, they can help us out in return."

Jiang Moli replied, "There’s nothing wrong with helping people, but Dad, you helped them too much. Small kindnesses are appreciated, but excessive generosity breeds entitlement. Your repeated generosity didn’t make them grateful. Instead, they came to expect it and became even more demanding."

Although he inwardly agreed with his daughter’s assessment of the Ruan Family, Jiang Dahai was too proud to admit he was wrong.

"What’s the use of saying all this now? Let’s just solve this problem first."

"Dad, you have to promise me that once this is resolved, our family will cut off all contact with the Ruan Family for good."

Jiang Peng raised his hand. "I support my sister’s decision!"

Jiang Dahai shot him a glare. "This has nothing to do with you."

"How does it have nothing to do with me? When you’re dead, everything in this house will belong to Sis and me, so of course I get a say."

Jiang Dahai was so angry he looked ready to grab the feather duster. "I’m not dead yet!"

’It’s only a matter of time.’

But Jiang Peng wasn’t as bold as Jiang Moli; he only dared to grumble to himself.

Jiang Dahai took a breath to calm down and said to the siblings, "No matter how awful they are, they’re still your uncles. And there are your maternal grandparents. They raised your mother. You can’t just sever ties of blood that easily."

Jiang Moli said, "Legally, you have no obligation or responsibility to the Ruan Family. If you want to, you can cut ties with these relatives. Besides, you’ve already done more than enough for your in-laws over the years."

If Ruan Rou, their biological mother, were still alive, then considering her feelings, it would indeed be difficult to cut ties with the Ruan Family.

But Ruan Rou had died long ago; her bones had already turned to dust.

"All the family’s money is with you. If they come looking for me in the future, I won’t be able to help them."

With these words, Jiang Dahai was tacitly agreeing not to help the Ruan Family again.

Her goal achieved, Jiang Moli laid out her plan. "From now on, we do nothing. We eat as we should, drink as we should, and go to work as usual. If the factory wants to take the house back, just let them."

Jiang Dahai’s eyes widened. "What kind of rotten idea is that? If we lose the house, are you expecting our family to sleep on the street?"

This time, even Jiang Peng didn’t support Jiang Moli. "Sis, has your brain stopped working? You can borrow mine if you want."

Even Li Hongying spoke up anxiously. "This is no joke. We should really think of another way."

Jiang Moli said calmly, "What’s there to be afraid of? If the house can be taken back today, it can be reassigned to us tomorrow."

"Easier said than done! You think it’s that easy to get a house assigned? Do you have any idea how many workers at the factory are lined up waiting for housing?"

"Dad, is the factory planning to renovate the family quarters?"

Jiang Dahai was slightly taken aback. "Who did you hear that from?"

"I have my sources. If you’ve also heard about this, it proves I’m right. If you haven’t heard a whisper, it means your information is outdated and your network is small, which is all the more reason you should listen to me."

Jiang Dahai was so exasperated he almost laughed. "So no matter what, I’m supposed to listen to you, is that it?"

"You’re a teachable one."

"Is that how you talk to your old man? Have you no respect for your elders? Where’s my feather duster?"

"I hid it."

Jiang Dahai: "..."

Jiang Moli continued to make her grand promise. "Dad, I guarantee that when the new family residential building is built, I can get you a housing allocation slot."

"And how can you guarantee that?"

"If you can promise not to have any more contact with the Ruan Family, I can promise I won’t let you end up homeless."

Outwardly, Jiang Dahai didn’t believe his daughter, but inwardly, he was a little tempted.

The factory did indeed have plans to build new family residences, but it hadn’t been publicly announced yet.

He had only found out by chance when he went to the factory director’s office to report on his work and overheard the director discussing land planning with the deputy director at the door.

He was tight-lipped and hadn’t told anyone about it.

He didn’t know how his daughter found out, but she spoke with such certainty. ’Maybe she really could help the family get a slot for a new apartment?’

In this day and age, who wouldn’t want to live in a modern apartment building?

"Even if you can get us a housing slot, the new building won’t be finished in just three to five months. Where will we live in the meantime?"

"We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Let’s worry about the future when it gets here. And hey, if we’re lucky enough to die tomorrow, we won’t have to worry at all."

"..."

Before she left, Jiang Moli specifically reminded Jiang Peng and Li Hongying not to spread the news about the machinery plant building a new family residence.

"Aunt Ying, I’m the type who always settles scores. If Jiang Qing ruins my plans, I’ll immediately have her removed from our family’s household registration. So, for everyone’s sake, you’d better not reveal any of our family’s affairs to Jiang Qing."

"Moli, don’t worry. I won’t tell Xiao Qing."

In those days, an urban household registration was as hard to get as housing. Jiang Moli believed Li Hongying wouldn’t dare risk her daughter’s registration.

Reassured, Jiang Moli left.

Jiang Peng walked her back to the Military District Courtyard. "Sis, is the machinery plant really going to build a new family residence?"

Having witnessed Jiang Moli’s manipulative tactics firsthand, Jiang Peng didn’t dare get his hopes up too soon, afraid it would all be for nothing.

As it turned out, Jiang Moli hadn’t lied to the Jiang family about the machinery plant building a new residence.

In the original book, right after Jiang Dahai died, the small courtyard where the Jiang family lived was expropriated to build the new family residences.

Although Jiang Dahai had been fired from the machinery plant, the factory hadn’t taken back his house.

Admittedly, this was quite illogical.

But the fact was, after the new residences were built, Jiang Qing and Li Hongying received an apartment as Jiang Dahai’s surviving dependents.

As for how Jiang Moli knew this, it was, of course, because the system had looked it up in the original book.

However, the new residences wouldn’t be built for another two years.

Actually, Jiang Dahai’s idea of getting the police to drive the Ruan Family away was a viable one.

Household registration management was very strict during this era. Rural people like Ruan Fuqiang staying in the city without permission could be considered unregistered migrants, and the police could repatriate, detain, or otherwise punish them.

She didn’t let Jiang Dahai go to the police because she had another motive.

Only by having the house taken back by the factory could she maximize the outsiders’ disgust for her. When that happened, wouldn’t her ’Disgust Value’ skyrocket?

Of course, she wouldn’t really let her father and brother end up homeless.

Before she left, she would help Jiang Dahai perform a great service for the factory, earning him a housing allocation slot based on merit.

However, Jiang Moli didn’t plan on telling Jiang Peng about these calculations.

"I was lying to Dad. I’m not a god; I can’t just get a house for whomever I want."

Jiang Peng: !!!

’I knew it!’

"It’s over! The house is gone! I’ll never be able to get a wife in this lifetime!"

Jiang Moli smacked him. "Can’t you show a little ambition? Don’t you know how to ride your brother-in-law’s coattails and have him help you advance? Once you get promoted to a cadre position, you think you’ll still have trouble finding a wife?"

’Ride my brother-in-law’s coattails?’

Jiang Peng stroked his chin, lost in thought.