An Accidental Military Marriage

"Jiang Moli said it herself: whoever pays back their debt first gets a job arranged for them! My parents-in-law have already scraped the money together and are going to Third Uncle’s house tomorrow. Dad, Mom, you guys need to figure something out, too. Borrow it, whatever it takes, just hurry up and pay back the money you owe Jiang Dahai."

Mrs. Xie and Mr. Xie looked at each other, speechless.

"We’re not that close with Jiang Dahai. How could a good thing like arranging a job possibly fall into our laps?"

Xie Yan said, "It might not be for our family, but it could be for your son-in-law, Jiang Chao! If he gets a proper job, won’t you benefit, too? Besides, we don’t owe much, just 10 yuan. The sooner we pay it back, the better. If this money ruins a great opportunity for Chao, how am I supposed to have a good life with my in-laws?"

Hearing their daughter’s words, Mrs. Xie had no choice but to scrape together 10 yuan and give it to her to take back to her in-laws’ place, so they could repay Jiang Dahai together the next day.

They had borrowed the money two years ago when they went to the city to see a doctor and found themselves short on cash.

Although life in the countryside was poor, they could still come up with 10 yuan.

But Jiang Dahai had never asked for it back, so they played dumb, thinking they could get away with not repaying it.

But for the sake of their son-in-law’s future, they had to repay the money whether they wanted to or not!

When comparing a job to 10 yuan, they knew perfectly well which was more important!

Similar scenes were playing out in the homes of the Jiang family’s other relatives.

The Jiang family had been farmers for generations. Jiang Dahai was the most successful of them all—he had moved to the city, secured a stable government job, and escaped the poverty trap of the countryside.

Whenever any family fell on hard times, they were used to asking Jiang Dahai for help.

Jiang Dahai was an honest and responsible man. He felt that since he had the means, it was his duty to help out his less fortunate relatives.

When relatives didn’t repay the money he lent them, he wouldn’t press them for it. Instead, he would find ways to earn extra money himself to support his own household.

As a result, over the years, quite a few relatives had come to owe Jiang Dahai money.

Some owed three or five yuan, others as much as thirty or fifty.

Upon learning of Jiang Moli’s declaration that relatives with outstanding debts would not be considered for jobs, they all grew as anxious as ants on a hot pan.

Even though they knew the chances of a good thing like a job opportunity falling to distant relatives like them were slim.

But if everyone else paid up and you didn’t, what if some other good opportunity came along later? Everyone else would benefit, but you’d be left out because you didn’t pay. Wouldn’t that be a huge loss?

...

"Dahai, take this money. Now our accounts are settled."

Looking at the money Yang Chunxiang placed on the table, Jiang Dahai instinctively replied, "Sister-in-law, you and Big Brother don’t need to rush to pay this back. I’m not in a hurry to use it."

"No! We have to pay you back. We’ve owed it for so long, we’d be too ashamed not to."

Without another word, Yang Chunxiang forcefully stuffed the money into Jiang Dahai’s hands.

Jiang Dahai held the money as if it were a hot potato.

Even though it was his money to begin with and he was well within his rights to take it back.

But for his brother and sister-in-law to show up and repay the debt at this particular moment clearly meant they had ulterior motives.

"Dahai, you and Dashan are full-blooded brothers. We’re the real family here. It makes no sense to help outsiders and not your own flesh and blood, right? Anyway, if Moli is really going to arrange jobs for her maternal uncles, then she has to arrange them for her two older brothers as well."

Jiang Dahai gave a wry smile. "Sister-in-law, I’ll talk to Moli about this and give you an answer after the Dragon Boat Festival."

"Great, we’ll be waiting at home for your good news!"

Just as he finally managed to see off Yang Chunxiang and Jiang Dashan, Ding Yuzhen and Jiang Dachuan arrived.

...

For the past two days, the Jiang family’s home had been as bustling as if it were the New Year.

Relatives came knocking one after another, all of them proactively repaying their debts!

After seeing the relatives off, Jiang Dahai stared at the banknotes on the table, overwhelmed with worry. He called Jiang Moli and told her to come back home.

"Look at this. This is all the money the relatives have paid back in the last two days."

Jiang Moli picked up the money from the table and started counting it as she asked, "Has everyone paid up? Is there anyone who hasn’t?"

Jiang Dahai poked her on the head. "Money is all you think about! Do you have any idea how big of a bluff you’ve just made? The relatives all know you promised to arrange jobs for them! Every single one is waiting for you to deliver. I’d like to see how you’re going to clean up this mess!"

"Then I’ll arrange jobs for all of them," Jiang Moli said casually.

Jiang Dahai glared at her. "Arrange them with what? With your mouth?"

It was 275 yuan in total.

Jiang Moli pocketed 200 yuan and handed the remaining 75 to Jiang Dahai. "You take this. Buy yourself something nice to eat and drink."

Jiang Dahai said peevishly, "I don’t want it."

"Fine, don’t take it then."

Jiang Moli pocketed the 75 yuan as well.

Jiang Dahai grew even angrier. "..."

’Just two days ago, I’d been thinking my daughter had finally grown up, become sensible, and learned how to handle things. But then, in the blink of an eye, she’d landed me in this huge mess.’

’I don’t dare to imagine what would happen if the relatives found out my daughter was just playing them for fools. They’d probably show up at my door and tear me limb from limb.’

"If any more relatives show up to repay their debts, just take the money. Leave all the job arrangements to me."

Jiang Moli didn’t explain further. She just left him with those words and departed.

Jiang Dahai would find out what she was planning in a few days.

...

Jiang Moli had just stepped out of the house when Wang Lianhua from next door called out to her.

"Moli, come over to my place for some sweet melon. I just picked it this morning, it’s really fresh."

’This uncalled-for hospitality can’t be for anything good.’

’Might as well see what she wants.’

Jiang Moli followed Wang Lianhua inside.

The sweet melon was indeed fresh this time—crisp, sweet, and full of juice.

Jiang Moli didn’t stand on ceremony and ate the entire thing.

Watching her eat until her lips were pink and moist, Wang Lianhua swallowed again and again.

She had brought the sweet melon back from her own family’s home. It was the only one, and she hadn’t even been willing to eat it herself.

"Oh, Moli, look at you now, the daughter-in-law of a high-ranking official’s family. And your husband is so capable. You’re set for life. It’s not like my Xiao Lan and Xiao Hong, their fate is so bitter..."

Wang Lianhua had seen the endless stream of relatives visiting the Jiang family these past two days to repay their debts.

In an era where people couldn’t get enough to eat or wear, it wasn’t uncommon for debts to go unpaid. But seeing people scrambling over each other to pay money back was a first.

After a little digging, she found out that Jiang Moli had promised to arrange jobs for her relatives from back home.

Wang Lianhua’s two eldest daughters had been sent down to the countryside for three or four years already. If she couldn’t find a way to get them transferred back to the city, their only option would be to marry someone in the countryside.

She wanted Jiang Moli to arrange jobs for her two daughters as well.

As long as a work unit was willing to take them, the sent-down youth could return to the city.

"I know it’s not an easy thing to ask, but if you can help me out, I will definitely give you a big red envelope."

It’s said that one shouldn’t bite the hand that feeds them, but of all things on Jiang Moli, her mouth was the toughest.

"Aunt Wang, I always thought I was pretty thick-skinned, but I never imagined you’d be even more shameless than me! Weren’t you having a grand old time gossiping about me behind my back? And now you want my help finding jobs? You’re not just ugly, you’re a dreamer! Go wash up and go to bed early. You can have anything you want in your dreams!"

In the next room, Jiang Dahai overheard his daughter rejecting Wang Lianhua and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

’He had been genuinely afraid his daughter would get muddle-headed and agree to anything after a few words of flattery from Wang Lianhua.’

Wang Lianhua, however, was furious.

’To eat my melon and then call me ugly—in my entire life, I have never met anyone more black-hearted and rotten than Jiang Moli.’

’So you say I gossip, do you?’

’Then I’ll gossip!’

’I won’t just do it in the family compound, I’ll do it everywhere.’

’I’ll spread every rotten thing about you until everyone knows, and let the whole world spit on you until you drown, you son of a bitch!’