Chapter 748

At the mention of his daughter, Father Jiang’s smile grew even wider. He waved a hand and beamed, “She took the civil service exam in Beijing—came first in both the written and interview.”

His eyes squinted from smiling.”

He spoke like her job didn’t pay well, but his face was full of pride and satisfaction, practically bursting with it. “We don’t expect her to earn much anyway.”

Thinking of his daughter’s bright future in officialdom, Father Jiang smacked his lips with a sigh full of dreams and pride.

He then spoke seriously, “The Jiang family hasn’t had someone like your sister in decades. Whatever trivial matters you’re dealing with, don’t bother her. She just needs to focus on doing her job well.”

Jiang Song, who had always been the center of attention in the family, went quiet.

All of a sudden, he couldn’t reach his brother, couldn’t go to his sister—Jiang Song was finding it hard to adjust to this shift in status.”

Father Jiang sighed and replied, “I could go ask your aunt-in-law.” After a pause, he added, “But your aunt’s situation… you know how it is. Her in-laws aren’t her real in-laws. It hasn’t been easy for her all these years.”

If they were her real in-laws, maybe it’d be easier to ask. But since her husband was adopted, there was a natural distance between the families. When it came to borrowing money, she still had to consider her in-laws’ stance. She likely couldn’t lend too much.

From what his son had said, it sounded like the boss of the project had run off, and Jiang Song had fronted all the construction costs himself. This wasn’t a matter of ten or twenty thousand yuan—it was clearly a much bigger sum.

Back in his own youth, Father Jiang had worked construction too. While he did physical labor, because he was educated and good at math and science, all the paperwork and calculations on the worksite were also handled by him. Otherwise, he and Mother Jiang wouldn’t have made it all these years. If not for Mother Jiang forbidding him from becoming a contractor and leading his own team, he would never have remained just a laborer.

So when it came to construction, he understood the ins and outs. From just a few words, he could tell—this wasn’t a small amount of money.

And even if they could borrow money, even if each of them lent thirty or fifty thousand, together it would still only amount to a few hundred thousand.

Also, perhaps because outsiders see things more clearly—when Father Jiang was the one caught up in things, he was sometimes just as muddled as Jiang Song. But now, as someone on the outside looking in, listening to his son’s words, he could see it clearly: Jiang Song was too loyal, too trusting. For such a large project, to front all the costs himself—how could he actually go through with that?

He wanted to say it wasn’t right. But when he tried to say it, Jiang Song’s reaction was one of obvious impatience, as if thinking: What does a countryside lunchbox vendor like you know? Father Jiang’s advice went in one ear and out the other.

If it had been one of his “brothers” outside giving him the same advice, he might’ve at least pretended to listen—or hidden his own arrogance. But in front of Father Jiang, he didn’t bother at all. His frustration, his belief that Father Jiang was a failure in business—he made all of that plain to see. Arrogant and full of himself, unwilling to hear a single word.

And how could Father Jiang not see that?

All he felt was a growing bitterness in his heart. He sighed deeply and said, “Since you’re back now, if it really won’t work out, then don’t do it anymore. Our family’s been assigned some tea fields now—just one mu (⅙ acre) of tea can bring in ten to twenty thousand yuan a year. You’ve got four people in your household: Haohao, Yueyue, and your wife.2 mu of land in the river embankment. You could raise crayfish there.”

It was just like in Jiang Gangqin’s family, her father raised crayfish, and in the summer, her brother and sister-in-law ran a night market with beer and crayfish. Their business was booming. There were also many others selling crayfish, delivering them directly to restaurants in town. About eight or nine years ago, when Shuibu Town built the new street, there was no business at all. Who would have thought that now Shuibu Town was packed with tourists? That once desolate, ghost-town-like new street was now transformed into a bustling night market strip focused on late-night food, drawing in crowds. Many people who had bought property on the new street sold crayfish there.

Eight or nine years ago, when Shuibu Town’s new street was first built, there wasn’t a single customer. No one would’ve guessed that now, Shuibu was flooded with tourists. That once-desolate ghost street had transformed into a bustling night market, entirely devoted to nightlife and food stalls, drawing in huge crowds. Many people who’d bought houses on the new street were now selling crawfish right there.

Father Jiang couldn’t help but think back to ’95 or ’96, when his daughter had urged him to start farming crayfish. Back then, selling crayfish could earn him ten or twenty yuan a day.

—

The villagers ended up being the ones who lent money to Jiang Song for a reason. On one hand, the village was now wealthy—every household was doing well and didn’t lack money. On the other hand, with Jiang Ning and Jiang Bai being so accomplished, and their eldest brother rumored to be a successful businessman returning home to lead them to fortune, why wouldn’t they throw in?

Those driven by greed were especially easy—just a few boastful words from Jiang Song, and they eagerly handed over the cash.

In fact, Jiang Song wasn’t even bluffing. He genuinely believed he’d turn things around and make a fortune. That sincerity gave his words a powerful sense of conviction and persuasion.

When Father Jiang and Mother Jiang brought back the money they’d borrowed from their various siblings, Jiang Song didn’t stay long. He left behind his two kids and headed back to Sichuan.

Before he’d left, he had told the workers under him that he’d find a way to get the money. Now that he had it, he had to make that money work—and find the boss who ran off with the funds.

Just like that, Jiang Song came and went in a flash, taking over a million yuan with him and leaving two kids behind.

But Father Jiang and Mother Jiang? They were beaming with satisfaction.

First of all, they now knew their son was alive and well—that alone was more important than anything. Second, he’d brought home a pair of grandchildren, which was like having their eldest son with them again. No longer were they two lonely old folks in their hometown—they had grandkids at their sides now.

They were genuinely happy, nagging Jiang Song endlessly to make sure he came back for the New Year. The village would be dividing tea fields at year-end. Despite his casual and dismissive attitude, Father Jiang and Mother Jiang cheerfully took the kids to get their household registrations done.

It was only then that they discovered Jiang Yuanhao was already six years old—and had no official record. Jiang Song had never registered him at all.

Same with Jiang Yuanyue.

After Father Jiang got their hukou (household registration) sorted, it was nearly summer break. The elementary school of the Linhe Brigade had been built right in Jiang Village. Since the village faced the river, every summer there had been cases of children drowning for all kinds of reasons. But in recent years, as the Linhe Brigade grew wealthier and the government became more attentive to child safety, especially with the increase in tourism, Linhe Elementary had started holding summer school classes, keeping all the village kids inside and away from the river unless necessary.” So even if every child could swim, someone still drowned every year.

Besides, the Linhe Brigade was full of water—not just the Sha River, but also the water reservoir beneath the hydroelectric station, which was drained every summer. That water ran deep. There was also the riverbank area near the embankment. Don’t assume it’s all shallow—it had spots as deep as five or six meters.