Back to 1984: Earning Money, Raising Kids, and Keeping the Household Busy

Chapter 225 Disgusting Complaint
This is the Western Lunar New Year, and every household is preparing for the holiday. Christmas trees are everywhere in the streets, squares, and shops, just like a fairy tale has come to life.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Chen Xinyue and Xue Lingxue decorated the apartment together and prepared a sumptuous dinner.

"You're not planning to invite your fiancé to celebrate such an important British holiday?" Chen Xinyue asked tentatively.

Xue Lingxue looked like she'd seen a ghost. "Xinyue, are you running a fever?! We should be setting off firecrackers to celebrate that guy isn't coming, but you actually invited him over! Are you crazy or am I?"

Chen Xinyue shrugged. "I was just asking. Hasn't he spent any of these years with you before? How did you spend them?"

Xue Lingxue looked indifferent. "How else can we celebrate? We're not Christians, and Christmas isn't popular in China. It's like we don't even have a holiday. In the past, we've always celebrated our own separate days and never contacted each other. It's only because you came this year that I'm in the mood to celebrate."

Chen Xinyue figured that Zhang Jingxuan was most likely spending the holiday with Annie and the children at this time. If she told them what was going on and took Xue Lingxue to block the door, they would definitely catch them red-handed.

However, this is a foreign country, and that area is a wealthy neighborhood. There are only two of them, so if things really escalate, they will be the ones who suffer.

In addition, John has been asking her about Anne's family lately, and John has told her everything since he considers her a friend. If John finds out the truth, it might hurt her.

After considering various factors, Chen Xinyue suppressed the urge to blurt it out and instead probed, "Lingxue, if Zhang Jingxuan betrayed you, would you still marry him?"

Chen Xinyue raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Why do you say that? I have no feelings for him. If he really cheated on me with other women, it would be understandable. At worst, things would come to a head, our marriage would be called off, and my parents would arrange another marriage for me. No matter what, it wouldn't change the fact that I have to live according to their wishes. Whether he betrayed me or not, it would be the same to me."

"So open-minded!" Chen Xinyue was speechless. She had just picked up a piece of roasted turkey and chewed it a couple of times when her face instantly contorted. "My god, this stuff tastes...unbelievable." Britain's culinary development is definitely less than one-tenth of China's.

After venting her frustration, she put down her fork, still puzzled, "Is there really no way to get your parents to respect your wishes?"

Xue Lingxue nodded vigorously, "They develop in Anshi. This circle is neither too big nor too small. Everyone is looking for a marriage that is between equals. If it's not Zhang Jingxuan, then there's Zhao Jingxuan or Wang Jingxuan. Anyway, they won't be my ideal partner."

Since everyone's just getting by for the sake of profit, why not live with anyone else?

"What if the scandal blows up in the industry? Can you just marry someone else as if nothing happened?" Chen Xinyue asked curiously.

Seeing her interest, Xue Lingxue became serious as well. "If that's really the case, it definitely won't work. Wealthy families value reputation and face the most. For example, my aunt, I heard she was quite rebellious when she was young. After graduating from university, she refused the job her family arranged for her, and she also refused to marry into another family. Later, her elders put pressure on her."

Given the choice between her career and a marriage, she couldn't give up her career and ultimately had to compromise on the marriage. The engagement banquet was already set up, but then the man cheated on her and she accidentally caught him. Her aunt had a fiery temper, so she made a scene at the hotel and publicly stripped the mistress naked, leaving her completely naked in front of everyone.

Not satisfied with that, she smashed a bottle over her fiancé's head, personally took him to the hospital, and only told her family after doing all this.

When the elders in the family found out, the news had already spread. They all scolded her for being immature and impulsive, saying that things shouldn't be resolved this way. But my aunt was stubborn and wouldn't budge an inch, declaring that she couldn't tolerate any wrongdoing and that she would only be more ruthless if it happened again. The groom's parents, seeing that their future daughter-in-law was no pushover and knowing their son's unfortunate character, feared he would be beaten to death by her. They immediately brought generous gifts to apologize, humbled themselves, and broke off the engagement.

Since the other party was at fault and showed remorse, the woman couldn't really refuse, and that's how the engagement was dissolved.

After all, the fault didn't lie with my aunt. The elders in the family planned to find a new marriage partner for her, but after the news spread, no one dared to take action. As time went on, they realized that my aunt had a bad reputation and no one dared to marry her, so they had to give up their plan to arrange a marriage for her.

Later, my aunt found a boyfriend. He came from an ordinary family, but he treated her very well and was devoted to her. Her family was worried that she would be stuck with him and never get married, so they had no choice but to agree to the marriage.

My aunt's son is now in elementary school.

Xue Lingxue spoke of her aunt with great enthusiasm and admiration, showing how much she longed for her.

Chen Xinyue listened silently, making sure to remember everything.

They spent Christmas together, happy and carefree.

For the next month, Zhang Jingxuan seemed to have vanished into thin air, never returning to the apartment.

Before they knew it, school started again, and they returned to their routine lives.

Chen Xinyue found Zhang Jingxuan to be a very interesting person. He came to see Xue Lingxue like clockwork, once every ten days. When he came, he would find fault with her, showing all sorts of disdain and suppression towards Xue Lingxue. He would bring up Xue's parents at the drop of a hat, which made Xue Lingxue so angry that she was jumping up and down but helpless.

Chen Xinyue watched coldly, always feeling that Zhang Jingxuan had ulterior motives and intended to mentally torture Xue Lingxue to the point of collapse, but unfortunately she had no evidence.

Therefore, she could only use various excuses to keep Xue Lingxue at school on days when Zhang Jingxuan might appear.

Since she hadn't moved out of her school dormitory, Xue Lingxue could come over and squeeze in with her.

After this happened several times, Zhang Jingxuan got angry and actually said to Xue Lingxue in front of Chen Xinyue, "You're not a child anymore. You should understand what useless socializing is. You shouldn't keep useless people around you, lest you get brainwashed by those messy people and not even know your own situation."

Xue Lingxue was furious. She grabbed a broom and started hitting Zhang Jingxuan. "Bullshit! Don't think everyone is a snob like you, you lunatic! I'm warning you, you're not welcome in my apartment anymore. If you come here, I'll beat you up every time!"

Zhang Jingxuan was thoroughly embarrassed and immediately called Xue's mother to complain, "Auntie, ever since Lingxue's friend came to study in England, Lingxue has been hanging around her friend and has been very cold to me. Lately, she has been avoiding me and arguing with me frequently. I suspect that her friend is trying to sow discord between us. You know I'm very busy with work and can't always be by Lingxue's side. I hope you can communicate well with Lingxue and stop associating with that friend."

Upon hearing this, Xue's mother frowned deeply, "Do you know what Lingxue's friend's name is?"