The Comeback of the Cannon-Fodder Supporting Actress

Pei Anjing swallowed a dry gulp and put on a smile: ”You heard wrong, I didn’t say ’who are you to do this’, I said you’re right, we should do it this way.”

”Big sis, what do you think?”

Anning turned to ask Pei Anxian.

Pei Anxian quickly said: ”Lao Si, you’re right, let’s do it this way.”

Anning looked at Pei Laoshi with a half-smile.

Pei Laoshi didn’t dare to disagree.

”Honey, hurry up and give all the money we saved at home to Lao Si. From now on, Lao Si will be in charge of this household.”

”I’m on it, right away.”

Liu Dalian quickly went inside, and shortly after, she came out with a bankbook and some cash wrapped in a handkerchief.

It was the early 90s after all, and back then, many rural families didn’t save money in banks. Firstly, they had no money to save, and secondly, folks were used to keeping money at home, thinking it was safer.

The reason Pei Family saved money in the bank was because of Anning’s suggestion.

However, the four girls from the Pei Family were all troublesome, and so over these years, they really hadn’t saved much.

Anning counted the cash wrapped in the handkerchief, and it was just over a hundred yuan. She looked at the bankbook, and it didn’t even reach a thousand.

”Alright.” Anning took both the bankbook and cash: ”Our family really is poor, but from today on, this poor household is under my management. Considering how poor we are, I’m setting a rule: from now on, we must be frugal. Dad, you’re not allowed to play cards anymore, from now on, you work with me.”

”I’ll, I’ll work.”

Pei Laoshi glanced at the twisted iron spoon on the table and agreed dryly.

”I’ll put the money safely away, big sis. When the younger sisters come back later, tell them too.” Anning got up to put the money away, and reminded Pei Anxian as she left.

Just after she’d put the money away, brother-in-law Zhao Chuan returned from work.

He rode back on the family’s only worn-out bicycle, and as soon as he entered, the creaking sound of the bicycle, which was noisy everywhere except for the bell, was heard by everyone in the house.

Anning came out of the room: ”Brother-in-law is back, there’s food left in the pot, quickly wash up and eat.”

”Okay.” Zhao Chuan, smiling, washed his hands and went to the kitchen to fetch food: ”Did you all eat?”

”We’ve all eaten.” Anning smiled and handed Zhao Chuan a bowl of hot water, noticing while handing it over that his jacket was worn out, and she turned to Pei Anxian: ”Big sis, I remember there’s a piece of cloth in mom’s room. Later, take it and go to town to make brother-in-law a new jacket.”

”But I don’t...”

Pei Anxian wanted to refuse, but Anning just stared at her, making her quickly change her tone: ”Alright.”

This agreement immediately made Zhao Chuan smile widely.

”Wife, tomorrow when I get paid, I’ll buy you a big drumstick.”

Anning stood in the yard: ”Brother-in-law, there’s something I haven’t told you yet. Today we all discussed, from now on, I’ll be the head of this house. When you get paid, hand all the money over to me. Whether or not we buy the drumstick is up to me, and it depends on big sis’s performance. If she doesn’t perform well, forget the drumstick, she won’t even get a chicken feather.”

Huh?

Zhao Chuan paused, looked up at Anning, then at Anxian.

”What’s wrong?” Anning raised her eyebrows: ”Brother-in-law, do you have any objections? If you do, feel free to say, I’m not unreasonable.”

Pei Anxian did care for Zhao Chuan a bit, after all, he is her husband, and she didn’t want to see Zhao Chuan being bullied by Anning. She immediately tugged Zhao Chuan: ”No objections, your brother-in-law is just too happy, isn’t that right?”

Saying this, Pei Anxian pinched Zhao Chuan.

Zhao Chuan was an honest man, but not foolish: ”Yes, no objections, no objections.”

As he said this, he also signaled to Pei Anxian, probably trying to ask what was happening.

Pei Anxian took Zhao Chuan and the food into their bedroom.

She told him how Anning said these things, how Anjing objected, and how Anning twisted an iron spoon: ”Today, I just argued a bit with Lao Si, you don’t know how unreasonable she is. She chased us with a broom, hit me so bad I’m still sore now, don’t you dare argue with her. If she gets mad, that impulsive kid might just beat you up.”

”Alright then.” Zhao Chuan listened and buried his head in eating.

Anyway, the family money doesn’t end up with him; it makes no difference who manages it.

Besides, Zhao Chuan understood well that in this family, Anning was the most sensible and shrewd one. If she managed it, it would probably be better than Pei Laoshi and Liu Dalian.

After Zhao Chuan finished eating, Anning went to the kitchen to wash the dishes and tidy up.

Once done, she went into the room to find Pei Anjing.

She entered Pei Anjing’s room, found a bag, and started packing Pei Anjing’s clothes.

”What are you doing?”

Pei Anjing got anxious and went over to grab her clothes.

Anning turned around to avoid her, continuing to pack Pei Anjing’s clothes into the bag, zipped it up, and dragged Pei Anjing out: ”Sending you back to your in-laws.”

”I’m not going.” Pei Anjing tried hard to break free from Anning.

But Anning’s hand was like a clamp, holding tightly, Pei Anjing couldn’t break free no matter how hard she tried, and she began to cry: ”I’m not going back unless my husband comes to get me.”

Anning looked Pei Anjing up and down: ”Just because my brother-in-law didn’t please you? Just because he’s shy and didn’t say sweet words, didn’t wash your feet at night, you’re not going back?”

Pei Anjing’s tears had already fallen, crying and angrily saying: ”He doesn’t have me in his heart, he doesn’t love me, I just...”

Anning really felt like giving her a good beating.

”Loving you means indulging you, committing a crime while he assists, stealing while he covers?”

”Well, isn’t that how it should be.” Pei Anjing thought it was normal, nodding hard: ”Look at those men in the books who are so good, so considerate of their girlfriends, buying this and that all the time, speaking nicely and...”

Anning couldn’t help but slap Pei Anjing’s back: ”Did you get water on your brain or kicked by a donkey? You believe the nonsense written in those books? There’s stuff about being a mistresses in those books too, why don’t you go do that? I ask you, around here, have you seen anyone living a proper life, constantly talking about romance? There’s none of that. Maybe a couple of times a year is understandable, but you? You keep asking your husband for romance every day, wanting this today and that tomorrow, who can handle such trouble? You’re bored at home, while your husband works hard to earn money outside, busy like a dog every day, and when he gets home he’s exhausted but still has to serve you, the little ancestor. If I were my second brother-in-law, I’d have kicked you out already.”

Anning felt so frustrated thinking about Anjing: ”If you don’t want to live together anymore and want a divorce from my second brother-in-law, then I won’t say anything. You can stay at mom’s as long as you like. I ask you, do you really plan to divorce, or what?”

Pei Anjing hesitated.

She wasn’t planning to divorce.

Even though she was dissatisfied with Chen Qiang, she had feelings for him, and wasn’t willing to end things for real.

Anning saw it right away: ”You don’t plan on divorcing, then hurry up and go home. I’ll take you back, explain to your mother-in-law and my second brother-in-law clearly, so that you won’t visit often and Chen Family get fed up, and then it won’t be a matter of whether you want to divorce or not, even if you don’t want to, others might.”

Anning’s words scared Pei Anjing.

”Then, alright, I’ll go back, okay.”

Pei Anjing carried her bag with a grieved face, following Anning as she pushed the bicycle and walked out.