All the members are good people, only the host is a pervert

On the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, the cold wind in the capital brought sporadic snowflakes, but it could not blow away the lively New Year atmosphere inside and outside the department store.

The front of the building was decorated with lights and red slogans and lanterns set off people's red, frozen but joyful faces.

Inside, it was bustling with people, shoulder to shoulder. Every counter was crowded with people buying New Year's goods. The air was a mixture of the sweet fragrance of candy, the smell of dyed fabrics and the white steam exhaled by people, creating a bustling atmosphere unique to the festival of this era.

The purchasing department is as busy as a war.

Ensuring supply before the festival is the top priority. Materials are allocated from all over the country, warehouses are taken as inventory, and counters are coordinated. The ringing of telephones and the sound of people's footsteps almost never stop.

At the same time, New Year’s benefits for internal employees are also being distributed in full swing.

A long table was temporarily set up in the corridor, and each department received the supplies in an orderly manner according to the registration list, with everyone's face filled with a satisfied smile.

These days, the New Year’s goods distributed by the company are an important part of the New Year’s essentials.

As a cadre in the purchasing department and a new "relative", Lin Ruan naturally received more generous New Year's goods than ordinary employees.

She received the standard five pounds of flour, three pounds of peanut oil, two frozen hairtails, and a plucked chicken. In addition, she also received two pounds of good-quality pork, a red paper bag with the words "high-end candy" printed on it, and a box of green and red Guoguang apples.

The young clerk helped her move these things to the corner of the office. Lin Ruan looked at these New Year's goods on the ground, which were quite good for an ordinary family, but she felt nothing in her heart.

She changed her mind and decided to pay with her own money. She found a familiar food counter and bought a few pounds of high-quality pork belly with alternating fat and lean meat and distinct layers. She went to the seafood counter and picked out a big carp that was jumping around and was finally knocked unconscious by a stick. She passed by the daily necessities counter and bought a few small firecrackers wrapped in red paper.

Finally, she walked around to the dim sum counter, ignored the long line, and asked the salesperson to weigh out two kilograms of the most expensive cow tongue biscuits and square cakes wrapped in oil paper and tied beautifully with thin ropes.

On New Year's Eve, the sky was blue and the sun was shining, but the cold was still biting. The Lin family's eldest wife got up early, wearing the woolen coats that Lin Ruan brought back from her last business trip.

It is made of thick wool with a layer of down lining inside, making it very warm to wear.

This was actually the inventory in Lin Ruan's space. She had forgotten which world she bought it from. The system had carefully divided the space into sections, placing all the obviously outdated clothes in the "era" section.

The Lin family didn't let her suffer any loss.

It was one thing to receive a daughter's/sister's filial piety, but it was another to ask her to pay for it. Lin Ruan's father, mother, and Lin Shen, who had received the clothes, spontaneously gave Lin Ruan a huge sum of one hundred yuan.

If I had known earlier, a woolen coat in a department store would only cost 60 or 70 yuan. Even so, many people would not buy it, preferring to buy the wool directly and have it made by a tailor, saving 10 or 20 yuan.

Lin Ruan was naturally the focus of the family's dressing. She wore a bright red woolen coat with delicate metal buttons, a snow-white scarf woven with pure wool yarn around her neck, and shiny little leather shoes on her feet. She stood there prettyly, like a bright fire.

The family, carrying large and small bags of New Year's goods, rode four bicycles and headed to the home of their second uncle, where Grandma Li Feng lived.

When I met acquaintances on the road, they all looked at me with envy and greeted me.

"Director Lin, Director Wang, Happy New Year! Is the whole family going to the old lady's house for a reunion?"

"Oh, Lin Shen is on vacation too? He's really becoming more and more promising!"

"Ruanruan is becoming more and more beautiful. This coat is so beautiful. Did you buy it at the department store?"

Lin Jianguo and Wang Juan responded with reserved yet appropriate smiles. Lin Shen also smiled and nodded. Lin Ruan raised his chin, like a proud little peacock, enjoying the attention.

As soon as I entered the corridor of the tube-shaped building where my second uncle lived, I could smell the mixed aroma of various stews and stir-fries.

Pushing open the peeling wooden door, Grandma Li Feng was sitting in the house listening to revolutionary songs on the radio. She was the first to see them. She immediately stood up and almost rushed over, not paying attention to the radio. She kept calling "darling" and "baby", and directly ignored her eldest son and daughter-in-law. She grabbed Lin Ruan's cold gloves and squeezed them tightly. "Oh my little baby! You're finally here! Are you frozen? Let grandma warm you up! Wearing so little, you'll know how painful it is when you get old."

The old lady caressed her granddaughter's hand lovingly, her eyes narrowed into slits with a smile.

Second uncle Lin Jianshe, wearing old clothes without patches, walked to the door and greeted with a simple smile: "Brother, sister-in-law, Xiaoshen, Xiaobao, you're here! Come in and sit down. It's warm inside!"

He hurried forward to take the heavy New Year's goods from everyone's hands. When he saw the big carp and all the meat, his eyes lit up, but he said, "You're here, why bring so many things? Mom has everything here..."

Wang Juan smiled faintly: "It's Chinese New Year, so it's only natural. Xiaobao's company also gave her a lot, and she's a filial child, so she bought a lot with her own money."

Lin Jianshe nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, Xiaobao is the most thoughtful."

Only Liu Lai Di was huddled at the kitchen door, spatula in hand, a cautious and humble smile on her face, but a hint of unconcealable uneasiness and fear in her eyes. She whispered, "Brother, sister-in-law, you're here..."

When his eyes met Lin Ruan, he quickly looked away, as if he was afraid of being noticed by her.

The furniture in the two cramped rooms was old, but still relatively clean.

Liu Lai Di was basically the only one busy in the kitchen preparing the New Year's Eve dinner. It was smoky and hot, and her forehead was covered with sweat.

Wang Juan just lent a hand symbolically and said, "Laidi, just tell me if you need help." Then she naturally got away and sat on the kang in the inner room, accompanying Li Feng to eat melon seeds and chat.

The topic, naturally, revolved around how Lin Ruan was valued in the department store.

Lin Ruan took off her coat, revealing the beautiful sweater underneath, and chatted and laughed with her grandmother and parents.

She pointed out to Li Feng the things given by the department store and the things she bought.

"Grandma, look at these apples. We gave them to our employees. They're big and sweet!"

"This tongue biscuit is specially bought for you. You have bad teeth, so this one is soft and crispy."

"Grandma, this fish is the biggest one I picked, it's so lively!"

Her voice was clear and crisp, like a lark, which made Li Feng smile from ear to ear, and the whole room was filled with praise for her.

"Promising! Our Xiaobao is so promising!"

"It's only been a short time since I started working, and I've already grabbed so many goodies for my family!"

"Xiaobao is still filial, thinking of me in everything!"

Liu Lai Di was in the kitchen listening to the laughter outside, and looking at the ingredients she was washing and cutting, most of which were brought by the eldest wife. She felt like her heart was blocked by a ball of cotton, and she felt suffocated.

She secretly glanced at the jar of honey that her mother-in-law placed on the top of the cabinet like a treasure and expressly forbade her to touch. Thinking of the scolding she received that day, she felt even more wronged and sad.

After a long day of work, the New Year's Eve dinner finally arrived as darkness fell. The large square table was packed: sleek braised pork, a whole carp smothered in rich sauce, steaming stewed chicken, stir-fried cabbage, vermicelli stewed with meat, fried peanuts, and a small dish of sausage—the sausage was distributed by the Forestry Construction Factory.

Although it is not as good as the banquets of truly wealthy families, in the eyes of ordinary people, this is already a very sumptuous meal.

However, any discerning person could see that almost all the main dishes on the table came from the "contribution" of the eldest wife.

The atmosphere seemed lively, but there was always a subtle rift between the people as they toasted each other.

Lin Jianshe tried hard to find a topic to talk about, praising him non-stop: "Brother, I heard your factory is doing really well this year. I guess you gave out a lot of year-end bonuses?"

"Sister-in-law, the street work is busy, and I still have to worry about the New Year."

"Xiao Shen, as the section chief, is becoming more and more like a leader!"

"Xiaobao, you're incredible! The department store is a great place to work. From now on, we'll be relying on you to buy in-demand goods!"

He tried to melt the invisible ice with his enthusiasm, but his response always seemed polite and distant.

Liu Lai Di almost became an invisible person, lowering her head and eating silently, occasionally picking up some dishes for her mother-in-law or husband. She didn't dare to say much and tried to reduce her presence as much as possible.

After three rounds of drinks, Lin Jianguo and Lin Jianshe both had blushes on their faces.

Wang Juan felt that the time was almost right.

She picked up a piece of tender fish with her chopsticks, carefully removed the bones, and passed it to Lin Ruan. Then, seemingly casually, as if recalling an insignificant anecdote, she spoke: "Mom, second brother. Xiaobao got his first paycheck, and he bought some honey. I heard something new when he got home."

The laughter at the table paused slightly, and everyone looked at her.

Lin Jianshe's heart skipped a beat, a sense of foreboding. Liu Laidie's hand, which was holding the dish, trembled violently, and a piece of braised pork fell onto the table. Her face turned pale instantly, and she looked at Wang Juan in horror, then at Lin Ruan.

Lin Ruan seemed completely unaware of Second Aunt's misstep. Blinking her clear, innocent eyes, she casually glanced at Liu Lai Di and said in a brisk tone, "Oh, it's not a big deal. Second Aunt just discussed it with Grandma. She said that everyone in our family has jobs now, so life is better, but her family is struggling, and Sister Pan'er has gone back to the countryside... We're really struggling at home... So she asked Grandma if we could save on the 35 yuan she gives to our family every month and not have to pay it. She said that our family doesn't need that much anyway."

As soon as she finished speaking, it was like a drop of water falling into a boiling oil pan. A dead silence instantly broke out at the dinner table, and all the smiles froze on their faces.

The smile on Lin Jianguo's face faded at a speed visible to the naked eye. He slowly put down the wine glass in his hand, making a slight "click" sound. He didn't say anything, but just looked at Lin Jianshe calmly, with scrutiny and displeasure in his eyes.

Wang Juan sneered, her laughter sharp and cold, piercing like an icicle. She put down her chopsticks with a snap, crossed her arms, and glared at the pale, trembling Liu Lai Di with a knife-like gaze. "Yo!" She spoke in a long, sarcastic tone, each word shrouded in ice. "You from the Jianshe family, alright! Are you jealous of our better lives? Are you feeling unbalanced? Or do you think we, the eldest wife, are taking advantage of you?"

Liu Lai Di's lips trembled, and she wanted to explain, but no sound came out.

Wang Juan didn't give her a chance, speaking quickly and harshly, "Mom decided on that money! It was written down in black and white when we split up the family business! After all these years, what's wrong? Now that Xiaobao's working as an executive at the department store, you think we don't need this little 'subsidy' anymore? You've become more cunning! Are you trying to figure out how to default on your debt?"

Lin Shen pushed his glasses up. His tone remained gentle, but the meaning behind his words was like a needle hidden in cotton. He was very blunt. "Second Aunt, that's really too polite. It hurts our feelings. The rules we set back then have been accepted by Dad and Grandma for so many years. Why do you suddenly want to change them? Is there really something particularly difficult at home? If there are any difficulties, you can speak up. We are a family and can always discuss it. But we must not violate the rules and regulations that should be followed, don't you agree?"

What he said seemed reasonable, but in fact it nailed down the word "rules".

Liu Lai Di was pinned to the spot by this barrage of questions, her head almost buried in her chest, her face turning red and white, her fingers tightly clenched around the edge of her tattered clothes, her voice as thin as a mosquito, tinged with tears: "I, I didn't mean that. I just... I just saw that you were doing well, so I mentioned it casually... I really didn't mean it..."

"Just a casual mention?" Wang Juan suddenly raised her voice. "How can you say something like that? I think you've thought about it eight hundred times in your mind! You can't hold it in anymore, right? If Mom hadn't been sensible and scolded you back on the spot, would you really have let you get away with it? Second brother! Lin Jianshe! You're a dead man! Don't you care about your wife? You just let her have her own way and push her so far? Do you still want to live like this?"

Lin Jianshe's face flushed red with embarrassment when he was called out, as if he'd been slapped hard. He whipped his head around and glared at Liu Lai Di, his eyes filled with anger and resentment. "Shut up! If you can't speak, sew your mouth shut! You disgraceful thing! Big Brother and his wife have been so caring for our family! You have no right to speak in the rules set by Mom! If you keep talking nonsense, I'll spank you!"

He said this to the eldest wife to show his loyalty, but he was also really annoyed by Liu Lai Di's talkativeness and stupidity. She exposed the unspoken rules, which made him extremely embarrassed.

Grandma Li Feng had been listening with a sullen face. At this moment, she put down her chopsticks heavily, making a loud "pa" sound, which completely determined the situation: "It's New Year's Day! What are you arguing about? Aren't you ashamed? Jianshe family, keep your mouth shut! If I hear such inappropriate and conscienceless words again, you'll get the hell back to your Liu family! Don't stay in this house anymore! Big brother, Juanzi, you should calm down too. There's no point in getting into trouble with a fool like her! Don't get yourself hurt. This money cannot be reduced by a single cent! Unless I die! What I say counts in this family!"

The final ultimatum, with unquestionable authority.

Liu Lai Di was completely speechless after being scolded. She could no longer hold back her tears, which fell into the bowl in big drops. However, she did not dare to cry out loud. She could only bite her lips tightly, and her shoulders trembled slightly.

Great humiliation and fear overwhelmed her.

Lin Ruan watched this scene with satisfaction, as if he was enjoying the climax of a carefully choreographed drama.

She promptly picked up a piece of the fattest meat for her grandmother, her voice soft and sweet, "Grandma, please don't be angry. It's not worth getting yourself hurt over such a small matter. Eat some vegetables. The meat is well-cooked today. Please eat more."

She smiled again and turned to Lin Jianguo and Wang Juan, whose faces were still grim, and said in a relaxed tone, "Dad, Mom, forget it, it's New Year's Day. Our family is doing well now, and we don't need that little money, but rules are rules, and once they are established, they must be followed, right? I think Second Aunt just didn't understand it at the moment, but she must understand it now."

Her words seemed to be a way to smooth things over, but in fact she emphasized the "rules" and "not that little bit" again. She not only elevated the status and sense of superiority of the first wife, but also stepped hard on the second wife, implying that they were so stingy with even "this little bit" of money and had a low level of mentality.

At the same time, they downplayed the matter as "they understood", completely blocking any possibility of the second house turning the tables in the future.

After this incident, the atmosphere of the following New Year’s Eve dinner became even more subtle and depressing.

The people in the first house completely lost their smiles towards Lin Jianshe and Liu Laidie, and their words were full of subtle sarcasm.

Lin Jianshe and Liu Laidie were on pins and needles. Facing a table full of sumptuous dishes, they found them tasteless and had difficulty swallowing every bite.

Lin Jianshe occasionally tried to liven up the atmosphere, but all he got was a perfunctory response.

Liu Lai Di became completely speechless and wished she could shrink into the crack of the wall.

The sound of firecrackers outside the window became more and more frequent, brilliant fireworks occasionally illuminated the window lattice, and the laughter of children could be heard faintly.

The house was filled with warmth and the aroma of food filled the air, but Lin Ruan felt that this biased, oppressive, and hierarchical atmosphere was the most familiar and comfortable feeling of the New Year to her.