Rebirth and making money first

Zhang Jing's life returned to normal, and the director agreed to give her another three months. He also told her that this was her limit. If she still couldn't go back to work after three months, she would have to resign.

Furthermore, she would need to pay the company's social security contributions for the three months in advance, which would then be paid on her behalf. Zhang Jing agreed to this request without hesitation, but she was already thinking about finding other solutions.

Zhang Zhi, on the other hand, would occasionally drop by for a meal. Every day, the adorable little girl would be picked up and dropped off by her sister-in-law and her niece, who would take turns picking her up. Zhang Zhi's work was truly dedicated. Not only did she quickly connect with her colleagues, she even volunteered to bring back Huoluo Oil from Hong Kong for everyone to use. Even some of her side hustle work at the photo studio had been successfully integrated into her own workplace.

When Aunt Zhuang came back to visit, Zhang Jing was surprised to find that she had also taken a series of artistic photos. And she did it all by herself. According to Aunt Zhuang, she had originally wanted to bring her husband along, but he refused, saying he didn't want to "embarrass himself."

Speaking of Aunt Zhuang's new house, it took a lot of effort and effort to scrape together the money. It's a small, dilapidated house in a remote area. Compared to what Aunt Zhang paid for it, it's now much more expensive.

For this reason, Aunt Zhuang said to Zhang Jing with emotion: "Oh, if only I hadn't chosen to buy that shop!" She had originally thought of selling the shop to raise enough funds to buy a bigger and better house.

However, her husband refused to agree to this no matter what, and repeatedly stressed that in the next six months, the monthly payment for the shop would be paid off. There was no need to go through all this trouble.

The result is that because I didn’t have enough money to buy a house, I had to borrow money again, and I ended up owing a huge amount of foreign debt. It’s tiring to think about it.

Zhang Jing enthusiastically suggested, "Why don't you rent out your house? That would help recoup some of your costs." However, she nodded and then shook her head, saying that the house she had purchased still needed some work. Her husband was diligently repairing the broken fixtures. Once everything was in order, she'd consider renting it out.

Hearing the news, Zhang Jing congratulated her with a smile on her face: "Wow, then you are going to become an enviable landlady! How about staying and having dinner together?" But Aunt Zhuang firmly refused, explaining that she had to go back quickly and continue to work on the house matters with her husband.

Seeing this, Zhang Jing kindly suggested that they outsource the house maintenance to professionals. But Aunt Zhuang sighed helplessly and said, "Well, we just wanted to save some money, so we decided to do it ourselves. It's a bit hard now, but hopefully it will be easier in the future."

Time flies, and before they know it, those once unfamiliar faces in the neighborhood gradually become familiar. However, unexpectedly, even the residents downstairs have quietly moved away. Days pass like this, until one day, a seemingly ordinary yet striking scene unfolds before everyone: Uncle Zhang, smiling, slowly walks into the recently vacated apartment downstairs, hand in hand with his wife.

Seeing this scene, Zhang Jing was a little confused at first, but soon she realized as if she had just woken up from a dream - it turned out that this always amiable old man had decided to spend his old age here with the idea of ​​protecting his grandson! Once this idea emerged in her mind, it spread rapidly like roots and sprouts.

Not long after, Zhang Yongle also learned the news. He looked at Zhang Jing, who was a little worried, and said softly, "Don't be too nervous. Life will go on as before. Even if you really encounter any troubles, just tell us openly and don't be shy with us!" After hearing these words, Zhang Jing's anxiety was slightly relieved.

What surprised Zhang Jing even more was that, without knowing when, she seemed to have transformed into the kind of woman described in the book, adept at dealing with people and things. Whether interacting with neighbors or handling various trivial matters, she could handle it with ease and grace.

Especially when the little guy rushed into Uncle Zhang's house like a whirlwind of joy, everything became even more interesting. As soon as the little guy entered the door, he went straight to the dining table, picked up the bowl and chopsticks without any hesitation, and enjoyed the food with hearty relish.

Seeing this, Zhang Jing hurried forward and tried to pull the child back, but no matter how hard she tried, the little guy seemed to be under a spell, sticking tightly to the dining table and refusing to move an inch.

Furthermore, Zhang Zhi, as if drawn by an invisible force, often followed, heading there together. Even his sister-in-law wasn't to be outdone, following closely behind. Adding Zhang Yongle and his son to the mix, the once somewhat empty house suddenly became bustling with activity.

Laughter echoed like a joyful symphony, filling every corner. Yet, Zhang Jing felt somewhat out of place amidst the noise. She secretly wondered how she wished she could press that magical "pause button" and freeze the clamor and chaos in this moment.

As luck would have it, just as Zhang Jing had hoped, this bustling scene didn't last long. Finally, one day, Li Xiangyue, laden with luggage, happily moved into the house she had carefully purchased. She even confidently declared that she had chosen to move in so her precious son could visit his grandfather more conveniently.

At that moment, Zhang Jing, who had been observing the situation from the sidelines, suddenly realized, as if awakened from a dream, that the chain of events she had unwittingly set in motion was like the graceful flutter of a beautiful butterfly's wings. This seemingly insignificant action, unknowingly, was about to trigger a massive uproar, a moment when it would unleash a tremendous turmoil.

What is unexpected is that behind this turmoil, the person who is most eager for the house to be demolished is Zhang Jing herself.

In her eyes, it seems that only through demolition can all the complicated things return to their original positions and restore the peace and tranquility of the past.

When her heart was tightly wrapped with anxiety and fear, Zhang Jing picked up the phone, took a deep breath, adjusted her mood, and in the most sincere and genuine tone, invited Mrs. Xu on the other end of the phone to live in her home.

However, what Zhang Jing never expected was that Old Lady Xu rejected her kindness without a second thought. Old Lady Xu's voice, though still kind and gentle, carried an undeniable firmness: "Xiao Jing, I'm old and frail. I just don't have the energy to bother with this!"

Zhang Jing was unwilling to give up so easily. She continued to persuade Mrs. Xu earnestly, talking about the convenience of life and emotional companionship, trying to move the old lady's heart. But no matter how sweet her words were, Mrs. Xu remained unmoved and insisted that she had decided not to live there anymore.

Faced with this outcome, Zhang Jing felt helpless, but she also knew she couldn't force Mrs. Xu to change her mind. Finally, she could only sigh deeply, slowly put down the phone in her hand, and temporarily gave up the idea.

Even though she couldn't bring Mrs. Xu to her side to care for her personally, Zhang Jing's concern for her remained undiminished. After much deliberation, Zhang Jing decided to ask her good friend Li Manyue for a favor. She carefully selected some high-quality milk powder and fresh fruit, meticulously packaged them, and gave them to Li Manyue, asking her to deliver them to Mrs. Xu.

Soon, Li Manyue returned with a return gift from Old Lady Xu for Zhang Jing. Opening it, she discovered several exquisitely crafted children's clothes, along with several adorable and charming dolls. Looking at these thoughtful gifts, Zhang Jing's eyes welled up...

At the same time, Old Mrs. Xu also called and earnestly warned, "Xiao Jing, please don't send me anything anymore! I'm all alone, and even if you send me food, I can't finish it all. It's a complete waste! Take care of yourself and the children. I'm fine, don't worry about me. I don't worry about you either!"

After hanging up the phone, a deep sense of loneliness washed over Zhang Jing like a tide. She suddenly felt as if she were on a desolate island, surrounded by the vast ocean, with no one to rely on and no one to help her. This feeling filled her with sadness, and her eyes couldn't help but turn red.

Just as Zhang Jing was feeling disheartened, a clear, murmurous sound reached her ears. It was the innocent laughter and babbling of a child. Zhang Jing whipped her head around to see her young child waving his chubby little hands, a beaming smile on his face.

Gazing at the child's adorable face, Zhang Jing's gloom instantly dissipated. She slowly crouched down, holding the child tightly in her arms, feeling the warmth and softness of her little body. Yes! Even if the whole world turned its back on her, at least she still had two precious children, connected by her blood. As long as she had children, life still had hope, and the future was still bright.

Thinking of this, Zhang Jing regained her spirits. Gazing at the children's innocent smiles, she vowed to redouble her efforts, creating a bright future for them. No matter how difficult the road ahead, she would grit her teeth and persevere, never letting the children suffer.

A mother is strong, and everything else is nothing except her children!