Transmigrating to the ’60s: The Ruthless, Sharp-Tongued Female Supporting Charac

Chapter 3: Eating Cakes

Hearing her speak so sensibly, it really seemed like Xia Zhizhi had come around.

Li Dongmei, who’d always thought this marriage was a good match, felt a huge weight lift. If her daughter truly agreed, that would save them a lot of trouble. After all, she and Xia Ruhai were both factory workers—too much arguing at home would attract attention and gossip.

“If you really think that way, then I’m relieved,” Li Dongmei said with a sigh.

“It’s a little early to be relieved,” Xia Zhizhi replied, frowning slightly.

Li Dongmei’s face darkened, and her voice sharpened. “What do you mean by that?”

Seeing her mother’s expression growing stormy, Zhizhi explained calmly, “What I meant was—I’m not married yet, and my brother’s job still isn’t finalized. You still have a lot to worry about. You can’t really relax until I marry into the Lu family and firmly establish myself there.”

Li Dongmei’s mouth twitched. “You’re a real piece of work, you know that? As a mother, I’ll always worry about you. No matter how old you are, you’ll always be a child to me.”

Seeing her mom had finished her big pancake, Zhizhi delivered the real dish.

“Mom, I think I need to keep going to high school. Once I graduate and get married, Director Lu can arrange a job for me.”

Li Dongmei was just about to ask why she needed a job when Zhizhi added—

“I was also thinking about our two younger sisters. Director Lu only promised to help my brother get a job. But what about Lanlan and Fangfang? Once I have a child, I can transfer the job to one of them. Eventually, our entire family could become state workers—maybe even get an official in the family. You and Dad could just sit back and enjoy life.”

Li Dongmei hesitated. “But that means you’ll have to stay in school another half a year…”

This sort of thing dragged on easily, and dreams could be ruined by a single slip. No matter how good the opportunity, the safest move was to lock it down fast.

“If you don’t agree, that’s fine too,” Zhizhi said with lowered eyes and a disappointed look. “I just thought… I’m not even sixteen yet. If I drop out of school and get married now, people might start talking. Even if you and Dad are doing it for my sake—hoping I marry well—others might twist it and say you’re selling your daughter.”

“Your father and I are honest people. Let them talk,” Li Dongmei said.

“Sure, but I’m just worried it might affect Director Lu,” Zhizhi said softly. “If someone reports him, it could impact his position—and maybe even his promise to help my brother.”

That was a convincing point.

“She should stay in school,” Xia Ruhai finally said.

Li Dongmei looked at him and nodded. “Alright. Should we go talk to Director Lu tomorrow then?”

“Yes, but quietly,” Xia Ruhai warned. “Last time Director Lu came to our house, Cuifang’s mother-in-law approached me. She said she wanted to introduce her niece to him—eighteen years old, good build, and big hips for childbearing.”

“Exactly,” Zhizhi chimed in. “He’s only thirty-seven and already a director. A lot of people are eyeing him. As long as it stays quiet, it’s fine. But if word gets out, jealous people might cause trouble.”

At that level, Director Lu made a 13th-level salary, about 160–170 yuan a month—a top-tier income in Yangshi. On top of that, he got monthly welfare subsidies. It was an enviable life.

He was thirty-seven. His wife had died two years ago. The official story was illness, but rumors said she was beaten to death.

He had a son too—rumored to be shaped like a gas tank—but despite everything, he was still considered a good catch. After all, power and money made up for a lot.

The only issue?

He was picky.

He wanted a girl with looks, education, and a good figure. But families that raised daughters like that usually weren’t willing to marry them off as stepmothers.

So he’d been searching for two years and still hadn’t found a match.

High school tuition wasn’t expensive, but not everyone was good at school—Xia Jianguo and Xia Lanlan certainly weren’t.

They got beat three times a day just to keep them in junior high. Their grades were so bad they couldn’t get into technical school, and they didn’t want to try again. Eventually, Li Dongmei gave up on hoping they’d become anything special, and the two kids breathed a sigh of relief.

No one had wanted to let Xia Zhizhi stay in school either. But because her grades were good, she cried—everywhere. In the hallway. In class. Even out on the street.

Her teacher was a good man. He contacted the street office, and staff came to the house several times to reason with her parents.

Eventually, they relented. Not because they were moved—but because they realized that a high school education might fetch a better dowry.

Zhizhi only had half a semester left when Lu Weiguang came to her school for an inspection and noticed her.

She had a pretty face, smooth thick hair (a little yellow, sure), fair skin, and a delicate figure that made people feel protective.

Director Lu was instantly smitten.

After asking around, he showed up at their house.

He didn’t pressure her—he didn’t need to. All he had to do was express his intentions to Xia Ruhai and Li Dongmei, and they were practically ready to tie her up and deliver her to his doorstep.

Naturally, the original body had resisted.

Pretty girls always knew their worth. With her looks and education, she could’ve easily married up—a classmate with a good background, a handsome guy, in-laws who’d arrange a job for her.

When she heard her family wanted her to drop out and marry a greasy uncle with a tank-shaped son twenty years older than her, it felt like the sky collapsed.

She started a hunger strike.

But hunger strikes only worked if someone cared.

Li Dongmei and Xia Ruhai had raised her for one reason—to marry her off in exchange for a dowry and a job for their son. Now that someone was offering both, they were thrilled.

Even if she were eighty, she’d still have to marry him.

So she wanted to starve herself?

Go right ahead.

They started locking up the food after every meal so she couldn’t sneak any. Three days later, she was starving—and Xia Zhizhi took over.

Li Dongmei and Xia Ruhai were completely fooled.

Funny how things work. If this happened in someone else’s home, people would curse them for selling their daughter. But in their own home? It was just good fortune.

“Your mother and I will go talk to Director Lu tomorrow,” Xia Ruhai told the three siblings. “You don’t need to worry about anything. Just go to school like normal. And don’t tell anyone about this—if people find out, our chance might be gone.”

Xia Jianguo and Xia Lanlan were old enough to know how to keep their mouths shut when it came to their own interests.

As for Xia Fangfang, they made her swear—tempted with cakes and chocolate, threatened with the stick. She promised not to breathe a word.

Everything that needed to be said had been said.

As long as the Xia family didn’t go out and ruin her reputation, Zhizhi could keep studying. She just needed to be guided slowly—not forced.

“Mom,” she said, pressing her chest with a weak expression, “I’m feeling a little unwell. I’m going to lie down for a bit.”

Get what you want?

Keep dreaming.