Chapter 104: Chapter 104: Unfair Treatment Breeds Division

The hiring process at Jiang Yan’s factory went smoothly, and he didn’t make a big fuss about it. Red Star Town has thirteen villages in total, and aside from the seventeen people from Yangliu Village and Shanghuang Village, whom he didn’t involve much, he distributed the remaining forty-something people across the other eleven villages, reaching out to each village head to explain his intentions, with recommendations made under real names by the village heads.

By early December, everyone went to the steel factory for interviews, though it was merely a formality, just going through the motions.

Although this recruitment seemed casual on the surface, in reality, it wasn’t. Jiang Yan worked hard behind the scenes, thoroughly investigating the background and connections of everyone brought in. Having just dealt with a traitor situation, he wasn’t about to make the mistake of losing a crucial point again.

At Yang Zhigang’s house, his third brother Yang Zhiwei and sister-in-law Sun Xiangcao were both workers at the print shop, so they didn’t need this opportunity. Yang Zhigang gave the two slots to his second brother Yang Zhiyong and his wife Wu Pingping.

Yang Zhiyong was previously placed in the supply and marketing cooperative selling pork through Yang Zhigang’s connections. But he felt it was more promising to work at the steel factory, so Yang Zhiyong left the cooperative. The position at the cooperative was then passed on, doing a favor for his wife Wu Pingping’s brother.

It seemed like the matter was handled perfectly on the surface, but it actually left a considerable hidden danger.

With two spots given to Yang Zhiyong and his wife, and the cooperative spot given to Wu Pingping’s brother, how could the third household, who got nothing, leave Sun Xiangcao feeling balanced, comfortable, or without thoughts?

That very night, Sun Xiangcao lost her temper with Yang Zhiwei, “What does your big brother mean by this? Does he even consider you as a brother?”

Yang Zhiwei was puzzled, “What are you saying? My brother is definitely my brother. Hasn’t he been good to us? He’s constantly buying meat and vegetables, and haven’t you also eaten quite a bit when my mom cooks?”

“You fool.” Sun Xiangcao poked his temple, “Is this about a few pieces of meat? Do we lack those few bites to eat?”

“What do you mean?” Yang Zhiwei, upset by his wife’s actions, turned away, “Stop pushing and shoving, can’t we just talk properly?”

“You,” Sun Xiangcao was infuriated by the idiot, taking a breath before addressing it directly, “Your big brother gave two spots to your second brother, and you’re not at all bothered?”

“What’s there to feel? Don’t we all have jobs? There’s no need for the spots, and giving them to the second brother is appropriate…” Yang Zhiwei genuinely didn’t see an issue.

Sun Xiangcao retorted, “Whether we need them is our matter, whether he gives them is his matter.”

“You’re just being unreasonable now. We don’t need them, why give them to us, to sell?” Yang Zhiwei thought his wife was just being unreasonable.

“Not to sell, we could give them as a favor,” Sun Xiangcao added, “Besides, the second brother also has a job, yet Big Brother still let him leave the cooperative for the steel factory, and Second Brother easily gave the cooperative job to Second Sister-in-law’s brother. Hmph, this deal meant Second Brother’s family got three slots for free. And us? What did we get?”

With those words, Yang Zhiwei fell silent. Although they indeed didn’t need the slot, the comparison left them feeling injured. In this matter, their third household truly didn’t gain any benefit.

“Think about it, though your job involved Dad’s connections, it was also because of your good performance and hard work. If your second brother were to go with that dull brain, he wouldn’t get into the factory. As for me, I entered the factory entirely by relying on connections from my own family. We live well thanks solely to our abilities.” Sun Xiangcao said with resentment, “Now, look at your big brother, he immediately helped your second brother get a job upon returning, and now he gives away two slots. The most annoying thing is your second brother handed the cooperative position to his wife’s family directly. All the benefits went to the second household. What did we get? Do I have no relatives on my side?”

“Alright, alright…” Yang Zhiwei, annoyed by the discussion, said in a pique, “You’re just unhappy because your side of the family didn’t get any benefits. Your family is capable, Second Sister-in-law’s family is struggling, let’s not haggle over it too much.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? How has my family treated you as a son-in-law all these years, don’t you recognize that? Besides, I’m not standing up for my family, they don’t need the slots now, what else could they want from your family! I’m standing up for you, you fool! Is it justified for Sister-in-law’s family to struggle while my capable family deserves being overlooked? This situation shows your big brother simply doesn’t care about you, he can’t handle things evenly.” Sun Xiangcao retorted in frustration, “Did Big Brother even ask us, even once, if we wanted any slots… He simply doesn’t care about you, doesn’t see the third household as important!”

Sun Xiangcao felt distressed, extremely unfair, believing their own home wasn’t respected in this big family, “I’m even more worried that Big Brother only has the second household in mind, becoming a habit, and whenever there are benefits, he’ll only consider them, thinking we have the ability and don’t need him worrying about us.”

“N-No…he wouldn’t. Big Brother’s not that kind of person.” Yang Zhiwei started feeling uncertain, though he voiced it out loud like that, he already planted the seed of doubt inside.

In the days that followed, he closely watched the activities of the first and second households, silently comparing any benefits coming from Big Brother with those going to the second household.

Over time, that seed sprouted and grew into vines, pricking his heart painfully.

No comparison, no harm, whether anything, picking faults when you’re intent on it, always brings flaws to light.

Just like slicing a piece of meat for each household, the fatness, weight, freshness, and appearance all became points for them to nitpick on.

Gradually, in his eyes and heart, a stubborn consciousness formed that… Big Brother is partial, deeply rooted.

Perhaps, Yang Zhigang indeed extended more care towards the second household, after all, compared to the third household, the second household needed more of his support.

He, a grown man, how could he satisfy everyone? As brothers, having the capability, lending a helping hand to one’s own siblings, he’d already done well.

But similarly, as brothers, with the third household doing well, if one’s not supporting the less capable second household, and even becoming envious of them, isn’t that wrong? Could it be you can’t stand the less capable second household catching up, or are you afraid the second household might surpass you, living better than you?

Everyone is an adult, and with separate households, each has their own family. It’s said clearly counting among brothers, but if a brother considers and helps you, that’s a big favor. How much help you get, is it for the helped to nitpick over? On what grounds do you demand fairness?

After all, a person’s heart is naturally biased, where in the world is there absolute fairness.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep