Fairer skin? Bigger eyes? Of course, that's what Qi Fangfang has always wanted. She's always envied, even been jealous of, He Tiantian and Qi Xiaoyan for their fair skin, big eyes, and slender figure. She doesn't eat much, nor does she do much work, so why is she overweight and has such a dark complexion?

It's unfair, God is unfair.

It's actually very fair!

Your appearance is given to you by your parents, not something you can decide yourself. As for weight, that can be changed, but Qi Fangfang lacks the perseverance to maintain it. If you can't control your eating and can't show off your legs, no wonder you can't lose weight!

"Mom, don't say that about my brother," Qi Fangfang said, speaking up for her older brother. "If I were a boy, I would also like He Tiantian. She's beautiful, from a good family, literate, and very polite."

Although Qi Fangfang was jealous of He Tiantian, she had to admit that He Tiantian was very outstanding, much more outstanding than the girls from the countryside, and that she couldn't compare to He Tiantian.

"Sigh!" Mother Qi shook her head. "You two are both such a handful! I've met He Tiantian a few times. She's shrewd, with eyes that seem to speak volumes, so alluring. And being a city girl, why would she be interested in a country bumpkin like us? He Tiantian is lukewarm towards you, probably because she doesn't like your older brother, so she's avoiding you! It's only because you're so stubborn that you keep trying to win her over for your brother's sake!"

"Mom..." Qi Fangfang said awkwardly, "What kind of enthusiasm is this, trying to win someone's cold shoulder? It's disgusting."

"Why can't we say it! It's true." Mother Qi muttered, "To be honest, in Qijia Village, besides Secretary Qi's family, our family is the most respectable. Your brother graduated from high school, and you graduated from junior high. Your second uncle even said that if there are any university recommendation slots in the future, he will definitely save them for your older brother. Your brother is very capable. Your aunt also said that if there are any job opportunities in the county, she will definitely get you there, so that my son and daughter will both be city people in the future. Also, when I see that little vixen He Tiantian's shallow and shameless face, I get really angry. She looks down on our family, and I look down on their family too!"

Seeing her mother angry, Qi Fangfang quickly poured her a bowl of water and said, "Mom, don't be angry. He Tiantian is still young. There's plenty of time. You'll definitely be able to win her over in the future. With proper training, you can definitely turn her into an obedient wife."

"Are you really that naive, or are you just pretending?" Mother Qi took a few sips of water, then pointed her rough fingers at Qi Fangfang's pimple-covered forehead. "The girl your aunt introduced is from the county town. She's a nurse at the commune hospital, a government employee, with a government job. If she takes a liking to your brother, it'll be much easier for him to get a job in the city. I heard her uncle is an official in the county town; maybe he can even get you a factory job too, with a lifelong salary and no worries about food or drink!"

Listening to her mother's words, Qi Fangfang began to have her own thoughts. He Tiantian's family background was good, but that was in the past. Now, He Tiantian was working in the countryside, cutting grass and cleaning up the livestock farm's excrement all day long—it was filthy. She didn't know how a city girl like He Tiantian could manage that! She guessed He Tiantian did a lot of work at home and wasn't exactly pampered.

"Mom, can you really get my brother and me jobs in the county town?" Qi Fangfang asked cautiously. She didn't want to stay in the countryside anymore; she wanted to go to the city and be better than Qi Xiaoyan and He Tiantian!

Mother Qi said confidently, "Of course, that girl is just average-looking. When your brother was delivering some gifts to your cousin during the Mid-Autumn Festival, he happened to run into that girl. She took a liking to your brother at first sight and said that as long as he agreed to the marriage, her family would solve both your brother's and your job."

"My brother is amazing," Qi Fangfang said happily. "If my brother agrees, I'll be a city girl too. But... but my brother has very high standards. He doesn't like girls who aren't conventionally attractive."

Mother Qi was also worried and sighed, "When your brother comes back later, we'll try to persuade him together. He Tiantian is pretty, but she can't help our family. She might even be a burden to us. She's not as good as the girl in the hospital. Her benefits are real, tangible, and visible!"

“Okay, I’ll give it a try. If it doesn’t work, Mom, don’t be angry. My brother is destined for great things, and he’ll have plenty of opportunities in the future.” Qi Fangfang admired her brother very much and didn’t want her mother and brother to have a conflict over this matter. Although she really wanted to get such an opportunity, she knew that her brother was a very stubborn person and she couldn’t change his decision, nor could her mother.

A short while later, Qi Jianguo returned from outside, pushing his bicycle.

"Big brother, you're back!" Qi Fangfang came out and saw a bag on her brother's bicycle. She went up and took it off. "Big brother, what's in this bag?"

"I got some rice from repairing something for Chenjia Village," Qi Jianguo said with a smile. The village secretary of Chenjia Village was quite generous, giving them eight jin of rice, enough for his family to eat for a while.

Grandma Qi came out on her bound feet. When she saw the small bag of rice, her eyes were fixed on the bag of rice in Qi Fangfang's hand. She said proudly, "My grandson is so clever. Grandma will cook porridge for you tomorrow."

"Grandma, drink more too," Qi Jianguo said, not wanting his grandmother and mother to quarrel over this little bit of food. "Grandma, take this rice with you. Grandma's porridge is the best in our family."

Upon hearing this, Grandma Qi smiled even more broadly, her toothless mouth opening and closing as she said, "My eldest grandson speaks so sweetly, Grandma likes it. Fangfang, why don't you bring the rice bag over?"

Qi Fangfang lowered her head and reluctantly carried the rice bag into her grandmother's room.

After Grandma Qi entered the house, she invited everyone to dinner. In this family, Grandma Qi's rule was that dinner could not be served until her eldest grandson returned.

After the meal, Qi's mother called Qi Jianguo into the main room and told him about her second aunt in the city arranging a marriage for him.

"Which nurse?" Qi Jianguo had no recollection. He had gone to the hospital, but he hadn't spoken to any nurse!

"It was you who almost knocked someone down, that nurse!" Qi's mother hadn't met her either, so she could only describe her based on her sister's words, hoping her son would think it over and agree to the marriage.

Qi Jianguo carefully went through the whole thing in his mind, and his heart skipped a beat. He remembered that the last time he went to the hospital, he almost bumped into a nurse. The nurse wasn't very old, she was quite tall and had a good figure, but her face was covered in pockmarks. It was probably a lingering effect from when she had chickenpox as a child and the adults weren't watching her closely enough.

"No way!" Qi Jianguo refused outright, absolutely unwilling to spend his entire life with a pockmarked face. (To be continued.)