"Mom, this is for you!" Hanhan said proudly.

"You didn't eat any?" Qin Xiaoyu was quite surprised. Hanhan had been unable to hide the greed in her eyes ever since she saw the cake. After all, she was just a child. But she didn't expect that Hanhan would not eat a single bite.

"Mom didn't eat either, so give it to Mom." With Master Wang around, she was a little shy.

"Oh my, you've really raised this child well..." Master Wang couldn't continue. The comparison was painful, and she felt sorry for him.

"Hanhan, listen to Mommy, you should eat this cake too. It's for everyone, and you're a member of this family too. You should enjoy life too. Only when you take good care of yourself can you better take care of your family, understand? Being good to your family isn't about selfless dedication; it's about learning to be accommodating and cooperative, and not sacrificing yourself." Hanhan seemed to understand Qin Xiaoyu's words, but not quite.

“How can the child understand these things?” Seeing Hanhan’s troubled expression, Master Wang felt a little sorry for her and tried to smooth things over.

“He understands. My son is very smart.” Qin Xiaoyu smiled, patted Hanhan’s head, and asked, “Hanhan, do you understand?”

"I understand. Mom, take a bite, and my little sister and I will finish the rest." Hanhan scooped up a spoonful and fed it to the little fish.

"There's something else I need to tell you about your little sister. If there were a girl who was selfish and willful, always wanting everything and never sharing with others, would you like her?"

"Won't."

“If you continue to spoil her, your little sister will become like that. The message you’re sending her is that everyone in the world should pamper her, love her, and let her be willful. But that’s not true. When she enters society, no one will indulge her, and she will fall hard.” Qin Xiaoyu observed Hanhan’s expression. This time, he understood completely. His brows furrowed, and his expression became serious.

"Now you know what to do?" Qin Xiaoyu said all this simply to get Hanhan to eat the cake herself.

"Mom, I understand, but you once told me an idiom, 'progress step by step.' It would be too abrupt to change my little sister all at once. Let's take it slowly, okay?" Hanhan tilted her head.

"Look, my son is smarter than me. He even knows how to take things one step at a time." Qin Xiaoyu was convinced as she watched the brother and sister sit at the table, taking turns eating cake.

"Master, are you still comfortable living in this room?" Grandma Hanhan said with a smile as she entered.

"It's all good, thank you for your hard work." Master Wang smiled and got up to greet him.

"Little Fish, go upstairs, Madam wants to see you." It turned out that Grandma Hanhan was there to deliver a message.

"Mom, do you know what it is?" Qin Xiaoyu guessed that her mother-in-law wanted to praise her, but the old lady was shrewd, and who could say for sure?

"I don't know, just take the money I'm given. Your wife isn't short of money; it's not easy for you to earn it."

"Okay, Mom." Qin Xiaoyu realized that her mother-in-law was almost becoming her own mother.

"How much did you spend on your birthday?" the wife asked bluntly.

"This is a gift from me to you, don't ask anymore."

“I married into the Tang family when I was 15, and it’s been 65 years now. Back in my parents’ home, I was a pampered child, truly spoiled. But in the Tang family, although I’ve weathered many storms, your grandfather took care of me, so I suffered far less than others my age. Before he passed away, he held my hand and said, ‘I’m worried about you now that I’m gone; you’ll suffer.’ He was right. When your grandfather was alive, your aunt could still put on a facade, but after he left, her true colors were revealed. I only thought that in my twilight years, I could keep things superficially harmonious at home, so that things wouldn’t turn out badly and bring shame upon us. But later, I felt I couldn’t bear it anymore.” The wife, overcome with sorrow, pulled out a linen handkerchief and began to wipe away her tears.

“Madam, such a thing will never happen again. Just rest assured and take care of yourself. I’m here for you.” The last three words Qin Xiaoyu spoke were heavy, and she felt the pressure on her shoulders.

“I know. From now on, the Tang family is in your hands. You will be in charge of everything. Your grandfather’s fortune telling is quite accurate. I didn’t believe him before, but I do now.”

"That won't do. There are so many elders here. How can I make the decision?" Qin Xiaoyu hurriedly waved her hand. She wasn't the youngest in the Tang family and didn't have much status. How could it be her turn?

“I’ll only consider your merits, not your kinship. Just listen to me. From now on, all major decisions for the Tang family will be made with your approval. I can see that you have a big vision. Look how well you’ve arranged things for your cousin’s family. From now on, everyone in this family will have to rely on you. I’m telling you this now, just you wait and see.” The wife said firmly.

“Madam, I can manage the Tang family, but I really can’t make decisions. I’m too young.”

"Alright, tell your master that I apologize for not being hospitable enough. Just say I was too tired to get up yesterday morning, so I didn't see her off. Tell her to come over and play whenever she's free." After saying that, the lady lay down on the kang, turning her back to Qin Xiaoyu, and stopped talking.

"This is terrible."

As soon as Qin Xiaoyu stepped out the door, Grandma Hanhan dragged her aside.

"What's wrong, Mom?" Qin Xiaoyu asked, puzzled, seeing her acting strangely.

"I heard everything. Madam is putting you in charge, so you'd better behave yourself. The Tang family is a very large and powerful family..."

"Cough." Someone coughed outside, startling Grandma Hanhan, who stopped talking and quickly went to her room.

"How big can a family's wealth and influence be? It can't be bigger than the business empire I've built." Qin Xiaoyu is no ordinary person; she's overthinking things. She doesn't even consider the Tang family's resources worth her attention.

She returned to the house, where the master and children had already finished washing up and gone to bed. The two siblings were fast asleep, their breathing even. It had been an exciting day, and they were both exhausted.

"Xiaoyu, I can tell. The Tang family treats you well." Master Wang seemed preoccupied. Qin Xiaoyu guessed what he was going to say and wanted to avoid the topic, but she couldn't just shut him up.

“I know you don’t like hearing this, but I still have to say it. You’re still young. Don’t let a temporary emotional problem lead you to stay in this family for the rest of your life. It’s not worth it to ruin yourself.”

“Master, what if I said it was another reason? I have absolutely no feelings for these men. They are just a burden, more tiring than raising children. That is the reason why I will not remarry.”

“This silly child, what do you rely on for marriage? Feelings? The child will grow up slowly, and there will be many things to do in the future. When he goes to school, when he goes to work, when he gets married, you will have to take care of all of these things by yourself. Can you handle it?” Master Wang, who had been through it all, kept sighing heavily.

"Alright, Master, I know you care about me. Let's not talk about this anymore. Go to sleep. Anyway, I won't remarry. I'll just live a good life with my daughter and son."

As Qin Xiaoyu spoke, she climbed onto the kang (a heated brick bed), tucking the blankets around the brother and sister. As she raised her hand, she suddenly noticed a smile flicker across Hanhan's lips and realized that the clever little one hadn't slept at all. She shook her head with a smile.

She was already exhausted after a long day, but what her master said stirred up her worries. While Master Wang was snoring loudly, she was wide awake.