Chapter 107 Sleeping on the floor: An analogy

“Being a teacher is a very good job.” Fan Yani couldn’t possibly say that being a teacher is bad. These people don’t understand that the tide of the times is about to come and wash them away. “Being a teacher is a stable job that you can do for a lifetime.”

"Working in a factory is a secure job. Children can go to school, employees can get medical care, and you can rely on the factory for your whole life," the guest said.

“That’s now, but it’s uncertain what will happen in the future,” Fan Yani said. When these people have their years of service bought out, they will know how cruel reality is.

Choosing to become a teacher now is a good decision. Zhang Wen is at the perfect age to be a teacher; by the time the number of children decreases, she'll be close to retirement. Kindergartens will be the first to close; primary schools will be a few years later.

Zhang Wen has been a teacher for many years. He hopes to get a professional title so that he can receive a higher pension when he retires.

In Fan Yani's previous life, countless people dreamed of entering the system and attending good schools. Zhang Wen was born in a good era; everything seemed to fall into place at the right time. Zhang Wen chose a good path, so he wouldn't have to worry about the future at all.

It wasn't that Fan Yani looked down on the fat woman and her husband, but rather that the couple themselves weren't particularly well-off, and their education level wasn't high either. Fan Yani naturally wanted to improve the fat woman's life, not worsen it.

Knowing full well what might happen in the future, Fan Yani couldn't possibly let her sister-in-law disobey Song Fenglan; Song Fenglan's choice was the best. Fan Yani thought that if she had graduated from a vocational school in her previous life and could have become a teacher, she would have. But the requirements for teachers' qualifications in her previous life were much higher, unlike now.

"Regardless of the present or the future, the future is always unknown," the guest said.

Fan Yani smiled and didn't continue. Even if she did, others wouldn't believe her. They would only think that things that hadn't happened yet were fake and couldn't possibly be true. Fan Yani didn't bother explaining; it was pointless.

Most people still hope that their children will go to work in factories, join the army, or work in relevant departments.

That's how the times are; many people follow the trend without realizing that this wave is about to crash, leaving nothing but emptiness underneath.

Qin's mother wasn't watching Qin Li'an all the time, but Qin Li'an knew where Song Fenglan's family lived, so he came over on his own. Just as Zhang Xiaohu and Qin Zihang were getting ready to go to the Song family's house, Qin Li'an jumped out.

"Qin Zihang, are you still a member of the Qin family?" Qin Li'an heard his grandmother say.

Qin Zihang is clearly a member of the Qin family, yet he treats others kindly and even invites his so-called neighbors to live in his home. This infuriates Qin Li'an, who feels he has received so little benefit from Qin Zihang, so how can Qin Zihang be so kind to an outsider?

"What business is it of yours which family I belong to?" Qin Zihang rolled his eyes.

"Get him out of here." Qin Li'an pointed at Zhang Xiaohu. "I'm your brother, he isn't."

“He’s not my cousin, but he’s closer than a biological brother. You, my cousin, are nothing.” Qin Zihang wasn’t stupid; he wasn’t going to listen to Qin Li’an. He turned to Zhang Xiaohu and said, “Brother Xiaohu, this is the cousin who always tries to bully me. I don’t like him, and you shouldn’t listen to him either.”

"I won't listen, I won't listen," Zhang Xiaohu nodded.

"Qin Zihang!" Qin Li'an gritted his teeth.

As Qin Li'an spoke, he wanted to teach Qin Zihang a lesson, and he was about to hit Qin Zihang. Zhang Xiaohu was there, and he wouldn't let Qin Li'an hit Qin Zihang.

Then, a fight broke out between the two sides. The neighborhood kids came out, and of course, they sided with Qin Zihang. Qin Li'an was indeed quite big, even a bit bigger than Zhang Xiaohu, but he couldn't withstand so many people. Qin Li'an was also weak, while Qin Zihang had some training.

Qin Li'an was beaten black and blue, but his injuries weren't too serious. The children's parents and passersby came out quickly.

"I'll teach you to hit Zihang's little brother, I'll teach you to hit Zihang's little brother."

"You come here to bully us, and you still have the nerve to complain?"

"Bad thing, dirty thing, a little spy born from a spy program."

...

Some people used particularly offensive language. Qin Li'an rarely heard anyone call him a spy anymore, and he never expected that someone would call him that again.

Qin Li'an could still walk and run, so he ran off quickly. He was going to tell his grandmother to teach Qin Zihang a lesson.

The other children's parents naturally wouldn't side with Qin Li'an, and some of them said a few words to Qin Zihang.

"Zihang, things are very chaotic outside lately. Don't let the little spy into your house."

"He treated your mother so badly, and he even bullied you. It's outrageous."

"Go play with Xiaohu and ignore him. If he dares to come back, call the police and have him arrested."

...

Qin Zihang and Zhang Xiaohu still went to the Song family to play. After arriving at the Song family, Qin Zihang told Song's mother about Qin Li'an.

"He wouldn't let me play with Brother Xiaohu right away, and he even hit me," Qin Zihang said. "Then, we started fighting. He's run away now. There are more of us, so he doesn't dare to hit me anymore."

"Why did he come here?" Song's mother frowned.

"He just can't stand to see me doing well," Qin Zihang said. "None of them are any good; they're always thinking we should give them benefits. Little Tiger didn't do anything to him, yet he's still so fierce. My house isn't his house; he has no right to make decisions about it."

"Don't worry about him," said Song's mother.

When Qin Li'an returned to the Qin family and met with his mother, she was naturally very unhappy. With a cold face, she was about to rush to Song Fenglan's house.

"Mom," You Yun stopped Song's mother, "When children are fighting, adults shouldn't get involved."

“I’m like this!” Qin Li’an pointed to his cheek.

“If you hadn’t gone through that past, you wouldn’t have been beaten,” You Yun said. “Why did others beat you? Wasn’t it because you started it?”

You Yun indeed

He rarely interfered in Qin Li'an's affairs, but this time Qin Li'an actually went to Song Fenglan's house and got into trouble. That won't do. Qin's older brother also instructed You Yun to keep a close eye on Qin Li'an and not let Qin Li'an and Qin's mother go to the Qin family.

"Mom, have you forgotten what your eldest son told you?" You Yun said. "Or are you really willing to let Li'an be sent to the police station for discipline?"

"You..." Qin's mother did not expect You Yun to say such a thing. You Yun had never cared about these things.

“Mom, Li’an is being immature, but are you immature too?” You Yun said. “He only got a beating, they haven’t even taken him to the police station yet.”

"They called me a little spy!" Qin Li'an couldn't stand it. "Mom, they hit me!"

“You call me Mom, so I have to do something about it,” You Yun said. “What others are saying makes a lot of sense. There are spies on your own mother’s side. And you, you still have to go and cause trouble for your aunt. If people don’t say this about you, who else will they say it about? You went there yourself. If you hadn’t gone there, things wouldn’t have turned out this way.”

You Yun scoffed. These people don't understand anything. If they were even slightly sensible, they would keep their tails between their legs instead of always running off to other people's turf.

“They didn’t come, but you still insist on going over,” You Yun said.

"Qin Zihang was siding with the person who was playing at his house, he..."

“That’s his friend,” You Yun said.

"I am still his brother," Qin Li'an emphasized.

“What kind of brother are you? Have you ever been good to him? All you do is oppress him. He doesn’t even want to acknowledge you as his brother,” You Yun said. “You’d better not go. You said yourself that some people are calling you a little spy. If you get caught, you’ll be dead in a flash. Do you still want to go?”

You Yun had never treated Qin Li'an so badly before, and Qin Li'an was a little scared.

“That’s what you said, but…it’s not necessarily true,” Qin Li’an said.

“Then go ahead and try it. I heard your mom just wouldn’t believe it and insisted on going to their doorstep. In the end, she ended up in the police station, and your parents got divorced,” You Yun said. “If you do the same, see if your dad still wants you. If your dad doesn’t want you, you’ll have to go to your biological mother’s. Your biological mother already has stepsons, does she still need you? Don’t forget, you also said she wasn’t your mother.”

You Yun looks down on her stepchildren. When their biological mother has problems, the two children just say that she wasn't their mother.

Qin's mother hugged Qin Li'an tightly, fearing that something might happen to her precious grandson.

“Mom, I’m not trying to scare you,” You Yun said. “Anything can happen. Right now, they just beat him up, and that’s the end of it. But if he’s not satisfied and insists on going back, it won’t just be a beating. Adults shouldn’t meddle in children’s affairs.”

"So that's it?" Qin's mother frowned. "We're just going to let Li'an get beaten like this?"

“Otherwise, you can go over there and make a scene,” You Yun said. “Do you think the Song family are pushovers? Do you think they would let you bully Qin Zihang? Or do you really want Song Fenglan to kick that child out of the house? He’s a guest they invited from afar.”

You Yun thought Zhang Xiaohu was better than Qin Li'an in every way. He had a good relationship with Qin Zihang, while Qin Li'an was nothing.

“In the past, you protected Qin Li’an and treated Qin Zihang badly. Qin Zihang sensed this and naturally didn’t want to have any contact with you or Li’an,” You Yun said. “He wasn’t wrong to do that.”

"It's his mother..."

“If I were Zihang’s mother, I would have done the same.” You Yun looked coldly at Qin Li’an. “Now I’m giving you two choices: one, stay here and stay in the Qin family; two, go to Qin Zihang’s side and continue to make trouble. After you’re done, go to your biological mother’s side. You are not the only child in this family. You are not irreplaceable.”

"You want to kick me out for your son?" Qin Li'an's eyes widened. He had heard his biological mother say before that if a stepmother had her own son, she would definitely treat him badly. Qin Li'an hadn't really felt it before, but now the feeling was much stronger.

“If I really wanted to get rid of you, I wouldn’t have said these things and let you make a scene. When your father comes back, he will just send you away,” You Yun said. “No matter what, you are still your father’s biological son. Unless you make a big mistake, we will never get rid of you.”

You Yun wasn't that heartless. At most, she just didn't want to pay much attention to her stepson and stepdaughter to avoid their resentment. But now, You Yun was worried that Qin Li'an would affect her family. Since Qin's older brother had said so, You Yun couldn't ignore it.

“Go, the door is right over there, you go, you go,” You Yun said. “Mom, you go too, go with him. At worst, you can live with your precious grandson from now on.”

"What do you mean?" Qin's mother asked. "Are you going to kick me out too?"

“It’s not that I want to kick you out, but if you continue like this, it’s not just me who can’t tolerate you, it’s your eldest son who can’t tolerate you, and it’s your husband who can’t tolerate you,” You Yun said. “Dad is a veteran, are you going to ruin his reputation for the rest of his life?”

Did Qin's mother really think that Qin's father wouldn't care about these things?

No, Qin's father does care.

Qin's father had also told Qin's mother not to spoil Qin Li'an. But Qin's mother wouldn't listen; if Qin Li'an showed even the slightest unhappiness, she would panic. She insisted on being good to Qin Li'an and felt that he was being wronged.

When Qin Yizhou learned that Zhang Xiaohu, Qin Zihang, and others had fought with Qin Li'an, he looked into the situation briefly. Naturally, this matter couldn't wait for Song Fenglan to handle; it had to be Qin Yizhou who dealt with it.

Qin Yizhou went directly to his father. Qin Li'an was mainly spoiled by his mother, who was more afraid of his father and older brother. His mother wasn't afraid of others; she was of a higher generation, so why should she be afraid? That was her thinking.

In the restaurant, Qin Yizhou, his father, and his elder brother were eating together; there was no one else around.

“Li’an went to my place today,” Qin Yizhou said. “He thinks we shouldn’t have let the neighbor’s kids come, and he even tried to beat Zihang. They saw all the neighbor’s kids, both past and present, and that’s why they beat Qin Li’an. Do you have any objections?”

"They're just superficial injuries, nothing serious." Qin's father came out of the house. Qin Li'an's injuries weren't serious. "It's nothing for a boy to suffer minor injuries."

"Yes, it's nothing." Brother Qin nodded.

Brother Qin felt uneasy. Qin Yizhou hadn't eaten with them in a long time. Qin Yizhou had only invited the two of them, not anyone else. Brother Qin immediately knew something was wrong; his brother wouldn't invite them to dinner for no reason and then forbid other family members from coming.

"Some things are better left unattended. If you manage them yourself, you'll know the limits, but if someone else manages them, the sense of proportion is different," Qin Yizhou said. "You all know that Li'an's biological mother's family background is special. If something goes wrong... Li'an isn't a child anymore. He can read and write and can do some things. You know, if someone really wants to, even a three-year-old can become an intelligence agent."

Qin Yizhou wasn't threatening his elder brother and father; it was simply a fact. Historically, there have been instances of young children serving as messengers and being murdered.

"Dad," Qin Yizhou poured wine for his father, "Don't let your lifelong reputation be ruined at this time."

Tian Keshu doesn't have the surname Qin, but Qin Li'an is different; Qin Li'an is a member of the Qin family.

“Whether it’s the neighbor’s child or a stranger, my Zihang likes them. When he invites them to his home, they are his guests,” Qin Yizhou said. “You’ve never been kind to him, but when others are kind to him, he knows how to tell the difference.”

"Yes, that's right," Brother Qin said. "I'll talk to Li'an about it later."

Brother Qin felt that Qin Li'an was too much of a headache. He now regretted letting Qin Li'an stay and should have sent him to Tian Keshu's place. It wasn't that Qin Li'an couldn't go now, though; he'd heard that Tian Keshu's husband had a vasectomy, and Tian Keshu couldn't have another child.

"Let Li'an stay with his mother for a while," Brother Qin said. "He can come back after school starts."

“Okay,” Qin’s father said. “Your mother stays at home; there are other children there.”

Seeing that his father and elder brother both approved of the method, Qin Yizhou thought, "He can still run back."

"If he runs back, let him stay outside," Brother Qin said. "It's so hot today, and it's not cold at night, nothing will happen."

Brother Qin thought he really needed to discipline Qin Li'an this time, to prevent him from ruining the Qin family.

Qin's father understood Qin Yizhou's meaning; it wasn't just Qin Li'an's problem, Qin's mother also had issues. Qin's father would naturally talk to Qin's mother properly, and he wouldn't mention her problems in front of Qin Yizhou.

Just as Qin Yizhou said, Qin's father did not want to tarnish his reputation in his later years.

Previously, when Qin's mother treated Song Fenglan badly, people could say it was due to the special era, and many people acted that way; Qin's mother was just an ordinary woman. But now, Qin's mother couldn't continue doing the same thing, or people would talk.

"I'll say a few words to your mother," Qin's father said.

"Spoiling a child is like killing him," Qin Yizhou said. "Praising someone to death is also a form of killing."

Qin's mother dotes on Qin Li'an so much, but she hasn't raised him well. If something really goes wrong with him, it will be difficult to handle.

“Let him go to his mother’s place,” Brother Qin said. “Let him experience what it’s like to live with his mother. Yizhou, let’s leave it at that.”

"Of course, that's how it is for now," Qin Yizhou said. "What happens in the future is up to you. After all, it's hard to say whether I'll be the one coming next time or someone else will."

"..." Brother Qin felt heartbroken.

Qin Yizhou treated everyone to dinner and paid the bill, not letting his older brother or father pay. The two of them walked home together, and as they walked, Qin's father gently patted his older brother's shoulder.

“We really need to take care of Li’an’s situation,” Qin’s father said. “You’re his biological father, so you should do more to help.”

Qin's father thought he was too old to manage so many things. When he went back, he would only say a few words to his wife, letting her understand that those were matters beyond their control.

"Dad." Brother Qin felt a pang of sadness. He had once thought he had married a good wife, but he never expected it to end like this.

"Alright, the things that need to be dealt with still need to be dealt with," said Qin's father.

When Brother Qin returned home, he went to pack Qin Li'an's clothes and grabbed Qin Li'an's hand, ready to leave.

"What's going on? What's going on?" Qin's mother asked hurriedly upon seeing this scene.

Qin Li'an didn't want to go out

He had no idea what his father was going to do; he just felt that his father seemed terrifying at that moment.

"Let him go stay with his mother for a while," Brother Qin said.

"No, his mother is..."

“He’s already become like this. If we keep him at home any longer, something bad will happen sooner or later,” Brother Qin said. “Mom, you’ve spoiled him too much, that’s why he’s become like this.”

Brother Qin originally thought that after his divorce from Tian Keshu, his two children would be much more cautious. Now it seems that this is not the case. The two children have indeed been quiet for a while. The daughter is a little better, as she was never that arrogant to begin with. However, Qin Li'an has become even more outrageous than before.

"We can't let him go," Qin's mother said. "If there's something to discuss, close the door and talk things out."

“Mom, you’re always like this. It’s your attitude that has ruined him,” Brother Qin said. “If you had taught him more, he wouldn’t have turned out like this.”

"I...you only know how to blame me now, blame him, you..."

"Do as the eldest says," Qin's father said. "He's right. You've spoiled Li'an too much, which is why he's turned out this way."

"Grandma, I don't want to go, I don't want to go to my mom's place." Qin Li'an quickly grabbed his mother's hand; he didn't want to go.

“You have to go today, whether you like it or not,” Brother Qin said.

“None of you told her,” Qin Li’an said.

“You’re going to your own mother’s place, what else is there to say?” Brother Qin said.

“She doesn’t have a place to stay,” Qin Li’an said. “There are no extra rooms.”

“Then you can sleep on the floor,” Brother Qin said. “Take a good look at the kind of life your mother is living now, and think about how your maternal grandparents were. They were always keeping a low profile, but you’re going to be so arrogant.”

Qin's mother tried to pull Qin's older brother away, but Qin's father was there, so she had to give up.

"Li'an, just go and stay for a few days, you'll be back soon," Qin's mother said. "Just think of it as you going to see your mother, it's alright, it's alright."

"I'm not going, Grandma, I'm not going!" Qin Li'an said.

Brother Qin dragged Qin Li'an out, wanting to make Qin Li'an suffer a bit, not letting him have it too easy.

When Brother Qin brought Qin Li'an to Tian Keshu, Tian Keshu was dumbfounded.

Tian Keshu did indeed intend for her children to take care of her in her old age, but she did not intend for Qin Li'an to live with her.

“Well… there are no spare rooms in my house,” Tian Keshu said. “There’s nowhere for him to stay. There are only two rooms in the house. My husband and I share one room, and my husband’s two sons share the other.”

“If there are no rooms, he can sleep on the floor,” Brother Qin said. “It’s not very cold now. In this hot weather, he won’t catch a cold sleeping on the floor. Didn’t you always want to visit him? Now, you can visit him properly.”

"No, this really won't do." Tian Keshu didn't want Qin Li'an to stay here. Firstly, her current husband's family wasn't very good, and secondly, she was worried that if her older brother kicked Qin Li'an out, Qin Li'an wouldn't be able to get a share of the Qin family's things in the future. She was afraid that her older brother would keep Qin Li'an staying with her. "My husband will talk about you."

“Li’an is your son,” Brother Qin said. “You have to take care of him for a while, let him experience the hardships of life. Stop him from constantly causing me trouble and doing things he shouldn’t. Do you know what people outside are saying about him? They say he’s a little spy!”

“Well… they’re just saying that,” Tian Keshu said.

"That's not necessarily true," Brother Qin said. "I'm afraid your son really did become a spy. He had nothing to do, but he insisted on going to Yizhou's place and even tried to beat up Zihang. Of course, everyone else sided with Zihang. Do you think they would side with him? Zihang is his cousin after all, and he knows his limits. He only suffered minor injuries. If he had encountered a more ruthless one, he wouldn't have been so badly hurt. Spies and spies—if you accidentally kill one, no one will hold you accountable."

As Brother Qin spoke, he genuinely worried that Qin Li'an would one day be beaten to death. Qin Li'an was so unreasonable, always thinking of causing trouble on other people's turf. Who did he think he was, that everyone had to listen to him?

"No way?" Tian Keshu looked at Qin Li'an beside her.

“I didn’t do that,” Qin Li’an said. “I just told Qin Zihang not to let that person go to his house. I, his cousin, didn’t go either. He let the neighbor’s child stay at his house. People laughed at me, saying that Qin Zihang treated outsiders better than me. Qin Zihang didn’t give me, his cousin, any face at all. He humiliated me, he…”

*Slap!* Brother Qin slapped Qin Li'an hard across the face.

"Do you think Qin Zihang's things are yours?" Brother Qin said. "Who he entertains is his business, it's none of your concern."

It was around eight o'clock in the evening. Tian Keshu stood at the door, a little afraid that her husband would find out. Her husband had already gone home and had just finished dinner.

“If he does something wrong, you should teach him properly and not let him come here,” Tian Keshu said. “It’s not that I don’t want him to stay, it’s just that there aren’t any extra rooms here. If he sleeps on the floor, it’s not convenient for everyone to get up at night, and we’re afraid of accidentally stepping on him. It’s better to let him go back; you have plenty of rooms over there.”

"If you don't want him to stay here, then let him go out and wander," Brother Qin said coldly. He put down his things and decisively turned to leave.

"No, you..." Tian Keshu wanted to refuse again, but Brother Qin left quickly, and she didn't chase after him. Tian Keshu turned to look at Qin Li'an, rubbing her temples. This was her own son, and she couldn't really let her own son end up on the streets.

The two stepsons didn't treat Tian Keshu very well, and Tian Keshu was worried that the two stepsons wouldn't take care of her in her old age, so she still had to be nicer to Qin Li'an.

"Li'an." Tian Keshu looked at Qin Li'an with some panic, "Why don't you... go back?"

“They will never let me go back,” Qin Li’an said.

"It's so dark here, your face... sigh, let's go inside first," Tian Keshu said. "Did you apply any medicine?"

“I wiped it off,” Qin Li’an said.

Qin's mother applied medicine to Qin Li'an early in the morning, and even gave him more medicine when his older brother brought him out. She was worried Qin Li'an would suffer, and if Qin's father hadn't stopped her, she would have given him even more.

"Come inside, come inside." Tian Keshu helped Qin Li'an carry his luggage.

Qin Li'an wanted to stay at home, which displeased Tian Keshu's husband.

“He’ll only be staying for a short time, not long. Once my ex-husband and the others calm down, he’ll be fine,” Tian Keshu quickly said.

“There are no rooms in the house,” Tian Keshu’s husband said.

"It's alright, let him sleep on the floor," Tian Keshu could only say, forcing herself to speak.

Looking at the furnishings in the room and then at the size of the room, Qin Li'an felt that the room was really too small. The living room was small, and the other places were small too.

Tian Keshu's idea was for Qin Li'an to sleep on the sofa at night, as it would be more convenient and less likely to be stepped on. She couldn't very well ask her stepson to give up his bed, so she had to make do with her own son.

That evening, when Qin Yizhou told Song Fenglan, Song Fenglan learned that Qin Li'an had come by and that the children had fought.

"So many of them ganging up on one person?" Song Fenglan asked.

"It's alright, they didn't kill him. You know your son, he always knows how to behave," Qin Yizhou said.

"Of course I know he knows his limits. I was thinking of just giving him a little beating, not too hard. If we really have to fight, we can just put him in a sack and beat him. No, let's fight openly and honestly," Song Fenglan said. "Fighting openly and honestly is good. If there's a conflict, let's put it out in the open. Is Qin Li'an crazy? We're not even living at his place, why is he coming over to meddle so much?"

Song Fenglan felt that Qin Li'an was seriously ill; Qin Li'an had been like this since childhood. Even after Tian Keshu divorced Qin's older brother, Qin Li'an hadn't improved. Everyone else was taking care of Qin Li'an, but no one seemed worried that he would become useless.

“I’ve spoken to my older brother and father,” Qin Yizhou said. “I’ve had a meal with them and had a good talk with them. If they don’t take care of Qin Li’an, then someone else will have to take care of him in the future. And taking care of him won’t be so simple.”

“It’s alright now, but what about when Qin Li’an grows up?” Song Fenglan said. “What if he does something illegal? They spoil him so much, don’t they ever try to reason with him?”

"My eldest brother and father value the son born to my current sister-in-law more."

"Son, but Mom..." Qin Yizhou didn't want to comment much on his mother, "She's spoiled me so much, she's always spoiled me, to this extent."

“As long as they don’t bring it up in front of Zihang, it doesn’t matter,” Song Fenglan said. “Your brother’s son’s matter won’t affect our son’s political review. What will be affected is your brother, and Qin Li’an’s future children.”

“It’s not that my brother doesn’t know, he just doesn’t want to get involved,” Qin Yizhou said. “In his early years, he had a good chance of getting promoted and was in great spirits. But now, with no hope of promotion, he’s become listless and sluggish, like a jaded old fox. He prefers to play the peacemaker.”

Qin Yizhou clearly sensed the change in his elder brother. His brother had suffered a huge blow, his career prospects were hopeless, and all his former vigor was gone. He was like a wilted eggplant, listless and dejected. His tone and attitude were also not as good as before.

"The positive and uplifting spirit has been lost." Qin Yizhou sighed.

“Don’t blame me for being blunt, but anyone can do what your older brother did and replace him,” Song Fenglan said. “Even me, if someone studies for a longer period of time, they can replace me.”

“You are even more irreplaceable,” Qin Yizhou said.

“This is just an analogy,” Song Fenglan said. “When a person can be easily replaced, if they make a small mistake and get caught, they will be suppressed. Even if they don’t make a mistake and aren’t unique, they can still be dealt with.”

Song Fenglan recalled a post she had seen online in her previous life: a university professor, nearly sixty years old, had failed his evaluation. There were all sorts of opinions online; some said older professors should give way to younger ones, while others said the professor simply didn't like publishing low-quality papers, which was why he didn't have so many.

It's not that senior professors aren't good enough, but if you're not at the very top, and you're in the middle or lower ranks of your organization, you might be sacrificed. Organizations would rather avoid trouble than go through the hassle. Even if they know there are other solutions, they might not seek them out; they'll just say that's the policy, and they're following it.

Yes, it's all policy; their actions are all orderly and reasonable.

Even if a company temporarily changes its stance after a post is published, it might change its mind again later. Also, some companies might feel they are being coerced by online public opinion, so they simply don't respond or manage the situation.

“So I told Zihang that he must have a specialty, but also avoid internal conflicts,” Song Fenglan said. “If this company isn’t working out, then we should switch to another one. If we don’t want to switch companies, then we can just coast along and wait to die.”

Brother Qin couldn't get promoted at his previous company, but it was still within the system. Brother Qin didn't want to change jobs or find something else to do; he was just coasting along.

Leaving the system isn't necessarily a good thing. Someone like Brother Qin isn't exactly a shrewd businessman. After leaving the system, those who once treated them with respect might not do so anymore. Those people were only showing respect because of their former position within the system, not because of any personal connection.

In a past life, a person working within the system became famous through live streaming. He connected with various online influencers, who only became popular because of his position—their organization's reputation, not his personal one. Then, that person resigned and started live streaming on his own. After that, he lost his popularity and even considered returning to his original organization, which naturally refused to hire him. This back-and-forth is impossible; it's just a game.

Now that Brother Qin has left the system, it will be even more difficult for him to go back. After all, his ex-wife's family background is problematic; if Brother Qin hadn't entered the system so early, he wouldn't have been able to stay there indefinitely.

Others can still see Brother Qin as a victim and let him stay.

"Just muddling along," Qin Yizhou said. "Big Brother has no expectations for the future; he's just thinking about getting by."

Qin Yizhou understood perfectly what his older brother Qin was thinking: if he couldn't get a promotion, he'd just drift along day by day. His older brother Qin really didn't have many options. The younger generation was constantly pushing the older ones aside; newer college graduates were taking over, while his brother, with his lower qualifications, was slowly being overtaken by those with higher degrees.

People are catching up.

Fortunately, Brother Qin's job is stable and he can do it for life.

“The eldest brother now has high hopes for his youngest son,” Qin Yizhou said.

“Hmm,” Song Fenglan said, “Whether he’s better to his eldest son or his youngest son, it doesn’t matter. As long as it doesn’t affect us, they can do as they please.”

"Yes," Qin Yizhou replied.

"Neither Xiaohu nor Zihang told me about the fight just now, so I had no idea. I only found out after you told me," Song Fenglan said with emotion.

"They thought it was just a small matter and didn't need to bother you," Qin Yizhou said. "I went out to handle it again, so there was even less reason for you to worry about it. Now that the matter is resolved, I just wanted to let you know."

"Your older brother sent him to Tian Keshu's place. There aren't any rooms available for your nephew there, right?" Song Fenglan had heard that Tian Keshu's current house was very small.

“No, then let him sleep on the floor,” Qin Yizhou said. “Qin Li’an is, after all, my brother’s biological son. My brother wants him to learn a lesson so that he can change for the better. Let Qin Li’an go to his biological mother’s place and experience what it’s like to be a stepfather.”

It's said that with a stepmother comes a stepfather, but because Tian Keshu's current husband has undergone sterilization, her status in her husband's family is not high. Tian Keshu has to do a lot of things every day, and her husband even complains that her cooking is not good, so Tian Keshu can only listen.

Qin Li'an didn't want to sleep on the sofa at all, but it was getting late, and he didn't want to go home at this time. Even if he did go home, his father might not let him in. So, while everyone else was sleeping, Qin Li'an deliberately made some noise so that no one could sleep.

Tian Keshu was pushed a few times by her husband. "Go check on your son. What is he doing making such a racket? Everyone is going to sleep, and he's making a fuss over there."

"I'll go see him." Tian Keshu had no choice; he was her own son, so she had to go see him herself.

Tian Keshu turned on the light and found that Qin Li'an was still awake, sitting on the sofa.

"Li'an, can't you sleep?" Tian Keshu asked.

"Your living room smells awful, and this sofa is so small, how are we supposed to sleep?" Qin Li'an said with disdain.

“Well… different houses have different smells,” Tian Keshu said. “It’s impossible for them all to smell the same.”

"It stinks!" Qin Li'an said.

When Tian Keshu's two stepsons heard these words, they did not come out; they spoke directly in the room.

"If you don't like it, then don't stay here."

"They were kicked out of their home, and they still have the nerve to complain about our family. We're the ones who complain about them."

"They have their own home but can't stay there, yet they come to stay at our house. It's so annoying."

...

"What did you say?" Qin Li'an rushed over and banged on the door, insisting that Tian Keshu's two stepsons come out.

"You're shameless!" Tian Keshu's stepson came out, along with both of them. They were a bit thin, but both were quite tall. The older brother pointed at Qin Li'an's chest, "You were kicked out for causing trouble, weren't you? Do you think you're some kind of young master? Still looking down on us."

"No, he..."

"This place is filthy, messy, and stinks; it's worse than a pigsty," Qin Li'an said. "Do you think I wanted to come here?"

“Then go ahead and leave, go ahead and leave,” said Tian Keshu’s stepson.

Tian Keshu's husband hasn't come out yet. As long as her biological son doesn't suffer any loss, it doesn't matter whether he comes out or not.

Enraged, Qin Li'an stormed out of the house. Tian Keshu glanced at her two stepsons. The two stepsons gave Tian Keshu a cold shoulder, and not daring to glare at them, she could only chase after Qin Li'an.

"Li'an, Li'an, it's so late, don't wander around." Tian Keshu jogged out. "Be careful, some of the lights here are broken and haven't been replaced yet. Li'an, Li'an, slow down."

"Who exactly is your son?" Qin Li'an stopped at the door and turned to look at Tian Keshu. "Your biological son is being talked about, and you don't even dare to say a word!"

Qin Li'an ran away because he didn't want to be beaten anymore; those two could easily have overpowered him. When Qin Li'an was beating Qin Zihang, he thought he could beat him, but now he doesn't think so anymore. Fighting depends on how many people are involved.

"What kind of mother are you?" Qin Li'an sneered. "Are you my mother or their mother? You're a better stepmother than my own mother!"