Chapter 31 Invitation Many children have their own rooms

“If I could go in your place, I would go in your place,” Aunt Qin said. “The Song family has been back for several days now, and you’re still dawdling here. Others are busier than you, but they’ve managed to get there.”

Aunt Qin still wanted to maintain good relations with the Song family and be opportunistic in order to keep things on track.

Aunt Qin is already unhappy just looking at someone as disgusting as Sister-in-law Qin.

In the past, people could say that Sister-in-law Qin had a good family background, unlike Song Fenglan, whose background was not so good. She was also considered hardworking and could earn some praise. But now, many of those advantages have become disadvantages.

The Song family is doing so well now; they've been exonerated and are now receiving attention.

“You treat the eldest son’s family so well, but treat the youngest son like this. It’s so unfair,” said Aunt Qin. “I can’t stand it.”

Mr. Qin sighed, hesitating whether to go and take a look. Since Aunt Qin had said so, they still had to make up their minds.

“If you give betrothal gifts now, others may not think it’s appropriate,” Aunt Qin said. “Don’t talk about the betrothal gifts or the past. Just go and see them to see if they’re doing well. After all, they are in-laws, so it’s better to see them.”

"We'll go tomorrow," Qin's father said. They still needed to bring some things with them; they couldn't go empty-handed.

After Aunt Qin left, Father Qin summoned Brother Qin. The matter of Sister-in-law Qin faking her pregnancy still needed to be addressed. Everyone outside was saying she was pregnant, but it wasn't; it had created an awkward situation for everyone.

Brother Qin originally thought his parents wanted them to move back because his wife was pregnant and needed someone to take care of her.

Surprisingly, his wife wasn't pregnant!

Qin's father had a gloomy face, and the way he looked at Qin's older brother was very unpleasant.

"Was this your idea, or hers?" Qin's father asked.

"Dad, I don't know." Brother Qin really didn't know about this. His wife hadn't said it was a fake pregnancy, so he thought it was real.

"You don't know? She's your wife!" Qin's father said. "Even if she's lying, you won't escape responsibility. Don't you want your younger brother anymore?"

"No." Brother Qin had no intention of abandoning his younger brother Qin Yizhou. Qin Yizhou was the regimental commander and still very useful.

"No, you need to think about it carefully," Qin's father said. "How could you do such a thing?"

Qin's father was relieved that it was his eldest aunt who found out and spoke up, rather than someone else, especially the Song family, who exposed the matter. Qin's father felt extremely ashamed. He had lived under the same roof with his eldest daughter-in-law for many years, and he never imagined she was this kind of person. What she had done shocked them.

Time and again, Qin's father felt that his sister-in-law was a stranger, a complete stranger.

“Dad, I’ll go back and ask her,” Brother Qin said. “Maybe it’s a misunderstanding.”

At this moment, Brother Qin and Staff Officer Xu were somewhat similar. Their wives had run into trouble, and neither of them wanted to believe their wives could have made such a serious mistake; they both wondered if there was a misunderstanding. Brother Qin clearly knew that his wife had done many bad things in the past, yet he still said such things.

That night, Brother Qin and Sister-in-law Qin had a big fight.

"Yes, I am not pregnant."

"Isn't this all for our whole family?"

"Your parents kicked us out. Are they going to give the house to your younger brother? Are they going to give everything to your younger brother?"

“We’ve worked so hard here to take care of your parents. We’ve done our part, even if we haven’t done anything special. But now that your sister-in-law’s family has been exonerated, this is how they treat me.”

"It's all my fault. Your mother didn't go to deliver the things herself, she insisted that I do it."

"Are she testing me with all those things? Who wouldn't be tempted by them?"

...

Sister-in-law Qin didn't think she was wrong. Her family was poor and lacked many things, which her family knew. Qin's mother even handed those things to Sister-in-law Qin, asking her to give them to Song Fenglan.

"You make me do so many things without considering my feelings," said Sister-in-law Qin. "Do you treat me like Song Fenglan, like someone who lived a life of luxury? I come from a working-class family; we don't have that much money! When my family is in trouble, I ask you for money, and you only lend me a little bit. When your mother gave Song Fenglan money, she gave her quite a lot. Was she this attentive when I was getting married and in postpartum confinement?"

In fact, Qin's mother favored her eldest daughter-in-law more. Qin's mother took care of her eldest daughter-in-law during her postpartum period, killing more than six chickens and cooking them herself, along with eggs and noodles. Qin's mother didn't make her eldest daughter-in-law do anything during her postpartum period, nor did she ever make things difficult for her.

When Song Fenglan was in postpartum confinement, Qin Dasao did not. When Qin Dasao saw those things, she felt that she had been cheated.

"I didn't marry you to suffer," Sister-in-law Qin said. "Back then, the Song family was sent to a farm because of their bad class background. If I didn't make sure you were clear about things with her, you would have been implicated too. Who did I do all this for? Wasn't it all for you? And now you all think I did it for myself?"

"You shouldn't have faked your pregnancy." Seeing his sister-in-law say these words so angrily, Brother Qin wondered if his parents really weren't that good to them.

No, Brother Qin knew perfectly well that his parents favored their branch of the family more, and that their branch received more. When Brother Qin and his wife got married, the Qin family provided a generous dowry and prepared many gifts. In contrast, when Qin Yizhou and Song Fenglan got married, the Qin family didn't offer much.

Brother Qin has eyes; he can see and feel things himself.

“I just want to move back, but you can’t bring yourself to say it. Both kids want to go back; they’re not used to living here,” said Sister-in-law Qin. “The kids are clamoring not to live here. It’s not you who’s coaxing them; it’s me. When we move out, people laugh at us behind our backs, saying that Mom and Dad are going to give everything to your brother and sister-in-law. Before, they treated me like a treasure; now, they treat me like trash.”

Sister-in-law Qin was furious just thinking about it. Brother Qin hadn't even really gotten angry yet, but Sister-in-law Qin's temper was already flaring up.

Lately, Sister-in-law Qin has been thinking a lot about moving back home. She went back to her parents' house, and they told her to be patient and try to mend her relationship with her in-laws. Sister-in-law Qin knows that if she doesn't move back, they'll laugh at her. What is she supposed to do?

Sister-in-law Qin could only save herself; she was willing to do anything to move back home.

"Don't forget, your brother is married now. He's not the Qin Yizhou he used to be," said Sister-in-law Qin. "Your brother can't listen to you like he used to. Now he only listens to his wife, Song Fenglan. Who knows, he might even resent you, his older brother. You're both grown up now, and there are some things you need to be clear about."

Sister-in-law Qin could not give up her parents-in-law's house, nor could she give up what her parents-in-law owned.

“Your parents know you faked your pregnancy,” Brother Qin said.

"Okay, we'll stay put for now," said Sister-in-law Qin. "What, are they going to come over and curse me?"

“They talked about me,” Brother Qin said.

"Aren't you going to argue back?" Sister-in-law Qin said. "You're their eldest son. We've taken care of them for so many years. What's the point of them saying these things now?"

Brother Qin was at his wits' end, seeing that his wife was completely unyielding.

Early in the morning, Mr. and Mrs. Qin went to see Mr. and Mrs. Song. Mrs. Song thought that the Qin family did not plan to come at this time, and that the Qin family would wait until Qin Yizhou returned to the capital before they came.

Mr. and Mrs. Qin brought some fruit and a chicken.

"Let's leave it for your eldest daughter-in-law. I heard she's pregnant." Song's mother didn't know that Qin's sister-in-law was faking her pregnancy. She only knew that when her daughter was pregnant, the Qin family only gave her one chicken, and Qin's sister-in-law ate many chickens.

"This... the eldest daughter is at fault. We've already spoken to her and told them to move out," said Qin's mother. Seeing how firm Song's mother's attitude was, her own momentum weakened.

It's not that Qin's mother didn't want to

The problem wasn't that something happened, but rather that Song's mother came from a prominent family and had received a different kind of education. Sitting there, Song's mother exuded the air of a matriarch.

“This is your decision,” said Mrs. Song. “It wasn’t our Song family that made you do this.”

"Where is your father-in-law?" Qin's father asked.

“He’s not home, he’s gone out,” said Song’s mother. “He has something to do and we don’t know when he’ll be back. I won’t keep you for dinner, just have some water and go home.”

Song's mother wasn't particularly gentle with the Qin family. They were already bullying her daughter; she didn't care if they were her daughter's in-laws. If Song's mother backed down, the Qin family would only think Song Fenglan was easy to fool.

Yes, the Song family suffered, but they have been exonerated and can now stand tall.

Once, Song's mother called and pleaded with the Qin family to treat Song Fenglan better, adopting a very humble attitude. At that time, Qin's mother was very domineering on the phone, acting as if her family had suffered a great loss. Qin's mother even thought that Song's mother should persuade Song Fenglan to let Qin Yizhou go.

Just because the Song family returned doesn't mean those things never happened.

Qin's father and mother had no choice but to leave; they were too embarrassed to stay any longer. Qin's father had never imagined that anyone would be so disrespectful to him. He had been to the battlefield and fought in wars, and before retiring, he was no ordinary leader. Even now, many people still treated him with respect, but the Song family simply gave him the cold shoulder.

Song's mother knows Qin's father is powerful, but so what? They're not talking about who's in charge, they're talking about the two families' children. Was that an apologetic attitude from the Qin family? Did they think the Song family would rush to their aid just because they came over?

Harmony brings wealth, but thinking about the past, Song's mother couldn't bring herself to be harmonious. If it weren't for Qin Yizhou and Dr. Lin being decent, Song's mother would never have let Qin's father and mother in.

When Qin's father and mother returned home, Qin's eldest aunt was waiting for them there.

"How is it?" Aunt Qin asked.

"I was kicked out after just a sip of tea." Qin's mother felt aggrieved; she hadn't been treated like this in a long time, let alone by her husband.

Father Qin remained silent. They had no way to use their power to intimidate others, nor could they say much more. Father Qin could only sigh. In the end, it was the Qin family that had failed. What goes around comes around. Once, the Qin family ignored the Song family; now, the Song family held their heads high.

"It's nothing. You've been bullying their daughter like this, and they're not even allowed to be angry?" Aunt Qin said. "If my daughter were bullied like this, I would have kicked the person out. It's already a miracle that they let you in."

Aunt Qin was determined to ease tensions with the Song family. The Song family was now powerful, so it was best to do so as soon as possible.

“We can’t just wait for Yizhou to come back and then go with him to apologize,” Aunt Qin said. “You should resolve this serious issue before Yizhou returns, so as not to put him in a difficult position.”

Qin Yizhou didn't call his parents or mention that they had to go to the Song family. As a junior, Qin Yizhou couldn't expect his elders to apologize; he should apologize himself.

During the day, Madam Su was still with Qin Zihang. Qin Zihang sat in the living room writing, and Zhang Xiaohu also sat there writing. However, Zhang Xiaohu started scribbling nonsense as he wrote, not writing properly, and his writing was a mess.

Mrs. Su didn't make Zhang Xiaohu write properly. Zhang Xiaohu was still young, and there was no need to force such a young child to study hard. Some children aren't that smart, and they find learning more difficult. Not every child is as studious as Qin Zihang.

"Write for a while, then go out to play," said Madam Su.

Zhang Xiaohu peeked at Qin Zihang's writing, then looked at his own. He crumpled the paper up, not wanting Qin Zihang to see it. After a quick glance, Zhang Xiaohu knew how terrible his handwriting was. Qin Zihang's writing was much better, neat and orderly, while Zhang Xiaohu's was clumsy and incomplete.

"Brother Zihang, can you give me your brain?" Zhang Xiaohu couldn't help but ask.

"I can't give it to you," Qin Zihang said. "What do you need my brain for?"

"I want to write as well as you, so my mom won't hit me anymore," Zhang Xiaohu said. "My mom always says I don't study hard enough, even though I listen to what the teacher says, but..."

Zhang Xiaohu fiddled with his fingers, feeling that the characters were really too difficult to write; the strokes were unruly, and he had no way to control them.

"Have you heard the stories from Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio?" Zhang Xiaohu asked.

The radio sometimes broadcasts Yue Opera and Peking Opera, as well as some stories from Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, but they are not ghost stories and are all adapted.

"Are there foxes?" Qin Zihang didn't really know; he only knew that there were many foxes in Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio.

"Sort of," Zhang Xiaohu said. "The fox bewitched me and stole my brain."

"Don't foxes not snatch children?" Qin Zihang asked.

“I’m older than you,” Zhang Xiaohu said. “Look at me, I’m brainless and stupid.”

Madam Su, sitting nearby with a fan in her hand, chuckled upon hearing these words. Children's thinking is so strange; Zhang Xiaohu is really going all out to avoid writing.

“My mom said I was very smart when I was little, and my brain worked really well,” Zhang Xiaohu sighed. “Now, my brain isn’t as sharp as it used to be.”

"Get your brains back," Qin Zihang said. "You have to fight for them, you can't just let them be taken from you. My mom says you can't just sit around and talk nonsense."

"We're just waiting to die," Madam Su said.

"Yes." Qin Zihang nodded, though he didn't quite remember these idioms.

At the research institute, Song Fenglan, dressed in her work clothes, went to the laboratory to check on materials. The materials used in the current fighter jet manufacturing still need improvement. Song Fenglan even tried her hand at it herself. She had suffered a lot during her graduate and doctoral studies, having to do many experiments. At the research institute, she still had to work incredibly hard; there was no other way.

Many universities have a "publish or perish" policy, and research institutes can't just sit around watching researchers fail to produce results. If they don't produce results, even marginalized researchers might be asked to leave. Song Fenglan made many efforts to stay.

Song Fenglan is very knowledgeable about various high-performance materials and knows how these materials are developed. She can even work on them in the lab.

Colleagues all say that Song Fenglan is a workaholic and a walking encyclopedia.

Song Fenglan smiled. Of course she needed to know those details; her colleague had a family even without a job. If she lost her job and family, well, that was just how it was—she was single. And if a single person didn't achieve anything, wouldn't their life have been a waste?

For a while, everyone else watched Song Fenglan conduct her experiment, but no one dared to say a word; they just stood by and watched.

Previously, when they saw Song Fenglan conducting experiments in the lab, some people thought she was just all talk and no action. But now that she's actually made something, they can't call her all talk and no action. So what if she only graduated from high school? She's amazing.

"Did you see that?" Song Fenglan asked the person next to her after finishing the experiment.

The people around immediately applauded Song Fenglan and praised her.

"Engineer Song, you're really something."

"Engineer Song, you are amazing."

"Engineer Song, you are a role model for us."

...

"Stop clapping, you guys go and do it," Song Fenglan said. "If it works, write down the conditions, steps, requirements, etc., and get the factory to produce it."

They can't just produce those materials in the lab themselves. Even if Song Fenglan remembers the details, they still need to make the product first; they can't just have a factory make it. They need to have something actually made before others will know it's feasible.

Song Fenglan doesn't need these people to praise her; what she wants is for them to get moving and stop dawdling.

There were still people watching Song Fenglan as she walked out of the laboratory.

"Get to work," someone nearby said.

"Engineer Song is beautiful, intelligent, and capable; she's outstanding," the man said.

“We all know.” Many people at the research institute knew about Song Fenglan’s abilities. “She is Song Xingyun’s niece.”

Being Song Xingyun's niece carries significant weight. Upon hearing this, many people began to appreciate Song Fenglan's formidable nature.

With the title of Song Xingyun's niece, Song Fenglan was not harassed at the research institute, and with her own abilities, everything progressed relatively well.

At noon, Song Fenglan felt a little dizzy while eating. People around her noticed and quickly helped her up. Song Fenglan was taken to the military hospital.

After examination, it was found that Song Fenglan was menstruating and her body was relatively weak, which caused her to have low blood sugar.

Song Fenglan thought there was nothing else to do and wanted to go back, but the director didn't let her leave.

"There are beds here, you can stay for a day," the warden said. He had heard that some women are very uncomfortable these days, and Song Fenglan's face was so pale. The warden felt that Song Fenglan should stay in the hospital. If anything happened to Song Fenglan, the warden felt he couldn't bear the responsibility.

It was a minor issue, but a skilled doctor from the hospital came to take a look.

Song Fenglan felt extremely embarrassed. She had been here for more than a month, and she had been working too hard lately, causing her period to be late. Song Fenglan had no choice but to listen to the director and lie down here for the time being. Her stomach wasn't hurting too much, and it was still within a tolerable range.

The director also asked the doctor to check if Song Fenglan had any other problems. The Song family had been sent to a farm before, and even if Song Fenglan stayed in the city, no one could guarantee that she wouldn't encounter any bad things.

One nurse was puzzled and wondered: Is it really necessary to be hospitalized for such a minor issue?

Upon learning that Song Fenglan had been admitted to the hospital, Qin Yizhou quickly put down what he was doing.

Qin Yizhou was terrified. On the way, he felt like the sky was falling, and the more he thought about it, the more frightened he became, fearing that something terrible had happened to Song Fenglan.

When Qin Yizhou arrived at the ward, he saw that Song Fenglan's expression was so pale and her eyes were red.

"Wh...what's wrong?" Qin Yizhou rushed to Song Fenglan, half-kneeling on the ground, and tightly grasped her hand. "Doctor, doctor..."

"It's nothing, no need to call a doctor, I just have a bit of low blood sugar." Song Fenglan was a little embarrassed; she was almost too ashamed to admit that she was on her period.

"Why is your blood sugar low?" Qin Yizhou asked.

"Low blood sugar and a bit of anemia," Song Fenglan said. "It's nothing, every woman has those few days every month, it'll pass."

Song Fenglan has been working very hard lately, which has caused her health to suffer a bit, but overall she is doing well.

"I just need some rest," Song Fenglan said. "If the director hadn't asked me to stay at the hospital for one night, I would have gone home already. Wouldn't it be better for me to rest at home?"

"Is there really nothing else?" Qin Yizhou understood what Song Fenglan was saying, but he still couldn't help but worry.

"It's alright, it's alright," Song Fenglan said. "Your face is even paler than mine, and your hands are still shaking."

"I'm afraid..." Qin Yizhou said, "Have I ever told you that I like you a lot and love you very much?"

Qin Yizhou held Song Fenglan's hand tightly, saying, "We will be happy together."

“I’m fine,” Song Fenglan chuckled. “No need to make it sound like a farewell.”

"On the road, I'm afraid..."

"Mom." Before Qin Yizhou could finish speaking, Qin Zihang ran over.

Mrs. Su brought Qin Zihang over; they were worried something had happened to Song Fenglan. Qin Zihang had heard that his mother had gone to the hospital, so he rushed over.

"Mom, what's wrong? Does it hurt? Where does it hurt?" Qin Zihang asked.

"I'm not feeling unwell, it's just a minor issue," Song Fenglan said. "Mom will stay here for one night and go back tomorrow. You have to listen to Auntie and Dad, Mom will be fine."

"Mom," Qin Zihang's voice was a little muffled.

Qin Yizhou felt sorry for his son when he saw him like this. Although he and his wife hadn't finished talking, his wife had at least heard some of what he said.

"Aunt, I'm fine," Song Fenglan said. "My period has started."

"What little day?" Qin Zihang asked.

"You'll come home with your dad in a little while," Song Fenglan said, finding it difficult to explain to her son.

"I'm staying with my mom," Qin Zihang said.

"Hangbao, come home with Daddy so Mommy can get some rest," Mrs. Su said. She knew that women had those few uncomfortable days every month. This was a hospital; the child shouldn't stay here all the time.

“Mom.” Qin Zihang stared at his mother.

"Mom is going back tomorrow," Song Fenglan said. "Hangbao, close your eyes and go to sleep. When you open your eyes tomorrow, you'll see Mom."

Qin Zihang was reluctant to go back, but Qin Yizhou still took him back with him.

As Qin Yizhou reached the door of the ward, Song Fenglan said again, "No need to make soup, my workplace will send me some food, that's enough."

Qin Yizhou was indeed thinking of making soup for his wife. No problem, if he didn't make it today, he could make it tomorrow. Qin Yizhou planned to ask for leave tomorrow; he believed the army would allow it.

After the father and son left, Song Fenglan looked at Madam Su.

"Aunt, I'm fine. You should go back and rest early," Song Fenglan said.

"Do you have brown sugar ginger tea at home?" Mrs. Su asked.

“We have brown sugar,” Song Fenglan replied.

"I'll bring some over tomorrow," Madam Su said.

After Madam Su and the others left, Song Fenglan lay in her hospital bed, still wanting to go home. But since they told her to stay one night, she stayed there for one night.

This is a military hospital; the doctors there are all pretty good.

When Qin Yizhou and his son returned home, the plump woman came over specifically to ask, "How is Fenglan?"

"It's nothing, they said it's just a bit of low blood sugar and anemia," Qin Yizhou said. "It happens a few days every month."

“Fenglan has been here for a while now, and she’s either being talked about or working. She’s exhausted,” said the plump woman. “I made her some brown sugar earlier. If that’s not enough, I have some more over there.”

"I'll buy some tomorrow," Qin Yizhou said, "and a chicken too."

"Black-boned chicken is good," said the plump woman. "Black-boned chicken is good for your health. Do you know how to kill a chicken? If not, call me tomorrow and I'll kill it for you."

"Yes, I can," Qin Yizhou said. Not to mention killing chickens, he could also kill ducks and fish. These are things you have to do yourself; if you can't do this or that, how can you survive in the wild?

While the other families were unaware of what had happened, Grandma Fang continued to say to Gao Xiuxiu, "Qin Tuan's family must have injured the baby during their first pregnancy, there's no doubt about it. Normally, when a woman has given birth and is on her period, she doesn't feel that uncomfortable."

Grandma Fang acted like she knew everything, but she didn't know the whole story and was just making wild guesses.

"He still needs to be hospitalized? Who would want to be hospitalized for his period?" Grandma Fang said. "I just passed by Qin Tuan's house and heard him talking to Fatty Sister-in-law about it."

Grandma Fang loved eavesdropping on these conversations, and when she got home, she embellished them.

"She only has one son. She should pray to Buddha more often, so that the child won't get sick and can grow up safely," Grandma Fang said.

"Mom, Sister-in-law Pang said that Qin Tuan's wife is in good health, it's just that she doesn't want to have children," Gao Xiuxiu said.

When Fatty Sister-in-law said this to Gao Xiuxiu, Gao Xiuxiu felt a little embarrassed, because the news that Song Fenglan's health had been damaged during childbirth had come from the Fang family.

“What woman doesn’t want to have more children? One child isn’t enough. Without siblings to help, aren’t you afraid your child will be bullied in the future?” Grandma Fang said. “Look at the people in the family compound. How many families only have one child? If they only have one child, they’ve only been married for a short time. Those who have been married for a few years don’t only have one child.”

Grandma Fang still firmly believed that her idea was correct, and that Song Fenglan's body must have been damaged during childbirth.

Gao Xiuxiu was helpless; no matter how she talked to her mother-in-law, it was no use.

"Sit down and rest for a while, don't tire out my precious grandson." Grandma Fang looked at Gao Xiuxiu's belly. She hoped that Gao Xiuxiu would give birth to a son, and definitely not another daughter.

Their family doesn't lack daughters; what they need is a son.

"You two need to work harder and have a son," Grandma Fang said. "You can't expect your nephew to support you in your old age. He has to support his own parents too. Where will he get the money to support you?"

Grandma Fang was afraid that Gao Xiuxiu and her husband would rely on the boy born to her youngest son to support them in their old age. She said, "While I can still help you take care of your children, you should have more children. It's good to have more children so that the family can prosper."

"I guarantee I'll have a boy," Gao Xiuxiu said, as she also desperately wanted a son.

It's one thing to have a daughter as the first child, but if she has a daughter as the second child, she's likely to be looked down upon, with people saying that she only knows how to have daughters.

Gao Xiuxiu thought of her chubby sister-in-law and then of Song Fenglan; both of them had sons, which was so enviable. Looking down at her belly, Gao Xiuxiu thought that she would have a son sooner or later, and wouldn't always have to envy other people's sons.

When Shi Guilan learned that Song Fenglan was hospitalized, she was secretly delighted. She hoped that Song Fenglan was sick and in poor health. Shi Guilan didn't dare to show it in front of Staff Officer Xu, and only dared to smile quietly, which made Old Lady Cao glance at Shi Guilan several times.

That evening, Qin Yizhou and Qin Zihang stayed in the room together.

"Dad, will Mom come back tomorrow?" Qin Zihang asked every now and then.

"I will come back," Qin Yizhou said. "Your mother said so, so I will come back."

“If Mom isn’t feeling well, she can stay at the hospital,” Qin Zihang said. “I can wait for Mom at home.”

"Don't worry, Mom will be back tomorrow." Qin Yizhou sensed his son's anxiety.

"Dad, when I opened my eyes, was Mom back?" Qin Zihang asked.

“If you wake up in the middle of the night and your mother hasn’t come back,” Qin Yizhou said. “It’s the middle of the night, and it’s pitch black outside. Your mother can’t see the road and hasn’t come back.”

“There’s a light, there’s a moon,” Qin Zihang said. “Can’t you see it? Dad, can’t you bring Mom back?”

"It's too late, it's not safe," Qin Yizhou said. "Don't walk at night, it's windy and you'll catch a cold."

"Mom, come back in the morning," Qin Zihang said. "The stars and moon aren't bright enough."

"It'll be bright enough when it gets light," Qin Yizhou coaxed his son. "Close your eyes and go to sleep."

Qin Zihang closed his eyes for a while, then opened them again. "But I can't sleep."

"Can't you sleep without your mother by your side?" Qin Yizhou asked.

"Yes, Mom always sleeps with me." Qin Zihang has always had his mother with him as far as he can remember. He's a little scared when his mother isn't around.

“You’re a man, so in a few days you’ll have to sleep in your own room,” Qin Yizhou said.

“It’s different, Mom is here,” Qin Zihang said.

"Mom will get tired, you have to sleep by yourself." Qin Yizhou thought this was a good opportunity, he had to talk to his son.

“Mom has her own room,” Qin Zihang said.

"..." Qin Yizhou's lips twitched slightly, "Other children's parents have their own rooms, and the fathers have to keep the mothers company. Other children's mothers all have their fathers with them. Do you want your mother to be all alone?"

"Can't I come with you?" Qin Zihang asked stubbornly.

"Does your mother have what other mothers have?" Qin Yizhou said. "Do you want your mother to be inferior to other mothers?"

"No, my mom wants the best," Qin Zihang said. "What other moms have, my mom has too."

“That’s right. Other kids are your age too, and they sleep in their own rooms,” Qin Zihang said.

“Little Tiger doesn’t sleep alone.” Qin Yizhou’s heart tightened when he heard this. Qin Zihang continued, “Little Tiger sleeps with his brother. I don’t have a brother.”

“You’ll have your own room, the whole room is yours, the whole bed is yours,” Qin Yizhou said. “Ask Zhang Xiaohu if he prefers to sleep with his brother or sleep alone.”

"Oh right." Qin Zihang suddenly realized.

“Many children like to sleep alone,” Qin Yizhou said. “You can put your toys in the room and put them wherever you want. Your brother Xiaohu will definitely envy you for having your own room.”

"Can Brother Little Tiger also have a private room?" Qin Zihang asked.

“Yes,” Qin Yizhou said. “They just need to clean up the room.”

"Why don't they clean up the room?" Qin Zihang asked.

“The other rooms have other uses.” Qin Yizhou talked to his son for a while, wondering when his son would finally go to sleep. When his wife was home, his son didn’t seem to have so many problems.

"What's the use? If it's not for the little one, who is it for?" Qin Zihang said.

“They have other things in their house, a lot of tools, like the little shovel you play with, which also needs a place to be stored,” Qin Yizhou said. “The rice and flour in the house all need a room to be stored.”

"Do we need to put it in so much space?" Qin Zihang asked.

"That depends on Xiaohu's parents' decision," Qin Yizhou said. "Go to bed early. If you go to bed too late, you'll get dark circles under your eyes. Your mother will be worried when she sees dark circles under your eyes."

"Sleep, go to sleep now." Qin Zihang quickly closed his eyes. "I closed my eyes, I didn't open them."

"Go to sleep, don't talk." Qin Yizhou covered his son with a blanket and told him to go to sleep quickly.

Qin Yizhou wondered if his son was so talkative and reluctant to sleep when his wife was taking care of him alone. His wife had to get up early for work the next day, and she would have to soothe their son to sleep. He'd heard that newborns cry a lot, even in the middle of the night, and that it gets better as the child gets older.

The next morning, Song Fenglan left the hospital; she still preferred to stay home. She wanted to rest at home for a day and go back to work the next day.

"Mom, Mom!" Qin Zihang was overjoyed to see his mother return.

Qin Yizhou asked his wife, Pang, to look after the child while he went to the hospital to pick up Song Fenglan. Qin Yizhou got up early and had already started stewing the black-boned chicken.

“Mom didn’t lie. She said she’d be back today, and she’s back today,” Song Fenglan said. “Mom is fine.”

Song Fenglan originally wanted to hold the child, but considering her current physical condition, she did not hold Qin Zihang.

"Mom," Qin Zihang hugged Song Fenglan's leg, "I've already hugged you."

Song Fenglan chuckled and reached out to pat Qin Zihang's head.

"Sit down and rest first," Qin Yizhou said. "I'll go check if the chicken soup is ready yet."

“Okay.” Song Fenglan nodded and asked Qin Zihang to sit next to her.

Qin Zihang lay on Song Fenglan's lap and said, "Mom, I missed you."

Even though it was only one night, Qin Zihang felt like he hadn't seen his mother in a very long time.

“I said I’d be back today, and I’ll be back today,” Song Fenglan said.

Qin Yizhou served a bowl of chicken soup to Song Fenglan and a bowl to Qin Zihang. He couldn't let his son watch his wife eat, and his wife certainly wouldn't let her son just watch either.

"I won't eat it, give it all to Mom," Qin Zihang said, gently patting his tummy. "I'm already full, I'm not hungry."

“Eat a little. Mom can’t eat this much, it’ll be a waste. If you don’t eat, your dad will,” Song Fenglan said.

"I'll eat, I'll eat," Qin Zihang said quickly.

"..." Qin Yizhou saw his son like this and didn't know what to say. His son preferred his mother. But that was normal. He spent less time with his son than his wife did. His wife took good care of their son. He wasn't a good father. "You've finished eating. There's more."

“I ate yesterday.” Song Fenglan looked at Qin Yizhou. “You should have some too.”

"You eat," Qin Yizhou said.

“Chicken neck, wings, chicken feet, you can eat these, right?” Song Fenglan said. “I don’t like to eat these, and Zihang is too young to eat them either.”

Chicken feet are stewed until very soft, making the bones easy to break. Children might accidentally swallow bones and choke on them. Song Fenglan didn't let Qin Zihang eat chicken feet. Chicken necks have little meat and lots of bones, so there was no need for her son to eat them. Chicken wings are prone to accumulating hormones and the like, so Song Fenglan didn't let her son eat the wing tips, and she herself didn't eat them either.

These things still have some meat left, so we can't throw them away. Since we don't eat them often anyway, Qin Yizhou can have some.

"Okay, I'll eat these." Qin Yizhou hadn't thought about this before; he wanted his wife to eat more so she could recover.

Zhang Xiaohu wanted to visit Song Fenglan's house, but Aunt Pang wouldn't let him. Song Fenglan wasn't feeling well, and they had even made chicken soup. If Zhang Xiaohu went over and smelled the soup, would they offer him some or not?

One must understand basic principles in life. Even without others telling you, you should teach your children to stay away from others and keep them at home.

“Play with your brother,” said the plump woman. “Go play with Zihang tomorrow, and let Zihang keep his mother company.”

"Is Zihang's mother very ill?" Zhang Xiaohu asked.

"No, she just needs to rest," said the plump woman. "Your constant noise keeps her from getting proper rest and will make her very tired. You stay home and play with your brother."

"If only school started sooner," said Sister Pang, thinking that sending her child to school would give her some peace and quiet.

In the afternoon, Fan Yani and Yue Hongwei came over to distribute candy. They had already registered their marriage and settled on a place to live. They hadn't decided to have a big wedding banquet; they planned to cook two tables of food and invite guests over. As for who to invite, they had already discussed it.

Song Fenglan and her husband, Yue Hongwei, Li Hui and her husband, and Fan Yani should be invited. Invitations to others will depend on the situation; leaders can be invited. It's best not to invite Staff Officer Xu, and people like Shi Guilan are better off not invited.

"We've registered our marriage, and we hope you'll come to our wedding banquet." Fan Yani handed out the wedding invitation with both hands. Some families only gave out candy without invitations, while others gave both candy and invitations. "It'll be lively if your whole family comes. We've prepared everything at home; we have a table and chairs."