Chapter 35 Don't touch the back-to-school gifts

“It’s not that I have to criticize her, but it’s not that she doesn’t have money. She just uses it to buy meat and nice clothes,” said Sister-in-law Jiang. “I told her long ago that we should save money for the children’s schooling, but she still spent it all.”

"It's not okay for children to go to school without tuition fees, but it's not okay for children not to go to school either." Aunt Yu believes that her grandson can go without a new schoolbag, but her granddaughters still need to go to school.

If you don't go to school, your life will be wasted.

Aunt Yu was born to a concubine, and she had a private tutor to teach her to read from a young age. The Yu family's philosophy was to encourage their children to read and learn, regardless of whether they were boys or girls. Boys and girls were treated the same; without education, one would not know manners.

“She’s not in a hurry, her in-laws aren’t in a hurry, but you are,” said Sister-in-law Jiang. “I don’t want to say too much, for fear that people will think I’m unwilling to let Yufei’s child go to school.”

It wasn't that Sister-in-law Jiang was unwilling to let Aunt Yu lend money to Jiang Yufei, but rather that Jiang Yufei was being unreasonable. It wasn't that Jiang Yufei didn't have the money; she and her husband were extravagant spenders, spending any money they had without considering the future. Their child needed to go to school, and there were social obligations within the family—all of which required money.

“Sister-in-law, what you’re saying is rather pointless.” Jiang Yufei came in from outside. “My mother’s own grandchild needs to go to school, so what’s wrong with me asking her for some money? I originally wanted to borrow money from my aunt, but she refused. She said that’s my child, and I have to be responsible for my child’s future. When her daughter was with us, she still had to finish high school.”

Jiang Yufei felt that the Song family was too despicable. If the Song family were willing to lend her some money, she wouldn't have bothered arguing with her sister-in-law at all.

“Where do you find a married woman who always relies on her parents’ family?” Sister-in-law Jiang said. “Don’t even mention Fenglan. Fenglan is with our family, and she gets paid.”

Sister-in-law Jiang genuinely felt that Song Fenglan was far superior to Jiang Yufei. Previously, the Song family had provided financial assistance, and Song Fenglan continued to receive financial support after starting work. Jiang Yufei, on the other hand, claimed this was her maternal home, and instead of providing financial support, she borrowed money multiple times without repaying it, continuing to borrow more.

Aunt Yu and the others felt embarrassed to ask Jiang Yufei to repay the money sooner, as they all felt that Jiang Yufei was in trouble and, after all, she was their family.

“Of course she has to pay,” Jiang Yufei said. “Their family is so rich, they have to pay. Sister-in-law, are you taking advantage of my poverty? My in-laws don’t have much money, they are poor, but we are proud.”

In those special times, everyone wanted to marry with honor, and both the man and woman had to have good social standing. Jiang Yufei's husband had a job, but he was a bit lazy. Sometimes he would go to the black market to make a little extra money, but he was afraid of being discovered and accused of speculation, which could land him in jail.

“Do you think we don’t want money? We do!” Jiang Yufei said. “Our family isn’t capitalist, it’s not…”

"Yufei!" Aunt Yu didn't want to hear Jiang Yufei talk about capitalists. Her family had once been national entrepreneurs, and Jiang Yufei's words were tantamount to talking about Aunt Yu's family.

During the war years, some members of their family were separated; some went to Hong Kong, and some went abroad. Aunt Yu married a worker and was not sent to a farm. She lived cautiously in this family.

Aunt Yu had always treated Jiang Yufei quite well, but her daughter clearly didn't appreciate her own mother's kindness. Jiang Yufei only knew that Aunt Yu was in a bad mood and hadn't received much money from the Song family, so she came to her parents' home demanding more money and things.

“Mom, I’m not wrong,” Jiang Yufei said. “My aunt’s family is so rich, but they won’t help us or give us more money.”

“Your aunt has already given quite a bit of money.” Aunt Yu knew that her family had taken a lot of things, which was one of the reasons why she took such good care of Song Fenglan and her son.

Aunt Yu glanced at Jiang Yufei, and then she thought of her own mother. Aunt Yu's mother was a concubine who always talked about money and power, wanting Aunt Yu to stand out, ideally marrying someone better than Song's mother. Aunt Yu's mother wasn't very capable, but she had high aspirations and wanted her daughter to marry into a wealthier family.

Fortunately, Aunt Yu didn't stay with her biological mother and didn't grow up to be a bad person. When Aunt Yu saw Jiang Yufei like this, Jiang Yufei reminded her of her biological mother.

“Mom, Auntie and her family have so much money, a lot of money,” Jiang Yufei kept emphasizing this point. “If she really treats us well…”

“Those things aren’t ours. They’ve already given us some things; we can’t be too greedy,” Aunt Yu said. “Being too greedy will only…”

“We’re all relatives,” Jiang Yufei interrupted Aunt Yu. “Why be so calculating among relatives?”

At this moment, Jiang Yufei realized that saying such things was inappropriate. In the past, when facing Song Fenglan, she would only speak ill of her and discourage her family from helping her. If it weren't for Aunt Yu's support, Song Fenglan's life would have been even more difficult.

Sister-in-law Jiang rolled her eyes. Did they think everyone else was a fool? Why should they give their family so much? Sister-in-law Jiang was greedy; she wanted more. But she also knew that other people's money didn't grow on trees. If others were willing to give, that was fine. But if they insisted on taking what others weren't willing to give, that would offend people and make them extremely unhappy.

"Mom, please think about what I said." Jiang Yufei said, "You have helped Song Fenglan for so many years, it is only right for Aunt to give you these things, it is what our family deserves."

After Shi Guilan and her family left, the residential compound became a bit quieter, and the rumors subsided considerably. Shi Guilan said that rumors are very effective at stirring people up.

Li Hui wasn't used to it. She was more used to having her cousin around, when her cousin could help her more. Without her cousin, she had no one to confide in, and Li Hui worried that if she told someone, they would gossip and spread rumors.

"Sister-in-law," Fan Yani said deliberately when she ran into Li Hui while out grocery shopping, "Sister-in-law, aren't you going to work?"

"There's not much to do, let's buy groceries first," Li Hui said. She couldn't accept being relegated from lead dancer to a ensemble dancer and didn't want to do the ensemble part. Li Hui excused herself by saying she wasn't feeling well and asked for leave. Her supervisor approved the leave. While Li Hui didn't want to perform on stage, many others did; they weren't necessarily worse off.

The leaders of the performing arts troupe did not tolerate Li Hui's absence. When Li Hui asked for leave, the troupe would arrange for someone else to fill in. It was impossible for them to stop rehearsing just because Li Hui was not there.

After her cousin and cousin-in-law left, Li Hui felt like she had no one to rely on anymore, and that feeling was different.

"I thought it was because you weren't dancing the main dance, so you were unhappy and didn't go to rehearsal." Fan Yani knew about this; others had mentioned it, and she thought Li Hui had squandered such a good opportunity.

son.

Li Hui works in a performing arts troupe; there's no need for her to be interested in married men. She should find a suitable partner sooner rather than later. If she wants to dance, she should focus on dancing and stop wasting time on unnecessary things.

Neither Shi Guilan nor Li Hui, the cousins, are simple-minded. Fan Yani glanced at Li Hui and watched as Shi Guilan left, wondering what Li Hui's attitude would be later.

Fan Yani didn't give Li Hui much face. The original owner of this body was gone, so why should she give these people any face? Let alone saying that Li Hui was a victim. Considering what Li Hui had done before, with Li Hui's cousin Shi Guilan taking the lead and Li Hui hiding behind, hiding it very well, Fan Yani still felt that Li Hui was not good enough.

"No, that's not true. I'm married now, so I need to focus on my family," Li Hui said.

“That’s true. Once you get married, you have to get pregnant and have children. We should give opportunities to younger people.” Fan Yani said, “Sister-in-law, I heard you’re not young anymore. You’ve been in the performing arts troupe for so many years. It’s time to think about your future.”

Li Hui was heartbroken. She wanted to continue being the lead dancer in the performing arts troupe, but they wouldn't give her the chance. Once she was assigned to a group dance and moved to the back row, she was constantly forced to give way until there was nowhere left to retreat. At that point, Li Hui would have to leave the troupe even if she didn't want to; she couldn't stay there any longer.

The performing arts troupe has plenty of promising young talents, and Li Hui is considered relatively older. It would have been fine if no one had said anything, but Fan Yani's direct comment made Li Hui extremely upset.

"Women are all like that," Li Hui said. She wasn't the only one like this; others were too, so she didn't need to worry too much. At least she had married a decent man; the real fear was having nothing at all.

Fortunately, she got married before her cousin and cousin-in-law left. If she hadn't gotten married before her cousin and cousin-in-law were transferred, it would probably be even harder for her to find a partner now.

“Yes, that’s just how women are,” Fan Yani said quietly. “I’m a rough person, I usually just do housework and stuff, I’m fine as a housewife. It’s really a pity that someone as capable as you, sister-in-law, would go back to being a housewife. A few days ago, I called my parents, and they said they felt sorry for me. I said it was nothing, I’m already married, I can’t dwell on the past. Sister-in-law, don’t you think so? You and brother are married, I can’t break you up.”

"Do you still call your parents?" Li Hui didn't contact her in-laws. At most, she would say a few words when Guo Peng called her over.

“Yes, they raised me, and I’ve taken care of them for many years,” Fan Yani said. “We are family.”

The original owner had many thoughts while living in the countryside, and coupled with some unpleasant circumstances and the burden of hard work, she died. Her adoptive parents weren't particularly bad people; in that era, baby girls were often abandoned, and without encountering kind people, they wouldn't have survived.

The adoptive parents didn't make things too difficult for the original owner. Doing chores was something many rural girls had to do, and at least the adoptive parents didn't go too far. The adoptive parents genuinely wanted the original owner to marry Guo Peng. Even though Guo Peng became a successful soldier, the adoptive parents never considered finding him another wife. They repeatedly urged Guo Peng to return to his hometown to get married, but it was Guo Peng himself who didn't want to marry the original owner.

Fan Yani isn't the kind of person who would resort to violence after transmigrating. She doesn't think about whether others have serious problems, or feel the need to take revenge on them and make their lives difficult.

“Sister-in-law, Mom and Dad have had a tough time,” Fan Yani said. “You should contact them when you have time. I’m just an adopted daughter, unlike my brother who is their biological son. You two are different in their hearts. They used to treat me like their daughter-in-law, but now they treat me like their daughter.”

"Okay, let's keep in touch when you have time." Li Hui picked up her basket and was about to leave; she didn't want to continue talking to Fan Yani.

When kindergarten let out, Mrs. Su went to pick up her child. Song Fenglan had originally wanted to leave work early to pick up her child, but something came up and she couldn't come. Qin Yizhou, on the other hand, went home early to cook and take care of the child so that Mrs. Su could go home and rest.

"Little Tiger ran into our classroom, and the teacher came to take him back," Qin Zihang said.

"He came to your class?" Qin Yizhou asked, puzzled.

“Yes, he said he wanted to be in the same class as me,” Qin Zihang said. “The teacher said that Xiaohu’s older brother is older and has to stay in a different class.”

“He is older and has been in school for a while,” Qin Yizhou said. “You are indeed not in the same class.”

"Brother Xiaohu didn't want to leave, but the teacher insisted that he leave," Qin Zihang said. "I told Brother Xiaohu that we would play together after school."

Zhang Xiaohu's parents haven't picked him up yet. Anyway, the teacher is taking care of the children more often, and Aunt Pang is thinking of doing more chores at home before picking him up. Madam Su only takes care of Qin Zihang; she can't possibly help Aunt Pang bring Zhang Xiaohu back. The little boy is energetic; taking care of one child is manageable, but taking care of two is not easy.

Mrs. Su helped bring Zhang Xiaohu back once, and there's a chance she'll do it a second or third time, so it's best to let it go. She'll only help if someone in the family has a special request for her assistance.

"Brother Xiaohu hasn't come yet," Qin Zihang said. "I didn't see Brother Xiaohu when I came out."

"He'll be back soon." Qin Yizhou wiped Qin Zihang's hands with a towel. "Was kindergarten fun?"

“They were chattering and making a lot of noise, all crying for their mothers, calling for their mothers. But I didn’t cry for my mother. I was very strong.” Qin Zihang missed his mother, but he didn’t cry. “They were very strange. I told them that their mothers would pick us up after get off work, and then they cried.”

Qin Zihang didn't understand. After his mother got off work, they could see her and didn't have to worry about her not being by his side.

“Mom won’t run away,” Qin Zihang said. “They were crying so loudly, one person cried and the others cried too. I didn’t cry, I cried my eyes out, my face was all sticky and my eyes were swollen. Mom would feel sorry for me and her eyes would be red.”

"You're such a good boy," Qin Yizhou remarked. Whether his son had accidentally said something he shouldn't have and made the other children cry was not that important.

Children don't always think about what they can and can't say; they just say whatever comes to mind.

“Of course I have to be good,” Qin Zihang said. “If I’m not good, it will make things difficult for Mom.”

Qin Zihang was already used to it. When he was with his great-aunt, he couldn't make too much noise. His great-aunt wasn't just taking care of him; sometimes when he cried, she could only sit beside him and cry too. His great-aunt couldn't comfort him all the time, so he had to learn to comfort himself.

“Mom said she went to work so she could give me better things and make me chubby and healthy,” Qin Zihang said. “I told them at kindergarten that Mom didn’t go out to steal cookies, that Mom went to work, and they still cried. Sigh, I really don’t understand them, they’re too young.”

Qin Zihang sighed and shook his head.

"..." Qin Yizhou thought that his son was still young, and his son was making such remarks.

"Dad," Qin Zihang said, "I think they're really annoying."

“Many kids are like this when they first start school,” Qin Yizhou said.

"I can still go home in the morning and evening. My aunt picks me up for lunch and lets me take a nap," Qin Zihang said. "It's not like I can't go home. We kids should go to kindergarten and go to work with our parents."

Qin Zihang also felt that he had something important to do, and he didn't have to stay at home doing nothing all day.

"Some people really like my little backpack and want to trade with me, but I don't want to." Qin Zihang thought for a moment, then picked up the little backpack from the sofa and ran to his room. When he was about to put the backpack on his bed, he saw a panda felted wool doll on the bed. It was black and white, and there was a green bamboo stick on the panda's chest. "Dad, Dad, come quick!"

Qin Zihang put down his schoolbag and quickly picked up the panda. The panda was about 40 or 50 centimeters tall and very light.

"Did Mom make this?" Qin Zihang asked in surprise.

"Your mom made it." Qin Yizhou came over and saw his son hugging the panda plush toy tightly. "Do you like it? Mom said that our Hangbao has grown up and is now in kindergarten. This is a gift for you."

"I love it, I love it, I love it so much!" Qin Zihang really liked the plush toy. "Can I take it to the living room?"

"Okay," Qin Yizhou said. "This is a gift from your mother."

“I can’t take it out,” Qin Zihang said. “Others will want it.”

“This is a panda,” Qin Yizhou said. “Your mother made just one.”

"Mom is so good." Qin Zihang was reluctant to let go of the panda.

"Brother Zihang, Brother Zihang." When Zhang Xiaohu was picked up by his mother and brought home, his first thought was to go and play with Qin Zihang.

Qin Zihang didn't hide the panda. Zhang Xiaohu ran into the living room, and Qin Zihang even said to Zhang Xiaohu, "This is a panda my mom gave me. Isn't it cute?"

"

Wow! Zhang Xiaohu opened his eyes wide and reached out to touch the panda.

"Don't touch it!" Qin Zihang shouted.

Zhang Xiaohu looked at Qin Zihang in disbelief. "Can't I touch it?"

"I need to wipe my hands so I don't get the panda my mom made for me dirty," Qin Zihang said.

"I'm going to wash my hands," Zhang Xiaohu said.

Zhang Xiaohu washed and dried his hands, but Qin Zihang was still worried that Zhang Xiaohu would get his panda dirty.

"You can only reach out and touch it, you can't hug it," Qin Zihang said. "You haven't even showered or changed your clothes yet."

Qin Zihang considered this his own panda, and he felt it was okay to hug it without having showered, but Zhang Xiaohu couldn't, and neither could the other children. Their clothes were usually quite dirty, and they would get his panda dirty.

Qin Yizhou watched Qin Zihang and Zhang Xiaohu playing with the panda, then went to the kitchen to check. Qin Yizhou was stewing meat; the vegetables were stir-fried, and the rice was ready. Qin Yizhou had heard from Song Fenglan that she would be back for dinner that evening, so he would have to wait.

"Zhang Xiaohu, come back for dinner," Aunt Pang called from next door.

"We're here," Zhang Xiaohu said.

Zhang Xiaohu was reluctant to part with the panda. He looked at Qin Zihang and said, "I'll come over after I finish dinner."

"Okay." Qin Zihang nodded.

When Zhang Xiaohu returned home, he sat down to eat and talked about Qin Zihang's panda again.

"Mom, Zihang's mom gave him a panda gift. It's so cute, so soft, and so fluffy!" Zhang Xiaohu said. "It's a school gift. Mom, have you prepared a gift for me?"

Zhang Xiaohu really wanted that panda. His younger brother Zihang had a new schoolbag and a panda plush toy. Zhang Xiaohu felt pitiful because he didn't have a new schoolbag or a cute panda.

"..." The fat woman looked at her youngest son, wondering if he was daydreaming.

The Qin couple next door only have one son, and since both of them earn wages, they can naturally prepare more things for their child. Their own family, however, is a bit more financially strained. Her husband needs to send money home, and their small household has many expenses. Fatty's wife only does odd jobs and doesn't have a formal job, so she doesn't earn much money.

Fatty's wife couldn't go out to work either; she had two children and a lot to take care of. Other families did leave their children at school or with neighbors while they went to work. Fatty's wife wasn't considering going back to work; she needed to take good care of her two children, and she wasn't exactly a career-oriented woman.

"Mom, did you give me a gift?" Zhang Xiaohu asked.

"What gift should I give you?" Aunt Pang hadn't thought about giving Zhang Xiaohu a gift. It was just the start of school, not a special occasion, so there was no need to prepare a gift.

"Mom, make me a panda too," Zhang Xiaohu said.

"Do you think your mother is a goddess? Can she do everything?" the fat woman said. "Don't even think about it."

"But……"

“No buts,” said the plump woman. “Look at your brother, he’s started school too, and he hasn’t asked for a gift.”

Sister-in-law Pang lets her younger son use some of the older son's old things, so they can take turns using them and save a lot of money. By being frugal, they can save more money and have it when they need it, so they won't be completely broke.

“My brother is my brother, and I am me,” Zhang Xiaohu said. “Mom, make one for me, make one for me.”

Zhang Xiaohu insisted that Fatty Sister make one, but Fatty Sister sighed and said, "I'll see what it looks like later."

The plump woman thought she probably couldn't do it herself, and Song Fenglan needed to work, so she couldn't find anyone to help her with it. The plump woman looked at her youngest son, who wanted this and that. Every family's situation was different, and her family couldn't possibly be like Song Fenglan's.

Song Fenglan didn't return until around 6 or 7 p.m.

Song Fenglan had something to do at work and came back a little late.

"Haven't you eaten yet?" Song Fenglan saw that the dishes on the table were all in good condition.

"I'm waiting for you to eat together." Qin Yizhou took away the bowl covering the food. "Hangbao, it's time to eat."

Qin Yizhou went to serve the rice. "Zihang just ate some fruit to fill his stomach. He heard you were coming back for dinner, and he wanted to wait for you. I... I also want to wait for you to come back so our family can eat together."

"Yes, let's eat together as a family," Song Fenglan said. "Something came up and I'll be back later. Next time, if I'm late again, you all eat first, so Zihang doesn't go hungry."

"The timing is alright," Qin Yizhou said.

"You're alright, though." Song Fenglan looked at Qin Yizhou. Qin Yizhou was strong and muscular, quite a sight to behold. She wondered if he had a six-pack. Back then, Song Fenglan had been tricked into sleeping with Qin Yizhou, but she hadn't felt much at the time; her memory was hazy. "Zihang is still young; we can't let him go hungry. Children's stomachs aren't good either; it's good for them to eat on time."

"Okay," Qin Yizhou said.

“Our whole family is here, we have plenty of time to eat together.” Song Fenglan held Qin Zihang as they sat down in a chair. This chair was specially prepared for Qin Zihang by Qin Yizhou; it had a backrest and armrests to keep him from easily slipping off.

"Mom, the panda is so cute." Qin Zihang wanted to hold the panda while eating, but his dad took it away.

"Put it next to you when you eat, it won't get dirty," Qin Yizhou said.

Qin Zihang hadn't finished eating when Zhang Xiaohu, who had, started clamoring for his mother to give him a bath. After the bath, Zhang Xiaohu came over. Zhang Xiaohu wanted to play with the panda, but Qin Zihang had just gotten the panda and wasn't about to let someone else play with it.

“That’s my panda.” When Qin Zihang saw Zhang Xiaohu about to touch the panda, he emphasized, “Brother Xiaohu, you can play with the panda later. My mom made it for me. I’ll play with it with you after I finish eating. Don’t play with it now.”

Qin Zihang also had a possessive streak; it was already quite generous of him to share it with Zhang Xiaohu. It was a unique plush toy made by his mother, and he hadn't even had a proper chance to play with it yet; he had only just started playing with it.

After Qin Zihang said that, Zhang Xiaohu didn't dare to pounce on the panda. "Brother Zihang, I'll wait for you."

While waiting for Qin Zihang, Zhang Xiaohu kept glancing at the panda.

Qin Zihang quickly ate his rice, afraid that Zhang Xiaohu would hug the panda.

"Slow down," Song Fenglan said.

"I didn't choke," Qin Zihang said.

"..." Song Fenglan looked at Qin Zihang helplessly and served her son soup.

As soon as Qin Zihang finished eating, he sat down on the sofa and picked up the panda.

"Okay, you can touch the panda's ears now," Qin Zihang said.

"I've already taken a shower and changed my clothes." Before Zhang Xiaohu came over, he specifically asked his mother to give him a bath quickly. His mother had originally told him to take a bath later, saying that he would get his clothes dirty if he played for a while. But Zhang Xiaohu wanted to hug the fluffy panda, so he insisted on taking a bath as soon as possible.

Fat Sister couldn't refuse Zhang Xiaohu, so she simply gave him a bath, and also let Zhang Wen take a bath. Fat Sister is currently washing clothes; she'll wash and hang them out to dry first, and she and her husband will take a bath later.

"I'll give you a hug, just for a little while." Qin Zihang was reluctant to let go.

"Just for a moment," Zhang Xiaohu said.

Zhang Xiaohu hugged the panda, and it felt so good that he didn't want to let go.

“It’s over now,” Qin Zihang said.

Zhang Xiaohu didn't want to let go and wanted to continue holding on. Qin Zihang reached out and grabbed him, and Zhang Xiaohu reluctantly let go.

“I’ll ask my mom to make one for me too,” Zhang Xiaohu said. “Make one exactly the same.”

"You let your mom make it, this is what my mom made." Qin Zihang said that he didn't want Zhang Xiaohu to keep holding the clothes his mom made. It was true that he and Xiaohu were friends, but this panda was his.

"Yes, your mother made it." Zhang Xiaohu was very fond of pandas, his eyes fixed on them.

Song Fenglan asked Qin Yizhou to slice an apple and bring it to the coffee table so that the two children could eat it.

After a while, Fatty came over. She wanted to see what the panda looked like. Zhang Xiaohu insisted that she make one, so she had to make one.

"Is this the kind of panda?" The fat woman originally thought it could be simply sewn with cloth, but now it seems that such an exquisite thing is beyond her ability to make. "I can't make it, and even if I go to a store, I might not be able to buy it."

"It took me a while to make," Song Fenglan said. "I rushed it, but managed to finish it before Zihang started school, so I can give it to him today."

"Sister-in-law, you're really skillful." The plump woman admired Song Fenglan greatly. She knew she couldn't possibly make something like this herself. "Never mind," she thought, "I won't make an exact replica; I'll make something simpler. Commander Qin is so lucky."

"You are very fortunate." Qin Yizhou said with a smile.

The plump woman watched her youngest son staring longingly at the panda, feeling helpless. There was only one panda, made by Song Fenglan for her own son. She couldn't say that others wouldn't let her youngest son play with it; he could still touch it. Qin Zihang hadn't prevented Zhang Xiaohu from touching it.

Zhang Xiaohu played there for quite a while. Around 8:30, his wife dragged him away, and only then did Zhang Xiaohu agree to leave. Zhang Xiaohu's eyes were glued to the panda; he refused to leave and wanted to stay there watching the panda.

"Mom, can't I sleep with my little brother Zihang?" Zhang Xiaohu kept looking back on the way back.

“No, your little brother Zihang is too young, and you are too. You don’t know how to take care of him,” said the plump woman. “You’re also a restless sleeper. What if Zihang catches a cold?”

Fatty Sister-in-law wouldn't do such a thing. If Qin Zihang were older, and he offered to sleep with Zhang Xiaohu, then it would be fine. But he's still young, and he didn't say he wanted to sleep with Zhang Xiaohu. Fatty Sister-in-law couldn't possibly leave her youngest son to sleep at Song Fenglan's house.

One must have a bottom line and know some basic principles; one should not always trouble others.

Song Fenglan's family was quite well-off, and they treated Zhang Xiaohu very well. If it were another family, they wouldn't have allowed Zhang Xiaohu to touch those things, nor would they have cut fruit and put it there for everyone to eat. Zhang Xiaohu ate countless things at Song Fenglan's house, and Fatty Sister felt very embarrassed, as her family had taken advantage of her.

Song Fenglan didn't feel that her family was at a disadvantage. Qin Zihang didn't have any other friends, so it was good that Zhang Xiaohu was willing to come and play with him. Song Fenglan didn't want her son to be without any friends; otherwise, the child would be very lonely.

"Am I a bad sleeper?" Zhang Xiaohu didn't know. "I also sleep with my brother."

“That’s your own brother,” said the plump woman.

Qin Yizhou went to give Qin Zihang a bath, and Qin Zihang put the panda in the room.

Qin Zihang didn't dare put the panda in the living room, afraid it would run away or be taken away. Song Fenglan thought that her son had just gotten the panda, and that after a while, he wouldn't be so fond of it anymore.

After taking a shower, Qin Zihang ran to his room; he had to hug the panda.

Song Fenglan watched her son climb onto the bed and hug the panda plushie, her heart melting. Her little one was so adorable. Suddenly, Song Fenglan understood why some people liked to post pictures of their babies; they were just so cute.

Of course, we have to ignore the times when our son is naughty. At times, he is so adorable that you can't help but want to hug and kiss him.

"Mommy, there's a panda! I can sleep with the panda!" Qin Zihang was very happy. "Mommy, I love it so much!"

"I'm glad you like it." Song Fenglan covered Qin Zihang with a blanket. "This is your back-to-school gift."

"Mom, all those kids are going to be envious of me again," Qin Zihang said, hugging the panda.

"Oh?" Song Fenglan said.

“They really liked my backpack and said they wanted to buy one exactly the same,” Qin Zihang said. “I told them it wasn’t bought, but made by my mom.”

"And then?" Song Fenglan asked.

“They said they wanted Mom to cook for them, but I said no, I can’t let Mom work so hard. Mom can cook for me,” Qin Zihang said. “They have their own mothers, let their own mothers cook for them. How can I let my mother cook for them? No, no.”

“Mom doesn’t have time to make it for them,” Song Fenglan said. “If they ask again, you should still refuse them. Mom will make it for our Hangbao; Hangbao is our only little darling.”

"Yes." Qin Zihang nodded vigorously. "Mom, can you make it for Dad?"

Qin Yizhou washed Qin Zihang's clothes and came over to check on his wife and children. He happened to overhear what his son was saying.

“Dad is an adult, Mom doesn’t need to make a panda for him.” Qin Yizhou admitted that the panda was very cute, but his wife had spent a lot of time making it. She would sit there with needle and thread after work. Qin Yizhou couldn’t bear to see his wife work so hard. “Hangbao is fine now.”

"Dad, aren't you jealous?" Qin Zihang asked. "Mom made it for me, but not for you."

Qin Yizhou was speechless. He reached out to grab the panda, "Dad's jealous. How about you give your panda to Dad?"

"No, this is a gift from Mom." Qin Zihang was afraid that his father would take his panda away, so he pressed the panda under his stomach.

"It's going to be flattened," Qin Yizhou joked.

"Mine, mine." Qin Zihang refused to move.

"Your dad was just joking with you. He wasn't thinking of taking it from you," Song Fenglan said with amusement. What was her son thinking?

Qin Zihang glanced at his father discreetly, still feeling a little uneasy.

“If your dad tries to take him from you, your mom won’t want him anymore,” Song Fenglan said.

Upon hearing this, Qin Zihang stopped lying down and pressing down on the panda.

"My mom loves me the most." Qin Zihang even gave his father a defiant look.

"I love you, I love you so much," Qin Yizhou said, picking up the panda when his son wasn't looking.

"Mom, you don't want Dad, do you?" Qin Zihang shouted.

Song Fenglan took the panda from Qin Yizhou and handed it to Qin Zihang, saying, "It's so late, stop teasing him. Let him go to sleep early; he has school tomorrow."

"It feels great." As Qin Yizhou held the panda, he thought to himself, no wonder his son liked pandas so much. Qin Yizhou had touched pandas before, and this panda was different from other toys; he realized his wife had put a lot of effort into it.

Qin Yizhou released the panda and touched his wife's hand. His wife's hand was smooth and soft, and felt very comfortable.

Men's skin temperature tends to be higher, while women's skin temperature is not as high.

Song Fenglan felt the heat from Qin Yizhou's skin. She turned her head away from Qin Yizhou and looked at Qin Zihang instead.

"Do you want to pee before going to sleep?" Song Fenglan asked.

"I've already peed," Qin Zihang said.

“He already peed during his bath,” Qin Yizhou said. “With Panda around, let him play with Panda. He has to go to school, and you have to go to work tomorrow.”

Qin Yizhou held Song Fenglan's hand tightly. The two had embraced that evening, but hadn't taken things any further. Qin Yizhou thought they should take it slow, afraid that moving too fast would displease his wife.

When they first got married, his wife didn't have much affection for him; she was mostly just pressuring him. Later, Qin Yizhou was often in the military, and the couple saw each other less often. His wife's feelings for him diminished even further. She worked hard to raise their child, yet she still faced difficulties from Qin's family. Qin Yizhou felt terrible about himself, believing he hadn't protected his wife.

A few days later, a major event that shocked the entire nation occurred: the national leader was gone.

The news spread throughout the country; it was explosive news.

Aside from going to work, the Song family members mostly stay at home, and they try to avoid receiving guests if possible.

That evening, Song's mother called Song Fenglan. Since Song's mother and others were in the capital, they could still meet and talk more easily. Song's mother was worried about Song Fenglan's situation, fearing unrest.

"Mom, it's alright, don't worry," Song Fenglan said. "Our family has been exonerated, there can't be any other problems."

"I'm not worried about the family, I'm worried about you," Song's mother said. "What if someone is watching you and tries to harm you?"

"Don't worry, it's alright, it's alright." Song Fenglan knew what her mother was worried about. "Those things have nothing to do with us, and we haven't been involved in those matters. You work in ordinary units. It's true that my work is classified, but it's not politics, so nothing will happen. Yizhou is also doing well in the army; nothing's wrong with him, everything is fine. Mom, just be careful, and in a month or two, everything will settle down."

At this point, a little chaos is perfectly normal.

All Song Fenglan could do was focus on her own work. She didn't participate in those activities or get involved in those matters. Song Fenglan had always been clear-headed; she would continue on her research path. She didn't need to take sides; she just needed to do her job well.

"If it really doesn't work, take a few days off," Song Fenglan said. "You and Dad should stay home more."

“Where would it be easy to ask for leave? Your father and I are fine. We’re getting on in years, and there’s nothing particularly important to do at work these days,” said Song’s mother. “It’s all just simple, ordinary things. Your father is planning to apply for medical retirement, but his health isn’t very good, so he won’t be doing it.”

Much of their property was returned, which allowed them to continue living.

“You all need to take good care of your health,” Song Fenglan said.

"Thanks to Yizhou and his uncle, we are in relatively better health."

"Some people in the countryside are in even worse health," said Song's mother.

Those who stayed on the farm with the Song family were in poor health, had no one to protect them, had to do dirty and tiring work, and were under a lot of psychological pressure. The Song family members were struggling to take care of themselves, so it was unrealistic for them to ask Qin Yizhou for help. It was already very difficult for Qin Yizhou to help them, and it might even have a significant impact on him.

"Originally, we planned to give you a house and renovate it," said Song's mother. "It will probably take a while. The original renovation is gone, some of the furniture has been returned, but most of it is gone."

“These material possessions, if we lose them, we can get more,” Song Fenglan said. “You should stay at home and wait.”

After hanging up the phone, Song Fenglan looked at Qin Zihang, who was writing. Qin Yizhou had been coming home early these past few days, while Zhang Chenghai next door was coming home very late. Qin Yizhou's main task was to protect Song Fenglan. Not only was Qin Yizhou coming home earlier, but there were also more people patrolling the neighborhood.

"It'll be fine in a while," Qin Yizhou said. "The city center might be a bit chaotic, so don't go there for the next few days."