Chapter 95 A Beast's Self-Deception

Jiang Ersao refused to listen to Yu Xiaoyi, implying in her words that Yu Xiaoyi favored the eldest son's family. Yu Xiaoyi had helped the second son's family so much, yet Jiang Ersao still had the nerve to say such things.

Aunt Yu fell silent. What was there to say? She was considering her second son's feelings, but her second daughter-in-law felt she was favoring her eldest son. Aunt Yu glanced at her second son, who remained silent. She knew her second son was on his wife's side.

Seeing Aunt Yu leave, Jiang Ersao loudly urged her husband, "We'll continue investing. Don't listen to your mother. We can't get the money back. If we do, we're done for!"

Jiang Ersao said these things deliberately, intending them for Yu Xiaoyi to hear.

"Did you hear that?" Jiang Ersao asked, waiting for Jiang Er...

"Brother replied."

“I heard you,” said Jiang Erge.

“If we really lose money, we can just make it back, right? If we don’t sell, we can’t make any money,” said Jiang Ersao. “We can’t hold our heads up in front of your parents.”

Aunt Yu felt even more uncomfortable after hearing these words. It wasn't that she didn't want her second son and his wife to get rich, but that person was simply unreliable.

When Song's mother learned of this, she felt quite helpless.

Aunt Yu sat in front of Song's mother, wiping the corner of her eyes with a handkerchief.

"I wonder how much money that couple invested," Aunt Yu said. "What if it all went down the drain..."

“That’s their money too,” said Song’s mother. “That’s how life is, full of ups and downs, you can’t control everything. If the investment really fails, they’ll just go and make more money. If it succeeds, they’ll have more money in their hands, and life will be easier.”

“I’m afraid they’ll all be gone. Then… will they be able to make that much money all at once?” Aunt Yu said. “I don’t know if she’s borrowed money from outside. I heard that some people borrow money to invest. They don’t have that much money on hand, so they have to borrow money. I really don’t know what those people are thinking. Those guys are just scoundrels.”

"Borrow money?" Song's mother hadn't thought of that.

“Yes, borrowing money,” Aunt Yu said. “That’s the problem. If you borrow money, you have to pay it back. If you lose money, where will you get the money to pay it back?”

"..." Song's mother didn't know what to say. "It's very important to act within your means."

“My second daughter-in-law still doesn’t have a stable job and is always thinking about getting rich,” Aunt Yu said. “If she could really get rich, would she even be in the running? No matter what we say, it’s useless, especially after the family division, their attitude has become even worse.”

Aunt Yu rubbed her temples. Before the family split up, Jiang Ersao's attitude was a little better.

“They always say we give them too little, and that their eldest brother gets too much,” Aunt Yu said. “We’re all still alive, and their grandmother is still alive. We all have mouths to feed, and we all need to spend money. How can we possibly give them all our money? Aren’t we supposed to live our own lives?”

A few days later, those people went elsewhere and didn't stay here. They planned to come back in a few months or a year, saying they had lost all their money. All investments are risky. Don't always think about making money; you also have to think about losing money. You can't expect the money to belong to the investors when you make it, but if you lose it, it belongs to those who attracted the investment.

After those people left, Jiang Ersao still thought they must have gone to open a factory. She even dreamed that she received a lot of dividends.

Aunt Yu didn't tell Song Fenglan about this; it was Song Fenglan's mother who told her when Song Fenglan went to pick up Qin Zihang.

Song's mother felt terrible just thinking about it. Her son, who had been sent to the countryside as an educated youth, had returned, and there were still many things to deal with.

“No jobs, no money, and now they have to make investments,” said Song’s mother. “If they really want to invest, the little money they have isn’t enough.”

"Mom, you're not going to go and tell them, are you?" Song Fenglan asked.

“No, why would I go over there to say anything?” Song’s mother said. “I’m neither their biological mother nor their mother-in-law. If I go over there to speak, no one will listen to me. If I go over there, it will only make things more difficult for your aunt at home.”

“Even an upright official finds it hard to settle family disputes,” Song Fenglan said. “They’re thinking about making a fortune right now. If we try to pour cold water on their dreams, they won’t believe us. They’ll just think we’re trying to cut off their path to wealth, and that we don’t want them to be rich.”

"So I didn't say anything." Song's mother knew how to keep her distance; she couldn't possibly rush up to someone else's son and daughter-in-law and say something unpleasant. "Your aunt was worried that they would borrow money to invest."

"When they come back from the countryside, will others lend them a lot of money?" Song Fenglan asked.

“That’s not necessarily true. If you borrow from here and there, you can still borrow a lot of money,” said Song’s mother. “If you really borrow that much money and lose it, it will be hard to pay it back. No wonder your aunt is worried; they don’t have much money to begin with.”

“You’ve already separated the family, don’t worry about it. If you really owe a lot of money, be firm in your stance then,” Song Fenglan said. “Don’t be too soft-hearted.”

“They’re all family, how could we really be so heartless?” Song’s mother said. “If your aunt could be so heartless, she wouldn’t have kept you in the house in the first place.”

Song Fenglan thought about it and realized that Aunt Yu was indeed kind-hearted.

“Children are all debts,” Song Fenglan said. “If your aunt really wants to take care of them, let your aunt take care of them. Please don’t interfere.”

“I won’t get involved unless your aunt asks me for money. But it’s unlikely your aunt will ask me for money,” said Song’s mother. “When your aunt talks to me, it’s not because she wants anything. She just wants to talk about something. She can’t talk to her in-laws, so she can only talk to me. Your aunt has a hard life, sigh.”

"You can't say that. During those special times, my aunt was able to stay in the city and didn't get divorced, so she was better off than many people," Song Fenglan said. "She's not the best off, but she's not the worst off either. It's good enough for ordinary people to live like this. You can't expect everything. I think my aunt is living a very stable life."

Song Fenglan didn't look down on her aunt; it was just that many things were like that. The Song family had been sent to a farm, where they suffered greatly, while Aunt Yu, at least, hadn't been sent there. Perhaps Aunt Yu had even been grateful to have married into the working class rather than a capitalist.

Song Fenglan had lived with Aunt Yu for many years and understood Aunt Yu's mindset. Aunt Yu wasn't a bad person; she didn't care about others' well-being. She was someone who could live a good life.

“Mom, I’m taking Zihang back,” Song Fenglan said.

"Let's eat here and then go back," said Song's mother.

“Go back and eat. The food at home is all prepared, including his favorite dishes,” Song Fenglan said.

“He also has some of his favorite foods here,” said Song’s mother.

“They don’t have what I like to eat,” Song Fenglan said.

"That's because we didn't know you were coming. If we had known, we would have made you your favorite food," said Song's mother. "Alright, alright, take Zihang back now."

"Zihang, it's time to go home." Song Fenglan called upstairs. Before, when she returned home, she could see her son more often, but now when she returned home, her son was often not at home.

"Coming, coming!" Qin Zihang ran down the stairs.

Qin Zihang said goodbye to Song's mother and the others, and then went back with Song Fenglan.

"Mom, you're back very early today," Qin Zihang said. "I was thinking of going back in a little while."

“A little earlier, so we can go see your grandmother and then pick you up,” Song Fenglan said. “I don’t usually have much time to go there, but you have more time.”

"Mom's not home, so I'm going over there," Qin Zihang said. "Mom, are you happy that I'm keeping Grandma company?"

"Are you with your grandmother? Are you playing with your older brother and sister?" Song Fenglan asked.

“Grandma brought us food,” Qin Zihang said. “Grandma was very happy, so this made her happy.”

“Your grandmother is happy to see you all so happy,” Song Fenglan said.

Song Fenglan's junior high school classmate, Xing Baozhu, has returned to the countryside, a poor and remote place with yellow soil that is not fertile enough to produce much grain.

Xing Baozhu told her husband about borrowing money from her junior high school classmate. "She said there's no rush to pay it back, but we still need to work hard to earn money. Our child will be staying in the capital for several years, finishing junior high and then high school. We need to send some money over every year, as he needs money for food."

"Did your elder brother and sister-in-law agree to let him stay?" Xu Feng asked.

"I agree," Xing Baozhu nodded.

"That's good, that's good." Xu Feng was a farmer from the countryside. He hadn't planned to send his son to the city, but his wife said she wanted to send him to the capital, and he had no objections. Xu Feng also hoped that his son could have a good life in the city and that he could study hard and get a better education.

“We have to wait until after high school to get the money we need over the years,” Xing Baozhu emphasized. “We need to find a way to earn more money. We can’t keep borrowing from my old classmates every time. Borrowing once or twice is fine, but if we borrow every year, what will people think of us?”

"Make money." Xu Feng was honest and simple; he always listened to his wife. Sending their son to the capital would cost a lot of money, but the conditions there were better.

Song Fenglan knew where Xing Baozhu's family home was, but she didn't go there. Song Fenglan didn't inquire about how Xing Baozhu's son was doing; the child's uncle and aunt would take good care of him.

There are many people in this world who are unhappy, but Song Fenglan can't care about that.

That day, Song Fenglan and her husband took Qin Zihang shopping together, a rare occurrence. While they were shopping, they happened to run into Qin Erjie. Qin Erjie and her husband were out buying clothes with their children, and also having a snack.

The two families met, and Song Fenglan nodded to them.

"Want to have dinner together?" Sister Qin asked. "It's on me."

Qin Erjie looked at Song Fenglan, mainly to see if Song Fenglan would agree.

Since Sister Qin didn't make things difficult for Song Fenglan, Song Fenglan agreed.

When they arrived at the restaurant, Qin Erjie's child was squirming around, so Qin Erjie quickly patted the child a few times and said, "Sit still."

Sister Qin has to work and sometimes doesn't have time to take care of the children. Her husband is a country bumpkin, and he has some bad habits that the children easily pick up. For example, the children smack their lips while eating and lick their rice bowls just like their husbands.

Song Fenglan saw that Qin Erjie's child was not sitting properly, but she didn't say anything else.

“Mom.” Qin Zihang looked at his mother.

"Wait a moment, the food will be served soon." Song Fenglan gestured for Qin Zihang not to say anything more.

Whether other people's children sit properly or not has little to do with my own; Qin Zihang just needs to sit up straight.

“Your Zihang is so sensible and well-behaved,” said Sister Qin. “My children have lived in the countryside since they were little. After I was admitted to teachers’ college, they came back with me, but they still haven’t changed their bad habits.”

Sister Qin felt a little embarrassed. She had told the children many times, but when she wasn't home, they acted the same way they did back in the countryside. Sister Qin knew this was because the children had lived in the countryside for many years, and also because even their own father couldn't change some of his habits, let alone the children.

"It's alright," Song Fenglan said, maintaining her smile and not saying anything bad about the child.

Qin Erjie had it tough too. She finally got into teachers' college, but then she had to find a job and arrange things for her husband. Instead of abandoning her husband and children, she brought her whole family back with her, making life difficult enough as it was.

The reason Song Fenglan was willing to sit down for a meal with Qin Erjie was that Qin Erjie didn't side with Qin's mother and didn't sow discord. If Qin Erjie were someone who sowed discord, Song Fenglan naturally wouldn't have sat down with her.

The waiter quickly brought the food. Song Fenglan didn't actually intend to let Qin Erjie pay the bill; the restaurant she chose was a family-owned restaurant. Song Erge owned companies and factories, and also had involvement in the catering industry. Song Erge had encouraged Song Fenglan and Song Dage to invest some money, so that the siblings could make money together.

"This is a restaurant opened by my second brother." Song Fenglan told Qin Erjie after the dishes were served, so that Qin Erjie would not have to go to another restaurant. "Please eat as much as you like. If you are not full, you can order more. Don't worry about the cost of the food. It's free. You don't need to pay."

"This...this is so embarrassing!" Sister Qin had originally thought this restaurant was quite nice, but she never expected that it would belong to the Song family.

"The dishes are all served, please eat as much as you like," Song Fenglan said, and then asked the waiter to add two more meat dishes.

Seeing that Qin Erjie's child was staring at the meat, Song Fenglan guessed that Qin Erjie's family didn't eat meat very often. Qin Zihang, on the other hand, wasn't staring at the meat; he ate meat often and wasn't lacking in meat.

"No need to order more dishes," Sister Qin quickly told the waiter.

"Do as I say," Song Fenglan said to the waiter.

The waitress left quickly, doing as Song Fenglan had instructed.

When Qin Erjie's children saw the meat, they grabbed their chopsticks and started picking it up. Qin Erjie glanced at the children, somewhat helplessly. It was all because they didn't have enough oil and fat at home; these children hadn't eaten meat for several days, which was why they were so eager for it. Qin Erjie didn't slap the chopsticks in the children's hands; she understood that Song Fenglan had deliberately ordered these dishes so that they would eat more.

"Take your time, don't put it on the table." Sister Qin reminded the child. After reminding her, Sister Qin looked at Song Fenglan and said, "I went to see Mom a few days ago. She was lively and energetic, and didn't look sick at all. She was just pretending."

Sister Qin made her stance clear to Song Fenglan, "I'll just go over for a bit and then leave. Everyone has things to do, so how can we let her cause trouble? You shouldn't go over there too often either. If you do, you're just giving her face, and she'll take advantage of you and kick you when you're done."

"Eat your food." Song Fenglan put some food on Qin Zihang's plate, then looked at Qin's second sister, "Zihang and I didn't go over there."

"Don't go over there," said Sister Qin. "Li'an from their family is a real devil. My child was bullied by him a lot when he was over there. Mom always sided with him and even said that having another child in my family would only make him more vulnerable."

Thinking about those things, Qin Erjie felt even more resentful towards her mother. She hadn't been thinking about how good things were for her, nor had she thought that her mother cared about her child. But her mother shouldn't have slandered her child like that.

"Don't go over there," Qin Yizhou said. "Second sister, second brother-in-law, you eat."

Qin's second brother-in-law was a little hesitant to touch his chopsticks; he was a bit embarrassed.

"These dishes all need to be eaten," Qin Yizhou said.

“We’re not packing it up to take back,” Song Fenglan added.

"Hey, they're eating, they're eating," said Qin's second brother-in-law.

Qin's second brother-in-law was rather silent in front of Qin Yizhou and his group. He spoke little even in front of others. He was afraid of embarrassing his second sister and displeasing his wife, so he kept his mouth shut whenever possible.

Song Fenglan ate quietly, without trying to find topics to talk about, while Qin Yizhou chatted with Qin Erjie for a few words.

"Did your school assign housing?" Qin Yizhou asked.

“Your second sister’s husband works at our school, so my housing allocation has been delayed,” Qin’s second sister said. “We were thinking that if it’s not easy to get a house, we’ll see if we can save up some money to buy one.”

Houses aren't particularly expensive these days, but buying one still requires a significant amount of money. Qin Erjie and her husband rent an apartment and have to raise a child, so they don't have much money left over each month.

“You mustn’t laugh at us. We can’t afford it now, but maybe we can in the future,” said Sister Qin. “We all need a place of our own, a place to live.”

“Buying a house is a good thing,” Song Fenglan said. “If the company allocates a house and you buy it later, it will cost less money. But it also depends on your length of service. Those with longer service will spend less money, while those with shorter service will spend more. However, some companies now only allocate houses and do not sell them.”

The value of money varies at different times.

Song Fenglan believes that it depends on what Qin Erjie and her husband think. They can't possibly contribute only a little bit themselves and then borrow the rest.

"Is the house your company assigned you pretty good?" Sister Qin asked.

"It's alright. The house isn't small, and Zihang can go there to rest after school," Song Fenglan said. "His junior high school is also nearby, so it's very convenient."

“Your workplace has a good school,” said Sister Qin. “When it comes to job assignments, many people want to be assigned there.”

Qin Erjie naturally wanted to as well, but she wasn't assigned there. It was already quite good that Qin Erjie could become a high school teacher; she was a graduate of a teachers' college. The main reason she was assigned was because there were few highly educated people in those days, and schools were short of teachers.

In Song Fenglan's previous life, someone with Qin Erjie's qualifications wouldn't be able to become a junior high school teacher in the city, or even a junior high school teacher in some smaller towns; she might only be able to become a primary school teacher. Some of the more prestigious schools, especially those in the city, require master's or doctoral degrees. The qualifications required for the teaching profession are becoming increasingly higher and more demanding.

Many graduate and doctoral students from 211 and 985 universities become teachers. These people are not few and far between. There are graduate and doctoral students from the top two universities in China who choose to become teachers, as well as those from well-known universities abroad.

Song Fenglan wasn't saying Qin Erjie was bad; she thought Qin Erjie could seize the opportunity. If her workplace didn't provide housing, she should buy her own, taking advantage of low prices so she could profit when prices skyrocketed later.

“I was thinking of buying a house since we weren’t allocated housing,” Song Fenglan said. “I asked my second brother to take a look, and he said there are basically no houses for sale there. It’s a good location with many schools nearby, so everyone likes to live there. It’s hard to even rent a house, let alone buy one. If you haven’t been allocated housing yet, it’s better to buy one sooner rather than later.”

"You're right." Sister Qin nodded. She thought that since the Song family was so good at making money, Song Fenglan must be right.

"Just hang in there, and things will get better from here on out," Qin Yizhou said. He believed his wife; she wouldn't do anything to betray him.

After finishing their meal, there were still some dishes left over. Song Fenglan and her husband didn't pack them up to take home; Qin Erjie and her family did. They went their separate ways and didn't go shopping together again.

"Mom," Qin Zihang tugged at Song Fenglan's clothes, "Why didn't you let me speak just now?"

"What do you want to say?" Song Fenglan asked.

"Does my cousin have ADHD?" Qin Zihang asked. "There's someone in the class who keeps fidgeting and can't sit still. The teacher said that person is sick."

“Some people aren’t hyperactive, they’re just curious,” Song Fenglan said. “Your second aunt is a teacher, she’s seen a lot of students, she’ll know it herself, you don’t need to tell her. This isn’t a good thing, if you tell her, people will think you have a problem with them, you know?”

It's hard to tell whether someone has ADHD or not.

Song Fenglan and the others are not doctors; they don't know how to make judgments, so they might cause misunderstandings.

"Is that so?" Qin Zihang looked up at his mother.

“Yes, whether someone is sick or not needs a doctor’s diagnosis,” Song Fenglan said. “There are things you can say, and things you can’t say. This is like you’re telling someone they’re impolite, you understand?”

Qin Yizhou, a grown man, didn't think much of it. But when he heard his wife's words, he realized he hadn't been attentive enough. His wife was right; such things shouldn't be said lightly. If they had said them, his second sister might have thought they were criticizing someone's behavior.

“Didn’t you say you’re all grown up? This is the price of growing up; you can’t speak recklessly,” Song Fenglan said.

"Growing up is such a hassle," Qin Zihang said.

"Didn't you used to say you wanted to grow up?" Song Fenglan said. "Now you don't want to grow up anymore?"

“No one ever told me that growing up should be like this,” Qin Zihang said. “I thought…”

"Do you think you can do whatever you want just because you're all grown up?" Song Fenglan raised an eyebrow.

"More or less." Qin Zihang thought that now that he was grown up, he could do what he wanted without being criticized for being too young. Now, however, he felt that growing up wasn't so good after all; he was still constrained.

“You live in this society. If you do whatever you want, others will do the same. Without rules, things will get out of hand,” Song Fenglan said.

"Mom, I'm not the Monkey King, Sun Wukong," Qin Zihang said. "If I were the Monkey King, I..."

…”

“The Great Sage Equaling Heaven, Sun Wukong, later became the Victorious Fighting Buddha,” Song Fenglan said. “That’s the price.”

"..." Qin Zihang lowered his head slightly.

"Alright, let's go buy you new clothes," Song Fenglan said. "Your dad's over here, let him help you choose. Mom doesn't know what kind of clothes you boys like."

Qin Zihang looked at his father, "Dad, you pay!"

"If I'm not paying, who else would pay?" Qin Yizhou chuckled.

“If you don’t want to pay, Mom can pay,” Qin Zihang said. “It’s Dad’s turn to pay.”

“Okay, Dad will pay.” Qin Yizhou had no objection. He had come out with his wife and son, so he couldn’t let his wife pay.

The Qin family went in another direction. The Qin couple were buying clothes for their children, and they had to carefully check the prices. With so many children, they couldn't afford overly expensive clothes.

These days, Jiang Ersao was in high spirits, always smiling, convinced that her investment would be a success. But her smile soon faded as some people said that those who took the money were living it up outside and hadn't actually opened a factory.

"How could that be? It's only been a short time, less than a month!" Jiang Ersao didn't believe what those people were saying. She talked to her husband before going to bed that night, trying to reassure him, "How can a factory be built so quickly?"

"Do you want a refund?" Jiang Erge asked.

“We can’t refund the money now. They all took the money to build factories, which costs money,” said Jiang Ersao. “In the early days, we had to spend money on entertainment and other things. Otherwise, where would the orders come from?”

Jiang Ersao didn't need anyone to deceive her; she devised her own strategy and found excuses for those people herself.

“Those people are really impatient. Haste makes waste,” said Jiang Ersao. “When the Song family does business, don’t they all have to go out and socialize? Private businesses, unlike government businesses, need to cultivate relationships with certain departments to succeed. The Song family has a lot of connections in the capital, which is why they have it so easy. If they didn’t have so many connections, wouldn’t they have to act like subservient to others? Just like your mother and the others, when they go to the Song family, they all cower like turtles and don’t dare to say a word.”

Jiang Ersao herself didn't dare to say much in front of the Song family, yet she was still speaking ill of the Jiang family here.

"Are you still planning to keep bowing your head to the Song family?" Jiang Ersao said. "They're all relatives, so why do we have to bow our heads while they don't? Just because they have money, does that mean they can be high and mighty while we have to grovel on the ground?"

Jiang Ersao was unwilling to accept her fate. After arriving in the capital, she witnessed its prosperity. However, everything costs money when traveling, and Jiang Ersao couldn't buy the things she wanted because she was short of cash; without money, one can't move an inch. Only when they made a lot of money could they hold their heads high in front of the Song family.

"..." Jiang Erge didn't speak. His wife had a lot of complaints about the Song family. The Song family was too rich, and they didn't share their wealth with them.

It would be a lie to say that Jiang Erge wasn't jealous of the Song family's wealth, but it wasn't his money, and he couldn't get his hands on it anyway.

“When we have money, the kids can eat whatever they want, go to good schools, and wear new clothes every day,” said Jiang Ersao. “I can buy cosmetics whenever I want. I don’t even need to put on makeup. People will say I’m already a mother and don’t need to dress up so extravagantly. I think those people don’t not want to dress up; they just don’t have the money! If they had money, they would definitely be wearing gold and silver.”

Jiang Ersao fantasized that her family had made a lot of money, and that she could throw a wad of cash in front of them to show them how much money her family could make and that they wouldn't have to rely on them anymore.

Previously, Jiang Ersao had wanted the Song family to arrange a job for her, but seeing Jiang Yufei's fate, she dared not ask. However, Jiang Ersao still harbored some resentment towards the Song family. She thought that since the Song family was doing so well, why didn't they promote their relatives? They were all relatives, so why was it that only the Song family was doing so well while everyone else was doing so poorly?

The Song family is so inconsiderate!

Jiang Ersao thought that the Song family was not short of money. They had earned so much money, so they were not afraid of not having places to spend it.

“This investment is non-refundable. I even wanted to invest more so we could have a larger share,” said Jiang Ersao. “It’s all written in black and white. Those people aren’t willing to wait, and it’s no use asking for a refund now. They’ve already taken the money to build factories. How can they build factories if they get a refund now? They made it all very clear when they signed the agreement. Land is expensive in the capital, so it’s better to build factories in neighboring cities. They’re busy; they can’t be in the capital every day. Doesn’t it cost money to travel back and forth? Whose money are they spending? Isn’t it still our investors’ money?”

Jiang Ersao rambled on and on, trying to gain Jiang Erge's approval. A slight fear crept into her heart, but she told herself she couldn't be afraid; that's how investments are. They'd already said from the beginning that there was no quick return on investment; business isn't about instant success, it's not like you can invest this month and get dividends next month. If that were true, why would anyone force them to invest?

"Say something!" Jiang Ersao nudged Jiang Erge. "Am I right?"

"Yes, yes, yes, you're absolutely right," said Brother Jiang. He still had to continue selling stinky tofu and make money.

In order to receive a larger share of the profits, Jiang Ersao borrowed money from some relatives, and this money all had to be repaid, not that it was waived. Jiang Ersao herself was unwilling to borrow the money; she had Jiang Erge borrow it instead. Jiang Ersao believed that these people were all relatives of the Jiang family, and it wasn't appropriate for her, as someone who had married into the Jiang family, to borrow money herself; Jiang Erge had to be the one to do it.

Those relatives, remembering the hardships Jiang Erge endured as a sent-down youth in the countryside and considering his current hardworking and reliable nature, lent him money. Some didn't even ask Jiang Erge what he intended to do with the money; they simply lent it to him. They were afraid of hurting his pride, which is why they didn't ask further questions.

If those relatives knew that Brother Jiang wanted to borrow money for investment, perhaps they wouldn't have lent him the money.

Jiang Yufei knew about the investment, but she hadn't invested; she couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. Jiang Yufei knew how shady those people were; they didn't seem like people who knew how to make money. No matter how glamorous they dressed, it didn't matter; she had to see through the facade to their true nature.

Only Jiang's second brother and his wife borrowed money to invest; the rest of the Jiang family did not invest.

Song Fenglan worked overtime again on a weekday, not getting home until almost 9 pm. When she arrived home, Qin Zihang had already gone to rest, and Qin Yizhou was sitting downstairs watching TV.

TV station does not

With so many new TV dramas available, Qin Yizhou sometimes watched reruns of the same ones. Domestic dramas weren't as good as Hong Kong dramas; some TV stations broadcast Hong Kong martial arts dramas in the evenings, and these dramas were very popular.

Qin Yizhou wasn't so engrossed in watching the TV series; he could still sense the movement at the door. "Are you cold?" Qin Yizhou asked.

"It's not cold," Song Fenglan said. "The weather is gradually getting warmer."

"Your hands are a little cold." Qin Yizhou touched Song Fenglan's hand.

“Men’s body temperature is generally higher than women’s,” Song Fenglan said. “My hands are still relatively warm.”

Before he knew it, it was summer vacation for Qin Zihang. He would be starting junior high school next semester.

Tang Shaotao and his wife were still pestering Aunt Song, trying to get her to pay for the school she had arranged.

Aunt Song refused to let them in; she stayed home and wouldn't allow Tang Shaotao and his wife to come in. Yet, the couple dared to stand at the door waiting for her. Each time, they would only carry a few small items, making others think they were very filial.

Early this morning, before Tang Shaotao and his wife arrived, Aunt Song went to Song Fenglan's house to see Qin Zihang. Aunt Song still preferred Qin Zihang and didn't like her own grandson.

“Our Zihang is so much better. He gets good grades and high scores, so we don’t have to worry about him not getting into a good school,” said Aunt Song. “Tang Shaotao has come to see me several times, but I refuse to see him. What does his child’s poor grades have to do with me? Does he think that just because they’re related to me by blood, I have to care about them?”

"They came to see you again?" Song Fenglan asked, peeling an apple with a fruit knife.

“They went,” said Aunt Song. “They’ve gone several times in the past few months. Could I agree to their requests? Of course not! If I agree to one, the others will swarm in, and I’ll be in trouble. Even if I give them everything, they’ll never be satisfied.”

When Aunt Song thought of the Tang family, her face turned very sour. The Tang family had no idea how much others disliked them. The Tang family shouldn't have come to Aunt Song in the first place; she loathed them.

“They only bring a little bit of fruit each time. Do they think I’m lacking fruit?” Aunt Song said.

Song Fenglan sliced ​​the apple and arranged it on a plate. "Auntie, eat."

“They’re just playing the victim,” Aunt Song said. “They have no idea how miserable I used to be. They’re far from miserable now. They’re still in the capital, not sent down to farms, living in decent houses, and still have so much time to come and see me.”

Aunt Song had considered calling the police, but it was pointless. After all, Aunt Song and Tang Shaotao were related by blood, and the police, knowing this, chose to appease them and let them resolve their feud. Aunt Song had no intention of resolving the feud; she didn't need anyone's comforting words; she knew how to comfort herself.

The Tang family can forget about getting anything from her.

“If they want to struggle, then let them struggle,” Aunt Song said. “I’m not soft-hearted. Don’t say that children are a debt and that parents have to help them. That’s impossible.”

“When I went to Nancheng on a business trip, Tang Lu’s friend came over and said that Tang Lu was hospitalized, so I didn’t go,” Song Fenglan said.

“What are you going there for? You’re not a doctor, you can’t help,” Aunt Song said. “Tang Lu decided to become a pilot herself, so she has to do it herself, instead of thinking about getting more through connections.”

“Tang Lu is alright,” Song Fenglan said. “I’ve been with her in Nancheng for several years, and she’s never come near me. When I’m working, I’ve seen her from afar, but she hasn’t run up to me. That time, she was sick, and her friend came to find me, but I still didn’t go over.”

“No need to go there. The Tang family is a master of using self-inflicted suffering as a ruse,” Aunt Song said. “They want others to sympathize with them and lead people by the nose. They are no good people; don’t trust them.”

“I don’t believe it,” Song Fenglan echoed. “They are not trustworthy.”

“They think I like looking at my grandchildren, that grandchildren make me feel inferior,” said Aunt Song. “It’s probably because so many things happened back then, and when I see my own grandchildren, I feel like they’re not like my grandchildren. I don’t have grandchildren like that.”

This is Aunt Song's honest feeling: the Tang family is too ruthless and heartless. Aunt Song doesn't even care about her own grandchildren; if her own son and daughter can treat her badly, imagine how much worse it is for someone a generation apart. The situation is very complicated. If Aunt Song doesn't handle things well, she might be framed by the Tang family.

Anyway, when the Tang family approached Aunt Song, she always said the same thing: she couldn't possibly get involved in those matters.

“That’s because they’ve already exhausted your trust,” Song Fenglan said. “Relatives like that are useless. They’ll only keep you company and make you laugh when you have money.”

“That’s how it is.” Aunt Song sighed. “I understand it all now. Watching them is not as good as watching our Zihang. Our Zihang is smart and clever, and I love watching him.”

“Look, look,” Song Fenglan said.

"Auntie." Qin Zihang came downstairs, carrying his badminton racket. "Auntie, wanna play badminton?"

“Let’s play!” Aunt Song nodded, and she went to the yard with Qin Zihang to play badminton.

The yard has flowers and plants, is spacious, and offers fresh air.

Song Fenglan stood by and watched. Third Aunt Song asked, "Do you want to hit him?"

"I won't fight, I'll watch you fight," Song Fenglan said. "Aunt, are you letting Zihang win?"

"When playing badminton, you have to hit shots that the opponent can return," Aunt Song said. "If you can't return them and they keep falling to the ground, how can you play?"

Aunt Song wasn't competing against Qin Zihang, so she didn't need to prove her strength. Aunt Song rarely played badminton at home; she only played it when she went out to play.

The two were playing badminton under a big tree; the shade prevented it from getting too hot. They planned to go inside to rest when it got too hot.

Just as Aunt Song had expected, Tang Shaotao and his wife took their child to Aunt Song's house. In this sweltering heat, they stood there with nothing to shelter them from the heat, using an umbrella. Tang Shaotao's child clearly didn't want to stand there.

"Dad, Mom, how long are we supposed to stand here? We're like idiots, Grandma's completely ignoring us," said Tang Shaotao's youngest son, his face full of impatience, as if he wanted to just burst through the iron gate. "The other grandmas in our class dote on their grandsons, but this is how my grandma treats us. What does she take us for, animals?"