The former residence of educated youth.

Zhou Laosi found Jian Sufeng and said, "Comrade Jian, these are radish balls that my mother fried. Please try them."

A hint of disdain flashed in Jian Sufeng's eyes, but she concealed it well, and Zhou Laosi didn't notice. "Thank you, but no need, I'm already full. By the way, what about the thing I asked you to inquire about?"

A hint of guilt flashed across Zhou Laosi's face. He had patted his chest and made a promise, but who knew, "Ahem, well, I haven't mentioned it to my sister-in-law yet."

A hint of anger flashed across Jian Sufeng's face, but remembering that she still needed Zhou Laosi's help, she suppressed her anger and said, "It's alright. How about I take some things over to see Dr. Chen? It's always good to be polite."

Zhou Laosi quickly waved his hand, "No need, no need, we're all family." Perhaps feeling that he had spoken too quickly, he said, "Ahem, well, I just felt that you and your sister-in-law weren't very familiar with each other, so it wouldn't be appropriate for you to suddenly bring things to my door."

“Okay, I’ll listen to you. I know you’re a shrewd person, and you’ll definitely keep your promises,” Jian Sufen praised Zhou Laosi.

Old Zhou straightened his back subconsciously. "Yes, don't worry, I will definitely persuade my sister-in-law."

After saying that, he regretted it for a second, but seeing Comrade Jian's smile, he secretly made up his mind again.

"Pick up the radish balls first, my mom put meat in them too," she said, then stuffed them into Jian Sufeng's arms and left, as if afraid she would come back.

When he got home, his mother was waiting for him. "Where did you take my bowl of radish balls?" she asked.

“Mom, my friend didn’t come home. I felt bad for her being out alone during the holiday, so I brought her a bowl of radish balls,” Zhou Laosi explained.

Zhou's mother was about to scold him, but thinking that it was the New Year, she held back.

However, "I've told you, I won't agree to the girls from that educated youth compound, and neither will your father. I'm too lazy to hit you, but you're an adult now. I put meat in those radish balls, so I don't care what method you use, you have to bring them back to me." Zhou's mother wasn't going to let those girls from outside get away with it.

She's not going to let that little brat, who's destined to never become a daughter-in-law, get away with it.

Zhou Laosi was dumbfounded. "Mother, you want me to take back what I gave away? I don't have the face to do that."

"You still have any shame? If you had any shame, you wouldn't have chosen a sent-down youth as your partner."

"Mother, why don't you agree? Didn't my eldest brother also marry an educated youth? You agreed back then, so why can't you agree when it's my turn?" Zhou Laosi really couldn't understand.

"Don't give me that nonsense. I'm your own mother. Would I ever harm you?" Zhou's mother didn't want to talk to him about this anymore. "You should hurry up and get it back for me while there's still time. Don't let some random girl get it for you."

"I'm not going," Zhou Laosi couldn't bear to lose face.

"Are you going or not? If you're not going, I'll go get it myself," Zhou's mother said, not wanting to let outsiders benefit from it.

"Mother, are you trying to force me to my death?" Zhou Laosi couldn't imagine how he would face the world if outsiders found out.

"How am I forcing you? Do you really want to marry an educated youth? If you dare to marry her, I'll kill myself right in front of you. Then we'll see if you regret it," Zhou's mother said, resorting to her usual threatening methods.

Zhou Laosi slumped to the ground. "Mother, if you continue like this, everyone will think that I forced you to your death. How can I face living in this world? I might as well just go now."

After saying that, he stood up shakily and walked outside dejectedly.

Hearing the commotion, Zhou's father came over and slapped Zhou Laosi across the face, saying, "Your mother and I raised you all these years, only to have us, white-haired people, bury our black-haired son?"

Zhou Lao Si was already heartbroken. He looked at his mother and said, "Mother, isn't this what we wanted?"

"Fourth brother, are you... are you blaming me?" Zhou's mother asked, her lips trembling.

"I dare not," Zhou Laosi's voice was completely flat.

Mr. Zhou was furious and slammed his hand on the table. "Enough! It's the New Year! What exactly do you and your mother want?" Despite what people outside say about opposing feudal superstition, deep down, Mr. Zhou believed in those things.

In this perfectly good year, everyone keeps talking about dying. What if it comes true?

"Fourth brother, don't blame your mother. She's only doing this for your own good. But if you really want to marry that educated youth, you should talk to her properly. We're just worried that if she goes back to the city, what will you do alone? You'll be remarried then, and if you have children, do you think any good girl will still be willing to marry you?" Zhou's father said earnestly.

"Dad, I know what you're saying, but right now, all I see and think about is her. There's no room for anyone else in my heart."

Zhou's father frowned upon hearing this, but he also knew that his fourth son was an impulsive person, and if he really didn't agree, he might actually do something like committing suicide.

“Well then, your mother and I won’t object to your marriage for now, but you have to make sure the woman is willing to marry you,” Zhou’s father made a request.

"Old man, you..." Zhou's mother wanted to speak, but a fierce look from Zhou's father made her swallow the rest of her words.

"Dad, are you serious?" Old Zhou had already given up hope.

"Of course," Zhou's father said, having his own plans.

Zhou Laosi was so happy he jumped for joy, but seeing his mother's gloomy eyes, he didn't dare to continue jumping.

But he also knew that when his father was serious, the family usually listened to him.

"Dad, I'm going to find Jian Zhiqing now," she said, and ran off quickly, afraid that her mother would object.

After Zhou Laosi left, Zhou's mother looked at Zhou's father and said, "Old man, how could you agree to this? You know that those educated youth, given the chance to return to the city, will definitely abandon their men and children in the countryside."

"How could I not know? But do you really want something bad to happen to the fourth brother?"

Zhou's mother paused for a moment. She knew her own son bestowed upon her; she was only pretending, but her fourth son was truly capable of such things.

"Are we just going to stand by and watch?" Zhou's mother was still unwilling. It was one thing that the eldest son wasn't her biological child, but the fourth son was hers.

"What else can we do? However, there is a chance that things might turn out differently."

Zhou's mother's eyes lit up. "What turning point?"

"On the eldest son's wife."

"What? That bitch Shen Banxia?" Zhou's mother was unaware that she was being dragged into this. "Isn't she a sent-down youth herself? How could she possibly object?"

Zhou's father took a deep breath, "You've made your own choice, so you'll have to bear the consequences." He added, "Have you forgotten what the fourth son said at the dinner table?"

"You mean studying medicine?"

Mr. Zhou nodded.

"That can't be allowed to benefit outsiders, but that bitch Shen Banxia definitely won't agree," Zhou's mother was unaware of this.

“That’s not necessarily true,” Zhou’s father said, but he had a different opinion.