Chapter 286 (First and Second Updates) Is it just because it's expensive...?
Tang Mingli and her daughter enjoyed a slightly spicy Hunan meal, and then went to an imported goods store to buy her daughter many of her favorite snacks before happily returning home.
On the way home, Fu Yu finally couldn't help but ask, "Mom, why don't you ask me how I did on the questions?"
"ah?"
Tang Mingli had never expected to ask this.
Is it too late to express concern now?
She laughed awkwardly a few times, but finally honestly replied to her daughter, "What Mom cares about more is that the competition is finally over. As for the result, it's not that important to Mom."
"Mom, you are really different from other moms. My classmates' moms are all very concerned about their grades."
"Mom cares about your grades too, just not as much as other moms do."
Fu Yu pouted and said, "Of course! Whether I get 70 points or 100 points, it's the same to you."
Tang Mingli smiled and said, "Whether you get 70 or 100, you are a wonderful child in your mother's eyes. What your mother cares about more is whether you like learning and whether you are happy in the learning process. When you grow up, you will understand that life is long and one or two test scores do not mean anything."
Fu Yu didn't understand: "Why do other parents care so much about their children's grades?"
Tang Mingli pondered for a long time but couldn't figure out the best way to answer the question. Finally, she could only say, "Honey, this is a very important question to discuss. Mom can't answer why other parents care so much about their children's grades right now. Maybe it's because their children's excellence makes them proud, or maybe it's because excellence guarantees a better future. But for Mom, your grades don't affect how proud your dad and I are of you. Whether you're excellent or not, your dad and I can guarantee you a worry-free life. We hope you study because we hope it will broaden your horizons and enrich your life. You may not understand this now, but you'll naturally understand it when you grow up."
Fu Yu tilted her head and asked her mother, "How big will I grow?"
Tang Mingli laughed again, "That's hard to say, maybe after graduating from university?"
"That will take a long time."
Graduating from university seems like a distant dream for Fu Yu, who is only in sixth grade.
Tang Mingli looked at the child with affection and said softly, "Don't rush, we'll grow up slowly."
Growing up slowly and happily.
She still often thinks about what her daughter looked like when she first started kindergarten.
So tiny, yet carrying a big schoolbag, she happily goes to school every day.
Time flies by too fast.
-
In June, Fu Yu took the entrance exam for junior high school.
After the exam, she was very confident in telling her family that she would definitely get into the top high school.
Fu Cheng'an teased his granddaughter, "You're being so absolute. What if she doesn't pass the exam?"
Fu Yu smiled and told her grandfather, "If you don't pass the exam, then you can go to No. 2 Middle School. But I'm sure I can pass."
Fu Cheng'an smiled, nodded subconsciously, and looked at his daughter-in-law, saying, "This composure is like yours, and this confidence is like Fu Ci's."
Tang Mingli joked, "Well, actually I'm quite confident too."
This made everyone laugh.
Fu Yu quickly asked her mother, "Mom, you said you'd take me to Hong Kong after my primary school entrance exam."
Tang Mingli certainly remembered this, and even got the two of them travel permits in advance.
"Should we wait until the exam results come out before going?" Fu Yu couldn't wait to confirm the specific date with her mother.
Tang Mingli felt that waiting for the exam results would take too long. She had actually wanted to go to Hong Kong for a while, but her daughter had been too busy, and she didn't want to leave her child to enjoy herself during the first crucial moment of her life.
"How about we go in a couple of days?"
Her tone sounded even more eager than Fu Yu's.
As for the exam results, they are not that important.
She believed her daughter's grades would be fine. Even if she underperformed, there were still other options.
In an absolutely affluent economic environment, the margin for error in life is ridiculously high.
Fu Yu readily agreed; she had been looking forward to this day for a long time.
So, that very evening, when Fu Ci returned home, Tang Mingli immediately told her husband that she and her daughter were planning to go to Hong Kong for a few days.
Fu Ci already knew that his wife and daughter were planning to go to Hong Kong for a trip and to visit Grandpa Shen.
He actually wanted to go with them, but his career has been booming for the past two years, making him even busier than he was in the first two years after starting his business.
Fortunately, Hong Kong isn't a bad place; it's right next to Shenzhen, so he felt comfortable letting his wife and daughter go there.
It's just a bit of a shame that I couldn't travel with them.
Tang Mingli understood her husband's disappointment and felt she should offer him comfort.
She fawned over her husband, massaging his shoulders and coaxing him with a smile, "When you have time, the three of us can go on a trip together. This time, consider it me and my daughter going ahead to scout things out."
Even though he knew his wife was just trying to coax him, he still found it very comforting.
He closed his eyes, enjoying his wife's tenderness, and asked, "How was your sister's trip to Europe last time?"
"I'm very happy, and I bought a lot of things."
The skincare products on the dressing table were brought back from Europe by my cousin.
Fu Ci hummed in agreement and said in a flat tone, "When I'm less busy next year, let's go to Europe for a few days."
"Europe is so far away, a few days might not be enough."
Fu Ci smiled and changed his mind, saying, "That's true, then let's play for a month."
Tang Mingli sensed that this wasn't a joke and was worried that if she didn't manage the company's affairs for a month, things might fall into chaos.
Fu Ci sighed.
His wife's concerns were not unfounded.
Even though several factories now have reliable management teams, if he were to leave for a whole month, who knows what kind of trouble might still arise.
He joked, "At this rate, when will I ever get a break?"
Tang Mingli felt sorry for her husband after hearing this.
Seeing that his wife was genuinely worried, Fu Ci stopped teasing her and quickly shared his thoughts.
"Don't worry, I've actually been considering a career change in the past two years."
"Transformation?"
"Yes, for example, investing."
Some time ago, he invested in a newly established internet technology company that he was quite optimistic about.
What tech company?
When Fu Ci said his name, Tang Mingli was taken aback and grabbed her husband's shoulders, asking, "How much did you invest?"
Fu Ci thought his wife was so agitated because she was worried that his investment would be lost, so he quickly explained, "Don't worry, although it's an emerging industry, I have great confidence in this company."
"I'm not worried," Tang Mingli thought to herself, "I'm excited, I'm thrilled."
"If we have any spare money, how about we invest a little more? I'm not greedy, five percent of the shares is enough for me."
Fu Ci laughed and told his wife, "It's only five percent of the shares."
He didn't want too much; once he got involved in management, he would have even less time to spend with his wife.
"That's good, then I can rest assured."
Thinking about the company's future, Tang Mingli felt as if RMB was beckoning to her.
With a 5% stake, even without opening a factory, you can earn enough money to last three lifetimes.
I have to say, Fu Ci has a really good eye for investment.
Fu Ci was quite puzzled by his wife's confidence in the company.
She has no business experience, and I had never told her about these things before, so how could I be so sure that investing in this company would guarantee a profit?
Fortunately, Tang Mingli reacted quickly to this problem.
"I chat with you on OICQ every day, how could I not know that this company has a promising future?"
"That's true." Fu Ci smiled; he had completely forgotten about that.
Since we got this chat tool, I can chat with my wife anytime, even when I'm at the factory, via the internet.
This chat mode really seems to have a magical quality, making people full of anticipation.
That's why he decided to invest.
As Fu Ci marveled at the wonderful online chat with his wife, Tang Mingli's mind raced, trying to recall which major internet technologies were just beginning to emerge at this time.
It's a pity that we only knew how to use them before, and never bothered to find out when the websites that young people use so frequently decades later were established.
Did Alibaba also exist around this time?
Tang Mingli was unsure, but she desperately wanted her husband to seize this opportunity, so she cautiously asked, "Isn't there another company called Alibaba that seems promising? If there's an opportunity, could we invest in some shares?"
"Really? I haven't heard of it yet."
Tang Mingli inwardly cried out in dismay, realizing she had spoken too soon.
She could only laugh it off and say, "I think I saw it online one day, but I probably misread it."
Fu Ci hummed in agreement and chuckled, saying his wife was a seasoned internet addict.
Seeing that her husband didn't say anything more, Tang Mingli secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Let's not be greedy anymore; investing in one major tech company is enough.
-
Two days later, Tang Mingli and her daughter set off for Hong Kong.
Fu Ci personally drove them to the Luohu Port and watched them cross the border.
When Fu Yu first set foot on the unfamiliar land of Hong Kong, her eyes darted around excitedly.
She came to live in Shenzhen's inner city as soon as she could remember, so she grew up in a big city. However, at that time, Shenzhen was still quite different from Hong Kong.
In addition, upon arriving in Hong Kong, she saw places like Central and Causeway Bay. At the age of thirteen, witnessing international-level prosperity had a profound impact on her young life, giving rise to a strong desire to see a bigger world.
This time, they stayed at the Grand Hyatt Hotel again.
Standing in front of the hotel's floor-to-ceiling window, looking at Victoria Harbour in the distance, Fu Yu asked her mother, "Mom, was it already like this when you and Dad came here twenty years ago?"
Tang Mingli understood how her daughter was feeling, so she came to the window and stood beside her, gazing at the distant blue sky.
"Of course, there have been great changes since then compared to twenty years ago."
The mother and daughter stood at the best vantage point for viewing Victoria Harbour and gazed at it for a long time.
Knowing that Fu Yu was hungry, she pulled her mother out to find something to eat.
Tang Mingli wanted to give her daughter the best experience in everything, including meals.
After finishing our meal, we wandered around aimlessly.
Strolling through the bustling streets, you can feel the charm and vitality of this city at every moment.
It wasn't until nightfall that the mother and daughter had dinner and enjoyed the evening breeze at the Victoria Harbour pier before returning to their hotel.
The prosperity of a metropolis is always particularly eye-catching under the night sky.
Skyscrapers, as dazzling as stars in the sky.
Looking out, amidst the dim lights, how many dreams are beating?
Tang Mingli wondered if she had lived in such a city when she was young, would she have been deeply inspired and become a hardworking and ambitious young person?
As soon as she thought about it, she couldn't help but laugh.
After more than twenty years of comfortable life, the hardships of being treated like cattle and horses had faded, and he actually wanted to strive for something.
When Fu Yu heard her mother laugh, she turned around and also gave a bright smile.
"Mom, what are you laughing at?"
"Mom is just happy thinking about what a wonderful era awaits you when you grow up."
Fu Yu responded with an "oh".
The good times my mother talks about must be like what she sees now.
On the map, this city looks so small. But why does it feel so vast when you're actually there?
Fu Yu didn't understand, so she asked her mother.
Tang Mingli told her, "It's because you've broadened your horizons."
The mountains are beautiful, but they also block people's view.
Fu Yu is tired after walking too much today.
Before going to bed, I forced myself to stay awake and chatted with my mother: "Mom, are we going to see Great-Grandpa Shen tomorrow?"
Before leaving, she had promised her father that she would spend time with her mother, so she couldn't just fall asleep like this.
"yes."
Tang Mingli touched her daughter's forehead, looking at her adorable appearance as she tried to overcome her sleepiness despite being very tired, and couldn't help but coax her softly, "Go to sleep, Mommy needs to sleep too."
Hearing that her mother was also going to sleep, Fu Yu said goodnight and then went to sleep peacefully.
Tang Mingli stared at her daughter's sleeping face for a long time.
Since her daughter started sleeping on her own, she hasn't seen her daughter sleeping soundly for a very long time.
In my memory, that pretty, childlike face now looks a bit like a young adult.
Her precious baby, how can he grow up so fast?
She finally realized that watching her child grow up brought not only joy but also heartache.
-
The next day, Tang Mingli and her daughter had a simple breakfast at McDonald's near the hotel before taking a taxi to the nursing home where Grandpa Shen lived.
She thought it would be a pleasant reunion after a year apart, but when she arrived at the nursing home, she was told that Mr. Shen was not there.
I was hospitalized because my illness was quite serious.
So Tang Mingli rushed to the hospital where Grandpa Shen was hospitalized with her daughter, and after a lot of trouble, she finally saw him.
Grandpa Shen was very surprised and delighted to see Tang Mingli.
How did you know I was here?
Tang Mingli explained, "I went to the nursing home first, and the girl there said you were sick and hospitalized."
"I see." Old Master Shen forced a smile and said, "Actually, it's nothing, just a slight cold."
If it's just a minor cold, why would you need to be hospitalized?
Both adults knew the truth, but neither of them said it out loud.
Grandpa Shen looked at Fu Yu next to Tang Mingli and smiled with exceptional kindness.
"Is this Xiaoyu? I haven't seen her for years, she's grown so much taller."
Fu Yu, who was called out, politely greeted the person.
Grandpa Shen was overjoyed to see how well-behaved Fu Yu was, and kept praising her for being so obedient.
Tang Mingli stayed at the hospital for two hours, chatting with Mr. Shen about all sorts of things.
During the conversation, I learned that Grandpa Xie, who lived in another place, had passed away at the beginning of the year.
He ultimately failed to return to his hometown before leaving.
Thinking of this, Tang Mingli's nose tingled with tears.
As for Mr. Shen, his health is probably deteriorating.
Despite his repeated insistence that he only had a minor cold, he still reminded Tang Mingli and the others as they were leaving, "Don't tell your grandmother that I'm sick."
Although they contact each other occasionally, it's not frequent.
At this age, we all understand each other implicitly about certain things.
Slowly ceasing contact and disappearing without a trace might be the best course of action.
Tang Mingli understood, but she still couldn't help feeling sad.
Having sat for so long without seeing any of Grandpa Shen's relatives come over, she guessed they might not have returned and couldn't help but ask, "Grandpa, did you not tell your family that you were sick?"
I'm afraid that if my condition worsens, it would be too desolate without any relatives by my side.
Grandpa Shen said, half-jokingly and half-seriously, "It's not that time yet."
It's time to bring them back.
This is a sad fact, and it cannot be ignored.
Because of this clear understanding, he didn't ask about Madam Fu's health until Tang Mingli left.
In days without contact, no news is good news.
-
After leaving the hospital, both Tang Mingli and Fu Yu were somewhat saddened and lost their mood for fun.
To calm herself down as quickly as possible, Tang Mingli took her daughter to Victoria Peak.
A broad view and magnificent scenery are the best medicine for healing wounds.
When you are surrounded by the world, you will realize more clearly that human beings are just a tiny existence in the universe.
All joys and sorrows are but a drop in the ocean of time.
Of course, this is Tang Mingli's feeling.
She hoped that her daughter's sadness would simply be healed by the magnificent beauty of Victoria Peak.
Children always have an amazing ability to heal, something adults have to admit they can't match.
After spending five days in Hong Kong, Tang Mingli visited Grandpa Shen again before leaving.
Fortunately, he has been discharged from the hospital and returned to the nursing home, and he looks much more energetic.
Upon returning home to Shenzhen, the first thing Tang Mingli did was to give the donkey bag she had bought to her mother-in-law and grandmother.
The two elderly people didn't have a concept of luxury goods; they simply liked it because it was a gift from Tang Mingli.
In Mr. Fu's opinion, the bag his granddaughter-in-law gave him was quite sturdy, but a bit too heavy. So he mostly just displayed it in his room and rarely took it out.
Unlike her mother, Mingli gave her anything, and she liked to use it. When others asked, she would laugh extravagantly and hurriedly tell them that it was a gift from her daughter-in-law.
The donkey bag that was given this time was no exception. Because it was quite spacious, my mother used it to carry fruit.
The fruit shop owner happened to recognize the brand. When she saw Fu's mother stuff a bag of fruit into her bag without hesitation, her heart sank. She felt sorry for Fu's mother.
But then I quickly thought, if it can be used to hold fruit without hesitation, it must be fake.
The counterfeit goods these days are so realistic, they're almost too tempting to look at.
Seeing the proprietress staring at her bag, Fu's mother felt a surge of pride.
The bag my daughter-in-law gave me is indeed beautiful; ever since I started carrying it to the market, it has frequently attracted attention.
She said to the shop owner with a smug look on her face, "This bag was a gift from my daughter-in-law."
The shop owner, unaware of what was going on, blurted out, "Your daughter-in-law gave you this fake bag, it looks just like the real thing, where did you buy it?"
Upon hearing the shop owner say that her daughter-in-law had given her a fake bag, Fu's mother immediately became unhappy.
“My daughter-in-law would never give me a fake bag. This is real, no doubt about it.”
The shop owner didn't believe it. "Would you use a real bag to hold fruit?"
"Why not? I even use it to carry groceries. It's a bag my daughter-in-law gave me; it's really sturdy."
Hearing that it was also used to hold vegetables, the proprietress became even more convinced that it was fake.
Seeing that the more she explained, the less the other person believed her, Fu's mother became so anxious that she stomped her feet.
"This bag is genuine; my daughter-in-law bought it back from Hong Kong."
As he spoke, he shoved the bag in front of the shop owner.
Upon closer inspection and touching, the shop owner realized that the bag was indeed genuine, and her heart was instantly broken.
"You use such an expensive bag to carry vegetables and fruit. Don't you feel bad about it? Doesn't your daughter-in-law say anything?"
“What did you say? My daughter-in-law said that bags are bought to be used.”
Some people carry it on their backs as they walk the red carpet, while others carry it while shopping at the market.
I bought the bag myself, so I can use it however I want.
But the shop owner just said this bag is very expensive?
Just how expensive is it that would make a complete stranger feel so distressed?
Back home, Fu's mother couldn't help but ask Tang Mingli.
Tang Mingli didn't remember the exact price of each bag, only that she knew how much each of the three bags cost.
Upon hearing the amount to be paid, Ms. Fu was stunned for a few seconds.
It really isn't cheap.
She absolutely did not mean that her daughter-in-law bought something too expensive; she just didn't expect a bag to be so pricey.
Fu's mother took the fruit out of the bag and examined the bag her daughter-in-law had given her so carefully for the first time.
What kind of material is it that can be so expensive?
The more she drove, the more confused she became.
Tang Mingli was somewhat worried upon seeing this.
My mother-in-law and grandmother's generation came from a time of hardship, so buying such an expensive bag might seem too extravagant to them.
Actually, she herself doesn't have any particular fondness for designer brands. The reason she bought it was partly because it was on sale, and partly because she wanted her grandmother and mother-in-law to have a designer bag in their lifetime.
That's all.
For her, whether to carry a Louis Vuitton bag or a canvas bag depends entirely on her mood.
Just as she was thinking about how to comfort her mother-in-law, Fu's mother spoke up.
"It's expensive, so what? Just because it's expensive doesn't mean I can't use it."
Upon hearing this, Tang Mingli knew she didn't need to comfort her anymore, and suppressed a smile, saying, "Mom is right. The price is determined by the brand that produces it, but how we use it is decided by us who buy it. We can't be hesitant to use it just because it's expensive. Bags are meant to serve people, not the other way around."
“That’s right,” said Madam Fu. “But to be honest, this is the true explanation.”
Otherwise, she wouldn't have used it to carry fruit.
The thought of fruit made her smile.
The fruits I bought today are all my granddaughter's favorites. I bought them as a reward for her getting first place in her entrance exams for junior high school and also winning first place in a math competition.
The more Fu's mother thought about it, the prouder she became.
My precious granddaughter is so outstanding; she's even better at studying than her father.
But now that the fruit is here, where is Grandma?
Only then did Fu's mother realize that she hadn't seen her granddaughter even after being back for so long.
Tang Mingli told her mother-in-law, "She went out for a walk with Dad and Grandma."
Grandma is in much better spirits today and wants to go for a walk.
When talking about her grandmother's mental state these past few days, both Tang Mingli and her mother felt a sinking feeling in their hearts.
Fu's mother even asked worriedly, "With your grandmother's health like this, can she really go to Macau?"
Tang Mingli couldn't say for sure, but she still told her mother-in-law, "You should always think about things in an optimistic way, right?"
Fu's mother nodded.
That's right, we should always try to think optimistically.
My mother-in-law is just not in the best mental state, but her health checkup results this year were still quite good.
To be fair, is it really possible for someone to be this healthy at her age?
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Author's Note: I'd like to ask everyone in advance what kind of side stories you'd like to see? Especially those who haven't subscribed to the entire series, you can place your requests in advance. Aside from these requests, I'd like to release the extra content through fan service episodes (no purchase required, but there are subscription requirements).
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