Standing at a distance, Tao Chunfang's eyes welled up with tears of emotion. She wiped them away with her apron and turned to go back inside.
She made her decision last night: no matter how difficult the road ahead, she would support her sister-in-law through university. Knowledge can change destiny—that's what Chairman Mao said. Besides, her sister-in-law is so good to them now.
Qiao Xiaoni was unaware that her simple act had prompted Tao Chunfang to make a momentous decision.
The donkey was quickly repaired. Su Chenhao rode it around and felt that all the problems were solved. Only then did he go back to the house to call the old man to set off with him.
With two fewer people in the house, it felt a bit lonely.
Li Meihua entered the house and saw her daughter teaching her two children to read. They were so focused that they didn't even notice her coming in. She turned around and quietly went back without disturbing their studies.
The land behind needed tidying up, so she took Qiao Xiaoshan to work in the backyard.
Qiao Dashan will have to work two more days as a day laborer outside. The corn in the field has gotten too old, so he doesn't need to watch over it all day anymore; he only needs to check it at night to see if anything is missing.
The master bedroom of the old house.
Qiao Tianli, as the head of the Qiao family, was sitting in the center of the kang (a heated brick bed), holding a cigarette and lighting a match.
Seeing his third son, Qiao Hainan, reach out to take the cigarette, he quickly put the cigarette away and put it in his pocket.
"You should use your own money to buy it."
Qiao Hainan stomped his foot angrily, "Dad, just give me one! I haven't had a cigarette for days, my mouth feels so bland."
Qiao Tianli didn't even glance at him. "What does that have to do with me? You don't go out and earn money; you just stay home eating and drinking all day. I'm already being lenient by not asking you for money."
"Dad, we haven't separated the family yet, have we? I'm willing to take care of you in your old age and see you off when you die. Isn't that enough?" Qiao Hainan used his usual trick again. Don't old people like to hear their sons say they are willing to take care of them?
Qiao Sunshi said, "Old man, just give the third son a cigarette!"
Qiao Tianli had no choice but to take out a cigarette and toss it to his third son.
"I must have owed you something in my past life, you're so useless."
Qiao Hainan wasn't angry. He picked up the cigarette from the ground, then took the matches from the kang (a heated brick bed), lit the cigarette, took a puff, and felt great. He happily returned to his original spot and sat down.
Qiao Haixing's expression was a bit unpleasant. "Dad, isn't it a bit excessive for you to ask us to pay for Qiao Xiaoni's college education?"
My brother and sister-in-law are still alive and well, why should we go to my uncle for money? Besides, she's just a girl, even if we raise her well, she'll belong to someone else's family.
What's the use of being successful?
She felt a pang of jealousy, wondering why her own children didn't have that kind of brain. She worked herself to the bone every day, spending all the money she earned on them, and yet none of them amounted to anything.
Ironically, the child we looked down on the most has become successful. It's truly a shame that God is blind!
His wife, Wang Qin, chimed in, "Isn't that right? She's just a girl. No matter how successful she is, you'll still have to get married."
Zhang Ru nudged Qiao Hainan, signaling her husband to speak. If they didn't speak now, what would they do when all the family's money was given to outsiders? Would they just run away and starve?
Qiao Hainan exhaled the smoke from his mouth. "Dad, don't you always listen to your second brother? I think what your second brother said makes a lot of sense. Your eldest brother doesn't come back to see you very often, unlike my second brother and me, who can take care of you."
"She's just a girl; even if she goes to university, she won't amount to anything. What's the point of spending money on her?"
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