Chapter 130 Atoning and Helping Out
"Isn't this because I'm afraid Xiaohu will regret it later?" said the fat woman. "It's also our fault for being so useless and uneducated. All I can do is ask Fenglan. After I called Yani today, she told me not to let Xiaohu compare with Zihang, because they can't. She said that if I keep doing this, people will only think I'm crazy, that I have to stick with Fenglan."
“Fan Yani is saying these things for your own good,” Zhang Chenghai said.
Even if Fan Yani didn't have those thoughts, Zhang Chenghai himself felt something was off when he heard what Fatty Sister-in-law said. When making important decisions at home, Fatty Sister-in-law liked to call Song Fenglan for advice. But Song Fenglan was busy with work; she didn't have that much time to give Fatty Sister-in-law decisions.
“I know,” the plump woman sighed. “I… I sometimes feel bad about it myself, but… sometimes I just can’t control myself and say those things.”
"Ask less in the future. They're not Xiaohu's biological mother, they can't control everything," Zhang Chenghai said. "Xiaohu is where he is today thanks to them. We've already received enough, and Fan Yani didn't say anything more."
"Yes." Sister-in-law Pang nodded. "Fenglan is too good. I... I really should control myself a bit."
Being treated too well by others is not a reason to take advantage of them.
"If Xiaohu doesn't want to pursue a master's degree, then so be it," said the chubby woman. "I was wrong before; I was thinking that Zihang should go on to get a master's and a doctorate, and then move up the ranks. Xiaohu and Zihang are friends..."
“Friends are different,” Zhang Chenghai said. “Their family backgrounds are different. If we really want to compare, Song Fenglan and her husband can give Zihang a lot of money and a house, while we can give Xiaohu much less. When Xiaohu goes to the capital, he should be able to sense that some of his classmates come from very wealthy families. When we were in Nancheng, our family wasn’t too bad off. But, in a place like the capital, there are bound to be many rich and powerful people.”
Zhang Chenghai didn't have many demands on Zhang Xiaohu. As long as Zhang Xiaohu graduated smoothly, that was more important than anything else. His only fear was that Zhang Xiaohu wouldn't study hard. No matter how hard Zhang Xiaohu tried, he would still be far behind those with real talent.
A day later, Zhang Xiaohu called Fatty Sister-in-law and explained his situation at school.
"You failed your course?" The fat woman's eyes widened.
"Yes, that's right," Zhang Xiaohu said. "I failed two subjects."
"How dare you say that?" the fat woman said. "Wait, why didn't you say that before?"
"Isn't this because I didn't want you to worry? I've already retaken the exams," Zhang Xiaohu said. "As long as I don't fail too many courses, I can graduate smoothly and get my degree certificate. If I fail too many courses, then it won't work. Mom, that's also why I'm not going to pursue a master's degree. I'm not academically inclined, and I worked very hard to get into my current school. If I continue to pursue a master's degree, I'm afraid it will be difficult to graduate. If I can't graduate, then pursuing a master's degree will be a waste of time, so it's better not to pursue it at all."
"Why didn't you say so sooner?" the fat woman said. "You're in the capital, do you think I'd run over there to beat you up? All you know is how to work, don't you know how to study properly?"
“No, I did try, but sometimes effort isn’t enough,” Zhang Xiaohu said. “I tried, and so did others. Mom, do you know? Some of my classmates have families that work in the judicial system; they have family connections. They know a lot about cases and are very good at analyzing them. When we participated in debates together, I found it hard to beat them. I didn’t go to graduate school, but that doesn’t mean I can’t work.”
"Alright, alright, I know," said the plump woman. "No matter how many subjects you failed before, you have to study hard now and not fail again."
“When I first came to university, I also thought about working hard and studying well,” Zhang Xiaohu said. “But later I realized that things weren’t that simple.”
Zhang Xiaohu knew his mother had high expectations for him, but that's just how he was. Just because they said so didn't mean he would suddenly become amazing. That was impossible.
"Since you haven't decided to pursue graduate studies, are you still looking for a job in the capital?" the chubby woman asked.
“Yes, in the capital,” Zhang Xiaohu said. “The capital is much more developed than the southern city. I want to stay in the capital, while you stay in the southern city. We’ll settle down in different cities.”
Zhang Xiaohu understood very well that he and his brother would hardly be able to compare with those people in their lifetime, so they would have to look to their next generation. Zhang Xiaohu thought that people like them were very different from people like Qin Zihang who had a family tradition of learning and scholarship. Song Fenglan's uncle was a scientist, Song Fenglan herself was a scientist, Qin Zihang was also doing research now, and the Song family had also produced pilots and national entrepreneurs, among other things.
The Song family is that powerful, while the Qin family is somewhat weaker, but Qin Yizhou still holds a position. Qin Yizhou's position is even higher than Zhang Chenghai's. In every aspect, Zhang Xiaohu will likely never be able to surpass Qin Zihang. Qin Zihang is very intelligent and has learned many more things; he can easily acquire knowledge, while Zhang Xiaohu cannot.
Even if Zhang Xiaohu tries hard to catch up, it will be very difficult; even Zhang Xiaohu's next generation will find it difficult to catch up.
"Alright, since you've already made your decision, I won't say anything more." Fatty Sister had long been prepared for Zhang Xiaohu's situation in the capital.
“Mom, don’t worry, I’ll always have food to eat in the capital,” Zhang Xiaohu said.
“I’m not worried about you not having food. If you don’t have food, Zihang will make you a meal,” said the plump woman. “You’re all grown up now. In the future, you should rely on yourself more and not always think about asking others for help.”
Fatty Sister was worried that Zhang Xiaohu would expect Song Fenglan's family to help him. After Fan Yani reminded her, Fatty Sister felt that she shouldn't always trouble Song Fenglan so much.
"I know." Zhang Xiaohu understood. He was friends with Qin Zihang, but he had no connection with the Song family. Zhang Xiaohu couldn't expect to work for the Song family's company; he had to find a job on his own.
Many companies need people who understand the law; they need legal counsel to review contracts and such.
Zhang Xiaohu believes he still has many jobs available. He shouldn't focus on the best ones; getting into a top-tier company would be ideal, but if that's not possible, a mid-tier one will do. Zhang Xiaohu has already planned it out; he'll put his mind to it when he looks for a job in his senior year. Right now, it's not time to look for a job yet, so he has to wait.
Song Fenglan didn't pay attention to what Zhang Xiaohu and Fatty Sister-in-law were saying. Everyone was celebrating the New Year together, sitting in the courtyard brewing tea, roasting meat and sweet potatoes, and watching the fireworks in the sky.
On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Song Fenglan's family went to pay their respects to the Song family. Qin Zihang also asked Zhang Xiaohu to come along. Zhang Xiaohu was a little embarrassed, but he still went with Qin Zihang. Zhang Xiaohu wanted to buy some things, but Song Fenglan stopped him.
The Song family doesn't lack those things, and besides, it was Qin Zihang who asked Zhang Xiaohu to go with them. Zhang Xiaohu is short of money, so there's no need for him to buy anything.
Qin Zihang explained to the Song family, "I didn't let him buy it. Grandpa and Grandma, you have so much food here, you can't finish it all, so you'll have to share it with us. Otherwise, you'll just have to give it away to others."
“That’s right.” Mother Song nodded. “No need to bring anything. It’s good that you’ve come.”
Song Fenglan's eldest nephew wasn't home; he'd gone out with his girlfriend. The two weren't engaged yet, so Song Heng hadn't introduced his girlfriend to so many relatives. The relatives wouldn't miss a red envelope, but they were worried Song Heng's girlfriend might not feel comfortable, so it was better to wait.
This time, Jiang Yufei came again.
Jiang Yufei reconciled with her family, so she came to the Song family to offer New Year's greetings. Even if the Song family didn't help her, so what? Jiang Yufei had to act as if nothing had happened.
When Song's mother saw Jiang Yufei, she didn't say much to her. Song's mother's attitude was entirely dependent on Aunt Yu's. If Aunt Yu and Jiang Yufei got along well, then fine, Jiang Yufei could eat together. If Aunt Yu and Jiang Yufei didn't get along, then Jiang Yufei could get lost.
Song Fenglan had nothing to say to Jiang Yufei, but Jiang Yufei moved closer to Song Fenglan.
“My husband is planning to do renovations,” Jiang Yufei said. “For house renovations. If you ever need renovations for your houses in the future, you can contact him, but… even close brothers should keep clear accounts, you have to pay him.”
"It's best not to get too involved," Song Fenglan said. "The renovation industry is too complicated."
Song Fenglan didn't want to have any trouble with Jiang Yufei later; it was better for them to keep their distance and avoid any financial entanglements.
“Others may not put their heart into decorating,” Jiang Yufei said.
“It’s alright, they’re not trying, we won’t pay them,” Song Fenglan said.
"..." Jiang Yufei suspected that Song Fenglan was doing it on purpose. Was Song Fenglan mocking her?
“So, you don’t have to say we’re taking advantage of your stuff,” Song Fenglan said. “Our relationship is bad, and it could get even worse, but I’m not brainless, going out of my way to cause trouble for you.”
Song Fenglan couldn't possibly entrust the renovation of her house to Jiang Yufei's man, lest other problems arise later. Jiang Yufei wasn't exactly a kind person to Song Fenglan; if he cut corners and then claimed it was all for the good of relatives, that would be utterly infuriating. It was better to distance herself from him from the start.
It doesn't matter what job Jiang Yufei's man does; it has nothing to do with Song Fenglan or the Song family.
Jiang Yufei's husband overheard the conversation between Song Fenglan and Jiang Yufei, and Lu Ping sighed helplessly. Lu Ping already knew what kind of person his wife was; she wanted to bring him business, but not in this way.
Lu Ping worked on the renovation project with several other laid-off workers. They figured that with the capital city under development and many new houses needing renovation, they would have more job opportunities and could earn more money.
“You’re still the same as before,” Jiang Yufei said, “always quick-witted.”
“You too, always making a fool of yourself,” Song Fenglan said.
Song Fenglan didn't give Jiang Yufei any face, and Jiang Yufei couldn't make a scene or speak ill of Song Fenglan. Jiang Yufei could only walk to the side; surely she could talk to other people, but she wouldn't speak to Song Fenglan.
Seeing this, Zhang Xiaohu rubbed his eyes.
"Is that your mom?" Zhang Xiaohu reached out and poked Qin Zihang.
“That’s right, it’s my mom,” Qin Zihang said. “My mom has always been like this: a kind horse is ridden, and a kind person is bullied. My mom has said that some people don’t care about their reputation, so help them tear off their masks. Even with the closest people, don’t give them too much face, or they will take advantage of you.”
“Yes…” Zhang Xiaohu nodded.
When Zhang Xiaohu met Song Fenglan, she was generally very gentle and kind. Zhang Xiaohu rarely saw Song Fenglan so confrontational, which surprised him, yet he also felt it was quite normal. Humans are complex beings; it's impossible for someone to always be mild-mannered.
"Don't be afraid. As long as you don't do anything wrong, my mom won't scold you like that," Qin Zihang said. "Dinner will be served soon."
"Okay," Zhang Xiaohu said.
Qin Li'an and his wife went back home for New Year's Eve dinner, and returned home after staying up all night, not staying at the Qin family home any longer. Their house was nearby, very close. Zhu Meng knew that Qin Li'an had made a serious mistake, and that his mother's side of the family wasn't very good; to the Qin family, Qin Li'an was a useless person.
Regardless of what Qin's father and older brother thought, Zhu Meng knew that Qin Li'an was her man, and they at least had to maintain a facade of respectability. Zhu Meng thought You Yun was a very formidable person, and her mother had also told her not to provoke You Yun.
Before Qin Li'an abandoned You Yun's child, You Yun didn't interfere much in Qin Li'an's affairs, didn't smear him, and didn't ask others to keep an eye on him. It wasn't until Qin Li'an abandoned his younger brother at the train station that You Yun finally snapped.
Zhu's mother believed that You Yun had deliberately neglected Qin Li'an from the beginning, letting him grow up astray. After what happened later, even if You Yun treated Qin Li'an badly, no one could criticize her. Zhu's mother advised Zhu Meng to be more careful, as You Yun's child would be the biggest winner, gaining more.
Zhu Meng naturally obeyed and didn't provoke You Yun. Seeing that Zhu Meng wasn't causing trouble, You Yun naturally didn't bother with her either.
In the second month of the lunar calendar, Zhu Meng gave birth to a daughter.
When Qin's mother learned that Zhu Meng had given birth to a girl, she was quite disgusted with the child. She still preferred a great-grandchild to a great-grandchild. At home, Qin's mother complained to her eldest aunt about how Zhu Meng had only given birth to a girl.
"Back then, that girl, Gu Qian, was pregnant with a boy, but you weren't satisfied," Aunt Qin said. "She was so scared that she miscarried, even though it was a fully formed boy. Now, Li'an is lucky to have a daughter. You're still hoping for a boy? Forget it. Qin Li'an is just not destined to have a son."
“Why not? They can still have children,” Qin’s mother said. “Neither of them works in the system, so they can definitely have more children.”
Qin's mother was worried that her own body might not hold out until then; she wanted to live on. This great-granddaughter, really, was unbearable to look at.
"Shouldn't you be thinking about your granddaughter's marriage?" Aunt Qin said. "You're always thinking about Li'an, but not about Qin Ya?"
"She..." Qin's mother really hadn't thought about Qin Ya.
“Yes,” Aunt Qin said. “She’s older than Li’an and should have been married long ago. Aren’t you all worried that she’s not married yet?”
“Who would want her?” Qin’s mother said. “She has such a mother…”
“She and Li’an have the same mother. Even though Li’an is in jail, people still want him. Why can’t Qin Ya be unwanted?” Aunt Qin said.
“It’s different. Li’an is a boy,” Qin’s mother said. “Qin Ya is a girl. Men care more about those things, while women think that men are good enough. It’s not that we didn’t let Qin Ya date freely, but she didn’t. That’s not our fault.”
You Yun didn't care about Qin Ya's marriage, nor did Qin's mother, and Qin's father and older brother were even less likely to care. This resulted in Qin Ya being older and still single.
“She’s a woman, she can’t expect her family to buy her a house,” Qin’s mother said. “When a woman gets married, she can have a home of her own.”
After Zhu Meng gave birth to a girl, Tian Keshu wanted to go over and offered to take care of Zhu Meng during her postpartum period, but Qin Li'an refused. Zhu's family also refused to let Tian Keshu go.
As a result, Zhu's mother and Tian Keshu had an argument, and the two stood at the door.
Tian Keshu was extremely unwilling. She was Qin Li'an's biological mother and Zhu Meng's mother-in-law. How could these people treat her like this?
“They have many rooms here, so I’ll move in so that Zhu Meng can have a proper postpartum period,” Tian Keshu said.
“I don’t need you,” said Zhu’s mother. “Don’t take the things to your parents’ house later.”
"No, Li'an is my own son, I..."
“My daughter isn’t your biological daughter,” Zhu’s mother said. “You didn’t raise Li’an well, and he made a mistake. You should stay away from Li’an and the others now.”
"What do you mean I didn't teach Li'an well? I think you clearly want Li'an to sever ties with me and don't want him to have anything to do with me!" Tian Keshu said angrily.
"I wouldn't say severing ties. It's just that it's better for you two to have less contact. You've already harmed your son, so don't harm your granddaughter too," said Mother Zhu.
“A girl, a worthless piece of trash,” Tian Keshu said.
"That's your own granddaughter, how can you say that?" Zhu's mother thought Tian Keshu had something wrong with her brain.
Tian Keshu wanted to live with Qin Li'an, but she didn't know how to say nice things and insisted that her granddaughter was a money-loser.
“That’s true,” Tian Keshu said. “She gave birth to a girl and still has the nerve to not let me in.”
"This is my decision, I won't let you in," said Mother Zhu. "My daughter is in confinement after childbirth. What would it look like if you went? You have no manners; your words are never pleasant to hear."
“I live with my son, why is that not allowed? Why is that not allowed?” Tian Keshu said.
"No way!" said Zhu's mother. "This house was given to us by the Qin family, not by you. If you put your money out to buy a house, you can live here."
“You didn’t pay any money either, so you were still allowed in,” Tian Keshu said.
“Of course I can go in. I haven’t been staying here for long. You want to stay here for a long time? No way!” said Mother Zhu.
Tian Keshu opened her eyes wide, her heart filled with anger.
"Want to come over?" Mother Zhu asked provocatively.
Tian Keshu didn't dare approach Zhu's mother; she was afraid she wouldn't be able to control herself. In the past, Tian Keshu had gotten too close to others, and before she knew it, she'd resorted to violence. Tian Keshu had a fight with Jiang Yufei, and then divorced Brother Qin; Tian Keshu had a fight with Qin's mother outside the prison, pushed Qin's mother down, and had to pay compensation, leading to her divorce from Weng Guoqiang.
Having learned from the previous two experiences, Tian Keshu was not about to argue with Zhu's mother. She said a few words and left, cursing under her breath.
Tian Keshu thought that since Qin Li'an and his wife lived outside, she could easily control them.
That's impossible!
Not to mention the Qin family, even the Zhu family would not be satisfied.
Zhu's family felt sorry for Zhu Meng; otherwise, they wouldn't have objected to her being with Qin Li'an in the first place.
Song Fenglan didn't visit Zhu Meng; she still sent things over by others. Zhu Meng naturally didn't speak ill of Song Fenglan. She knew her family didn't have a good relationship with Song Fenglan, and Qin Li'an's attitude towards Song Fenglan and her group was very bad, so why would Song Fenglan come in person?
Qin Zihang doesn't even want to see Qin Li'an, let alone anyone else.
Song Fenglan didn't have much of an opinion about Zhu Meng giving birth to a daughter; she felt that having a boy or a girl was the same.
Someone told Song Fenglan that many girls at school were pursuing Qin Zihang, but Song Fenglan hadn't really paid attention to this issue before.
During lunch, Song Fenglan asked Ding Wenbo, who often went to the school, if he knew anything about it.
“Indeed, many girls like my junior brother,” Ding Wenbo said. “My junior brother is a good catch, and many girls want to be with him. He hasn’t agreed to them, probably because he feels it’s not suitable. He’s still young, so he’s not in a hurry and can wait.”
“We can wait,” Song Fenglan said.
“Teacher, you are still very popular,” Ding Wenbo said.
"Huh?" Song Fenglan asked in confusion, wondering why Ding Wenbo had brought her up.
You don't look old.
"People think you're very young," Ding Wenbo said. "Some people think you're a new teacher and want to pursue you; haven't some people even confessed their feelings to you?"
"..." Song Fenglan didn't pay much attention; she thought the students were asking questions.
“My junior brother was deceived before, by a male classmate. He’s very careful now,” Ding Wenbo said. “If he has a girlfriend, he will definitely tell you.”
“That’s true.” Song Fenglan nodded.
Song Fenglan didn't ask any further questions; she knew the answer would be the same anyway. After finishing her meal, Song Fenglan left first.
No sooner had Song Fenglan left than Duan Yue brought a tray of food to Ding Wenbo.
"Having a good teacher is good," Duan Yue said.
“That’s great. You can ask your teacher anytime you have questions.” Ding Wenbo nodded. “You and your teacher work in the same unit.”
Duan Yue didn't become a teacher at Capital University of Aeronautics and Astronautics; he worked as a researcher at a research institute. Duan Yue no longer thinks about competing with Ding Wenbo. They used to be on the same starting line, but he pulled himself back, making it difficult to catch up with Ding Wenbo later on.
Qin Yizhou attended Zhu Meng's baby's one-month celebration, but Song Fenglan and Qin Zihang did not.
Qin's mother didn't see Song Fenglan and her son, so she asked Qin Yizhou, "Why aren't your wife and son coming over yet?"
“They’re not available,” Qin Yizhou said.
"All they ever do is say they're busy, busy," Qin's mother said. "This is a hotel, not our place, so they never come over."
Qin's mother had objections, but there was nothing she could do. No matter what she said, Qin Yizhou wouldn't allow Song Fenglan and Qin Zihang to come. The relationship between the two sides was already bad, and it was impossible for everyone to improve their relationship with Qin Li'an just because he had a child.
When Qin Li'an heard what his mother said, all he wanted to do was rush up and say: Stop talking, stop talking.
However, Qin Li'an did not rush forward; if he had, it would have only made things more complicated.
After Zhu Meng married Qin Li'an, she felt more and more how much Qin's mother doted on him. Qin's mother didn't care what the other family members thought at all; she just wanted Qin Li'an to live the best life and wanted to suppress everyone else completely. However, no one else would listen to Qin's mother.
Qin's mother is old, and who wants to listen to her? Qin's father doesn't say much, but his words can be useful in crucial moments. If Qin's father were like Qin's mother, then his words would be completely useless.
"They're busy," Qin Yizhou repeated.
"When are they free?" Qin's mother said. "They're never free. They're never free, whether we invite them to our house for dinner or to a hotel for a banquet. I think they just don't want any relatives here. They're really cold-hearted."
"Isn't this because you were cold-hearted first?" Qin Yizhou said.
"You..." Qin's mother said angrily, "Get out, get out, don't stay in front of me."
Qin Yizhou wasn't originally in front of her mother; it was her mother who had the caregiver push her over.
It's said that evil deeds live on for a thousand years, and Qin's mother is a perfect example. Previously, Qin's mother's health wasn't good; she had been hospitalized several times, but she persevered. When she learned that Zhu Meng was pregnant, she persisted and is still alive today.
Qin Yizhou didn't want his biological mother to die so soon, but she clearly didn't want him to have a good life. Every time Qin Yizhou saw his mother, her attitude was never good. She didn't care whether Qin Yizhou was doing well outside; she only cared that he was her biological son, and that's why she would say a few more words to him.
When Aunt Qin saw that scene, she just felt that Qin's mother was really too lucky. Qin's mother had such a good son as Qin Yizhou, yet she still acted so recklessly. Aunt Qin thought that if she were in that situation, she would definitely treat Song Fenglan and her son very well, even if it meant groveling. If she didn't grovel, she shouldn't have said those unpleasant things.
Tsk tsk tsk, no wonder Song Fenglan and her son don't give Qin's mother any face at all; there's really no need to.
Aunt Qin had said many things to Qin's mother, but Qin's mother never took her words to heart.
After the full moon celebration, Qin Yizhou returned home. He wasn't particularly unhappy, nor did he blame his wife and son for not going. His wife and son's unwillingness to associate with the Qin family was the Qin family's fault. Qin Yizhou could maintain his own contact with the Qin family; he had no reason to expect his wife and son to follow suit.
"You were scolded?" Seeing Qin Yizhou sitting on the sofa looking exhausted, Song Fenglan knew that Qin Yizhou must have had a very unpleasant argument with the Qin family today.
"I was told off," Qin Yizhou said. "Mom's personality... she still spoils Li'an. She feels we haven't given Li'an enough face, and the whole family should go over there. I told her you were busy, and she got upset. Doesn't she know why you're busy?"
"Are you angry?" Song Fenglan asked.
“She’s my own mother, why would I be angry?” Qin Yizhou said. “Anger is just that.
"It's alright," Song Fenglan said. "It's just a few words. After all, you're her biological son."
“She’s my own daughter, she’s my own daughter, that’s what she always says,” Qin Yizhou said. “She says that, and I tell myself the same thing. Just bear with it, what else can I do?”
“Indeed.” Song Fenglan shrugged, and Qin Yizhou could only swallow his pride.
Of the three members of the family, Qin Yizhou spends the most time at the Qin family home, meaning he has to visit more often. Qin Yizhou is relatively easy to talk to, but Qin Zihang is much harder to deal with.
Back home, Zhu Meng complained to Qin Li'an, "Is your grandma trying to make enemies for you?"
“Grandma…can’t be changed,” Qin Li’an said. “No matter what we say, it’s useless. If I say anything, she asks me if someone else forced me to do it.”
Qin Li'an had tried, and he already knew he was wrong; he hadn't intended to offend anyone. But his grandmother didn't care what he thought at all. Qin Li'an finally understood that his grandmother wasn't just doing it for him, but also for her own reputation.
“My aunt has fallen out with her family, and she just doesn’t want to come over. My cousin won’t come either,” Qin Li’an said. “Grandma feels that her reputation as a mother-in-law has been challenged, and things are unlikely to get back together.”
"Your grandmother is just..." She brought it on herself. Zhu Meng was a junior, so she couldn't tell Qin's mother not to say those things. Fortunately, Qin Yizhou didn't get angry at the time.
Zhu Meng had known for a long time that Qin Yizhou's family and the Qin family did not get along well. When she saw how Qin's mother treated Qin Yizhou at the full moon banquet, her eyelids twitched.
“Your grandma is old and stubborn; she can’t possibly think she’s wrong,” Zhu Meng said. “Let’s avoid saying those things in the future and try not to offend anyone.”
"Yes." Qin Li'an nodded. "I didn't intend to offend Uncle. Uncle still has a lot of influence."
“The biggest advantages for your family originally lay with your father,” Zhu Meng said. “Your father stayed in the capital and worked within the system, which meant that…”
Tian Keshu was a major blunder. Those people failed to properly educate Qin Li'an and caused problems, which led to Qin's father being able to leave the system.
It's fair to say that so many connections and benefits were thrown at Brother Qin, but he couldn't seize them, and he can't blame anyone else for that. If Tian Keshu hadn't done those things, and if they had guided Qin Li'an better, Brother Qin would probably still be doing quite well now.
Sometimes, having all the advantages doesn't guarantee the best life; it really depends on the individual. With so many people holding him back, Brother Qin can't take off.
"Yes," Qin Li'an said, looking at his daughter. He thought of the past and felt he hadn't done a good job; he vowed to protect his daughter from now on.
While Qin Li'an was in prison, Gu Qian suffered a miscarriage, and Qin Li'an felt no joy at becoming a father. He then got together with Zhu Meng, and during Zhu Meng's pregnancy, Qin Li'an took good care of her. He now has a deep affection for his daughter.
Around May, Gu Qian and her boyfriend returned to the capital from the south. Gu's family didn't cancel Gu Qian's identity information; they thought they might still be able to gain benefits from her. Gu Qian's boyfriend and future mother-in-law came; they wanted to buy a house in the capital and transfer Gu Qian's household registration there.
Of course, Gu's father wouldn't allow Gu Qian to transfer her household registration just like that; he insisted on paying money. Gu Qian's future mother-in-law was a very shrewd person, and she wouldn't let Gu's father get away with it. So she found people from the neighborhood committee and others to try and stop Gu's father and get the police station to transfer Gu Qian's household registration.
The police station knew about Gu Qian's situation, and with someone from higher up making arrangements, they quickly helped Gu Qian transfer her household registration to a separate household registration booklet.
It was Qin Yizhou who went to make the offer.
Phew, Gu Qian finally admitted that she left the capital because of Qin Li'an. When news of Gu Qian's return reached Qin Li'an's ears, he learned that Gu Qian wanted to transfer her household registration. He contacted his older brother, who in turn contacted Qin Yizhou.
Qin Yizhou agreed; this wasn't a bad thing, but a good thing. Even without Qin Yizhou's prior notice, Gu Qian's matter would be settled quickly.
When Song Fenglan learned about Gu Qian's situation, she never expected that Qin Li'an would still want to help Gu Qian.
"Isn't he afraid of upsetting his wife?" Song Fenglan asked.
"He's the one who made the mistake, and Gu Qian has a boyfriend now," Qin Yizhou said. "It's best to get things sorted out as soon as possible."
“That’s true,” Song Fenglan said. “I’ve met Qin Li’an’s wife; she seems to be a very sensible person.”
At first, Song Fenglan thought Zhu Meng was a love-obsessed person, but after meeting her a few times, Song Fenglan realized that Zhu Meng was not love-obsessed and was actually a fairly rational person.
“Gu Qian’s parents are really inhuman,” Song Fenglan said. “Even at this point, they’re still thinking about asking for money.”
"They asked Gu Qian's future mother-in-law for a bride price, and Gu Qian's future mother-in-law said she would give a bride price and money to buy a house. Then, they directly bought a house and put it in Gu Qian's name," Qin Yizhou said. "The house was only transferred when Gu Qian's household registration was moved out."
Those people were all on guard against the Gu family, and they couldn't let the Gu family gain any advantage.
Gu Qian's future mother-in-law didn't let the Gu family know about the house, so they rented it out and quickly left the capital. The Gu family wanted to find Gu Qian's house, but no one knew where it was, and the police station refused to tell them Gu Qian's registered address.
"Gu Qian's future mother-in-law is fierce and shrewish," Qin Yizhou said. "I didn't go to say hello, but they'll get things done sooner or later, it might just take a little longer."
“Gu Qian is also in a difficult situation,” Song Fenglan said. “She encountered parents like that… So many girls are ruined by their families of origin. It’s good if they can get out of their families of origin, but it’s terrible if they can’t.”
"That future mother-in-law probably thinks that the household registration in the capital is better, which is why she wants to move it out. If she has a house, there won't be any problem with keeping the household registration here," Qin Yizhou said. "Without a house, the household registration can only be registered under a collective household registration. They are also afraid of problems, which is why they are doing this."
It's not that having a household registration in a southern city is bad, but rather that it's more cost-effective in the capital. Since Gu Qian already has a household registration in the capital, why should they give it up?
“Their considerations are correct,” Song Fenglan said. “Since they’re here, they should get these things done properly to avoid future problems. If they don’t handle things well this time, the Gu family might cancel Gu Qian’s household registration one day. Anything can happen. The Gu family doesn’t care about their daughter or sister; they only care about their own interests.”
"Yes," Qin Yizhou said, "Li'an has changed a lot."
“After so many things have happened, if he still doesn’t know how to change, then he’s truly beyond saving,” Song Fenglan said. “He has a daughter now, and he should understand how disgusting it is for his daughter to be forced into this situation.”
In her past life, Song Fenglan had seen some movies and TV dramas where fathers killed teachers, students, and anyone who had hurt their deceased daughters. She also watched live streams online where people said their daughters were bullied at school, leading to divorces, financial ruin, and a determination to find the bully. People were terrified of them.
That's just how the world is. Some people act like scoundrels, and they're afraid of those who are even more ruthless. Others aren't afraid of being bullied, but they only realize their mistake when they're about to die.
“You’ve corrected your mistakes, so live a good life,” Song Fenglan said. “A person’s life has a high margin for error. If you’ve corrected your past mistakes, you can still live your life.”
"Yes, that's why my brother came to find me. Li'an did owe Gu Qian after all. The money was paid to the Gu family, but Gu Qian didn't receive it."
"It's good that Qin Li'an has this idea," Song Fenglan said. "He does owe Gu Qian a debt for facing his past mistakes. They both have wonderful lives now, and there's no need for them to dwell on the past. Just because Gu Qian is doing well now doesn't mean Qin Li'an doesn't owe her anything."
Song Fenglan really didn't expect Qin Li'an to speak to her brother Qin. "Qin Li'an is still a little afraid of you. He doesn't dare to come to you in person. He only dares to have his father speak to you."
"It doesn't matter whether he comes or not," Qin Yizhou said. "It's not a big deal. I can't wait until he's in front of me before I do this."
Upon hearing his elder brother mention Gu Qian's situation, Qin Yizhou immediately set about taking care of it. This wasn't exactly against the rules; it was simply helping others.
“That’s right, we don’t need to wait for him to come. It doesn’t matter whether he comes or not,” Song Fenglan said. “You did the right thing. Get things done as soon as possible so that people can suffer less. Gu Qian is able to have a good partner not because heaven is on Qin Li’an’s side, nor because heaven is on Qin’s family’s side, but because Gu Qian is trying her best to live.”
The Qin family still owes Gu Qian a debt. Just because Gu Qian is doing well now doesn't mean the Qin family no longer owes her a debt.
If someone asked Song Fenglan to help Gu Qian, she would do so, since this incident wasn't exactly against her principles.
Zhu Meng knew about Qin Li'an's actions; Qin Li'an had gone to find his older brother without consulting her. Only after he met with his brother did he tell Zhu Meng. Zhu Meng wasn't angry, as Qin Li'an owed Gu Qian in the first place.
Some people were saying hurtful things outside, saying that Qin Li'an couldn't forget Gu Qian, and that Gu Qian had been pregnant with Qin Li'an's child, a boy. These words even reached the ears of the Zhu family, and Zhu's mother came to the supermarket to find Zhu Meng.
"I heard that Li'an asked someone to help that woman, the one he raped before. What is Qin Li'an thinking? Is he..." Zhu's mother asked.
“He’s just atoning for his sins,” Zhu Meng said. “Mom, don’t listen to what people outside are saying. Li’an isn’t still hung up on Gu Qian. Even if he is, it’s not love, it’s guilt.”
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