Chapter 50 Test Flight: You can dodge the first day of the month, but you can't dodge the fifteenth.
A while ago, my sister-in-law made tofu, and even deep-fried it to make stuffed tofu. The filling was meat, chives, carrots, etc., and some were simply filled with glutinous rice. For the tofu that wasn't deep-fried, she would make a hole, put the filling in it, and steam it.
The fat woman also gave some food to Song Fenglan's family. It wouldn't do for her own family to eat only what Song Fenglan's family ate, without inviting them to eat.
After eating the stuffed tofu, Qin Zihang thought it was especially delicious, no matter what kind it was, it all tasted great. When Qin Zihang was younger, he wasn't so picky about food, but ever since they came to the south of the city from the capital to join the army, Qin Zihang has changed a bit.
At first, when they arrived in Nancheng, Qin Zihang was not picky about food. Later, Qin Zihang probably felt that this was his own home, very safe, and he didn't have to worry about being talked about. He could even act spoiled with his parents.
Song Fenglan noticed Qin Zihang's change but didn't say anything unpleasant. She didn't want her child to constantly dwell on the past, nor did she want him to be so cautious. This was their home; Qin Zihang could be more relaxed.
Zhang Xiaohu was clearly taken aback by Qin Zihang's actions. He was still a little dazed when Qin Zihang had already stuffed the carrot into his hand.
"Brother Xiaohu, take the carrots back quickly," Qin Zihang said. "My mom is making pancakes. Come and eat them in a bit."
Then, Zhang Xiaohu immediately understood. He grabbed the carrot and went home. "Yes, my mom wants carrots."
The plump woman, busy with other chores at home, had no idea about Qin Zihang and Zhang Xiaohu's antics. She hadn't even considered getting carrots, nor had she made tofu recently. It was too hot; making a whole block of tofu would be too much and would spoil easily. Instead, she was thinking of getting some grass jelly to make grass jelly, which she could then share with her neighbors.
"My mom wants carrots," Zhang Xiaohu emphasized again.
"..." Qin Yizhou saw through the two boys' tricks, but in the end he did not stop Zhang Xiaohu's actions.
Never mind, never mind, I won't add carrots this time. I can do it another day.
Song Fenglan heard Zhang Xiaohu's voice. She knew her son didn't want to eat carrots. She had originally planned to shred the carrots into thin strips and add them to the filling, so that the carrot flavor wouldn't be too strong when mixed with so many other ingredients. Who would have thought that Qin Zihang would go to such lengths to avoid eating carrots, even going so far as to give them away?
The fat woman didn't hear Zhang Xiaohu and Qin Zihang's conversation; she was busy with other things and didn't think to listen. Zhang Xiaohu took the carrot back to the kitchen and hid it under a dishcloth.
Zhang Xiaohu wanted to hide the carrots somewhere else, but he was worried they would be discovered quickly, so he thought covering them with a rag would be better. Zhang Xiaohu was really good at this kind of self-deception.
When Fatty's sister-in-law discovered it, it was when she went to the kitchen to prepare a meal, and she saw the carrot.
"Where did this carrot come from?" the plump woman wondered. Her husband hadn't gone out to buy groceries today; she'd done it all herself. She thought about it for a while, but it still seemed odd. Then she remembered the carrot was under the dishcloth, and she started calling out, "Zhang Xiaohu, Zhang Xiaohu..."
Zhang Xiaohu wasn't at home; he was at Song Fenglan's house.
Song Fenglan made thin pancakes and prepared the fillings; they were wrapping and eating them. Zhang Xiaohu and Qin Zihang sat happily on the sofa, eating and watching TV, thoroughly enjoying themselves. Song Fenglan asked Qin Yizhou to wrap a few more, put them on a plate, and send them to the neighbors, as well as some to Mrs. Su.
The two children were happily eating over there. Qin Yizhou took the food next door. There wasn't much food; it wouldn't fill them up, but it would satisfy their cravings.
Fatty was wondering if Zhang Xiaohu was at Song Fenglan's house and she was going to go find him, but then she saw Qin Yizhou carrying a thin pancake filled with filling.
"Let you have a taste," Qin Yizhou said.
"Wait a minute." The plump woman cleared out a bowl and put the pancake roll in her own. She came out with the empty bowl. "Is Xiaohu over there? I'll go and tell him to come back."
"Let him eat over there," Qin Yizhou said.
"How could I accept this? He always eats at your house," said the plump woman.
"It's alright, Zihang is fine too."
"We'll eat at your place," Qin Yizhou said. "Let's go back first."
Qin Yizhou returned home and then carried the bamboo basket filled with fillings and pancakes over again. He didn't wrap them all; he filled a larger portion with fillings and pancakes so that Madam Su could roll them herself.
When Madam Su saw Qin Yizhou bringing food, she invited him to sit down.
"No, I have to go back. Zihang is still at home," Qin Yizhou said. "Fenglan is busy cooking and taking care of the child."
“Alright, let’s go back,” said Madam Su.
Mrs. Su cleared out the bowls and saw Qin Yizhou to the door. She glanced at the food on the table, then at her husband sitting on the sofa reading the newspaper.
"Come and try it, it's made by Fenglan," Madam Su said with a smile. "Fenglan is really capable; everything she makes is delicious."
Mrs. Su rolled up a thin pancake for Professor Su to eat. Professor Su took a bite and nodded, "It tastes really good."
"Some people are just amazing, outstanding," Mrs. Su remarked. "Fenglan is exceptional."
“How could Song Xingyun’s niece be bad?” Professor Su said. “In the future, people will say how could Song Fenglan’s uncle be bad.”
Professor Su saw unlimited potential in Song Fenglan; Song Fenglan was sure to be even more outstanding than Song Xingyun.
When Qin Yizhou returned home, Qin Zihang and Zhang Xiaohu were covered in oil from eating; both children especially loved the dice game.
It's delicious, delicious, absolutely delicious!
Zhang Xiaohu looked down at his round belly, then at the thin pancake rolls on the plate.
"Are you full?" Song Fenglan asked. "Is there anything else?"
"I'm full, I can't eat anymore." Zhang Xiaohu was reluctant to leave the thin pancake rolls on his plate.
"Rest for a bit, we'll eat later." Song Fenglan noticed Zhang Xiaohu's gaze was fixed on the thin pancake rolls. "Eating these makes you hungry quite easily."
"Auntie, this is so delicious!" Zhang Xiaohu said. "I've never had such a delicious wrap before."
"As long as it tastes good," Song Fenglan said. To make these things, you need oil, meat, and fillings.
The plump woman next door offered her eldest son some wraps, and Song Fenglan asked Qin Yizhou to wrap six for her. The plump woman picked one up, took a bite, and exclaimed how delicious it was.
Suddenly, the fat woman stopped chewing. She had momentarily forgotten about the carrot. Could that carrot be the one Song Fenglan bought to put in the filling?
The plump woman got up, intending to go next door to drag Zhang Xiaohu back, but then thought that Song Fenglan's family next door might still be eating, so she decided against it. Zhang Xiaohu really had some nerve; someone was making carrots for filling, and he had the nerve to bring them home.
When Fatty Sister felt that Song Fenglan and the others had almost finished eating, she went to find Zhang Xiaohu.
Zhang Xiaohu was leaning against the sofa watching TV, his eyes fixed on the screen, completely still.
"You certainly know how to enjoy life." The plump woman glared at Zhang Xiaohu, still holding a carrot in her hand. She handed the carrot to Song Fenglan, "but Xiaohu took it."
"The filling has already been cooked," Song Fenglan said.
"It can still be used tonight," said the plump woman. "Put it on the table."
Qin Zihang's face fell when he saw the carrot on the table.
You can dodge the first day of the month, but you can't dodge the fifteenth.
Auntie Pang doesn't have any use for carrots right now. She could stir-fry carrots directly in a dish, like carrot and egg stir-fry, or use shredded carrots to make carrot pancakes. But she doesn't plan to use carrots. If she needs them, she can buy one; carrots aren't meat, so they don't sell that quickly.
"Okay, put it on the table." Song Fenglan chuckled. "I'll put it in the filling tonight."
Song Fenglan made a lot of pancakes at noon, and those pancakes could be saved for dinner. In the evening, she would stir-fry some fillings, roll them up in the pancakes, and eat them.
"Mom, let's not eat carrots anymore," Qin Zihang pleaded in desperation. "Carrots are yellow, and if I eat them, my face will turn yellow too, and I won't be fair and chubby anymore."
“It’s just one carrot, and you’re eating it all by yourself, so it won’t turn yellow,” Song Fenglan said. “Since Xiaohu’s mother brought it over, then eat it.”
"Mom, how can you bring back something you've already given away?" Qin Zihang persisted, thinking they should just give up on this carrot.
"Don't be embarrassed," said the plump woman. "Another day, I'll have your mother buy an extra carrot, one for your family and one for mine."
"No, no!" Zhang Xiaohu was about to jump up and down. Wouldn't that mean he would eat carrots at Zihang's mother's place and then have to eat carrots again when he got back? He could just eat carrots from one place. "I don't want to eat carrots twice."
“You don’t want to eat at your aunt’s place. You only need to eat at home once a year,” said the plump woman. “It’s all because your aunt and uncle spoil you too much, feeding you so much good food.”
"It really is delicious." Zhang Xiaohu let out a burp.
“It’s hot outside, let them sit here and watch TV. If they get sleepy, they can go to sleep,” Song Fenglan said. “There are electric fans at home, so it won’t be too hot.”
"It is indeed cooler here at your place." The fat woman thought to herself that Song Fenglan's family had a lot of electrical appliances. She must have the means to get these appliances, including two electric fans.
Aunt Pang's family didn't have an electric fan; these appliances cost money and required coupons. She figured summer was only hot for a few days. They could just tough it out; time would pass quickly, and it wouldn't be too hot.
"It's alright," Song Fenglan said. "Sit here for a while and watch TV together. You guys sit here, I'm going out for a bit."
"Where to?" the plump woman asked, puzzled.
"Go to Yani's place." Song Fenglan didn't let Qin Yizhou send the pancake rolls over; she would send them over herself. "You guys sit and watch TV; it's fine."
When Song Fenglan went out, Zhang Chenghai brought Zhang Wen over. Zhang Xiaohu was watching TV. Zhang Chenghai looked at his eldest son and wondered if they were being too biased towards Zhang Xiaohu, so he simply invited his eldest son to Song Fenglan's house to watch TV.
Fan Yani's husband wasn't home; he was training in the military. These people didn't all get leave on the same day, and their leave times were separate. Qin Yizhou and Zhang Chenghai were the same; they rarely got leave on the same day, and Zhang Chenghai would return home later than Fan Yani.
"Sister-in-law." Fan Yani quickly invited Song Fenglan into the house when she saw her coming.
"I made some thin pancake rolls, have a taste." Song Fenglan presented the wrapped thin pancake rolls. These thin pancake rolls, which are sold in small quantities, are already wrapped; otherwise, they would look rather sparse and not very appealing. Song Fenglan was generous with the fillings; these few thin pancake rolls had quite a bit of stuffing.
"Let me try it," Fan Yani said. She didn't care whether Song Fenglan's cooking was suitable for pregnant women; she could tell by looking at it herself. It was just ordinary food, not something like crab. Song Fenglan and the others would eat it too, and Song Fenglan wouldn't give herself anything bad. "Delicious, very delicious."
The filling has a salty taste, but it's not too salty. It also has a fragrant aroma, a light meaty scent, and the fresh fragrance of bean sprouts and other ingredients.
"It's delicious, so delicious!" Fan Yani said. "I can't even find anywhere to buy this."
"I just had some free time today, so I made this," Song Fenglan said. "I'm always at work, so I have to make something for my child to eat, so he won't forget his mother."
"Sister-in-law, Hangbao is so lucky to have such a wonderful mother like you," Fan Yani said. Look at her, Song Fenglan has to work and take care of her child, yet she still has time to cook all this.
Some men would think these are things women should do, or even more, and would say they have to work and don't have time for these things. Men are always like that; they can't divide their time in half, but they can divide a woman's time in half.
"You should get some rest," Song Fenglan said. "I'll go back first."
"I'll see you off," Fan Yani said.
"No need, you go back and get some rest," Song Fenglan said.
When Song Fenglan came out, she ran into Li Hui, who was frozen in place. Song Fenglan didn't speak to Li Hui.
She said hello and then left.
Li Hui came with a bag containing her wallet and other belongings; she hadn't brought anything to give Fan Yani. Li Hui had told Guo Peng not to bring anything, as it wasn't convenient for a grown man like him to come see Fan Yani. She, as Fan Yani's sister-in-law, had come to see her, and that was enough.
When Fan Yani saw Li Hui arrive empty-handed, she wasn't surprised. Li Hui wasn't exactly a good person to begin with. Fan Yani couldn't realistically expect Li Hui to be kind to her.
“Yani, your brother heard you’re pregnant and told me. We’re all so happy for you,” Li Hui said. “We were thinking of buying you something, but since you’re pregnant, we don’t know what you can eat, so we decided not to. And when I get pregnant, you don’t need to buy anything either. Between siblings, we don’t need to worry about these formalities, don’t you think?”
“Then let’s do as my sister-in-law says.” Fan Yani couldn’t possibly be unhappy; she didn’t have much affection for this couple to begin with.
Li Hui saw the pancake rolls on the table; she hadn't had them in a long time. Especially since she started cooking at home, the food hadn't been very good, and going out to buy food didn't always guarantee she could find what she wanted.
"This was given to me by Sister-in-law Fenglan," Fan Yani said. She got up, placed the plate of pancake rolls on the dining table, and covered it with something. Then, Fan Yani sat down on the wooden bench. "Sister-in-law Fenglan took care of me because I'm pregnant. Sister-in-law, I won't give you any. I don't want to follow this 'everyone gets a share' tradition."
"No need." Li Hui did want to eat, but she couldn't possibly compete with a pregnant woman for food; it wouldn't be appropriate.
"Sister-in-law, I'm so happy you could come see me," Fan Yani said with a smile. "Speaking of which, you and my brother got married earlier than me. By the way, sister-in-law, have you been to the hospital? Are you pregnant?"
“I’m not pregnant yet. We haven’t been married for very long. Some people take several years to have children,” Li Hui said. “No rush, no rush.”
“There’s no need to rush,” Fan Yani said. “Having a child depends on fate. I was hoping to get pregnant a year or two later, but this child came, so I had no choice but to give birth to it.”
Li Huizhen really wanted to say: If you don't want children, then don't have them.
Li Hui felt that Fan Yani was deliberately showing off her child, and her feeling was correct; Fan Yani was doing it on purpose.
Fan Yani disliked Li Hui and Guo Peng, and she would seize any opportunity to make things difficult for them. Fan Yani thought she had done a decent job; she hadn't openly broken ties with them or made things too embarrassing, and she had maintained a good facade.
One thing Fan Yani felt was that Guo's parents were being a bit wishful. As parents, they raised a child bride for their son and thought they were doing a good job, but they didn't realize that times had changed and children no longer needed child brides.
As a product of a special era, Fan Yani knew that making a big fuss would be bad for everyone, but it was okay to cause some annoyance.
"But it would be better if you got pregnant soon, sister-in-law. Mom and Dad are waiting to hold their grandson." Fan Yani said deliberately, "The child I'm carrying won't be related to Mom and Dad by blood. They still prefer the child you have."
"When the time is right, it will happen naturally," Li Hui said.
“Yes, my sister-in-law and brother are destined to be together.” Fan Yani nodded.
"..." Li Huizhen didn't want to talk to Fan Yani, so she left after sitting for a while.
That evening, Guo Peng returned home, and Li Hui told him about Fan Yani's performance.
“Am I that greedy? Would I want to eat food that someone else gives her?” Li Hui said. “I should have gone today, I should have gone another day. When she saw me with that plate of food, she quickly put it on the table and covered it up.”
"She's pregnant..."
“I know she’s pregnant. I didn’t mean to take food from a pregnant woman. I just couldn’t stand her behavior,” Li Hui said. “She’s so petty.”
"Do you want to eat it?" Guo Peng asked. "We can make it at home."
"Eat?" Li Hui wasn't really thinking about eating. If she wanted to eat, she could find a few places to buy it. "No, it was given to her by Song Fenglan. Your sister, she knows that I don't get along with Song Fenglan, but she still gets so close to Song Fenglan."
"After all, she's Qin Tuan's wife, and her brother-in-law is with Qin Tuan..."
“They just fawn over the powerful and belittle the weak,” Li Hui said.
What could Guo Peng say? He was simply outmatched.
Tian Keshu's younger sister, Tian Kexian, was extremely unwilling to accept that there was no possibility between her and Song Erge. Tian Keshu had remarried, and Tian Kexian had no choice but to remarry as well; the Tian family was all trying to drive her away.
Tian Keshu had no choice but to marry a widower. This widower had two sons and a house allocated by the factory. The house had two rooms, which was spacious enough. After Tian Keshu married him, she slept in one room with the widower, and his two sons slept in another room.
The reason no other woman married this widower was because he had two sons, both of whom were old enough to remember things. If another woman became a stepmother to the children, they wouldn't expect the children to be grateful, and once the stepmother got old, she couldn't expect her two sons to support her in her old age.
After much deliberation, Tian Keshu still had no choice. At least this widower had a house, a regular job, and wasn't too ugly.
Tian Kexian secretly followed Song Erge several times, prompting him to call the police. Initially, the police thought it was nothing unusual for a woman to follow a man, but their feelings changed when they learned that the Tian family had a history of espionage.
Even after Tian Kexian was released by the police station staff, she was still warned.
Several members of the Tian family sat in the living room, looking at Tian Kexian with extremely unpleasant expressions.
“That’s Song Fenglan’s own brother. There’s no way he could be with you,” Tian Keshu said. “You saw it yourself. They called the police and sent you to the police station. How embarrassing! If people find out, they’ll just say you’re shameless and that you’re thinking about getting married.”
“I’m already this age, what am I thinking about if I don’t want to get married?” Tian Kexian said. “Do you expect me to never get married and stay at my parents’ house for the rest of my life?”
"She still has to get married," said Tian's mother. She didn't want her youngest daughter to stay at home. The room in the house wasn't for her daughter; it was for her grandson after she got married. "This person won't do; we'll find someone else."
"It's all my sister's fault. If she hadn't gone so far back then, I wouldn't be like this now." Tian Kexian hasn't been sleeping well lately. She keeps thinking about the Song family's wealth and the money in Song Erge's hands. If she could marry Song Erge, she would definitely be able to live in a big house.
“It’s my fault, it’s all my fault, everything is my fault,” Tian Keshu said. “Even if your brother-in-law and I hadn’t divorced, and if I hadn’t done those things back then, there would still be no chance for you and Song Fenglan’s brother. What kind of people are they? Would they even look at you? They have such high standards!”
Tian Keshu couldn't help but think that Song Fenglan must have deliberately climbed up to Qin Yizhou. Qin Yizhou was a soldier with a high position; Song Fenglan must have had her eye on him from the very beginning. Tian Keshu had told the Qin family the same thing back then, saying that Song Fenglan had ulterior motives, but Qin Yizhou insisted on marrying her. If Qin Yizhou hadn't married Song Fenglan, she wouldn't be in this situation.
Tian Keshu doesn't even consider that she's rotten to the core. Even if Qin Yizhou marries someone else, Tian Keshu will still find ways to make things difficult for Qin Yizhou's wife. When Tian Keshu was in the Qin family, she always liked to call herself the eldest sister-in-law, always wanting to control everything in the Qin family and make everyone listen to her. How could that be possible?
"Don't even think about it," Tian Keshu said. "Didn't I still resign myself to finding someone to marry?"
Tian Keshu felt heartbroken just thinking about it. If she could, she would like to delay for a while and try to find someone better. But given her age, no one could treat her very well, so she could only choose the best among the worst.
"Whether you go on a blind date or go out and see if you can meet someone good," Tian Keshu said. "Don't just stare at Song."
"My family, with you keeping such a close watch on us, we've gotten warned again. Do you want our whole family to end up in jail?"
"I……"
“Your sister is right,” said Tian’s mother. “Don’t go there.”
It wasn't that Tian's mother didn't want Tian Kexian to marry Song Erge; it was simply that Song Erge had no feelings for Tian Kexian, and they couldn't force him to marry her. They'd already called the police; if Tian Kexian continued to follow Song Erge, she would ultimately be the one who suffered, and she wouldn't gain anything from it.
"I didn't run over there again. Things have already gone this far, why would I run over again?" Tian Kexian was unwilling to give up. "I just thought that it's easy for a woman to pursue a man, but what if he..."
“No, he could never be good to you,” Tian Keshu said. “If he were good to you and married you, how would he face his sister in the future? Do you think you can compare to his sister?”
“If I marry him, I’m going to spend my whole life with him,” Tian Kexian said.
“Look at me and your former brother-in-law. I was still thinking about some small things, and he would never divorce me. Yes, he said he wouldn’t divorce me at first, but in the end, we still divorced,” Tian Keshu said. “He still thinks his brothers are more important.”
In truth, Tian Keshu knew that Qin Yizhou didn't hold such an important place in Qin's brother's heart; Qin's brother cared more about his future. Since Tian Keshu was jeopardizing Qin Yizhou's future and continuing to drag him down, he decisively gave up on her.
“I’ve been through this, don’t even think about the little money they have. It’s not our money, they can say all sorts of things,” Tian Keshu said. “My mother-in-law… my ex-mother-in-law, she knew I was short of money, and she deliberately sent me to deliver money to Song Fenglan, just so I could keep some for myself.”
Tian Keshu had already figured it out earlier: Qin's mother was doing it on purpose, and the rest of the Qin family knew it too. If something went wrong, it would be Tian Keshu's fault; if nothing went wrong, then it would be as if nothing had happened. Those people were truly despicable. If they didn't want to give things to Song Fenglan, then they shouldn't give them to her. Why were they pretending to be such cowards?
“Listen to your sister, find someone of equal social standing,” Tian Keshu said. “Don’t think about finding someone super rich; that’s their money. If they want you to leave, they can leave. With our family’s current situation, what can you say if they want a divorce?”
This time, Song Erge called Song Fenglan to tell her about Tian Kexian being taken to the police station by him.
"How could she have followed you, and so many times?" Song Fenglan asked. "Didn't she know who you were?"
“I rejected her and told her who I am, but she still follows me,” said Brother Song. “She just thinks I’ll disregard you and marry her.”
Song Erge had experienced far too much in the countryside and had seen all sorts of people. He saw greed in Tian Kexian's eyes; she wasn't someone who truly wanted to live with him, but rather someone who coveted his money.
"Second brother, if you marry her, I will disown you," Song Fenglan said bluntly, she didn't want to have anything to do with the Tian family anymore.
"It's impossible for me to marry her, I don't even like her," said Brother Song. "I was just telling you, the Tian family is really shameless, they even dare to do this."
“Shameless people always live a better life than others,” Song Fenglan said. “Speaking of which, second brother, you could find a good partner.”
"I haven't met the right person yet, I'll wait and see." Second Brother Song wasn't thinking about finding a partner at this time.
"Second brother, do you have someone you like?" Song Fenglan asked.
“It used to exist, but it doesn’t anymore,” said Brother Song.
“This…” Song Fenglan didn’t quite understand.
"Don't worry about me," said Brother Song. "I'm a grown man now, I can get married anytime I want."
"Second brother, you're in the countryside..."
"It's all in the past." Second Brother Song thought that as a grown man, he didn't need to talk to his sister about the pain of the past. "Second Brother is doing alright in the countryside."
"Your legs..."
"My leg is fine, it's just a minor issue. I wasn't walking fast, so it's not noticeable," said Brother Song. "Don't worry about me, it's you who has suffered so much. We left you alone in the city, you..."
"I'm fine," Song Fenglan said. "I'm doing alright."
"If she were doing alright, would she have been bullied like that?" Second Brother Song didn't think Song Fenglan's life was acceptable; it was clearly far too bad.
In the past, they would have taken good care of Song Fenglan during her postpartum period. They would have fed her chickens every day, even two or three a day, without any problem. But they encountered difficulties at home, which prevented them from being with Song Fenglan.
"Alright, let's not talk about the past," Song Fenglan said. "Second Brother, if you meet someone suitable..."
"I know, don't worry." Second Brother Song repeated the same thing. "If I meet the right person, I will naturally get married. We have a place to live and can afford to raise a child. I know what I'm doing. Is Hangbao here?"
“Hangbao, your second uncle,” Song Fenglan said.
"Second Uncle." Qin Zihang quickly ran to Song Fenglan and called out sweetly, "Second Uncle."
"Good boy." Hearing Qin Zihang's soft and sweet voice, Song Erge felt good. "Listen to your mother more. If your father treats your mother badly, remember to call your uncle and tell him. Your uncle will stand up for your mother and for our Hangbao."
"Second Uncle, can you let Dad go to your place?" Qin Zihang asked. "Let Dad go away for a few days and then come back."
"Why?" Second Brother Song asked.
"I want to sleep with my mom," Qin Zihang said. "My dad won't let me sleep with my mom when he's home."
"Go straight in and lie down in the middle," Song Erge suggested.
"Daddy will take me away," Qin Zihang said. "When I open my eyes, I'll be back in my own room."
“You’re asleep. If I don’t carry you to your own room, where am I supposed to leave you? You’re asleep, you don’t even feel anything.” Qin Yizhou felt that his son was becoming increasingly difficult to fool.
“Dad.” Qin Zihang looked at his father.
"Alright, we've been on the phone for so long, let's hang up, let's hang up." Qin Yizhou picked up the phone holder. "Second Brother, that's all for now."
After hanging up the phone, Qin Yizhou looked at Qin Zihang, who snorted and turned to look to the side.
"You're really something." Qin Yizhou reached out and gently pinched Qin Zihang's cheek.
“That’s my uncle,” Qin Zihang pouted.
"If he's your uncle, then whose uncle is he?" Qin Yizhou said.
“Let him watch TV,” Song Fenglan said.
In front of the children, Song Fenglan didn't talk much about her second brother. They only discussed those things after Qin Zihang had fallen asleep, when Song Fenglan and Qin Yizhou were alone in the room.
“My second brother isn’t married yet, and I don’t know what he’s been through in the countryside. My parents don’t tell me either.” Song Fenglan lay on the bed. “I asked them during the Spring Festival, but they didn’t say anything. In the days after the Spring Festival, I was busy and didn’t have time to ask about those things.”
“They don’t want you to worry about those things,” Qin Yizhou said.
"Yes, I know," Song Fenglan said. "They didn't want to talk about it, so I didn't ask. If I had, they would have made up excuses and said I was having a hard time. Then, would everyone just reminisce about their past suffering?"
“My second brother isn’t married. He has his own ideas. When he meets the right person and wants to get married, he will naturally get married,” Qin Yizhou said. “Love at first sight is just a matter of a moment.”
"Do you believe in love?" Song Fenglan asked Qin Yizhou.
Their eyes met, and Qin Yizhou saw himself reflected in Song Fenglan's eyes. "I believe, because of you, I believe."
The next moment, Qin Yizhou embraced Song Fenglan, feeling the warmth in his arms.
"I..." Song Fenglan thought to herself that she only believed in the love stories in TV dramas and novels, and in the love of fictional characters. As for herself, Song Fenglan was quite rational; she found it hard to imagine that such so-called love would happen to her.
Song Fenglan was with Qin Yizhou, and Qin Yizhou had expressed his liking and love for her, which stirred her emotions. However, after the initial excitement subsided, she leaned back towards rationality.
"Time will tell," Qin Yizhou said. "Ordinary couples are the rarest of all."
"Mm," Song Fenglan replied.
In mid-July, Song Fenglan became even busier, leaving early and returning late, and could not spend much time with Qin Zihang.
Song Fenglan, Professor Song, and others went to the military airfield, where pilots were about to test-fly the aircraft. This was the first official test flight, and everyone was very nervous, hoping for a success.
Song Fenglan oversaw the materials and components used in the aircraft. All materials had to meet quality standards, not a single part could be wrong, and the welding of components required meticulous attention. Song Fenglan frequently visited the manufacturing site to supervise the process, and she even personally participated in the work.
Airplanes make a lot of noise when they take off and land, and they also make a lot of noise when they fly over high altitudes.
After the plane took off smoothly, there were still planes flying over the family compound. Some people came out of their rooms to look at the fighter jets in the sky.
Not just today, but in the past, fighter jets have also flown over here, making a lot of noise.
The area is in the suburbs with a large area of farmland, which makes it convenient for test flights. If there are any problems, the plane can land easily, and even if it lands on a mountain, everyone can get there as quickly as possible.
Earlier this year, another research institute's plane crashed. Everyone was very cautious, not blindly pursuing speed, and not always thinking about being faster than other research institutes. Then, without paying attention, a problem arose. Sometimes it's not about speed; it's about not knowing where the problem lies until you test fly it.
Song Fenglan looked at the fighter jets high in the sky through her binoculars. She was confident, but she couldn't help feeling nervous.
There are personnel there to guide the pilots in their actions and test flights. It's not just about simply taking off; they also have to perform certain maneuvers on the aircraft.
Song Fenglan listened and watched from the other side.
"It looks pretty good so far." Professor Su
road.
"They haven't flown back yet," Song Fenglan said.
We still have to wait until we land safely. One flight isn't enough; we need to fly several more times.
Song Fenglan's palms were slightly sweaty. Professor Su then said, "Sit down."
“Standing is fine,” Song Fenglan said.
"Let me sit for a bit," Professor Su said, sounding somewhat nervous.
This aircraft is different from previous ones; it is more of an independently manufactured product.
Professor Su's claim that he's not afraid of failure is false; he still hopes to succeed this time.
In the courtyard, Qin Zihang happily pointed to the sky, "Airplane, airplane."
"It's an airplane." Qin Yizhou happened to be home today, and he was looking after Qin Zihang.
"What a huge airplane!" Qin Zihang exclaimed. "Does Mom build airplanes?"
"Yes, my mother builds airplanes." Qin Yizhou nodded.
"Is this the airplane Mom made?" Qin Zihang asked.
Every time an airplane flies overhead, Qin Zihang sees it and asks: "Did Mom make these airplanes?"
"I don't know," Qin Yizhou said, "but one day you will see the airplane your mother built fly in the sky."
"Wow, Dad, can I build airplanes in the future?" Qin Zihang stared at the airplane in the sky.
"Study hard, and you can build airplanes in the future," Qin Yizhou said.
"I want to be as amazing as my mom," Qin Zihang said. "I want to build a huge airplane."
"Sure." Qin Yizhou didn't know what batch of fighter jets were above him, nor did he know what those fighter jets were like.
Qin Yizhou wasn't in the Air Force, and even if he were, he might not know those classified details. Qin Yizhou only knew that his wife had been very busy lately, probably because the new fighter jet was about to undergo test flights. Qin Yizhou guessed this, but he didn't tell anyone, not even his son.
Children can't keep their mouths shut. Qin Zihang always likes to say that his mother is amazing, and he talks a lot about his mother, as if his mother is the most amazing mother in the world.
Qin Zihang ran into the room and took the airplane model from inside to the yard.
"Hmm..." Qin Zihang was still running around in the yard, holding a model airplane in his hand. "Dad, fly the airplane!"
Fighter jets were flying in the sky, and Qin Zihang was on the ground making airplane models fly.
"Flying, flying!" Qin Zihang exclaimed.
"Be careful, watch your step," Qin Yizhou reminded Qin Zihang.
"Daddy, fly, fly!" Qin Zihang exclaimed. "Daddy, do you want to ride in an airplane? Do you want to fly together?"
Qin Zihang had his father stand behind him and hold onto his clothes as they flew together. While playing, Qin Zihang would occasionally look up at the sky; he wanted to watch when the fighter jets flew far away, and he wanted to watch when they flew closer.
If the fighter jets hadn't gone to a more distant location to perform maneuvers, Qin Zihang would have continued to perform maneuvers with the model airplane.
Zhang Xiaohu went to find Qin Zihang and saw the airplane model in Qin Zihang's hand. "Wow, an airplane!"
“Come on, let’s fly together,” Qin Zihang said.
Qin Yizhou asked Zhang Xiaohu to play with Qin Zihang, so he stopped clinging to Qin Zihang's clothes and ran alongside his son. His son was having so much fun playing with a model airplane; it was a gift from Song Erge.
"It's so noisy!" Li Hui opened the window and shouted outside. She felt very annoyed by the loud noise. After shouting, Li Hui became a little scared. It was a fighter jet, which they often heard around here. Li Hui poked her head out the window and looked around. Seeing that no one was looking in her direction, she quickly closed the window.
In the capital, Tian Keshu's younger sister, Tian Kexian, was dating a hoodlum when the hoodlum's mother came to their door, pressuring them to get married: "Your daughter is with my son, when are you going to let them get married?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
