Chapter 71 Scheming is all retribution
“That’s right,” the new leader said.
Not only was Tang's father demoted, but the original factory director was also dismissed.
Mr. Tang never imagined that he would be demoted one day; he still dreamed of being promoted someday.
"This is a collective decision," the new leader said. "It's a normal personnel transfer."
"I..." Mr. Tang wanted to speak, but after thinking about it, he felt that there was nothing to say.
Tang's father could only return home dejected. He fared much better than Tian's father, who was fired on the spot.
Of course, the Tang family's problems weren't as serious as the Tian family's. Tang's father simply lacked the ability to handle the job, which is why he was only demoted. Tang's father had been very ambitious, finally becoming the deputy factory director, and he was even hoping to be promoted from there. He was very happy, thinking he would definitely be promoted, but he never expected this day to come.
When Mrs. Tang learned that Mr. Tang had not been demoted, she looked incredulous.
"Why were you demoted out of the blue? Is someone sabotaging you?" Mrs. Tang asked. "Or..."
It's still your ex-wife, or her family...
Tang's mother couldn't say such a thing; there was no way to say something without evidence.
"Did you offend someone?" Mrs. Tang asked. "After being demoted to a director, not a deputy factory director, the salary and benefits are completely different. When you retire, your pension will be much different. Should we ask someone to find out what happened and whether the leaders can rescind the decision?"
"Who are you looking for?" Mr. Tang asked. Where did his family get such strong connections? Some people who were on good terms with Mr. Tang had either been transferred or dismissed.
You should know that they are all birds of a feather; they used to exchange gifts in private, all for the sake of their own promotion.
Now, with such a major incident at the factory, everyone is on edge, and who will help Mr. Tang? Mr. Tang is extremely distressed; how did things get to this point? He desperately wishes that nothing had happened to him, that someone else had been involved, and that he wouldn't have been implicated. Now that he's caught in the middle of it all, there's nothing he can do.
“Your ex-wife,” Mrs. Tang said. “Your ex-wife should know quite a few people, she…”
“She can’t help,” Mr. Tang said.
Back when the Song family was in trouble, Mr. Tang decisively abandoned Aunt Song, without even thinking of protecting her or facing those things with her. He even got married early to quickly sever ties with the Song family and prevent them from implicating him.
"Her children and grandchildren never treated her well," said Mr. Tang. "How could she possibly help me?"
“That’s not necessarily true,” Mrs. Tang said. “The wages you earn will have to be left to the child you and she have together in the future, and I don’t have any biological children.”
Mother Tang longed for a biological child, but unfortunately, she couldn't conceive and thus didn't give birth. She often invited her nephews and nieces from her maternal family to visit, thinking that since she had no biological children, she could spend more time with them. When Mother Tang married into the family, Father Tang's children with Aunt Song were already quite old, making it impossible for her to become close to them.
"Go and talk to her, maybe she'll agree. You've been married for many years, and even a day as husband and wife is worth a hundred days of kindness," said Tang's mother. She wasn't afraid that Tang's father and Aunt Song would rekindle their old flame; the Song family were all people who cared about their reputation.
"No way." Mr. Tang couldn't bear the embarrassment.
Mr. Tang, a grown man, divorced Aunt Song partly because she was too domineering. Aunt Song came from the Song family, had a good family background, and completely outclassed Mr. Tang in every way, making him feel suffocated. Then, when trouble arose, Mr. Tang simply dumped Aunt Song.
Aunt Song, being such a clever woman, was perfectly aware of Mr. Tang's little scheme. She knew it all too well, but chose not to expose it; sometimes, exposing it ruins the whole thing. Aunt Song also valued her reputation, so she preferred to leave gracefully rather than risk a public falling out.
But Aunt Song had gone through so much in the countryside, so if Father Tang dared to go in front of her now, he wouldn't be treated so well.
"Why not?" Mrs. Tang said. "If we don't go to her, who else can we go to? I heard that after the Song family was exonerated, some officials even went to visit them. They..."
"Don't say anything more, they're not going to get involved in this mess," said Mr. Tang.
When Tang's mother heard Tang's father say this, she thought that if Tang's father wouldn't say it, then Tang's father's children would. Since Tang Lu was in the south and not in the capital, it wouldn't be appropriate for Tang Lu to say it; it would have to be Tang's father and Aunt Song's son who spoke on his behalf.
Then, Tang's eldest son, Tang Shaotao, went to Aunt Song and asked her to help Tang's father.
"Serves you right, it's all retribution!" Aunt Song sneered.
"Mom," Tang Shaotao frowned slightly, "Dad was demoted, and his salary is lower too. What will happen later..."
"In the future, you'll get less, won't you?" Aunt Song sneered. "Don't worry, not only will his future benefits be less and he won't be able to subsidize you more, but I won't leave you any of my things either. Even if I donate them, I won't give them to you."
"Mom..." Tang Shaotao felt uncomfortable upon hearing this.
“I made a will. I made a will when I came back,” Aunt Song said. “If it’s not yours, it’s not yours. These things are mine. They were given to me by my family, by the Song family. They have absolutely nothing to do with your Tang family. Whether your father was demoted or dismissed, it has nothing to do with me. Don’t expect me to help you.”
"Mom, can you please not be so heartless? I know you resent us, but given the circumstances back then..."
“Your father has always had a problem with me,” Aunt Song said. “What do you take me for? Am I your Tang family’s dog? Do you think I have to come running just because you call me?”
“You also have grandchildren,” Tang Shaotao said. “With so many people in the family, we…”
"Don't you have hands and feet? Can't you work?" Aunt Song pointed at the gate and said, "Get out, all of you, get out!"
Aunt Song was furious. This was her son? A worthless son! This was the Tang family, the selfish and self-serving Tang family. These people didn't care about their own mother at all; they only cared about their own father. Aunt Song loathed the Tang family. If it weren't for the fact that these children were still related to her by blood, she wouldn't even see them.
Another point is that the reason Aunt Song was willing to see her children was because she wanted to see them struggling. Did these people think she was so happy to see them? No, Aunt Song didn't like them that much.
"Mom, please think it over carefully. We can take care of you in your old age," Tang Shaotao said.
"Don't threaten me with that. If I really reach the point where I can't even take care of myself, I'd rather die than beg you," said Aunt Song. "You and your father are cut from the same cloth, neither of you are good people. Get out of here, and you'd better never show your face in front of me again."
Tang Shaotao had no choice but to leave. If he didn't leave, his mother would beat him with a broom and throw him out.
Song's parents live in Nancheng. Song's third aunt is worried that Tang Lu will go to them; the Tang family isn't good people, and who knows what they might do for their own benefit. Even if Tang Lu behaves well in front of Song's third aunt, what difference does it make?
When Mr. and Mrs. Song returned from buying some things, they heard the phone ring and went to answer it. They initially thought someone was looking for Song Fenglan and her husband, but it turned out to be Mr. Song.
Second Brother Song went to pick up Qin Zihang from school; Qin Zihang needs to come back for lunch. Mother Song went to cook, while Father Song talked to Third Aunt Song.
“He deserves it, he deserves it all, he should be demoted,” said Aunt Song. “They still have the nerve to ask me for help? Bullshit, I’m not going to help them.”
Aunt Song used to be a very refined person; she wouldn't say anything vulgar. But now, after spending so much time in the countryside, she's learned some manual labor. Aunt Song thinks she's been too good to the Tang family before, and now they're trying to take advantage of her.
"Second Brother, if Tang Lu comes looking for you, don't pay her any attention," said Aunt Song. "She's a member of the Tang family, not our Song family. Does she think that just because she's become a pilot, she's part of the Song family? No, she's not! She'll always be a member of the Tang family!"
Having lived in the Tang family for so many years, Tang Lu always put the interests of the Tang family first, not the interests of the Song family.
“This is their own path,” said Mr. Song.
"How is Fenglan?" Aunt Song asked. When she spoke of Song Fenglan, her tone became much gentler, not as harsh as it had been at the beginning.
“She went to work and couldn’t ask for leave, so we didn’t let her. The second son went to pick up Hangbao; Hangbao is about to get out of school,” Mr. Song said. “We’re here, so we didn’t let Professor Su’s wife pick up Hangbao; we went ourselves.”
“Yes, it’s your turn to go,” said Aunt Song. “Fenglan is a good child.”
"That's good." Mr. Song also thought his daughter was great.
"Anyway, if Tang Lu comes looking for you, you don't need to pay any attention to her. The Tang family's affairs have nothing to do with the Song family," said Aunt Song. "How did they treat us back then? Now they have the nerve to ask us for help? What do they take us for? Are we shameless, only good at being their dogs?"
After scolding the Tang family for a while, Aunt Song finally hung up the phone with her father. Aunt Song was telling the truth; she herself had no intention of helping her ex-husband, nor would she allow the Song family to do so. Naturally, the Song family wouldn't help the Tang family; whether the Tang family was doing well or not was none of the Song family's business, and they wouldn't bother with the Tang family's affairs.
The Tang family is shameless. Long ago, the Song family did help the Tang family. But during that special period, the Tang family completely abandoned Aunt Song, leaving no room for reconciliation.
After cooking the dishes, Song's mother brought them out and asked, "What did your sister say?"
“Her ex-husband was demoted, and her son went to her for help,” Mr. Song said. “She was afraid that Tang Lu would come looking for us, so she let us know. Also, she wanted to ask how Fenglan was doing.”
"Demotion?" Song's mother asked in confusion. "Didn't they say he was going to be promoted a while ago?"
“It’s a demotion,” said Song’s father. “He’s not capable enough. He could be an office director or a workshop director, but he’s far from being a deputy factory director. It’s not just him who was demoted; some other people have also gotten into trouble. He must have given those people a lot of gifts before. It’s already quite good that he’s only been demoted.”
Song's father had no intention of helping the Tang family; he knew what to do without Song's third aunt even having to tell him.
“That’s right,” said Song’s mother. “This is also the result of his own actions.”
"Grandma, Grandma!" Qin Zihang called out loudly as soon as he arrived at the gate.
Since his parents weren't home, Qin Zihang didn't feel comfortable calling them "Mom" and "Dad," so he called them "Grandpa" and "Grandma."
"Grandpa, Grandpa." Qin Zihang's face was beaming with joy, showing just how happy he was.
Hearing Qin Zihang's voice, Zhang Xiaohu from next door called out, "Grandpa, Grandma."
Then, Zhang Xiaohu's head was gently tapped by Fatty Sister.
Your maternal grandfather
"Grandma didn't come over," said Fatty Sister-in-law.
"Let them come," Zhang Xiaohu said. "Zihang's maternal grandparents have come to visit."
"They...forget about it." The plump woman thought it wasn't suitable for her parents to come; there were so many mouths to feed at home. If she had the money for the travel expenses, she'd rather send some money to her parents to buy them some good food than have them come to her.
"Why wouldn't you want to?" Zhang Xiaohu asked, puzzled. "Zihang's maternal grandparents are very kind, I..."
“Your grandparents are alright too,” said the plump woman. “Don’t expect them to buy you so many things; they don’t have the money. Okay, go home, have lunch, then take a nap. You have class in the afternoon after your nap.”
"Oh." Zhang Xiaohu pouted; his mother was always like that.
Zhang Xiaohu was extremely envious of Qin Zihang. Qin Zihang's parents were very kind, and Qin Zihang had lots of delicious food, fun toys, and new clothes. He, on the other hand, always wore his older brother's hand-me-downs and didn't have any of those things. Zhang Xiaohu wished he were Qin Zihang's older brother, so he could have all those things too.
Qin Zihang arrived at the restaurant, and they sat down to eat.
"Eat." Song's mother put some food on Qin Zihang's plate.
"It's delicious," Qin Zihang said. "Grandma, Mom is right. Your cooking is better than Mom's. Mom rarely cooks these kinds of dishes."
“Your mother only learned a little bit,” said Song’s mother. “You should let your mother learn more, but… it’s not that your mother wants to learn a little bit, it’s that there isn’t enough time.”
"Why isn't there enough time?" Qin Zihang asked. "Can't Grandma teach Mom now?"
“You have to learn when you’re young. Your mother is getting old now and has other important things to do. She doesn’t have that much time to learn how to cook,” said Song’s mother. “It’s not suitable for your mother to learn either.”
"I'm still young, I can learn," Qin Zihang said.
"Sure, you can ask your mom to teach you when she has time, and your dad can teach you too," Song's mother chuckled.
"Once I learn how, I'll cook for you all," Qin Zihang said.
"Okay, we'll wait for our Hangbao to cook for us," said Song's mother.
After Qin Zihang finished eating, Song Erge took him to take a nap. Qin Zihang was quite well-behaved and didn't need anyone else to coax him to sleep.
Children who are always looked after by others tend to be more well-behaved. When children are not around their biological parents, they will subconsciously pay more attention to their surroundings.
Previously, Aunt Yu took care of Qin Zihang; now, Madam Su takes care of him. Even at a young age, Qin Zihang understands the difference between other people and his biological parents. He has to behave well in front of those people and not act too badly.
Qin Zihang fell asleep quickly and slept soundly.
Just as Aunt Song had predicted, Tang Shaotao called Tang Lu. Tang's father couldn't make the call, and Tang's mother, being a stepmother, couldn't make it either; naturally, it had to be her biological brother, who shared both parents, who made the call.
Tang Lu left a phone number, but she didn't want to deal with the upsetting things at home.
“You’ve already gone to see Mom, right? Do as she says,” Tang Lu said.
“That’s your biological father.” Tang Shaotao didn’t want Tang Lu to just say that. “Your aunt and uncle are in Nancheng, with Song Fenglan. You…”
“I won’t go, I’m too ashamed to go,” Tang Lu said. “To tell you the truth, I’ve met my cousin, and she treated me like a stranger. When we visited my uncle and aunt in the capital, did they give us a warm welcome? They told us not to go to their house, and they didn’t treat us like their nieces and nephews.”
“How will you know if you don’t try?” Tang Shaotao said. “Won’t your dad’s demotion affect you? Your dad’s salary will be less, and you still have to get married in the future…”
“I don’t need a dowry,” Tang Lu said. “Brother, are you worried that Dad left you too little? I’ll have food and lodging provided here, I won’t have to spend any money, and Dad won’t give me any extra money. I can manage on my own. Brother, back then, you weren’t young. You were much older than Cousin Fenglan. You know about those things.”
Tang Lu didn't want to talk about those things, mainly because these people seemed to have no memory of the past and all wanted her to go find the Song family. Tang Lu didn't want to lose face, and she was also afraid that if she went, it would affect her chances of becoming a pilot.
The best scenario is for both sides to leave each other undisturbed and live in peace.
Tang Lu had to think about her own future; she couldn't do anything foolish for the sake of the Tang family.
“In the future, if something like this happens, please don’t call me,” Tang Lu said. “We have a lot of things to do, like training and studying, and we don’t have time to deal with these things.”
“You…” Tang Shaotao paused for a moment, “I am very disappointed in you.”
"Disappointed, huh? You'll be even more disappointed in the future." Tang Lu hung up the phone.
After hanging up the phone, Tang Lu looked up at the sky; she still wanted to fly up into the sky.
In the evening, Qin Yizhou returned home earlier than Song Fenglan. When he arrived, Song's mother was washing vegetables. Song's parents and others had gone out for a walk that afternoon to observe the people and things in the neighborhood. After seeing everything, Song's parents still felt that the capital was much better.
Song's parents hoped that Song Fenglan could return to the capital, but this was not up to them; it depended on Song Fenglan's job.
“Mom, let me do it.” Qin Yizhou also tied on an apron. “When we went to the capital, you always cooked for us. Now, it’s our turn to cook for you.”
"I'll cook two dishes, and you can do the rest," said Song's mother. "Fenglan loves my cooking. I'll just make her something to eat these next few days."
"Fenglan is very happy," Qin Yizhou said, noticing that his wife's smile had broadened considerably.
“Fenglan, we still need to trouble you to take good care of her.” Song’s mother said, “She is younger than you. She was spoiled by us when she was young, and then she encountered those things. She… she also suffered a lot of grievances.”
“I also made her suffer,” Qin Yizhou said. “I wasn’t able to be with her when she was pregnant and giving birth.”
"Let's not talk about the past," said Song's mother.
"Okay." Qin Yizhou nodded.
Just as Song's mother and Qin Yizhou had almost finished preparing the meal, Song Fenglan returned from work.
"You've come at just the right time, perfect for dinner," said Song's mother.
"I'll wash my hands," Song Fenglan said.
After dinner, Song's mother went to the yard and picked some of the greens that had grown well. The weather wasn't too hot now, so the greens wouldn't wilt. If it were hot, it wouldn't be suitable to pick greens in the evening; they would have to be picked in the morning when the quality is best.
Song's mother planned to tidy up the vegetable garden in the yard and plant some new vegetables.
Qin Zihang took his little shovel and went to till the soil. The family turned on the lights in the yard so they wouldn't be unable to see in the dark.
It's great that the vegetable garden is right in your own yard; you can tend to it whenever you want. The withered yellow leaves were placed nearby by Song's mother; they're not good for humans, but small animals can eat them.
Song's mother had done a lot of work on the farm in the countryside, and she was still very skilled at it, quickly tidying things up. Qin Yizhou took a hoe and turned the soil, and everyone worked together very well.
Song Fenglan doesn't like tending the vegetable garden. She's afraid that dirt will get under her fingernails, making them black, and that dirt is hard to wash off.
When Zhang Xiaohu arrived, he was still using crutches and couldn't help him.
"Do you want to watch TV?" Song Fenglan asked.
"No, let me check on Zihang," Zhang Xiaohu said. He looked at his own legs. If his legs weren't like this, he could be helping out over there with a small shovel right now.
"Brother Xiaohu, sit down and watch." Qin Zihang moved a chair for Zhang Xiaohu. "We need to till the soil and plant vegetables. When the vegetables grow up, the chicks can eat them."
“The mother hen has hatched the chicks. My mom said she’ll raise them for a few days before giving them to you,” Zhang Xiaohu said. “The chicks are still too small.”
"Wait a few days," Qin Zihang said. "I'm not in a hurry."
"Okay." Zhang Xiaohu nodded. "I'll make sure my mother gets better."
“Okay,” Qin Zihang said. “I’ll till the soil first, and the vegetables will be planted quickly.”
Zhang Xiaohu sat beside Qin Zihang, watching his movements. Actually, Qin Zihang wasn't that fast, and he didn't really know what to do; he was just playing. Song's mother and the others didn't let Qin Zihang go to the side; they just let him play there, reminding the adults to be careful when turning the floor so as not to knock the child over.
Song's mother bought rapeseed, as well as some ginger and garlic. She saw in the yard...
The garlic sprouts aren't growing very well, so I'll plant some more. We can use them when cooking at home. We don't use many of those side dishes, and if we're short on them, the flavor just won't be right. Growing some ourselves isn't about saving money, but just about being able to pick them from the yard anytime.
In the past, Mrs. Song liked to grow some flowers and plants in the yard, not vegetables. After experiencing those turbulent times, Mrs. Song would grow some vegetables and fruits in the yard, not just flowers and plants. That way, when others saw them, they wouldn't always say they were being bourgeois.
Song's mother became like this all so that her family could be safer; she didn't want to suffer anymore.
Seeing such a drastic change in her mother, Song Fenglan felt heartbroken. People are constantly compromising with reality, constantly bowing their heads… this process is incredibly painful.
In a few years, things will get better, and they will be able to relax and stop being so tense.
In the early years, everyone was afraid that the policies would revert to the old ones.
"Mom, what vegetables do you grow?" Song Fenglan asked.
"Grow some greens," said Song's mother. "Several different leafy greens. We'll eat them when they grow big, and if they don't, then forget about them. You don't have time to take care of these greens every day, so just water them more often when it's not raining."
“I understand,” Song Fenglan said. “The water pipe is over there; Yizhou knows how to water it.”
"I know," Qin Zihang quickly replied. "I can water the vegetables."
"Are you watering the plants? I think you're just playing in the water." Song Fenglan once saw Qin Zihang watering the vegetable garden with a hose. As he was watering, Qin Zihang started playing with it and asked his mother: "Mom, have you seen a rainbow?"
"It's okay to play around," Qin Zihang said. "Kids always play around."
“At this point, you’ve already started calling yourself a child,” Song Fenglan said.
“That’s right, Mom. Grandma planted a lot of vegetables, so we can eat vegetables grown by Grandma in the future,” Qin Zihang said. “Mom, aren’t you happy?”
"Happy, happy," Song Fenglan said.
"I planted it with my grandma, so wouldn't Mom be even happier?" Qin Zihang asked his mother, tilting his head. It was a double whammy.
"I'm so happy, so very happy. Alright, are you going to continue tilling the soil?" Song Fenglan asked, "or has it already been planted?"
"Not yet, Mom. Please stand further away, or you'll get mud on yourself." Qin Zihang wasn't worried about getting mud on himself. He was already standing in the vegetable garden. Anyway, his dad would wash his clothes, so his mom didn't need to.
Zhang Xiaohu looked at the small shovel in Qin Zihang's hand, eager to try it himself, but his legs wouldn't cooperate. Zhang Xiaohu, leaning on his crutches, went home, wanting to persuade his mother to plant new vegetables in the yard as well.
“We haven’t finished eating those vegetables yet,” said the plump woman. “I’ve already planted the empty vegetable patch after we finished eating, so there’s no need for you to plant them.”
Aunt Pang is a very hardworking person. She stays at home taking care of the children and doing housework. In addition to the vegetable garden in the yard, she also has another vegetable garden. That other vegetable garden is planted separately by some people in the residential compound, and Aunt Pang often goes over to check on it.
If we don't have enough money to buy that much meat, we can still manage by eating more vegetables.
“Zihang’s maternal grandmother is planting vegetables,” Zhang Xiaohu said. “They…”
"When it's time to eat, eat more vegetables and finish them quickly so we can replant," said the plump woman. "Don't touch the land I've already planted. If you want to play, just take your little shovel and dig around there."
Aunt Pang didn't plan to disturb the vegetable garden again. When she pulled the vegetables, she would loosen the densely packed ones first. Later, she would eat the larger vegetables, and after eating some, she would replant them, so that she could always have vegetables to eat.
The weather in the south is nice, unlike the cold in the north. Even in winter, you can still eat lush green vegetables in the south of the city. If the weather gets really cold, cover the vegetables with straw or something else to prevent them from getting frost, as frost-covered vegetables rot easily.
"Mother……"
"Alright, if you don't want to play, go do your homework and read a book," said the chubby woman.
"..." Zhang Xiaohu shut his mouth; he still wanted to play more.
Several people were busy in the small vegetable patch in the yard, and they quickly finished planting. After Song's mother and the others tidied up the vegetable patch a bit, it looked even neater.
Qin Zihang was dragged off to take a bath by Qin Yizhou; he was covered in mud and needed a bath. Qin Yizhou even washed Qin Zihang's hair, so Song Fenglan didn't have to worry about him anymore.
"Haha." Qin Zihang was still laughing while taking a shower.
Qin Yizhou was able to control Qin Zihang, making him take a proper bath and stop making a fuss. After Qin Zihang finished bathing, he ran to his second uncle and asked him to dry his hair, which was still wet.
"You need to wipe it a little dry so it will dry faster," Qin Zihang said.
"Let me wipe it for you, let me wipe it for you," said Brother Song. "You have quite a lot of hair."
"Your hair needs to be black and plentiful," Qin Zihang said. "If it's too short, you'll go bald later."
"You even know about baldness?" Brother Song said. "Why are you so worried about baldness at such a young age?"
“Reading, reading a lot, and doing a lot of things will cause you to lose hair,” Qin Zihang said. “My mother loses hair.”
Song Erge looked at Song Fenglan, and Song Fenglan couldn't help but reach out and scratch her hair.
“I don’t lose much hair, I’m not bald.” Song Fenglan doesn’t want to become bald. “Usually, men are more prone to baldness than women.”
Then, Song Fenglan and the others looked at Qin Yizhou.
"I'm not bald," Qin Yizhou thought, his hair still thick.
“Baldness isn’t good-looking,” Qin Zihang said. “A bald father… is really no good.”
Qin Zihang wanted his father to pick him up from school, but when he saw that his father had a bald patch on his head, he thought it looked terrible.
“If I were really bald, I would shave my head,” Qin Yizhou said. “Then you wouldn’t be able to tell I’m bald, right? Besides, I’m really not bald.”
Qin Yizhou looked at his son, Qin Zihang, who really knew how to think.
“No, Dad isn’t bald now,” Qin Zihang said. “Dad, look down and let your second uncle see.”
"You're so good at talking." Qin Yizhou was speechless.
Looking at Professor Su, who had returned home unusually early, Mrs. Su felt a pang of longing for Qin Zihang.
"You're not happy that I came back early?" Professor Su saw his wife sitting there in a daze for a while.
"I didn't see Hangbao today. Fenglan's parents went to pick him up. I'll pick him up after they go back," Madam Su said.
"You really like Hangbao," Professor Su said affirmatively.
“Such a well-behaved child, who wouldn’t like him?” Mrs. Su said. “My voice is hoarse and I’m feeling a little unwell. He told me to see a doctor, to take medicine, and even poured me some hot water.”
Madam Su was very fond of Qin Zihang. Since her own children and grandchildren were not around, she could only visit Qin Zihang.
“That child is indeed quite good,” Professor Su said. “He resembles his mother.”
“And you think Hangbao is like his mother,” Mrs. Su said.
“Someone has to carry on the mantle,” Professor Su said. “What’s wrong with him being like his mother? She’s a respected researcher. If Zihang follows this path in the future, he will definitely do well. With his mother around, she can teach him a lot, and her colleagues can also mentor him. It’s great to be in this field.”
"Perhaps Hangbao will join the army in the future," Madam Su said.
"Joining the army and doing scientific research are not mutually exclusive."
"We can work together," Professor Su said. "In units like ours, military-industrial units, some people were originally soldiers."
Professor Su hoped that Qin Zihang would stay in the scientific research system. Many people can become soldiers, but not everyone can become a researcher. Becoming a researcher is not easy; if you're not smart enough, you'll be eliminated, and once you're eliminated, nothing you say will matter.
If you can't do it well, you can't do it well. Forcing yourself to do it won't produce results and is just a waste of time. Not everyone who wants to do scientific research can succeed.
"Even your own children might not become scientists, yet you're still thinking about Hangbao." Mrs. Su chuckled. She thought of her children and grandchildren. Her son and daughter didn't do the same thing as Professor Su; they did things in other fields. Even those who worked in research institutes weren't involved in aircraft research.
“Hangbao has the potential. He praises his mother every day and thinks about learning from her. He has a great understanding of things,” Professor Su said. “He doesn’t need anyone to guide him; he just knows it on his own.”
Professor Su's children weren't particularly interested in aircraft research, and they didn't receive much fatherly love as children, a situation that persisted even in his grandchildren's generation. People noticed Professor Su's busy schedule; he frequently worked overtime and didn't have much time to spend with his family.
Even though Mrs. Su explained everything to the children, they still felt a little uncomfortable because their father wasn't around. When the children grew up, they knew their father was a great man, but they had already gone into different professions.
It would be a lie to say that Professor Su wasn't disappointed. But children and grandchildren have their own paths to follow, and he couldn't force them to do things they didn't want to do.
"Fenglan has raised her child very well," Professor Su said.
"Are you saying I haven't raised my child well?" Mrs. Su raised an eyebrow.
"No, no, really no," Professor Su quickly said, afraid that his wife would be angry. "I didn't mean that. You've raised our children very well, you're excellent."
Professor Su rarely takes care of the children; it's mostly his wife who does. How could he possibly criticize his wife? In this respect, he owes his wife and his children a debt.
"Look at you, worried I'll get angry with you?" Mrs. Su laughed. "No, not at all. When I married you, I knew you were hardworking. After marrying you, I saw even more, and I support and understand you."
Mrs. Su rarely spoke ill of Professor Su. Even when the two occasionally argued, Mrs. Su never pointed out any mistakes in Professor Su's work.
Song Erge dried Qin Zihang's hair for a while, then stopped and let it air dry.
"I took two days off," Qin Yizhou said.
"Are you asking for leave?" Song's mother looked at Qin Yizhou.
"Yes, I'm taking leave," Qin Yizhou said. "I already had some vacation days saved up, which I haven't used yet. Perfect timing, I'll take two days off this time so I can travel around with you all."
“You don’t need to walk any further. It’s just a short walk anyway,” said Song’s mother. “If you have something to do, go ahead and do it. It’s fine.”
“There are others,” Qin Yizhou said. “In terms of work, I am not irreplaceable.”
Qin Yizhou had a deep understanding of himself; he wasn't a top-tier individual, nor was he irreplaceable. He didn't constantly think that his position required him to be in the military all the time, or that he didn't have enough time to care for his children—some people like to use those excuses to say they don't have time for their kids. Of course, some people want to advance further, so they prefer more training and going home later.
The Qin Yizhou of today is not the Qin Yizhou of a few years ago; he has a deeper understanding of himself.
“If Fenglan wants to go back to the capital in the future, I will be transferred there as well,” Qin Yizhou said. Since Song Fenglan could come to accompany the army, Qin Yizhou could naturally follow her.
"I just don't know when we'll be able to go back," Song Fenglan said.
"No rush," said Song's mother. "Focus on doing your job well first. It's not good to go back if you haven't achieved anything. Do your job well, and go back when you've made something of yourself."
"Okay." Song Fenglan didn't tell her parents about her research results. Those things were not easy to talk about. She just wanted her parents to know that she was doing well.
Qin Yizhou had already taken leave, so Song's parents didn't say much. Their son-in-law was willing to accompany them, which showed how much he valued them.
Just then, Tang Lu received another call from her family, this time from her mother. Tang Lu didn't particularly like her stepmother, but her stepmother was still her elder.
"Can't you really help your dad?" Mrs. Tang said. "Your dad is in a very bad mood. In a few years, when he retires... your dad won't need any more promotions, he just wants to stay in his current position..."
Mrs. Tang felt that Tang Shaotao and his group's words were useless, so she decided to try it herself. After all, she was Tang Lu's elder. If she, as an elder, lowered her voice, Tang Lu should know that this was not only her idea, but also her father's.
“Auntie, I can’t help it,” Tang Lu said. “I’m just a student now. It won’t do any good if you ask me to talk to my uncle and aunt. They’ll just stay here for a bit and visit my cousin. They’ll be back soon. How about this, you wait until they’ve gone back before you go talk to them.”
Why were these people calling her one after another? Tang Lu suspected that they weren't just thinking about Song's parents, but also wanted Song Fenglan to get involved. They all knew that the Song family's early exoneration was related to the deceased Song Xingyun and the living Song Fenglan.
Tang Lu thought these people were being too optimistic. They all expected her to do those things, to offend people while they themselves remained perfectly hidden. Dream on! Tang Lu couldn't possibly lose face like that. Knowing full well what the final outcome would be, why would she still try? She was just asking for trouble.
"He's still your biological father," Mrs. Tang said. "You owe everything you have today to your father..."
“I know he’s my dad. I didn’t say he wasn’t. I just can’t help him,” Tang Lu said unhappily. “Don’t try to morally blackmail me. It won’t work. If I could help, I would have done so immediately. Do you want me to fail to become a pilot and go back to sponging off my parents, waiting for my dad to support me?”
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