Chapter 92 You're my only family.
"No, they're here on a business trip, don't talk nonsense." Fang Xudong frowned. "Watch your mouth, don't go around saying things you shouldn't, and think about your health."
Gao Xiuxiu can no longer have children after having her uterus removed, but at least she has two daughters, which is much better than Li Hui, who is unable to have children.
After Li Hui eloped with someone, the people in the family compound talked about her quite a bit. At least for a while, everyone would talk about Li Hui a lot, using her story as a topic of conversation and amusement. They even talked about Li Hui in front of Guo Peng's wife.
Guo Peng's wife didn't like to talk about Li Hui. She knew in her heart that Guo Peng had once been very fond of Li Hui. After they married, Guo Peng rarely spoke of Li Hui; she was a painful memory he couldn't bear to touch. Guo Peng's wife thought that since she knew about those things before they got married, there was no need to bring them up after marriage, as it would only upset him. Anyway, other people would say those things, reminding Guo Peng of what kind of person Li Hui was.
As long as Li Hui isn't a flawless ideal woman, that's fine. Most people aren't perfect, and if Li Hui hadn't made a mistake, she would still be very important to Guo Peng. But she did make a mistake, a mistake that many men wouldn't tolerate.
Gao Xiuxiu felt she was better than Li Hui. When Li Hui was around, Gao Xiuxiu felt like someone was at the bottom. Now that Li Hui is gone, Gao Xiuxiu feels like there's no one at the bottom anymore, which makes her uncomfortable.
“I’m not making this up, I’m just telling you at home so you can guess,” Gao Xiuxiu said.
"You just can't control your mouth," Fang Xudong said. "Do you want someone to come to your doorstep and start a shouting match with you?"
"No, I didn't," Gao Xiuxiu said. "Can't I even guess? It's not like I did anything wrong, is it really necessary to say that?"
“Song Fenglan works in a classified unit. Do you think I need to say this?” Fang Xudong said. “You’re just forgetful. Just because she doesn’t live here anymore and she’s going back on a business trip, you can make wild guesses? It won’t sound good if this gets out. She used to work here and knows a lot about things here. It’s perfectly normal for her to come here on a business trip.”
Fang Xudong thought Gao Xiuxiu was just a chatterbox; she hadn't done anything malicious, she was just a big mouth. Many people are like that; they think talking won't bother or hurt anyone, so they just keep talking, saying a lot, and even taking their own assumptions seriously.
A lie is a lie, and a lie can never become the truth. Even if many people say it, it will never become the truth.
“You know Song Fenglan’s temper, why bother?” Fang Xudong said.
“I…I…okay, okay, okay, I won’t say, I won’t say,” Gao Xiuxiu said.
"Take good care of yourself," Fang Xudong said. "Don't think about these things, and don't talk about them. Whether Song Fenglan and the others are doing well or not, it has nothing to do with us, understand?"
"I know, I know."
Gao Xiuxiu nodded.
In the capital, Qin's mother went to see Qin's second sister, thinking that Qin's second sister would be easier to talk to Qin Yizhou, and wanted her to go to Qin Yizhou.
"No, I'm not going. I'm not going to see him." Qin Erjie knew her mother wouldn't suddenly come to her senses. Her mother wouldn't care about her; she only cared about her eldest brother's family. "Yizhou didn't do anything wrong. It's you who went too far, Mom. Now, while your sister-in-law isn't home, you're going to do this and that. Do you think the Song family doesn't exist?"
“We’re all family, there’s no need for so much grudge. Go and try to talk to your brother,” Qin’s mother said. “When I try to talk to him, he just doesn’t want to talk.”
"I'm not going," Qin Erjie said again.
“He is your brother. If you don’t go to him, who will?” Qin’s mother said. “Your brother’s surname is Qin, and your nephew’s surname is also Qin, not Song.”
"Believe it or not, I'll go and tell my brother to change Qin Zihang's surname to Song Zihang," said the second sister of the Qin family. "My brother shouldn't have any objections."
"You..." Qin's mother's eyes widened, "Are you crazy?"
"I'm not crazy," said Second Sister Qin. "Don't pretend others don't know what you've done. Don't think Tian Keshu can take all the blame; it's impossible. The Song family members are all intelligent; they won't believe what's on the surface. They'll think things through. It's a blessing they haven't done anything else to the Qin family. If you still want to drag things out and try to take advantage, just say so. Why bring up family ties?"
Qin Erjie hated her mother's approach, as her mother liked to use familial ties to manipulate others.
Those who value family ties will appreciate their preciousness, while those who don't will deem them worthless.
“I rarely see my brother,” said Qin Erjie. “I also rarely go to his house. We don’t have much to talk about. When I go there, I’m basically just taking advantage of him.”
“What do you mean by taking advantage? You’re his sister, how can you say you’re taking advantage?” Qin’s mother said.
"They're just taking advantage of us. My family isn't as good as theirs," said Sister Qin. "The food isn't as good, and everything else is inferior. My sister-in-law's older brother even works for the Education Bureau. I'm a teacher, so I'm basically under their control. I'd better stay at home as much as possible and not go over there, so as not to upset them."
“Your job wasn’t given to you by her older brother,” Qin’s mother said.
“But he works in the Education Bureau. If he wanted to deal with me, it would be a piece of cake,” said Sister Qin. “No, even if he didn’t work in the Education Bureau, it would still be very easy for him to deal with me.”
“You…” Qin’s mother glared at Qin’s second sister.
"Mom, don't even think about us going to find Qin Yizhou. It won't make a difference," said Qin's second sister. "Does Dad just want you to cause trouble like this? Didn't he tell you to stay home quietly?"
"He told me not to go looking for Yizhou. But your brother is my own flesh and blood, a piece of my own flesh," Qin's mother said. "I..."
"No, no, stop saying that. It's the same thing over and over again," said Sister Qin. "I could recite it all by heart, not even mentioning my brother. Every time, you say, 'You're my son, you're my daughter, I'm your mother,' and all the siblings... Don't you get tired of it?"
Anyway, Sister Qin had heard it so many times that she felt like her ears were going to get calluses, and she didn't want to hear these words at all.
"Forget it, you're completely useless anyway," Qin's mother said.
“Big brother is useful, he’s the most useful,” said Sister Qin. “Big brother is the most filial. Go find him and ask him to come over.”
Qin's mother had no intention of letting Qin's eldest son go over. He had been humiliated by Qin Yizhou before, and now he had absolutely no desire to be in Qin Yizhou's presence. Qin's mother, however, was different. The thought of her eldest son's melancholy filled her with worry.
"You're doing this for your elder brother's sake. He won't step in, so you do, again and again," said Qin Erjie. "I think you're not just trying to use your brother's connections, but also your sister-in-law's. You're taking advantage of her absence to force your brother to help your elder brother. Do you really think the Song family will back down and your sister-in-law will continue to associate with him once your elder brother recovers?"
Second Sister Qin understood her mother so well; she uncovered all of her mother's innermost thoughts.
In this respect, Second Sister Qin and Aunt Qin are very similar. Aunt Qin criticized Mother Qin, but Mother Qin was not convinced and insisted on coming to Second Sister Qin's side. Second Sister Qin, of course, also criticized Mother Qin. Having suffered so much in the countryside, she had long seen through Mother Qin.
For the sake of Qin's eldest brother's job and the Qin family's reputation, Qin's mother did not allow Qin's second sister to return to the city early, saying that they could not let others think that they had used connections, so as not to affect Qin's eldest brother's progress.
Now that Second Sister Qin has returned and become a teacher, Qin's mother feels that Second Sister Qin shouldn't hold grudges about the past, since Second Sister Qin stayed at the Qin family's house when she returned to the city. Qin's mother believes that Second Sister Qin helped her daughter a lot, and her daughter should listen to her.
Fortunately, Qin Erjie was not someone who could be easily fooled; she did not intend to listen to Qin's mother.
Qin Yizhou didn't care about the Qin family's affairs. No matter what those people did, as long as it didn't reach the Song family, that was more important than anything else.
This time, Qin Zihang started drawing little red flowers again. He wanted to see how many little red flowers he drew before his mother came back.
"Do you miss your mom?" Qin Yizhou asked when he saw Qin Zihang drawing a little red flower.
"I think so, Dad, don't you want to?" Qin Zihang asked back.
"Yes, I want to," Qin Yizhou said.
"Then why are you asking? Of course I miss Mom," Qin Zihang said. "Mom sleeps with Dad, and Dad's bed smells like Mom. Dad, can I switch rooms with you?"
"Don't even think about it." Qin Yizhou refused the request. "Haven't you thought about sleeping with Dad?"
"I'm a big kid now, I don't sleep with my dad." Qin Zihang shook his head. "If I sleep with my dad, I can't even roll around in bed with him."
"..." Of course, Qin Yizhou couldn't let Qin Zihang roll around on his and his wife's bed. His son had already said that there was his wife's scent there.
"Dad, should we wash the sheets?" Qin Zihang's eyes darted around. "Let's wash them all, so we're clean and tidy. When Mom comes back, we won't be all sloppy."
"I think you want me to wash away your mother's scent so I'll be just like you, right?" Qin Yizhou said, thinking that his son was just fooling him.
“Where is it?” Qin Zihang kicked a non-existent stone on the ground. “I just want to be a clean baby, just like Dad. Mom loves cleanliness, so we love cleanliness too.”
"..." Qin Yizhou looked at his son. Did his son think he could fool him? "It needs to be washed. We'll wash it in a few days."
Before my wife comes home, I need to wash the sheets and change them into new ones.
When Song Fenglan went to visit Madam Su, Madam Su had prepared several dishes. After Song Fenglan had eaten, Madam Su served her red bean and white fungus soup.
"I was hoping you could come over for dinner," Mrs. Su said.
"Haven't you eaten yet?" Song Fenglan asked. "You should eat quickly."
"I've eaten something to fill my stomach," Mrs. Su said. "I'm not hungry now."
Madam Su looked at Song Fenglan, who seemed much more energetic than when she first met her. Madam Su remembered how timid Song Fenglan had been when she first came to her house. Song Fenglan had no choice back then; everyone was bullying her, and if she didn't find something to do, she would continue to be bullied.
That's how it was back then; class background was the biggest problem. Even if it was someone else's fault, it would always become the fault of the person with the bad class background.
"You're doing so well now, so well." Madam Su gently patted Song Fenglan's hand. "It's good to go back to the capital; all your relatives and friends are there."
"I have some relatives, but very few friends," Song Fenglan said. She used to have several good friends, but they became distant because of her class background, and some of them went to the countryside.
Song Fenglan sometimes feels like a lone wolf, without many friends.
Back then, Song Fenglan was saddened by her friends' estrangement, but she knew it was because of her family background, so she didn't hold a grudge. Now, when those people try to get close to her, she refuses to associate with them.
Those things happened, and that's that. Even now, Song Fenglan still feels uncomfortable when she thinks about those things from the past.
Upon hearing Song Fenglan's words, Madam Su knew that something was amiss.
“You can make more friends now,” Mrs. Su said.
“She doesn’t have much time to make friends,” Professor Su said. “She spends most of her time at work and knows people there. Everyone is busy and has little time to rest.”
Mrs. Su glared at Professor Su; her husband always knew how to speak the truth.
“But it doesn’t matter, your parents are over there, as are your brother and sister-in-law,” Madam Su said.
When Song Erge got married, he asked Madam Su and her husband if they would attend. Madam Su...
The couple didn't go. Professor Su was busy with research at the institute, and he ignored anything else that wasn't important. Mrs. Su went with Professor Su, so neither of them went.
People like Professor Su have been to the capital long ago and don't need to rely on the Song family to travel there.
"Mm." Song Fenglan nodded.
"How is Hangbao doing?" Mrs. Su asked.
"He's become even more mischievous since he went back home. He runs to his maternal grandparents' house every day to play with his older brother and sister." Song Fenglan's face was full of smiles when she talked about her son. "The neighborhood kids also play with him. Last year, we even had a birthday party and invited his friends over to celebrate with him. He said that he had gone to someone else's birthday party and had to reciprocate."
Back in the southern part of the city, not many people held birthday parties.
In the street where Song Fenglan lived in the capital, many families were quite wealthy and well-off. These families were very attentive to their children, providing them with all sorts of things. Qin Zihang wasn't trying to compete with others; it was just that Song Fenglan wanted him to have what most people around him had, so he wouldn't feel inferior.
The people around us have a relatively high standard of living, and our family is not at that level, so there's no need to make our child suffer without effort.
“It should be like this, with give and take,” Madam Su said. “Hangbao mentioned it when he called.”
Qin Zihang would call Mrs. Su every now and then. Professor Su had a phone at home, which was very convenient. Mrs. Su didn't need to go outside to answer the phone, and they could talk for a while longer.
“His home phone is right there, he can call whenever he wants,” Song Fenglan said. “As for me, I don’t call often, and I don’t contact you often.”
“Your uncle also doesn’t have time. Sometimes when he comes back, he just collapses into bed.” Mrs. Su thought of her husband’s behavior, and then of Song Fenglan. These researchers use their brains and also need physical strength. It’s not that they don’t work hard. “You… your in-laws haven’t made things difficult for you, have they?”
Mrs. Su knew that the Qin family treated Song Fenglan badly, so she didn't say much on the phone.
Now that Madam Su has seen Song Fenglan, she still has to ask her a few questions.
“I ignored them and basically didn’t go over to them. I also didn’t let Zihang go over to them,” Song Fenglan said. “I didn’t speak ill of them in front of the child, but I also couldn’t let the child go over to them. What they dote on is Yizhou’s eldest grandson from his ex-wife’s marriage. They even wanted Zihang to go to the same school as their precious grandson, but I didn’t agree to that.”
“Don’t let them go to the same school,” Mrs. Su said. “If they treat you badly, and your children go to the same school, they will come to you if anything happens to them.”
“That’s exactly what we thought, which is why we couldn’t let them all go to one school,” Song Fenglan said. “After we went back, Zihang made a lot of friends, unlike before we came to Nancheng from the capital to join the army.”
Before that, no one allowed their children to play with Qin Zihang. Although Qin Zihang was very young at the time, he could still sense what others were doing. Fortunately, after returning to the capital, the situation changed. Qin Zihang became very popular, and Song Fenglan no longer had to worry about him being isolated.
When children are isolated, they are more likely to develop psychological problems.
“My workplace allocated me an apartment near the school, so Zihang can go there to rest at noon,” Song Fenglan said.
“You said before that it should be like this, so that we can rest at noon,” Madam Su said.
“I didn’t have time to pick him up; someone else did,” Song Fenglan said. “I’ll go check on him when I have some free time at noon.”
When it came to children, Mrs. Su and Song Fenglan had a lot to say, and Professor Su sat beside them without interrupting. Professor Su thought it would be better to talk about children or other lighthearted topics; talking about work all day was getting rather dull.
When Song Fenglan was about to return to her residence, Madam Su was still a little reluctant to let her go.
"You're so busy, I don't know when we'll be able to meet again," Mrs. Su said with emotion.
"If there's a chance, we can still meet again." Song Fenglan also hoped to see Madam Su more often, "and we can even call each other."
"Okay, take care on the road." Mrs. Su waved her hand.
As Madam Su watched Song Fenglan's departing figure, she remarked, "She has matured a lot all of a sudden."
“A capable person who is willing to work hard will naturally grow.” Professor Su stood in front of Mrs. Su. “This child also knows how to be grateful. If you are kind to her, she will repay you tenfold.”
"It's heartbreaking to see them like this," said Madam Su.
“She’s good,” Professor Su said. “Women can do what men can do. You women don’t have to stay at home cooking. Because of me, you’ve stayed at home and haven’t been able to pursue your dreams or your career.”
“When you do great things, someone has to make a sacrifice sometimes,” Madam Su said. “I’m lucky that you know I sacrificed myself. I’m afraid that people who don’t know might think I’m just enjoying myself at home.”
Some men go home, sit and wait to be fed and drunk, and boast about how hard they work outside, saying they married a wife just to have a hot meal. If a wife can't even do these things, what's the point of him marrying her?
Mrs. Su had seen others like this before; people are often made to look better by the contrast with others. Besides, Professor Su was indeed very good; he considered the greater good of the nation and the bigger picture, and Mrs. Su was willing to cooperate with her husband.
While Mrs. Su was taking care of Professor Su, her children called, saying that Professor Su had gone too far by making Mrs. Su take care of a stranger's child. Mrs. Su comforted her children, saying that it was voluntary, that she had no objections, and that Song Fenglan was only helping out because she was going through a difficult time.
Professor Su never had to worry about household matters; she handled everything herself.
"You've worked so hard." Professor Su held Mrs. Su's hand tightly; his wife had sacrificed so much for him.
"As long as you understand, that's fine." Mrs. Su squeezed Professor Su's hand in return.
They've been married for a long time and know each other quite well.
Song Fenglan reviewed the research institute's data and also visited the base to inspect the fighter jets. There were many issues to address, and Song Fenglan had to review them all.
Tang Lu was at the flight base; she was now a pilot at what used to be her training base. However, she was now a full-fledged pilot, no longer a student. Tang Lu saw Song Fenglan approaching from afar, but she didn't go over.
Song Fenglan is here; she must be here on a business trip.
"What are you looking at?" Jian Lili gently patted Tang Lu's shoulder. Jian Lili also stayed in Nancheng.
Jian Lili followed Tang Lu's gaze and saw Song Fenglan.
"Your cousin's here," Jian Lili said. "Aren't you planning to go over?"
“There’s no need to go there,” Tang Lu said. “Our family has never helped her, and we don’t need her help now.”
Tang Lu was doing well as a pilot at the base and didn't necessarily need to see Song Fenglan. Tang Lu wasn't thinking about relying on anyone's connections; she just wanted to work hard on her own.
When Song Fenglan and Tang Lu met, they would usually just pass each other by without disturbing each other.
In the capital, Tang Shaotao went to see Aunt Song, hoping to get his child into a better school, a better junior high. The older children were either attending vocational schools or had stopped studying altogether. Tang Shaotao went to Aunt Song for his youngest son's sake, wanting her to contribute money and effort to arrange things for the child.
Although their child hasn't started junior high yet, and there are still several months to go, Tang Shaotao and his wife need to prepare early. They figured they'd have to keep pestering Aunt Song for a while.
Aunt Song felt it was not a good day to go out. If she hadn't gone out, she wouldn't have met Tang Shaotao. Tang Shaotao brought his youngest son over and even made the youngest son call her "Grandma."
"Speak, what's your purpose?" Aunt Song glanced at her grandson, knowing that Tang Shaotao wouldn't bring the child here for no reason.
“It’s like this, this child is in sixth grade,” Tang Shaotao said. “Just like Zihang. We want him to go to a good junior high school, but… we wanted to ask if you have any way to get him into an even better junior high school. Now that the college entrance examination has been reinstated, many people are thinking of sending their children to high school and then to university.”
Tang Shaotao has high expectations for his youngest son. "His grades are pretty good, but this school... If he could go to a better school, his grades would be even better."
"His grades are good? What a joke!" Aunt Song rolled her eyes.
“He is your grandson,” Tang Shaotao said.
“It doesn’t matter who comes; if the grades aren’t good, they’re no good,” Aunt Song said. “Do you think he’s Zihang? Zihang came back and still gets perfect scores every time, always coming in first. Your son, on the other hand, is lucky if he doesn’t come in last place.”
Aunt Song said this even in front of her own grandson; she doesn't get along with the Tang family, and she doesn't want her grandson to have any hope in her. Aunt Song's attacks on the Tang family are indiscriminate. Her grandson is old enough to know that their relationship isn't as good as it seems.
“If his grades aren’t good, then let’s help him improve them, right?” Tang Shaotao said. “There are still people getting tutoring these days, he…”
"You want me to pay for your son to go to a good school and even hire someone to tutor him?" Aunt Song said. "Do I look like a sucker to you?"
“Mom, this is your own grandson,” Tang Shaotao said. “You’re not a fool.”
“Your Tang family severed ties with me a long time ago. Didn’t your father say that to you when we divorced? Why didn’t you stick to your word?” Aunt Song said. “You’re even worse than your sister. At least your sister knows not to trouble the Song family. But you, all you think about is troubling the Song family, and your brother too. He hides in the background and doesn’t come out. When you come out to speak up, he’s just hoping that once you’re successful, he can get a share of the profits.”
Don't think that Aunt Song doesn't know these things; she knows them perfectly well.
“Mom.” Tang Shaotao frowned. His mother was always like this, acting as if all of them had a grudge against her.
“Take the child back home and don’t come back. Don’t try to pester me, I won’t agree,” Aunt Song said. “Where’s your father? What about his salary? Don’t you two have jobs? You’ve lived in the capital for so many years and haven’t been sent to a farm, don’t you have any connections?”
Aunt Song thought that if Tang Shaotao's son wanted to go to a good school, that was fine; Tang Shaotao could find the connections himself and pay for it himself. Aunt Song didn't plan to contribute any money; she believed that no matter how much money she contributed, it wouldn't make a difference. These people didn't know how to be grateful; they would only resent Aunt Song.
“Mom,” Tang Shaotao said.
“Mom, Mom, Mom, you only call me Mom when there’s trouble. When there’s nothing to do, I’m not your mom,” Aunt Song said. “Don’t think I’ll soften my heart. It’s the same no matter how many times you come. I’ll just laugh at you all.”
Aunt Song thought the Tang family were clowns. It was one thing to see them make a fool of themselves occasionally, but to see them every day was going to blind her.
Tang Shaotao saw Aunt Song go into the house, and when he tried to go in, Aunt Song wouldn't let him.
go.
“Dad,” Tang Shaotao’s child looked at his father, “Grandma doesn’t like us, she hates us.”
“But she’s rich,” Tang Shaotao said, “and she has connections.”
The Song family is much better off than the Tang family now. Since Tang's father stopped being the deputy factory manager, people's attitude towards him has plummeted. The Tang family still has their telephone line installed and pays monthly bills; Tang's father is concerned about his reputation and wants others to know that even without his position as deputy factory manager, his family's life can still go on as well.
In reality, everyone knows that the Tang family is not as good as before; the Tang family just likes to pretend.
"Why didn't you say a few more words?" Tang Shaotao said. "That's your grandma. If you had said a few more nice things, your grandma would have helped you."
“I’ve seen Grandma so many times, but it’s no use,” the child said. “Mom brings me out so I can bump into Grandma, but she ignores me. If I call Grandma and she answers once in ten times, that’s already pretty good.”
Tang Shaotao's wife had schemed against Aunt Song quite a bit, but Aunt Song didn't fall for her tricks for the sake of the children. Tang's wife thought that if she gave Aunt Song a way out, Aunt Song would take it, but Tang's wife was wrong. Aunt Song would never give the Tang family even the slightest chance.
Time flew by and it was time for Qin Zihang to register for school. Qin Zihang's mother was away on a business trip, and no one mentioned that Qin Zihang's parents had divorced.
Some students' parents at the school are away on business trips, and the children are used to it. They would never go so far as to say that Qin Zihang's parents are divorced.
“They are very busy when they travel for work, and they might forget to bring us gifts.”
"They said they'd be back today, but they didn't. They called back and said, 'Yes, yes, they can't come back. You'll have to wait.'"
"Oh dear, Dad forgot. I'll definitely do it next time, next time!"
...
Qin Zihang smiled as he watched his classmates studying over there.
"Zihang, look, will your mother be like this then?" the classmate said.
“My mother hasn’t forgotten me,” Qin Zihang said. “She brought me some delicious food when she went on a business trip before.”
"It was probably bought from a place near home," the classmate said. "That's how my dad is. If he forgets, he'll just buy it from a place near home and tell me he bought it while he was on a business trip. My dad is just lying to me. It's not like I haven't eaten those things before."
"..." Qin Zihang thought to himself that he should grow up now. If his mother forgot to bring him something, he couldn't be unhappy. His mother was very busy.
“We children can’t have too many expectations of adults; we have to learn to forgive them,” another student said. “We have to make peace with them and with ourselves.”
"I'm not angry with my mom. She's very good to me," Qin Zihang said.
“We are all our parents’ precious little darlings, and so are we,” a classmate chimed in.
Qin Zihang chatted happily with them, and later they started talking about their parents' silly antics and their less-than-ideal behavior. They could have continued chatting if the school bell hadn't rung.
These students have a very good relationship. They play together after class and walk to the door together after school.
Qin Zihang walked to the school gate and saw Qin Yizhou.
Qin Yizhou came specifically to pick up Qin Zihang, so that Qin Zihang wouldn't cry.
"Dad, what brings you here?" Qin Zihang asked.
“Other children are picked up and dropped off by their parents, but you don’t. I’m afraid you’ll cry,” Qin Yizhou said.
“That’s impossible,” Qin Zihang said. “Not all children are picked up by their parents; some are picked up by their grandparents. Others have to wait at school until their family members get off work and come to pick them up. Dad, I didn’t get into any fights this time. They even talked about their parents being away on business trips. It turns out that many people’s parents are away on business trips.”
Qin Zihang realized that so many people were the same; it wasn't just his father who went on missions, but his mother too. Qin Zihang's mood improved. Those people didn't say he was abandoned; they said his parents went on business trips for their sake.
“They said we don’t need to eat less, because eating less won’t save us much money. Our parents still have to work hard for us,” Qin Zihang said. “We children also have to work hard to be better children and make our parents happy.”
Qin Yizhou glanced at his son, then looked at him again. Was this still his son?
"Dad, it's not just me saying that, everyone says it too. They say only immature children cry and make a fuss, and we all have to be well-behaved children, Mom's precious little darlings," Qin Zihang said. "Dad, am I really your precious little darling?"
"No, your mother is my precious little darling," Qin Yizhou said.
"Hmph, Mom is my precious darling, and you aren't," Qin Zihang said.
In the south of the city, Fatty took a piece of cloth to Fan Yani's place. Fan Yani had always been kind to Fatty. Fatty was thinking of giving the cloth to Fan Yani so she could make clothes for her child, specifically for Fan Yani's youngest daughter.
"For my daughter?" Fan Yani asked.
“Yes,” the plump woman said with a smile. “It was a gift from Fenglan. I’m just passing on what she gave me. This piece of cloth is very soft and perfect for children. My two boys are both tough and hard-skinned, so I don’t need it. It’s just right for your daughter. There’s not much cloth, just enough to make one outfit. I’ll use the rest to make something else.”
"That's great." Fan Yani held the fabric, thanking the plump woman and Song Fenglan. "Sister Fenglan, when are you going back from your business trip?"
"I don't know," said the plump woman. "She's really busy. Even though she lives nearby, it's hard to meet her."
“That’s true,” Fan Yani said. “They’re busy. I was thinking of going to check on them, but then I thought better of it.”
Fan Yani thought to herself that she and Song Fenglan were just ordinary neighbors, and it wouldn't be appropriate for her to visit them too often. Fan Yani was afraid that she would disturb Song Fenglan's work; Song Fenglan was on a business trip for work, not to gossip with people like them.
“Fenglan is still a very good person,” said the plump woman. “She’s so good that she can live well anywhere.”
"Yes, that's right. Sister Fenglan is smart and beautiful, and I really, really envy her." Fan Yani thought about why she hadn't studied harder in her past life, why she hadn't learned more scientific research knowledge. If she had, she could have entered a research institute and made a difference for the country. Unfortunately, she didn't know how to do those things, so she could only make some food to sell. "If only I were half as good as her."
“Who doesn’t envy her? I envy her too,” said the plump woman. “She’s smart, capable, and gentle. Many children would want a mother like her. My son, Xiaohu, always says how wonderful Zihang’s mother is and asks why I’m not like her.”
"No, no, I can't compare." Fan Yani waved her hand.
"It can't compare," said the plump woman, glancing around. "What do you think of your new sister-in-law?"
"It's alright," Fan Yani said. "She asked if Mom should move in, but I said no. Mom helps me take care of the baby, so I felt bad letting her move in. It's better for Mom to stay here and eat here. It'll be fine to let Mom move in after my sister-in-law gives birth and needs someone to help her during her postpartum period."
Fan Yani didn't know if her new sister-in-law was just putting on an act or if she really had those intentions. Fan Yani always acted according to her own ideas to avoid upsetting others.
“Your idea is good,” said the plump woman. “You have a room here, so there’s no need for your mother to go over. Your mother can also help with some chores, isn’t that great? Your adoptive mother is even better than your biological mother. Many biological mothers aren’t this good to their daughters.”
“My mom is really good.” Fan Yani nodded. “A few days ago, my biological mother’s side… my younger sister wanted to come over, and I told her that if she came, I wouldn’t have a place to stay here, so she shouldn’t come. They didn’t raise me, so they shouldn’t expect me to help them now.”
Thinking of the original owner's biological parents, Fan Yani felt that those people were all crazy. They hadn't been in contact for years, and now they just showed up whenever they wanted. Fan Yani couldn't possibly take responsibility; she told them that those people living by the roadside had nothing to do with her, and if they starved to death, she might not even attend their funerals.
On the phone, Fan Yani spoke very harshly, deliberately, to prevent those people from thinking she was easy to bully. They thought that because she sided with the Guo family, she should also side with the Fan family—nonsense! How did the Fan family treat her? How did the Guo family treat her? The two sides were completely incomparable!
Fan Yani is not the original owner of this body. If she were, she might have considered her biological parents more. Fan Yani would never consider those people; she wouldn't act as a blood donation for them.
“My younger brother and sister-in-law came here to open the shop, mainly relying on their own efforts,” Fan Yani said. “They didn’t rely on me. I just helped them look at the shop and rent a place at the beginning, and took them to the market. After everything was settled, they did everything on their own.”
"Yes." The plump woman nodded. "Your brother and sister-in-law are impeccable. Their shop is so successful that many people love to eat there. The food is clean and hygienic, and the portions are generous."
“Yes, if you want me to help out more, there’s nothing I can do,” Fan Yani said. “I usually do baking, so I get up very early in the morning to do it. In the evening, those things…”
"If it can be sold, it can be sold. If it can't be sold, we'll sell it again the next day. It's almost expired, so we'll have to offer a discount. When you go back, take two pieces of bread with you. Eat them today; they expire tomorrow, so don't mind."
"I don't mind," the plump woman said with a smile. "I won't give you any money this time."
“You’ve already given me the cloth, how could I possibly take your money?” Fan Yani said. Although the cloth originally belonged to Song Fenglan, Song Fenglan had given it to Fatty. Fan Yani wasn’t the kind of person who didn’t understand things; she couldn’t possibly say that the cloth didn’t belong to Fatty. “It rained a few days ago, so fewer people came to buy things, which is why there’s a little left. Usually, those things are basically sold out.”
Fan Yani's shop was doing exceptionally well, earning her a considerable amount of money. She also gave Guo's mother some money every month. This was after deducting expenses for groceries and the children's care. Guo's mother was, after all, Fan Yani's adoptive mother, and Fan Yani didn't want to let her work for free; giving her some money made things easier for everyone. Her sister-in-law and brother's wife wouldn't feel that Guo's mother was helping Fan Yani for nothing, and they would feel much more comfortable.
Tang Lu caught a bad cold. She initially tried to tough it out, but eventually went to the hospital. After a checkup, the hospital diagnosed her with pneumonia and admitted her to the hospital. She was discharged without receiving any medication.
When Song Fenglan learned that Tang Lu was sick and hospitalized, she simply said "Oh." During those special times, Song Fenglan herself also fell ill; she wasn't immune to illness.
“Song… Engineer Song, Tang Lu’s cousin, could you go see her?” Jian Lili found Song Fenglan. Song Fenglan had just left the research institute when Jian Lili blocked her way. “You are her only family here.”
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