Chapter 114 Jealousy The college entrance exam is just around the corner.
“Zihang is much smarter than Li’an,” Qin’s father said. “Don’t always compare Li’an and Zihang; they can’t be compared.”
“Li’an was so smart when he was little. If it weren’t for his mother and all those messy things, things wouldn’t have turned out this way,” Qin’s mother said.
“It wasn’t Zihang who made Li’an’s parents divorce,” Qin’s father said. “I think you’re getting more and more senile as you get older. Zihang’s grades are so good, why can’t he go to university? Don’t go around saying that.”
For the past few years, Qin Yizhou hasn't visited the Qin family home; he only sends New Year's gifts to the door. His mother won't let him in, so he doesn't come in either.
If Qin's mother felt this way about Qin Zihang, one can only imagine how others felt. Some were jealous that Qin Zihang was recommended to Capital University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and some even reported Song Fenglan for abusing her position as a teacher to ensure Qin Zihang's direct admission to the university.
The school found the letter of complaint laughable. Qin Zihang had participated in many competitions and achieved outstanding results. His admission to Capital University of Aeronautics and Astronautics was not due to Song Fenglan's connections, but because of his exceptionally good grades. If anything, it was because Qin Zihang was Song Fenglan's child, and Song Fenglan had raised him very well.
The school naturally ignored the letter of complaint, and the staff treated it as a joke. Qin Zihang was truly capable; otherwise, he wouldn't have been recommended for admission. There are countless children of teachers at the school; it's impossible for every teacher's child to be recommended to the same institution.
The school staff did not tell Song Fenglan about the report, as they considered it a simple matter.
The school staff hadn't expected anyone to report them to the education bureau, so the bureau staff naturally had to investigate. After the investigation, the person was called away before even reaching Song Fenglan. Song Fenglan's research achievements in this field are particularly outstanding; her work is evident in almost all of the new fighter jets the country has developed in recent years.
Song Fenglan's son, Qin Zihang, is intelligent and outstanding. He is also willing to do aerospace research, which is wonderful.
The investigation concluded that there was no problem with the guaranteed admission, not a single problem. The Education Bureau even issued a public notice listing some of Qin Zihang's achievements in the competition, but not all of them.
The seedlings weren't even fully grown yet, but they were already being exposed to the sun to prevent them from dying. That content is enough to prove that Qin Zihang's admission without question is not a problem, so there's no need to say anything more.
The neighborhood committee staff went to find Tian Keshu, and someone saw her submit a complaint letter to the Education Bureau. Tian Keshu didn't just submit one complaint letter; she wanted to prevent Qin Zihang from getting into a good university.
"What's going on here?" the neighborhood committee director said. "I remember you and Song Fenglan are no longer sisters-in-law, and her child has nothing to do with you. Why are you reporting her child?"
“I just want to give everyone a fair and just opportunity,” Tian Keshu said. “Because Qin Zihang’s biological mother is a teacher at Capital University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Qin Zihang was directly admitted to that university. This is cheating, and it is unfair to many students.”
Tian Keshu had harbored a grudge against Song Fenglan for a long time, and this time, she secretly went to submit a letter of denunciation. Tian Keshu thought no one knew, but she didn't expect that someone would find out anyway.
“Cheating? Do you even know what cheating is?” the neighborhood committee director said. “The school and the education bureau have both investigated, and it’s all legal and compliant. Tian Keshu, this isn’t how you hold a grudge. You’re trying to ruin someone’s life.”
“If he didn’t cheat, then it’s fine,” Tian Keshu said. “He can still go to university. If he did cheat, then forget about going to university.”
Tian Keshu harbored a deep resentment. Why did her son have to go to jail, while Song Fenglan's son was so successful? They used to be sisters-in-law, and Song Fenglan was originally worse off than her. But now, Song Fenglan was living a comfortable life, while she was miserable.
Fearing trouble, Tian Keshu secretly reported it, not daring to let anyone know. Once others found out, and with no way to hide, she simply gave up and went all out.
“I’m just reporting this,” Tian Keshu said. “If he really wants to prove his abilities, he should take the college entrance exam.”
"Why should someone who's been accepted into university through a special program have to take the college entrance exam?" the neighborhood committee director said. "Do you think they're stupid? They clearly have more time to do other things, why should they have to take the college entrance exam? Just because you reported it, does that mean they have to listen to you?"
The head of the neighborhood committee had known for a long time that there were spies in Tian Keshu's family, and they had been keeping a close eye on her for a long time.
Although more people have been going abroad in recent years and many policies have been relaxed, Tian Keshu is still being watched, as are people from her family.
The director of the neighborhood office thought to himself, "No wonder the higher-ups didn't tell them to stop keeping an eye on Tian Keshu. She's the kind of person who might do something out of the blue."
"Your son is about to be released from prison, and you're still doing these things?" the neighborhood committee director said. "Aren't you afraid that others will target your son? Or do you think that because your son is related to someone else's husband by blood, they won't dare to do anything to him?"
“They…” Tian Keshu really hadn’t thought of that.
"Have you gone to see your son? Did your son ask you to report those people?" the neighborhood committee director asked.
"He didn't say." Tian Keshu had visited Qin Li'an. Qin Li'an had changed a lot. He had a buzz cut, looked like he had suffered a lot, and his eyes were much more weathered.
“You shouldn’t be doing these things for your son’s sake,” the neighborhood committee director said. “If you bully other people’s sons like this, don’t you think those people might bully your son too? Can your son withstand their retaliation?”
"I……"
"Think it over carefully," the neighborhood office director said. "It's not that I don't want you to report it, but you have to see if the other person has really done something wrong. If they haven't done anything wrong, then you're the one with the problem by reporting them."
"Didn't it fail?" Tian Keshu said.
"You call this a failure? Didn't you still send people to spend time investigating? How can you prove someone's innocence without investigating?" the neighborhood committee director said. "You decide for yourself, think about your son."
The neighborhood office director left, and Song Fenglan didn't even need to come over to scold Tian Keshu; someone else would come.
After learning that Tian Keshu had reported Qin Zihang, Qin's eldest brother made a special trip to see her. He didn't want to get involved in those matters anymore, especially since he had already left his original workplace and was no longer working within the system.
Brother Qin didn't not want to work within the system; it's just that Qin Li'an's matter had blown up, and people at his workplace were looking at him differently, treating him like Qin Li'an. Like father, like son. The company didn't fire Brother Qin; he resigned himself.
It's not that Brother Qin doesn't want to persevere, but that he simply can't.
After losing his job, Brother Qin didn't know what to do. People who used to be kind to him no longer respected him. He knew it was because he was no longer in the system, so they changed their attitude.
Brother Qin now works for a private company. The person in charge of the company was a friend of Brother Qin. That person thought that Brother Qin knew more about the relevant departments, so he made Brother Qin the so-called vice president. In fact, he wanted Brother Qin to solve a lot of things related to the system.
The person in charge said that he didn't want Brother Qin to break the law; they were supposed to abide by the law. However, they could take advantage of some favorable policies. If certain products had the backing of relevant departments or received a push from them, their products would sell better.
Therefore, Brother Qin doesn't want to offend Qin Yizhou and his wife, nor does he want to offend anyone else. After starting work at the private company, Brother Qin found himself bowing his head more often; before, others begged him, now he's the one begging others.
"Are you going to harm Li'an?" Brother Qin asked.
The two stood at the intersection, with Brother Qin glaring angrily at Tian Keshu.
"Do we really have to report Zihang?" Brother Qin asked.
“I’m not reporting it anymore,” Tian Keshu said. “I thought that if I reported it anonymously, no one would know.”
In the end, someone still knew it was her. Tian Keshu didn't believe that she was the only one who reported Qin Zihang. If she was the only one who reported Qin Zihang, the Education Bureau wouldn't have needed to issue a public notice.
"You think others don't know?" Brother Qin sneered. "Li'an is about to be released from prison."
“I know,” Tian Keshu said. “The director of the neighborhood committee has already said it. I know he’s going to be released from prison, it’s not that I don’t know. I just want to…”
Tian Keshu wondered if her son would be happy if she prevented Qin Zihang from going to university.
“Once Li’an is reformed, he needs to live a good life, not continue as before,” Brother Qin said. “Before, it was because you didn’t teach Li’an well that he became jealous of others and couldn’t stand seeing others do well. You’d better not do those things again, as they will only harm yourself and others. No, they will only harm your own son, not Qin Zihang.”
Brother Qin was also jealous of his younger brother, jealous that his brother had such an excellent wife and son, while his own ex-wife was such a muddle-headed person, and his eldest son was a criminal.
Brother Qin once thought he could do better than Qin Yizhou, but now he no longer dares to think that way.
Brother Qin will find it very difficult to surpass Qin Yizhou in his lifetime. Qin Yizhou has status and position, and people are always begging him for favors.
“Remember this, Li’an and Zihang are cousins. As long as Li’an doesn’t offend anyone, Zihang won’t go after him,” Brother Qin said. “What you’re doing will only harm Li’an. You’d better not do anything. Don’t think others don’t know. Everyone knows, they just haven’t come to your face yet. But they will hold a grudge against your son.”
"I……"
“You’re still as repulsive as ever,” Brother Qin said.
When Brother Qin turned around, he happened to see Tian Keshu's current boyfriend.
Brother Qin walked straight over; he couldn't possibly have a secret affair with someone like Tian Keshu.
The matter of Qin Zihang being reported eventually reached Song Fenglan's ears. Song Fenglan was speechless; what were those people thinking? Qin Zihang's achievements were genuine. Song Fenglan and her husband had hired a private tutor for him, and Song Fenglan herself would also tutor him in her spare time. Qin Zihang had even been allowed into Song Fenglan's laboratory.
“It wasn’t anyone from my class who did it,” Qin Zihang said. “They all congratulated me on being admitted to university without taking the entrance exam, and said that since my grades are so good, I don’t have to take the college entrance exam anymore. They asked if I could explain some questions to them so they would tell me to stop playing at home and go to school more often.”
Qin Zihang felt that his friends were too cunning; they all knew how to exploit him.
“Some people even said they wanted to be my mother’s students in the future,” Qin Zihang said.
Those who excelled academically weren't jealous of Qin Zihang. Even though they weren't directly admitted to universities, they knew they weren't as good as him. Qin Zihang was consistently first in his grade, rarely coming in second. He also frequently won awards in competitions; he almost never missed one. If he didn't win, it was probably because he had something else to do and skipped the competition.
Those with poor grades don't care whether Qin Zihang or not, since they won't get a guaranteed admission anyway.
If others are jealous, they will report it, and no one else can stop them.
Many people think this way: if someone has no problems, being reported won't cause any issues. But if they have problems, being reported, and having their qualifications revoked is their own fault.
The whistleblower suffers no loss; some people just like to make baseless accusations.
“I didn’t say they were classmates,” Song Fenglan said. “Isn’t this because I was worried about influencing you?”
"It's not that bad," Qin Zihang said. "Mom, I don't plan to take the college entrance exam. I've already been admitted without taking it, so I don't need to take it."
“Then we won’t take the test,” Song Fenglan said. “You don’t need to prove anything to these people. We all know your abilities.”
Song Fenglan didn't intend to force Qin Zihang to take the college entrance exam just to prove her innocence; there was no need for that. Back when Song Fenglan was in Nancheng, she wasn't recommended to attend Nancheng University, and people were saying she would be recommended, as if they had solid evidence, which Song Fenglan found utterly ridiculous.
Even if she was recommended to Nancheng University instead of taking the college entrance examination, it was still what she deserved.
Song Fenglan never felt that they had to prove anything to others, and whether others understood or not was meaningless.
“Your brother Xiaohu doesn’t know you’ve been recommended for university admission yet; I haven’t told him,” Song Fenglan said. “Your brother Xiaohu has to take the college entrance exam.”
"I didn't say anything," Qin Zihang said, "because I was afraid it would affect his performance."
Qin Zihang was worried that telling Zhang Xiaohu that he had been recommended for admission would affect Zhang Xiaohu's mindset, so he decided to let Zhang Xiaohu think that he was also actively preparing for the college entrance examination.
In about a month, Zhang Xiaohu will take the college entrance examination.
Zhang Xiaohu has been studying particularly hard lately. He's already made up his mind. His grades aren't particularly outstanding. He plans to apply to the Capital University of Political Science and Law. His father works in the military, so Zhang Xiaohu doesn't need his father's help. After getting into the university, he can return to Nancheng and get a job in the government system, which will be easier.
If he were in the capital, Zhang Xiaohu would know the law and wouldn't be prone to making mistakes, so he could find work for some companies. However, in that case, he would have to find a job himself, and waiting for the government to assign him a job in the capital was unrealistic.
Aunt Pang made some food for Zhang Xiaohu. Seeing how hard he was working, she didn't dare to disturb him too much.
"I don't know about your brother..." The fat woman spoke to Zhang Wen in the yard, her voice very soft, afraid that Zhang Xiaohu would hear her.
"Mom, don't worry," Zhang Wen said. "Xiao Hu's grades are very good."
"Hmm," said the plump woman, "I hope so."
Gao Xiuxiu from next door was looking at things in the yard, making a loud thumping sound. Fatty Sister-in-law quickly called out to her neighbor.
"What are you doing? What are you doing? Didn't I tell you, my son is about to take the college entrance exam, can't you keep your voices down?" the fat woman said.
"The clothes are dirty and covered in mud, so I'll tap them." Gao Xiuxiu did it on purpose; she deliberately tapped the clothes with a stick and even tapped them on a large rock.
The plump woman was furious. They were neighbors, and had been neighbors for so many years, and she had never seen Gao Xiuxiu bang on the door like this before. Now, Zhang Xiaohu was about to take the college entrance exam, and Gao Xiuxiu kept banging on the door. The plump woman couldn't stand it anymore, so she grabbed a kitchen knife and stormed into Gao Xiuxiu's house.
"Gao Xiuxiu, are you asking for trouble?" the fat woman said. "Your husband works at the police station, and you, so petty and narrow-minded, only know how to cause trouble at times like this."
The fat woman chopped at the wooden board next to her with her cleaver; she couldn't possibly have chopped directly at Gao Xiuxiu, that would have been a crime.
"Do you think that just because you had your uterus removed and can't have children, everyone has to pity you and give in to you?" the fat woman said. "My youngest son just finished the college entrance exam this year, but your daughter hasn't even taken it yet. When your daughter took the college entrance exam—no, when she took the middle school entrance exam—I kept you up at night, okay?"
Come on, who's afraid of who?
Fatty Sister-in-law wasn't afraid of Gao Xiuxiu. There's always a reason why someone is pitiful, and Gao Xiuxiu was no good person.
"The clothes were dirty, that's why I did that. Okay, okay, I'll keep my voice down for a while, alright?" Gao Xiuxiu said. "I'll soak the clothes in water and wash them when your son goes to school, okay?"
"That's for the best." The fat woman glared at Gao Xiuxiu. "Gao Xiuxiu, you know I have plenty of ways to deal with you. Who do you take me for? Do you think I'll keep coddling you? Ridiculous! Only your man would put up with you!"
“I already told you, I will be more careful in the future,” Gao Xiuxiu said.
"You've gone to such lengths this time, and I'm not even allowed to say a word?" The fat woman rolled her eyes. "You're just jealous!"
"I don't." Gao Xiuxiu was indeed very jealous that her sister-in-law had two sons.
Now everyone's saying how great it was that Fatty's wife let Zhang Wen become a teacher. Before, those who went to vocational school with Zhang Wen wanted factory jobs but were rejected. They even laughed at Zhang Wen for choosing teacher's college, saying it was a bad school, that he'd chosen a difficult path, and that Fatty's wife and her husband were uneducated. But now, so many people praise Fatty's wife and her husband for their thoughtful consideration; they think Zhang Wen becoming a teacher is a good choice.
Teachers' salaries have increased, and their benefits are better than before.
Gao Xiuxiu saw that both of Fatty's sons were so successful—the elder son was a primary school teacher, and the younger son was about to take the college entrance exam. Once Zhang Xiaohu got into university, Fatty would be even more proud.
“If you don’t have any, then stop doing these things,” said the plump woman. “Do you really think we’re deaf?”
"..." Gao Xiuxiu's face darkened.
The plump woman picked up the kitchen knife and went back to her own yard.
Passersby overheard Gao Xiuxiu's conversation with Fatty Sister-in-law, and some people in the family compound started talking about Gao Xiuxiu.
"What else could it be but jealousy?"
"Gao Xiuxiu used to desperately want to have a son, but in the end, she lost her uterus and only had two daughters."
"Her two daughters haven't taken the middle school or college entrance exams yet, so she's not worried about others causing trouble for her."
"You're too petty."
“Both Fatty and she are from the countryside. Look, Gao Xiuxiu is much worse than Fatty.”
"That's right. Before I went there, I didn't think Fatty Sister-in-law was anything special, but now I see that she's much better than Gao Xiuxiu."
"Isn't their eldest son almost of marriageable age? Does he still not have a girlfriend?"
"You've got your eye on someone's eldest son?"
"It's not just me watching; many people are watching. I have a stable job, and I can get housing in the future and raise my children."
...
Now, people prefer to speak well of Fatty Sister-in-law instead of criticizing her like they used to. Both of Fatty Sister-in-law's sons are doing well; they've made something of themselves. Look at some people in the residential compound—some of them used to always speak ill of others, but their own children haven't amounted to anything.
After laughing at others for so many years, I finally realized that I was the clown.
When Zhang Xiaohu called Qin Zihang, he talked about Gao Xiuxiu's family next door, saying that Gao Xiuxiu's family was very noisy.
“My mom grabbed a kitchen knife and went over there,” Zhang Xiaohu said. “After I started my senior year of high school, the noise from next door increased.”
"They did it on purpose, didn't they?" Qin Zihang said.
“Yes, my mom said they did it on purpose,” Zhang Xiaohu said. “Every time, it was when Uncle Fang wasn’t home.”
Zhang Xiaohu had long noticed Gao Xiuxiu's actions; when he was on vacation studying at home, Gao Xiuxiu was always up to her old tricks.
"Does she think she's only disturbing me? Her daughter is being disturbed too."
"Yes," Zhang Xiaohu said. "Do you remember when we were little, their family wanted one of their girls to be your child bride?"
"I don't want her," Qin Zihang said. How good could the Fang family possibly raise a daughter?
"Of course not," Zhang Xiaohu said. "Their family isn't that good. My mom said the neighbors next door have psychological problems; they can't stand seeing others do well. How are you doing in the capital?"
"Everything's fine, everything's going smoothly," Qin Zihang said.
“I want to apply to Capital University of Political Science and Law,” Zhang Xiaohu said. “I originally thought about going to a university of science and technology, or maybe the school you applied to. But the school you applied to requires very high scores for good majors. And even if I go there, I might not be outstanding. I want something simpler, more ordinary, something more common. I want to study law so I can work in the judicial system, or even just be a police officer at a police station. Law is very useful.”
“Okay, as long as you’re okay, that’s fine,” Qin Zihang said. “We’re getting older, and we have to be responsible for our own choices. We can’t always expect our parents to decide everything for us. Once we’ve made a decision, we have to work hard to achieve it.”
“Yes,” Zhang Xiaohu said, “that’s what I think too.”
"I'll tell you the rest after you get into university," Qin Zihang said.
"Are you planning to pursue a master's or doctoral degree?" Zhang Xiaohu asked.
“Yes,” Qin Zihang said. “If I want to be a researcher like my mother, then I have to keep studying. Only by studying can I have a wider path in the future. You can also think about whether to pursue a master’s degree or not. If you do pursue a master’s degree, you will still have to study hard when you get to university. Now you can be recommended for admission, and if you can’t be recommended, you can take the exam. We can choose. Of course, it is also possible to work directly after graduating from university.”
Qin Zihang didn't know what choice Zhang Xiaohu would make, but he respected it. Qin Zihang had wanted to be like his mother since he was very young. His mother was very capable, and after visiting her workplace and laboratory, he discovered that she was even more amazing than he had imagined.
This made Qin Zihang even more eager to appear stronger, so as not to diminish his mother's prestige.
"I don't know either," Zhang Xiaohu said. "My parents don't know either. My mom always asks your mom."
“My mom often has to work overtime and doesn’t have much time to talk to your mom,” Qin Zihang said. “There are many things that are hard to explain. You don’t need to worry about those things now. Focus on your studies first, and you can think about other things when you get to university. Right now, the most important thing is to take the college entrance examination and get a good score.”
"Mm." Zhang Xiaohu nodded.
"If you need anything, you can call me," Qin Zihang said. "Just treat it like a regular exam, don't worry too much, just focus on doing the questions well."
"Yes, I will," Zhang Xiaohu said.
After hanging up the phone, Zhang Xiaohu went home. He still enjoyed talking to Qin Zihang; Qin Zihang was knowledgeable, and the two of them could chat about everyday things. Qin Zihang didn't find Zhang Xiaohu troublesome; he was quite patient.
When Song Fenglan returned, Qin Zihang had just hung up the phone.
“Little Tiger called me,” Qin Zihang said. “Their next-door neighbors are always making noise. Early in the morning, and when he’s studying at home, his mother rushes over with a kitchen knife.”
“That’s just Xiaohu’s mom’s style,” Song Fenglan said. “The college entrance exam is a very important event, and of course it shouldn’t be disturbed by others. Those people are really something; they know Xiaohu is going to take the college entrance exam, yet they still cause him all this trouble.”
“Mom, when you were over there, didn’t they whisper about you? They just have a bad temper,” Qin Zihang said. “It’s not illegal, but it’s immoral.”
“It’s immoral,” Song Fenglan said.
"Mom, did you find the book I asked you to look for?" Qin Zihang asked.
"Found it, it's in the bag." Song Fenglan smiled and took two books out of her bag, handing them to Qin Zihang. "Take a look."
Song Fenglan didn't go to Capital University of Aeronautics and Astronautics often. Sometimes when Qin Zihang wanted to read, he would use Song Fenglan's library card. The library staff all knew that Qin Zihang was Song Fenglan's son. Sometimes, when Qin Zihang couldn't find certain books, he would ask his mother, and she would try to get them for him.
"Study hard," Song Fenglan said. "When you go to university, your grades in your major can't be bad."
Besides class time, Qin Zihang will also have access to the lab at the school, where Song Fenglan can mentor him. Song Fenglan naturally hopes Qin Zihang can learn as much as possible so he doesn't fall behind others.
Computer technology is very advanced abroad, and personal computers are readily available, but they are not yet widespread in China.
Song Fenglan didn't tell Fatty Sister-in-law to let Zhang Xiaohu study computers. Computers would be a popular subject for a long time to come, but not everyone is interested in them. For someone from Zhang Xiaohu's family background, it would be better to find a major that would be easier to get by in the future and easier to pass the civil service exam.
Having been neighbors for so many years, how could Song Fenglan not understand Fatty Sister-in-law? She didn't insist that Zhang Xiaohu study a particular major; she simply explained some related fields. She let Fatty Sister-in-law and Zhang Xiaohu discuss it themselves, as high school seniors are not children and have their own ideas.
Some families don't understand those things, so the students have to learn about the majors themselves.
With the college entrance exam drawing ever closer, Gao Xiuxiu was in a bad mood. During her meal, she suddenly slammed her chopsticks on the table.
"Erniu, I told you to eat properly, but what are you doing? You've spilled food all over the table," Gao Xiuxiu said coldly.
"It's just a few grains of rice," Fang Xudong said. "Don't be too harsh on the child."
Fang Xudong knew that Gao Xiuxiu didn't like Erniu, so when he was at home, he would say a few more nice things about Erniu.
"Am I being mean?" Gao Xiuxiu said. "I'm being lenient by not stopping her from eating. She doesn't understand anything. Daniu is much more sensible."
The eldest daughter is in junior high school, and Gao Xiuxiu hopes she will get into high school and then university. Gao Xiuxiu has no hope for the second daughter and doesn't care about her grades at school. No matter how well the second daughter does, Gao Xiuxiu always tells her not to be too proud and that the second daughter doesn't know how to be humble at all.
Even though Da Niu's grades aren't good, Gao Xiuxiu will still say that Da Niu is doing well—a typical double standard.
Erniu sensed Gao Xiuxiu's dislike for her when she was very young, and she also knew that her grandmother...
She only liked the eldest daughter, not the younger one. The second daughter didn't speak, not because she wanted to be talked to, but because if she spoke, her mother would make trouble for her. The second daughter only thought about growing up quickly so that she could leave this house when she was older.
No matter how much Fang Xudong sides with Erniu, it's useless; he's often away working and not at home. Erniu doesn't expect her father to help her much; she has to think about herself. Erniu once ran away from home, but Fang Xudong found her and brought her back.
“Zhang Xiaohu next door is taking the college entrance exam, and Fatty Sister tells us all to be quiet,” Gao Xiuxiu said. “It’s not just us; Fatty Sister tells people who live a little further away not to be so loud. It’s not like we’re talking in their house, why are they being so nosy?”
"The child is about to take the college entrance exam, so we really need to be careful," Fang Xudong said. "We need to make sure the child gets enough rest."
“We didn’t make much noise last night, can’t Zhang Xiaohu get some rest?” Gao Xiuxiu said.
“During the day, other kids also need to review their lessons,” Fang Xudong said. “We’re all neighbors, so let’s be more tolerant. The college entrance exam is a big deal. Once Xiaohu finishes his exam, you can do whatever you want.”
“If every family’s child takes the college entrance exam like hers, then how are we supposed to live? There are so many things we can’t do,” Gao Xiuxiu said.
“Our child will also take the college entrance exam one day,” Fang Xudong said. “Some people in the neighborhood don’t even need to be told; they just keep their voices down. If you make such a fuss and say such things, it won’t sound good if word gets out.”
"Just don't tell anyone, okay?" Gao Xiuxiu said.
"..." Fang Xudong sighed. Gao Xiuxiu was a bit obsessive these days.
Gao Xiuxiu was very concerned about her inability to have children. If she had a son, it would be fine, but unfortunately she didn't.
"Don't let anyone bring a kitchen knife again," Fang Xudong said. "If you do that, the other neighbors will think you're doing a bad job. Haven't you heard what people outside are saying about you?"
"Don't I know? They're just taking advantage of the fact that I don't have a son," Gao Xiuxiu said. "If I could, I would want a son too. If I had a son, he would definitely be outstanding. Everyone says I'm jealous of Fatty Sister-in-law, but why would I be jealous of her? She has two sons, and she'll have to spend a lot on dowries when she gets married."
Gao Xiuxiu gritted her teeth, wishing she had a son of her own. How wonderful it would be if she had one! Why did God let her sister-in-law have two sons?
Knowing that Zhang Xiaohu was about to take the college entrance examination, Fan Yani made some cookies for him. Zhang Xiaohu had eaten quite a few of Fan Yani's cookies without any problems, which is why Fan Yani dared to give them to him. She didn't dare to give him any new cookies, fearing that Zhang Xiaohu's stomach wouldn't be able to handle them.
"The college entrance exam is coming soon," Fan Yani said. "You need to pay more attention to what he eats. It's hot, so don't give him leftovers. Even if it's been sitting out for a while in the morning, you can eat it yourselves, but don't give it to Xiaohu. I'm afraid he might have a problem if he eats it. If he has a problem, he'll need to get an IV drip or take medicine, which can have a big impact on his health."
"He's taking the college entrance exam soon, so I've been making less grass jelly lately," said the plump woman.
“You can do more after his college entrance exam,” Fan Yani said. “It’s too hard for us to do it ourselves now; we should wait for you to do it.”
Fan Yani's herbal jelly sold very well, so she also opened a milk tea shop and hired someone to make it. The ingredients in the herbal jelly are all handmade, not machine-made. Machine-made things just don't taste as good as handmade ones; even the texture is different.
In her past life, Fan Yani knew that some milk tea shops went out of business mainly because they replaced manual production with machine production, cut corners, and changed the ingredients. Some of the originally delicious toppings were gone, making the milk tea taste terrible. Customers could tell the difference, and after one or two such incidents, the milk tea shop's business suffered.
Fan Yani didn't plan to expand the milk tea shop too much; opening two or three stores would be fine. Those chain stores, opening one after another, depend on whether she has the capability; if she doesn't manage them well, they'll eventually go bankrupt and incur losses.
“Our family is planning to open a new milk tea shop,” Fan Yani said.
"Where is it located?" the plump woman asked, puzzled.
“At the mall,” Fan Yani said. “There are a lot of people in the mall, so milk tea sells well there. Many people like to drink it. I was thinking that I would have you make grass jelly later. Grass jelly made with grass is delicious, while the kind made with powder is much worse.”
"You're quite the businesswoman," the plump woman remarked. "Is this your third store?"
“Including the one in front of my house, that makes three,” Fan Yani said. “We can’t open too many now, and we make all the ingredients ourselves.”
"Do you do it all yourself?" the plump woman asked.
“Yes, we’ll have the staff make some according to the recipe,” Fan Yani said. “Homemade food tastes better; the ones you buy outside don’t taste the same. Customers can tell it’s not right as soon as they taste it. If they buy it twice and the taste is still different, they won’t come back.”
“That’s true,” said the plump woman. “You understand.”
"To do business, you have to use the best ingredients," Fan Yani said. "Only with the best ingredients can business thrive."
“That’s true,” said the plump woman. “It’s not just your family; your brother and sister-in-law’s businesses are doing well too.”
“We’re all neighbors, so we wouldn’t dare to shortchange them or use stale ingredients,” Fan Yani said. “Many children also eat at my younger brother and sister-in-law’s place. Children eat less and have less money, so many parents send their children there for meals.”
“It’s much more convenient for you two to support each other and live together,” said the plump woman.
“It’s because they are determined that they have the ability. If they weren’t, no amount of help would have helped,” Fan Yani said. “Isn’t your Xiaohu the same?”
"Yes, I remember when Fenglan and the others hadn't come to Nancheng, Xiaohu was so naughty. He really didn't like studying," said the plump woman. "He would go to play with Zihang, but Zihang was studying, and Xiaohu would try to run away. It was only because Fenglan's family had good food and TV that Xiaohu would follow Zihang and study more. He knew he had to work hard when there was a carrot dangling in front of him. Later, when Zihang went back to the capital, Xiaohu and Zihang developed feelings for each other again, and Xiaohu wanted to study in the capital, so he worked even harder."
Sister-in-law Pang thought that if Song Fenglan and her son hadn't come to join the army, her youngest son would definitely have fared worse than his older brother Zhang Wendu.
“Boys tend to get hungry more easily at night,” Fan Yani said. “There’s been a lot of rain lately, so make sure all the food is stored properly. If it gets damp, don’t let the kids eat it.”
"Okay, sure," said the plump woman.
"I'll go back first and be more careful," Fan Yani said, "especially about what I eat."
"Yes." The plump woman nodded.
The plump woman watched Fan Yani leave. Fan Yani was such a good neighbor, so much better than Gao Xiuxiu.
Two days before the college entrance exam, Fatty was very nervous, so she called Song Fenglan again. Song Fenglan happened to be home.
"I'm so anxious. I don't dare to linger in front of Xiaohu for too long, for fear of affecting him," said the plump woman. "When I cook for him, I'm worried I haven't done a good job. I buy all the vegetables that day and even smell them, afraid there might be something wrong with them. Your son Zihang is also taking the college entrance exam. Aren't you nervous?"
"It's alright." Song Fenglan still didn't mention that Qin Zihang had been recommended for admission. Fatty Sister and the others didn't have any relatives in the capital, and Qin Yizhou hadn't told his friends in Nancheng either, so the people in the Nancheng family compound didn't know that Qin Zihang had been recommended for admission to Capital University of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
“You’re so composed,” said the plump woman. “I don’t even know how many times I went to the bathroom today. I was even wondering if Xiao Hu was thinking about going to the bathroom during his exam. I didn’t dare ask Xiao Hu, and I had to speak to you in a very low voice.”
The plump woman looked around, afraid that others might overhear her.
"It's alright, stay calm," Song Fenglan said.
The fat woman talked to Song Fenglan for a long time. She was really nervous. This was her son's college entrance examination, which was related to his entire life. It was not anything else.
After comforting the fat woman and hanging up the phone, Song Fenglan noticed that Qin Yizhou and Qin Zihang were both staring at her.
"What's wrong?" Song Fenglan asked.
"Mom, you're so gentle," Qin Zihang said. "You're so patient. If I were like that, you would have slapped me."
"Have I ever photographed you?" Song Fenglan raised an eyebrow.
"No, no, Dad took the picture," Qin Zihang quickly said. "How could you bear to take a picture of me?"
"You brat!" Qin Yizhou said, "A grown man like you is afraid of being filmed?"
"Yes, of course I'm afraid!" Qin Zihang said.
When Zhang Xiaohu took the college entrance exam, Fat Sister-in-law even wore a cheongsam to the exam, just like others. She was fat, so the cheongsam was specially made to be too big. She pinched the fat on her waist, hoping that her son would succeed.
"Hey, isn't this Fatty Sister?" Some people were puzzled when they saw Fatty Sister dressed like that.
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