Chapter 122 Nosebleed, One Punch Down
"How come there are so many phone bills? Don't you know?" You Yun said. "Your mother, since you won't let her go out, she makes phone calls at home. You should be glad that not so many people want to answer her calls because they're all worried about spending money. Otherwise, the phone bills would be even more expensive."
Do these people think they can stop Qin's mother from talking to others?
Impossible!
It's only possible if they prevent Qin's mother from using the phone and lock her in her room.
If Qin's mother is alone in her room, she will yell and make everyone's life uneasy.
You Yun really felt that Qin's mother was not suited to living in the city. She thought Qin's mother should live in a backward, feudal rural area, so that she could easily act like a mother-in-law. Anyway, You Yun didn't want to go along with Qin's mother. Qin's mother didn't know how to consider the family at all; all she did was cause trouble, and she caused trouble every single day.
"..." What is Brother Qin supposed to say?
Brother Qin could only go to his mother and tell her not to call unless necessary, as the home phone costs money.
"I've become like this, and you won't even allow me to make a phone call?" Qin's mother said angrily.
"No, Mom, you don't..."
"It's not just making one call, it's making several calls! Phone calls are too expensive," Brother Qin said. "Don't make calls like that."
"Didn't you make money?" Qin's mother said. "Didn't you say your salary was higher than before?"
“That’s not how you spend money,” Brother Qin said. “If you have time, you can read the newspaper like Dad does.”
"What's so interesting about newspapers?" Qin's mother said. "Can my eyes even read such small print?"
Qin's mother didn't want to read the newspaper at all; she just wanted to gossip with the neighbors, criticize those people, and vent her dissatisfaction.
Brother Qin was having a headache; his mother was really causing too much trouble, and she never gave him any peace of mind.
"Mom, there are too many expenses at home," Brother Qin said. "Li'an opened a supermarket, but it's just starting out and hasn't developed very well yet. Please don't do this here; save some money, even if it's just for Li'an."
“If you let me out, I won’t make the call,” Qin’s mother said.
"If you can go out for a little longer, please don't make unnecessary phone calls." Brother Qin didn't want to spend any more money. He was the sole breadwinner for the family, and his father's pension wasn't in his hands, so Brother Qin felt a lot of pressure.
Brother Qin wanted Qin Li'an to run the shop well, hoping for good business and that Qin Li'an wouldn't have to rely on them in the future. Brother Qin was worried that if Qin Li'an still had to depend on them, things would be ruined. If Qin Li'an weren't too young to get married, Brother Qin would really want him to get married right now.
Many people learned about what happened to Qin Zihang, and the school even asked him to give a speech, asking him to explain in detail how he was targeted and how he was fooled.
"..." Qin Zihang was stunned. His counselor had called him over just to talk about this.
“Many people already know it was you,” the counselor said. “Tell everyone about it; this is your real experience. If someone as smart as you could be fooled, then others certainly can. Tell us so that everyone can understand you better.”
"Can I not talk about it?" Qin Zihang asked.
"Sure, you can choose not to say it," the counselor said. "It depends on whether you want to say it openly and honestly, or whether you want others to guess."
The counselor didn't force Qin Zihang, and what the counselor said wasn't wrong. Others were just making wild guesses, wondering what exactly was going on between Qin Zihang and Peng Yong.
"Alright, I'll talk. Consider it my self-criticism and reflection," Qin Zihang said.
After returning home, Qin Zihang told Song Fenglan what his counselor had told him; the counselor was relaying the words of the school leaders.
Song Fenglan was drinking tea at the time, and she almost choked on it.
"Mom, it's me who's going to write a self-criticism, not you," Qin Zihang said. "This isn't a crime, it's just a warning to everyone so they won't do what I did."
"Are you going?" Song Fenglan asked.
“Many people already know, so there’s no need for me to hide it,” Qin Zihang said. “If people want to know, then let them know.”
Qin Zihang didn't think it was a big deal. At first, he thought it was a big deal, but then he thought it was better to say it himself, so that others wouldn't laugh at him too much.
"You can decide for yourself," Song Fenglan said. "It's not necessarily a bad thing. Just remember this incident."
"I've got it," Qin Zihang said. "Mom, don't you think I'm embarrassing you?"
“I don’t think so,” Song Fenglan said. Just as Qin Zihang was moved, she added, “Can you embarrass me? Others will only think that your mother is powerful, and that you will be taken advantage of.”
“That…makes a lot of sense,” Qin Zihang said.
"Alright, don't overthink it," Song Fenglan said. "Try to think more positively. What's done is done, and no one can change it."
"Yes, that's what I think too," Qin Zihang said. "Mom, I need to face myself squarely."
Qin Zihang had known how powerful his biological mother was since he was a child, and after coming to university, he felt it even more clearly. He even became someone who was being used by others.
Then, Qin Zihang actually gave speeches at several security and confidentiality seminars held at the school, where he shared his true experiences. He recounted when Qin Zihang and Peng Yong became classmates, how they started to get to know each other more, and how Peng Yong helped with various trivial matters.
Qin Zihang was too well-mannered by his parents, too upright. He felt that if he owed someone a favor, he had to repay it. Since they were all classmates, Qin Zihang didn't think about whether he would be taken advantage of. He thought that even if he was, it would only be for some minor things, and he never imagined that they would betray state secrets.
Qin Zihang also joked: "If you help me in the future, I don't feel like I owe you anything."
Those listening to Qin Zihang's speech laughed. Of course, they all knew Qin Zihang was joking, and they also felt that having such a capable mother meant the son had to know more. They were still quite envious of Qin Zihang, having a mother who was a professor at the same university. Professor Song was truly remarkable, and the students she taught were excellent.
During the Q&A session, someone asked Qin Zihang: Do you have a girlfriend?
"No." Qin Zihang genuinely didn't have a girlfriend. "I'm not old enough to get married yet."
Qin Zihang is looking for a relationship with marriage in mind, not one where they might break up later. He wants to be responsible for himself and for his future partner.
On one occasion, Song Fenglan and Qin Yizhou secretly went to listen in, but instead of sitting inside, they stood outside for a while. Then, Song Fenglan and Qin Yizhou left.
"That sounds quite plausible," Qin Yizhou said.
“Those are all his real experiences,” Song Fenglan said. “Some things that seem unintentional in everyday life can have a significant impact.”
Song Fenglan felt that Qin Zihang had grown a lot; Qin Zihang was no longer the little boy he used to be.
“These are all things he has to go through,” Qin Yizhou said. “He’s grown up and can’t always live under his parents’ protection.”
"Yes," Song Fenglan said with emotion, she still remembered her son when he was very young.
Qin Yizhou squeezed Song Fenglan's hand, "He's grown up, we don't need to worry about him so much anymore. You saw it yourself, he gave a very good speech."
"Hmm." Song Fenglan nodded. She had initially worried that her son might not be able to handle it. But then she thought about it again and realized that her son couldn't possibly be unable to handle such a small thing.
In fact, Qin Zihang saw his parents, but he continued his speech. Qin Zihang understood the significance of being scammed this time; he needed to let more people know that he wasn't the only one who could be deceived, but others as well. Their school was among the top in the country in its relevant major, and there was no doubt that someone would target college students like them.
When the speech ended, Qin Zihang returned home and saw that his parents were still awake, sitting in the living room watching TV. Qin Zihang went to his mother's side.
"Mom, did you go to school tonight?" Qin Zihang asked.
"I've gone," Song Fenglan nodded. "To see you."
"Is it alright?" Qin Zihang asked again.
“Okay,” Song Fenglan replied. “There’s nothing that can’t be done. Face it with equanimity.”
“Mom, I think it’s pretty good too,” Qin Zihang said. “I feel much better after saying it out loud. If someone sets a trap for me and I don’t know it or understand it, it’s easy to fall into it. Fortunately, I didn’t really leak any secrets or unintentionally reveal anything more.”
Qin Zihang felt a lingering fear, thankfully his mother was unharmed. He had been taught not to reveal his mother's whereabouts casually; it was a matter of secrecy. After all, some researchers were involved in car accidents or other incidents, orchestrated by someone behind the scenes.
"Mom, I..." Qin Zihang opened his mouth, but didn't finish his sentence.
"What's wrong?" Song Fenglan asked. "Can't you tell me because your father is here?"
Qin Yizhou looked at Qin Zihang, "You can't let me know?"
"No," Qin Zihang shook his head. "Other schools also know what happened to me, but they may not know my name."
"Oh, you've embarrassed yourself outside the school," Song Fenglan said. "It's okay, just work hard and earn back the face you've lost."
"Dad, Mom, don't you really feel ashamed?" Qin Zihang said with emotion.
“Didn’t I tell you? You won’t bring shame to your mother’s reputation,” Song Fenglan said. “I don’t rely on you to make me look good. You can ask your father if he feels ashamed.”
"It's quite embarrassing," Qin Yizhou said. "People ask me, 'How did I raise such a silly son?'"
Some leaders inquired about Qin Yizhou's situation, urging him to pay more attention to his family, as there were still many shortcomings in his household finances. Qin Yizhou was at a loss for words; he couldn't very well say that his son was still young, already in university, and that he needed to let his child grow up.
"..." Qin Zihang's lips twitched slightly, and he looked at his mother, "Mom, did you hear that?"
"I heard you, I heard you," Song Fenglan said. "Why don't you two have a good talk?"
"It's really embarrassing," Qin Zihang said.
"Don't embarrass yourself in this area. If you want to embarrass yourself, do it in another area," Qin Yizhou said. "It's best not to embarrass yourself at all. You have a long life ahead of you; you can't afford to be embarrassed your whole life."
In the past few days, Zhang Xiaohu has visited Capital University of Aeronautics and Astronautics several times; he comes to see Qin Zihang whenever he has free time. Zhang Xiaohu and Qin Zihang are good friends, and Zhang Xiaohu feels that he should show more concern for Qin Zihang at this time.
When Zhang Xiaohu learned that Qin Zihang had shared his experiences in a speech, he gave Qin Zihang a thumbs up.
"You're really something," Zhang Xiaohu said.
“If it were really that good, this wouldn’t have happened.” Qin Zihang and Zhang Xiaohu walked on the road to school. “I think I understand now. There’s nothing that can’t be said. Since it’s a negative example, let’s make it work.”
"Did your uncle and aunt say anything to you?" Zhang Xiaohu asked.
“My mom said I wouldn’t embarrass her, and my dad said I shouldn’t embarrass myself for the rest of my life,” Qin Zihang said. “They’re right, I can’t keep making the same mistake. Brother Xiaohu, don’t worry about me, I’m fine.”
"Judging from your appearance, you're definitely alright now," Zhang Xiaohu nodded.
After Zhang Wen and his new wife moved into the school-allocated apartment, they started planning to buy a house. Since they were already living in the school's housing, which would eventually be taken back by the school, they thought that if they bought a house, their parents would contribute the money, and the school teachers wouldn't say anything too harsh.
Several teachers live in school-allocated housing, but also own another house outside the school.
Zhang Wen and Lin Jiajia went to look at houses on their own and chose the ones they liked. Both families contributed money, so the property certificate had to include both Zhang Wen's and Lin Jiajia's names; it couldn't just be one person's name.
Previously, Zhang Wen had discussed with Lin Jiajia about asking the Lin family to lower their demands. After being scolded by his wife, the plump woman, Zhang Wen didn't bring up the matter again. Zhang Wen felt that his parents had sacrificed so much for his marriage, and they should still take care of them in the future.
The couple finalized their choice of house, signed the contract, and completed the formalities. By then, summer vacation had arrived.
Zhang Xiaohu didn't come home for summer vacation; he was going to tutor to earn some money. Zhang Xiaohu knew about his family's debts, and if...
If his family hadn't bought him a house in the capital earlier, his parents wouldn't have been so strapped for cash, and they wouldn't have had to borrow money from relatives everywhere.
When Fatty Sister learned that Zhang Xiaohu hadn't returned, she wasn't upset, since Zhang Xiaohu had come back for the Chinese New Year.
"I'm going to become a tutor," Zhang Xiaohu said, calling his family to make sure they knew.
"Tutor?" the chubby woman asked, puzzled.
“Yes, I’ll be a private tutor, giving lessons to middle and high school students,” Zhang Xiaohu said. “There are a lot of people in the capital who need private tutors. My grades are pretty good, so some people have asked me for tutoring services, and I’m thinking of giving it a try. Tutoring, one-on-one or one-on-two, can earn quite a bit of money. I’ve been tutoring on weekends before, doing two or three hours at a time, and it’s been alright.”
It wasn't that Zhang Xiaohu didn't want to do other things; the key was that he didn't know enough. Zhang Xiaohu had considered buying goods to sell, but he was still a student, and his studies were the most important thing. Zhang Xiaohu wanted good grades; he couldn't just say that university didn't matter. Qin Zihang had told Zhang Xiaohu that regardless of whether he wanted to pursue graduate studies later, it was best to master those subjects so that it would be easier to do so if he did want to later.
"Are you going to tutor all summer?" the chubby woman asked. "Won't that be too tiring?"
"No," Zhang Xiaohu said. "Tutoring isn't very hard work; it's relatively easy. At least I get paid a bit more, so it's not a bad deal."
"Does your school allow students to stay at the school?" the chubby woman asked again.
“They’re allowed to stay at the school; many students live there,” Zhang Xiaohu said. “Some students’ hometowns are even further from the capital, and the travel expenses would be a lot, so it’s better for them to stay at the school. They can find something to do, spend less money, and their families won’t have to pay so much.”
The school is considerate of the students who come from afar, many of whom are indeed from poor families and find it difficult to travel back and forth. They live on campus, and the school cafeteria, library, and other facilities are also open, allowing students to study independently. They can go to the library to read books and have places to eat and stay.
"Is Zihang going with you?" the plump woman asked.
“He’s not going; he has to do experiments,” Zhang Xiaohu said.
“That’s right, he doesn’t need to go either, his family is rich,” the plump woman said. “Thanks to their family, otherwise…”
The fat woman was very grateful for Song Fenglan's generosity, as Song Fenglan had lent her so much money.
“Your brother bought a house, and after a little renovation, he’ll rent it out,” said the plump woman. “Your brother’s house is a bit bigger, and the house prices in the south are still a bit cheaper than in the capital.”
"Of course, of course." Zhang Xiaohu wasn't unhappy. Come to think of it, he was the one who benefited. Zhang Xiaohu thought that he owned a house in the capital. With a house, he could settle down in the capital later. "Mom, when I get paid, I'll send you some money."
“No need to send it to us,” said the plump woman. “If you want to send it, you should return the money to Zihang. It’s not good to keep owing people money. You can pay back the money you owe Zihang. Your father and I will pay back the money you owe Zihang’s mother. We’ve also told you that you’ll have to rely on yourself to get married in the future.”
"Okay, sure." Zhang Xiaohu understood.
After finishing her phone call, Fatty Sister went home and ran into Gao Xiuxiu on the way. Gao Xiuxiu asked, "Fatty Sister, are you planning to install a telephone at your house?"
"Install a telephone?" the plump woman asked, puzzled.
“Yes, several households have been installing telephones recently,” Gao Xiuxiu said. “We’re also planning to install one at home. Since your neighbors all have telephones, why don’t you get one too? It’ll save you from going to public phone booths. Your youngest son lives in the capital, so you can call each other more often. The initial installation will only cost a little more, but it will be much cheaper after that.”
"No need for now, we can install it later," said the plump woman.
“That’s true. Your eldest son just got married, and you’ve used up all your savings. I heard you’re still in debt, right?” Gao Xiuxiu said. “Did you borrow money from Song Fenglan from Fan Yani and your relatives and friends?”
"Don't you already know?" The fat woman was speechless. Gao Xiuxiu was clearly doing it on purpose. If she was going to install a phone, so be it. "It's not bad that your mother-in-law can stay at your house, saving on rent and paying for the phone bill."
Gao Xiuxiu's expression changed slightly. She didn't really want her mother-in-law to live at home, but she had no choice because there were many expenses at home. If her mother-in-law always lived outside, it would cost a lot of money. The landlord also said that Grandma Fang was getting old and that it would be best for them to bring Grandma Fang home to live.
Not to mention the landlord, even some people in the residential compound were talking about Gao Xiuxiu. Gao Xiuxiu was thinking of simply having her mother-in-law move in with her. The room in the courtyard was also specially built by Fang Xudong, with the idea that Grandma Fang would live there so that she wouldn't leave things lying around and that she wouldn't have to do any housework.
Gao Xiuxiu was afraid that Grandma Fang had put something she shouldn't have on the food. Her health was already like this, and she didn't need Grandma Fang to think that she was doing it for her own good.
"That's great," said the plump woman. "It only costs a little more money the first time the phone is installed, but it'll be fine after that. The rent is enough to cover the phone bill, more than enough."
Gao Xiuxiu realized she shouldn't have said those things to Fatty's sister-in-law; Fatty's sister-in-law was the type who never wanted to suffer a loss. Gao Xiuxiu wanted to upset Fatty's sister-in-law and let her know that all the neighbors had telephones, and Fan Yani's family had installed one long ago; of all the houses, only Fatty's family was missing.
The fat woman ignored Gao Xiuxiu and went home on her own.
Telephone, telephone, install a telephone...
Fatty Sister-in-law doesn't give Gao Xiuxiu any face. Gao Xiuxiu is the kind of person who, whenever something happens, has to gossip and make sure everyone knows how her family is doing.
Back home, Aunt Pang saw Zhang Chenghai sitting there weaving bamboo baskets. She couldn't help but say, "Gao Xiuxiu's family is getting a telephone installed. She's so happy about it and told me about it. I told her we wouldn't get one, but they will. Her mother-in-law lives with her, so it'll save on rent. Getting a telephone is a good thing."
The fat woman deliberately raised her voice so that everyone in Gao Xiuxiu's family next door could hear her. But anyone could just say something on purpose.
“Don’t install a phone yet.” Zhang Chenghai’s eyelids twitched when he heard about installing a phone. “We still owe people money.”
“Yes, we have to pay back the money first,” said the plump woman. “They have two daughters, so they don’t have to prepare dowries or houses for their daughters. Naturally, they live a more comfortable life than we do.”
Normally, Fatty Sister-in-law wouldn't laugh at others for only having daughters, but Gao Xiuxiu is different.
Gao Xiuxiu always likes to provoke others. She herself had a daughter, so she acts like it's wrong for others to have sons, and that they're sexist. Fatty Sister-in-law particularly dislikes Gao Xiuxiu and her two daughters; those two children weren't raised very well by Gao Xiuxiu.
"..." Upon hearing this, Zhang Chenghai knew that Gao Xiuxiu next door must have found out about his wife again; otherwise, his wife wouldn't have said these things.
"Make sure this bamboo basket is finished well, and send it over to Xiaowen and the others later," said the plump woman. "They've moved into the school-allocated housing, and they've prepared all the furniture themselves. They're still missing quite a few things over there."
Although bamboo baskets and similar items are not worth much money, if you can make them yourself, then make them yourself to save some money.
Sister-in-law Pang never intended to compare herself to others or to live a wealthier life than them. But others just wanted to crush her, so of course she had to say something.
Gao Xiuxiu overheard what her sister-in-law, Fatty, said at home. She was furious, but didn't dare to confront her. It wasn't appropriate for someone to raise their voice in her own home; more importantly, Gao Xiuxiu was afraid of what others would say about her—she wasn't thick-skinned enough. If Gao Xiuxiu could rush over, Fatty could too.
Two days later, Fatty called Song Fenglan to talk about Gao Xiuxiu's family installing a telephone.
"She was so smug," said the plump woman. "She even had to come to my face to say it, making sarcastic remarks about me."
"Don't worry about her, she's still as talkative as ever," Song Fenglan said. Gao Xiuxiu really hadn't changed.
"By the way, Xiaohu will be staying in the capital during the summer vacation. Although he lives at school, I don't know if he will be a burden to you." The fat woman was a little embarrassed, feeling that her family was always troubling Song Fenglan.
“He didn’t bother us; he didn’t live in our house,” Song Fenglan said. “He’s a college student now; he can handle many things on his own and doesn’t need to rely on us adults anymore.”
"He said he wanted to tutor to help supplement the family income," the plump woman said. "We did send him money when he went to university..."
“His expenses at school aren’t high, but if he goes out, the expenses might be a bit higher. The capital is the capital after all; prices might be a little higher, but not too high,” Song Fenglan said. “Isn’t it good that he’s willing to tutor? Earning money with his own hands is always better than stealing.”
"That's true," said the plump woman. "Coming and going from the capital to the south city costs a lot of money. It's better for him to stay in the capital and find something to do. I hope his school won't prevent them from going."
“That’s not true,” Song Fenglan said. “It’s called work-study. Many families don’t have that much money. It’s not like everyone’s family is rich. Many college students don’t know how hard it is to earn money. They ask their families for money, but their families may not be able to give them that much. Xiao Hu went to tutor to earn money, so he knows that it’s not easy to earn money.”
"That's true," said the plump woman. "I hope he doesn't get scammed."
"It's not that serious," Song Fenglan said. "Don't worry, as long as he doesn't run away, he'll be fine. If you're worried and can't contact him, just tell us, and we'll send someone to look for him. Once we confirm he's there, you can rest assured."
“Indeed, with you all here, there’s nothing to be afraid of,” said the plump woman. “It’s better to study in a city where you know people; many things are more convenient.”
The plump woman spoke a few words to Song Fenglan, then hung up and went home, humming a tune, in a very good mood. So what if they didn't have a telephone? Her son was successful; he even knew how to work part-time while in university.
Just as Song Fenglan hung up the phone, Qin Yizhou handed her a banana.
"You and Sister-in-law Pang still have so much to talk about." Qin Yizhou really didn't expect Song Fenglan to be able to talk so much with Sister-in-law Pang.
You see, many people don't like talking to Fatty Sister much. They look down on her because she's from the countryside, she's not good-looking, and they think she's uncultured. But Song Fenglan can associate with Fatty Sister for a long time, and she can listen to what Fatty Sister has to say.
“She is a great mother,” Song Fenglan said. “Everything she did was for her son.”
“Back in Nancheng, I thought you and her wouldn’t have much of a conversation, but I never expected you two could talk so much and still be talking now,” Qin Yizhou said.
“Why can’t we chat? People from the countryside are people too, we can chat,” Song Fenglan said. “Chatting doesn’t have to be about the same level of education. I don’t like always talking about formulas and professional knowledge. It’s better to chat with people in a relaxed way. Sister-in-law Pang doesn’t have so many thoughts, she’s pure and simple. What she’s thinking is basically written all over her face. When something happens, she really rushes to the front, and that’s enough.”
Song Fenglan thought that Fatty Sister-in-law was a good person. She was more sincere than many people, and she didn't bully others.
“Back then, some people said you were really good at pretending, and that you definitely didn’t like Fatty Sister-in-law,” Qin Yizhou said. “Some people even asked me if I was the one who reformed you.”
"What did you say?" Song Fenglan asked. "I've never heard you say that before."
“These words are unpleasant to hear, and I don’t want to tell you,” Qin Yizhou said.
“You’ve said it again now,” Song Fenglan said.
“We’re not in Nancheng right now, and I saw you talking to Fatty on the phone, so I just had to say this,” Qin Yizhou said. “Of course I can’t change you; if anyone’s going to change me, it’s you.”
"Transform?" Song Fenglan raised an eyebrow. "Transform what? Make you into the way I like? Make you lose your own identity?"
"No, no, I have a self. I want to become the person you like," Qin Yizhou said.
“Everyone has their own unique characteristics,” Song Fenglan said. “If everyone is the same, it’s boring.”
Song Fenglan never thought about how Qin Yizhou would become; it would be better if he had a bit of personality.
“An interesting soul, one of a kind,” Song Fenglan said.
"You are my one and only." Qin Yizhou put his arm around Song Fenglan.
Song Fenglan smiled. She and Qin Yizhou were practically an old married couple, and sometimes hearing Qin Yizhou say things still made her happy. She didn't need too many sweet words; an occasional one was enough.
During summer vacation, Qin Zihang went to the research institute. He had already learned some university-level knowledge and had strong hands-on skills. Qin Zihang followed another professor to do experiments. He was very serious and dared not make any mistakes.
At noon, Qin Zihang ate lunch at the research institute. He had originally planned to eat with his mother, but several prominent professors were sitting at her table. In the end, Qin Zihang didn't go with them and sat with Ding Wenbo instead.
"Didn't you go to the teacher's?" Ding Wenbo asked.
"There are several people over there, so I won't go," Qin Zihang said. "It's lunchtime now, not class time."
Qin Zihang thought that since he was a junior, he should sit there and not let everyone tease him.
“They didn’t talk about work either,” Ding Wenbo said. “They didn’t talk about work every time they ate together.”
"No, no, I'm not going," Qin Zihang said. "Going there occasionally is fine. Senior Brother, aren't you going?"
"Just visit occasionally." Ding Wenbo was speechless.
Ding Wenbo didn't try to constantly curry favor with the older professors. Those professors respected Song Fenglan because of her remarkable age. Although Ding Wenbo was decent, he was far inferior to his mentor, and he was self-aware enough to know his place and didn't overestimate himself.
Zhang Xiaohu went to work as a tutor. One of the locations was quite far, so he rode his bicycle there for convenience. After Zhang Xiaohu received his first tutoring fee, he and Qin Zihang went out for a meal together.
When they arrived at the restaurant, Zhang Xiaohu looked at the prices on the menu and still felt that the food was quite expensive, much more expensive than in Nancheng. Zhang Xiaohu usually ate at school and rarely ate out; even when he did, it was usually near the school. When he was a tutor, if he worked all day, or if he had to eat both afternoon and evening, his tutors would invite him to eat with them.
"Does it hurt your wallet?" Qin Zihang took the menu.
"It does hurt a little," Zhang Xiaohu said. "If my mom were here, she would definitely say that with that much money, I could cook so many dishes."
Zhang Xiaohu mimicked his mother's tone. He hadn't seen his mother in a long time, and even when he called her, he still missed her terribly.
“Before, I always complained that my mom’s cooking wasn’t good. Now, it’s not easy for me to eat her cooking,” Zhang Xiaohu said. “I can only eat her cooking when I go home for Chinese New Year. I was thinking about whether to go back this year, but my brother is having a wedding banquet, so I have to go back.”
"Your brother's wedding is a big deal," Qin Zihang said, taking a kettle to pour water. "I can't not go back."
“That’s exactly what I’m saying. If he hadn’t held his wedding at that time, I wouldn’t have gone back. I’d have continued tutoring here,” Zhang Xiaohu said. “At least I’d save some money.”
The main reason was that his family owed too much money, so Zhang Xiaohu wanted to earn more.
“There’s no need to save money now. You can pay me back the money you owe me slowly, there’s no rush,” Qin Zihang said.
“In the future, money will be worthless, and the same amount of money will only buy fewer things,” Zhang Xiaohu said.
“You’re short of money right now, so you don’t need to worry about that,” Qin Zihang said. “I have money to spend, more money than you can imagine.”
“…” Zhang Xiaohu looked at Qin Zihang.
“That’s the truth,” Qin Zihang said. “You’ve seen my family. My parents both have jobs and they both earn money. Your mother also earns money, but she doesn’t have as many patents as my mother. My mother does have patents. Those patents are used by people, not that no one uses them. When I grow up, I’ll have to be like my mother. Knowledge is money, and knowledge can create a lot of money. If you have money, keep it for yourself first. Do you want your parents to pay back the money first, or whatever?”
“My parents said they would pay back the money, and I wouldn’t have to pay them back. I’ll pay back the money I owe you and save up for my future wedding,” Zhang Xiaohu said. “I just feel that they’ve worked hard, and I want to save up money to pay them back some of the money first.”
“Since your parents have said so, you don’t need to worry too much,” Qin Zihang said. “Your parents earn money more easily than we do. We are still college students, so it’s relatively more difficult for us to earn money. When your brother gets married, you can give your parents some money.”
The waiter quickly brought out the food. The two of them ordered three meat dishes, two vegetable dishes, and a soup.
Zhang Xiaohu has a big appetite, and he thought, since he's already treating everyone, he can't be too stingy.
"I'll invite you to my house for dinner another day," Qin Zihang said. "My family's food is delicious."
“Great! It’s been so long since I’ve seen Auntie,” Zhang Xiaohu said.
“Even if you go, you might not see her,” Qin Zihang said. “When my mom gets busy, she can disappear for days. When she comes home, I’m not in the living room, and I’m not out of my room, so I basically don’t see her. I’m all grown up now, and my mom doesn’t need to check on me before bed to see if I’m covered with a blanket.”
“If you kick off the blanket, your aunt will still cover you up,” Zhang Xiaohu said.
"No, my dad won't let my mom cover me with the blanket. He just keeps saying I'm a grown adult and should..."
"Learn to cover yourself with the blanket." Qin Zihang said, "If I kick off the blanket now, I'll kick my wife later."
Qin Zihang was speechless when he heard his father's words. His father just didn't want his mother to work hard, and he didn't want his mother to work hard either.
After running his supermarket for a while, Qin Li'an's business wasn't particularly good, but it wasn't too bad either. Since it was located near his home, most of his customers were neighbors. Although many people knew about Qin Li'an's past, some felt that he had changed for the better, so they went to buy things from him.
A small number of people felt that Qin Li'an was not a good person, and they told their daughters not to go to Qin Li'an's supermarket, fearing that Qin Li'an would do bad things.
Qin Li'an was helpless. He couldn't even say that others were prejudiced against him, since he had indeed preyed on underage girls, and he himself was underage at the time. For the past month, the supermarket's accounts hadn't even balanced out, but he still had to keep the supermarket running; only by keeping it running could he possibly make some money.
That night, a woman came to Qin Li'an's supermarket. The supermarket lights were on, and Qin Li'an was about to turn them off and go home when a woman rushed over.
“Someone is following me,” the woman said.
"You hide inside," Qin Li'an said quickly.
It was a burly, drunk man. Qin Li'an was holding a stick. "Get out! This isn't a place for you! Get out!"
Qin Li'an felt a little guilty at the night market. He wasn't as strong as the burly man, but he was still a man, and taller too. The drunkard tried to approach again, but Qin Li'an struck him twice with his stick, causing him to wince in pain and leave. The woman didn't emerge until quite some time after the drunkard had left.
The woman lived nearby and knew Qin Li'an.
At the time, other shops in the vicinity were either closed or had women standing in front of them. The woman naturally came to Qin Li'an's shop, not intending to go anywhere else. By the time she remembered her family's advice not to come to Qin Li'an's shop alone, she was already inside.
"Should I go and call your family to come pick you up?" Qin Li'an asked.
"I..." The woman looked at Qin Li'an, unsure of what to say, and bowed her head slightly, "Thank you."
The woman was still a little scared, but seeing Qin Li'an about to leave alone made her even more afraid, and she didn't dare to stay there by herself. She mustered her courage and called out, "Could you take me home?"
"I... I'll call home and have someone call your family over." Qin Li'an knew his past stain would frighten people, so he decided not to send her home alone.
While in the prison, when the inmates learned that Qin Li'an had been brought in for raping a minor, they subjected him to countless insults and beatings, calling him worse than an animal. Qin Li'an knew he was wrong; he shouldn't have done such a thing.
The person who answered the phone was You Yun. Even though You Yun disliked Qin Li'an, she still went to call the girl's family to pick her up. You Yun even went along; after all, Qin Li'an was her stepson, and if something happened to him, You Yun would still have to help the Qin family clean up his mess.
The family was unaware that their daughter was being followed. They only heard from You Yun that the child was at Qin Li'an's supermarket, but Qin Li'an hadn't told You Yun the specific reason, and You Yun hadn't said anything either. However, the family was prejudiced against Qin Li'an, and the girl's father immediately punched Qin Li'an, causing him to bleed from the nose on the spot.
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