Chapter 21 Resentful Grandma, Goodbye
"They said it was Professor Su's wife with that child, the one born to Qin Tuan's wife, and they were playing over there." Li Hui was annoyed; she had no idea that Song Fenglan had such a connection.
Li Hui thought she didn't have time to do anything. At most, she could try to be more attentive to Qin Yizhou, but he completely ignored her. When Song Fenglan and her son came to join the army, Li Hui didn't even try to get close to them; it was her cousin who insisted on bringing it up.
If only her cousin hadn't said those things.
Professor Su and his wife are so capable, and their reputation is so good. Li Hui thinks she's doomed.
Others will definitely think that Li Hui is a despicable person. They will definitely think that she wants to use tricks to destroy Qin Yizhou's marriage and wants to be a mistress.
“Cousin, I have no relationship with Commander Qin. Please don’t say that I have a relationship with him again.” Li Hui said, “Now I don’t dare to walk slowly when I’m outside. I have to walk fast.”
Li Hui was afraid of people asking about her relationship with Qin Yizhou, afraid of being laughed at. Li Hui never expected things to turn out this way. If she had known, she would have definitely stopped her cousin from saying those things.
Yes, Li Hui felt a little smug when she heard her cousin speak ill of Song Fenglan. But if something really happened and Li Hui was implicated, Li Hui...
I don't want to face this situation.
“Say it? How can we say it now?” Shi Guilan said. “Everyone is on Song Fenglan’s side. Do you know? Political Commissar Zhao’s wife went to her personally to offer her a job, but she refused. She’s determined to stand up to me and wants everyone to know that she hasn’t forgiven me.”
Shi Guilan's face was grim. Normally, people would exchange a few words and then forgive each other; there were never so many problems. But Song Fenglan refused. Shi Guilan had heard that Song Fenglan had initially agreed but then changed her mind.
Shi Guilan felt that she had only said a few extra words at the radio station. She had spent so much time writing her self-criticism; couldn't she even have a little temper? Song Fenglan just liked to make a mountain out of a molehill. Shi Guilan thought she didn't need Song Fenglan's forgiveness; she hadn't done anything wrong.
"Cousin, don't worry about her," Li Hui said.
“Is it my business whether I interfere or not? She’s the one who’s going against me,” Shi Guilan said. “Who knows what she’ll do next.”
Shi Guilan felt that Song Fenglan was too insidious and cunning. Even though Song Fenglan hadn't come to her face, she had still suffered. Shi Guilan was still thinking about the person who had reported her. After much thought, she came up with a few names, but she wasn't sure.
Without evidence, Shi Guilan cannot rush to someone's house and ask: "Did you report me?"
That's unrealistic. Even if someone did report it, they wouldn't admit it. If they really wanted to say something, they wouldn't need to report it anonymously; they would report it under their real name.
"By the way, come over to my place for dinner tomorrow evening," Shi Guilan said. "I'll introduce you to someone."
"Tomorrow evening?" Li Hui asked. "So soon?"
“What do you mean by ‘quick’?” Shi Guilan said. “I’ve already told your cousin-in-law and Mrs. Zhao that we need to introduce you to someone as soon as possible.”
“It doesn’t have to be this rushed,” Li Hui said. “This matter…”
“Why aren’t you worried?” Shi Guilan said. “If you’re still single, everyone will think you’re still thinking about Qin Tuan. Then your brother-in-law will scold me again. I’ve been asking you to find a better partner these past few years, but you haven’t looked for one.”
Initially, Shi Guilan thought that if Li Hui could change Qin Yizhou's mind and get him to divorce his wife, that would be great. Regardless of whether she was a second wife, as long as Li Hui could marry Qin Yizhou, that would be wonderful. Shi Guilan herself had been a second wife, so she didn't think these things were a big deal.
"I..." Li Hui opened her mouth, not because she didn't want to find someone, but because she felt Qin Yizhou was too outstanding; she couldn't find anyone more outstanding than him. Most of the more outstanding people were already married; there was no way they would wait for Li Hui to marry one.
People with a certain status are getting older, and they can't stay unmarried forever.
“Cousin,” Li Hui took a deep breath, “if you’re going to introduce someone, introduce someone good, not someone too bad.”
"I won't introduce you to anyone bad," Shi Guilan said. "If I do, won't you blame me?"
Mrs. Su led Qin Zihang around the family compound for a while, letting everyone know that Song Fenglan was their niece and Qin Zihang was their grand-nephew. When Mrs. Su was young, she wasn't a submissive person; her temper wasn't as gentle as it is now, and she had remained quiet and reserved for many years.
Since her husband treated Song Fenglan like his own niece, Madam Su naturally couldn't not help Song Fenglan. Madam Su had traveled abroad with her husband and wasn't an uncultured woman. However, she hadn't done much else while abroad; she mainly took care of her husband and children.
“My grand-nephew, with him around, I’m not bored.”
"It's good to have a child around; it's lively."
"Qin Tuan's wife is my niece, yes, that's her, there's no mistake."
...
Mrs. Su did not take Qin Zihang to the Zhao family, nor did she take the child to the Xu family. Mrs. Su simply chatted with people she often saw, and since the family compound was only so big, those people who heard those conversations would surely tell others, and more and more people would find out.
Qin Zihang had no idea what Madam Su was planning, but he knew how to cooperate with her.
"Auntie, I don't want Mom to be bullied."
“Auntie, I’m a good girl. I haven’t done anything bad, and neither has my mother.”
"Auntie, I'm three years old, that's a lot."
...
People naturally wondered when Shi Guilan had introduced Qin Yizhou to a potential partner, and even thought that Shi Guilan's cousin was trying to steal Qin Yizhou's wife away while she was pregnant. They were all women, and everyone knew how hard it was for women to be pregnant. Being a military wife was extremely difficult; with their husbands away, they often had to take care of their families and do all the chores themselves.
Those people could easily imagine themselves being treated that way; they would absolutely not accept it!
Qin Zihang was quite clever; he knew how to cooperate with Madam Su. Looking at Qin Zihang, Madam Su thought he was incredibly adorable—how could there be such a cute child?
It's just gossip, and Madam Su understands it all too well. She's not ignorant; she's not going to just let Shi Guilan go.
When Song Fenglan went to the Su family home after work, Mrs. Su was giving Qin Zihang a bath. Song Fenglan hadn't brought any clothes with her, so Mrs. Su had gone out to buy clothes for the child. She had washed those clothes early in the morning, and since it was hot, they dried quickly, just in time to dress Qin Zihang.
It was said to be helping with a bath, but in reality, Mrs. Su simply poured water and closed the bathroom door slightly.
Qin Zihang said he was a big boy now, and that he had to bathe himself and not let a woman help him. Mrs. Su couldn't persuade Qin Zihang otherwise, so she simply let him bathe himself.
Despite the sweltering heat, Qin Zihang didn't roll in the mud. He wasn't very dirty and just needed a quick rinse.
After waiting a while, Qin Zihang came out of the bathroom. He had dressed himself, but he hadn't dressed properly in the front or back.
"Mom." As soon as Qin Zihang saw his mother, he ran to her.
"Put your own clothes on," Song Fenglan said with a smile.
"You're dressed well." Qin Zihang circled around in front of Song Fenglan once more.
"You're dressed well, you're dressed well. Keep up the good work, and you'll dress yourself again next time." Song Fenglan patted her son's head.
"Have you eaten?" Mrs. Su asked.
"I've already eaten. I ate at the institute's canteen," Song Fenglan said. "The food there is pretty good."
"That's fine. Would you like to sit for a while?" Madam Su asked.
"No, I'll take him back. Aunt, thank you for your trouble," Song Fenglan said.
“What’s the trouble? I’ll go pick him up first thing tomorrow morning,” Madam Su said.
"I'll bring him here." Song Fenglan felt embarrassed; how could she let Madam Su go to pick up her son?
“I’m your aunt, Hangbao’s great-aunt, why are you being so polite with me?” Madam Su said with a smile. “If you can contribute more to your work, then all this is worth it for me. There’s really no need to be so polite with your aunt, I wasn’t forced by your uncle.”
Professor Su hadn't returned yet; he was still working overtime at the research institute. Song Fenglan wasn't working overtime. This was her first day at the institute, and there were still many problems to solve as it was almost time to leave. Professor Su told Song Fenglan to go home and rest early, emphasizing that she needed to get enough rest even if she was going to work. Song Fenglan also had a child, and working overtime on her first day wasn't a good idea.
Most importantly, Professor Su discovered that Song Fenglan's way of thinking was quite different from theirs; Song Fenglan's ideas were more novel and simpler. The shift from complexity to simplicity, and the many new concepts, were immediately clear to someone of Professor Su's caliber, but that didn't mean others would understand them at first glance.
Professor Su needs to guide the others to think more deeply, lest they think Song Fenglan's words are too lighthearted.
Geniuses are beings who are different from others; people cannot use ordinary thinking to understand them.
“These are new clothes!” Song Fenglan exclaimed when she saw the clothes on the child.
“They’re new,” Mrs. Su said. “You’ve only been here a short time, haven’t you? The child probably doesn’t have many clothes. Perfect timing, I bought him two outfits, and he has some clean clothes here too. We also have a sewing machine, so we can make a few clothes. Hangbao said you made clothes for him, you’re really something.”
“Some simple ones,” Song Fenglan said. “My mother taught me.”
"Your family..." Madam Su sighed inwardly. The Song family must be a very good family, but unfortunately they encountered a special era. "It's okay. As long as you make some achievements, your parents will be fine soon."
Others can't help the Song family as much as they can; the most important thing is for the Song family members themselves.
"Yes, they'll be able to go back to the capital soon," Song Fenglan said. Even if she didn't get into the research institute, her parents would be exonerated by tomorrow or the day after. Song Fenglan wanted to do more; she couldn't keep waiting.
"Mom," Qin Zihang looked at his clothes, "Am I wearing them inside out? I can't feel any flesh below my neck."
"You wore it backwards, front and back."
The face is even lower. "Come on, take it off, Mom will change you," Song Fenglan said.
“Hangbao is very sensible. I offered to help him take a bath, but he said no, he’s a boy,” Mrs. Su said. “So I didn’t help him bathe. I just closed the bathroom door a little so I could talk to him for a bit, and if anything happens, I can go in.”
Mrs. Su thought of the incident where the Fang family's child, who was less than a year old, fell headfirst into a bucket of water. Although Mrs. Su took out a small basin to bathe Qin Zihang, she still had to be extra careful.
“We need to teach him about gender awareness,” Song Fenglan said. “Children don’t understand this and might make mistakes.”
Song Fenglan didn't want her son to lift up little girls' skirts; that was wrong.
In her past life, Song Fenglan witnessed five- or six-year-old boys lifting up young women's skirts, with the mothers saying the children were too young and that the children were innocent, that it was the adults' hearts that were dirty. In Song Fenglan's view, the other young women weren't the boys' relatives, so the feeling was ultimately different. The boy's mother couldn't judge others by her own standards, nor could she always use the excuse that the child was too young.
Parents need to teach their children when they are very young.
"You're a very good mother." Mrs. Su looked at Song Fenglan, who seemed to be working quite hard. "Would you like to sit here for a while before leaving?"
"No, I'll take him back first," Song Fenglan said.
“Okay, I’ll go pick him up first thing tomorrow morning,” Madam Su said.
"Thank you." Song Fenglan bowed to Madam Su.
“You silly child, I told you, don’t be so polite,” Mrs. Su said. She was a very righteous person. Her husband always worked overtime, but she never complained. Instead, she took care of everything at home perfectly. “With Hangbao around, my life won’t be stagnant. The child is energetic, lively, and very cute.”
“Say goodbye to Auntie,” Song Fenglan said.
"Goodbye, Auntie." Qin Zihang waved.
Song Fenglan felt embarrassed to ask Madam Su to wash Qin Zihang's clothes, so she took Qin Zihang's clothes home. She planned to have Madam Su bring some of her son's clothes with her when Madam Su visited the next day. Song Fenglan had originally planned to take her son home and bathe him herself, but she hadn't expected Madam Su to be so considerate.
The mother and son walked on the road, and Qin Zihang was particularly happy.
"My aunt took me out to play." Qin Zihang held Song Fenglan's hand. "Everyone said I was well-behaved and sensible. They all said I was very good."
“Yes, our Zihang is very good,” Song Fenglan said. “Zihang is the best.”
"That's what I said too. I'm my mother's precious little darling," Qin Zihang said. "My mother loves me the most."
“Yes, that’s right,” Song Fenglan said.
"My aunt gave me eggs to eat. She said if I eat more, I'll grow taller and be taller than my dad in the future." Qin Zihang jumped up, then grabbed his pants and looked down to see if they had fallen down.
"Did you thank your aunt for your new clothes?" Song Fenglan asked.
"I told her," Qin Zihang said. "I said no, no, I don't want those clothes. My aunt said I still need to buy two more so I can change into them. She said we're family, no need to be so polite."
"Your aunt and uncle are kind-hearted." Song Fenglan felt really embarrassed. She had no blood relation with Professor Su and his wife, but these people were so kind to her that she didn't know how to repay them.
Qin Yizhou arrived home just as Song Fenglan and her son had returned. Qin Yizhou hadn't eaten yet, while Song Fenglan and her son had, so Qin Yizhou simply cooked some noodles instead of going to the cafeteria.
“My uncle has taken me into the research institute. From now on, my aunt will help us take care of the children.” Song Fenglan doesn’t expect her mother-in-law to come and help take care of the children; that’s unrealistic.
Song Fenglan had only met her mother-in-law a handful of times. After she gave birth, her mother-in-law came to visit her briefly during her postpartum period, bringing a chicken as a gift—that was about it. Song Fenglan knew that the Qin family didn't want to associate with her, and she didn't want to associate with them either.
Those people felt that she was a burden to Qin Yizhou, and none of them liked her. Fortunately, she didn't move into the Qin family home; otherwise, life would have become even more difficult.
"Has everything been agreed upon?" Qin Yizhou asked.
“Yes, it’s settled,” Song Fenglan said. “I won’t go to be a middle school teacher; I’ll work at the research institute. That way, those people won’t be able to cut in line and take their jobs. I’m not trying to be mean, but it will be difficult for them to get into the research institute anyway. It’s like I’m not competing with them for jobs, which frees up a spot.”
Song Fenglan didn't care whether those people thought she was easy to bully. She only knew that if she didn't become a middle school teacher, they wouldn't use the excuse that her child hadn't been properly taught to cause her trouble again. The best way was to stay far away from those people and avoid giving them any cause for her to cause.
“If I come back earlier in the future, I will pick up Zihang,” Qin Yizhou said. “If I come back late, I will have to wait for you to pick me up.”
“It’s alright,” Song Fenglan said. “My aunt said that if we didn’t come back, it would be fine for Zihang to stay with them for one night. My aunt is only helping us out of respect for my uncle and my deceased uncle.”
Qin Yizhou knew in his heart that things were probably not that simple. What kind of person was Professor Su? He wouldn't just casually pull someone into the research institute; Song Fenglan must be very capable.
"Eat something." Qin Yizhou looked at Qin Zihang, who looked back at him.
"I don't want to eat," Qin Zihang shook his head. "I'm full."
"Have a bite." Qin Yizhou saw his son staring at him, how could he not give his son a bite?
“That’s your father.” Song Fenglan saw her son looking at her, and naturally she couldn’t stop him.
Qin Zihang took a bite, shook his head, and said, "It's not tasty."
“He doesn’t like eating noodles, but when he sees others eating them, he thinks they taste good and becomes curious,” Song Fenglan said. “Children are all like that; they find things novel.”
"You take care of him first, I'll go take a shower and then wash the clothes," Song Fenglan said.
Song Fenglan was quick; by the time she finished showering and washing her clothes, Qin Yizhou had already finished eating and washing the dishes.
Qin Zihang went out for a long walk today, and he was telling his father about what he had seen and heard that day.
"My aunt took me out."
“My aunt bought me clothes, and she took me to play with them.”
“My aunt said I was very well-behaved. She cooked for me, and there were eggs in the food.”
...
Qin Zihang leaned close to his father and whispered, "Auntie doesn't have any babies at home, just me. Auntie gave me all the good food."
Aunt Yu has grandchildren, so Qin Zihang, staying there, naturally wouldn't receive much preferential treatment. Aunt Yu inevitably favors her own grandchildren. Sometimes, when Qin Zihang sees other children with food but he doesn't, he doesn't make a fuss, but he still gets upset. When his mother comes home, he'll say pitifully, "Mom, they all have food, but I don't."
Song Fenglan didn't speak ill of Aunt Yu. Considering the closeness of their relationship, Aunt Yu had already done a great job helping Song Fenglan take care of the child; how could she expect the same treatment? So Song Fenglan would take the child out for extra meals and treat them to good food.
"I prefer my aunt's house," Qin Zihang said.
Just then, someone came to call Qin Yizhou; it was a phone call from Qin Yizhou's family.
Qin Yizhou told Song Fenglan that he would take Qin Zihang with him to call home. Qin Yizhou was no longer staying in the military dormitory; his family was unaware of this.
Song Fenglan and her son had been there for several days before the Qin family realized they weren't in the capital. Mr. and Mrs. Qin paid little attention to Song Fenglan; they would sometimes ask Mrs. Qin's eldest sister-in-law to visit, but she rarely did. She would say she had seen her but not actually do it, a classic case of double-dealing. Even the gifts Mrs. Qin asked her eldest sister-in-law to deliver to Song Fenglan and her son, Mrs. Qin managed to keep for herself or only a small portion, since Mrs. Qin and Song Fenglan couldn't possibly keep track of the expenses.
It was Qin's mother who called. She had gone to Aunt Yu's house during the day because she hadn't seen Qin Zihang in a long time and felt she had to go and check on him. Then, Qin's mother learned that Song Fenglan and her son had gone to join the army. Others even asked Qin's mother why she hadn't known.
Qin's mother was somewhat embarrassed, as they had never interfered much in the lives of Song Fenglan and her son.
Previously, Qin's sister-in-law said that Song Fenglan and her son didn't go with the army because they couldn't endure the hardship, saying that Song Fenglan was delicate and frail. Qin's mother felt that what her eldest daughter-in-law said made a lot of sense; Song Fenglan didn't seem like someone who could go with the army.
To be honest, Qin's mother did have some prejudice against Song Fenglan, and the rest of the Qin family did not treat Song Fenglan well.
"Mom." Qin Yizhou called home, and his mother answered the phone. He was making the call from a phone booth here.
"Have Song Fenglan and the others arrived at your place?" Qin's mother asked.
"Yes, I arrived here a few days ago," Qin Yizhou replied.
Qin's mother was silent for a while, then said, "It's good that she's going to your place. You two can't stay apart forever."
Despite her dislike for Song Fenglan, Qin's mother still hoped that Song Fenglan and her son could go with the army so that her son wouldn't be all alone at the military base.
"Is Zihang alright?"
"Mother Qin said."
"It's alright." Qin Yizhou picked up his son. "Say something to your grandma."
"Goodbye, Grandma!" Qin Zihang said.
Qin Yizhou didn't expect his son to say this. He turned to look at the side; he didn't like his grandmother.
Qin's mother rarely saw Qin Zihang throughout the year; sometimes she would even complain about his dirty clothes and say that others hadn't taken good care of him. Qin Zihang was a child, and children are usually quite perceptive. He sensed that his mother didn't like him, and he didn't like her either.
Qin Zihang didn't miss his grandmother at all.
Hearing this, Qin's mother felt quite uncomfortable and couldn't help but wonder if Song Fenglan had taught Qin Zihang to say it. Song Fenglan hadn't taught Qin Zihang to say such things. She had taken Qin Zihang to meet Qin's parents during the New Year, but Qin's parents' attention was clearly on their eldest daughter-in-law's child, and they didn't care much about Qin Zihang.
Qin's sister-in-law's children also harbored some ill will towards Qin Zihang, making it even less likely for Qin Zihang to associate with them. Qin's mother inevitably assumed that Song Fenglan didn't want Qin Zihang to play with his older cousins, but in reality, that wasn't the case at all. It was Qin's sister-in-law who prevented her child from playing with Song Fenglan's children, fearing that Song Fenglan's children would implicate her own.
"It's good that Zihang has arrived at your place. I only found out they went to your place when I went to the Yu family today," Qin's mother said. "They didn't even say a word before they left."
"They arrived here safely and smoothly." Qin Yizhou knew that his wife and children rarely got close to his parents and their relatives. When he and Song Fenglan got their marriage certificate, his family was not satisfied.
Qin Yizhou rarely went home, and his visits were brief, leaving him little opportunity to mediate the conflicts among these people. Not wanting his wife and children to suffer, Qin Yizhou sensed the dissatisfaction in his mother's tone, but he refrained from speaking ill of them.
"Only when they are by my side can I better protect them," Qin Yizhou said.
"..." Hearing this, Qin's mother felt even more uncomfortable. Was her son blaming them?
"Mom, is there anything else?" Qin Yizhou asked. "There are a lot of mosquitoes outside, and Zihang's skin is delicate."
"Is your wife next to you?" Qin's mother asked.
“No, she’s at home washing clothes for Zihang,” Qin Yizhou said.
"Did she go to work?" Qin's mother asked again. "If she doesn't have a job, that's okay. She can stay home and take care of the child. Her aunt isn't there, so there's no one to help her take care of the child."
“Her aunt is here,” Qin Yizhou replied. “Her aunt helps take care of the child.”
"Auntie, who?" Qin's mother frowned. "Does the Song family still have people over there?"
“I know some people.” Qin Yizhou didn’t say it was Professor Su and his wife, because there were some things he couldn’t tell these people. “You don’t need to worry about us. Fenglan has gone to work. It’s a stable and good job. The child is also being taken care of. You don’t need to worry about her.”
Moreover, Qin's father and mother didn't worry much about the child; it was Song Fenglan who took care of everything.
"Daddy, it itches," Qin Zihang said, stretching out his chubby little hand, which was covered in red spots.
"I'll be back in a bit," Qin Yizhou said to Qin Zihang. Then, Qin Yizhou asked about his father's health, said a few words, and then hung up the phone.
After hanging up the phone, Qin Yizhou picked up Qin Zihang. He didn't take Qin Zihang back immediately, but instead went for a walk outside.
"Don't you like Grandma?" Qin Yizhou asked.
“Grandma doesn’t like me,” Qin Zihang said. “She said I was dirty and she looked down on me.”
"Isn't Mom here?" Qin Yizhou asked.
“Mom has to earn money to support me, and my great-aunt is here,” Qin Zihang said. “I don’t like my grandma, not at all. Grandma has her precious grandson, but I’m not her little darling.”
Qin Yizhou sighed, "Does Mom know?"
"Mom knows, but she still took me to see Grandma," Qin Zihang said, feeling wronged. "I don't want to go."
Qin Zihang didn't know he was going to the Qin family, which was fine. But when he found out, he started complaining that he didn't want to go.
Song Fenglan felt sorry for her son, but she couldn't always take him to the Qin family, so as not to make the Qin family think that they were there to ask for money.
“We’re not beggars,” Qin Zihang said. “We’re not beggars.”
“Yes, you’re not.” Qin Yizhou patted his son’s head, wondering if they had been bullied while he wasn’t around. “If you don’t like Grandma, see her less often in the future.”
Qin Yizhou had thought it through. If they returned to the capital, they would definitely live in a different house, not with his parents. Qin Yizhou couldn't allow his wife and children to be treated unfairly, nor could he ask them to endure such things for his sake.
"Dad, aren't you unhappy?" Qin Zihang asked. "Grandma is your mother."
“I’m not unhappy,” Qin Yizhou said. “It depends on the situation. If Grandma doesn’t like you, you don’t have to like your grandma either. But you still have to call her Grandma.”
“I did call out,” Qin Zihang said. “They even glared at me, glared at my mother.”
Qin Yizhou hadn't heard Song Fenglan say these things much; at most, she'd mentioned she wouldn't stay at the Qin family home much longer. Hearing that, Qin Yizhou knew his wife had been wronged, and he obeyed her every whim. Sometimes, Qin Yizhou felt incredibly powerless; he couldn't afford to argue with his parents for his wife's sake. What would be the point? People would only think Song Fenglan was sowing discord.
Qin Yizhou wasn't always in the capital, nor was he always by Song Fenglan's side. He couldn't keep calling to discuss those matters. Calling was pointless; people could simply hang up. They weren't afraid of Qin Yizhou on the other end of the line.
“From now on, stay with Dad,” Qin Yizhou said. “Don’t be afraid. If they bully you, just tell Dad.”
"My aunt told me not to say anything," Qin Zihang said, pouting.
"Your great-aunt..." Qin Yizhou sighed helplessly. Those people were afraid of causing trouble for Song Fenglan and her son, which was why they asked Qin Zihang to say less.
Qin Zihang is a child, and everyone assumes that the adults said something unpleasant in front of him, but they don't know that the child also has feelings about it.
"Don't tell anyone else, tell Mom and Dad," Qin Yizhou said. "You are Mom and Dad's little darling, and Mom and Dad will protect you."
"Aren't you going to protect your mother?" Qin Zihang tilted his head. "My aunt said we can't tell Dad."
Qin Zihang quickly covered it up. What would a child know? He just said what he wanted to say.
"Yes, you can talk about it," Qin Yizhou said. "If you do something wrong, it's not okay whether it's Mom or Dad, you understand?"
"Oh," Qin Zihang replied.
When Staff Officer Xu returned home, his attitude towards Shi Guilan was not good. He knew that Song Fenglan was Professor Su and his wife's niece, which made him uneasy. Professor Su was someone their unit was willing to risk their lives to protect; what was Shi Guilan up to?
He used to think Shi Guilan did a good job, but now Shi Guilan has disappointed him greatly.
When a wall falls, everyone pushes it down. Some people even told Staff Officer Xu that Shi Guilan's attitude towards her two stepdaughters wasn't very good. Didn't they see how timid and submissive the two stepdaughters were? That wasn't obedient and sensible; it was fear.
Staff Officer Xu felt angry just thinking about it. Perhaps he shouldn't have married Shi Guilan in the first place. He shouldn't have thought that Shi Guilan was from the same hometown as his wife, and they were relatives. He also thought that Shi Guilan knew how to take care of children, so he married her.
He was wrong, terribly wrong!
When Shi Guilan saw her husband return, he had a cold face. She knew in her heart that it was probably because of Song Fenglan.
I never imagined that Song Fenglan had such a powerful backer. If I had known this earlier, I would never have offended Song Fenglan.
Shi Guilan was selective in her treatment of people. For example, she didn't dare offend Zhao's wife. However, she wasn't so kind to the wives of other military personnel with lower ranks.
"You...you knew everything?" Shi Guilan asked.
“I’m not deaf or blind,” Staff Officer Xu said. “In a few days, I’ll have… I’ll have the child’s maternal grandmother come over.”
“Grandma?” Shi Guilan frowned. “My mother…”
“She’s not your mother,” Staff Officer Xu said. “She’s the maternal grandmother of my two daughters.”
Staff Officer Xu had initially considered having his own mother come over, but then decided against it, reasoning that mothers usually dote on their grandsons more. The Fang family was a prime example; Grandma Fang neglected her granddaughter, who nearly drowned in an accident.
If you want your two daughters to have a good life, having their maternal grandmother come over is the most suitable option.
Staff Officer Xu once told his deceased wife's portrait that he would help his wife's family and that he could take care of his mother-in-law in her old age.
"Isn't this a bit much? It's all rationed," Shi Guilan said. "If there's another mouth to feed in the family, won't there be enough to eat?"
“We both have salaries, how could we not be able to afford to support each other?” Staff Officer Xu said.
"But……"
"Or do you want to take the child back?"
"Going back to our hometown?" Staff Officer Xu asked.
Shi Guilan didn't want to go back to her hometown at all. It was her hometown, the countryside. If Shi Guilan went back, everyone would think that she had been abandoned by her husband, that he had grown tired of her, and that wouldn't do.
Shi Guilan couldn't let others think she had been abandoned. She hadn't been abandoned; she and her man were doing well.
"Then let her come over," Shi Guilan said helplessly.
“You two are relatives, after all,” Staff Officer Xu said. “Back then, I married you with their consent.”
"..." Shi Guilan was unhappy. That was Staff Officer Xu's first wife's biological mother, not her own. This meant she had an extra layer of mother-in-law above her, and how was she supposed to live her life in the future?
Qin Yizhou carried the child home, but he didn't let the child tell him about his mother. Qin Yizhou himself told Song Fenglan that his mother had called and said she knew they were there.
“I went there before coming here,” Song Fenglan said. “I saw your sister-in-law, and then I came over.”
When Sister-in-law Qin saw Song Fenglan, she looked down on her, acting superior. Before Song Fenglan could even speak, Sister-in-law Qin said, "What brings you here?"
Sister-in-law Qin also told Song Fenglan to stay away, saying that she shouldn't go there unnecessarily, as it wouldn't look good if others saw her. Song Fenglan didn't say those words, and Qin Yizhou hadn't witnessed it himself, so he might not believe it.
Some people believe that if they didn't see it with their own eyes, then it couldn't have actually happened, and that others might be talking nonsense.
"Your sister-in-law... she's been through a lot for you," Qin Yizhou said.
“Even if I’m an adult, I can’t stand it,” Song Fenglan said. “When we go back later, Zihang and I will visit less often, and you can visit more often by yourself.”
“My older brother and I have all grown up and have our own families now,” Qin Yizhou said. “It’s impossible to be like we used to be; there’s no need for us to be together all the time.”
"Hmm, you decide for yourself." Song Fenglan hung all the clothes out to dry. The research institute also provided her with work clothes, which she could wear to work.
"Mom." Qin Zihang ran up to Song Fenglan.
"Qin Zihang, Qin Zihang," Zhang Xiaohu called from the doorway.
Zhang Xiaohu came to check on the puppy again. Song Fenglan and her husband were out at work, so they fed the dog twice a day, morning and evening. They ate in the cafeteria, so they could also get some other food for the dog. Song Fenglan told Qin Zihang to go to Mrs. Su's place; it wouldn't be appropriate to send the puppy there as well.
Qin Zihang accompanied Zhang Xiaohu to see the puppy, while Song Fenglan and Qin Yizhou stood by and watched.
"Are there any confidential things in the house?" Song Fenglan asked.
"No," Qin Yizhou said.
“I plan to give the house key to my aunt,” Song Fenglan said. “The child’s clothes are in the next room, and the bed is made. It will be a bit hot in the tenement building, but it’s better in our single-story house. My aunt can also take care of the child here. The two places are so close, so my aunt can stay wherever she wants.”
Song Fenglan thought that Madam Su was essentially a free nanny, since they weren't paying her. Song Fenglan suggested they buy more groceries, perhaps in the morning, as they had other things at home. Song Fenglan wasn't asking Madam Su to cook for them, but rather that Madam Su could get whatever she needed from their home. They had plenty of grain, oil, rice, and flour, and the yard was large enough for Qin Zihang to play in.
"Sure." Qin Yizhou had no objections. To his shame, his parents hadn't taken much care of Qin Zihang; instead, it was Song Fenglan's family who had to look after him. "Absolutely no problem."
After finishing her phone call with Qin Yizhou, Qin's mother sat in the living room, not in a particularly good mood.
"Has your sister-in-law arrived yet?" Sister-in-law Qin asked.
"We've arrived," said Qin's mother.
“Mom, don’t be angry. She’s just used to being a pampered young lady. She would never think of informing us,” said Sister-in-law Qin. “You know her temper. When she was pregnant, you asked her to come and stay at our house, but she refused.”
Sister-in-law Qin had even told people that she didn't know if the child in Song Fenglan's belly was Qin Yizhou's, since Qin Yizhou left soon after registering their marriage. Sister-in-law Qin was also very disdainful of Song Fenglan, acting as if Song Fenglan had gotten the better deal. She thought it was only because Song Fenglan could live in the Qin family that Song Fenglan's ancestors' graves were emitting auspicious smoke.
"Sigh," Qin's mother sighed, "I hope she can settle down a bit when she gets there."
Qin's mother was worried that Song Fenglan would cause trouble for Qin Yizhou and affect his future.
"If you ask me, it's better for her to go with the army," said Sister-in-law Qin. "She lives at her aunt's house. People who don't know the situation might think we're making things difficult for her by not letting her stay. When I'm out and about, I don't know how to answer people who ask me questions."
Sister-in-law Qin looked as if she had lost a great deal of face. "No matter what we say to her, it's no use. She's different from us. Her upbringing has been completely different from ours. We're from two different worlds, and we can't possibly get along. Forcing it won't help."
"Forget it, let her be," Qin's mother said. "They are both adults, let them live their own lives."
Sister-in-law Qin never mentioned Song Fenglan's past visits, and since she didn't speak of it, Qin's mother was unaware of it either.
That night, Qin Yizhou went to make up the bed next door. When Qin Zihang saw this, he hugged his mother's leg tightly and asked, "Mom, am I still your little baby?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
