Chapter 28 You Can't Make a Decision If You're Forging Documents
"It's not some worthless junk, is it?" Jiang Yufei said. "Mom, you helped Auntie take care of Song Fenglan, their family can't just not thank us at all, they..."
"I gave it to her," Aunt Yu said. "She gave me a bicycle."
"Bicycle? Gone?" Jiang Yufei asked again.
"Isn't that enough?" Aunt Yu frowned. "There are also some melons, fruits, and dried fruits. These things are enough. People are never satisfied. Don't say things like that. What kind of talk will it make if word gets out? Your aunt and the others didn't leave you without giving you anything; they did give you things."
"So many years..."
“Your aunt and I are sisters,” Aunt Yu said. “Your aunt also brought things over before they were sent down to the farm.”
Previously, Aunt Yu didn't dare to say these things, fearing that others would overhear. Aunt Yu was also worried that Jiang Yufei would talk nonsense, as Jiang Yufei was not someone who could be trusted.
"If they didn't give her anything, do you think your grandma and the others would agree to let Fenglan stay?" Now that her older sister had been exonerated, Aunt Yu was a bit more assertive, unlike before when she had to constantly bow down. After her sister's exoneration, she even came to deliver those things herself. Aunt Yu felt that her sister had given her a lot of face, and that her sister didn't owe her anything.
Aunt Yu felt that her family had already taken so much, and that they were the ones who benefited. After Song Fenglan got married, she lived in her house and even paid rent and food expenses. Aunt Yu felt sorry for Song Fenglan because she hadn't taken good care of her.
“What are those things?” Jiang Yufei asked. “I didn’t see any of them.”
"It's not like you're taking care of your cousin, why should I look at you?" Aunt Yu said.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Jiang Yufei had suspected it before, but her parents didn't say anything. She was used to her mother bowing and scraping, and her mother liked to help Song's mother.
"What did I tell you?" Aunt Yu said unhappily. "You're young, and you don't like your cousin. Do you think I'd let you go around telling everyone? You can't keep your mouth shut. It's not good if others find out."
"Can you talk now?" Jiang Yufei asked again.
"Your aunt's family has been exonerated, so they can talk about it now," Aunt Yu said. Before, they had to be very careful not to let others know about those things. But now, it doesn't matter if others know about those things. The Song family has been exonerated, and their family can be related to the Song family. This is a blessing for their family.
When Song's mother was sent to the farm, Aunt Yu was glad that she had married a worker and wouldn't have to be sent to the farm herself. Now that Song's mother was back, Aunt Yu wasn't particularly jealous; after all, Song's mother had suffered so much in the countryside for so many years.
"Don't think about those things. You're a married woman," Aunt Yu said.
“Mom, you’ve changed.” Jiang Yufei stared at Aunt Yu. “You used to speak so weakly and feebly.”
Now, Jiang Yufei noticed that her mother's tone of voice was louder and she wasn't as quiet as before.
"..." Aunt Yu realized that she had indeed changed. There was a difference between having a powerful backer and not having one. With a powerful backer, life was much easier, and her in-laws wouldn't dare to say anything bad about her.
Back when the Song family hadn't been sent to the farm, Aunt Yu's in-laws treated her quite well. But with the turbulent times and sudden changes, the Song family suffered, and Aunt Yu had to remain silent.
"Mom, everyone who sees it gets a share, I..."
“That bicycle belongs to our family.” Sister-in-law Jiang came out of the room. She couldn’t let Jiang Yufei just push the bicycle away. “If you want it, I’ll give you some dried fruit.”
Jiang's sister-in-law believed that when Song's mother gave the bicycle to Aunt Yu, it was a gift to the Jiang family.
It wasn't for Jiang Yufei. Jiang Yufei, a married woman, has no right to come to our house and ask for those things. Jiang Yufei's attitude towards Song Fenglan wasn't good before, so what right does she have to ask for those things?
Even though Jiang Dasao and the others treated Song Fenglan rather indifferently, they at least let her stay at home and didn't kick her out. Song Fenglan even stayed at the Jiang family home during her postpartum confinement period.
"I didn't say I wanted a bicycle," Jiang Yufei said. "Didn't Auntie really give me anything else nice?"
“Yes, those are ours too,” said Sister-in-law Jiang. Since it involved her own interests, she had to make a statement and let her mother-in-law know she wasn't willing to give those things up. If Jiang Yufei wanted those things, she could go ask the Song family herself and see if they would give them to her.
"How can you act like a sister-in-law?" Jiang Yufei said, dissatisfied.
"Alright." Aunt Yu said helplessly when she saw that they were about to start arguing. "Your aunt has already given you enough. Eldest daughter, you go and do your work. Yufei, don't think about those things. Like your sister-in-law said, take some dried fruit back with you."
"How stingy!" Jiang Yufei said unhappily. "I'll go see Auntie later."
In that instant, Jiang Yufei completely forgot about her harassment of Song Fenglan; she still hoped to get something from Song's mother. But Song's mother had no intention of giving Jiang Yufei anything. When Song Fenglan spoke to her mother on the phone, she had spoken ill of Jiang Yufei, always saying nice things, which her mother couldn't possibly believe. So Song Fenglan then said some things that displeased her.
Jiang Yufei made things difficult for Song Fenglan quite a bit, and she even said many hurtful things. Song Fenglan endured it all for her own safety and to stay in the city, but that didn't mean she would keep those things to herself.
At the time, Song's mother told Song Fenglan to be patient, since they weren't family members, and if she couldn't bear it, what else could she do?
It's someone else's home, someone else's family, so you have to be a little more tolerant. As far as Jiang Yufei is concerned, Song Fenglan is an outsider, so it's understandable that Jiang Yufei is unhappy.
It's normal, but Song's mother couldn't possibly prepare extra gifts for Jiang Yufei. They couldn't expect Jiang Yufei to be grateful to her just because she hadn't succeeded in getting rid of Song Fenglan. It wasn't that Jiang Yufei hadn't tried to get rid of Song Fenglan; she just hadn't succeeded.
When Song Fenglan was feeling down, she still had to deal with Jiang Yufei, who would then join others in bullying her. When Song Fenglan was framed, Jiang Yufei had the opportunity to rescue her, but she didn't. If it weren't for Qin Yizhou, Song Fenglan's life would have been ruined by those people.
At lunchtime, the director of the research institute made a point of sitting in front of Song Fenglan.
"Have you spoken to your parents on the phone?" the station chief asked.
"We spoke on the phone," Song Fenglan said. "Thank you for your help."
"You should thank yourself," the director said. "Without your own efforts, your parents' situation wouldn't have been resolved so quickly. It's all thanks to you. Are your parents alright?"
"They're alright, they're in good health," Song Fenglan replied. "Everything's fine."
"That's good, that's good." The director nodded. "You can stay here and do your research with peace of mind."
"Okay." Song Fenglan replied, "I will try my best to do things well and complete the mission."
"Don't overwork yourself. You need to rest when you need to." The director placed a bowl of chicken soup in front of Song Fenglan. "You need to nourish yourself. You have to eat meat, not just drink soup. Drinking soup alone is not enough."
"Okay." Song Fenglan didn't stand on ceremony with the director. She ate a lot in the cafeteria, eating as much as she wanted. Without good health, one couldn't do much research; one's body would break down. Song Fenglan understood this principle; she didn't need anyone to tell her.
Everyone in the institute sighed at Song Fenglan's plight. If it were someone else, they might have been ruined, unable to rise again. But Song Fenglan persevered; her spirit was truly admirable.
Song Fenglan is Song Xingyun's niece. Knowing this, others didn't doubt her abilities; instead, they believed she had a strong family background in scholarship. The entire Song family is intelligent; there were outstanding individuals in the previous generation, and there are outstanding individuals in this generation as well.
It's August now, and the weather is gradually getting less hot, so things are a little better.
After finishing her meal and washing the dishes, Fan Yani sat under a big tree in the family compound. Fan Yani was still able to chat with Old Lady Cao, who was Staff Officer Xu's mother-in-law, but not Shi Guilan's biological mother, something Fan Yani had learned yesterday.
That's great!
Shi Guilan and Li Hui are cousins, and the two might join forces. Old Mrs. Cao and Shi Guilan don't get along, and Old Mrs. Cao certainly doesn't want Shi Guilan's cousin's influence to become too strong. Fan Yani also had her man stolen by Li Hui, so the two could potentially become allies.
“Speaking of potential partners, there’s a good one,” said Old Mrs. Cao. “It’s up to you whether you dare to approach him.”
“Of course I dare! Why wouldn’t I dare!” Fan Yani said. “As long as I’m not a mistress or someone who ruins other people’s relationships, I can do it. I’m just afraid that people will look down on me for being my brother’s childhood sweetheart. There’s no romantic relationship between my brother and me. He’s always treated me like a sister. He just didn’t say it before. If he had, I definitely wouldn’t have said that I was his childhood sweetheart. I like soldiers. Soldiers protect our country and are really great.”
"That man went on a blind date with your sister-in-law, Li Hui, but it didn't work out," said Old Mrs. Cao. "He was a company commander, a bit older, unmarried, and fairly good-looking."
"Didn't you go on any blind dates?" Fan Yani asked, puzzled.
"Yes, she didn't agree on the day of the blind date," said Old Mrs. Cao. "However..."
“But what?” Fan Yani asked.
"Everyone knows that you were Guo Peng's childhood sweetheart," said Old Lady Cao. "Even though you didn't marry Guo Peng, some people still care."
“If he cares, I won’t marry him. It’s not like I have to marry this person. I can marry someone else,” Fan Yani said.
“That’s true,” said Old Lady Cao. “We shouldn’t put all our eggs in one basket.”
"If you introduce me to someone, and I think I'll agree," Fan Yani said.
“Even if you agree, he has to agree too,” said Old Mrs. Cao.
“If he’s really a good person, I’ll go after him,” Fan Yani said. “What’s wrong with that? Happiness is in your own hands. Neither of us is married, so I’ll give it a shot. If it still doesn’t work out, then I’ll just give up.”
Fan Yani doesn't consider herself a cheapskate; she wouldn't keep pursuing one person forever. If it doesn't work out, she'll let go decisively. The next one will be better; she can find someone else and doesn't need to keep fixating on one person.
Grandma Cao briefly explained Yue Hongwei's situation and said she would take Fan Yani to meet him another day.
In the evening, Song Fenglan returned home to find Qin Zihang digging in the sand in the yard with a small shovel. Qin Yizhou hadn't given Qin Zihang a bath yet, and since Qin Zihang wanted to play, Qin Yizhou sat beside him watching.
Qin Yizhou didn't understand what was so fun about digging in the sand, but his son insisted on doing it.
"Here, here," Qin Zihang said to Zhang Xiaohu.
The two children were digging in the sand, and had even dug a small hole down into it. Each child had a small shovel, and they were taking turns digging.
"Playing in the sand?" Song Fenglan asked.
"Let him play," Qin Yizhou said. "I'll take a bath with them later."
"Mm." Song Fenglan nodded.
"My aunt called today and asked if we wanted to go back to the capital," Qin Yizhou said. "If we don't go back now, do we want to go back for the Mid-Autumn Festival?"
“Mid-Autumn Festival…” Song Fenglan hadn’t spent Mid-Autumn Festival with her family for a long time, but there were still many things to do at the research institute. The train from Nancheng to the capital was very slow, taking several days, and the round trip would waste a lot of time. “I’m not going back. Spending Mid-Autumn Festival here is just as good. If I really miss them, I’ll give them a call. There will be plenty of opportunities to go back in the future.”
"If you want to go back..."
“I’m not going back,” Song Fenglan said. “I’ve only been here for a short time, and I haven’t been at the research institute for very long. There’s no need to rush back.”
"Afraid of interfering with your work?"
Qin Yizhou asked, "Hmm." Song Fenglan replied, "I'm already very satisfied that my parents were exonerated as soon as possible. I can't keep thinking about going back. If it's close by and convenient to travel back and forth, then I'll go back. But it's inconvenient to go back and forth, so I'll go back when I have time later. I have a lot of things to do, so I have to stay here."
Song Fenglan was the head of a group; she had to do a lot of things, and people would ask her questions. If she left, the entire group would be largely paralyzed. This can't be blamed on those people; people from different eras are different in many ways.
"Okay, stay here." Qin Yizhou squeezed Song Fenglan's hand. "The three of us can celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival together."
“Yes,” Song Fenglan said, “We celebrate the New Year separately, not just the Mid-Autumn Festival.”
It would be much better for their family to spend the Lunar New Year alone. There wouldn't be so many people around, and they wouldn't have to worry about what others think. They could be free and happy.
"So... you're not going back for the New Year?" Qin Yizhou asked.
“It depends on the situation. If it’s not suitable, staying here is fine,” Song Fenglan said. “My parents have my older brothers and sisters-in-law who will take good care of them. As for your parents, your older brother and sister-in-law won’t ignore them.”
Although Brother Qin's family moved out of Qin's parents' house, it doesn't mean they abandoned them. Brother Qin's family will still maintain a close relationship with Qin's parents; they have lived together for many years and it's impossible for them to fall apart over some small matter concerning Song Fenglan.
Sister-in-law Qin was too greedy, but Song Fenglan is fine. Those people will definitely think that the matter is not a big deal, and that a small punishment is enough to serve as a warning.
If Song Fenglan goes back, perhaps Sister-in-law Qin will apologize to her, and everyone will say that the matter is over and no one should talk about the past anymore.
If Song Fenglan goes back to the capital, she can visit the Qin family for the New Year, but she cannot stay there, much less let her son stay there. If Qin Yizhou wants to live with his parents, he can stay there by himself.
"Don't worry about my parents," Qin Yizhou said. "They have someone with them."
Song Fenglan watched Qin Zihang happily digging in the sand. Children can play in the sand for quite a while. Song Fenglan rarely let Qin Zihang play in the sand before, afraid he would get sand in his hair, which was very difficult to wash out. Song Fenglan didn't want to trouble her aunt too much; she still wanted her son to be well-behaved and play in the sand less.
Now, Qin Zihang is here. There's such a big yard here, and Qin Zihang is having a great time playing in the mud and sand.
Song Fenglan didn't stop it. Anyway, with Qin Yizhou there, he could wash Qin Zihang's hair and bathe him, so Song Fenglan wouldn't have to do it herself.
"It flew away." Qin Zihang scooped up a shovelful of sand, which flew forward.
"I'll come too," Zhang Xiaohu said.
Zhang Xiaohu was even dirtier than Qin Zihang. If Fatty saw him, she would scold him again. Zhang Xiaohu always liked to roll around everywhere, on the grass and in the mud. His clothes were dirty, often with wispy streaks, as if they hadn't been washed properly.
The plump woman really couldn't handle her youngest son. If there were stains on his clothes that couldn't be washed off, then she wouldn't wash them. Kids aren't that particular; it doesn't matter if others see the stains on their clothes. Anyone who's raised children knows how energetic and mischievous they are. It's not like adults will tell them not to play in the mud and sand and they'll listen.
"Haha." Zhang Xiaohu laughed, and Qin Zihang laughed along with him.
Song Fenglan went back inside and took out some wool; she planned to make a felted wool doll for her son. Song Fenglan had to go to work and wouldn't have much time to spend with her son, so she wanted to make him a doll he could play with. Song Fenglan decided to make a black and white panda doll; pandas are cute, and many children love them.
If it were an alpaca or something, that wouldn't be out of the question either. Song Fenglan wondered if her son would sit on an alpaca, or perhaps act as a panda.
"What are you doing?" Qin Zihang asked, puzzled.
“Panda,” Song Fenglan said, “It’s still missing the fluffy stuff on it, we need to get that done.”
"For Zihang?" Qin Yizhou's tone was a little sour. His wife always thought about their son, and she had made so many things for him.
“It’s for him,” Song Fenglan said.
“He’s the only child with one toy, but if other kids see it, they’ll snatch it away,” Qin Yizhou said. “They’ll yell and scream, wanting it too.”
“If you want to, ask their mothers,” Song Fenglan said. “I can’t do that much with just my two hands, and I can’t help other people’s children.”
Song Fenglan had previously embroidered a lifelike little dog on Qin Zihang's clothes, and some children wanted one. Some asked Song Fenglan how she embroidered it, and if it was difficult, implying they wanted her to embroider one for them. Of course, Song Fenglan would never offer to embroider one for them; it was impossible. If they were capable, they could embroider it themselves.
Some people told Song Fenglan not to make such exquisite clothes for the children, because children grow tall very quickly, and other children would clamor for them.
Song Fenglan didn't care about those people. She couldn't let other children and parents be happy, and thus prevent herself from making those things for her son, causing his quality of life to plummet. Song Fenglan wanted her son to be someone other children envied; her son deserved the best.
"I didn't ask you to make it for them," Qin Yizhou said, a sudden inspiration striking him. "Make it for yourself."
"I have to work, I don't have time to play." Song Fenglan stopped what she was doing and looked at Qin Yizhou. "I'll sleep with my stuffed animal, you sleep with Zihang?"
"We should give the doll to Zihang. He's still young and he needs it," Qin Yizhou said earnestly. "It must be given to Zihang. With the doll to keep him company, he won't keep calling for his mother every now and then."
Qin Yizhou wanted to sleep in a room alone with Song Fenglan. He was a normal man and didn't want to look at his wife but not be able to hug her more.
"How long will it take to finish?" Qin Yizhou asked.
“It will take a few more days,” Song Fenglan replied. “I’ll do a little bit after get off work, so it’s a slow process.”
"If I learn, can I do it faster?" Qin Yizhou asked.
"You'll make it?" Song Fenglan raised an eyebrow. "If you're going to make it, you can make one by yourself. No, do you know how to knit? You can knit a sweater for Zihang. We didn't bring any winter clothes with us, so we need to prepare winter sweaters early. Don't let Zihang use long needles, in case he pokes his eyes."
“We can give it a try,” Qin Yizhou said. “I have time when I get off work.”
If my wife can do those things after get off work, I, a grown man, can do them too.
"What color wool do you want?" Qin Yizhou asked. "A darker color, perhaps?"
Qin Yizhou looked at his son, who was squatting on the ground digging in the sand. His son was wearing blue clothes.
"Use the blue one?" Qin Yizhou pondered.
“Yes, blue or light green are both fine,” Song Fenglan said. “Red is also okay. There are no rules about what color sweaters boys and girls should wear.”
"Get everything ready," Qin Yizhou said. "In winter, you need more than just a wool sweater."
Qin Yizhou wanted to knit a wool sweater for his son first, to try it out, and then he would knit a sweater for his wife once he was a bit better at it. Adults' clothes need to look nice, but it doesn't matter as much for children, since children get their clothes dirty quickly anyway. The most important thing for children's clothes is that they are durable.
“If I have time, I can give it a try,” Song Fenglan said. “If I don’t have time, I’ll knit it when I get back tonight.”
Song Fenglan doesn't knit patterns. Her mother taught her embroidery, but not how to knit nice shapes on wool sweaters. If Song Fenglan wanted a pattern, she could wait until the sweater was finished and then crochet the pattern on it with yarn. That would be simpler, though it might use a little more yarn.
"You're too tired, I'll knit," Qin Yizhou said with a smile. "I've been feeling much more relaxed lately."
The military's arrangement of Qin Yizhou's regular work hours was also a form of protection for Song Fenglan. With one of them able to come home on time and help with the child, Song Fenglan felt less pressure. And with Qin Yizhou protecting her at home, Song Fenglan was less likely to encounter any accidents.
“In previous years, I had many assignments,” Qin Yizhou said. “I was often away from home.”
Qin Yizhou frequently went on missions, was injured, and spent nights in remote mountains. Sometimes, the howls of wolves were right next to his ears, and he had to be on high alert, fearing the wolves would run over, and he had to be completely vigilant at all times. At that time, Qin Yizhou thought that he was always doing such dangerous things, and if he were to die one day, wouldn't that be a burden on Song Fenglan?
When you love someone, you can't help but worry about them and think about their future.
Qin Yizhou felt the same way; he wanted Song Fenglan to have a better life. Looking at Song Fenglan, Qin Yizhou thought how wonderful it felt to have his wife by his side.
"Little Tiger," Aunt Pang called from next door, "come back to take a bath."
"I want to play a little longer." Zhang Xiaohu didn't want to take a shower; he wanted to keep playing.
"Wait a moment"
"The water's not hot anymore," said the plump woman again.
"I'll wash it with cold water," Zhang Xiaohu said.
"..." The fat sister-in-law was quite helpless with her youngest son, so she simply went next door and brought Zhang Xiaohu back herself.
Ever since Qin Zihang arrived, Zhang Xiaohu has really enjoyed playing with him. Previously, Zhang Xiaohu played with other children, but now he doesn't like playing with them anymore; he only wants to play with Qin Zihang.
“Go back and take a shower. I’ve called you several times, but you’re still thinking about playing.” The plump woman tugged at her son’s clothes. “Your little brother Zihang will still be here tomorrow. It’s not like he’s not here. You can come and play again tomorrow.”
"Let's play a little longer," Zhang Xiaohu said, unwilling to go back.
"Let's go back." The plump woman grabbed the child and left, saying to Song Fenglan and her husband before she left, "I'll take him back first, and we'll come back to play tomorrow."
"Take it back," Song Fenglan said. "You need to wash your hair properly; I don't know if there's any sand in it."
"It's alright, he often gets covered in sand while playing, so this is actually not too bad." The plump woman patted Zhang Xiaohu's clothes. "It's not that dirty."
"..." Song Fenglan looked at Zhang Xiaohu, then at her own son, and she felt that her son's clothes were rather dirty.
"Come tomorrow." Qin Zihang put down the small shovel, clapped his hands lightly, and wiped them on his clothes. "There will still be a lot of sand tomorrow."
"Go, go give Zihang a bath." Song Fenglan gently kicked Qin Yizhou's ankle. Seeing her son so dirty, she didn't want to do anything.
"I'll go." Qin Yizhou would never suggest that his wife bathe their son; of course, it had to be him.
Qin Zihang was quite cooperative, unlike Zhang Xiaohu who kept complaining about wanting to wait a while longer and play a little longer. When Qin Zihang arrived at the bathroom, he enjoyed playing there.
Qin Yizhou was about to wash Qin Zihang's hair when he splashed water on it. Qin Zihang said, "It's hitting my eyes! It's hitting my eyes!"
"Dry him up." Qin Yizhou quickly grabbed a towel to dry Qin Zihang. He had bathed his son several times, but he was still not very agile. "Don't play in the water. Hurry up and finish washing and get dressed."
"It's being washed," Qin Zihang said.
Qin Yizhou looked at Qin Zihang's scalp; there was indeed some sand on it, and he needed to wash it off. Qin Yizhou didn't want his wife to see the sand on their son's head; he couldn't let his wife think he hadn't washed their son's hair properly.
“It’s all sand,” Qin Yizhou said.
“It’s sand, not a fool. It won’t be foolish,” Qin Zihang said. “A fool would be thrown away and wouldn’t have a mom or dad.”
"I didn't lose you," Qin Yizhou said.
“I’m not stupid, my mom wouldn’t abandon me,” Qin Zihang said. “The kid next door got lost and can’t find his mom and dad.”
Qin Zihang always remembered the story of his neighbor in the capital who lost his child. Hearing about it made him worry that he would be abandoned as well. When Qin Zihang was about to come with his mother to join him in the military, he was a little scared when he heard about the train station, afraid that his mother would take him there and abandon him.
"Don't overthink it, just wash your hair and take a shower," Qin Yizhou said. "Your mother cares about you so much, she even made you a rag doll."
"I didn't bring the little rabbit," Qin Zihang said regretfully. It was a rabbit that Song Fenglan had made for him before.
Song Fenglan brought Qin Zihang with her to the military camp, but she didn't bring too many unnecessary things. The train was slow, and they would have to spend a long time on it and transfer to another train to reach the family compound, so it wasn't convenient to bring too much stuff. Many things were left at Aunt Yu's house for her to handle—keeping what she could and throwing away what she didn't.
“A little rabbit plush toy,” Qin Zihang added, “not the kind of rabbit that eats grass. Mom says rabbits are hard to raise. If you feed a rabbit grass and it doesn’t like the taste, it will even collapse.”
Qin Zihang was afraid his father would get him a rabbit to raise, so he refused to keep rabbits. He wouldn't keep one that was difficult to raise.
“Rabbits are for eating,” Qin Zihang said, “not for raising.”
"I didn't ask you to raise one," Qin Yizhou said with amusement. For a moment, he did consider getting a rabbit for his son, but then thought it wouldn't be appropriate.
Qin Yizhou and his wife both need to work, and they already rely on Mrs. Su to take care of the children. If they were to raise a rabbit as well, wouldn't Mrs. Su also have to look after it? Puppies are easier to care for than rabbits, so rabbits are out of the question.
After taking a shower, Qin Zihang ran to his mother.
"Mom, I smell delicious." Qin Zihang rested his chin on his hands.
"Yes, it smells wonderful." Song Fenglan noticed her son's long eyelashes, which he inherited from her. "After your bath, you can't play in the sand, but you can write or draw. You can go to sleep later."
"Mom, how do you write your name?" Qin Zihang asked.
"My name?" Song Fenglan put down what she was holding and went to teach her son to write her name.
Qin Zihang saw the words on the notebook. He didn't recognize them, but he could tell that there were few strokes. Qin Zihang knew his mother's name. Song Fenglan had taught her son that if anything happened, it might be useful for him to remember his parents' names.
"Mom, please write your name carefully." Qin Zihang exclaimed, pointing to the character 'Lan'. "It's three strokes plus two dots. If you add one stroke, will it become a different character?"
“Yes…” Song Fenglan did not expect her son to say that.
"What character would you make if you added a stroke?" Qin Zihang asked.
“It’s the character ‘sheep’,” Song Fenglan said.
"A sheep?" Qin Zihang asked.
“It’s a sheep.” Song Fenglan nodded.
"Mom, do you want to change your name?" Qin Zihang asked. "Others will change your name, Fenglan, to Fengyang. It will be different, the characters will be different."
“Mom is so old already, why not change her name?” Song Fenglan said.
"Mom, you changed your name, I'll remember it." Qin Zihang shook Song Fenglan's hand. "I will definitely remember it."
“I won’t change it. This is the name my maternal grandparents gave my mother, and it has a different meaning,” Song Fenglan said. “Just like the name your mother gave you, she put a lot of thought into it.”
“But if you add one stroke, it becomes a different character,” Qin Zihang said.
"..." Song Fenglan rubbed her temples. She shouldn't have asked what character would be formed by adding one stroke to the character '一'. Her son wanted a simple name, but a simple name wasn't necessarily a good one. Looking at her son's expectant eyes, Song Fenglan wondered how she was going to explain this to him.
“Mom, if you add one stroke to your name or Dad’s name, it will become a different character,” Qin Zihang said. “My name won’t.”
"Your parents have learned their lesson. The name we chose for you, even with an added stroke, doesn't become a different character." Qin Yizhou entered the room and, seeing his wife's headache, explained, "Your name is wonderful."
"So that's how it is." Qin Zihang suddenly realized, "Didn't Grandpa and Grandma learn their lesson?"
"Your son." Song Fenglan pushed her son in front of Qin Yizhou, telling him to talk to Qin Zihang. Song Fenglan didn't want to say anything more.
Song Fenglan was afraid that if she gave her son an explanation now, he would think of something else and insist on another explanation from her. This would mean she would have to come up with a reason every time, and her son would remember the previous reasons and refute them, leaving Song Fenglan with nothing to say.
“Our son,” Qin Yizhou said.
"Dad, didn't Grandpa and Grandma learn their lesson either?" Qin Zihang asked Qin Yizhou.
“Yes, they didn’t learn their lesson.” Qin Yizhou nodded. “When you go back to the capital, you can ask your maternal and paternal grandparents.”
“I won’t ask my grandparents, they don’t like me.” Qin Zihang pouted, he always remembered this.
“Then let’s not ask them,” Qin Yizhou said, looking at Song Fenglan.
"I'll ask my grandparents," Qin Zihang said. Although he hadn't met his grandparents yet, his mother had told him that they were very kind people. "My grandparents will like me very much."
“Yes, your grandparents will love you very much,” Song Fenglan said. “Your grandma called to talk to you, but she didn’t dare to because she was still emotional. Wait until another day when she calls you, and then you can talk to her properly.”
It wasn't that Song's mother disliked Qin Zihang; she had prepared quite a few things and already sent them out. Song's mother wanted to be kinder to Song Fenglan and her son, but since they weren't present, she worried she might cry on the phone.
These past few days, Mrs. Song has been quite busy. She needs to calm down before having a proper conversation with her grandson. While Mrs. Song was preparing those things, her sister-in-law added a few more items, and her child didn't complain. Everyone knows that if it weren't for Song Fenglan, they wouldn't have been able to return to the city so quickly.
"Is Grandma going to cry?" Qin Zihang asked. "Did Grandma get sand in her eyes?"
Qin Zihang had spoken with Song's mother. Before the Song family was exonerated, when Song Fenglan called Song's mother and others, she even brought Qin Zihang along.
“Yes, sand got in my eyes,” Song Fenglan said.
"Some other time, after Grandma's eyes are better," Qin Zihang said. "It's really uncomfortable when sand gets in your eyes, they get all red."
"Yes." Song Fenglan nodded.
The Song family sent things to Song Fenglan and her son, but they didn't ask the Qin family if they wanted anything in return.
The items were sent to Qin Yizhou's family. If the Song family went to the Qin family to inquire, the Qin family would think the Song family was forcing them to send the items. Why bother? It would only make everyone lose face.
If the Qin family truly wants to be good to Song Fenglan and her son, they will send things themselves if they want, without the Song family having to worry about it.
Currently, the most important thing for the Song family is to handle some matters properly. When the Song family was in trouble, everyone avoided them like the plague. Now that the Song family has been exonerated, people are coming to their door again. The Song family is keeping a low profile and refusing to see those people. The Song family still needs to keep a low profile.
This is the capital, not some other place. The situation is turbulent and has not yet stabilized.
The Song family needs to keep a low profile and avoid making any moves to get through this period peacefully. When Song's mother talks to Song Fenglan, those things inevitably come up. Song's mother doesn't dare let Qin Zihang hear it; children have pure hearts, and she doesn't want to let a child taint their eyes.
Sister-in-law Qin went to the hospital. She asked a friend to fabricate a story, saying she wasn't pregnant. She had her friend write down someone else's lab report and pass it off as hers. Sister-in-law Qin wanted to take the report to her mother and tell her she was pregnant, hoping her mother would let them go home.
Previously, they only mentioned it briefly without any evidence, and Qin's mother and her people didn't believe them.
Sister-in-law Qin believed that as long as she took the test results over, her parents would definitely give in.
"Mom." Sister-in-law Qin went to Qin's parents' house and made it to the living room without incident.
Qin's father went fishing and wasn't home. Qin's mother was home alone, so she invited Qin's sister-in-law into the house.
"Mom, I'm pregnant," said Sister-in-law Qin. "Here are the test results."
"Okay." Qin's mother glanced at the test results.
“Mom, I have to take care of two children, and I’m pregnant with another one. I’m afraid I don’t have that much energy…” Sister-in-law Qin waited for her mother to suggest that they move back in. Since her mother didn’t say anything, Sister-in-law Qin had to speak up herself, “I was wondering if we could move back in first. I’d feel more at ease knowing that you’re taking care of the children.”
"You'll have to ask your father." Qin's mother looked at her sister-in-law's belly; she did feel sorry for the unborn child.
"Can't you make the decision?" Sister-in-law Qin asked, looking embarrassed.
"I can't make that decision," Qin's mother said. "If it really doesn't work out... let's wait and see."
Then, Qin's mother saw Qin's sister-in-law out, worried that Qin's father would be unhappy to see her.
Your dad is coming back!
Sister-in-law Qin was shocked to be dismissed with such a remark. She wanted to sit a little longer, but her mother-in-law wouldn't even let her. She was pregnant, and her mother-in-law didn't seem to care. This infuriated Sister-in-law Qin even more. She had only made a few mistakes; she wasn't a heinous criminal. Did her in-laws really have to treat her like this?
Sister-in-law Qin was indignant, but she had no choice but to leave.
When Mr. Qin returned home, Mrs. Qin told him about his sister-in-law's pregnancy. Mr. Qin said the same thing again, "Let her give birth at her parents' house. It's better for her than for her mother to be her aunt."
"Isn't this a bit inappropriate?" Qin's mother asked.
"Song Fenglan can give birth at her parents' home, so why can't she?" Qin's father said. "Don't let others say we're biased."
"..." Qin's mother had no choice but to listen to her husband since he had said so.
"Don't let them in for a while," Qin's father said, annoyed, as he didn't want to see these people for the time being.
After dinner, Qin's mother went to her sister-in-law's house and told her about Qin's father's decision. This matter needed to be discussed sooner rather than later. Qin's mother had considered trying to persuade her father, but his cold expression intimidated her, so she remained silent.
“I originally wanted to give you some money, but your father said it wasn’t necessary,” Qin’s mother said. “He said that since you took the money that was supposed to be for your younger siblings, you don’t need to give me any more now. If anyone should give you any money, it should be to your younger siblings.”
Sister-in-law Qin looked at her mother, wondering if her mother had considered secretly giving them some financial assistance.
“Your father won’t allow it, and he won’t let me give it to you either,” Qin’s mother said. “If I give it to you, he’ll make me move out too, and live with you. In the future, he’ll live with Yizhou and the others, which will be considered as each of you supporting an elderly person.”
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