Chapter 126 Assignment Squatting at the Door
Guo Furong was at the dinner table when she heard Fan Yani's words, "Auntie, I'm alright."
“You’re not the problem, but your sister is,” Fan Yani said. “That room is next door, you don’t need to go through the living room. I’ll change the lock for you. Your grandma and the others had keys to the other things we used to keep there, but we don’t know if they’ve lost them or if anyone else has made a copy. It’ll be safer with a new lock. Make sure you lock it from the inside when you sleep at night, okay?”
Previously, all the other rooms were inside. Once the living room door was locked, as were the front and back doors, no one could come in.
The door to the room in the courtyard wasn't locked, making it easy for others to get in. Although the main gate was closed, it's still easy for someone to climb over. It's safe here, but it's always good to be extra careful.
"You're getting older."
"Whatever celebrities you like, whatever posters you want to put up, that's fine with you," Fan Yani said. "Once you buy a radio, you should listen to foreign language tapes more often, understand? Don't just listen to songs. The radio is in your room; you can listen to it yourself. If you want to watch TV, go to the living room."
Fan Yani didn't prepare many things in that room. The reason she prepared a radio was so that Guo Furong could study properly. Guo Furong wasn't loved by her biological parents, and her adoptive father didn't care about her either. Relying on Guo Furong was even more unrealistic.
Long before Guo Da Sao married Guo Peng, the Guo family had already told her that Guo Peng and his wife didn't need to take care of Guo Furong. Now they're asking her to take care of Guo Furong, which is completely wrong; it's clearly bullying Guo Da Sao.
“If your grades are good, you can go to a good school. Even if it's just a vocational school, it'll be good. As long as you have a place to study, you can get a stable job after graduation. That's better than anything else,” Fan Yani said. “Do you understand?”
"Yes, I know." Guo Furong nodded.
“It’s not that your aunt wants to be harsh, but you’re not my biological child after all. Your aunt is preparing houses for your brothers and sisters, but it’s impossible for her to prepare one for you too; that would cost a lot of money. If you’re capable of buying a house yourself and need to borrow some money from your aunt, she can lend it to you,” Fan Yani said. “I can’t lend you more. You have to work hard yourself, you have to become strong; that’s the most useful thing. You can’t rely on others forever. The same goes for your brothers and sisters; they have to work hard too. What your parents leave them may not last a lifetime.”
Fan Yani worried that Guo Furong wouldn't know how to work hard, and that outsiders had often said Guo Furong wasn't part of the Guo family. Fan Yani didn't want Guo Furong to always compare herself to others, nor did she want Guo Furong to hide away and be sad. She wanted Guo Furong to be more hardworking. Even if Guo Furong became ungrateful and never came to see Fan Yani again, that wouldn't matter. The important thing was that Guo Furong was capable and didn't need to rely on Fan Yani.
The next morning, Fan Yani cleaned up the room, replacing all the bedding with new ones. The old ones were put away, and the sheets and blankets were brought from another room. There was also a separate wardrobe here, so Guo Furong could put her clothes in it.
When Fatty Sister came over, she saw that Fan Yani had tidied up the room.
"Are guests coming?" the plump woman asked.
“No,” Fan Yani said, “It’s for Furong to stay here. She’s getting old, and it’s not very comfortable for her to share a room with her sister. It would be better for her to have her own place, don’t you think?”
“That’s true.” The plump woman nodded. “If there are no rooms, there’s nothing we can do. If there were rooms, it would be better to let them stay separately.”
“Isn’t that exactly right?” Fan Yani said. “Put yourself in their shoes. If it were us, wouldn’t we also want a room of our own instead of squeezing in with our sisters? A small room, a small bed, and a bunk bed at that—it looks so cramped and uncomfortable. If they lived at school, that would be fine; the school dormitory would be enough to provide them with a bed. But this is our own home; we should make sure they have a comfortable place to stay.”
“That’s right,” said the plump woman. “I came here to order some cookies from you to give as gifts to people.”
“Tell me what you need, and I’ll give you a discount,” Fan Yani said. “Our products are all very good. Do you need packaging?”
"Simple packaging is fine, there's no need to make it too fancy," said the plump woman. "Pretty packaging may look nice, but it's not actually very useful."
"Want some candy?" Fan Yani asked. "Would you like to buy some yourselves, or do you want some of our homemade nougat?"
"Of course it's made by you," the plump woman said with a smile. "You use the best ingredients here, and you even gave me a discount. If I don't buy it here, where else can I buy it? We'll have a banquet on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year. We'll invite people to dinner on the third night, and we'll have to prepare the dishes on the fourth day. The banquet will officially start on the fifth day."
Sister-in-law Pang had already set the date and needed to inform the relatives back home that Zhang Wen was getting married and holding a banquet. Those who could come, then come; Sister-in-law Pang and her husband would arrange accommodations. Those who could stay at their own home could stay there first, and those who couldn't would stay at a hotel.
“No problem, just tell us the quantity, and we’ll take care of it,” Fan Yani said.
"At least twenty tables, enough for twenty-five tables," said the plump woman. "These things are packaged in small bags, please help me get them ready."
"Two hundred and fifty..." Fan Yani felt that the number didn't sound very good.
"Let's get two hundred and eighty-eight," said the plump woman. "We didn't invite their colleagues, but we can give it to them to have a taste."
“Okay.” Fan Yani nodded.
Fan Yani's shop has handled a lot of these kinds of orders. When people in the residential compound hold banquets, they often get their supplies from Fan Yani. Unless those people want high-end goods from big brands, they will prepare other items. A few individuals feel that Fan Yani's prices are too high and go to other places to make things, but Fan Yani is never unhappy about it.
You get what you pay for; if you want good quality products, the price can't be lowered.
After Qin Li'an and Zhu Meng got engaged, Zhu Meng quit her job and started managing the supermarket with Qin Li'an. Those people already knew that Zhu Meng had been followed and that Qin Li'an had rescued her, which was why she got engaged to him.
Some people say Zhu Meng is lucky, while others say Qin Li'an got a wife for free.
However, some people weren't happy. The neighbor who had suggested to Qin's mother that her granddaughter marry Qin Li'an had been very unhappy. That neighbor often scolded her granddaughter at home, saying she didn't understand the plans adults had for her, and that money and material possessions were extremely important, and many couples couldn't make it work because they didn't have enough money and material things. That's how it is between couples; when feelings fade, in the end, it's all about material things and money.
The girl let her grandmother scold her; she genuinely didn't want to marry Qin Li'an, and harbored a very strong aversion to him. She believed Qin Li'an had raped a minor, and this resentment lingered in her mind. Whether Qin Li'an knew he was wrong was irrelevant. A leopard can't change its spots; Qin Li'an might do it again in the future.
"You're such a blockhead, you never get it."
"His family is so rich, you'll live a life of luxury if you marry into their family."
"You're at home, and you still have to talk to your sister."
They were crammed into one room.
"They don't understand anything and don't even think about their family."
"Just wait, you'll regret this later. Do you think you'll be happy marrying someone else? No way!"
Would we harm you? Aren't we doing this for your own good?
...
The girl had been scolded by her grandmother many times, but she could only endure it.
Qin Li'an had heard about it, but he was helpless; he couldn't help that girl. Before his release from prison, Qin Li'an had already resolved that once he got out, he would definitely not do anything reckless and would avoid close contact with other women; he had to be careful. After Qin Li'an and Zhu Meng got engaged, they managed the supermarket business together, and Qin Li'an didn't get too close to other women.
When young women came into the supermarket, it was mostly Zhu Meng who went there. Qin Li'an carried more things; since he wasn't always at the front desk, people weren't afraid of him, and business was better.
Zhu Meng is in charge of the accounts and keeps track of the supermarket's finances.
"I was still able to earn money last month, better than when I went to work." Zhu Meng had calculated it and found that she earned a decent amount.
The supermarket near Qin Li'an sells good quality goods at very reasonable prices, so there are always customers. As these customers come more often, they realize that Qin Li'an is different now; he's unlikely to do anything bad anymore, and he's become very diligent.
When Song Fenglan learned about the person who had impersonated her again, she felt that the person deserved it.
Ji Ying got divorced. Her husband felt she had deceived him and tarnished his and their child's reputation. The children were incredibly unlucky to have a mother like Ji Ying.
When that man went to Ji Ying to get a divorce, Ji Ying wasn't surprised.
"Are you going to let the other woman take your place?" Ji Ying had known for a long time that her man was having an affair with another woman, but she hadn't pointed it out.
Ji Ying believes their marriage is more of a mutually beneficial arrangement. As long as her husband doesn't go too far, she can pretend she knows nothing. But if he does go too far, she'll give him a warning; simply watching the mistress won't do any good.
However, Ji Ying had used someone else's graduation certificate and degree certificate, and she had also deceived her man. When she fell from grace, everyone wanted to stay away from her. Even the graduates of Nancheng University who had once been close to her distanced themselves from Ji Ying, no longer referring to her as their senior or junior.
Some people inquired and learned that the real Song Fenglan was a professor at Capital University of Aeronautics and Astronautics. They were all uneasy, realizing that the real Song Fenglan was far more capable. Ji Ying reeked of money; she was a businesswoman.
When Ji Ying's man heard what she said, he didn't feel that he had let the mistress take his place.
“You ruined everything,” the man said. “You made it impossible for our children to hold their heads high in public.”
"I just didn't graduate from university, it's not that I lack ability, I..."
“You used the name of Nancheng University to make those graduates from Nancheng University think they were alumni, and they helped you,” the man said. “You didn’t know how to do things, so you made them do them. You’re very clever; you fooled them.”
“They’re earning extra money, isn’t that good?” Ji Ying said. “It’s not that we didn’t give them money.”
Nancheng University has a prestigious reputation, and it boasts many outstanding graduates. Ji Ying has thrived because of this. Ji Ying never expected to be discovered so quickly. She thought she would have to wait several more years. She even thought that the real Song Fenglan wasn't as successful as her. She thought a lot about it and believed that she was doing quite well, but she didn't expect that the other person was even stronger.
Ji Ying wished that the real Song Fenglan was a little worse, and that Song Fenglan would become a housewife. How wonderful that would be!
"When you were using me, you didn't say anything bad about me. But when I'm no longer useful, you all say bad things about me," Ji Ying said. "If you want a divorce, then let's get a divorce!"
Ji Ying wasn't going to cry and whine for a man. Even if she couldn't get a good job like before after she got out of prison, it didn't matter. Ji Ying understood that most of her old connections would be useless in the future, unless she had dirt on those people. But there were only a few people she hoped she could still use in the future.
Song Fenglan had only heard about Ji Ying's divorce from others, and Ji Ying's imprisonment was deserved. If things become more interconnected in the future, procedures like pensions and retirement might run into problems.
"Fortunately, we didn't wait too long to find out," Song Fenglan said. "She's in a women's prison now."
“She deserves this,” Qin Yizhou said.
“Her former company even asked her for compensation,” Song Fenglan said. “It was a large amount, but later it became a very small amount.”
“She worked at her previous company for so many years, it’s impossible that she didn’t have any leverage over them,” Qin Yizhou said. “Those people didn’t dare to go too far, for fear that she would try to destroy them all.”
Qin Yizhou didn't run a business, but he still understood these things.
Previously, when Qin Yizhou went out on missions, they had to consider these issues. They had to consider the criminals' psychological state, their families of origin, and all sorts of other things. Having information about these things would make their missions much easier. When capturing crime bosses, the bosses were all very cunning, and figuring out what they were thinking required a lot of thought.
“When she gets out, she can still find a job to make a living by relying on those people,” Qin Yizhou said. “She used your graduation certificate and degree certificate for so many years, and those two documents are not hers. But those favors and other things she did were all done by her.”
This reminded Song Fenglan of a TV series she had seen in her past life. A supporting female character impersonated a cannon fodder character to attend university, and they were classmates. Because the supporting character had a good relationship with the female lead, even though she was down on her luck, the female lead and those around her helped her. At that time, Song Fenglan thought that while it appeared the supporting character had fallen from a great height, in reality, she hadn't; she was secured with a safety rope and stopped falling mid-air.
The TV series didn't show what happened next, only mentioning that the female supporting character could no longer practice law. Yes, she can't be a lawyer anymore, but that doesn't mean she can't do other jobs. Besides, she's someone who's worked at a major law firm, has certain abilities, and is favored by the female lead. Someone like her will definitely do well after the series ends.
“It’s truly pathetic,” Song Fenglan said.
"This is the cruel reality of the world," Qin Yizhou said. "They did wrong things and paid the price. They're out of prison, but life still goes on. They've paid what they owed, and they have to start over."
“That’s true, it’s impossible to completely eliminate them,” Song Fenglan said. “Her parents’ jobs were affected, and they had to retire early.”
This was something someone else told Song Fenglan. Although Ji Ying's parents didn't know at first, they still chose to help influence things after they learned the truth, and that was their mistake. After Ji Ying's family was implicated, they no longer wanted to have Ji Ying as their daughter, or as their sister.
When there were benefits, they all thought Ji Ying did a good job; when there were no benefits, only disadvantages, they wished they could sever all ties with Ji Ying.
“I’ve donated the compensation money,” Song Fenglan said.
"Okay." Qin Yizhou had no objections.
It was late at night, around ten o'clock, when Qin Zihang returned home. He had come straight from the research institute's laboratory. He wanted to see if his mother was resting and to ask her about his doubts.
Qin Zihang didn't really want to wait until tomorrow. "Mom, you're still awake."
Qin Zihang was especially happy to see his mother sitting in the living room watching TV.
“I should have gone upstairs to bed much earlier, instead of sitting here chatting with your dad.” As soon as Song Fenglan saw Qin Zihang, she knew he had a question to ask.
"Mom," Qin Zihang said, "you already know before I've even said a word."
"Alright, let's go to the study," Song Fenglan said.
"You brat, couldn't you wait until tomorrow?" Qin Yizhou said. "It's so late at night, why aren't you sleeping? You're rushing back to ask your mother questions."
“Mom is very busy. We work at the same research institute, but it’s harder than climbing to heaven for me to see her,” Qin Zihang said. “Even if I go to Mom’s office, I might not be able to see her.”
"If we can't see him, then let's try another time," Qin Yizhou said.
“If it were any other time, who knows when it would be?” Qin Zihang said. “Dad, do you want your son’s life to be wasted?”
Qin Yizhou was speechless. Was it really that exaggerated?
"Would you two like to continue your conversation?" Song Fenglan turned around.
"Let's stop talking now, we'll talk another day." Qin Zihang quickly followed his mother's steps. His mother was really something; he could ask her questions. "Mom, my teacher also has a question for me to ask you."
Qin Yizhou didn't chase after them; he didn't understand those things anyway.
It was almost midnight when Song Fenglan returned to her bedroom, but Qin Yizhou was still not asleep.
"Doesn't he have a teacher? Why does he still have so many questions?" Qin Yizhou asked.
“People who love learning have many questions,” Song Fenglan said. “I’ll answer a few questions. Sometimes, they just need a little guidance and they’ll understand.”
“He’s lucky to be your son,” Qin Yizhou said.
“He is my child, so of course I have to teach him more,” Song Fenglan said. “I can’t let him ask his teacher for everything. It’s better for him to ask more questions and understand more. I also hope that he will surpass his teachers.”
Song Fenglan hoped her son would be successful and not let others say he only relied on his mother. That won't do; he needs to let others know his name and that he has his own abilities.
At the end of the year, Duan Yue received a transfer order and was transferred to the Capital Research Institute.
Ji Ying knew many people in the area, and even had connections with government officials. Even if those people didn't know Ji Ying's true identity, it was Duan Yue who exposed everything. The beautiful facade was shattered, and what was laid bare were all dirty deeds.
Duan Yue didn't apply for a transfer to the capital. It was Song Fenglan who approached the director and suggested that Duan Yue be transferred to another location. That location was where Ji Ying had cultivated her career for many years, and Song Fenglan didn't want anything to happen to Duan Yue or for him to be targeted.
Although Duan Yue didn't become Song Fenglan's student, he still possessed considerable ability. If Duan Yue hadn't discovered Ji Ying's affair this time, Song Fenglan wouldn't have known so quickly.
Duan Yue hadn't expected Song Fenglan to transfer him to a research institute in the capital. Of course, he really wanted to be transferred there; he had wanted to stay at a research institute in the capital since he graduated with his doctorate. However, Duan Yue didn't manage to stay and was instead assigned to another research institute.
Fortunately, this time, Duan Yue did the right thing, and he returned to the capital.
Duan Yue brought his wife and children to the capital. His wife had no objections; being able to settle down in the capital was the best thing that could happen. There are many universities in the capital, making it convenient for their children to study.
Duan Yue went to Song Fenglan's office to thank her, saying that he wouldn't have been able to return so quickly without her help.
"If you want to thank someone, thank yourself," Song Fenglan said.
"It was nothing," Duan Yue said. He had originally intended for Ding Wenbo to owe him a favor so he could ask Ding Wenbo for help later, but he hadn't expected Song Fenglan to help him directly.
“That person has been there for many years, it’s better for you to leave,” Song Fenglan said.
In this era without so much surveillance, things can easily happen. When Ji Ying's incident first came to light, those people certainly wouldn't dare to touch Duan Yue, but things would be different in a year or two.
Song Fenglan didn't know if Duan Yue had been targeted at his previous workplace; what she did know was that this matter involved her. It just so happened that Duan Yue was capable, which is why Song Fenglan went to the director. If Duan Yue hadn't been capable, Song Fenglan wouldn't have gone to the director.
"Fortunately, they didn't dare to make things difficult for me," Duan Yue said.
"Go ahead and get busy," Song Fenglan said.
"Okay." Duan Yue stood up. He knew Song Fenglan was very busy, so he didn't stay here any longer.
Duan Yue was very happy. He had once thought about taking the entrance exam to stay at the university as a professor, but unfortunately, his professor wasn't powerful enough, so his professor suggested that he work elsewhere. Now Duan Yue could stay at the Capital Research Institute, and the institute had also allocated him housing, which his wife and children moved into. He could now focus solely on his research.
Sure enough, it makes a difference to have a powerful backer.
Duan Yue still regrets his decision back then. He shouldn't have refused to become Song Fenglan's graduate student; he should have. You see, when Dr. Ding Wenbo graduated, he was incredibly popular. Several other organizations wanted him, while Duan Yue himself wasn't nearly as sought after.
When Duan Yue saw Ding Wenbo again, the two had lunch together.
"Congratulations," Ding Wenbo said.
"Professor Song is very good," Duan Yue said.
“The teacher is naturally very good,” Ding Wenbo said, without Duan Yue needing to say it.
Despite his relentless efforts, Duan Yue ultimately returned to the Capital Research Institute thanks to Song Fenglan. Sometimes, Duan Yue felt a sense of irony; he had taken many unnecessary detours, thinking himself clever and having planned everything perfectly, but he hadn't planned for so many things.
Duan Yue is not a person with major character flaws; otherwise, Song Fenglan would not have gone to see the director.
That year, Song Fenglan and Qin Zihang still did not visit the Qin family during the Spring Festival; Qin Yizhou only sent New Year's gifts.
Qin Li'an is engaged, and they will get married later. Despite her poor health, Qin's mother still has to arrange a proper wedding room for Qin Li'an.
Originally, Qin Li'an was moved to a room that was a little further out, but if he were to get married, he could no longer use that smaller room and would have to use a larger one.
“Let him go live in the room he used to live in,” Qin’s mother said. “No one used to sleep there.”
You Yun didn't let her own son sleep in that room, fearing it would cause unnecessary conflict later. Sure enough, now Qin's mother had a reason to let Qin Li'an continue sleeping in that room. If You Yun's son went to sleep there, he would likely have to make way for Qin Li'an.
“This house…” Qin’s mother looked at Qin’s older brother.
"This apartment is for Li'an's younger brother," Brother Qin said. "We'll give them another two-bedroom apartment. They can live here first after they get married, and then..."
They'll move out when their younger brother gets married.
You Yun wasn't happy to hear this. She wanted to clarify things directly, but she knew it wasn't realistic. Her son was still young and not yet of marriageable age, so it was normal for Qin Li'an to live here.
Upon hearing what her elder brother Qin said, Qin's mother understood immediately, and she slammed her chopsticks on the table.
"You just want to leave things to your youngest son," Qin's mother said. "After we pass away, when we can no longer control you, you can do that."
"I..." Brother Qin was indeed like that.
"Giving it to Li'an's younger brother is no problem," Qin's father said. Qin Li'an is already ruined, and his children can't take the civil service exam, so there's no need for Qin Li'an to have so much. "How about this, we'll buy them a wedding house here. A two-bedroom or three-bedroom house will be enough."
"Is anyone selling?" Qin's mother asked. "Aren't those people thinking about the demolition compensation?"
“We don’t know how long we’ll have to wait for the demolition. Many of the houses here were built in the 70s and 80s, which isn’t that old. Some were even built just a few years ago. How can they just be demolished like that?” Mr. Qin said. “There will always be people who need money and want to sell their houses. Just make sure the paperwork is done.”
"Then why did you say you didn't want Yizhou before..."
"It has nothing to do with him." Qin's father was speechless. He knew his wife was thinking about the demolition compensation for Qin Yizhou's house again. "The policy on his side hasn't been released yet. It's just that there are rumors about demolition. If it really is demolished, the compensation will be his. Give the other rental house to Li'an, buy another house for them, share some money, and add the supermarket shop. That should be enough."
The way Qin's father divided the spoils, Qin Li'an received much more than Qin Yizhou had received initially. Of course, this was also because Qin's elder brother had earned some money, and Qin's father decided that his elder brother should contribute the funds.
"Li'an, after you get married, move out and live in the house you bought. Use the house you bought as your marital home, and rent out the other house," Qin's father said. "If the supermarket goes out of business in the future, at least you'll have the rent to live on."
"Okay..." How could Qin Li'an say no? He could only get these things when his grandparents were still alive. Now that they were gone, he couldn't get any of them.
You Yun remained silent, knowing her husband would never mistreat their son. You Yun suspected her in-laws were still biased towards Qin Li'an; while her father-in-law might criticize her, he had actually given Qin Li'an a considerable amount of things.
It may seem like Qin Li'an is being separated and moved out, but in reality, there are so many benefits.
You Yun thought that as long as the remaining items could end up in her son's hands, or even more, that was more important than anything else. Brother Qin could still earn money, and her in-laws must still have some savings.
"Eldest daughter-in-law," Qin's father said, "do you have a problem with that?"
"No, no," You Yun said. "We'll do it your way."
It's better that Qin Li'an doesn't live under the same roof as them. You Yun is his stepmother and mother-in-law, and she might not get along well with Qin Li'an's wife, so it's better for Qin Li'an to move out.
When the Zhu family learned of the Qin family's method of dividing their property, they did not object.
Zhu Meng even told her family that she and her husband would receive two houses, a supermarket shop, and some cash. Zhu Meng was very happy; she wouldn't have to live under the same roof as her in-laws and could achieve financial freedom.
"If their big house is demolished for compensation..." Zhu's mother hesitated.
"That big house is going to be demolished, and we don't even know yet..."
"When will the demolition take place?" Zhu Meng said. "It's best to get what we can get. They're also buying us a house here, so we'll have two houses and some money. Isn't that enough? Mom, you're not in their situation. Even if Li'an and I wanted more, we wouldn't get any. Let's know when to stop. We don't even have that many houses or that many rooms."
Zhu Meng felt that she was about to become richer than her family, and the supermarket was making a steady stream of money.
“If there really is a demolition, the houses we bought here and the supermarket can be demolished, so it might not be a bad thing,” Zhu Meng said. “You have to be more open-minded. This is much better than I thought before. I was thinking that they would only let us live in one house and not give us any other houses.”
Zhu Meng and Qin Li'an both had a simple idea: get these things first. If Brother Qin would share more with them later, that would be ideal; if not, they wouldn't lose out. However, if Qin's parents were no longer around, it would be extremely difficult for Qin Li'an to obtain these things.
"Besides, isn't this much better than our house?" Zhu Meng said.
"..." Mother Zhu really couldn't say it, the Qin family was indeed much richer than her own.
After the New Year, Song Fenglan didn't call her sister-in-law, Pang Sao. Pang Sao was busy preparing for Zhang Wen's wedding banquet and didn't have time to call. Song Fenglan also had her own things to do, so she didn't contact her either.
Song Fenglan returned from the research institute. It was quite cold outside, but warmer inside.
"The eldest son of Sister Pang's family is having his wedding banquet," Song Fenglan said.
"Regretting not going?" Qin Yizhou asked.
“No, there’s no way we’ll regret it,” Song Fenglan said. “We’ve said it before, we’re not going. It would take us a long time to get there, and it’s the New Year, so it’s not a good place to go. We still have things to do at home, so it’s not appropriate to go there. Sister-in-law Pang understands too. Look, Zhang Wen is married, and Zhang Xiaohu is only two or three years younger than him, and Zihang is about two years younger than Zhang Xiaohu.”
"Think about it," Qin Yizhou said. "A difference of more than three years, or more than two years, adds up to almost six years." "Even if it's just more than two years, it's still a five-year difference."
"..." Song Fenglan thought about it carefully and it really was true. "Xiao Wen just reached the age to get a marriage certificate last year, so they got the certificate."
Time flies, and Song Fenglan has many feelings. She even wants to look in the mirror to see if she has aged a lot.
“Sister-in-law Pang and her husband don’t live with the young couple,” Song Fenglan said. “That makes sense; living together would cause a lot of trouble. When Zihang reaches the legal age and gets married, if they don’t want to live at home, then let them move out.”
"It's so comfortable for families like ours to live at home. Someone cooks the meals, someone cleans, and we don't have to do anything," Qin Yizhou said. "It's so easy."
“It’s not like we can’t hire a nanny if Zihang moves out,” Song Fenglan said.
"Is his salary enough to hire a nanny? Doesn't he still have to get money from us? No, the main thing is to get money from you," Qin Yizhou said. "You have a lot of money, but I don't have that much."
“That could very well be the case,” Song Fenglan said. “If Zihang can focus on his research, then the money will be well spent. I’m reminded of my aunt. She takes good care of my uncle, and she doesn’t have her own career. If Zihang finds a partner in the future, we shouldn’t let her sacrifice so much for him. Our family is wealthy and can afford to hire servants, so let’s hire them. The money will be well spent.”
Song Fenglan was willing to spend the money, as long as her son could succeed in his research. She couldn't expect too much from her son's partner; after all, other people's daughters were also raised with great care, and all parents hope their children will be successful.
"It's still early," Qin Yizhou said. "You don't need to worry about that."
“As for Zihang, there’s really no need to worry too much,” Song Fenglan said.
The Pang family was busy with preparations. Lin Jiajia's family was also holding a wedding banquet, so both the bride and groom's families had to host their own. The relatives from both sides didn't gather together; they held separate events. The banquet expenses were naturally paid by the Pang family. When Zhang Xiaohu returned home for winter vacation, he even gave the money he had earned from his part-time job to the Pang family.
The plump woman asked Zhang Xiaohu why he hadn't returned the money to Qin Zihang. Zhang Xiaohu replied that Qin Zihang had asked him to take it home first. He explained that his family needed money and was in a tight spot, so he wanted to bring it home first. The plump woman felt that her family owed Song Fenglan's family even more; Song Fenglan's family had helped them so much.
Fang Xudong and Zhang Chenghai had a good relationship, so Fatty's family naturally invited Gao Xiuxiu's family as well. When Fatty's family asked the workers to come over for dinner early, they also invited Gao Xiuxiu and her family to eat.
It's better to do things properly, so that Gao Xiuxiu's family doesn't cause trouble at this time.
It's not a formal meal, so there will be less food. Everyone will just eat rice, which includes vegetables, tofu, and some meat, but it's relatively vegetarian. Chicken blood, duck blood, and chicken and duck offal are stir-fried first and given to the workers; these things are not served at the formal meal.
Gao Xiuxiu dislikes eating animal organs. Before her hysterectomy, she would eat them. After the procedure, she rarely eats them. Seeing animal organs reminds her of what happened to her; she wishes she could be alright.
"They prepared quite a lot of dishes," Gao Xiuxiu said at home. She really couldn't criticize her sister-in-law for that. Her sister-in-law was indeed generous; in the morning, she prepared meat buns and steamed buns, as well as porridge, salted duck eggs, pickles, and other side dishes. "They spent quite a lot of money. Well, they bought a house for their youngest son in the capital. If they don't hold a good wedding banquet for their eldest son, they'll be criticized by their eldest son and daughter-in-law."
Gao Xiuxiu also helped out with some things, so people wouldn't say that so many people from her family had gone to the dinner. Gao Xiuxiu figured it was Fatty's sister-in-law who invited her whole family to eat, so of course she wanted to go with her family. After all, Fatty's sister-in-law would need to borrow some space to set up tables and host the banquet.
"You can eat it," Fang Xudong said.
“When our eldest daughter gets married, we must make it even more grand,” Gao Xiuxiu said. “We can’t let the groom’s family look down on her. Last year, Zhang Wen’s in-laws, before they even got their marriage certificate, his mother-in-law said she wanted to buy a house and that Fatty’s sister-in-law should treat them equally. That makes sense, how can the eldest son have a house while the younger son doesn’t? Our family is different, we will rely on our eldest daughter in the future.”
“Don’t always think about Da Niu, there’s also Er Niu,” Fang Xudong said. “Er Niu is also our daughter. If you keep doing this, Er Niu will be unhappy.”
“She’s unhappy, so she’s unhappy. Do I have to make her happy?” Gao Xiuxiu said. “She’s a piece of my flesh and blood. I gave her life, and she’s still like this.”
“You,” Fang Xudong sighed and shook his head, “you just dislike her because she’s not your son.”
“If she had been a son, none of this would have happened,” Gao Xiuxiu said. “When I was pregnant with her, everyone said that the shape of my belly looked like I was having a son, and almost no one said it was a daughter. But it turned out to be a daughter, which disappointed me greatly.”
Even now, Gao Xiuxiu still feels that Erniu shouldn't be a daughter.
“Erniu is really… her grades aren’t good either,” Gao Xiuxiu said. “She’s just destined to grow up and get married. She’s lucky to have grown up in the city and have a city household registration. If she didn’t have a city household registration, she would only be able to marry a countryman and raise pigs and chickens.”
Upon hearing this, Fang Xudong didn't want to continue. Gao Xiuxiu always looked down on Erniu. Fang Xudong had said it many times, but it was no use. Gao Xiuxiu genuinely believed Erniu was no good and would never be filial to them. Fang Xudong could only secretly give Erniu some money and buy her some treats. Da Niu, on the other hand, had Gao Xiuxiu and Grandma Fang, and received far more from them.
Tang Lu returned to the capital for the Chinese New Year, but Aunt Song still wouldn't let her in. Tang Lu went back to her family home. Everything was fine before the New Year, but after the New Year, on the second day of the Lunar New Year, the Tang family arranged blind dates for her. They arranged more on the third day, and more on the fourth…
These people wished Tang Lu would get married on the spot, but Tang Lu didn't want to, so she ran away from home.
"Mom." Tang Lu squatted at the door of Aunt Song's house and waited for more than half an hour before Aunt Song finally returned.
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