They will definitely listen to the recording in Chapter 111 very carefully.
“I understand, of course I understand,” Qin Zihang said. “I just saw him with those thugs, smoking. He didn’t look like a student at all.”
Looking at Qin Li'an, Qin Zihang felt that Qin Li'an's appearance was too distressing. Did such a person have any future?
"He will..."
“You don’t need to worry about him, don’t follow his example,” Qin Yizhou said. “His future is predictable, it’s not going to be good. He’s just given up on himself, even his parents can’t do anything about him, let alone anyone else.”
If Qin Li'an's mother and others had properly educated him earlier, he wouldn't have turned out the way he is now.
Tian Keshu even paid for Qin Li'an to attend junior high school, but Qin Li'an just coasted through and often skipped classes. He had some money, and those hooligans liked to hang out with him; the money Qin Li'an had wasn't just for his own spending.
Qin Yizhou already knew what kind of person Qin Li'an was, and he had seen Qin Li'an hanging out with those thugs long ago. Qin Yizhou didn't try to persuade Qin Li'an, nor did he mention Qin Li'an's situation to Qin's father and older brother. A person who smokes will have a strong smell of smoke on them, and Qin Yizhou didn't believe that Qin's father and older brother wouldn't know what had happened to Qin Li'an.
Even though Qin Li'an was Qin Yizhou's older brother's child, Qin Yizhou didn't intend to interfere. If Qin Yizhou interfered, Qin Li'an would only blame Qin Yizhou, which wasn't good.
"His life is ruined," Qin Yizhou said. "Hoping he'll turn back is like hoping he'll be reincarnated sooner. As for you, if you see him, stay away. Don't get close to him, don't approach him, understand?"
"I heard you," Qin Zihang said.
"He hangs out with those people. He doesn't care if you're his cousin or not; he'll just get others to beat you up," Qin Yizhou said.
“If he dares to hit me, I dare to hit him!” Qin Zihang said.
"What if they outnumber you and beat you to death?" Qin Yizhou said. "You can't be too idealistic when thinking about these things. You might think those guys are just thugs, and they're not as good as you in terms of fighting skills. But they outnumber you and can wear you down with their numbers. If you go up against them, you're likely to run into trouble. Do you understand?"
"Understood." One good thing about Qin Zihang is that he listens to advice. Qin Zihang believes that he should follow the right path, not the wrong one, just the one that adults have walked.
The Qin family was indeed aware of Qin Li'an's actions outside, but Qin's father and elder brother didn't care. You Yun was even less likely to speak ill of Qin Li'an; she wished he were crippled. You Yun had a deep memory of Qin Li'an's previous actions against her child.
You Yun doesn't do Qin Li'an's clothes; it's always Qin's mother who does them. There are many expenses at home, and You Yun can do many things herself, so she hasn't considered hiring someone, nor has Qin's older brother. Since Qin's mother spoils Qin Li'an so much, let her do those chores and help him out more.
Qin's mother noticed the strong smell of cigarettes on Qin Li'an's clothes. She hadn't said anything before, but this time when Qin Li'an returned home, she did.
"Did you go for a smoke?" Qin's mother asked.
"How many men don't smoke?" Qin Li'an said. "It's just a little bit of smoking, it's not a big deal."
"..." Qin's mother listened to this and it seemed there wasn't much wrong with it. But wait, something wasn't right. Qin's mother said, "You're still a student, why aren't you learning good things, and instead you're learning bad ones?"
"Is this bad? Doesn't Grandpa smoke too?" Qin Li'an said. "Go and tell Grandpa what to do."
"I...sigh, you child." Qin's mother sighed, "Your grandfather is old, so it's different. Your father smokes less."
Brother Qin works in a relevant department, and if he smokes all the time, the office will smell a lot of smoke, which isn't good. His superiors usually only allow him to smoke when there are social engagements. Brother Qin already has limited opportunities for promotion, so he needs to be mindful of some things.
"Whether he smokes or not is his business," Qin Li'an said. "Whether I smoke or not is my business. You wanted me to go back to school, and I've already gone back!"
Qin Li'an believed he had already made many sacrifices and listened to these people, so why should they care so much?
"You're hanging out with those people... You should stay away from those thugs and hang out with the tougher ones," Qin's mother said. "And the good students in your class..."
“People with good grades wouldn’t hang out with me. They want to hang out with powerful people,” Qin Li’an said. “What am I? People call me a little spy. They don’t take me seriously at all. In their eyes, I’m nothing. They just laugh at me behind my back.”
“Then you can’t play with those people,” Qin’s mother said. “They will harm you.”
“They’re the only ones willing to hang out with me,” Qin Li’an said. “You all say they’re no good, but I think they’re great.”
Qin Li'an felt those people were too kind; they even respected him. Unlike Qin Zihang, who ignored him. Qin Zihang particularly disliked Qin Li'an, and Qin Li'an could sense it. Qin Li'an also felt that Qin Zihang was living too well.
Qin Li'an believed that he should be the one living well, not Qin Zihang. Who did Qin Zihang think he was? The Song family were just the bourgeoisie; why should they be living so well now?
"Grandma, are you saying these things to make me live a lonely life forever?" Qin Lian asked. "Am I just destined to be bullied?"
“I didn’t say you deserved to be bullied,” Qin’s mother said. “I am…”
“That’s not what you meant. What did you mean then?” Qin Li’an asked.
"I……"
"That's what you mean, you're all the same," Qin Li'an said. "You have a grandson now, so you should just look after him. Why are you looking at me? Don't you all say I'm useless now? That you wish you didn't have this grandson of mine?"
"No, don't think like that. We were doing it for your own good," Qin's mother said.
"For my own good?" Qin Li'an scoffed. "You're doing this for your own good. You don't want others to speak ill of you, you..."
"Li'an," Qin's mother interrupted Qin Li'an, "Don't think like that, do you understand? You keep thinking like this, you..."
"Come on," Qin Li'an said. "I'll make my own decisions about my own affairs. I don't need you to make those decisions for me. If you really care about me, give me more money."
"Isn't the money I give you enough?" Qin's mother already gives Qin Li'an enough pocket money every month; she herself hasn't even spent that much money.
Brother Qin didn't give Qin Li'an that much money, so Qin's mother gave him her own. Father Qin didn't give Qin's mother much money either, and she felt a little short of cash.
Even though Qin Li'an didn't buy anything important and often wasted money, his mother still gave him money. His mother was old and didn't earn money herself; she didn't have much retirement income like his father.
Qin's mother's pension was low, so Qin's father gave her less money, and consequently, Qin's mother gave Qin Li'an less money as well.
Now, Tian Keshu gives Qin Li'an money every week. If Tian Keshu didn't give Qin Li'an money, Qin Li'an would have made a scene long ago. But it wouldn't make a scene, as everyone else is already used to it.
This is the most terrifying thing. They all thought Qin Li'an was beyond saving, so they let him mess things up on his own.
“It’s not enough. There’s only so little money. It’s not nearly enough,” Qin Li’an said. “I’m not a three-year-old child anymore.”
That evening, Song Fenglan heard Qin Yizhou say that Qin Li'an was hanging out with some thugs, but she hadn't really paid attention.
The two were lying on the bed chatting, and Song Fenglan paid almost no attention to the Qin family.
"Zihang saw it from inside the car," Qin Yizhou said. "I told him not to go over there, or he'd get beaten up."
“We can’t go over there,” Song Fenglan said. “If we get beaten up, even if they retaliate later, it won’t be good.”
As Song Fenglan spoke, she thought she should go see Qin Zihang and talk to her son.
“I’ve already told him.” Qin Yizhou pulled Song Fenglan back. He knew what his wife was afraid of. “Zihang understands this kind of thing. Qin Li’an dared to hit Zihang when he was alone, let alone now that he’s hanging out with so many thugs. He’ll be even more likely to hit Zihang.”
Qin Yizhou couldn't possibly side with Qin Li'an; of course, he would side with his own son.
"Are your dad and your older brother really just going to abandon them?" Song Fenglan asked.
"
"I guess they're not going to care," Qin Yizhou said.
“They’re really not afraid of getting into trouble.” Song Fenglan’s lips twitched slightly.
“If something really happens, they won’t be held jointly responsible,” Qin Yizhou said. “At most, they’ll be told they didn’t take good care of the children, and they can say it’s the Tian family’s fault.”
The Qin family must have already planned what to say next. What they value now is You Yun's child, not necessarily Qin Li'an. Qin Li'an is disobedient, and nothing anyone says will change that.
"Look, Qin Li'an even dared to throw away his own younger brother," Qin Yizhou said. "Do you know what? When he threw his brother away, he threatened him, saying that if his brother spoke, he wouldn't let him into the house. He said his brother would have to wait two days before he could speak, and that if his brother was disobedient, he would beat his sister, the daughter that his sister-in-law brought with him."
Previously, Song Fenglan said that You Yun's child was already five or six years old, so why didn't he say a word at the police station? People were even wondering if the child was mute. If the child hadn't actually made a sound, they would have been considering checking the child's vocal cords.
"The situation over there is complicated," Qin Yizhou said. "Let them be."
"According to you, Qin Li'an is actually quite good to Zihang?" Song Fenglan raised an eyebrow.
"No." That's not what Qin Yizhou meant. "What I meant was that he's rotten to the core, beyond saving."
“There’s no way to save them,” Song Fenglan said. “Those people… forget it, let them be.”
Qin Li'an's existence brought shame to the Qin family. When Qin's eldest aunt went to visit the Qin family, Qin Li'an's attitude towards her was poor. When his eldest aunt greeted him, Qin Li'an acted as if he hadn't heard her.
"What is he doing..." Aunt Qin was speechless.
“That’s just how he is,” Qin’s mother said. “The child is getting older, and he…”
"Aren't you afraid he'll cause problems later?" Aunt Qin asked.
"It's alright, he didn't break the law," Qin's mother said.
“He hasn’t broken the law now, but that might not be the case in the future,” Aunt Qin said. “You should keep a closer eye on him.”
“It’s not that we don’t want to manage him, it’s that we can’t,” Qin’s mother sighed. “We’ve told him not to smoke, but he still does. We’ve told him not to hang out with those hooligans, but he says no one else wants to hang out with him. Everyone else is worried about his class background, worried about being influenced by him, so they all go out and hang out with other people. The powerful hang out with the even more powerful, and someone like him can only hang out with those hooligans.”
Qin's mother rubbed her temples; she never imagined that Qin Li'an would turn out like this.
Once, Qin's mother thought Qin Li'an would be a smart child, that he would have a bright future. But now, there's hardly anything good about Qin Li'an. His mother's words have been of no use whatsoever.
“His grandfather and his father don’t care anymore, they just let him do as he pleases,” Qin’s mother said. “How much can I, a woman, manage? In the end… sigh, it’s just the same old story.”
"Isn't this all because you spoiled him too much in the past? If you hadn't spoiled him so much, he wouldn't have turned out like this," Aunt Qin said. "My sister's second brother also told you, but you didn't take it seriously. Now, you know you regret it, right?"
Aunt Qin shook her head at the thought of Qin Li'an, let alone anyone else.
In Nancheng, Zhang Xiaohu's grades improved significantly, and his teacher even praised him. Studying with Qin Zihang wasn't a waste of time; with a dedicated teacher guiding him, how could he possibly be so bad? His grades jumped into the top ten of the class, improving several places from before.
This made Fatty Sister very happy. While she was cooking, she even fried an egg for Zhang Xiaohu.
"Your brother Zihang is really amazing, and your Aunt Fenglan is also very good at making arrangements," said the plump woman. "If it weren't for them, your grades wouldn't be so good."
“Zihang is very smart. He understands what the teacher says right away. I don’t understand, so the teacher has to teach me separately,” Zhang Xiaohu said. “The teacher teaches me separately while Zihang does his homework.”
“Good teachers in the capital cost a lot of money,” said the plump woman. “You know, our family owes your Aunt Fenglan a lot. You must study hard in the future and not be lazy.”
"Mm." Zhang Xiaohu nodded.
“We really need to save some money for you, because you’ll need extra tutoring when you go to high school,” said the chubby woman. “High school is very important.”
“Yes,” Zhang Xiaohu said. “It’s easier to understand when the teacher teaches you individually, and you can ask the teacher about many things you don’t understand.”
"Do you think I don't know? This is hiring a tutor just for you, it'll cost a lot of money, won't it?" the fat woman said. "If you get into high school, we'll hire a tutor for you when you get there. If you don't get into high school, you... well, we'll have to see your grades."
Aunt Pang was a little worried about Zhang Xiaohu's grades. It would be best if Zhang Xiaohu could pass the exam. If he couldn't, then he would have to consider other options.
Zhang Wen feels things are going well now that he's studying at a teachers' college. He's also working hard, hoping to be assigned to a good workplace.
Time passed day by day, and before we knew it, the end of the year was here.
Guo's father came to the city, intending to stay permanently this time. At least he could help out and have a place to stay instead of renting elsewhere. Since the rest of the Guo family was here, Guo's father didn't want to go back. He could raise chickens and ducks in the yard and help out at Niu Cuihua and her husband's shop.
Unlike Guo's parents, Guo's father visited the city less often and for shorter periods. He didn't particularly like Guo Furong, and she didn't always try to get close to him. Men tend to care more about the blood ties between children than women. Since Guo's father and Guo Furong weren't related by blood, he was more inclined to send her away. Fan Yani was willing to raise Guo Furong, so Guo's father didn't say much.
Guo Peng and his wife bought new clothes for Guo's parents, and Guo's father was quite satisfied. He didn't necessarily want Guo Peng to buy him clothes; he just didn't want his eldest son to neglect them as parents.
Li Hui is a stain on Guo Peng's reputation, and a stain on the entire Guo family.
Fan Yani told Guo Furong to stay away from Guo's father, and Guo Furong was also a little afraid of him.
“That’s just how your grandfather is.” Fan Yani said to Guo Furong during a meal at home, “He’s a man, and he’s always been working in the countryside, so his expression isn’t that gentle. Don’t go near him too much, it’ll be fine.”
“Auntie.” Guo Furong looked at Fan Yani.
"Eat some meat." Fan Yani put some food on Guo Furong's plate. "Your grandparents live over there, but you can continue living here. Treat this place like your own home, and if anything happens, just tell your aunt."
Fan Yani also served food to her own son and daughter. Their family earned more money and could afford to eat meat more often. Fan Yani didn't refuse to give Guo Furong meat; the dishes were all laid out on the table, and even though Guo Furong hadn't picked up any meat, Fan Yani still served her some.
"Eat up, eat up," Fan Yani said. "Your grandfather will be living with your uncle and aunt from now on, so don't be afraid. You haven't offended them, so they won't treat you too badly."
“I am not my grandfather’s biological granddaughter,” Guo Furong said.
“I’m not your grandfather’s biological daughter either,” Fan Yani said. “Your grandfather may seem cold on the surface, but he’s actually quite kind-hearted, that’s all. Some people are truly bad, but you can’t tell when they’re bad.”
"Yes." Guo Furong nodded. "Auntie, I understand."
"It's good that you understand." Fan Yani was worried that Guo Furong would get stuck on her own thoughts, and she was also worried that the child who was living under someone else's roof was prone to psychological problems.
When others spoke ill of Guo Furong, Fan Yani would even argue with them, trying to get them to shut up. Guo Furong saw all of this; her aunt was truly good to her.
Qin Yizhou and his wife still wouldn't take Qin Zihang to the Qin family home for the New Year. As in previous years, Qin Yizhou would go to deliver New Year's gifts. When Qin Yizhou arrived, he saw Qin Li'an leaning against the wall with those thugs, smoking. Qin Li'an's hair was very long, almost covering his eyes, and he was wearing a silver ring on his finger; he was practically covered in tattoos.
When Qin Li'an saw Qin Yizhou, he didn't even walk up to him. Instead, he deliberately flicked his hair and exhaled a puff of smoke.
Qin Yizhou shook his head as he looked at the items and then entered the Qin family home.
"Li'an is at the door," Qin Yizhou said.
If Qin Li'an were one of Qin Yizhou's soldiers, Qin Yizhou would definitely fire him.
Seeing Qin Li'an like this with his own eyes still made Qin Yizhou feel very uncomfortable. Every time he saw him, he wanted to kick him. Qin Yizhou told himself that Qin Li'an was not his child, and he shouldn't interfere. As his uncle, he couldn't control everything.
If Brother Qin doesn't teach Qin Li'an a lesson, who will?
Qin Li'an will be in his final year of junior high next semester. After graduation, what he does should be arranged by his family. Qin Li'an can't join the army, and even his father's wish for him to undergo military training is denied.
"He..." Qin's father sighed, "I've talked to him, but it's no use. All your mother knows is to give him money."
Previously, Qin's father gave Qin's mother a lot of money, which she gradually passed on to Qin Li'an. Qin's mother also gave Qin Li'an money that Qin's father had hidden. Once, Qin Li'an even went to Qin's father's room to steal money.
Seeing Qin Li'an's behavior, Qin's father could only tell himself not to get angry, lest he end up in the hospital.
When Qin Li'an was a child, he was chubby and quite cute. No one expected that he would grow up to be so wicked.
"As long as it doesn't affect you," Qin's father said. He thought that at least his youngest son was still in the army, and his youngest son's family was doing quite well. If he really had to go to the underworld to meet his ancestors, it would be understandable. "Your eldest brother has had a tough time too."
Qin's father didn't ask Qin Yizhou to help his older brother; he just wanted Qin Yizhou to know that none of them could control Qin Li'an.
Fortunately, people outside know that Qin Yizhou's family has a very ordinary relationship with the Qin family, and others don't believe that Qin Li'an and Qin Yizhou can have a good relationship.
Qin Yizhou was about to leave when his mother came out. She had issues with Qin Yizhou, but even more so with Song Fenglan.
If two people only have a short time together and say less, they are less likely to start arguing.
After Qin Yizhou left, Qin's mother asked, "Did he mention Li'an?"
"He didn't say, I guess he just saw someone at the door," Qin's father said. "Don't give Li'an any more money, look at the state he's in."
"I..." Qin's mother opened her mouth.
“He hangs out with those hooligans all the time,” Qin’s father said. “None of them are decent people.”
“It’s not entirely his fault,” Qin’s mother said. “He was alright before his parents divorced. It was only after their divorce that he…”
"So many reasons," Qin's father said. "Other parents also get divorced, but none of them end up like him."
"It's almost Chinese New Year, so say less to him," Qin's mother said.
"You're still spoiling him like this," Qin's father said. "He'll regret it later."
When delivering New Year's gifts to the Song family, Song Fenglan and her husband took Qin Zihang with them. Unlike when they went to the Qin family, Qin Yizhou didn't leave early; he stayed at the Song family's house for a longer time.
"Mom, you made pastries again?" Song Fenglan picked up a crystal cake from the table and took a bite. She immediately recognized the taste as her mother's.
"Since we're just killing time, let's make some," said Song's mother. "Take some back with you later."
"Yes, we should bring some back," Song Fenglan said. "Of course we should bring some. Mom's pastries are delicious, and we all love them."
"I told your third aunt to come over for the New Year," said Song's mother.
"Did Third Aunt agree?" Song Fenglan asked. "She always celebrates the New Year by herself before. Even when we ask her to come and celebrate the New Year with us, she never comes."
"She agreed," said Song's mother. "She probably thought things through."
"Had she come to terms with it? Hasn't Third Aunt always been very open-minded?" Song Fenglan didn't quite understand.
“Originally, your aunt was worried that the Tang family would come to cause trouble for us, fearing that we would take the property from your aunt,” said Song’s mother. “A lot has happened in the past two years, and your aunt also felt that she hadn’t been around much, and that’s what everyone thought. Before, your aunt wanted to spend the New Year alone, wanting to remember the feeling of loneliness. She also said that it was all her own fault, who told her to be blind and marry such a person.”
“Aunt should have done this a long time ago,” Song Fenglan said. “Before, she would come over either after the New Year’s Eve dinner or at noon. What’s there to be afraid of? There are so many of us; we don’t need to be afraid of the Tang family. If the Tang family dares to cause trouble, do you think we can just pretend nothing happened?”
“Your aunt also said she’d show us a movie,” Song’s mother said, “but not on New Year’s Eve.”
"From the Tang family?" Song Fenglan asked.
“Maybe,” said Song’s mother. “Your aunt said that movie didn’t deserve to be shown on New Year’s Eve, so it’s probably true.”
Aunt Song was a woman of action. Her second brother brought her some filming equipment, and she set it up herself. Whenever the Tang family came over, she would film them. Aunt Song even built a small shed at the entrance just to store her equipment.
Song Fenglan saw it all when she went there. Third Aunt Song said that this was also evidence, proving that the Tang family only talked the talk and that the Tang family did not deserve what she had.
The New Year's gifts that Tang Shaotao and the others gave to Aunt Song looked impressive and expensive, but in reality, they didn't cost that much at all. Tang Shaotao was still trying to curry favor with Aunt Song; as long as Aunt Song was alive, they wouldn't give up.
Aunt Song was referring to leaving her inheritance to the country; she was still able to manage those assets while she was alive.
Aunt Song's third aunt gave away the things Tang Shaotao had given her, which she considered an act of charity. She had thought about simply throwing the things away and letting Tang Shaotao take them back, but she felt that would be too easy for the Tang family, so she simply gave the things to other people in need.
At this time, Jiang Ersao and Jiang Erge went to repay the money. They owed money to their relatives, and they had to pay it back eventually. They couldn't pay it all back at once, but they had to pay back a portion first to let their relatives know that they would repay the money, and that they weren't unwilling to do so.
When Jiang Yufei learned that her second brother and sister-in-law had gone to repay the money, she didn't say anything nice to her aunt.
"Is the little money they earn enough to pay off all their debts?" Jiang Yufei asked. "Won't they still be in debt?"
“No matter how much is owed, paying back part of it is more important than anything else,” Aunt Yu said. “They can’t keep refusing to pay back the money, especially since the New Year is almost here.”
"Mom, how much money do you have?" Jiang Yufei asked.
"What are you going to do?" Aunt Yu frowned.
“That girl on our street, the one over here, she’s made a lot of money from her stall, and I heard she’s even planning to open a shop,” Jiang Yufei said. “She sells clothes, and she makes quite a bit of money. Mom, don’t you know how to embroider? You could make clothes and sell them too.”
"Do you know how difficult embroidery is?" Aunt Yu asked. "Would ordinary people buy embroidery?"
Embroidery is a high-end item, something ordinary people don't use. Whether you use it or not doesn't affect your daily life.
“That’s not necessarily true. You can embroider cheongsams or wedding dresses.” Jiang Yufei clapped her hands suddenly. “Now some photo studios even provide clothes so you can wear them to take photos. I was thinking, why not wedding dresses? Not everyone buys wedding dresses. They can be rented, but you have to pay for them and you have to return them.”
"Everyone else is renting wedding dresses, how much do you think they'll pay?" Aunt Yu had lived in a large family before, and she knew how extravagant those luxury items were and how expensive they were, but those wealthy families really didn't care about the price.
Aunt Yu's eyesight isn't as good as it used to be at her age, so she thinks Jiang Yufei is just making things up.
Jiang Yufei saw that others were making money and wanted to make money herself.
Aunt Yu knew that family, the Du family's daughter, Du Xinyue. Du Xinyue brought a man from the countryside back to the city, and had a fierce argument with her family. Du Xinyue set up a stall to earn money and also bought a cheaper house.
Du Xinyue and her husband set up a stall, with the older children looking after the younger ones. Actually, not many people buy clothes in the morning; it's mostly after 10 AM, but the sales start much later in the evening. The couple had no choice; back in the city, they had nowhere to stay, and initially the whole family squeezed into one room, barely having room to move.
When Du Xinyue was setting up her stall, some people laughed at her. But once she started making money, those people stopped laughing. Instead, they wondered if they could follow in her footsteps since she had money. They had previously said that Du Xinyue was living hand to mouth and that it would be better for her to work in a factory.
"Don't overthink it," Aunt Yu said. "If you really want to rent out clothes, don't use really nice clothes. Ordinary people wear nice clothes a few times and then put them away. Rich people might wear them once and then never wear them again; they don't care. If you rent out clothes and someone damages them, do you think they'll listen to you when you ask for a certain price?"
Aunt Yu thought Jiang Yufei was just too ambitious, always dreaming of the best things. Ultimately, it was because Jiang Yufei lacked experience and knowledge.
“I heard that when my second cousin got married, his wife had several wedding dresses. My aunt also gave my eldest cousin’s wife a wedding dress, but they didn’t hold a banquet,” Jiang Yufei said.
"You really know how to listen," Aunt Yu said. "You're not thinking of borrowing their wedding dress, are you?"
“If they’re willing, it’s not impossible,” Jiang Yufei said.
"Don't go and tell them, they don't lack the money," Aunt Yu said. "If you want to start a taxi business, you need to have enough equipment. It's not feasible, don't even think about it. If you really want to do it, you might as well go..."
Selling records, renting out records.
"Mom, do you really not think highly of me?" Jiang Yufei asked.
"Do you think I should have high hopes for you? You're being too presumptuous," Aunt Yu said. "So many people want to make money, but how much do they actually make? You see others making money and think that's something you can do, but do you know how hard they work? Du Xinyue, she sets up a stall to sell clothes, she also buys magazines to see the latest styles, and she even has people make her own clothes, all according to the latest designs. She doesn't just run a stall."
These days, many people like to imitate without thinking about intellectual property rights.
Du Xinyue was intelligent and had good grades in school, but someone from the Du family had to go to the countryside, and Du Xinyue became the one who was sacrificed. After Du Xinyue went to the countryside, she returned home several times. Ordinary families don't have that many connections, and there was no way to get Du Xinyue back immediately.
"And also, regarding the money, don't you have any money of your own?" Aunt Yu asked.
"I was just thinking of buying equipment, so I could take wedding photos for people too." Jiang Yufei said.
"You can take pictures?" Aunt Yu scoffed.
“It’s not possible now, but it might not be in the future.” Jiang Yufei looked around and whispered, “I heard that Fenglan’s aunt bought equipment and set it up near the door. As soon as the Tang family’s people came over, she would film them.”
"So, you've just cobbled together this inspiration from various sources," Aunt Yu said with a slight twitch of her lips.
“How can this be considered a patchwork?” Jiang Yufei said. “It’s a job that makes money, and it’s not shameful. I’m just thinking about it. What if it works out?”
"If you can just focus on doing things properly, that's enough. Don't think about these things," Aunt Yu said. "You can't do it, all you do is think. Thinking and doing are not the same thing."
Aunt Yu didn't want Jiang Yufei to end up like Jiang Ersao, someone who knew nothing but wanted to invest. Even if Jiang Yufei invested and did it herself, it wouldn't work. Aunt Yu understood Jiang Yufei perfectly; Jiang Yufei was all talk and no action.
I understand my own daughter best.
"What if it works out?" Jiang Yufei said.
"If it works out, you can use your own money. Don't ask me for money; I don't have any to lend you." Aunt Yu didn't want Jiang Yufei to say that the money she made was Jiang Yufei's, and the money she lost was Aunt Yu's.
If Aunt Yu really did that, her two daughters-in-law would definitely object.
Jiang Yufei couldn't borrow money from Aunt Yu, so she had to go back. She then tried to borrow money from the Song family, but they refused. Back home, Jiang Yufei lamented that a great opportunity had slipped through her fingers.
Jiang Yufei's husband, Lu Ping, was speechless upon hearing this.
“That’s their money, not ours,” Lu Ping said. “Don’t borrow money, especially not from loan sharks.”
“I’m not my second sister-in-law,” Jiang Yufei said.
On New Year's Eve, Aunt Song arrived at the Song family home very early, unlike in previous years when her stay was shorter. It seemed like she spent New Year's Eve at the Song family home, but not quite. Song Fenglan and her family of three were also invited to celebrate New Year's Eve, and the whole family was together in a lively atmosphere.
"I'll give a copy of the film to the Tang family," Aunt Song said with a smile while making dumplings. "It's a New Year's gift for them. There's a cassette tape; they can just put it on their radio and listen to it."
Some radio stations played audio tapes of TV dramas. There were no pictures, but many people still enjoyed listening, especially those who didn't have televisions.
More and more households now own televisions, but in rural areas and towns, audio broadcasts like this are still very popular.
"Will they play it?" Song Fenglan asked.
“Yes, they will definitely play it,” Aunt Song said. “If they don’t play it, how will they know what I’m going to say? They will play it from beginning to end, and playing it once is not enough. They will listen to it repeatedly to see if I have said anything or hinted at anything in it.”
Aunt Song did it on purpose. She disdained to cause trouble at the Tang family's house, but that didn't mean she wouldn't use tricks. Since the Tang family wanted to make trouble in front of her, she gave in and showed them what kind of people they really were.
"Auntie, you did a great job," said Aunt Song. "My filming skills are still not good enough. I need to learn more. Who knows, one day I might be able to film a TV series."
“Absolutely,” Song Fenglan said. “You don’t need to shoot a long one, a few minutes will do. Anyway, you’re not doing this to make money, it’s just a hobby. If you want to broadcast it, find an empty square, put up a big screen, and play it directly. If you’re worried about problems, just report it to the street office and the relevant departments. You’re not shooting any illegal videos, so it’ll be fine.”
Song Fenglan thought it was good that her third aunt had a hobby. Her third aunt was in her late fifties, almost sixty, not particularly old. If her third aunt took good care of her health, she could live for many more years.
"How many minutes?" Aunt Song asked.
“Yes, each episode is a few minutes long.” Song Fenglan nodded. “Interesting things that happen in the neighborhood can all be written into scripts and filmed. There’s no need to hire actors from film studios. You have friends, right? You can film with your friends.”
“We’re all getting old,” said Aunt Song.
“Even though you’re old, you can still take pictures,” Song Fenglan said. “It’s just a hobby. If you take good pictures, they’ll be on TV. If they’re not good, you can just watch them yourself and show them to others for free. Isn’t that great? There’s no pressure, and you don’t have to think about how they have to turn out.”
"It's worth a try." Aunt Song considered the feasibility of this idea. She could discuss it with her friends. "My friends have children and grandchildren. They should be very happy if it's just for fun."
"Perhaps." Song Fenglan nodded.
Just as Aunt Song had suspected, some members of the Tang family sat in the living room listening to the radio without fast-forwarding. After listening to it once, they wondered if there was something wrong with it.
Tang Shaotao's two younger brothers were also there; they had come back for the New Year. Naturally, they were also eyeing the things that Aunt Song had. Aunt Song had three sons and one daughter, which made her quite prolific.
Normally, Tang Shaotao stays in the capital, while his two younger brothers, one is a sent-down youth in the countryside and the other works in another unit in the suburbs of the capital.
The three of them huddled together to listen to the tapes that Aunt Song had given them, none of them wanting to miss a thing, afraid that others would listen while they would miss it.
After they listened to the tape, their expressions turned sour.
The most recordings are of Tang Shaotao, while there are fewer recordings of his two younger brothers. The second younger brother was a sent-down youth in the countryside, so there are the fewest recordings of him.
None of them thought they had done anything wrong; if anyone was at fault, it was someone else. Don't think they were unaware of each other's thoughts; they all knew perfectly well that they were all eyeing Aunt Song's property and wished she would give it to them right now.
"Why did Mom send such a recording?" Tang Shaojie asked. He was Tang Shaotao's third younger brother, the one who worked in the suburbs of the capital. Tang Shaojie lived some distance from his aunt Song's place, and he visited her about once a month, always having to pretend to be filial so he could get more of her inheritance later. "Big brother, did you offend Mom? Is it really worth offending her like this?"
"Is it just my recording? What makes you think it's just me?" Tang Shaotao shoved his third brother. "All three of us have it!"
"Where's Tang Lu? Why isn't there anything about Tang Lu?" Tang Shaotao's second brother asked. "Didn't she go to see Mom? Didn't she come back to the capital?"
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