Chapter 121 Small Encounters on the Road to Growth: Owes a Favor
“What my mom said is true, but she’s also thinking about our future,” Lin Jiajia said. “Your brother got into a university in the capital, and he’ll definitely do better in the future. Won’t your parents value him more? Won’t they think that since we have a school-provided apartment, we don’t need anything else? Yes, we’re in a free-love relationship, but I can’t give up everything. Even if we don’t think about ourselves, we have to think about our future children.”
Lin Jiajia's mother analyzed the situation with her and said that there was no room for compromise on the issue of the house.
“Besides, it’s not just your family paying; my parents will also contribute,” Lin Jiajia said. “When other people get married, the groom’s family prepares these things, and the bride’s family doesn’t have to. The fact that my parents are willing to contribute shows that they respect us. If your parents don’t contribute, does that mean my parents don’t have to contribute either?”
"I……"
“The money ends up in our hands; we’re the ones who benefit,” Lin Jiajia said. “You’re embarrassed to ask your parents to pay, but I’m embarrassed to ask my parents to pay.”
"I was just wondering if we could slow things down a bit," Zhang Wen said.
“We can’t delay, or it will all be gone,” Lin Jiajia said. “I can’t gamble. After we get married, you say we don’t need to buy a house anymore. Will I have to listen to you then? We’re not even married yet, and you’re already like this. How can we possibly work out in the future? It’s not that my parents didn’t contribute any money. If my parents didn’t contribute any money, it was all your parents who paid. You can say we’re being unreasonable, but that’s not true.”
Lin Jiajia's eyes were red. Her parents had been so good to her, she couldn't say 'no'.
“Many girls who didn’t ask for a dowry didn’t have a good life afterward,” Lin Jiajia said. “My parents prepared those things for me, and they also want you to prepare things. They don’t want me to be looked down upon by you, and they want me to have a stable life in the future.”
"Jiajia." Zhang Wen hadn't expected this. "I..."
"Talk to your parents and see if you want to continue this marriage," Lin Jiajia said. "I will never back down on anything that is non-negotiable. We can choose not to get married, and you can marry another woman."
When Zhang Wen returned home, he told his wife, Fatty, about it.
After hearing what Lin Jiajia said, Fatty Sister hurriedly went to find Lin Jiajia.
The plump woman also brought Zhang Wen over and made him apologize to Lin Jiajia. When Lin's mother saw the plump woman bring Zhang Wen over, her mood improved slightly.
“That child is so immature,” said the plump woman. “Don’t blame him. We didn’t tell him about borrowing money. We’re a little short on cash right now, that’s why we’re borrowing. We’ll get through these next few years. With the borrowed money, we have over ten thousand yuan, which we’ll give to Xiaowen and Jiajia.”
The plump woman gestured for Zhang Wen to speak, and Zhang Wen quickly said, "I misunderstood."
“This child has never been married before, and this is his first time dating. He doesn’t know anything about these things,” said the plump woman. “It’s not your fault. As parents, we all want to think more about our children. What you said is right. We should prepare a house for Xiaowen and Jiajia. They should get married first, get a house from the school, and live at the school. Then, they can buy another house. This money may not be enough to buy a very big house.”
“A smaller house is fine too,” Lin’s mother said. “Our family will also contribute some money. I like your straightforwardness.”
The fat couple didn't tell Zhang Wen before they went to borrow the money, and they got it ready so quickly. This shows that the fat couple really values Lin Jiajia, and Zhang Wen was concerned about his parents, which is why he thought of discussing it with Lin Jiajia. Lin's mother could understand; it would be terrible if Zhang Wen pretended not to know anything.
And so, Zhang Wen and Lin Jiajia's marriage was settled. They got their marriage certificate first and completed the formalities before applying for school housing.
When Song Fenglan received another call from her sister-in-law, she learned that Zhang Wen's marriage had been arranged, and she was happy for her sister-in-law.
“They don’t really want to make things difficult for us; they just want their daughter to have some security,” said the plump woman.
"When is the wedding?" Song Fenglan asked.
"Wait until Chinese New Year," said the plump woman. "That time, there will be many people and it will be lively. If you are not free, then don't come. You've come all this way, so you don't need to give any money as a gift."
The plump woman was embarrassed to accept the money from Song Fenglan; it was such a long way, and it would take a lot of time on the road, not to mention the travel expenses. She still had some pride and couldn't always be thinking about what others had.
“We really don’t have time to go, but we can still give a gift,” Song Fenglan said. “Now that things are settled, you don’t need to rush.”
"That's how it is when a child gets married," said the plump woman. "The main problem is that we don't have enough money. It's all because we're poor. If we had money, we could get things done quickly and wouldn't have to beg people everywhere. I hope that after Xiaohu graduates from school, he can earn more money on his own. If we still have to swallow our pride and borrow money, we probably won't be able to get any. Other people's sons also need to get married. They can't always lend us money, and we still have to pay it back."
"Xiao Hu can understand," Song Fenglan said. As for whether Xiao Hu's future girlfriend could understand, Song Fenglan didn't know.
Besides, it's normal for his girlfriend not to understand; marriage involves two families. Some people feel the man hasn't prepared enough, while others feel the woman is asking for too much. Both sides may have their own issues, and as for whose problem is bigger, that requires a case-by-case analysis.
"It's alright, he's only a freshman. He'll finish his freshman year and graduate in his senior year, so there are still more than three years in between," said Sister Pang. "I just want Xiaohu to wait until he graduates before dating. It's not that he can't date now, but he shouldn't get married so soon. If he gets married so soon, we have a house, but what about the bride price? We have to give the bride price, and other miscellaneous expenses. I originally thought we had enough money left, but I never expected the bride's family to want another house."
The plump woman sighed, "It's not their fault. They just want us to treat them equally, that the older son should have everything the younger son has. There are people around here who get married, and before the wedding they agreed to prepare everything afterward, but it's been years and they still haven't done it. When they argue, they bring up those same things over and over again. I think the bride's mother is right, it's better to prepare everything early, so that there won't be any misunderstandings later and it will only cause trouble for our own family."
“Isn’t it good that you can see things clearly?” Song Fenglan said. “Different families always have to consider more things.”
"Yes, that's right," said the plump woman. "They got their marriage certificate and moved into the apartment allocated by their school. They don't live here with us, and we won't move in with them either."
The fat woman thought it was fine to go over and help out occasionally, but if she went over too often, her daughter-in-law would be unhappy.
“Their school has a cafeteria, so they can eat there and don’t necessarily have to cook for themselves,” said the plump woman. “As for me, of course I still think it’s better to cook for myself and save some money. My views are quite different from theirs, so it’s not good that we live together.”
These were also said by Lin Jiajia's own mother. Her meaning was that the plump woman shouldn't interfere with the young couple's life. Lin's mother thought that since the plump woman was from the countryside, her lifestyle would definitely be different from Lin Jiajia's. Rather than the two of them constantly glaring at each other and having many conflicts, it would be better to separate from the start. When the plump woman and her husband got old and couldn't move around anymore, Lin Jiajia and her husband could take care of them more.
When Fatty heard what Lin's mother said, she couldn't say that what she said was wrong. Everyone was thinking about their own daughter, just like Fatty was thinking about her son.
"What do you mean?" Song Fenglan asked.
“My mother-in-law said a few words, and I think what she said makes a lot of sense. Distance makes things better, and proximity makes things worse,” said the plump woman. “The values of our generation are indeed different from those of the next generation. I come from the countryside, so my values are even more different. Gao Xiuxiu’s mother-in-law next door still lives in a house outside and doesn’t live with Fang Xudong and his family.”
“She’s still over there.” Song Fenglan thought Gao Xiuxiu’s mother-in-law had gone back to her hometown.
“She’s still here,” the plump woman said. “Gao Xiuxiu’s mother-in-law has no intention of going back to the countryside. She’s living a comfortable life in the city and doesn’t have to do anything. Gao Xiuxiu and her husband give her money every month, and they also pay the rent.”
“It’s comfortable in the city, why go back to the countryside?” Song Fenglan said. “Her son in the countryside has no money and can’t possibly treat her well. That’s how it is when people get old; if they have the means, it’s fine, but if they don’t…”
Having ability but no money just means being passed around like a football. My aunt has money, and several children who previously wanted to sever ties with her are now going back to her, practically begging her to share her wealth with them.
“Gao Xiuxiu is unwilling to give money, and there’s nothing we can do. If we give the money too late, her mother-in-law will come and ask for it,” said the plump woman. “Her mother-in-law has a loud voice, and if she yells, everyone will know that they haven’t given her mother-in-law any living expenses. Everyone is advising Gao Xiuxiu that as long as the old lady stops making a fuss, she should let the old lady go back to live. The old lady has to pay rent and food expenses if she lives outside.”
“The two of them don’t get along,” Song Fenglan said, “but… if their family is short of money, then…”
"I heard that when the lease expires, the old lady will have to move back," said the plump woman. "The old lady is too old, and no one wants to rent to her. Also, there's the cost of school fees; she has two children in school. Even if Gao Xiuxiu doesn't like her younger daughter, she still has to let her go to school. Gao Xiuxiu doesn't have a job and does odd jobs, but the pay isn't much. She works so hard doing odd jobs, and the money goes to her mother-in-law. Isn't she suffering too? She can't hold on any longer, so they're making her mother-in-law move back."
Fatty Sister-in-law only heard about it from others; in the end, it all comes down to money.
Fang Xudong doesn't earn much money. Plus, after the college entrance exam fraud scandal last year, people are now watching whether the police officers at the local police station have any money to spare. If someone spends a little more, people gossip behind their backs, wondering if those officers are skimming off the top or doing favors for others.
Fang Xudong was also troubled. His salary wasn't high, and he hadn't done anything disgusting. Fang Xudong was genuinely strapped for cash; as soon as he got paid, his money was gone in no time. He had to find a way to use the money, and he lived frugally.
“That’s true. The kids are all grown up now, and there are more expenses. We can’t think like we used to,” said the plump woman. “One person earns money, and the whole family spends it. It doesn’t last long. I do even more than Gao Xiuxiu. I have two sons, and she has two daughters. Daughters cost less, but they still cost money.”
"So you're going to have to listen to them arguing again?" Song Fenglan asked.
“I don’t care about their arguments, and I won’t try to mediate,” said the plump woman. “Fang Xudong is caught in the middle; it’s him who wants to try to mediate.”
If things really escalate, the Women's Federation or the neighborhood committee can go and try to persuade them.
Even if Fang Xudong works at the police station, he still can't solve the problems at home.
“They built another room in the yard, probably for Gao Xiuxiu’s mother-in-law to stay in, so she can stay a little further away,” said the plump woman. “That’s better, it saves some money.”
"Yes, that's right." Song Fenglan nodded.
After hanging up the phone, Song Fenglan thought about the lives of Gao Xiuxiu and the others, and then about her own. Song Fenglan couldn't help but feel that her life was pretty good now. At least her family didn't have so many troubles, and even though she and Qin's mother didn't get along, Qin's mother didn't have to live in her house.
The relationship between Gao Xiuxiu and Fang's mother is unsolvable.
Fang's mother didn't want to live with her youngest son in the countryside, and her youngest son wasn't willing to support her in her old age, so she had no choice but to stay with Fang Xudong. Fang's mother was a talkative person; she wouldn't remain silent just to make her eldest son's life more comfortable. She had to talk, and she had to say a lot. If Fang Xudong treated her badly or gave her too little money, she would complain.
Others know what kind of person Fang's mother is. The reason Gao Xiuxiu is like this is all because of the torment Fang's mother has caused her. Fang's mother thinks that as long as Gao Xiuxiu is alive, it's not a big deal.
The eldest brother of the Qin family approached Qin Li'an and arranged a shop for him to open a supermarket.
"I'm opening a shop?" Qin Li'an was a little confused.
“Yes, you can’t stay at home forever, you can’t be without a stable job,” Brother Qin said. “If you open a shop, at least you can make some money.”
"If I open a shop, would anyone dare to go in?" Qin Li'an said. When he went to look for a job, he was constantly rejected; no one wanted to hire him.
"Are you just going to sit at home and live off our savings if you don't open a shop? Do you expect me to support you for the rest of your life?" Brother Qin said. "Or do you want to do what Mom did and go and get a share of your uncle's demolition compensation?"
"No……"
"Whether you're interested or not, you have to put this idea aside," Brother Qin said. "Open a supermarket, sell some things, and make some money."
"I..." Qin Li'an was worried that he would lose money.
“Many people go to jail and still need to work,” Brother Qin said. “You went to jail and you know you were wrong, that’s enough.”
Brother Qin initially wanted to wait a while longer, but seeing how much his mother longed for the demolition compensation money for Qin Yizhou's family, he realized he couldn't wait any longer. He needed to keep Qin Li'an occupied, not just constantly in front of his mother. Qin Li'an had his own future; he didn't need his mother to worry about him so much.
Although Qin Li'an didn't really want to open a shop, he still listened to his father. His father didn't arrange any other work for him, and he thought his father didn't want him to embarrass himself by working for those companies, knowing they would definitely reject him.
Many people in the neighborhood know about Qin Li'an's past mistakes. Since Qin Li'an still has to live here, he has to slowly change how others perceive him. He'll open a shop; people will come in and buy things. In time, things will get better, Qin Li'an thought.
Two days later, Song Fenglan was going to attend an exchange meeting, and Qin Zihang returned home.
"Mom, are you going to the exchange meeting in a couple of days? How many people can you bring?" Qin Zihang asked.
“I can take you,” Song Fenglan said, “but I’d rather not take your classmates. Your senior brothers and sisters are going too.”
Song Fenglan thought to herself that she would be too embarrassed to bring so many people along by herself. If she brought too many people, people would think that she was going to cause trouble.
"Can we bring one more person?" Qin Zihang asked.
Song Fenglan raised an eyebrow, "Not taking you, but that person?"
"Well... if it really has to be this way this time, it's not impossible," Qin Zihang said. "I owe him a favor; he said he was going to the exchange meeting, so I thought..."
"Owe someone a favor?" Song Fenglan asked. "What kind of favor?"
"We're classmates, we did experiments together, and he even brought me lunch," Qin Zihang said. "If he hadn't begged me this time, I wouldn't have thought of taking him along, just this once..."
"What favor do you owe him? Can't you go get your own food?" Song Fenglan asked, puzzled. "You're doing experiments, and you don't know how to do them, but he's very good at them?"
Song Fenglan sensed something was wrong; she knew her son's capabilities well enough.
"Or did you run into some thugs on the street and they helped you?" Song Fenglan asked. "You're not a beauty."
“Mom,” Qin Zihang said.
“Okay, let him go,” Song Fenglan said. “Tell him to come over later.”
Song Fenglan glanced at Qin Zihang but didn't say anything more. Whether that person had any problems or not would soon be known. Song Fenglan was highly vigilant. Her son was outstanding, and many people knew that Qin Zihang was Song Fenglan's son. It was hard to guarantee that no one would deliberately approach him. Qin Zihang, on the other hand, was still very naive, someone who hadn't even graduated and entered society yet. Even though Qin Zihang had learned some confidentiality rules, if someone plotted against him, he could still be the one who was plotted against.
"Thank you, Mom," Qin Zihang said.
This exchange meeting attracted experts from various regions, as well as some foreign experts. Several experts also delivered speeches at the meeting.
This time, Song Fenglan didn't make any comments; she just went to listen. The organizers had asked Song Fenglan to give a speech, but she couldn't give a speech every time, so she had to leave the opportunity for others.
Song Fenglan did not tell Qin Yizhou about Qin Zihang's friend. She had her own doubts and could have someone investigate; there was no need to alarm too many people.
On the morning of the exchange meeting, the friend Qin Zihang mentioned arrived quickly; that friend's name was Peng Yong.
"Hello, Auntie." Peng Yong greeted Song Fenglan politely when he saw her.
Song Fenglan nodded, and she led Qin Zihang and Peng Yong to the exchange meeting. Outside the venue, two of Song Fenglan's students were already waiting. The group went in together, and Peng Yong greeted Song Fenglan's students, asking them many questions as a junior.
When Song Fenglan wasn't with the others, Peng Yong tentatively asked, "Auntie... what research projects has Professor Song been working on lately?"
"It was announced by the college," Song Fenglan's student replied.
Secrets are confidential and cannot be discussed; no amount of discussion, regardless of who comes to discuss them.
"Why are you asking this?" Qin Zihang asked.
"I...I'm thinking of taking the postgraduate entrance exam, so I can find out more about it and work towards that goal." Peng Yong said.
"Just look at what the college has announced." Qin Zihang felt that Peng Yong was asking a lot of questions.
Previously, when Peng Yong asked Qin Zihang, Qin Zihang didn't give a very detailed answer. Qin Zihang knew he had to keep it a secret; if he didn't, his mother would really kick him.
"Being near the water tower gives you an early advantage," Peng Yong said. "It's better to prepare early and specialize in something. You won't doubt my intentions, will you? Some of the majors at our school aren't open to just anyone, okay?"
Peng Yong was unaware that someone was watching him; he had even joked around with Qin Zihang about those things. Peng Yong thought he was just an ordinary college student, and it was okay for him to be asked a few questions. It was normal for him to have some flaws; it would be strange if he didn't have any flaws at all.
“Zihang, you have no idea how many people are watching your mother and Professor Song,” Peng Yong said. “It’s your senior brother who’s staying at our school now. He’s an associate professor at such a young age, and I heard he’ll be promoted soon and become a full professor.”
Ding Wenbo was Song Fenglan's first graduate student and doctoral student. He studied very hard and achieved considerable success. After graduating with his doctorate, Ding Wenbo successfully stayed on at the university. This was an open secret, not a secret.
Duan Yue, who graduated in the same year as Ding Wenbo, didn't stay at Capital University of Aeronautics and Astronautics but went to another research institute. Duan Yue even extended his studies by a year. He was quite tolerant, helping his advisor with various tasks and saying that the extension was his own problem. Many people knew why Duan Yue extended his studies: his advisor still had things for him to do, and his advisor was holding him back. Duan Yue didn't dare offend his advisor, so he did as his advisor said, trying to keep his advisor satisfied.
It's not easy for a student to find fault with a teacher, especially since some tutors are genuinely capable, and a small oversight is hardly enough to bring them down. People might even say, "Wouldn't it be better for that student to study under such an excellent tutor for an extra year?" If this hadn't happened to those students, they would have been gloating.
Duan Yue left the capital. Before leaving, he spoke with Ding Wenbo, expressing his gratitude for Ding's good fortune and regretting his initial folly at judging people by their appearance and age, failing to see the truth. Duan Yue deeply regretted his actions, but it was too late. Sometimes he wondered if he had studied under Song Fenglan alongside Ding Wenbo; perhaps Ding Wenbo could have stayed on at the university or the research institute.
Many new students heard about the different choices Duan Yue and Ding Wenbo made when they arrived at the school.
"in school"
"Haven't you heard the rumors?" Peng Yong said. "Everyone says Professor Song is a golden goose; if you latch onto him, you'll be set for life."
"..." Qin Zihang looked at Peng Yong. He used to praise his mother a lot when he was a child, but now that he's grown up, he knows how to be modest. How should he respond? Should he be humble, or should he say: Yes, my mom is just that amazing.
Although Qin Zihang enjoyed hearing others praise his mother, he couldn't say anything else.
In the Qin family, Qin Li'an was assigned to run a supermarket, and he was not by his mother's side.
The caregiver looked after Qin's mother, and Qin's mother was allowed to drink water and eat fruit. When Qin's mother wanted to go out, the caregiver said it wasn't time yet.
"What do you mean it's not time yet?" Qin's mother frowned. "I want to go out, is that not allowed? Do you expect me to push my own wheelchair out?"
“The schedule, the travel time according to the schedule,” the caregiver said.
"Where did this timetable come from?" Qin's mother was puzzled. There had never been such a timetable before; Qin's mother could go out whenever she wanted.
“This is the schedule set by your son and daughter-in-law, and your husband also agrees with it,” the caregiver said. “They told me to follow this schedule. If I don’t follow the schedule, then it’s my dereliction of duty.”
"You Yun, You Yun!" Qin's mother called out to You Yun.
You Yun rolled her eyes. She finished her work before going to Qin's mother.
"What's going on? What's the deal with this timetable?" Qin's mother had already seen the timetable.
“It’s just what you see here,” You Yun said.
"Why do we need such a timetable?" Qin's mother asked.
"What do you think?" You Yun sneered. "How much nonsense have you been spouting outside lately? Our family has no intention of fighting for my uncle's property, yet you've been saying he's heartless. Who's heartless? It's you, his mother, who's heartless, and you're dragging us down with you. It wasn't me who suggested this time; it was your eldest son, your husband."
You Yun is someone's daughter-in-law, so how could she possibly manage so many things? Of course, the Qin family has to make the decision.
“If you could just say less when you go out and not ruin our reputation, we wouldn’t have done this,” You Yun said. “They all know that we gave you too much freedom before, letting you go out and talk nonsense every day. The doctor also said that ten minutes of sun exposure a day is enough, you don’t have to be in the sun all the time. If you’re in the sun for too long, aren’t you afraid of peeling off a layer of skin?”
"How dare you talk to me like that?" Qin's mother's eyes widened.
“If I don’t talk to you like this, you won’t understand?” You Yun said.
"Aren't you afraid..."
“My husband knows, and my father-in-law knows too. They told me to keep a close eye on you, and if necessary, to say something harsh,” You Yun said. “Anyway, my reputation isn’t exactly good; everyone sees me as a wicked stepmother and a wicked daughter-in-law. So I’ll just say a few more words.”
"You...you..." In a daze, Qin's mother saw Qin's eldest aunt and You Yun overlap.
You see, every time Aunt Qin came over, she liked to point out what Qin's mother did wrong. Even though Qin's mother was partially paralyzed, Aunt Qin still said she hadn't done a good job, and Qin's mother always had a headache whenever she saw Aunt Qin. Qin's mother couldn't say much to Aunt Qin, so she would criticize other people.
Now, Qin's mother regrets it. She shouldn't have let her eldest aunt introduce a potential partner to her eldest son. What kind of person did her aunt introduce? Qin's mother needs a daughter-in-law who listens to her, not one who argues with her.
“From now on, it will be like this,” You Yun said. “We will follow the schedule, and the length of time we will be away will be determined. This is good, and it will save the caregivers from working so hard. Less trouble will make everyone’s life easier.”
"..." Qin's mother didn't think everyone else's life was easy; it was just that other people's lives were easy while hers was not.
After the exchange meeting ended, Qin Zihang and his group ate at the buffet before leaving.
Peng Yong wasn't caught so quickly; it was only a few days later that he was discovered when he met with someone.
When Qin Zihang learned that Peng Yong had been arrested, he was completely stunned. He had originally thought it was just an ordinary classmate, a matter of ordinary courtesy. Besides, many people in the school were planning to attend the exchange meeting, and Qin Zihang never expected that Peng Yong would have any problems.
From childhood to adulthood, especially after returning to the capital, Qin Zihang made more friends, and many people wanted to be his friend.
Qin Zihang was greatly affected, as he had always lived in an ivory tower. They were all from the same university, and university students are generally naive and simple-minded; they easily oversimplify things and don't consider the complexities involved.
Peng Yong came from a small town. After arriving in the capital, he was captivated by its prosperity, and with a girlfriend, he had many expenses. Then, Peng Yong fell into a trap. He borrowed money and had to repay it; if he couldn't, people would ask him to do small favors. Peng Yong got carried away; a little bit of information could earn him a lot of money. Peng Yong's contact with Qin Zihang was solely motivated by the hope of obtaining more useful core information from Song Fenglan later.
With Qin Zihang as a stepping stone, Peng Yong could more easily and quickly contact Song Fenglan. Peng Yong was, after all, a freshman, and even though he tried to build relationships with other professors, it was difficult. Going to the school labs and meeting with upperclassmen didn't yield much information for him.
Foreign forces naturally didn't value the information Peng Yong had previously obtained; they deliberately paid him to lure him down this path with no turning back. By the time Peng Yong realized his mistake and became afraid, it was too late. Moreover, he was short of money and wanted more, so he decided to continue.
"Mom, did you already know?" Qin Zihang sat down dejectedly next to his mother. He didn't think it was his mother's fault, nor did he think about why his mother hadn't told him sooner. His mother must have had her reasons.
“No, it’s just a suspicion,” Song Fenglan said. “You never used to say that you owed someone a favor and had to bring them to the exchange meeting.”
"I was begged by someone this time and I couldn't hold back anymore," Qin Zihang said. "I'm shy, and besides, he really did help me a lot."
"Be a little more shameless," Song Fenglan said. "He insists on doing things for you even though you didn't ask him to. Does he feel like you owe him something? Do you feel the same way?"
That's it. This guy is even worse than my own son, who's more of a villain. Right now, he only looks like cannon fodder, but he doesn't have the face of a villain.
Song Fenglan looked at her son, Qin Zihang, and quickly said, "It's not because he's my classmate. His hometown is in the countryside, and he's had a tough life... I... I won't let my feelings get the better of me anymore."
Qin Zihang looked at his mother cautiously; he truly hadn't expected this to happen. Qin Zihang and Peng Yong were in the same major, and they even studied together in the library and conducted experiments in the lab. Qin Zihang hadn't really considered so many things at once, especially since many students at their school were thinking of participating in the exchange conference, and he thought it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Then, a problem arose!
Reality slapped Qin Zihang hard in the face, making him dare not beg his mother to take people to the exchange meeting anymore.
“Going to the exchange meeting isn’t a bad idea, but you have to be able to judge the situation,” Song Fenglan said. “You’re still naive. It’s okay, people grow by falling down.”
"I haven't grown enough yet." Qin Zihang felt that he was still too young.
“You’re definitely not mature enough yet,” Song Fenglan said. “But you’re in college now. Whether you’re an adult or not, you’re a college student. You need to mature and stop thinking like you used to. You’re not a child anymore, and friendships aren’t that simple; other things get involved.”
“The adult world is very complicated,” Qin Zihang said. “I have to learn it too.”
"It's alright, you should get some rest," Song Fenglan said. "Reflect on your actions and make sure it doesn't happen again."
That evening, Qin Yizhou talked to Song Fenglan about Peng Yong. Qin Yizhou never expected that someone would treat Qin Zihang that way.
“Zihang must be very sad and upset to be treated like this,” Qin Yizhou said.
“He is my son, my own flesh and blood,” Song Fenglan said. “He enjoys the benefits that our status brings him, but he also has to bear the consequences.”
Song Fenglan wasn't heartbroken for Qin Zihang, but this was an inevitable step in Qin Zihang's growth.
"You could tell right away that there was something wrong with that person?" Qin Yizhou asked.
“A sixth sense,” Song Fenglan said. “I’m not sure if he has a problem, but we can have someone investigate. If he can withstand the investigation and there’s nothing wrong, then that’s fine. If there is a problem and it’s discovered, then we have to catch him. Zihang is still too young, and he hasn’t experienced many things yet. This time, he has personally experienced what happened, and he will know what to do in the future.”
Song Fenglan possesses memories of her past life, so she knows how to avoid scams, while Qin Zihang has little experience and wouldn't know so much. Even though Song Fenglan has told Qin Zihang a lot, and the school has special courses on it, college students still lack experience and are easily fooled.
“Those forces found Zihang’s classmate because they thought he was easy to fool. They dug a pit for him, slowly digging him down until he couldn’t climb out,” Song Fenglan said. “Fortunately, he was only a freshman and couldn’t get the core information. What he knew was basically all publicly available. He didn’t know it himself and thought he had obtained very useful information. The other party also said it was useful and gave him money directly. That was just fooling him and letting him fall into a deep pit.”
Song Fenglan thought about those who lacked money, those who were blinded by the allure of wealth and prosperity; they were indeed easily led astray. Not everyone who went to university could maintain their integrity.
“Zihang said that person came from a remote area. After something like this happened, his parents must be devastated,” Song Fenglan said. “They finally managed to raise a college student, and now that person has been arrested and will go to jail. Fortunately, the information he sold wasn’t much and wasn’t that useful, otherwise, it wouldn’t be so simple. But he won’t be able to go to college.”
Song Fenglan sighed upon hearing this. If it had only happened once or twice, the school could have tried to salvage the student. But this student had done it more than once or twice; it had happened several times already. If it hadn't been discovered this time, the student would have sold even more information later.
To find a partner, to show off wealth, they betrayed their own country.
The school often publicizes that student, yet he still did such a thing.
It's beyond saving, not even a tiny bit.
This incident became a negative example for the school, prompting the school to hold another security and confidentiality conference to warn students not to be easily fooled.
College students are truly worthless, especially freshmen. They aren't as capable as they imagine. Don't always think that just because you're a college student, you're amazing and worth a lot of money. Yes, they are valuable, but others are deceiving them.
Walking through the school, Qin Zihang felt a little embarrassed and awkward, wishing he could disappear into the ground. He thought to himself, "Thank goodness I didn't leak any information or do anything else. I almost became an accomplice, but thankfully it was just an exchange meeting."
If Peng Yong wants to participate in the exchange meeting, there's always a way; it's not necessarily...
They insisted that Qin Zihang ask Song Fenglan to take him there.
Upon learning of this, Zhang Xiaohu rushed to Capital University of Aeronautics and Astronautics to see Qin Zihang, and the two walked together on the campus path.
"It's even reached your school?" Qin Zihang asked in surprise.
“Yes, it got to our school,” Zhang Xiaohu said. “Although they didn’t say your name, I knew it was you. You know we’re a university of political science and law, and when teachers encounter real-life cases, they talk about them in class.”
"..." Qin Zihang's lips twitched slightly. He became famous just like that?
Fortunately, those people didn't know his name; it was better if they didn't.
Never mind, let him leave his legend behind at school...
Nothing serious. Qin Zihang thought that he should work harder and become stronger in the future, so that when others talk about these things, they will only say that it was just a small thing on his path to growth.
Ahhh, who wants to experience such a small thing on their path to adulthood?
Qin Zihang didn't want it to happen at all, but since it had already happened, there was no point in screaming in his heart.
"It's alright." Zhang Xiaohu gently patted Qin Zihang's shoulder. "This will only happen once, there won't be a next time."
"Of course there can't be a next time," Qin Zihang said. "I just didn't expect..."
“You’ll be able to think of that later,” Zhang Xiaohu said. “You do the same professional work as your aunt. After this incident, others won’t try to fool you again. Be more careful in the future, and don’t fall into the same trap twice. No, next time it won’t be brotherhood, it’ll be a honey trap.”
"..." Qin Zihang was speechless. Did he seem like a love-struck fool? "Love-struck fools never end well."
"Love-obsessed?" Zhang Xiaohu asked, puzzled.
“Yes, don’t be love-struck, wake up.” Qin Zihang said, “My mom said that being love-struck means you’re either a backup option or cannon fodder. No one will ever truly care about you; they’ll just treat you as a pawn to be used.”
"Auntie's words are still so insightful," Zhang Xiaohu said. "I heard Uncle loves Auntie very much."
“My dad isn’t exactly a love-struck fool; he does have some discernment,” Qin Zihang said. “Real love-struck fools are usually blind and deaf; they only believe what they want to see, and what they don’t want to see doesn’t exist.”
Because the Qin family had set specific times, the caregiver would only take Qin's mother out during those designated time slots, which Qin's mother was unhappy about. So, she started making phone calls from home, causing the phone bill to skyrocket.
"What's going on? Why is the phone bill so high?" Brother Qin asked You Yun. The phone bill was too expensive, much higher than before.
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