Chapter 43: Coward, Only Hiding

Chapter 43 Too Scared to Show Their Face

"The agreement has already been signed," Eldest Brother Qin said. "We moved out for a while, and my wife has been humbled. She’s been busy lately and knows she was wrong."

"If she knows she was wrong, why hasn’t she come out to apologize?" Sister-in-law Qin retorted. "Hiding—does she think she can avoid facing us just because she’s cooking? Didn’t she even glance this way?"

Sister-in-law Qin had just seen her peeking—she was clearly eavesdropping there. Did they really think she wouldn’t notice? Maybe this couple was even thinking of renegotiating the agreement, as if signing it once would solve everything.

"Your family matters aren’t really my place to say much. But… at least keep up appearances," Sister-in-law Qin said. "Do you really have to move back this year? Can’t you wait until next year?"

If nothing else, the elderly Qin couple could fake an illness later, needing care, and then Eldest Brother Qin and his wife could move back with their child—that would make it seem natural. It would keep everyone’s dignity intact.

Coming home for the New Year was already a valid reason. They lived so close they could walk over—why insist on moving back just for the holiday?

Juggling two households while caring for elderly parents would be troublesome, and there’d inevitably be gaps in their care.

Sister-in-law Qin thought her eldest nephew couldn’t even fake it anymore. After all the trouble his wife had caused, he still had the nerve to suggest this.

"I’ll head back first—I won’t stay for lunch," Sister-in-law Qin said, standing up. It was better to let these people think things over. There was no point in her staying—they wouldn’t listen to her anyway.

After Sister-in-law Qin left, Old Man Qin turned to Eldest Brother Qin.

"Listen to your aunt. Wait a while longer," Old Man Qin said. He hadn’t expected Qin Yizhou to be so firm this time. Back when Qin Yizhou insisted on marrying Song Fenglan, his attitude had been just as unyielding.

"Fine, we’ll wait a while longer," Eldest Brother Qin gave in.

The small house was still just that—small. Of course, Eldest Brother Qin preferred living in the bigger place.

This time, it wasn’t she who suggested moving back—it was Eldest Brother Qin himself.

The Qin family sat in silence for a long while, only perking up when she came out of the kitchen to call them for lunch.

Meanwhile, Song Fenglan and the others went straight to the Song family for their meal. Going home to cook would’ve taken too long. The Song family had already told Song Fenglan they’d prepare extra food, so the whole family could eat there.

After lunch, Qin Yizhou took Qin Zihang for a nap, while Song Fenglan stayed behind at the Song residence with Cao Fang nearby.

The matters between the Song and Qin families weren’t off-limits for Cao Fang to hear—there was no harm in her listening.

Song Fenglan and her family chatted in the living room. "Did the Qin family give you any trouble?" her mother asked.

"Typical drama," she said. "Of course they’re unhappy, but so what? I’m unhappy too. I’m done coddling them. Past me and present me are different—I won’t bow my head like before."

"Don’t bow," her mother said. "If you get used to yielding, they’ll only keep pushing you down. What does your husband think?"

"Him… We brought some pastries for Zi Hang, but his eldest nephew threw a fit for them. I refused to give any," Song Fenglan said. "His mother flat-out ordered me to hand them over, but I still refused. Qin Yizhou could see his parents’ stance clearly—they side with his eldest brother and sister-in-law. Today, we signed the agreement with his aunt as a witness. From now on, his parents’ care will fall entirely on his eldest brother and sister-in-law. The filial support payments Qin Yizhou would’ve made are already covered by the property they gave to his eldest brother."

Listening to the Qin family today, Song Fenglan realized they still had some savings.

"We’ll get one apartment in the split," Song Fenglan said.

"Have you gone to see it yet?" her mother asked.

"Not yet," she said. "No big deal—we can check it out later this afternoon."

"Don’t get your hopes up too much," her mother warned.

"Hmm?" Song Fenglan looked at her. "We know the score."

In the afternoon, when Song Fenglan and Qin Yizhou went to check out the house at the address provided by the Qin family, they found it was a freestanding two-story home in a small alley—an ordinary residence, not the Western-style villa the Song family had given Song Fenglan. The house did come with a small yard, but it was quite cramped. Adding a washbasin, growing some luffa vines, and placing a small round table for two would already make it feel crowded.

When Qin’s sister-in-law first learned that Qin’s parents were buying a house for Qin Yizhou, she thought they would spend a fortune, which would be unfair to Eldest Brother Qin’s family. But after finding out what kind of house it was, she felt somewhat relieved—it wasn’t anything fancy. Still, around Eldest Brother Qin, she praised it.

The rooms were small, and the stairs were narrow. Song Fenglan didn’t take Qin Zihang upstairs, but Qin Yizhou went up to take a look.

Compared to the house the Song family had prepared, or even the one Eldest Brother Qin currently lived in, this one was worse. But it was a freestanding home, and though it didn’t look great now, its value could flip if it’s ever demolished. Song Fenglan wasn’t too dissatisfied—she figured it was decent enough.

Perhaps Qin’s parents believed Qin Yizhou and his wife would still move to the southern city, so there was no need for a better house. Or maybe they wanted to save money for their retirement and weren’t willing to spend more on a nicer property.

Qin Yizhou, however, felt his parents’ favoritism was blatant.

“We could rent it out,” Song Fenglan said without complaining. They just needed to take a quick look and understand the house. “Let Second Brother Song help with renting it out.”

She didn’t trust the Qin family to handle the rental—who knows where the rent money would really go? Second Brother Song would definitely hand over the rent to her without keeping any. The Songs weren’t hard up for cash.

“Alright,” Qin Yizhou agreed, not objecting. He even thought his wife’s idea was good—it was better to have Second Brother Song manage the rental.

Neither Song Fenglan nor Qin Yizhou trusted the Qins.

“Do we not have to live here?” Qin Zihang asked.

“No, we’ll let someone else live here,” Song Fenglan patted his head. “We already have a place to stay.”

“There’s no TV here. I want to watch TV,” Qin Zihang said.

The child could tell this place was worse—he wanted to go back to watch TV.

Song Fenglan didn’t explain the Qins’ situation. That the Qins gave them a house at all was something. She didn’t like the Qins and saw no need to justify things—especially since they could have done better.

Qin Yizhou didn’t explain either. What was there to say? Actions spoke louder than words. Even if he tried to sugarcoat it now, Qin Zihang would eventually realize how little the Qins cared about them.

As a child, Qin Yizhou hadn’t noticed how differently his parents treated him compared to Eldest Brother Qin. Now, he felt it deeply.

Song Fenglan thought the freestanding house was decent, especially with its small yard. If it ever got torn down, they’d get the full payout. With multi-story apartment buildings, the calculations would be more complicated. She preferred simplicity.

The two floors plus the yard weren’t small, and the square footage was all on the deed—that was good enough. The paperwork was squared away, so there wouldn’t be issues later.

“Let’s get going,” Qin Yizhou said.

In the evening, after dinner, Song Fenglan asked Second Brother Song to help rent out the house.

“No big deal,” Second Brother Song said. “It’s not out in the sticks—someone will rent it.”

“Leave it to you,” Song Fenglan smiled.

“This simple.” Second Brother Song replied. “Don’t forget to come for New Year’s Eve dinner tomorrow.”

“We’ll be there,” Song Fenglan nodded.

For breakfast, Qin Yizhou cooked congee. Since they didn’t always wake up early, they skipped breakfast at the Songs’. But for lunch and dinner, they ate there—Qin Yizhou went along with Song Fenglan’s plans.

The Qin family didn’t invite Qin Yizhou back for New Year’s Eve dinner. Probably because of the signed agreement, they were still sore about it.

The next day, on New Year’s Eve.

Eldest Brother Qin came looking for Qin Yizhou, waiting at the gate. He had known earlier that the Song family had bought Song Fenglan such a nice house. Like Sister-in-law Qin, he had worried that his parents might spend too much on a similar house for Qin Yizhou. He didn’t want them to drain their savings for it—fortunately, they hadn’t.

“It’s fine, let him in,” Song Fenglan said to Qin Yizhou. “I’ll take Zihang up to play.”

Song Fenglan wasn’t trying to keep Eldest Brother Qin out. If he wanted to come, fine—let him see for himself how the Songs did things versus the Qins. Song Fenglan wasn’t asking the Qins to go broke just to get her these things; it’s just that the Qins were always scheming.

Qin Yizhou got it—letting his brother in wasn’t about courtesy; it was about rubbing his nose in their nice home. The Songs didn’t need the Qins’ paltry contributions; Song Fenglan had everything she needed from her own family.

Eldest Brother Qin’s eyes swept the living room—everything here put his parents’ place to shame.

"You ought to come home for the reunion dinner tonight," Eldest Brother Qin said.

"No, Fenglan and I are doing reunion dinner at her folks' place. We settled it last night," Qin Yizhou replied.

The family had visited the Qins that morning, but no one had mentioned the reunion dinner. Qin Yizhou hadn’t asked—he’d already decided there was no need to force an awkward meal. Better to keep things pleasant for everyone.

"Can’t you visit your in-laws on day two instead?" Eldest Brother Qin frowned. Custom says the reunion dinner’s at the husband’s family’s place.

"No," Qin Yizhou said. "Sis-in-law Qin’s got enough on her plate. My wife doesn’t have time to deal with all that. I won’t let folks call her lazy if she sits back, or some spoiled rich girl if she helps."

"Where’s your wife now?" Eldest Brother Qin asked.

"She’s with the kid," Qin Yizhou said. "Was there something else?"

He didn’t elaborate on the Song family’s past hardships or bring up the scandal of Sister-in-law Qin’s family harboring a traitor. Some things were better left unsaid—people needed to figure them out on their own.

"Nothing. I’ll head back—there’s still work at home." Eldest Brother Qin didn’t want to stay any longer. He felt like a total joke.

Before leaving, he noticed the color TV still on and the lavish furnishings in the living room. Did the Song daughters-in-law gripe about how much Fenglan carted off? he wondered.

Qin Yizhou saw him to the door, and Eldest Brother Qin spotted the car parked nearby.

"The in-laws said a car’d make life easier," Qin Yizhou tossed out.

Eldest Brother Qin’s mouth opened, then shut without a word. He turned and left—their families weren’t even in the same league.

Upstairs, Qin Zihang clamored to watch TV.

"Is Uncle gone yet? Can we watch?" he whined.

"Hold your horses," Song Fenglan said. "You’ll get your turn."

"Okay," Qin Zihang said. "But what if Uncle tries to take the TV?"

"Why would you say that?" Song Fenglan hadn’t taught him to think that way.

"His kid’ll wanna watch too!" Qin Zihang protested. "Mom, I want to watch! Don’t let them have it!"

"No one’s taking it. It’s yours—Grandma and Grandpa bought it for Hangbao, no one else."

"When can we go downstairs?" Qin Zihang fidgeted impatiently.

"Now," Qin Yizhou said as he came upstairs. "Eldest Brother’s gone."

"TV time! TV time!" Qin Zihang chanted, already darting toward the stairs.

"Don’t trip!" Song Fenglan yelled.

Meanwhile, Qin Yizhou’s parents waited for Eldest Brother Qin’s return, still hoping their youngest son’s family would join them for dinner—if only to keep up appearances for the neighbors.

"Yizhou’s doing reunion dinner at the in-laws’," Eldest Brother Qin said. "They haven’t gotten together in ages. I said why not go on day two, but Yizhou wasn’t having it. I dropped it."

"Is he coming later?" Qin's mother asked.

"No idea." Eldest Brother Qin didn’t ask about the details. He felt too awkward at the time and just wanted to leave quickly without probing further. "They’ve returned, and everyone has met them. That’s enough."

Eldest Brother Qin didn’t really want to see Qin Yizhou again. He thought Qin Yizhou was rubbing his wealth in his face.

"Did... did you go inside their house?" Qin's mother asked. "How’s it look inside?"

Earlier, the Qin family had heard that the Song family had prepared a house for Song Fenglan, but they didn’t know what it looked like inside. The Qins didn’t dare ask the Songs too many questions—they didn’t have the money to buy such a nice house. What if someone asked them if they wanted to decorate it? That would just mean more expenses.

Better to stick to their own homes’ decor. Qin’s mother figured their place was fine as is—it was clean and tidy, so there shouldn’t be any major issues.

"They have a color TV," Eldest Brother Qin said, this detail leaving a strong impression on him. "And there’s a car parked in the yard."

"..." Qin’s mother fell silent for a long moment. "Don’t they worry about gossip?"

Isn’t that a bit much? Weren’t they worried about what people would say about the Song family?

Qin’s mother realized the gap between their family and the Songs was too wide—the Songs were way too flashy with their money.

When Jiang Yufei heard Song Fenglan had returned, she kept her distance. Jiang Yufei knew very well that Song Fenglan held a grudge. She wasn’t about to face Song Fenglan solo—not after how she had treated her before. Song Fenglan would definitely seek revenge.

If she was going to show up, it had to be when everyone else was around. That was her only shot.

Before, Jiang Yufei had thought that with Song Fenglan away, the Song family—who doted on their daughter and sister—might treat her better. She’d miscalculated. The Songs weren’t dumb enough to play nice, not after what Jiang Yufei had pulled.

Because of Jiang Yufei’s past actions, the Song family would only keep their distance.

Since Li Hui refused to go back to Guo Peng’s hometown for the New Year, Guo Peng went alone. Returning without his wife, his parents gave him an earful. Guo Peng bolted after lunch, thinking it was better to return early and keep Li Hui company. Mostly, he didn’t want to stay home and listen to his parents’ nagging or the villagers’ gossip. An early exit meant less nagging.

Gao Xiuxiu went back to her hometown with her husband. She walked around the village several times, her belly on full display, making sure everyone knew she was pregnant.

"Folks say it’s a boy this time."

"Congratulations, then."

"You work fast!"

"Having both a son and a daughter, that’s wonderful."

...

The villagers naturally congratulated Gao Xiuxiu, never saying anything negative to her face. But behind her back, they muttered that there was no guarantee whether the baby was a boy or a girl—yet Gao Xiuxiu was strutting around like she’d won the lottery. On such a cold day, she insisted on walking around the village just to show off her belly.

Big deal. Gao Xiuxiu really didn’t know how to take care of herself—she oughta be off her feet.

But these were personal matters and didn’t affect Song Fenglan.

Cao Fang went with Song Fenglan and the others to celebrate the New Year at the Song family. They all had the New Year’s Eve dinner together. The Songs even prepared a hotpot with plenty of dishes. Song’s mother, Sister Song, and Aunt Tao handled the cooking, while Song’s eldest brother and the others were responsible for buying groceries. Song Fenglan’s family waltzed in and ate. Still, Qin Yizhou helped out a bit, though Song Fenglan? Didn’t lift a finger.

Sister Song didn’t ask Song Fenglan to help—with so many people working, there was no need for her to pitch in.

By a little before five in the evening, the dishes were served one after another, and the Song family urged Qin Yizhou and the others to sit down and eat. Qin Zihang was still chatting with his cousins, who even slipped him red envelopes.

"These are your grandparents’—keep ’em," said Song Heng, the eldest son of Song’s eldest brother. Today was New Year’s Eve, so he was technically still 8, but after midnight, he’d be 9.

Song Heng and his younger sister both handed red envelopes to Qin Zihang, who was momentarily stunned.

"You’re kids too. These are from Grandpa and Grandma—they’re for you, not me." Qin Zihang understood—adults gave red envelopes to children, not the other way around.

"This is for you." Song Heng's sister directly stuffed the red envelope into Qin Zihang's arms.

"This isn’t mine—it’s [for] my sister," Qin Zihang said.

"Your cousins gave it to you, just take it," Sister Song said with a smile when she saw this. "They’re only giving you one, not all their red envelopes."

"I can't take even one," Qin Zihang replied. "My brother and sister are still young too."

Song Heng and his sister knew their mother admired Song Fenglan, and Sister Song had encouraged them to play more with Qin Zihang. The two children, having just received red envelopes, wanted to give one to Qin Zihang. Qin Zihang already had red envelopes in his hands—Grandpa and Grandma had prepared extra ones for him. The earlier ones were initial gifts, not lucky money.

The kids kept politely pushing the envelopes back when Oldest Brother Song took out three red envelopes, one for each of them. He had prepared them in advance, waiting until after the New Year's Eve dinner to give them to the children.

"Take them, no need to refuse," Oldest Brother Song said.

Eldest Brother Song walked over, took the red envelopes Qin Zihang had tried to give back to his cousins, and peeked inside to make sure they had cash before returning them to Qin Zihang.

"Your cousins gave these to you. It’s their first time celebrating New Year with you, and they really like you," Eldest Brother Song said. "Just take it, no need to be polite with them. Next time you come, they won’t give you red envelopes anymore."

"I can give!" Song Zi quickly said. "Little brother is sweet—I want to give to him."

Song Zi felt like she’d gained a little brother—this was her brother.

"I’ll give too," Song Heng nodded. If his sister gave, so would he. Even if she didn’t, he still could.

"Alright, let Hangbao take them. Come eat now," Sister Song said.

Qin Zihang looked at his mother, and when Song Fenglan nodded, he put the red envelopes away.

"Here, for you," Qin Zihang took out his other red envelopes, intending to give them to his cousins.

"No need for you to give. Wait for your parents to do that," Sister Song chuckled. "Fenglan, we’re family. Tell Hangbao not to be so polite with us. What’s a kid’s lucky money, really?"

Though it might equal several months' wages for an ordinary person, Sister Song didn’t think it was much for the Song family. She was glad her side of the family gave these to Song Fenglan—she was a good sister.

"Let’s eat, everyone eat," Song Fenglan said.

"Little Hangbao, this is your grandparents’ home, your uncles’ home," Sister Song said. "Not strangers’."

Sister Song knew the Qins weren’t the kindest, but she didn’t outright criticize them—out of regard for Qin Yizhou and Doctor Lin.

Qin Yizhou let it go. The Qin family had indeed treated Song Fenglan and her son poorly.

After the New Year’s Eve dinner, Qin Yizhou and the others stayed at the Song family for a while longer, watching fireworks and eating snacks together.

Qin Zihang was especially happy. He thought this was the happiest New Year ever—Grandpa, Grandma, uncles, aunts, cousins, everyone had been so kind to him.

"Mom, will we celebrate New Year with Grandma and the others again next year?" Qin Zihang asked as they walked upstairs, holding his mother’s hand on one side and his father’s on the other, still thinking about his grandparents.

"We’ll see about next year," Song Fenglan said.

"Grandma is so nice, and uncles and aunts too," Qin Zihang said.

"When we visit, we can celebrate with them," Qin Yizhou said.

Song Fenglan glanced at Qin Yizhou. He wasn’t pushing for them to spend New Year with the Qins—there was no such expectation.

That night, once Qin Zihang was asleep, Song Fenglan and Qin Yizhou stayed awake in their room.

While soaking her feet, Song Fenglan glanced at Qin Yizhou a few more times.

"Celebrating New Year's with your parents was wonderful," Qin Yizhou said. "And Zi Hang was also very happy."

He didn’t feel that not celebrating with the Qin family was a bad thing. "I’m already grown up. I don’t need to be right by my biological parents’ side. With you and Hangbao here, I’m happy."

"Men usually want to spend the holidays with their own side of the family," Song Fenglan remarked.

"Wherever you and Hangbao are, that’s home," Qin Yizhou replied.

Thinking about how his own elder brother’s children treated Qin Zihang compared to how the Song family treated him, Qin Yizhou genuinely felt the Song family’s warmth toward his son. Without comparison, the hurt wouldn’t be so obvious. He couldn’t pretend to be oblivious or act as if the Qin family treated Zihang well.

Kids don’t get these things and don’t fake it—they just show how they really feel.

The Song family was happy, while the Qin family was not.

Qin Yizhou’s elder brother and his wife took the kids home, and Sister-in-law Qin barely held back from speaking her mind in front of the children.

Once in their room, she couldn’t hold back anymore. "So your parents still expect me to apologize to your sister-in-law?"

"..." Eldest Brother Qin remained silent.

"They came back just to visit your parents once, and it was only to get that written agreement," Sister-in-law Qin said. "Do they even care about your parents? I think they just want the inheritance—they snatched that house and now they’re scared we’ll stick them with your parents’ care."

"You..." Eldest Brother Qin opened his mouth but didn’t want to argue.

"Just because there was a traitor in my family, I’m looked down on—now I have to apologize to her?" Sister-in-law Qin said. "But who apologizes during the first five days of the New Year? Nobody even settles debts during these days—it’s bad luck. Your brother and his family are leaving in a few days, aren’t they? Not even waiting until the sixth day? What, am I supposed to go apologize on the second day of the New Year? That’s when I’m supposed to visit my own family!"

She couldn’t skip visiting her own family—she was already looked down upon by them, and now more than ever, she couldn’t afford not to go.

Bullshit. After everything she’d been through recently, she’d already lost face. She wasn’t going to apologize. If she had to, it would have to wait until after the five-day New Year period.

Honestly, she could’ve apologized yesterday, but she had hidden in the kitchen, refusing to come out. That said it all—she wasn’t about to apologize, so she hid.

"On the second day, you have to come with me," Sister-in-law Qin said. "My dad lost his job. If we don’t go, he’ll think we have a problem with him. My family is struggling right now—if you don’t show up, people will assume you have issues with them."

"No issues, absolutely none," Eldest Brother Qin said irritably. Why did everything have to be a problem?

It wasn’t like he’d ignored her family—it was just that some matters were truly not his place to interfere with.

On the first day of the New Year, the Song family didn’t fuss over Song Fenglan visiting. In fact, they invited her and her family over for a meal. However, Song Fenglan received a sudden call—the capital’s flight research lab needed her input, so she had to go assist.

Qin Yizhou had wanted to take his family out, but with his wife working, he could only take their son. Cao Fang went with Song Fenglan, so at least he and Zihang weren’t left staring awkwardly—Zihang was content watching TV.

With Song Fenglan at work, Qin Yizhou took Zihang to the Song family for dinner. They couldn’t exactly bail just because she was gone. Song Fenglan’s parents also wanted to spend more time with Zihang—the Songs didn’t fuss over married daughters visiting on New Year’s Day.

While Zihang played with Song Heng and his sister, Second Brother Song spoke privately with Qin Yizhou.

"We appreciate everything you and your uncle have done. But we still hope you’ll treat Fenglan well," Second Brother Song said.

"Of course. I’ll always take care of her," Qin Yizhou replied.

"The bad blood between Fenglan, your parents, and your brother’s wife isn’t going away," Second Brother Song said. "We’re not asking you to pick sides—just don’t force her to do anything she doesn’t want to do."

"I won’t force her," Qin Yizhou said. "Fenglan is wonderful."

Sometimes, Qin Yizhou wondered if he deserved her. He just wanted a good life with her—no room for drama.

Zihang missed his mom, but his dad said she was working. He had questions, but all he could do was wait.

Qin Zihang played with his cousins, who always let him have his way.

Song's sister's two children were very sensible, having grown up on a rural farm—how could they not be? Song's sister and her husband had taught them many things. Though they might feel a little awkward at first in the city, they would gradually adjust.

What Song's sister worried about most was being dazzled by the Song family's wealth or that her children might change their good character. Raising children well was no easy task, but spoiling them was effortless.

Seeing how well-behaved Qin Zihang was, Song's sister believed he would grow up to be very accomplished. And why not? His father was now a regimental commander—whether Qin Yizhou stayed in the military or switched to civilian life, his future was bright. Song Fenglan was a researcher with a stable job. With parents like that, their only child was bound to do well.

When Song Fenglan arrived in the capital, some at the research institute knew, along with some top officials. The capital’s aircraft research institute had run into problems, and they had previously wondered how the southern institute had resolved similar problems so quickly. Naturally, the capital institute sought help to tackle their own challenges. Coincidentally, Song Fenglan was available.

When they found out Song Fenglan was from the capital originally, the researchers felt even worse about it. The director believed she should have stayed, and other researchers who worked with her agreed. Had she remained, their institute would surely have outpaced the southern one in breakthroughs, rather than lagging behind.

But such things were hard to predict. Given Song Fenglan’s background, even if she had wanted to stay, the institute might not have dared to keep her. The situation had been tense not long ago, so her move to the south had been a wise choice.

It was nearly ten in the evening when Song Fenglan finally returned, only to leave again early the next morning.

"Still have to go?" Qin Yizhou handed her a foot bath as she mentioned she’d be busy again at dawn.

"Yes," Song Fenglan nodded. "We don't have much time here, so we must solve as many problems as possible."

She couldn’t stay in the capital indefinitely—there was still much work waiting for her in the south.

"There’s a lot to do," Song Fenglan said. "If you visit your parents, don’t take Zihang with you."

She hadn’t forgotten to remind Qin Yizhou. Husbands can be forgetful, and he might not always keep an eye on their son. The best solution was simply not to bring Zihang along.

"I won’t go," Qin Yizhou said. "It wouldn't do any good—just make things worse."

"That's up to you. I’m not stopping you," Song Fenglan clarified. "I just don’t want Zihang going."

"If he’s not going, neither am I." Qin Yizhou paused, realizing his words might be misinterpreted. "What I mean is, none of us will go. One visit was enough. If anything happens, they know how to reach us."

The Song family hadn’t expected Song Fenglan to be so busy. They had hoped to spend more time chatting with her and keeping her company, but she had been swamped since New Year's.

On the second day of the New Year, Jiang Yufei returned to her parents’ home.

"Mom, are you going to Aunt's place?" Jiang Yufei asked.

"No, your grandparents have been gone for years. Even if they were alive, they wouldn’t be at your aunt’s," her mother replied. "Do you want to go?"

"I..." Jiang Yufei hesitated. "Mom, how much do you think they give at Aunt's place for the kids?"

She remembered the generous red envelopes from the Song family when she was little. Her mother always took them, saying she was saving it for her. Jiang Yufei had loved those envelopes—they meant extra snacks.

"Why do you care how much they give?" her mother chided. "If you’re only going for the money, you’d better not go at all."

She thought her daughter was shameless for fixating on the Song family’s red envelopes.

"If I go, I won’t go empty-handed," Jiang Yufei argued.

"What could you possibly bring?" Her mother wasn’t mocking her—Jiang Yufei simply didn’t have much to offer.

In the end, Jiang Yufei didn’t visit the Song family, even when Qin Yizhou and his wife were about to leave the capital. She was scared she might run into Song Fenglan and ending up in an argument she couldn't win.

Aunt Qin, however, went out of her way to see Qin Yizhou and his wife.

However, Song Fenglan wasn’t at home because she was busy with work, and Qin Yizhou said he needed to take care of their child, so he wouldn’t be going.

Auntie Qin didn’t criticize Qin Yizhou for being a man who only knew how to look after children. Instead, she said, “It’s good that you and your wife take turns caring for the child.”

This New Year, Sister-in-law Qin was as meek as a mouse, only daring to speak a few extra words in front of Eldest Brother Qin. In front of others, she was as silent as a church mouse, carefully weighing every word she spoke, afraid she might say something wrong or cause trouble.

With her birth family in trouble, Sister-in-law Qin’s confidence plummeted. She didn’t dare make a scene, biting her tongue and keeping her frustrations bottled up.

A neighbor asked her, “Have you apologized to your sister-in-law?”

“When you're sisters-in-law, if you’ve done something wrong, you should apologize properly.”

“If you don’t apologize, how can others forgive you?”

“You should keep your distance from your maiden family.”

...

The Qin family hadn’t said much about it, but the neighbors were vocal. They all believed that since Sister-in-law Qin’s birth family had produced a spy, as a married woman, she should minimize contact with them. Too much interaction might one day get her in trouble or make people suspicious of her.

Sister-in-law Qin was frustrated but couldn’t argue back. In the past, she would have outright refused, but now she could only put on a fake smile and couldn’t even speak ill of Song Fenglan. She thought of the soldier who's always with Song Fenglan and feared retaliation.

Though the sky wasn’t overcast, Sister-in-law Qin felt a weight pressing down on her chest, with no outlet for her emotions. Even when she confided in her husband, he just didn’t get it, only telling her to be cautious and avoid offending others.

Years ago, the Qin family had urged Song Fenglan to cut ties with the Song family, saying that since she had married Qin Yizhou, it was best to sever contact.

Now, those same words were directed at Sister-in-law Qin.

She fumed silently, but had to endure it in silence. Once, people had flattered her to her face, and she could still hear those words ringing in her ears.

“Why don’t you ask your husband to persuade his younger brother? How could he marry someone like that?”

“Once she’s married into your family, she should keep her distance from her natal relatives.”

“She’s always sending things to the farm—who knows when it might bring trouble to you all.”

...

When Sister-in-law Qin heard these words back then, she had laughed, thinking she was the top daughter-in-law in the Qin family.

Yet in just a few years, everything had changed.

Sister-in-law Qin walked faster, unwilling to listen to another word.

“Why are you in such a hurry?” the neighbors would still call after her.

Just endure, endure, endure—Sister-in-law Qin wasn’t Shi Guilan. She’d seen how Auntie Qin went with the flow, and she had no choice but to bear it. The scandal of her birth family would be a stain that would never fade.

Many hoped Sister-in-law Qin would make a scene, the bigger the better—everyone loved drama.

But how could she risk it? She had to stay quiet now.

The Song Fenglan family had originally planned to leave around the fourth day of the New Year but later postponed it to the sixth day. The capital's research institute asked Song Fenglan to stay a couple more days, so she had to finish her work before leaving. If needed, they could call her if necessary.

Song’s mother wanted to prepare more things for Song Fenglan, but the long train ride made it too difficult. She made some pastries for them to eat on the journey, and the whole family came to see them off at the train station.

“Keep in touch often,” Song’s mother said softly, patting Song Fenglan’s hand. “Tell your mother if anything comes up.”

Song Fenglan and her family boarded the train, heading back to Southern City.

At that moment, Jiang Yufei and Sister-in-law Qin came to blows and were taken to the police station.