Chapter 50: Test Flight, Can’t Escape Forever

Chapter 50: Test Flight – You Can Run but You Can't Hide Forever

Plump Auntie had made tofu some time ago and even fried some to make tofu pockets. The fillings included meat with chives, carrots, and others, while some were simply stuffed with glutinous rice. For the unfried tofu, she hollowed out a hole to add the filling before steaming it.

Plump Auntie also gave some to Song Fenglan’s family. After all, she couldn’t just let her own family enjoy the food from Song Fenglan’s side without reciprocating.

After eating the tofu pockets, Qin Zihang found them particularly delicious—no matter which kind, the flavors were all excellent. When he was younger, he hadn’t been so picky, but ever since they moved from the capital to Nan City for their military posting, Qin Zihang had changed a little.

At first, when they arrived in Nan City, Qin Zihang wasn’t picky. Later, perhaps because he felt this was his own home—a safe place where he didn’t have to worry about being scolded and could be fussy with his parents—he started being more selective.

Song Fenglan noticed this change in Qin Zihang but didn’t say anything harsh. She didn’t want her child to dwell on past hardships or feel overly cautious. This was their own home, and Qin Zihang could be more relaxed.

Zhang Xiaohu clearly hadn’t expected Qin Zihang to try something like this. He was still confused when Qin Zihang pressed the carrot into his hands.

"Brother Xiao Hu, take this carrot back quickly," Qin Zihang said. "My mom is making spring pancakes. Come over later to eat some!"

Then, Zhang Xiaohu instantly understood. Clutching the carrot, he ran back home. "Right, my mom needs carrots!"

At home, Plump Auntie was busy with other things and had no idea about the little trick between Qin Zihang and Zhang Xiaohu. She hadn’t even thought about needing carrots lately, nor had she made tofu. The weather was too hot—making a whole batch of tofu would just go bad before they could finish it. Recently, she had been thinking about making some grass jelly instead, which she could later share with the neighbors.

"My mom needs carrots," Zhang Xiaohu repeated emphatically.

"..." Qin Yizhou saw through the boys’ trick but ultimately didn’t stop Zhang Xiaohu.

Fine, fine. They could skip the carrots this time and add them another day.

Song Fenglan heard Zhang Xiaohu’s voice and knew her son was trying to avoid eating carrots. She had originally planned to shred the carrots finely and mix them into the filling—with so many other ingredients, the carrot taste wouldn’t be noticeable. Who would’ve thought Qin Zihang would go to such lengths to avoid carrots, even going as far as giving them away?

Plump Auntie didn’t hear the conversation between Zhang Xiaohu and Qin Zihang. She was busy with other things and didn’t bother eavesdropping. Zhang Xiaohu took the carrot back to the kitchen and hid it under a kitchen towel.

He had considered hiding it elsewhere but worried it would be discovered too quickly. Covering it with a towel seemed like a smarter idea—though it was a classic case of "out of sight, out of mind," Zhang Xiaohu really believed this would work.

By the time Plump Auntie discovered it, she was in the kitchen preparing dinner and spotted the carrot.

"Where did this carrot come from?" she wondered aloud. Her husband hadn’t done any shopping today—she was the one who handled groceries. Puzzled, she wondered before noticing it was under the kitchen towel. She started calling, "Zhang Xiaohu! Zhang Xiaohu—"

But Zhang Xiaohu wasn’t home. He was at Song Fenglan’s place.

Song Fenglan had finished frying the pancakes and preparing the fillings. They were now wrapping them up to eat. Zhang Xiaohu and Qin Zihang sat happily on the sofa, eating while watching TV, having a great time. Song Fenglan asked Qin Yizhou to wrap a few extra pancakes on a plate to send to the neighbors, along with some for Mrs. Su.

While the two kids ate happily, Qin Yizhou took the food next door. It wasn’t enough to fill anyone up, but it would make a nice snack.

Plump Auntie had been about to check if Zhang Xiaohu was at Song Fenglan’s house when she saw Qin Yizhou bringing over the spring pancakes.

"Here, try some," Qin Yizhou said.

"Wait a moment." Plump Auntie quickly got a bowl and transferred the pancake rolls into it. Holding the empty bowl, she asked, "Is Xiao Hu at your place? I’ll go get him."

"Let him eat there first," Qin Yizhou replied.

"That’s too kind—he’s always eating at your place," Plump Auntie said apologetically.

"It’s fine. Zi Hang eats at yours too," Qin Yizhou said. "I’ll head back first."

Returning home, Qin Yizhou then carried a bamboo basket filled with pancakes and fillings to Mrs. Su’s place. He hadn’t wrapped them all, leaving extra fillings and pancakes for Mrs. Su to assemble herself.

When Mrs. Su saw Qin Yizhou bringing food over, she asked him to stay awhile.

"No, I need to go back. Zi Hang is still at home," Qin Yizhou said. "Feng Lan’s juggling cooking and watching the kids."

"Alright, go ahead," Mrs. Su replied.

Mrs. Su cleared the bowl and walked Qin Yizhou to the door. She glanced at the food on the table and then at her husband, who was sitting on the sofa reading the newspaper.

"Come try this, Feng Lan’s handiwork," Mrs. Su said with a smile. "Feng Lan’s something else—everything she makes is the best."

Mrs. Su rolled a thin pancake and handed it to Professor Su, who took a bite and nodded. "It’s really tasty."

"Some folks just have a knack for things—they’re amazing," Mrs. Su mused. "With Song Xingyun as her uncle, of course she’s talented."

"With Song Fenglan around, people will say, 'How could Song Fenglan's uncle be anything less?'" Professor Su remarked. In Song Fenglan, he saw boundless potential—she was sure to surpass even Song Xingyun in excellence.

When Qin Yizhou returned home, Qin Zihang and Zhang Xiaohu were scarfing down the pancakes.

"So good! Seriously, the best!"

Zhang Xiaohu looked down at his round belly and then at the remaining pancake rolls on the plate.

"Had enough?" Song Fenglan asked. "There's more if you want."

"I'm full, can't eat anymore," Zhang Xiaohu said reluctantly, eyeing the pancake rolls.

"Take a breather, then dig in later," Song Fenglan said, noticing his gaze. "These pancakes don’t stick with you long."

"Auntie, these are the best!" Zhang Xiaohu exclaimed.

"Happy you enjoyed them," Song Fenglan replied. Making these required oil, meat, and all those fillings.

Next door, Auntie Fatty got her oldest to try the rolls—Song Fenglan had Qin Yizhou pack six for them. Auntie Fatty took a bite and her eyes lit up.

Suddenly, she stopped chewing. She had momentarily forgotten about the carrot—wasn’t that the one Song Fenglan had bought for the filling?

Auntie Fatty stood up, ready to drag Zhang Xiaohu back, but then thought better of it, realizing the Song family might still be eating. Zhang Xiaohu had some nerve—swiping the carrot for the filling and bringing it home.

When Auntie Fatty figured they were probably done eating, she went to fetch Zhang Xiaohu.

He was zoned out in front of the TV, motionless.

"Living the good life, huh?" Auntie Fatty glared, holding out the carrot to Song Fenglan. "Xiao Hu swiped it over."

"Filling’s done already," Song Fenglan said.

"Save it for tonight," Auntie Fatty replied. "Just leave it on the table."

Qin Zihang’s heart sank when he saw the carrot on the table.

Can’t put it off forever.

Auntie Fatty didn’t have an immediate use for the carrot—she could scramble it with eggs or shred it into flour to make carrot pancakes. But she wasn’t planning to use it. If needed, she could always buy another—carrots weren’t like meat—plenty to go around.

"Alright, leave it on the table," Song Fenglan laughed it off. "We’ll toss it in the filling tonight."

She’d made a stack of pancakes at noon, enough for dinner. Later, she could stir-fry some filling and roll them up again.

"Mom, can we skip the carrots?" Qin Zihang whined. "Carrots are orange! If I eat them, I’ll turn orange—no more baby-soft cheeks!"

"It’s no big deal," said Song Fenglan. "It's just one carrot, not for you alone to eat. Since Auntie brought it over, let's eat it."

"Mom, how can we take back something already given away?" Qin Zihang refused to give up. They really shouldn’t keep this carrot.

"Don’t sweat it," said Auntie Fatty. "Next time, have your mom buy an extra carrot—one for your family, one for mine."

"No, no!" Zhang Xiaohu was about to stomp his feet. If that happened, he'd have to eat carrots here and then again at home. Eating them once was enough! "I don’t want to eat carrots twice!"

"Then don’t eat them at your aunt’s place. Just eat them once at home," Auntie Fatty said. "Your aunt spoils you too much, stuffing all those delicious things into your belly."

"It was really tasty," Zhang Xiaohu let out a contented burp.

"It's hot outside. Let them sit here and watch TV. If they get sleepy, they can nap," Song Fenglan said. "We’ve got a fan running at home, so it won’t be too hot."

"Your place really is cooler," Auntie Fatty thought to herself. Song Fenglan had plenty of appliances—she had the means to get them, even having two fans.

Auntie Fatty didn’t own a fan. Appliances like these cost money and needed ration coupons. She figured summer only had a few really hot days anyway. They could manage—time would pass quickly, and it wouldn’t be unbearable.

"It’s alright," Song Fenglan said. "Sit here and watch TV together. You all stay here—I’ll go out for a bit."

"Where to?" Auntie Fatty asked, puzzled.

"Just running over to Yani’s," Song Fenglan replied. She hadn’t asked Qin Yizhou to deliver the rolled pancakes earlier, so she decided to take them herself now. "You all stay here and watch TV. It’s fine."

As Song Fenglan stepped out, Zhang Chenghai arrived with Zhang Wen. Zhang Xiaohu was watching TV, and Zhang Chenghai glanced at his eldest son, wondering if they favored Xiaohu too much. He decided to let his older son come over to Song Fenglan’s to watch TV too.

Fan Yani’s husband wasn’t home—he was training with the military. Their days off never lined up, and their time off was split up. Qin Yizhou and Zhang Chenghai were the same—they rarely had the same day off, and Zhang Chenghai usually returned later in the evening.

"Sister-in-law," Fan Yani greeted warmly when she saw Song Fenglan arrive, quickly ushering her inside.

"I made some rolled pancakes. Try them," Song Fenglan said, handing over the neatly wrapped pancakes. These few rolls were already packed—if left unwrapped, they’d look skimpy and unappetizing. Song Fenglan didn’t skimp on the filling—each roll was generously stuffed.

"Let me try," Fan Yani said. She didn’t worry whether the food was pregnancy-safe—she could tell at a glance. It was just ordinary food, not like crab, which you have to be careful with. Song Fenglan wouldn’t serve her anything bad. "Delicious, really delicious."

The filling had just the right amount of saltiness, not too strong, with a subtle aroma—a hint of meat and the freshness of bean sprouts and other ingredients.

"Tasty, so tasty," Fan Yani said. "I wouldn’t even know where to find something this tasty."

"I just had some free time today, so I made them," Song Fenglan replied. "Always busy with work, but I have to cook for the kids sometimes—gotta remind them who their real mom is."

"Sister-in-law, Hangbao is so lucky to have a mom like you," Fan Yani said. Just look at her—working full-time, taking care of the kids, and still finding time to make such delicious food.

Some men would take this for granted, thinking it was just what women should do—even expecting them to do more while excusing themselves by saying they were too busy with work. Men act like their time is fixed, but women somehow make it stretch.

"Rest well," Song Fenglan said. "I’ll head back now."

"Let me walk you out," Fan Yani offered.

"No need, go back and rest," Song Fenglan insisted.

As Song Fenglan stepped outside, she ran into Li Hui, who froze on the spot. Song Fenglan ignored her and kept walking.

Li Hui had her purse with her but nothing else. She had told Guo Peng not to send anything—as a guy, it’d be awkward for him to visit. She, as the sister-in-law, would check in on her, and that was enough.

When Fan Yani saw Li Hui arrive empty-handed, she wasn’t shocked—Li Hui was never the thoughtful type. Fan Yani knew better than to expect kindness from her—that was just unrealistic.

"Yani, your brother heard you’re pregnant and told me. We’re both happy for you," Li Hui said. "We thought about getting you something, but since you’re pregnant, we weren’t sure what you could eat. Figured it was best not to. When I get pregnant later, you don’t have to get me anything either. Between family, we don’t stand on ceremony, right?"

"Then we’ll do as you say, Sister-in-law." Fan Yani couldn’t help but be pleased; after all, she had little affection for this couple to begin with.

Li Hui noticed the pancake rolls on the table—she hadn’t eaten them in a long time. Ever since she started cooking at home, the food wasn’t particularly tasty, and even when she bought meals outside, she couldn’t always find what she craved.

"These were given to me by Sister-in-law Feng Lan," Fan Yani said, standing up to move the plate of pancake rolls to the dining table and covering them with a cloth. Then, she sat back down on the wooden bench. "Sister-in-law Feng Lan noticed I’m pregnant and took pity on me. Sister-in-law, I won’t share these with you—I don’t do that ‘sharing just because you saw it’ nonsense."

"Don’t worry about it." Li Hui did feel a bit tempted, but she couldn’t possibly compete with a pregnant woman for food—it wouldn’t be right.

"Sister-in-law, I’m just happy you came to see me," Fan Yani said with a smile. "Speaking of which, you and Brother got married earlier than I did. By the way, Sister-in-law, any luck yet?"

"Not yet. We haven’t been married that long—some couples take years to have a child," Li Hui replied. "No rush, no rush."

"There’s no need to rush," Fan Yani agreed. "It’s all up to fate. I actually wanted to wait another year or two, but this little one came anyway, so I’ve got no choice but to have it."

Li Hui nearly blurted out: *If you didn’t want a child, you shouldn’t have kept it.*

She could tell Fan Yani was rubbing her pregnancy in her face—and she wasn’t wrong. Fan Yani was doing it on purpose.

Fan Yani disliked Li Hui and Guo Peng, and she never missed a chance to poke at them. She believed she was being restrained—she hadn’t openly clashed with them or made things unbearably awkward, keeping up appearances at least.

One thing Fan Yani found particularly misguided was how Guo Peng’s parents had raised a child bride for their son, thinking they were doing right by him. They didn’t realize times had changed—children didn’t need child brides anymore.

A leftover from another time, Fan Yani knew stirring up trouble would only hurt everyone. But a few digs here and there? Perfectly fine.

"Still, Sister-in-law, it’d be better if you got pregnant sooner. Mom and Dad are waiting for a grandchild," Fan Yani said pointedly. "The baby I’m carrying isn’t related to them by blood—they’ll *definitely* favor yours."

"It’ll happen when it’s meant to," Li Hui said.

"Right, you and Brother are fated," Fan Yani nodded.

"..." Li Hui was done talking. She sat for a while longer before leaving.

That evening, when Guo Peng returned home, Li Hui recounted Fan Yani’s behavior.

"Do I look that desperate to you? Would I really want to take food someone else gave her?" Li Hui fumed. "I shouldn’t have gone today—I should’ve picked another time. The moment she saw me looking at that plate, she rushed to move it to the table and covered it up."

"She’s pregnant..."

"I know she’s pregnant! I wasn’t trying to fight her for food—I just couldn’t stand her pettiness," Li Hui snapped. "So petty."

"Do you want some?" Guo Peng offered. "We could whip some up ourselves."

"Eat them?" Li Hui wasn’t fixated on having them—if she really wanted some, she could probably find them elsewhere. "Not a chance. Song Fenglan gave them to *her*. Your sister—she knows full well I don’t get along with Song Fenglan, yet she stays so close to her."

"Well, she *is* Battalion Commander Qin’s wife, and your brother-in-law works under him..."

"They’re just sucking up," Li Hui scoffed.

What could he say? He wasn’t exactly a high achiever himself.

Meanwhile, Tian Kexian was boiling with resentment—her chances with Second Brother Song were completely gone. Tian Keshu had remarried, pushed into it after her family made it clear she wasn’t welcome.

She ended up marrying a widower with two sons and a factory-assigned apartment—two rooms, cramped but livable. Tian Keshu shared one room with the widower, while his two sons took the other.

No other woman would touch him, and for good reason: his sons were old enough to remember their real mother. No stepmother stood a chance of winning them over, and in old age, she couldn’t expect them to support her.

In the end, Tian Keshu ran out of options—at least the man had a home, a stable job, and wasn’t too ugly.

As for Tian Kexian, she’d been shadowing Second Brother Song for a while—until he finally called the cops on her. At first, the officers dismissed it as harmless, but when they learned the Tian family had once harbored a spy, that got their attention.

Even though Tian Kexian was released by the officers, she was still warned.

Several members of the Tian family sat in the living room, giving Tian Kexian disapproving looks.

"He'd never be with someone like you," Tian Keshu said. "You saw it yourself—he called the police and had you taken to the station. How embarrassing is that? If people find out, they’ll just say you’re shameless, that you’re desperate to marry."

"At my age—if I don’t think about marriage, what else should I think about?" Tian Kexian retorted. "Should I stay unmarried my whole life, trapped at my parents' place forever?"

"You still have to get married," Tian’s mother said. She certainly didn’t want her younger daughter staying at home. These rooms weren't for daughters to keep—once they married, the space would go to grandsons. "This man isn’t the one. Move on to someone else."

"It’s all Sister’s fault! If she hadn’t gone so far back then, I wouldn’t be in this state now." Tian Kexian hadn’t slept well lately, obsessing over the Song family’s wealth and Second Brother Song’s money. If she married him, she’d surely live in a big house.

"Blame me, always blame me. Everything’s my fault," Tian Keshu said. "Even if I hadn’t divorced your first brother-in-law, even if I hadn’t done those things, you still wouldn’t have a chance with Song Fenglan’s brother. They think they're too good for us!"

Tian Keshu couldn’t help but wonder if Song Fenglan had set her sights on Qin Yizhou back then. Qin Yizhou was a ranked officer—Song Fenglan must’ve had her eyes on him early. Tian Keshu had even told the Qin family back then that Song Fenglan was scheming, but Qin Yizhou insisted on marrying her. If he hadn’t, Tian Keshu wouldn’t have ended up like this.

Tian Keshu refused to acknowledge that she was rotten to the core. Even if Qin Yizhou had married someone else, she'd have made life hell for his wife. When she was in the Qin family, she always insisted on being the eldest sister-in-law, trying to control everything and make everyone obey her—how was that possible?

"Stop dreaming," Tian Keshu said. "Didn’t I resign myself and marry someone too?"

The thought made her bitter. If she could, she would’ve delayed longer, hoping to find someone better. But her age was against her, and no one would treat her too well—she had to settle for the least bad option.

"Get out more, maybe meet someone decent," Tian Keshu said. "Quit obsessing over the Song family. If you keep this up, our whole family will get warned again. Do you want us all locked up?"

"I—"

"The Tian family really has no shame, daring to pull this," Tian’s mother said bluntly. "Stop chasing him."

It wasn’t that Tian’s mother didn’t want Tian Kexian to marry Second Brother Song—it was just that he had no interest in her, and they couldn’t force him. He’d already called the police. If Tian Kexian kept stalking him, she’d only end up hurt, gaining nothing.

"I haven’t gone after him again. After all this, why would I?" Tian Kexian said resentfully. "I just thought, since they say it's easy for women to chase men, maybe he’d—"

"No, he’d never treat you well," Tian Keshu interrupted. "If he married you, how could he look his sister in the eye? Do you think you could ever compare to her?"

"I—if I married him, I’d be the one spending my life with him," Tian Kexian argued.

"Look what happened with me and your first brother-in-law. I thought a small issue wouldn’t lead to divorce. Sure, he said he wouldn’t at first, but in the end, didn’t he still leave me?" Tian Keshu said. "Blood always comes first."

Truthfully, Tian Keshu knew Qin Yizhou wasn’t that important to Eldest Brother Qin—he cared more about his own future. When Tian Keshu started dragging Qin Yizhou down, threatening his prospects, he dropped her without a second thought.

"Sis has been through it. Stop eyeing other people’s money—it’s not ours. They’ll always have excuses," Tian Keshu said. "My ex-mother-in-law knew I was short on money and deliberately made me deliver money to Song Fenglan, just waiting for me to pocket some, didn’t she?"

Tian Keshu had figured it out long ago. Qin’s mother did it on purpose, and the rest of the Qin family knew too. If something went wrong, it was Tian Keshu’s fault; if nothing happened, they’d pretend it never did. Those people were despicable—if they didn’t want to give anything to Song Fenglan, they should’ve just acted innocent.

"Stick to your own kind," Tian Keshu said. "Don’t chase after the rich. That’s their money. If they want to dump you, they will. With our family’s situation now, what could you do if they dumped you?"

This time, Second Brother Song actually called Song Fenglan to tell her about Tian Kexian being sent to the police station.

"How did she stalk you, and more than once too?" Song Fenglan asked. "Doesn’t she know who you are?"

"I rejected her and told her who I was, but she kept following me," Second Brother Song said. "Probably thought I’d marry her despite you."

Having endured countless hardships in the countryside, Second Brother Song had met all kinds of people. In Tian Kexian’s eyes, he saw greed—she didn’t truly want a life with him, just his money.

"Second Brother, if you marry her, I won’t acknowledge you," Song Fenglan said bluntly. She wanted no further ties with the Tian family.

"I won’t marry her. I don’t even like her," Second Brother Song said. "Just telling you—the Tians are downright shameless, daring to pull this."

"People without shame always seem to have it easier," Song Fenglan remarked. "Speaking of which, Brother, you could find a good partner."

"Haven't met the right one yet. I'll bide my time," Song Erge replied, not considering this the moment to look for a partner.

"Brother, do you have someone you like?" Song Fenglan asked.

"I did once, but not anymore," Song Erge replied.

"I see..." Song Fenglan hesitated.

"Don't fuss over me," Song Erge said. "I'm a grown-ass man. If I want to get married, I can do so anytime."

"Brother, when you were in the countryside..."

"It's all in the past." Song Erge, as a grown man, didn't want to dwell on past hardships with his younger sister. "I got by just fine in the countryside."

"Your leg..."

"My leg's fine, just a slight problem. At a normal pace, it's not noticeable," Song Erge said. "Don't worry about me. You're the one who suffered a lot. We abandoned you alone in the city, and you..."

"I'm managing alright," Song Fenglan said. "Getting by."

"If things were really okay, would you have been treated so badly?" Song Erge didn't believe Song Fenglan's life was easy—it was clearly very hard.

In the past, they would have ensured Song Fenglan had a proper lying-in period—not just one chicken a day, but two or three would have been no problem. But the family had faced difficulties, leaving them unable to support her properly.

"Alright, let's not talk about the past," Song Fenglan said. "Brother, if you meet someone suitable..."

"I know, don't worry," Song Erge repeated. "If I really meet the right person, I'll get married. We have a home, and we can afford to raise children. I've got it all figured out. Is Hangbao nearby?"

"Hangbao, it's your second uncle," Song Fenglan said.

"Second Uncle!" Qin Zihang quickly ran to Song Fenglan and called out sweetly, "Second Uncle!"

"That's my boy," Song Erge's mood lifted at the sound of Qin Zihang's sweet little voice. "Listen to your mom. If your dad treats her badly, remember to call your uncle. I'll stick up for your mom and for our little Hangbao too."

"Second Uncle, can you have Dad stay with you for a while?" Qin Zihang asked. "Let him be away for a few days, then come back."

"Why?" Song Erge asked.

"I want to sleep with Mom," Qin Zihang said. "When Dad's around, he never lets me sleep with her."

"Just sneak in and plop yourself in the middle," Song Erge suggested.

"Dad will haul me away," Qin Zihang said. "When I open my eyes, I'm back in my own room."

"If you're already asleep, where else would we put you? You'd never know the difference," Qin Yizhou felt his son was becoming harder to fool.

"Dad," Qin Zihang looked at his father.

"Alright, time to hang up now," Qin Yizhou took the receiver. "Talk to you later, Brother."

After hanging up, Qin Yizhou looked at Qin Zihang, who sniffed and looked away.

"You're quite the character," Qin Yizhou gently pinched Qin Zihang's cheek.

"He's my uncle," Qin Zihang pouted.

"Yes, he's your uncle. Who else's would he be?" Qin Yizhou said.

"Let him watch TV for now," said Song Fenglan.

In front of the child, Song Fenglan avoided talking about Second Brother Song. Only after Qin Zihang fell asleep and she was alone with Qin Yizhou in their room did they finally discuss those things.

"No one’s told me what he’s been through in the countryside, and Mom and Dad keep it from me," Song Fenglan said, lying on the bed. "I asked during the New Year, but they didn’t say anything. After the holiday, I was swamped and never got around to asking again."

"They don’t want you to worry about those things," Qin Yizhou said.

"Yeah, I know," Song Fenglan replied. "Since they don’t want to talk about it, I didn’t push. If I asked too much, they’d just brush me off and say I’ve got enough on my plate. Then we’d all just end up dwelling on painful memories?"

"Second Brother isn’t married because he has his own reasons. When he meets the right person and wants to settle down, he will," Qin Yizhou said. "Sometimes it just clicks at first sight."

"Do you believe in love?" Song Fenglan looked at Qin Yizhou.

Their eyes met, and Qin Yizhou saw his own reflection in hers. "I do. Because of you, I believe."

The next moment, he pulled her into his arms, soaking in her warmth.

"I..." Song Fenglan thought to herself that she only believed in the love portrayed in TV dramas and novels—the kind that belonged to fictional characters. As for herself, she was more rational. It was hard for her to imagine so-called love actually happening to her.

When she was with Qin Yizhou, he had said he liked her, that he loved her, and her heart had skipped a beat. But after the flutter came reason.

"Time will prove everything," Qin Yizhou said. "The simplest marriages are the hardest to find."

"Hmm," Song Fenglan hummed in response.

By mid-July, Song Fenglan had become even busier, barely having time for Qin Zihang, leaving early and returning late.

Song Fenglan and Professor Su, along with others, went to the military airfield where a pilot was preparing for a test flight. This was the first official test flight, and everyone was tense, hoping for success.

Song Fenglan had personally checked every part and material used in the aircraft. Not a single piece could be off, and the welding had to be meticulous. She often visited the manufacturing site to supervise and had even worked on some parts herself.

The takeoff and landing of the plane produced loud noises, and even when flying at high altitudes, you could still hear it roaring.

After the plane successfully took off, it circled over the residential compound, drawing people outside to gaze up at the fighter jet in the sky.

This wasn’t the first time. In the past, fighter jets had flown over this area, their engines roaring overhead.

The nearby suburbs, with vast stretches of farmland, provided an ideal location for test flights. If anything went wrong, the plane could land safely—even on a mountain—and help could arrive quickly.

Earlier that year, a plane from another research institute had crashed, putting everyone on high alert. They couldn’t rush blindly or obsess over outpacing other institutes. One mistake was all it took. Sometimes, it wasn’t about speed—without test flights, they wouldn’t know what might go wrong.

Song Fenglan held binoculars, watching the fighter jet high in the sky. She had confidence, but she was on edge despite herself.

Specialists were guiding the pilot through maneuvers. A test flight wasn’t just about taking off—it involved running through specific maneuvers midair.

Song Fenglan listened and observed.

"So far, so good," Professor Su said.

"It hasn’t returned yet," Song Fenglan replied.

They wouldn’t know for sure until touchdown. A single test run didn’t cut it—they needed multiple tests.

Her palms had gone damp. Professor Su spoke again, "Why don’t you sit down?"

"I’d rather stand," Song Fenglan said.

"I’ll sit down for a bit." Professor Su was also a bit nervous.

This plane was different from the others; it was mostly made in-house.

Professor Su wasn’t *really* unafraid of failure—that’d be a lie. He still hoped this attempt would succeed.

Out in the yard, Qin Zihang happily pointed at the sky. "Look, a plane!"

"It’s a plane," Qin Yizhou said. He happened to be home today, looking after Qin Zihang.

"It’s so big!" Qin Zihang said. "Does Mom make planes?"

"Yes, Mom makes planes," Qin Yizhou nodded.

"Is this Mom’s plane?" Qin Zihang asked.

Every time planes flew by overhead, Qin Zihang would see them and ask: Is this Mom’s plane?

"I don’t know," Qin Yizhou said. "But one day, you’ll see Mom’s plane up in the sky."

"Wow, Dad, can I make planes when I’m big too?" Qin Zihang stared at the plane in the sky.

"Study hard, and you can build planes someday," Qin Yizhou replied.

"I want to be as amazing as Mom," Qin Zihang said. "Making giant planes."

"You can," Qin Yizhou said. He had no idea what model the fighter jet was, nor its specifics.

Qin Yizhou wasn’t in the Air Force, and even if he were, he might not know those classified details. He only knew his wife had been very busy lately—probably because a new fighter jet was being tested. Qin Yizhou had guessed as much, but he didn’t talk about it everywhere or mention it to his son.

Kids can’t keep secrets, and Qin Zihang always loved boasting about how amazing his mom was, going on and on about her as if she were the greatest mother in the world.

Qin Zihang ran into the house, snatched up his toy plane, and brought it to the yard.

"Whoosh..." Qin Zihang held the toy plane and ran around the yard. "Dad, the plane is flying!"

As the fighter jet soared in the sky, Qin Zihang made his toy plane "fly" on the ground.

"It’s flying! Look!" Qin Zihang cheered.

"Careful, don’t trip," Qin Yizhou reminded him.

"Dad, fly, fly!" Qin Zihang said. "Wanna ride in the plane? Wanna fly together?"

Qin Zihang made his dad stand behind him, holding onto his clothes, and they ‘flew’ around together. While playing, Qin Zihang kept glancing at the sky—whether the fighter jet was flying far away or coming closer, he wanted to watch.

If the jet hadn’t zoomed off to perform maneuvers, Qin Zihang would have tried mimicking them with his toy plane.

Zhang Xiaohu came to play with Qin Zihang and saw the toy plane in his hands. "Wow, a plane!"

"Come on, let’s fly together!" Qin Zihang said.

Qin Yizhou let Zhang Xiaohu play with Qin Zihang, so he no longer had to hold onto his son’s clothes and run around with him. A single toy plane could keep his son so entertained—it was a gift from Second Brother Song.

"Cut it out with the noise!" Li Hui opened the window and shouted outside, fed up with the loud racket. After yelling, she grew a little afraid—it was a fighter jet, something they often heard around here. Li Hui poked her head out the window, looked left and right, and when she saw no one was watching, she quickly closed the window.

In the capital, Tian Keshu’s younger sister, Tian Kexian, was seeing some local troublemaker, and the troublemaker’s mother came to corner them about getting married. "Your girl’s been with my boy—when are they getting married?"