Chapter 77: Opportunity, Can’t Wait Anymore

**Chapter 77: No Time to Wait**

"Well..." Mrs. Zhao hesitated, surprised that Gao Xiuxiu would make such a request at a time like this—asking for Grandma Fang to leave.

"I'm already like this, can't she just go back to her hometown?" Gao Xiuxiu said. "She goes back, and my husband will still send her money."

It was supposed to be a private family matter, not something outsiders should interfere with too much.

But now, there was no denying that Gao Xiuxiu’s condition was tied to Grandma Fang. If it hadn’t been for those quack remedies she’d forced on her, Gao Xiuxiu might not have ended up like this. And then there were the earlier incidents—Grandma Fang’s meddling had even hurt Gao Xiuxiu’s daughter.

"I can talk to your mother-in-law and speak with your husband," Mrs. Zhao replied. "But whether or not Grandma Fang returns is ultimately her decision."

They couldn’t very well drag Grandma Fang away by force—any fool could see that. She was old, and clearly wanted to stay with Fang Xudong in his home. Even if someone tried to convince her otherwise, she probably wouldn’t agree.

"Just say something," Gao Xiuxiu shot back. "If she had any shame left, she'd know to leave. If she doesn’t, fine. But if anything happens to me, I’ll come back and haunt her."

As it turned out, Grandma Fang was right outside the hospital room door—and she heard every word.

"Fine, I’m leaving!" Grandma Fang snapped. After all she’d done for them, they were throwing her out like trash. "You raise your own brats. Don’t expect me to take them back to the countryside!"

Gao Xiuxiu hadn’t realized Grandma Fang was there, but she didn’t regret what she’d said.

"You go back," Gao Xiuxiu said coldly. "Your son will send you money. When are you leaving?"

"You’d love it if I left today," Grandma Fang shot back. "But I’ll wait for my son to come back. I’ll tell him first, then I’ll go."

Lately, Grandma Fang had a bad feeling. Her son's gaze seemed different lately—did he blame her? But everything she did was for him. She only wanted Gao Xiuxiu to give him a son so he’d have an heir. Without a boy, what good was all his success? Who would carry on the Fang name?

Mrs. Zhao kept quiet. This shouldn’t have happened. Grandma Fang had shoved those concoctions down Gao Xiuxiu’s throat, but Gao Xiuxiu wasn’t innocent either. Both women were desperate for a son.

Grandma Fang had left the two granddaughters with Auntie Fatty when she came out. She couldn’t leave them alone like before—if anything happened again, Fang Xudong would never forgive her.

Back home, Grandma Fang started packing. After a while, she went next door to Auntie Fatty’s house.

"I guess I’ll have to trouble you to look after Big Girl and Second Girl for a bit," Grandma Fang muttered.

"You can’t take care of them yourselves?" Auntie Fatty frowned. Watching the girls for a few days was one thing, but long-term? That was too much.

"They all want me gone, so I’ll go," Grandma Fang said. "Why stick around where I’m not wanted? They’ve been saying it long enough—I can’t keep ignoring it."

"Fine. Go then," Auntie Fatty replied. Grandma Fang really was a handful.

Since Grandma Fang was a generation older, Auntie Fatty and others couldn’t call her out openly.

Despite her earlier outburst at Gao Xiuxiu’s house, Auntie Fatty was still willing to help with the kids. Everyone has hard times. With Gao Xiuxiu sick and unable to care for her children, if Auntie Fatty didn’t step in, things would be even worse for them.

"Gao Xiuxiu wants her mother here, not me," Grandma Fang muttered. "I should’ve gone sooner and let her mother handle this. Then she couldn’t blame me for anything."

Auntie Fatty stayed silent. Everyone knew it was Grandma Fang who’d shoved those potions down Gao Xiuxiu’s throat—and Gao Xiuxiu drank them all.

"I haven’t finished packing yet, so the girls will stay with you for now," Grandma Fang said.

She was done with all of it. She used to think she could stay, but how could she now? There was no way. If she stayed, she’d just be a joke. How could she live like that?

Walking down the street, she caught people giving her dirty looks—as if she’d tried to murder her own daughter-in-law.

Grandma Fang never meant to harm Gao Xiuxiu. She only wanted her to give Fang Xudong a son, to keep the Fang name going. Wasn’t that their job as women? They couldn’t just be selfish and think only of themselves.

"Fine," Auntie Fatty said.

Auntie Fatty was unwilling to say anything else. Seeing that, Old Mrs. Fang left. She had hoped Auntie Fatty would agree with her, but there was no way Auntie Fatty would do that.

If Auntie Fatty dared to agree with Old Mrs. Fang, people might start saying she wished for Gao Xiuxiu’s death.

When Fang Xudong learned his mother wanted to return to their rural hometown, he didn’t object—he was worn out.

"Your wife insists I leave. If I dig in my heels, Political Commissar Zhao’s wife will come pressuring me. One by one, they’ll all come to pressure me," Old Mrs. Fang said. "Your wife is so seriously ill. If I still refuse to go back and she ends up dying from anger, won’t everyone blame me?"

Sigh, Fang Xudong exhaled. "Mom, you go back. I’ll send you money every month."

"It’s always about money with you. Still, you need to send some. You can’t expect your younger brother to support me alone. He’s in the countryside and hardly makes a living, unlike you in the city who’ve made something of yourself," Old Mrs. Fang said. "Tomorrow, I’m going back. I’ve already spoken to Auntie Fatty and asked her to look after Big Girl and Second Girl. After all, she doesn’t work anyway—she stays home taking care of kids. What’s two more kids to watch? Just make sure Big Girl and Second Girl get some rice and flour if they’re eating over there."

Food’s tight these days. Who’d feed someone else’s children for free? They were neighbors, not relatives. Why should they bend over backwards?

For all her faults, Old Mrs. Fang understood this much.

"I know. I’ll make sure they’re fed," Fang Xudong said. "I’ll take you to the train station tomorrow."

"No need. I know the way," Old Mrs. Fang replied. "About Xiuxiu—watch yourself."

Old Mrs. Fang glanced around and couldn’t help adding, "If push comes to shove—if there’s no cure or treatment won’t buy much time—don’t waste the effort. Think about the kids. They’re still so young."

"We’ll decide after the surgery," Fang Xudong said. He had no intention of giving up so easily. He wasn’t about to turn his back on her and let others think he was ungrateful. Gao Xiuxiu had been with him all these years—he couldn’t just abandon her now.

When Song Fenglan returned home, she heard noises from next door—it was Big Girl’s voice. At first, she thought she’d misheard, but then she saw Mrs. Su stepping out of her house.

"Gao Xiuxiu’s children are next door," Mrs. Su said.

Old Mrs. Fang didn’t dare ask Mrs. Su to help with the children. Mrs. Su had an air of authority, and her husband was Professor Su, a respected man. Old Mrs. Fang feared rejection or harsh words, so she preferred to leave the kids with Auntie Fatty.

Auntie Fatty might have a sharp tongue, but she had a soft heart. Ask her for help, and she’d come through.

"The children’s grandmother is returning to her hometown. There’s no one to look after them, so they’re relying on neighbors," Mrs. Su said, though she didn’t offer to help.

Some folks weren’t worth helping—it wasn’t cruelty—just sense.

Mrs. Su was older and knew the score. Helping now might mean being taken advantage of later. Besides, their relationship with the Fang family wasn’t particularly close. If not for Fang Xudong being somewhat decent, they probably wouldn’t even be neighbors.

"She’s leaving?" Song Fenglan had assumed Old Mrs. Fang would stay.

"Yes, she is," Mrs. Su nodded. "It’s for the best. After everything that’s happened, how could she show her face here anymore?"

Old Mrs. Fang should’ve gone back long ago, right after Big Girl nearly drowned. Now, with things having escalated, there was no way she and Gao Xiuxiu could reconcile. Even Fang Xudong might harbor resentment.

As for how Old Mrs. Fang’s younger son and daughter-in-law in the countryside would feel—that was another matter entirely.

Song Fenglan didn’t know what to say. The whole situation was a downright mess.

"I told Hangbao not to visit Auntie Fatty’s house for a while," Mrs. Su said. "You should too—steer clear."

Mrs. Su held a grudge against the Fangs. Old Mrs. Fang had once suggested betrothing one of the Fang girls to Qin Zihang as a child bride. Song Fenglan and her husband would never agree. What if Qin Zihang kept visiting and the Fangs tried to latch onto him?

"Understood. We know what to do," Song Fenglan nodded. They wouldn’t go out of their way to care for Big Girl and Second Girl.

She had her own busy life—how could she spare time for Big Girl and Second Girl?

What Old Mrs. Fang and Gao Xiuxiu had done wasn’t illegal, but it was enough to disgust people, and some turned their noses up at the girls because of it. If the girls were older, it might be different, but they were still so young and needed so much care.

Only a kind soul like Auntie Fatty would go out of her way to help take care of the children. If it had been Song Fenglan, she’d have flat-out refused and told the Fang family to find someone else.

"Auntie, come on in first," Song Fenglan said.

Tonight, Qin Yizhou got home a bit late, and Mrs. Su had kept some food for him. Mrs. Su had already gone back, and Song Fenglan was with the kids in the living room.

The Fang family’s Big Girl and Second Girl were still at Auntie Fatty’s place, while Zhang Xiaohu and his brother were over at Song Fenglan’s.

Qin Yizhou hardly ever saw Zhang Xiaohu’s older brother, Zhang Wen, around—Zhang Wen usually stayed at his own place.

"The Fang girls are over at Auntie Fatty’s," Song Fenglan said.

"What about their grandmother?" Qin Yizhou instinctively asked.

"She said she’s going back," Song Fenglan replied. "After everything that’s happened, it’s probably better if she leaves."

Leaving now felt like just ditching the mess behind, but what else could she do?

"That’s their family’s problem," Qin Yizhou muttered, shaking his head. With so much going on in Fang Xudong’s household, he’d be tied up for a while.

But their own family was stretched thin too—they’d have to rely on the Fangs themselves to get through this.

"Commander Zhao’s wife checked in on Gao Xiuxiu," Song Fenglan said. "I caught wind of it on my way back. Gao Xiuxiu’s lived here all these years—now that something’s happened, people are stepping up to help."

"Mhm," Qin Yizhou grunted.

Song Fenglan noticed Qin Yizhou staring at her and looked back. "What?"

"Nothing. Just don’t let this affect you," he said.

"I’m fine," she replied. "The Fang girls are over at Auntie Fatty’s, but how can she handle so many kids alone? So I had Xiao Hu and his brother Xiao Wen come over. Works out—they can zone out to TV here, and it’s calmer."

When Gao Xiuxiu fell ill and they came pleading to Auntie Fatty, she was put on the spot—she couldn’t very well say no.

"We’ve got some roasted sweet potatoes left," Song Fenglan said. "Let me grab them for the kids."

"I’ll get them," Qin Yizhou offered.

Big Girl held up okay, but the little one was bawling her eyes out. Without a parent or grandparent nearby, they were completely lost.

This was driving Auntie Fatty up the wall. She thought she was done with endless crying now that her own kids were older—but now she had to look after the Fang children too.

Zhang Chenghai winced at Second Girl’s wailing but couldn’t escape the noise—he ended up pitching in.

"Did they say when the surgery is?" he asked.

"Not sure," Auntie Fatty replied. "If things drag, it could be ten days to two weeks. They need to drain the fluid first and wait for her to stabilize."

"So the girls will stay with us for now?"

"For now, yes," she said. "Their grandma went back to the village, and no one else from there is coming. It’s tough. After the surgery, Gao Xiuxiu’ll need time to recover. Who’s going to watch the kids then? Don’t know who they’ll ask."

No wonder folks wanted their daughters married close by—then the bride’s family could pitch in more. Marry too far away, and even if they wanted to help, it wasn’t easy.

"Doesn’t matter who—just so someone’s around," Zhang Chenghai said. "They leave their kids with us, and our kids go to Colonel Qin’s house—doesn’t that mean Colonel Qin’s family ends up helping? Can’t keep this up forever."

Zhang Chenghai wasn’t blind to this. Sure, Auntie Fatty looked good helping the Fangs, earning praise, but in reality, their own kids were staying with Colonel Qin. He didn’t want this turning into a habit—folks would start gossiping. As a man, image mattered to him, but above all, he knew Song Fenglan’s standing.

A few days ago, our country's fighter jets confronted foreign fighter jets at sea, holding their own in both presence and capability—perhaps even surpassing them. These jets could fly higher and faster, and were far less likely to crash than before.

Being in the same military region, Zhang Chenghai had an easier time finding out information, especially since this particular event had been reported. The government wanted to reassure the public, showing the nation’s steady progress toward strength.

Everyone assumed Song Fenglan’s trip was just another routine assignment; no one realized how exceptional she was because everything had to be kept secret. All details were classified, and Song Fenglan was being passed off as an average student or researcher.

It’s worth noting that during those unusual times, it wasn’t always the most educated people who became researchers—some didn’t even have college degrees.

With such a ragtag team, catching up with foreign countries was even more difficult.

"Stop bothering Colonel Qin’s family so much," Zhang Chenghai said.

"I know, but for now we still need to wait for Gao Xiuxiu’s parents to arrive," Auntie Fatty replied. "Given her state, someone needs to look after the kids."

"Do the kids go back to sleep at night?" Zhang Chenghai asked. "Or do they stay here? At their age..."

Zhang Xiaohu and Zhang Wen still needed rest, and Big Girl and Second Girl were too young to sleep alone.

Zhang Chenghai wasn’t thrilled about having Big Girl and Second Girl sleep in his room—it’d be weird. They weren’t related by blood, and he was a man.

Unless he moved to another room and let Auntie Fatty take the girls instead.

"Their grandmother is leaving tomorrow, so she should still be able to take them home tonight," Auntie Fatty said. "For the next few days, it depends on when Gao Xiuxiu’s husband gets off work. They’ll probably pick them up—they won’t leave them here overnight."

Honestly, Auntie Fatty wasn’t eager to sleep with two little kids; they could be a handful at night. The older one was easier, but the younger one was still too small.

Fang Xudong knew overstaying their welcome was bad, so around 8 p.m., he went to pick up the two girls.

"Perfect timing! Take Big Girl and Second Girl, and I’ll go get Xiao Hu and Xiao Wen," Auntie Fatty said as soon as she saw him.

"Xiao Hu and Xiao Wen aren't home?" Fang Xudong asked.

"No, they're at Colonel Qin’s place," Auntie Fatty replied. "The house is chaos with all the kids. Colonel Qin has a TV, so letting them watch keeps them quiet."

Fang Xudong didn’t dare suggest bringing his daughters over to watch TV. He understood the tension between his family and Colonel Qin’s. While he personally hadn’t done anything wrong, he hadn’t reined in his family’s gossip either, which left a bad taste.

"I'll take them back first," Fang Xudong said.

"Go ahead," Auntie Fatty replied.

"My mother-in-law will be here in a few days," he added.

"That’s good. Once she arrives, Xiuxiu will have someone to care for her, and the kids too," Auntie Fatty said.

Like this, Gao Xiuxiu really needed support—without it, she’d be worse off.

Auntie Fatty went to Song Fenglan’s to pick up Zhang Xiaohu and Zhang Wen, so Song Fenglan could ask a few things.

"Are the kids staying the night?" Song Fenglan asked.

"No," Auntie Fatty said. "Gao Xiuxiu’s husband just took them back."

"That’s better. If there’s someone at home, it’s best to keep the kids there," Song Fenglan said, clearly against the Fangs dumping their kids on others.

"Gao Xiuxiu’s mom is due any day now," Auntie Fatty said. "Ya Ni’s mom is waiting too—probably arriving soon."

Even if Li Hui didn’t want Guo Peng’s mother to come, it was out of her hands. Guo’s mother wasn’t staying with Li Hui and her husband, but with Fan Yani instead.

This time, Li Hui wasn’t opposed to Guo’s mother coming—she was thinking about adoption. Her cousin pushed to adopt a child from her side of the family, since her brother and sister-in-law might not mind. After all, Nan City was urban and much better than a small county town. But Guo Peng would prefer adopting from his own family, so they’d have to hash it out with the Guos.

Li Hui worried that adopting two children might strain the family’s finances. It would be better to adopt one first, then wait a few years before adopting another. Guo Peng probably wanted a boy, so Li Hui could adopt a girl from her natal family—this way, her parents wouldn’t be too upset.

It was unusual for a married woman to formally adopt her brother or sister-in-law’s child. Most just helped raise them temporarily, and the child still called them “auntie.”

“Ain’t she setting up a stand to sell cookies?” Song Fenglan asked.

“She sure is. In fact, she started today, and business was great,” Auntie Fatty said. “Her cookies taste just as good as store-bought ones.”

“With a skill like that, you’ll always make a living,” Song Fenglan said. “Hard workers never go hungry.”

“Yani’s got skills. I saw how fast her cookies sold out,” Auntie Fatty said. “People went crazy for those cookies—they bought in bulk, saying their kids and elders at home loved them. Truth is, they liked them too.”

“Who doesn’t love tasty food?” Song Fenglan thought. When she cooked, she’d think about whether she liked it first—if she did, she made more; if not, she skipped it altogether.

Auntie Fatty took her two sons back home to wash up and sleep.

Meanwhile, Fan Yani was counting her day’s earnings. After subtracting costs, she came out ahead—more than she ever made working in the cafeteria. She felt this business had legs. If she saved enough, she could buy a house later—maybe even several while prices were low.

“Next year, we can open a shop,” Fan Yani said. “Fix up part of our courtyard and put up a little shop. We’re right near the main road, so there’s plenty of customers passing by. Not under the apartment block, but still in the residential compound.”

She had plans, though she wasn’t handy with bricks—she’d need her husband’s help for that.

“I set up my stand today, and no one stopped me. Even the neighborhood committee saw me and didn’t say anything,” Fan Yani said.

“Sell as long as you can. If they shut you down, come back,” Yue Hongwei said. “Was it tiring? With the baby on your back and all?”

“It’s fine. As long as I’m making money, it’s not too hard,” Fan Yani replied. “Besides, if money grew on trees, everyone’d be rich. Once Mom gets here to watch the baby, things’ll get easier.”

“Alright,” Yue Hongwei said. “Just holler if you need something. I’m your man—I’ll pitch in.”

“I know,” Fan Yani said. “If I really need you, I’ll call.”

For now, she didn’t plan to ask much help—maybe just hauling flour home. She sifted the flour herself for the cookies, and every ingredient had to be top-notch. If people tasted low-quality stuff, they’d stop buying.

Honesty was everything in business.

In her past life, folks said this era was full of chances—even a hog could take off if it caught the wind.

Two days later, Gao Xiuxiu’s older sister and Guo Peng’s mother arrived. Gao’s own mother was elderly, and everyone feared the stress, so they called in her big sister instead.

Auntie Gao and Guo’s mother rode the bus together. After getting off, they walked a bit and realized they lived close.

Fan Yani had planned to pick up Guo’s mother, but she refused, saying she already knew the way. Swamped with her stall, Fan Yani listened to her mom and stayed put.

Auntie Gao went to Fang Xudong’s place, straightened up the place, made some food, and brought some to the hospital for Gao Xiuxiu. Fang was up to his neck in work at the police station and couldn’t get away.

At the hospital, Auntie Gao placed the food in front of Gao Xiuxiu.

“Mom wanted to come, but we were afraid it’d be too much for her, so I came instead,” Auntie Gao said. She had married near her natal family. “Your mother-in-law told you to drink that potion, and you actually did it—you dummy! If those old wives’ tales worked, wouldn’t everyone have sons by now?”

“I… I wasn’t thinking straight…” Gao Xiuxiu looked worn out.

“No use crying over spilled milk,” Auntie Gao said. “You’re still here—that’s what counts.”

“The doctor said… said…” Gao Xiuxiu couldn’t bring herself to finish.

“Said what?” Auntie Gao pressed.

"The doctor said... if the situation is severe, they might have to remove the uterus, and I won’t be able to conceive again." Gao Xiuxiu closed her eyes. The doctor had said they would try their best to save her uterus, but she knew it would be very difficult.

"If it can't be saved, then it can't be saved. As long as you're alive, why worry about that? You have two daughters. If it really comes to it, they can have live-in sons-in-law later," Auntie Gao said. "What era is this? Still obsessing over sons. You ended up like this because you were so fixated on having a boy. Mom and the rest of the family said—if this marriage becomes unbearable, just divorce."

"But... in my condition, would divorce even make things better?" Gao Xiuxiu said.

"If you don't divorce, then make the best of your marriage from now on," Auntie Gao said. "Keep your mother-in-law away, and don't listen to her nonsense either."

"I won't listen now," Gao Xiuxiu said.

"You should've stopped listening long ago," Auntie Gao said. "Not just now. Before, we told you not to rush, that children come when they're meant to, but you just wouldn't listen."

Auntie Gao sighed. She felt sorry for her sister, but what good did pity do now? Things had already come to this, and they could only leave it to fate.

When Mother Guo arrived at Fan Yani's house, she mentioned running into Auntie Gao. Only then did Fan Yani tell her about Gao Xiuxiu's upcoming surgery.

"Last year, wasn't she still fine?" Mother Guo said.

"She was, but she gave in to her mother-in-law pressuring her to take all kinds of medicine, and now she's like this," Fan Yani said. "Just to have a son, she'd swallow anything. The human body isn't a machine—even machines would break down from that kind of strain."

Fan Yani thought Gao Xiuxiu must be regretting it now, but it was too late. Some folk remedies work, but ordinary people can't tell the difference.

"Eldest sister-in-law was taking those concoctions too, but I think she's not risking it anymore," Fan Yani said. "Yesterday, she even asked me if you were arriving soon."

"She asked?" Mother Guo found it hard to believe her daughter-in-law would care about her.

"Maybe she's wised up," Fan Yani said. "Her own life is more important than having a child, so she's not messing around anymore. If she can't have one, she can always adopt. I think Brother wants to adopt a Guo relative's child, so that's probably why she asked."

Fan Yani could guess what Li Hui was thinking—she wasn't a complicated person.

"The adoption decision is theirs," Mother Guo said. "I asked your younger brother, and he doesn't think they should give their child to your eldest brother."

"Oh?" Fan Yani hadn't expected the Guo family back home to think that way.

"Your sister-in-law might be willing to raise your brother’s child now, but who's to say how she'll feel down the road," Mother Guo said. "Better not to let them adopt at all. If they take in someone else’s child, there’d be fewer disputes."

"But Brother is in the city," Fan Yani said.

"I know they’re in the city, and I know they’re better off," Mother Guo said. "That's exactly why it's not good to let them raise the child. If problems come up later, your younger brother and his wife won’t be able to say much."

"That’s true. If the adoptive family is better off, the kid might not even want to go back to the countryside when they grow up. That would be awkward," Fan Yani said. "But if they make this decision, won’t the child resent them later?"

"Resentment or not, they’re not equipped to deal with it anyway," Mother Guo said.

"Actually, it’s fine. Later on, they can come to the city for work," Fan Yani said. "With policies easing up, it’ll be much easier to move to the city, and there’ll be more opportunities."

"Work isn’t that easy to find," Mother Guo sighed.

"Save up some money, open a shop—sell breakfast or whatever works," Fan Yani said. "Seize the opportunities, make money, and they’ll get by just fine. The worst thing is missing those chances when they slip right through your fingers. Big cities are still big cities—the countryside doesn’t measure up. How much can you earn farming out there?"

Village farming isn’t exactly high-tech, and even high-tech farming has costs. It really isn’t easy.

"Mom, don’t worry about those things. At the latest, by next year—" Fan Yani said. "You forge your own path. There’s always a way."

"Mm." Mother Guo nodded.

At the flight base, Song Fenglan and the others went to watch the test flights. People like Tang Lu and Jian Lili were nowhere near ready to participate—they were still in training. Even if they did fly, they wouldn’t fly alone; someone would be with them.

Pilots faced many challenges in the sky and had to troubleshoot mid-air, especially test pilots. No one knew what problems they might encounter.

"This year, a test pilot with many years of experience is joining us," said the base commander. "You’ve probably heard of him—the one who emergency-landed in the fields but safeguarded critical national data. He’s mostly recovered and now he's here with us."

"He’s a hero," said Song Fenglan.

Without these skilled test pilots, researchers might not discover certain issues. Through simple maneuvers, test pilots can detect problems that even researchers miss—it's a true collaboration.

This test pilot was named Che Yunfei, much older than Song Fenglan. Experienced and seasoned, after his recovery, Che Yunfei wasn’t afraid to return to test flights—he was eager to continue. He believed his deep expertise made him indispensable—if he didn’t do it, who would? Many younger test pilots, despite their flying hours, may struggle with unexpected challenges.

Heroes deserve to be honored and remembered.

"Commander," Che Yunfei arrived at that moment. "Che Yunfei reporting for duty."

Song Fenglan looked at him—his presence was crisp and commanding, clearly a man of strength and courage.

"This is Engineer Song, Comrade Song Fenglan," the commander introduced. "Yunfei, the fighter jet you’ll be testing was designed by her."

"Yes, sir," Che Yunfei replied without hesitation. Regardless of Song Fenglan’s age, his job was to carry out the mission assigned by the organization.

Besides test flights, Che Yunfei also had to train pilots. Although he hadn't flown the latest jets before, his vast experience was invaluable, especially since pilots weren’t limited to just one type of aircraft.

Tang Lu hardly ever saw Song Fenglan, as Song rarely handled their instruction directly—other researchers taught them technical knowledge. Tang Lu had hoped to see her more often, but chances were rare.

Like this time, Tang Lu knew the researchers were coming, but without permission, she couldn’t approach.

Last year, after Tang Shaotao got Song Fenglan’s home number, he called Song’s father pleading—twice more before giving up. Later on, authorities approached the Tang family, scaring them off for good.

"That’s the new fighter jet," Jian Lili whispered, eyeing the aircraft enviously. "It looks badass."

She wasn’t talking about a person—but the jet.

"It is," Tang Lu agreed. "And the performance is impressive."

Both were itching to fly it. Every time they watched test flights, Tang Lu longed to be in the cockpit. But she and the others were stuck with mass-produced models—still considered advanced, but not the real cutting edge. That belonged to the test pilots.

Despite the danger, plenty still dreamed of becoming test pilots.

"The instructor’s just messing with us—letting us look but never fly," Jian Lili muttered.

The instructor knew how to push them to work harder.

"Pay attention," he warned. "Think hard—why are they so much better while you’re still struggling? Don’t try, and you think you can fly? Maybe you belong on tractors—at least they don’t fall out of the sky."

Jian Lili tuned him out. Tang Lu thought about how important Song Fenglan must be—she always seemed to appear at major events. Even from afar, Tang Lu could recognize her.

They’d stopped caring about the instructor’s insults. At first, they felt hurt, but after hearing the same words over and over, they just shrugged them off. Once your skin thickened, you didn’t have to worry about harsh words—you just kept pushing forward.

Folks living near the base barely looked up anymore when jets flew overhead. They went about their business as usual. They couldn’t tell the difference anyway—it’s what’s inside that counts, not the outside.

Around 4 p.m., Song Fenglan and the others left the flight base. Tang Lu watched, same as always.

"At least you get to fly more than the researchers who design these jets," the instructor remarked. "Don’t screw up. If you slack off, they might take everything away from you. These jets are someone’s life work—national treasures. Fail to learn, and you won’t even cut it driving tractors."

"..." Jian Lili scoffed. First he said they belonged on tractors, now they wouldn’t even qualify for that.

She figured the instructor was just testing their grit. Those who cracked couldn’t hack it—might as well crawl under a desk.

Auntie Gao came back from the hospital to Gao Xiuxiu’s house, too busy to check whether Gao Xiuxiu was getting along with the neighbors. She picked up Big Girl and Second Girl from Auntie Fat’s place and now was stuck juggling kids and Gao Xiuxiu’s problems.

"Wasn't it supposed to be Xiuxiu's mom coming?" Auntie Fatty asked, puzzled when she saw Auntie Gao.

"My mother is too old to handle this, so me coming instead works just as well," Auntie Gao replied. "Mom can come later, after my sister's surgery. I still need to go back home eventually—there's a lot going on there."

Auntie Gao couldn't stay with Gao Xiuxiu forever—she had her own children to take care of. For now, her mother-in-law and sister-in-law were helping look after the kids, but if things went on too long, they would start to complain.

"Big Girl, let's go," Auntie Gao said, holding Second Girl in her arms.

Auntie Fatty had originally wanted to suggest that Auntie Gao talk things over with Gao Xiuxiu, but then thought better of it. After all, they were sisters—it wasn't her place to say anything.

When Song Fenglan returned, she brought her son a model airplane she had made in the lab.

"Wow, an airplane!" Qin Zihang was thrilled when he saw the model. "Mom, I want one that can really fly!"

Late at night, Gao Xiuxiu's condition took a bad turn. The doctors decided they couldn't wait any longer and rushed her to surgery.