Chapter 84: Bankruptcy, Not That Much Face

**Chapter 84: Not Important Enough to Warrant Such Treatment**

Mrs. Tang arrived at Song Fenglan’s doorstep and lingered there, hesitating to ring the doorbell. After standing there for too long, she was detained by the authorities, who questioned her about why she had been lingering outside Song Fenglan’s home and whether she had any suspicious intentions.

“No, she’s my husband’s cousin. I just wanted to talk to her,” Mrs. Tang replied, never expecting that she would be detained by the authorities.

Suddenly, she understood why her husband hadn’t approached Song Fenglan—he had probably anticipated this outcome.

“My mother-in-law keeps giving her things. I just didn’t want her to accept them,” Mrs. Tang admitted truthfully. “I wanted her to give them back to us discreetly.”

She had no choice but to answer—the authorities grilled her repeatedly, and she couldn’t withstand their questioning.

When Song Fenglan learned that Mrs. Tang had been taken away, it was the authorities who called her first. Only after confirming Mrs. Tang’s identity did they release her.

When Song Fenglan recounted the incident to Qin Yizhou, she was completely baffled.

“What Third Aunt gave me is mine. She’s delusional if she thinks I’ll secretly hand it over to her,” Song Fenglan said.

“Just ignore her,” Qin Yizhou said.

“There are plenty of others I don’t bother with,” Song Fenglan remarked.

Suddenly, she thought of the protagonist from the original novel who lived on the same street as Aunt Yu—just like Fan Yani, she was the main character in a series where each city had its own heroine. Fan Yani was decent enough, but Song Fenglan hadn’t interacted much with the one in the capital.

What Song Fenglan did know was that this heroine always stirred up drama. When she went to Nan City, she had already heard about the trouble surrounding her. Song Fenglan planned to leave for Nan City early to avoid crossing paths with the heroine and becoming collateral damage. She also refused to let her child become a contrast to the protagonist’s kid—she wanted her own children to thrive.

While staying at Aunt Yu’s place, Song Fenglan had overheard some comments from people in the neighborhood.

“Thank goodness she had a son. At least her husband will value her more. What use would she be if she had a daughter?”

“She’s lucky—she can bear sons.”

“Even having a son doesn’t change much. Her mother-in-law still barely pays attention to her.”

...

Song Fenglan disliked how people were obsessed with her having a son, as if his existence was tied to practical advantages. She had never cared about gender, but others fixated on it constantly.

Whether a boy or a girl, they were both her children.

If Qin Zihang had been a girl, Song Fenglan wouldn’t have felt pressured to have another child just for a son. Her life wasn’t meant solely for childbirth—she had far more important things to do.

“What are you thinking about?” Qin Yizhou noticed Song Fenglan lost in thought.

“Just some things from before,” Song Fenglan said. “When I stayed at Aunt Yu’s, people kept saying how lucky I was because my firstborn was a boy.”

“Did that upset you?” Qin Yizhou asked.

“A little. Their words made me feel like I was being accused of favoring sons over daughters,” Song Fenglan admitted. “If I even mention my son, people assume I’m bragging about having a boy. They’re reading too much into it.”

Her words were straightforward, without any hidden meaning.

But others never saw it that way.

“If I praise my son, or say I have a capable husband, it’s as if I’m admitting I’m incapable without a man,” Song Fenglan said. “As if I can’t survive without one.”

She found this mindset completely warped. Did she really have to flaunt a daughter everywhere just to prove she wasn’t biased?

“Look, this is my daughter! Isn’t she amazing?” Song Fenglan would never do that—she’d think she’d gone crazy.

"Are men really that important?" Song Fenglan asked.

"To be honest, you could live just fine without me," Qin Yizhou said thoughtfully. With the relevant authorities protecting Song Fenglan, she was free to divorce and remarry whenever she wanted—as long as she kept coming up with valuable inventions, she could do exactly as she pleased. "Don't listen to them. They're filling your head with nonsense."

"I think that too," Song Fenglan replied.

After Mrs. Tang was released, she didn’t dare mention looking for Song Fenglan again. It dawned on Mrs. Tang why Song’s third aunt always sought out Song Fenglan and brought her gifts—it was because Song Fenglan was impressive. If Song Fenglan had no real ability, Song’s third aunt wouldn’t have valued her so much.

When Tang Shaotao learned his wife had been taken away, he was in a terrible mood.

Now that she was back, Tang Shaotao still felt uneasy. Looking at his wife, life felt a bit bleak.

"Did you see her?" he asked.

"No," Mrs. Tang replied. "I just lingered near your cousin’s door for a while. Before anyone inside noticed me, people outside already spotted me."

"Don’t go there again," Tang Shaotao said.

"I won’t," she said.

"Mm," he responded.

Then the two of them stared at each other in silence. Both now understood—they couldn’t mess with Song Fenglan. She was unyielding, like a tough nut to crack. If they tried, they’d only end up getting hurt.

Fan Yani’s sister-in-law, Niu Cuihua, was a force to be reckoned with—even her husband obeyed her. Unlike Li Hui, Niu Cuihua knew how to earn and save money, while Li Hui only knew how to spend it.

One day, Li Hui stormed into Guo Peng’s mother’s presence, shouting, "Look at your golden boy! He hit me!"

Well, not exactly—Li Hui had started picking a fight, and Guo Peng had shoved her off instinctively. Then Li Hui flew into a rage, beating him mercilessly while he refused to fight back.

The problem was that Li Hui suspected Guo Peng of having an affair. She kept stirring up drama, refusing to believe his denials. When Guo Peng tried to leave for work, Li Hui grabbed onto him, insisting it was his day off and accusing him of lying.

He said he had to work overtime, but she still wouldn’t believe him—she was convinced he was going to meet another woman.

Li Hui hurled cruel accusations at Guo Peng, demanding he admit fault. But since he hadn’t done anything wrong, how could he confess?

So Guo Peng ended up beaten by Li Hui. Before he could even reach his mother, Li Hui ran ahead.

"Your son is chasing other women and still has the nerve to hit me!" she cried. "Aren’t you going to do something? Is this how your family raised him? How vile—are you just going to tolerate this?"

"You… let me go see him," Guo Peng’s mother said.

Before she could get up, Guo Peng arrived.

His face was scratched, and there were marks on his neck and arms. Li Hui hadn’t held back—she took out all her bitterness on him, clawing and kicking. In her eyes, Guo Peng wasn’t going anywhere—working at the local Grain Bureau didn’t offer much in terms of real power or prestige. She thought he should be more like Qin Yizhou, rising to become a unit leader so she could be a commander’s wife—that way, she’d command respect and never be looked down upon.

"How did this happen?" Guo Peng’s mother gasped.

"She’s the one who did this," Guo Peng said. "I didn’t do anything with another woman."

He didn’t know what Li Hui had told his mother, but he knew he hadn’t wronged her. She insisted on going dancing, ignoring all the gossip, and he could only tell himself: truth will out.

Still, he felt uneasy—he had endured everything, yet here she was, acting up again.

Guo Peng’s mother looked at her son’s injuries, then at Li Hui, who stood there without a scratch except for tear-reddened eyes—and her hand probably hurt from hitting him so hard.

What was Guo Peng’s mother supposed to say? She couldn’t very well brawl with Li Hui.

"You two go on home," Mrs. Guo said, no longer wanting to deal with the couple’s issues.

"Mom, you're just siding with your son!" Li Hui exclaimed. "He's your biological child, so you—"

"If I really favored him, I should’ve told him to divorce you," Mrs. Guo replied. She had endured Li Hui all along; despite Li Hui’s disdain for her as a mother-in-law, she had never spoken ill of her in front of Guo Peng. "You two—if you can live together, then do so. If not, just divorce. Can you two make this marriage work?"

Mrs. Guo asked the pair before her, knowing full well that she didn’t rely on them anyway.

"Go back," Guo Peng said, reaching for Li Hui’s hand, but she jerked her hand away.

"Can you make it work?" Mrs. Guo asked again.

"Fine, we’ll go back." Li Hui wasn’t thinking about divorcing Guo Peng. If they divorced, she couldn’t bear children, and no other man would put up with her. At least Guo Peng would stand there and let her hit him. Another man wouldn’t tolerate her like this—they’d want a woman who could have children.

Fan Yani peeked out and saw the couple leave, pursing her lips in disapproval.

Those two deserve each other—just don’t go ruining anyone else’s life!

Fan Yani thought Guo Peng was decent enough, but since he loved Li Hui so much, even if he remarried after a divorce, he probably wouldn’t forget her. Then, the woman who married him later might have to endure his emotional neglect, treated like a baby-making machine. And if things went badly, that woman might have a child, only for Guo Peng to divorce her and try to remarry Li Hui, taking the child with him—that would be even worse.

Real life gets crazier than any soap opera. Novels at least follow some logic, but reality often doesn’t.

"Mom, have some grass jelly," Fan Yani said.

"We should sell that," Mrs. Guo replied.

"We can sell it and still eat some," Fan Yani said. "Just have some. It’s our own product, the cost isn’t high."

Mrs. Guo finally took the grass jelly. She usually had a little now and then.

"Is it sweet?" Fan Yani asked.

"Yes," Mrs. Guo said.

"Mom, your son and daughter-in-law have their own way of dealing with things," Fan Yani said. "We don’t need to worry about them."

"Them..." Mrs. Guo got a headache just thinking about Guo Peng and Li Hui’s situation. It was too much.

"Just their usual drama," Fan Yani said. "They’re unlikely to divorce. Big brother loves sister-in-law too much—maybe it’s better if they don’t."

Mrs. Guo wanted a grandchild, but Niu Cuihua could bear children, so there was no need for Li Hui to do so.

Fan Yani’s business was doing well, and her husband helped out when he came home. Plump Auntie sometimes came by to buy biscuits and such—the kids at home liked them.

Gao Xiuxiu treated her two daughters very differently. She played favorites with the older girl and neglected the younger one. Others might favor the younger child, but Gao Xiuxiu was the opposite—she still resented her younger daughter for not being a boy.

At the research institute, a few graduate students attended Song Fenglan’s lectures. She was teaching her team members, and her own student, Ding Wenbo, naturally attended.

Duan Yue didn’t go. He was too intimidated, even though others said it was fine. Anyone at the institute could sit in, but auditors weren’t supposed to ask too many questions—if everyone kept asking, Song Fenglan wouldn’t be able to teach, and the others wouldn’t learn anything.

"You didn’t attend the lecture?" Professor Ma, Duan Yue’s advisor, knew Song Fenglan was teaching that evening to fill in the team’s knowledge gaps.

Professor Ma had attended Song Fenglan’s lectures before and had to admit her expertise was impressive.

Years ago, when Song Fenglan returned to the capital for the New Year and was dragged in to work overtime, she helped solve many of the institute’s problems.

"No," Duan Yue said. "Professor, I prefer your teaching style."

"I’m not lecturing you right now," Professor Ma said. "If you have time, you should go listen. Even senior researchers attend. Engineer Song is exceptionally knowledgeable—whether it’s materials, mechanical design, engines, or anything else, her vast knowledge is remarkable. After listening to her, many concepts will click for you, and you’ll understand things more clearly."

"You're very experienced..."

"No need to flatter me. I know exactly how capable I am," Professor Ma said. "There's always more to learn. Or are you afraid that if you go listen, Ms. Song might see you and scold you, or even forbid you from attending? Young man, don't think you're so important—she probably won't even remember you."

"I..." Duan Yue hesitated for a moment. After all, he was the one who had refused to become Song Fenglan's graduate student.

"Ms. Song doesn’t need graduate students. She’s not obligated to take on students," Professor Ma said. "Whatever. If you want to learn, go learn. If not, then let it be."

Professor Ma thought Duan Yue had never held a real job before and tended to make assumptions, and was prone to impulsiveness. He didn’t say more, nor did he object to Duan Yue attending other professors’ lectures—as long as he could gain knowledge, it was fine.

Even Professor Ma himself had been the same way during his student days. He would attend any lecture where he might learn something, even if he hadn’t enrolled in the course. Sometimes, to learn, one had to be thick-skinned. If you’re too shy, you’ll miss out.

Duan Yue stood there for a while before finally grabbing his notebook and heading over. But when he reached the door, he saw the place was crowded. He hesitated outside, unable to bring himself to go in.

Song Fenglan didn’t glance at the door. She simply lectured, explaining everything she knew in ways her audience could understand.

By the time she finished the evening’s lecture, Duan Yue was still standing outside. He had caught fragments of her talk, but most of it went over his head. He wondered if it was because he hadn’t attended her previous lectures.

When he finally worked up the nerve to step inside, Song Fenglan had already left with her materials. She had work again tomorrow.

As Duan Yue took a step forward, Ding Wenbo walked out.

"Here for the lecture?" Ding Wenbo asked.

"Just passing by," Duan Yue replied.

"Right. The lecture’s over now. You’ll have to wait for the next one," Ding Wenbo said, picking up on Duan Yue’s awkwardness.

Duan Yue had refused to be Song Fenglan’s graduate student, and now he felt too ashamed to attend her lectures. Deep down, he still held onto this hope—that Song Fenglan was actually a terrible teacher.

"If you missed the earlier parts, you might not understand much," Ding Wenbo said. "Even now, I still struggle to grasp everything. Maybe I don’t have the basics down, or maybe it’s just too advanced. Probably both."

"Leaving?" someone called from behind.

"Yeah, yeah," Ding Wenbo quickly moved aside.

Duan Yue followed, not wanting to block the doorway. Some stayed behind in the conference room to study, while others headed to the lab for overtime work.

"Going back to campus?" Ding Wenbo asked.

Their university wasn’t far from the research institute—only a short walk, or a quick bike ride if they wanted to save time.

Ding Wenbo often stayed late with his group, even when Song Fenglan wasn’t working overtime. He was always in the lab, conducting experiments. There was so much he needed to learn, and he had to make the most of this chance.

"Going back..." Duan Yue naturally had to return to sleep. Where else could he go?

On the way, Ding Wenbo didn’t try to persuade Duan Yue to attend Song Fenglan’s lectures. Once someone formed a bias, no amount of persuasion would change their mind.

Song Fenglan returned home to find Qin Zihang already asleep, while Qin Yizhou waited in the living room. Unless it was very late, Qin Yizhou always waited up for her.

After washing up, Song Fenglan went to the bedroom, where Qin Yizhou massaged her shoulders.

"How’s that feel?" Qin Yizhou asked.

"You've really gotten good at this," Song Fenglan remarked. "Impressive."

"It's no big deal," Qin Yizhou said. "While waiting for you, I was thinking—our life really isn't bad, is it?"

"It isn't," Song Fenglan replied. "I like this quiet, ordinary kind of life. I don’t need any extra drama. If you're looking for excitement, I’m not your person."

"I like it this way too," Qin Yizhou said, handing her a banana.

By the end of the year, Qin Yizhou brought over New Year’s gifts to his parents’ home himself, without bringing Song Fenglan or Qin Zihang.

He had long since figured out his mother’s attitude toward Qin Zihang and Song Fenglan—she clearly favored his older brother’s children. There was no way he would allow his own child to take a backseat to his brother’s.

"Where’s Zi Hang?" Qin’s mother looked around but didn’t see him. "Did he not want to come, or was it your wife who—"

"He didn’t want to come," Qin Yizhou answered. "And I didn’t want him to either. Mom, you know exactly why."

"What do I know?" Qin’s mother said. "It’s almost New Year, and your wife and son couldn’t even be bothered to visit. We’re family, not enemies."

"Without this family bond, we’d practically be strangers by now," Qin Yizhou said. "I came because I’m your son. But Fenglan isn’t your daughter—she’s your daughter-in-law, yes, but that doesn’t mean she has to jump at your every command. My brother and I have already split everything up."

He reminded his mother that he didn’t owe his brother a thing.

"Your brother has had it hard," Qin’s mother sighed. "Because of his first wife—Tian Keshu—he got passed over for promotions. Now that you’re doing well, you ought to lend him a hand."

"Is that what he wants, or is it your idea?" Qin Yizhou asked.

"Your brother hasn’t said anything," Qin’s mother replied. "I just think as brothers, if he does well, it’ll benefit you too."

"I haven’t seen any benefits—I’ve only seen plenty of downsides," Qin Yizhou said. "Mom, what do you take me for? Do you think I have some kind of power? Don’t assume that just because I’m a regiment commander, I’m important. In the capital, I’m a small fish."

Qin Yizhou had a clear sense of where he stood—there were countless more powerful people in the capital. He might have been an ace soldier during his military days, but across the country, there were many elite soldiers like him. Many others had risen to the same rank as he had.

The Qin family’s influence meant little to those circles. If it had mattered, his elder brother wouldn’t still be stagnating in his role.

"My brother has a stable job. When he retires, he’ll get a pension—that’s already good enough," Qin Yizhou said. "Pushing further would be overkill."

"He had opportunities before," Qin’s mother insisted. "He was sidelined because of Tian Keshu. It’s not that he lacks ability, he—"

"He’s not irreplaceable. Someone else got promoted instead and does his job just fine," Qin Yizhou said. "We shouldn’t overplay our significance."

"I’m just asking you to help your brother a little, and you talk so much. Just say whether you’ll help or not," Qin’s mother said unhappily.

"No, I can’t help," Qin Yizhou repeated. "If it were possible, Dad would’ve called in favors. The fact that he didn’t means it’s a lost cause. Maybe in a few years, my brother can get promoted on his own."

"Do you have to treat your brother like this? So heartless?" Qin’s mother said. "Have you forgotten how he took care of you when you were little? He even carried you on his back—"

"That’s why he got the bulk of the inheritance, and they’ll look after you in old age. I have nothing to say about it," Qin Yizhou said. "I accept that arrangement."

He believed he had been more than fair—his brother had taken most of what there was, and the house his parents bought him wasn’t anything special, yet he never complained. He wasn’t some three-year-old demanding things from his parents.

"You… you still resent us," Qin’s mother said. "Your wife walks away before I even finish speaking. And you—you listen, but you don’t act. You’re just pacifying me."

"I really should go," Qin Yizhou stood up, unwilling to keep arguing.

He was being patient just sitting through her words. If it were Song Fenglan, she’d have walked out ages ago.

"Qin Yizhou!" his mother called.

He stopped and turned, his expression blank and detached.

Startled by his look, Qin’s mother opened her mouth but didn’t bring up her eldest son again. "Fine, leave then."

Then, Qin Yizhou left. As he reached the door, he happened to meet his father, who had just come back from fishing.

"Headed out?" Qin's father asked.

"Yeah, going home," Qin Yizhou replied.

"Drive safe," his father said.

"Alright," Qin Yizhou answered.

Father and son didn't say anything else, just passed each other by.

Qin's father went into the living room and put his stuff in the corner.

"Did you see your son?" Qin's mother asked.

"I did," he said. "He’s gone home."

"I told him to help his big brother, but he wouldn’t do it," she said. "All he said was that his position in the capital isn’t good enough to matter. How could I have given birth to a son like that? I think he just listens to his wife."

"He really can't help," Qin's father said. "He's right—the capital is full of powerful people. He hasn't even been back long enough to get settled. So many people would kill to be transferred there. If he messes up, they’ll ship him out or fire him on the spot."

Qin's father had no intention of asking Qin Yizhou to help your eldest son. "You don’t understand how this works, so don’t go talking nonsense."

"But… what about our eldest son? Don’t you care about him?" she pressed.

"Your son has his own path," he said.

"It's been years and he still hasn’t moved up while others have," she said. "You know it's killing him. If things go well for him, it'll help Yizhou too—"

"Eldest Brother’s situation is complicated. Yizhou can't fix it," Qin's father cut in. "It's spy business—too many eyes watching. Our family is tied to the Tians. Even though Eldest Brother divorced that Tian girl, they still have a kid together. The families are still connected, so they can still use the kid against him."

Qin's father was battlefield-smart and knew better than to act stupid. "Your eldest son is already done for—don’t sink our other boy too."

"I’m not saying drag him down, just—"

"He can't save Eldest Brother," he said firmly. "And don’t even think about asking the Song family to help. They’ve got overseas ties. If they step in, what will people think? That the Songs are mixed up with spies? They just got clear of their own mess. Why would they risk everything for Eldest Brother?"

Qin's father didn’t know how to reason with her anymore. She was always cooking up trouble, coming up with half-baked ideas.

"If Eldest Brother hasn’t asked for help, and we haven’t either, then don’t meddle. This is deep shit—you don’t understand?"

"How could I not understand?" she snapped. "I just know Eldest Brother and Yizhou are brothers."

"Brothers still keep separate books," he said. "Yizhou can't throw away his future for his older brother."

"But he did it for Song Fenglan—"

"That was his woman," he cut in. "And his choice."

Qin's father believed Yizhou made the right call—the Songs are doing good now.

"You just need to stop talking like this," he said. "The boy hardly visits, and when he does, you start in like this—it might as well show him the door."

"No, I—"

"Drop it," he interrupted. He couldn’t stand how clueless she was. "I used to think I wasn’t sharp enough, but you're even slower on the uptake."

"..." Mother Qin felt upset. Had her husband just called her stupid?

Qin Yizhou returned home and eventually told Song Fenglan what his mother had said. He worried that his mom might impulsively bring up the matter of their eldest brother with Song Fenglan—and they really couldn’t help.

"Good thing Zihang didn’t tag along," Song Fenglan said. She was determined not to let Qin Zihang spend too much time with the Qin family.

The Qins saw everyone else as chumps, expecting others to sacrifice for their eldest son’s family.

"He really shouldn’t have gone," Qin Yizhou agreed. He had to go see his parents—he was their flesh and blood—but the conversation had centered on their eldest brother.

"Talking about it won’t change anything," Song Fenglan said. "Just because they bring it up, does that mean you have to help?"

"No," Qin Yizhou replied. "I told Mom we can’t help. Right now, the crackdowns are brutal—everyone’s watching for spies. Better to steer clear. Back when I married you, Eldest Brother was worried you’d affect him."

He laid it out plainly. Even if he hadn’t said so, Song Fenglan already knew.

"What goes around comes around," Song Fenglan said. "He couldn’t help us back then, so now we can’t help him either. He hasn’t lost his job—he’s still at the same job, just not getting promoted. But... if he can’t move up now, it’ll be even harder later. And even if he does get promoted, he won’t reach the heights of those who rose earlier."

Eldest Brother Qin wasn’t irreplaceable. If he were the only one who could do what he did, he’d be valued more.

Take Song Fenglan herself—no one could replace her yet, which is why she had such a good position.

"Jiang’s wife is pregnant," Song Fenglan mentioned. "Second Brother Jiang gave Zihang so many things—we should send something over too. The baby’s not due yet, but we can prepare in advance."

"Sure, that works," Qin Yizhou agreed. "Later, I’ll pick up Zihang from Mom’s place."

Qin Zihang was at Song Fenglan’s mother’s house, playing with his cousins. He’d matured a lot, rarely asking childish questions anymore. He tried to act grown-up and wasn’t as clingy as before. Outside, he no longer constantly bragged about how amazing his mother was.

Song Fenglan sometimes missed when he was younger—when she felt needed by her son. Even when he did silly things that made her laugh or cry, she had found joy in them.

The couple went to Song Fenglan’s mother’s house to pick up Qin Zihang and stayed for dinner before heading home.

When they got back, Qin Yizhou mentioned sending something to his second sister. Song Fenglan had no objections.

"You go deliver it—I won’t come," she said. "And don’t take Zihang either. Keep things fair with your family, so no one has anything to say."

No matter how well-behaved Qin’s second sister’s children were, Song Fenglan knew the Qin family was trouble.

"No problem," Qin Yizhou said.

Earlier, when the three of them came back, they had met Qin’s second sister. She had visited them without making any demands or asking Song Fenglan’s older brother for help.

She didn’t want to burden them. She knew exactly how the family treated Song Fenglan and was content with her current life—it was a far cry from her rural days.

Meanwhile, Second Brother Jiang’s restaurant was failing. Customers preferred Old Mrs. Yu’s cooking over his and his wife’s. With the business unsustainable, they had to think of other options.

"The lease is for a year," Old Mrs. Yu said. "If you’re not running the restaurant anymore, what will you do?"

"Sell shoes?" Auntie Jiang suggested.

"You think just because there’s no shoe store here now, you’ll make money?" Old Mrs. Yu retorted. "Street vendors sell shoes all the time—they rotate locations and avoid rent costs. You won’t be able to compete on price. How many people around here buy expensive shoes?"

Old Mrs. Yu was frustrated. She had hoped her second son and daughter-in-law could turn things around, but the shop was on life support. Closing early would save more losses. The wasted money stung—it wasn’t a small sum.

"Mom, we’re educated," Auntie Jiang argued. "Why not ask the Songs if we can work at their company? We can handle a lot."

She’d been itching for this idea for a while—dying to get out of the kitchen and into an office.

"No," Old Mrs. Yu refused. "Try other companies first."

Auntie Jiang had applied to other companies, but no one wanted her or her husband. What could she do? They said they were educated, but they had only graduated from junior high school, and there were plenty of people with similar education levels. Having lived in the countryside for years, the couple lacked many skills, didn’t have strong connections, and weren’t particularly eloquent, so no one was willing to hire them.

"Mom, if you just speak up, Auntie might agree," Auntie Jiang said. "Their company has plenty of staff—adding two more wouldn’t be a big deal."

"That's not how you should call in favors," Auntie Yu replied. "Come up with another plan. If nothing works, you could sell stinky tofu."

"Stinky tofu?" Auntie Jiang's eyes widened—stinky tofu?

"If not stinky tofu, then fermented bean curd," Auntie Yu said. "You're not exactly master chefs, so stick to these. With the right seasoning, they can still attract customers."

"..." Auntie Jiang still felt these things were too hard to sell, and more importantly, she thought they were beneath her.

"Stop always relying on others. You need to have your own abilities," Auntie Yu said.

In the past, Auntie Yu had a low status in her husband’s family. But after the Song family’s rehabilitation, Old Mrs. Song often summoned her over, and her standing improved.

Sister Jiang, listening through the wooden wall, overheard Auntie Yu’s words. She glanced sideways at the door—her sister-in-law was really pushing it. If Auntie Yu helped the second branch and got them into the Song family’s company, couldn't she make her own demands too?

They were both daughters-in-law—their mother-in-law ought to treat them equally.

"Think about Yu Fei—her aunt still ignores her to this day," Auntie Yu cautioned Auntie Jiang. "Unless it’s a family gathering, she might not even be allowed into her aunt’s house."

Auntie Yu warned Auntie Jiang not to expect too much—the Song family wouldn’t give them that many benefits.

That night, Auntie Jiang complained to Jiang the Second.

"Your mom clearly has ways to help us but refuses," Auntie Jiang said. "Instead, she tells us to sell stinky tofu or fermented bean curd. Can we even make money from that? We might just end up smelling awful. If she just spoke up, Auntie would help us."

"Maybe I should try selling stinky tofu?" Jiang the Second said.

"Your mother just said that offhand, and you’re actually considering it?" Auntie Jiang retorted. "And me? Should I sell pickled vegetables?"

Back in the countryside, she had learned to pickle vegetables with salt and red yeast rice. But she hated pickles—they were all she had to eat back then, day after day, just a lone bowl of pickles staring back at her.

"We’re in the capital now. Do we really have to do those things?" Auntie Jiang was frustrated. She'd come to the capital to move up in the world.

"Mom and Dad said this room is ours now," Jiang the Second said.

"This isn't about the house—it's about work," Auntie Jiang retorted. "When New Year’s comes, the family will gather. Mom could pick the right moment to bring it up—maybe then it’ll work."

"..." Jiang the Second thought of the Song family. Standing before them, he always felt small, instinctively intimidated. His family was no match for theirs—they were all so strong, so imposing.

"You go sell stinky tofu if you want. I won't. I need a proper job. With so many kids, your parents are letting us eat together now, but what about later?" Auntie Jiang said. "You have to think about the children. We don’t have much savings—it won’t last. Sure, your parents paid a year’s rent for the shop, but we’ve been working there and still can’t make money."

Breaking even meant losing money when you counted—it all ate into profits: utilities, rent, labor costs. Breaking even just meant their labor was wasted.

"There are so many positions in a company. Your mother even took in your cousin long-term—it wouldn’t be too much to ask for one job," Auntie Jiang pressed, trying to force Jiang the Second to confront Auntie Yu. "If she won’t speak up, why can't you go make the ask yourself?"

"I don’t have that kind of influence," Jiang the Second sighed.

"You don’t have the influence, and your mom won’t step in—so what am I supposed to do?" Auntie Jiang said. "Just stay at home? Do you think because I married far away, with no family of my own here to back me up, you can treat me like this?"

Under the same roof, Auntie Yu heard the commotion from her second son and daughter-in-law’s room and sighed. She had known their return to the capital would bring trouble—there was no way it would be smooth. Other Educated Youth who returned without jobs were willing to sweep streets, but her daughter-in-law refused dirty, hard work—she only wanted something easy with good pay.

"What do you think about the second son’s situation?" Auntie Yu asked her husband, but he stayed silent. She understood—he didn’t want to deal with it, leaving it to her.

The day before Lunar New Year's Eve, Eldest Brother Qin went to see Qin Yizhou. "Now that you're back, let’s call Second Sister and have a reunion dinner—all together, how about it?"