Chapter 129: Comparison, Future Plans

Chapter 129: Comparing Future Plans

"Li An, call the cops!" Zhu Meng wasn’t about to humor Gu Qian’s father.

Zhu Meng knew Qin Li An still felt guilty toward Gu Qian, but that guilt was directed at Gu Qian alone, not the rest of the Gu family. The others in the Gu family just saw Gu Qian as a cash cow—they never truly cared about her.

"Call the police?" Gu Qian’s father gaped.

"Yes, call the cops. Li An, what are you waiting for?" Zhu Meng shoved the phone into Qin Li An’s hand.

She wasn’t letting Qin Li An cave in now. If he gave in to the Gu family now, they’d forever be at their mercy. Zhu Meng refused to bow to the Gu family—that money was hers, not theirs.

"Just give us some money, and I’ll leave," Gu Qian’s father said hastily. "Two hundred—hell, even a hundred’ll do."

"Call the cops!" Zhu Meng remained firm. "He's extorting you."

Qin Li An clutched the phone, ready to dial. Gu Qian’s father made a grab for it, but Zhu Meng’s mother stepped in front of her daughter.

Seeing this, Qin Li An’s mother frowned—calling the cops was indeed the right move. The Gu family couldn’t be allowed to keep harassing Qin Li An.

"My daughter is missing, and we don’t even know where she is. How can you call the police?" Gu Qian’s father grew nervous. "Fine, call them! Let the cops come. My daughter isn’t here, but Qin Li An still owes her. He should take responsibility and support us in her place!"

Gu Qian’s father had spent all his family’s money on his eldest son’s wedding, and now his other son needed funds for a relationship. Hearing that Qin Li An’s fiancée was pregnant, he thought this was the perfect time to demand money—Qin Li An would surely pay out of fear for his fiancée’s safety. He wanted to scare Zhu Meng and Qin Li An into handing over cash quickly.

The cops showed up fast, and naturally, they didn’t side with Gu Qian’s father. The Gu family had already accepted compensation—even if they now claimed Gu Qian had never been involved with Qin Li An, it wouldn’t hold up. If they insisted on that, they’d be admitting to perjury, making their testimony worthless.

The Gu family had hoped to squeeze more money out of the Qins but ended up empty-handed.

Qin Li An had committed a crime, served his sentence, and paid compensation—legally, he had done enough. Any further demands from the Gu family would be unreasonable. They had already taken large sums from the Qins, spent it all, and now came back for more.

When Gu Qian had her miscarriage, the Qins gave way more than the usual dowry. Qin Li An’s father and Eldest Brother Qin felt Qin Li An had wronged Gu Qian, so they paid generously, regardless of where the money ended up.

"If you come demanding money again, we’ll press extortion charges!" Zhu Meng said coldly.

At the police station, she stood her ground. Qin Li An had tried to stop her from going, but she insisted.

She worried Qin Li An might fold—this was no time for weakness. If the Gu family truly cared about Gu Qian, it might be different, but they only wanted money for their sons.

The Gu family, afraid of jail, could only grumble and leave.

Outside the station, Zhu Meng squeezed Qin Li An’s hand tightly. "You made a mistake, but that’s in the past—you’ve done your time. If they come again, do as I say. Otherwise, they’ll drain you dry. You don’t owe them money, and you’re not breaking any laws. If they’re so bold, let Gu Qian come herself—even then, the result would be the same!"

"Alright, no more money for them," Qin Li An said, touched by how fiercely Zhu Meng had his back.

"Of course not. We have a baby now," Zhu Meng said. "Even if you won’t think for yourself, think about our child. I won’t let them bleed us dry—it’s not pocket change. Give in once, and they’ll keep coming back. It’s because your family paid them repeatedly when Gu Qian was pregnant that they think they can bully you into paying."

Yes, the money back then was necessary—but things were different now.

Zhu Meng would never let Qin Li An give the Gu family another cent. If they tried pulling this again, she’d have them jailed.

The Gu family didn’t dare escalate—they knew Qin Li An’s family was well-off and that his uncle was in the military. If things got serious, they had no leg to stand on. If they did, they could’ve made a scene, and the Qins would’ve placated them. But times had changed—Qin Li An had already paid his dues.

The Gu family never truly cared about Gu Qian—they hadn’t even searched for her after she left. When she disappeared, they’d just badmouthed her. They had wanted to marry her off for another dowry, but she ran away.

Growing up in such a family, Gu Qian had suffered greatly. She’d almost taken her own life once—if not for her last-minute decision to buy pretty clothes before dying, if not for meeting Song’s mother, she might not have survived.

Gu Qian left the capital for a southern city, working in a factory and making decent money. She could afford meat, dress well, and save up to buy a home someday. She was still young, just under the legal marriage age. She found a boyfriend with local hukou, and his parents were decent people.

Her boyfriend had many brothers but few sisters, so whether she had a boy or girl later, there’d be no pressure. Worried her boyfriend might ditch her, Gu Qian still confessed her past with Qin Li An. Her hukou was still back in the capital.

When Gu Qian's boyfriend learned about what had happened, he was heartbroken for her. Gu Qian’s future mother-in-law accompanied her to the hospital for a check-up, and the doctor confirmed that Gu Qian was still able to have children. Her future mother-in-law didn’t hold it against her. After all, even widows could remarry, and besides, the incident wasn’t Gu Qian’s fault in the first place.

Nowadays, registering a marriage doesn’t come with such strict requirements—you don’t necessarily need your hukou booklet. Gu Qian and her boyfriend planned to register as soon as she reached the legal age. Her future in-laws had already prepared a home for the newlyweds, rather than having them live with the family.

Gu Qian’s future in-laws had many sons, so they felt it would be better if their sons and daughters-in-law moved out. If any couple had a daughter, then they could move back with the older couple, who could help raise the granddaughter. But if the child was a boy, the couple would have to raise him themselves without expecting help from the grandparents.

Either way, Gu Qian thought it sounded fine—at least there would be no pressure on her.

Gu Qian didn’t call anyone back in the capital. She felt she had nothing more to say to the Gu family, who had treated her like a tool to exploit for money from the Qin family. The Gu family had already received enough money, and Gu Qian considered it her filial obligation to her parents. She saw no reason to give them anything else.

Qin Li’an and Zhu Meng naturally had no idea what life was like for Gu Qian away from home. She hadn’t called any relatives or friends in the capital to tell them—she wanted a complete separation. In the past, life in the capital had been miserable for her, so now she had no desire to stay in touch. Perhaps after she married and had a child, she might consider returning briefly.

One thing Gu Qian’s future mother-in-law appreciated was that Gu Qian held a capital hukou. That meant their future grandchild could inherit that status. Even if the Gu family tried to cast her out, it wouldn’t matter—they could manage to buy a small apartment in the capital, and Gu Qian’s hukou would still remain there.

The scene at Qin Li’an’s house caused by the Gu family spread around quickly.

People found the Gu family delusional, still trying to harass the Qin family.

"Do they really think Qin Li’an is their son-in-law? Always angling for money from him."

"The Qins gave them so much already, and they’re still not satisfied."

"They treat their daughter like merchandise, trying to use her to climb socially."

"Who knew their daughter would bolt? She just couldn’t take it anymore."

...

Among people gossiping, few blamed Qin Li’an anymore. Even though he had been wrong at the beginning, he had paid the price, so others now saw the Gu family as pushing their luck. They had already taken too much—large sums of money multiple times—and yet they still wanted more.

Zhu Meng was relieved when fewer people were criticizing Qin Li’an. She had worried he might take it to heart.

Not only Qin Li’an’s mother, but even Song Fenglan and others heard these rumors.

"The Gu family went to your parents’ place again?" Song Fenglan asked during dinner.

"They did, but they don’t dare go anymore," Qin Yizhou replied. "Li An’s fiancée isn’t a pushover, and her parents won’t tolerate the Gu family’s nonsense. Her father even showed up with a shovel—the Gu family turned out to be paper tigers."

It wouldn’t have been appropriate for the Qins to confront them directly, given that Qin Li’an had been in the wrong initially.

But Zhu Meng’s father didn’t care. He was protective of his daughter and feared she might be frightened into miscarrying. The Gu family’s daughter was precious—wasn’t the Zhu family’s daughter just as valuable?

The Gu family never expected the Zhu family to react this way. The Zhus were more well-to-do and far more united. Frightened, the Gu family quickly promised they wouldn’t bother Qin Li’an again.

"From what I know, Mom gave them money four or five times before Gu Qian returned home after the miscarriage. Then after she went back, two or three more times," Qin Yizhou said. "And once more when Gu Qian disappeared."

The Qins had paid repeatedly, so the Gu family assumed the Qins were rolling in money and kept trying to milk them for more. They had gotten used to receiving handouts and thought they’d found another opportunity.

"Poor Gu Qian. She was the one hurt, yet her family used her as a tool," Song Fenglan said. "She wasn’t greedy herself, but now everyone sees the Gu family’s greed. Some even think she and her parents trapped Qin Li’an on purpose."

Song Fenglan was disgusted. It had been Qin Li’an’s fault, yet Gu Qian ended up taking the fall.

Though it wasn’t the Qins spreading the rumor, the damage to Gu Qian’s reputation was immense. The true culprits were the Gu family—they only cared about money, not their wounded daughter. To them, money mattered most.

"Sigh," Qin Yizhou said. "I’ve heard it too."

"I also heard Zhu Meng say that what happened before was Qin Li’an’s fault, but not anymore," Song Fenglan added. "Qin Li’an’s lucky—his fiancée has his back."

"They're about to get their marriage license," Qin Yizhou said. "They’ll move into the new home first, not living with the parents."

"That’s good too," Song Fenglan said. "Zhu Meng won’t have a mother-in-law or grandmother pressuring her. That’s better."

Now that Zhu Meng is pregnant, Qin's mother doesn’t dare say much. Besides, Zhu Meng isn’t Gu Qian. When Gu Qian was pregnant, Qin’s mother was still in good health and always finding fault. But now, Qin’s mother is in poor health and just wants to hold her great-grandchild as soon as possible.

"Yes, that’s right," Qin Yizhou said. "At least they have their own house, money in hand, and can live well. Unlike you back then—"

"Don’t bring up the past," Song Fenglan interrupted. She never intended to wallow in self-pity in front of Qin Yizhou—it wasn’t a good thing, nor was it necessary.

"Alright, alright, no more about the past," Qin Yizhou conceded.

"Every time the past is mentioned, it makes me seem so pitiful. Do I have to keep talking about it?" Song Fenglan said. "Better to spend that time thinking about other things. I recently received another patent payment, and it’s a good amount."

"Enough to buy another house?" Qin Yizhou asked.

"Yes," Song Fenglan nodded. "Enough for a house, plus some extra to give to Zi Hang."

"To him?" Qin Yizhou was puzzled. "Doesn’t he already have plenty of pocket money?"

"He’s running experiments now, and not all materials are provided by the institute," Song Fenglan explained. "When they run experiments at school, there are limits on consumables. Beyond that, they have to cover the costs themselves. Do you think the school would let them use up supplies indefinitely? Even their advisor’s project teams have funding limits. My own project team has more funding, but I can’t redirect funds arbitrarily."

Song Fenglan worried Qin Zihang might run out of money. In her previous life, she’d faced funding shortages too—sometimes paying for experiments out of her own pocket. There was no other way; they needed results, papers, and progress. Waiting for approved funding might take ages.

Some complained that their proposals weren’t funded despite being well-written.

In her previous life, Song Fenglan had seen such posts online, only to find a flood of replies pointing out that funding approval wasn’t just about the proposal. Some even suggested the poster quit to see if they were truly irreplaceable—if not, it meant their contributions weren’t that significant. The poster argued they’d pioneered the research direction and trained others, only to be discarded once others learned. Netizens countered that research breakthroughs didn’t happen overnight—if others mastered it so quickly, the work couldn’t have been that complex.

At the time, Song Fenglan had expected more support for the original poster, but the response surprised her. Many commenters had actually been grad students or PhD candidates themselves—they knew firsthand that sometimes, their role was just organizing data, not groundbreaking work.

"Zi Hang is doing fairly well now," Song Fenglan said. "Though I’m not sure how genuine it is—all the professors keep praising him in front of me."

She refrained from saying, "Stop exaggerating—he’s not that impressive," fearing they might then criticize Qin Zihang outright. If he faced harsh criticism, he might get discouraged for days. Still, Song Fenglan wasn’t worried about praising him too much. If he truly lacked ability, she’d make sure he left the institute herself.

"They’re doing it out of respect for you," Qin Yizhou said. "Zi Hang is lucky to have a mother like you."

"Him? If he doesn’t put in the effort himself, no mother can save him," Song Fenglan replied.

As the year was coming to an end, Jiang Yufei’s husband’s hand had improved significantly. However, Lu Ping still hadn’t found a job, nor had Jiang Yufei sought work.

With the New Year approaching, costs added up, and Jiang Yufei felt her finances were stretched too thin—barely enough to cover everything.

Auntie Yu and the others had already moved. Song Fenglan visited briefly when they relocated, having lived there for years herself. She didn’t get sentimental—there was no point.

Now, Auntie Yu lived with Jiang’s eldest brother’s family, while Second Brother Jiang and Auntie Jiang resided in the same complex, though not right next door.

Keeping some distance between the two households reduced conflicts and complications.

Jiang’s eldest brother’s job remained stable, with no talk of layoffs. Even if he were laid off, he wouldn’t panic—with the money and property they’d received, there was no need to fear. He avoided risky investments, wary of ending up like Auntie Jiang, who’d been scammed. Second Brother Jiang just bought properties to rent out.

Auntie Yu had told the Jiang family about the Song family’s methods, advising them to do the same. The Songs knew how to make money—they bought properties in bulk, so the Jiangs could follow suit.

Jiang Yufei brought holiday gifts to visit Auntie Yu. After Lu Ping’s incident, her relationship with the Jiang family had mended. Auntie Yu later gave Jiang Yufei a thousand yuan, effectively sharing part of the demolition compensation. Yet Jiang Yufei felt it barely counted—others had received far more, but she couldn’t do anything about it.

Even with that thousand yuan, Jiang Yufei’s finances remained tight.

"Mom, can't you talk to Auntie and see if Lu Ping could work at the Song family's company?" Jiang Yufei asked. "Lu Ping still doesn’t have a job. It’s hard to find work at year-end. If he still hasn’t found anything after the New Year… time flies, and bam—it’ll be summer already."

"It's no use," Auntie Fatty said. "You and your husband aren’t fools or cripples. Can’t you two put your heads together and figure out how to make some money?"

"That’s all you ever say—'no use,'" Jiang Yufei replied. "We’ve looked, but there really is nothing. Lu Ping even mentioned joining a renovation crew if things get desperate. But after that accident during his last moving job… I just want him in something less rough."

"Renovation?" Auntie Fatty asked. "Does he even know how to do that?"

"He says he’ll learn if he has to, but I still don’t like it," Jiang Yufei said.

"If he can do it, let him," Auntie Fatty said.

"But…"

"What era do you think this is? Who do you think you are?" Auntie Fatty snapped. "Just having a job is lucky enough these days."

"But then he’d just be an ordinary worker," Jiang Yufei argued. "And for a private company, too."

"Private or state-run, money’s money," Auntie Fatty shrugged. *(Chinese proverb emphasizing practicality over appearances)* "Black cat, white cat—who cares as long as it catches mice? Honestly, I don’t know what you’re fussing about. You act like you're too good to have your husband doing dirty, exhausting work. But if he doesn’t work and doesn’t earn, how will you survive? Your kids are grown now—they’ll need to marry, which means needing a house. And once they have kids of their own, more expenses pile up. Do you think their tiny income will cover everything? Odds are, they’ll come knocking for your support."

Auntie Fatty had seen how things worked. When Jiang’s oldest brother married, she helped out a lot. Even when the second son married, she sent many gifts. With so many people in the family, costs add up—you can’t avoid hard labor. You have to do it, and more than a little.

"I…" Jiang Yufei bit her lip. "I know… it’s just that…"

The gap between their lives felt too wide for her to accept. She burned with envy over Song Fenglan’s cushy life.

"If your man wants to join a renovation team, let him," Auntie Fatty said. "At least it’s steady work with real pay."

"I guess that’s the only way," Jiang Yufei sighed. She had hoped her mother might have a solution, but since she didn’t, there was nothing else to do.

Around this time, Qin Lian and Zhu Meng got married. Since Zhu Meng was ready to pop, they skipped the wedding banquet. Zhu Meng wasn’t in a rush—now that they were legally married, she was the legit boss of the supermarket, with the purse strings in her grip. No more fears.

Zhang Xiao Hu didn’t go home for the New Year—he stayed in the capital instead. When Song Fenglan heard, she invited him over. He brought some New Year gifts and stayed a few days.

Song Fenglan’s family of three didn’t go to the Song family reunion dinner. They stayed in and had their own feast. Song’s eldest nephew had graduated, gotten into grad school early, and even brought a girlfriend home. Song Fenglan didn’t want to cramp their style, so she let them enjoy themselves.

Auntie Fatty called Song Fenglan, saying she felt bad for troubling her.

"Don’t sweat it," Song Fenglan said. "It’s not like I’m the one cooking anyway."

Not all the staff went home—some stayed for the higher holiday wages.

Sometimes Song Fenglan thought: yeah, it helps to have money and power. That way, you never worry about starving because you can’t cook, or being stuck slaving away during holidays. The house stays spotless without lifting a finger.

"Even if you’re not cooking, it’s still a hassle," Auntie Fatty laughed. "Your family still pays for help, right?"

"We’ve got it covered," Song Fenglan said. "You gotta spend money to live. If you earn it and don’t enjoy it, you’re just torturing yourself."

"Xiao Hu stayed in the capital to save travel costs and earn extra," Auntie Fatty said. "We’re still digging out of debt."

"You’ll clear it," Song Fenglan said. "You’re all working so hard—it won’t take long."

"The money we gave Xiao Wen before, they borrowed more to buy a house," Auntie Fatty explained. "They’re scraping by to pay off loans too. Now that late marriage and childbirth are encouraged, they’ll wait a couple years before having kids. No hurry."

"That works too," Song Fenglan said. "When they have kids should be up to them. Unless… you’re dying to hold a grandbaby already?"

"Not at all," Auntie Fatty said. "Xiao Hu has one semester left in junior year. Soon he’ll be a senior and says he’ll start working after graduation instead of going for a master’s. His brain’s fried as it is. Pushing his luck would backfire. He says his field needs practice, real cases. Hiding in school forever won’t make him rich."

"You think he’s dropping out ’cause we’re broke?" Song Fenglan asked.

"That could be," said Auntie Fatty. "I’m not too familiar with all this. Is your Zi Hang planning to pursue a master’s or PhD?"

"Yeah, that's the plan," Song Fenglan nodded. "In our field, you really need grad school. I didn’t continue back then because my abilities were good enough, and the school later gave me the relevant graduate and PhD certificates."

Song Fenglan could be considered a PhD graduate, though her case was quite rare. Most people had to study step by step to get those qualifications.

"What about Xiao Hu..."

"Xiao Hu is studying law," said Song Fenglan. "If he doesn’t want to go for grad school, that’s fine too. A bachelor’s degree still goes a long way these days, and there aren’t that many master’s or PhD students around yet. If he decides to go for grad school later, he can do it after working for a while. It’s really up to him—we can’t decide for him."

Song Fenglan couldn’t offer advice on this matter. She couldn’t insist that Zhang Xiao Hu must work first or that he must go straight into grad school. These things depend on the individual. Some people just can’t handle grad school—they end up delaying graduation or even failing to finish.

The key issue was that Zhang Xiao Hu’s grades weren’t particularly strong. Getting into a good college took everything he had. If he went on to grad school, he might not enjoy it, and the demands would be much higher.

Song Fenglan had been through it herself and knew how hard it was—it wasn’t something you could just breeze through.

"We’ll just have to let him figure it out," said Auntie Fatty. "Getting into university was already a big deal—he’s the most educated in our family. We don’t understand these things anyway, so it’s up to him. We’re just worried he might regret it later, especially since your Zi Hang is doing grad school and he isn’t."

"Different fields, different paths," said Song Fenglan.

"I’m not trying to compare Xiao Hu to Zi Hang. I’m just afraid... afraid he’ll regret it and blame us," said Auntie Fatty.

"He won’t. He’s a grown man now—he’s responsible for his own decisions. Honestly, you really don’t need to worry so much. Let him make his own choice—he’ll find his own way," said Song Fenglan.

"I guess that’s all there is to it," said Auntie Fatty.

After hanging up, Auntie Fatty still felt uneasy and went to talk to Fan Yani. She shared her concerns, mentioning that Song Fenglan had said it was up to Xiao Hu himself.

"Feng Lan’s right—this really depends on Xiao Hu," said Fan Yani. "She’s not even in the same field as him, so she can’t really give advice."

Fan Yani thought to herself that Song Fenglan wasn’t Xiao Hu’s real mother—how could she tell him what to do?

"Their school is encouraging students to find jobs on their own now," said Auntie Fatty. "There are no job assignments anymore."

"Not having assigned jobs isn’t a big deal," said Fan Yani. "Guys with degrees have way better job options than girls. A lot of employers don’t like hiring women because they might get pregnant, have kids, and focus more on family. Women get the short end of the stick, but men have plenty of opportunities."

"Men do have more chances, but..." Auntie Fatty sighed.

"Auntie Fatty, don’t take this the wrong way, but everyone thinks your Xiao Hu is amazing," said Fan Yani. "He got into a top school in the capital—that’s no small thing. People say he’s going places. Why worry about him? Others are green with envy. Seriously, don’t overthink it. I think your Xiao Hu knows what he’s doing—he’ll land on his feet."

"I hope so," said Auntie Fatty. "Come on, as parents, worrying’s what we do. He’s away at college, barely comes home, and didn’t come back at all this New Year. The only way we can talk is by phone, and even then, it’s hard to say much over the phone."

"Don’t worry," said Fan Yani. "Xiao Hu’s studying law—he knows better than to mess up. As long as he works steadily, he’ll earn well, and life will be good for him."

"You all just sing his praises," said Auntie Fatty.

"What, should we trash-talk him instead?" Fan Yani laughed. "Xiao Hu is a role model—every parent wants their kid to turn out like him. Take Gao Xiuxiu’s Big Girl, for example—she bombed the high school entrance exam, but they’re still sending her to high school."

"Their family..." said Auntie Fatty. "They’ve got two daughters and naturally want them to go to good schools so life will be easier later."

"They’re biased," said Fan Yani. "They spoil the older girl and ignore the younger one. Big Girl’s always dressed nice, while Second Girl gets stuck with hand-me-downs."

Fan Yani had seen it many times—Big Girl got treats while Second Girl got nothing. Big Girl had pocket money, while Second Girl had none and could only watch. And Big Girl wasn’t about to share—kids look out for themselves, especially when Gao Xiuxiu and Grandma Fang encourage that kind of behavior. Second Girl would throw fits at home, but it never helped.

Gao Xiuxiu and Grandma Fang always badmouthed Second Girl in public, calling her difficult. Most folks took their side—who’d stick up for Second Girl? She was little—who’d believe her?

Many families have multiple children, and most just want them to behave. With that many kids, things never get split fair.

"Anyway, it's still good to be able to study," said Auntie Fatty. "I don't have much education myself, but look at Xiao Wen—he went to a vocational school for teacher training and is now a teacher. He has a salary and gets school-provided housing, so his life is much better off. Unlike me, I can only do menial work. If his father hadn’t joined the military, he’d still be farming in the countryside."

"Your family has come a long way," said Fan Yani. "Xiao Wen is a teacher, and Xiao Hu is in the capital. Your family’s future will only get better."

"We still have debts at home," said Auntie Fatty.

"That amount isn’t much for your family. You’ll pay it off soon," Fan Yani reassured her. "With kids doing so well, you really don’t need to worry too much."

"I guess you're right," said Auntie Fatty, feeling slightly more at ease after Fan Yani’s words.

"Xiao Hu isn’t Zi Hang, and you’re not Feng Lan and her husband," Fan Yani continued. "Xiao Hu doesn’t necessarily have to go for grad school. Auntie Fatty, you know better than anyone—there’s a big gap between Xiao Hu and Zi Hang. Zi Hang’s grades were excellent; he got into college without exams, and his mother is a scientist."

Back then, Xiao Hu had relied on Zi Hang, studying together at Song Fenglan’s house before being invited to the capital by her. Otherwise, it’s uncertain whether Xiao Hu could have gotten into such a good school.

Zhang Xiaohu’s academic performance was far behind Qin Zihang’s. Song Fenglan gave Xiao Hu a real leg up, but she couldn’t keep pulling him along forever.

"Yes, yes," sighed Auntie Fatty. "Ah, that’s just how people are—always getting ahead of themselves."

Auntie Fatty kept comparing Qin Zihang’s achievements to what she hoped for Xiao Hu, fearing that if she didn’t push Xiao Hu the same way, he might resent her later.

"You’re just too concerned about your child," Fan Yani said. "You want him to succeed, but we don’t know much ourselves, so we naturally look at how others around us are doing and want the same for our kids. Feng Lan is in a whole other league—we can’t compare. Don’t pit Xiao Hu against Zi Hang; there's no comparing them."

Fan Yani wasn’t being harsh—it was just reality. Qin Zihang wasn’t someone an ordinary person like Zhang Xiaohu could match.

Even if Xiao Hu went for grad school, his path wouldn’t be the same as Zi Hang’s. Zi Hang’s road was tough, but with family support, it was smoother. Xiao Hu had no such backing, so his journey might be harder, but he had already come farther than most. His descendants would have it much better.

"Feng Lan invited Xiao Hu to spend the New Year with her," said Auntie Fatty. "We’re putting her out again."

"You are putting Feng Lan out," Fan Yani nodded. "Auntie Fatty, if possible, just let it be. Don’t keep comparing Xiao Hu to Zi Hang. When you talk about it, you might not notice, but others might get the wrong idea."

Fan Yani had a decent impression of Auntie Fatty, so she spoke frankly. "People might think you’re overreaching by forcing a comparison with Zi Hang. Feng Lan understands what kind of person you are and doesn’t misunderstand you, but others might not see it the same way."

"I… I really hadn’t thought of that," admitted Auntie Fatty. "When I talk to Feng Lan, I’m just used to shooting the breeze without overthinking."

"That’s why Feng Lan is truly a good person," Fan Yani mused. If it were her, she would’ve stopped helping Auntie Fatty ages ago.

Auntie Fatty’s family couldn’t offer Song Fenglan any benefits—in fact, they relied on her family’s help. Whenever they had problems, they’d turn to Song Fenglan for advice, even though those were matters they should’ve handled themselves instead of bothering a neighbor who had long since moved far away.

Fan Yani’s relationship with Song Fenglan was not close. She didn’t reach out to her, knowing she shouldn’t impose on people. Unless absolutely desperate, she wouldn’t ask for help—and if refused, she wouldn’t blame them.

That evening, Zhang Xiaohu and Qin Zihang returned together, and everyone sat watching TV after dinner.

"Xiao Hu, do you want to go for grad school?" Song Fenglan asked.

"I haven’t thought about it," Xiao Hu admitted. "To be honest, Auntie, I flunked some classes before."

"You flunked?" Song Fenglan was surprised.

"Yeah," Xiao Hu nodded. "Grad school isn’t something I can just decide to do—even if I got in, I’d have to see if I could graduate. Among my classmates, my grades aren’t top of the class. Some come from legal backgrounds, and just talking to them, you can tell they know a lot. Someone like me, cooped up in school, won’t grow much. I need to get out there."

What use would grad school be if he just hit the books? That wasn’t for him.

Xiao Hu knew he wasn’t meant for academia—he needed real-world experience, dealing with actual cases and people. He had enough self-awareness to know that getting into college was accomplishment enough. He didn’t need grad school. As for those who hadn’t gotten into good schools initially but later pursued postgraduate studies—more power to them. The world didn’t forbid them from trying.

But Xiao Hu had other plans. "I want to find a suitable job here in the capital."

"Your mom called earlier, worried you’d regret not going for grad school and blame the family," Song Fenglan said. "Zi Hang is in it for the long haul."

"I’m not Zi Hang. We’re different," Xiao Hu said calmly. Even compared to local Beijing kids, he knew he couldn’t match up. "Graduating is enough. My older brother is only a grade school teacher in Nancheng."

If Xiao Hu had to compare himself to anyone, it’d be his brother—and he was already doing much better. He knew his blessings.

Meanwhile, Auntie Fatty told Zhang Chenghai about Xiao Hu’s decision not to go for grad school.

"Didn’t we already know that?" Zhang Chenghai was puzzled. "Why bring it up again now? Who do we think we are? What did we expect from our kid?"