Zhu Meiqun’s bold declaration stunned the entire family.
Uncle Wen was momentarily speechless, let alone Big Brother Wen.
Help Wen Kai buy a house?
Forget about houses in the capital, even those in Rongcheng were exorbitantly priced!
Wen Dongrong’s family could afford two houses, surely not just relying on Dongrong’s salary. Chen Ru, working at a bank, was the main force behind their purchases with her high income.
As for their own families, how could they compare with Wen Dongrong’s? They couldn’t. Dongrong and his wife were educated people, so it was only natural they earned more!
Uncle Wen hadn’t expected his sister-in-law, Zhu Meiqun, to have such grand ambitions.
“Sister-in-Law, no need to rush into these things. Take it one step at a time!”
Uncle Wen tactfully pointed out the clear gap between them and Wen Dongrong’s family, but Zhu Meiqun’s confidence remained unshaken.
“I know I’m no match for Second Brother and his wife, those educated folks. I’m not trying to compete with them. They earn through their knowledge, but us less-educated folks can earn through hard work. You all know Xiao Ying’s aunt, right? She didn’t even go to university, started selling fish at a stall in the provincial capital, and now she’s a big boss… I don’t want to be a big boss, I just want to help Wen Kai buy a house. I’m not afraid of hard work.”
What was hardship? As long as it brought in money, it was worth it.
Over a decade ago, farming in the countryside, facing the yellow earth with backs to the sky, that was real hardship.
Zhu Meiqun cited Chen Li and Deng Shangwei as examples.
Big Brother Wen finally snapped out of it.
“Don’t just see those who succeeded. There are those who failed too!”
The failures, of course, were Shu Guobing and Wen Hongyan.
That couple had boasted about meeting a benefactor, with Wen Hongyan practically floating with pride. They quickly quit their stable jobs, only to fail to make it big in the provincial capital. Shu Guobing landed himself in jail, and Wen Hongyan returned to the hometown with Shu Lu in disgrace, unable to reclaim her old job. Now, Wen Hongyan only picked up odd jobs.
It was said the mother and daughter argued every few days, with bigger fights every five.
If things continued, Shu Lu might drop out of school any day.
With Shu Guobing’s example in mind, Big Brother Wen was wary of the idea of “getting rich.”
Zhu Meiqun was unconvinced, “I’m not Shu Guobing!”
What was Shu Guobing? A rotten drunkard. Zhu Meiqun admitted she had no great skills, but she worked honestly. How could she not outdo a drunkard?
She wanted to curse her sister-in-law Wen Hongyan too, but for Grandma’s sake, Zhu Meiqun held back.
Big Brother Wen wanted to say more, but Grandma cut in, “Meiqun, you say you’re going to the provincial capital to earn money. Have you thought about what you’ll do?”
Earning money wasn’t about shouting slogans. The loudest voice didn’t mean the most money.
Going to the provincial capital sounded easy, but it wasn’t.
If she failed to earn money and lost her job like Wen Hongyan, that would be a real loss.
Grandma Wen thought this, her love for Wen Kai no less than Zhu Meiqun’s as his mother. If she weren’t so old, she’d take on odd jobs herself to save for Wen Kai’s future marriage.
Zhu Meiqun hadn’t figured out how to earn money.
But she wasn’t leaving immediately; she had time to think. When pushed to a certain point, the mind works faster, and Zhu Meiqun came up with an idea:
“I haven’t taken my annual leave at the factory this year. In a couple of days, I’ll take the leave and go to the provincial capital to check things out. Whatever can make money, I’ll do. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll come back to my job.”
Zhu Meiqun and her husband were the first in the Wen family, besides Wen Dongrong, to move to the city. Zhu Meiqun had worked at the factory for over ten years, and her annual leave increased with seniority, now at ten days a year.
In past years, she’d skipped leave to get the full-attendance bonus.
You can’t catch a wolf without risking the cub. To find a way to earn money in the provincial capital, she had to be willing to let go.
Zhu Meiqun’s plan was reasonable, and Uncle Wen was the first to agree.
“Sister-in-Law, I’ll go with you then.”
Grandma didn’t object, and Big Brother Wen’s opposition lacked force.
After smoking a cigarette in silence, Big Brother Wen finally nodded, “Go, take the family’s money. If you don’t find a way, come back. Don’t tell Second Brother’s family yet, so he doesn’t have to help again.”
After years of marriage, Big Brother Wen knew his wife.
She could endure any hardship, never cared for makeup, and was a woman who lived earnestly.
Going to the provincial capital was for their son, and they couldn’t both risk their jobs. But if he didn’t let her try, she’d never give up.
Deep down, Big Brother Wen hoped Zhu Meiqun could find a way to stay in the provincial capital.
Wen Kai wasn’t just Zhu Meiqun’s son, he was his too. If they could help their son more, Big Brother Wen was willing to make the effort.
Going to the provincial capital was fine, but troubling Second Brother wasn’t.
For Shu Guobing and Wen Hongyan, Second Brother and Chen Ru had faced plenty of conflicts. If the Wen family shamelessly asked for more help, how could Second Brother cope?
Second Brother had done too much for the extended family… Big Brother Wen kept it all in his heart.
Zhu Meiqun agreed not to trouble Wen Ying’s family, and Uncle Wen swore the same. The two families settled the plan.
Wen Ying was unaware of these changes.
Her rebirth had altered so much.
Her excellence.
Chen Ru and Wen Dongrong’s current drive didn’t just affect their small family!
…
The hurricane of the promotional video swept through the Wen family and reached the Song family.
Song Chan had made all preparations to go abroad, set to leave tomorrow.
Song Foxiang dearly wanted to personally see his daughter off and arrange her life abroad, but with *Spark* holding a writing competition, he was stretched thin.
The Song family gathered to send Song Chan off.
Elders gave earnest advice, while Song Foxiang, drunk on his own, hugged his “daughter” and wailed.
“Xiao Chan, you’ve grown up and never left your dad’s side, wuwuwu—”
“Xiao Chan, don’t let those foreign boys trick you abroad. Dating’s fine, but nothing else!”
You can give your heart, not your body.
Though Song Foxiang was a romantic, he knew girls often got the short end. If she got pregnant, it’d be a big mess.
A father’s heart was well-meaning, but his words were tactless. His elder brother was furious, head aching, yet Song Foxiang argued, “Big Brother, it’s not your kid going abroad. You, you can’t understand my pain, wuwuwu, Xiao Chan, Dad can’t bear to let you go!”
Song Foxiang clung tightly to his “daughter,” wiping tears and snot on “her.”
Song Shao, tightly held by Song Foxiang’s arm, could only remain expressionless.
Song Chan didn’t know whether to cry or laugh, tugging at her father’s arm, “Dad, you’re hugging the wrong person. I’m over here!”
Song Foxiang wouldn’t let go, turning a proper farewell dinner into a farce.
Someone turned on the TV, and it happened to be replaying Wen Ying’s promotional video. Song Chan froze upon seeing it.
—On the TV, it was Wen Ying.
