Some say magnanimity comes from strength.
For Chen Ru, this was indeed true.
Last year, when buying the house, the plan was to cover the mortgage with rent. But plans change fast, and who could’ve predicted the Wen family would suddenly want to move to Rongcheng?
Chen Ru didn’t feel much heartache making this decision. Her relatives had self-respect, so helping them out wasn’t a big deal. Besides, her current job income far exceeded expectations; she could pay the mortgage without rental income, so she didn’t fuss over small sums.
Likewise, with her daughter so outstanding, the old grudges with her mother-in-law suddenly seemed trivial.
If the old lady changed her views, great; if she remained stubborn, Chen Ru lost nothing.
*Everyone praises Wen Ying’s promise, but if her own grandma doesn’t like her, that’s the grandma’s lack of vision!*
Chen Ru’s magnanimity thrilled Wen Dongrong when he heard his wife’s words, “Really?!”
“Fake!”
Chen Ru rolled her eyes, wrapped herself in the blanket, and turned away to sleep.
Wen Dongrong chuckled to himself, utterly convinced, “You’re a woman of your word; once you say it, it counts. I heard you, no taking it back.”
In the past, without Chen Ru’s prompting, Wen Dongrong would’ve already offered the Rongcheng house to the Wen family. But in the past year, his status at home had plummeted, and he didn’t dare act rashly.
Chen Ru had let him subsidize the Wen family for over a decade, and he took it for granted.
Now, with her firm principles, his occasional “kindness” was something he cherished deeply.
*Hmph, men!*
With the couple in agreement, Wen Dongrong returned to normal the next day, no longer nitpicking breakfast flavors.
Wen Ying thought he’d ask her for money, but he stayed silent, leaving her puzzled.
If he had asked, she could’ve used her mom as a trump card, sparring with him—a fun part of her life. His silence left her bored.
Days later, Wen Ying carefully watched after school but never again saw her aunt Zhu Meiqun selling sweet potatoes, suggesting she was deliberately avoiding the key school area.
Wen Dongrong, too, never got a call for help from his sister-in-law or brother.
Had Zhu Meiqun’s sweet potato business failed, and she returned home?
Not so.
Her annual leave over, Zhu Meiqun didn’t return to the factory but took a month’s personal leave.
A month without pay meant she was all in—do or die!
Wen Dongrong hoped to be needed, but Zhu Meiqun and Wen Changlin stayed quiet. Soon, he had no time to worry about relatives; the results of last month’s exam came out. Chen Ru passed; Wen Dongrong failed.
He was stunned.
Such simple questions, and he didn’t pass?
*If I didn’t pass, how did Chen Ru?!*
Studying effort can’t fool oneself, even if it fools others.
The same English textbook: Wen Dongrong’s was 80% new; Chen Ru’s pages were curled and worn, filled with dense notes in the margins.
Wen Dongrong finally gave up.
No need for Chen Ru to mock him; after the results, he became extremely low-key.
As the saying goes, when heaven closes a door, it seals all the windows too! Only a bigger setback could save Wen Dongrong from his initial disappointment.
Wen Ying wasn’t surprised. She’d had a hunch leaving the exam hall.
Now that it came true, it only proved heaven rewarded the diligent!
A top student’s confidence is well-founded; a slacker’s is self-delusion. Wen Dongrong was clearly the latter.
Chen Ru’s success thrilled her sister Chen Li, who invited Chen Ru’s family to dinner to celebrate.
That weekend, with Xie Qian in Shanghai and the top-student tutoring on hold, Wen Ying could join the meal.
Chen Ru said it wasn’t necessary, but on the day, she wore her new cashmere coat.
Having bought a house and paid for renovations, Chen Ru hadn’t splurged on such expensive clothes in ages. The coat was her reward for passing the exam.
Compared to Chen Ru’s high spirits, Wen Dongrong was forcing himself to stay upbeat.
At the table, Chen Li asked her sister’s feelings. Chen Ru glanced at Wen Ying, words on the tip of her tongue, but swallowed them back.
Under Chen Li’s insistence, Chen Ru shared her thoughts, “I had no confidence signing up. Passing felt just okay. But it only grants admission; how much I learn depends.”
Working professionals studied part-time.
Chen Ru wasn’t alone; most people her age did the same, especially at her stage. Full-time study wasn’t realistic.
But a part-time degree held more value than a correspondence one, and she could learn something useful. Chen Ru was eager.
Wen Ying recalled last year, tailing her parents and discovering their secret study sessions.
Picking up long-forgotten knowledge, even advancing further, was tough—she felt it deeply.
She had Xie Qian, a super scholar, tutoring her, but Chen Ru and Wen Dongrong had no such luck. Middle-aged, their energy and memory paled compared to teenagers. Chen Ru, adjusting to a new job while studying, faced even greater challenges!
Her passing on the first try showed immense effort.
Next to her sat Wen Dongrong, who’d failed, quietly eating fried peanuts. Deng Shangwei tried to toast him, but Wen Dongrong’s mood was low.
Wen Ying, softening, picked food for him, whispering, “You can try again next year.”
“You little girl, what do you know? This year and next year are worlds apart!” Wen Dongrong’s words hissed through his teeth.
This wasn’t just an exam—it was a battle for family headship.
Chen Ru passed, he didn’t—how could he reclaim his authority?
And he’d blabbed about it early. Now, failing, his colleagues would surely mock him!
Luckily, he was at the Rongcheng Party School, avoiding the office and colleagues’ gossip for now.
But that vile Old Li, unable to meet at work, called him several times daily, “consoling” him, urging him not to take it too hard, saying “failure is the mother of success.” *Damn Old Li, don’t ever cross me!*
Thoughts of Old Li infuriated Wen Dongrong, overshadowing his exam failure’s disappointment.
Well, looks like she worried for nothing.
Old Wen was still Old Wen, needing no comfort.
He thrived on setbacks!
Wen Ying withdrew her sympathy, calmly twisting the knife, “Keep trying, then. Failing this year’s a slip-up, but next year too… You’re so smart, you wouldn’t fall in the same pit twice, right?”
