Luo Hongjuan returned home exhausted. Out of habit, she went to the kitchen to check if her son had eaten dinner, only to find that the noodles she had prepared remained untouched. This struck Luo Hongjuan as very strange. Although the family her son tutored for often insisted he stay for dinner, her son always claimed they were just being polite, and since they paid him well, there was no reason to eat their food. But why was today different?

She gently pushed open her son’s bedroom door and found him still engrossed in a book. “Not asleep yet?”

Han Tao knew his mother was there the moment he heard the door open. He put down his book and poured himself a glass of cooled, boiled water. “Mom, you’re so tired, just change your job.” He knew she often had to work overtime. While the pay was decent, now they were switching to night shifts—what kind of schedule was that?

Luo Hongjuan drank the water, taking a moment to catch her breath. “If I don’t work, how will we manage your university tuition and the cost of buying a house for your marriage?” Although his university tuition was not a worry, living expenses during college were quite high, and as his mother, she felt she should have something put aside. Even if her son was capable enough to cover tuition and living costs himself, buying a house for his marriage was the biggest expense; if she didn’t earn, was he expected to cover everything?

“Mom, how old am I? Don’t worry, I won’t get married until I’ve bought you a house.” Han Tao felt his mother worried too much. “Mom, right now I’m focused on getting into a good university, then landing a high-paying job at a foreign company, and buying a big house. Then I’ll bring you and us to live together.”

Her son’s words instantly made Luo Hongjuan’s tired body feel as if it were steeped in honey—sweet beyond measure. “I won’t live with you all; I’d rather stay here. If you feel inclined later, just help me renovate this apartment.” Luo Hongjuan thought that rather than face the critical eye of a daughter-in-law, she preferred her own space; it would be enough if her son visited weekly. “By the way, son, you didn't eat when you got back today.”

Han Tao nodded. “Yeah, I ate at Qi Qi’s place across the hall. We had wontons and little steamed buns. Mom, don’t worry, your son takes good care of himself.”

Luo Hongjuan blinked. “You ate across the hall?” Impossible. When did her son become so close with Wang Qi Qi next door? First, he was tutoring her, and now he was eating at her house. Could he have a crush on her? Even though Qi Qi’s family was well-off and her grades were decent, Luo Hongjuan worried that if her son married Wang Qi Qi, there would be endless gossip—people might even accuse their family of being greedy for her money. “When did you become such good friends with that girl Qi Qi?”

“Just acquaintances. I just feel that Qi Qi has had it harder than we did. Even though she’s rich, she’s all alone. Mom, you don’t know what Qi Qi said today.” Han Tao felt a knot in his stomach. Unlike him, who knew his family's situation from a young age, he wasn’t surprised by how relatives behaved back then. “When Dad was sick, none of them treated us like family, and we accepted it. If they don't have trouble, we won't go looking for them. But Qi Qi is different.”

Luo Hongjuan sighed. “It’s fate. But I don’t think Wang Dagui and his wife will have an easy time scheming against that child Qi Qi. They wanted to get their hands on Da Jun and his wife’s compensation money, but Qi Qi managed to secure it in the end. Wang Dagui and his wife must regret it now.” But reflecting on it, such a daughter-in-law seemed too formidable. “Xiao Tao, I don’t have many demands for a future daughter-in-law. My only hope is that she is sensible and refined. A child like Qi Qi—maybe not.”

Han Tao found it strange. Why was his mother discussing Qi Qi today with such a different tone than before? It was oddly peculiar. “Mom, what’s wrong with you? Why are you suddenly talking about my future wife and bringing up Qi Qi? Didn’t you used to say she was pitiful and that I should help her if I could? Why has your tone changed today?” Could it be, as one of the boys he tutored suggested, that women were fickle creatures? Han Tao thought he didn’t have time to figure out women’s minds; he’d rather spend time reading.

Luo Hongjuan looked at her son; he didn't seem to have any romantic thoughts about Wang Qi Qi, so she relaxed a bit. “I was just mentioning it casually. I know that child Qi Qi hasn’t had it easy, especially since Wang Dajun and his wife treated her so well before. But now… sigh. I just think her heart is a bit hard, and she schemes too much. A girl like that, if you marry her, she’ll either suffocate her husband, or the husband has to be incredibly dominant.” In any case, her son absolutely could not marry Wang Qi Qi.

“Mom, if it were you, wouldn’t you have to be dominant?” Han Tao truly couldn't understand. “Actually, if Qi Qi weren’t a bit ruthless, she probably would have met a terrible end.”

Luo Hongjuan conceded the point; a child really couldn’t survive without some toughness. “I’ll buy something tomorrow to thank them,” she decided, wanting to clear any sense of obligation to them.

“Mom, I’m tutoring her for so many hours; what’s wrong with eating one meal at her place?” Han Tao thought there was no need to keep such precise accounts. “During the summer break, she might ask me for help with problems—should I charge her then too?”

Luo Hongjuan bristled when her son said that, jumping up and pointing at him. “You little brat! If you charge Qi Qi for tutoring, I’ll beat you! Haven’t you forgotten that in middle school, when we didn’t have money for tuition, it was your Uncle Dajun who lent us the emergency cash? Otherwise, who knows what would have happened to you.” Luo Hongjuan thought if Wang Dajun and his wife knew from the afterlife that her son was charging Qi Qi for tutoring, they would surely be furious. “I’m warning you, you are absolutely not to charge that child Qi Qi for tutoring. Remember the kindness they showed us back then.”

“Fine, fine, I get it.” Han Tao thought his mom was being very strange. She said she disliked Qi Qi, yet she was so anxious about it; but then she also said what would happen if someone married her. He truly couldn't figure it out. “Mom, it’s getting late. Let’s get to bed; I need to sleep too.”

While mother and son were having their late-night discussion about Qi Qi, the homes of Wang Damei and Wang Dagui were also buzzing about the news Qi Qi had shared that day.

When Song Yao first heard her mother say she needed to hold the urns for her maternal uncle’s couple, her immediate reaction was, “Mom, I’m not doing that. I’m not their child, am I?” Ugh, it was bad luck to touch those things. No way. Her uncle didn't lack daughters.

Song Ziwen, despite not having the best relationship with his sister, stood united with her on this matter. “Exactly. Mom, I have plans that day; I’m not going to Uncle’s place.” He was joking—if he were seen doing that, his reputation would be ruined for life. If it were his own parents, maybe.

“You’re not going?” In the past, Wang Damei would have flown into a rage, especially since she had boasted to Wang Qi Qi earlier. “If you’re not going, I have no objection, except there won't be a big red envelope coming your way.” Wang Damei knew her two children well; they were just as money-oriented as she was.

A big red envelope? Song Yao snorted. “How much could it be? One or two thousand?” She wouldn't bother doing something so unlucky for less than five thousand.

Song Ziwen nodded emphatically beside her. “Right, Mom. Without three or five thousand, we’re not going.” The uncle was gone; they could only imagine how much their cousin would offer.

Wang Damei drew out a long “Ohhh,” and said, “Is that so? You want a five thousand red envelope…”

“Yes, we want five thousand,” Song Yao and Song Ziwen said in unison, thinking that if it really was five thousand, that would be fantastic, hahaha.

“Done, five thousand it is. If Qi Qi doesn’t give you a red envelope, I’ll give you one,” Wang Damei announced generously. She could probably pocket ten thousand herself then. Wang Damei’s agreeable response was so quick that the Song siblings found it extremely strange. It completely went against Wang Damei’s character; getting money out of her hands was never easy. They exchanged a look, both realizing there must be a catch.

“Mom, could it be that Qi Qi’s red envelope will be even bigger than that?” Song Yao asked, feeling her heart pound faster and faster.

Song Ziwen also watched Wang Damei’s expression nervously, his hand resting on his chest, eagerly awaiting good news from Wang Damei.

Wang Damei shook her head. “What Qi Qi gives is her business. The point is, I’ll give both of you ten thousand.” Hmph. Now they were getting anxious? Too late.

“Alright, Qi Qi said that if you two were willing to go that day, she would give each of you a ten-thousand-yuan red envelope,” Song Wenbo interjected. “Spend the money carefully; you’ll both be getting married soon, and there will be plenty of expenses.” “Oh, got it.”

“Got it, Mom and Dad, I’m very careful with my spending.”

Wang Damei and Song Wenbo knew from their children’s replies that they lacked any sincerity, but they couldn't do anything about it. “I was just telling you not to take the money and telling them not to,” Wang Damei grumbled to Song Wenbo. Honestly, why tell the children they were spendthrifts when he knew the money wouldn't last three days in their hands?

“If you don’t tell them, won’t they know?” Song Wenbo countered. “You know Qi Qi is going to give them the red envelopes anyway, so they’ll find out.”

“Exactly! Mom, I didn't expect Qi Qi to be so generous,” Song Yao said happily. It was a pity that her maternal uncle and aunt had both died this time; if they had died separately, she could have gotten twenty thousand—how wonderful would that have been?

“Can’t be helped. Uncle’s wife’s family are rich people; Uncle and Auntie are generous spenders,” Song Ziwen recalled the uncle’s financial standing at this point.

“Right. Your uncle’s side also received a substantial settlement this time; they have plenty of money,” Wang Damei said angrily. “Make sure you all show up on that day, or if you miss out on this much money, don’t blame me.”

】