Though Song Ziwen didn't own a car, he had driven his brother-in-law Gong Peixing's vehicle countless times since it was purchased. Just as Wang Qiqi was about to inquire about his girlfriend, he coughed slightly. "Qiqi, if I move out after getting married, do you think people will talk?" Song Ziwen had mulled over this question countless times. Firstly, with his elder sister living at their parents' home, even if Yang Jing had the sweetest temper, seeing her married elder sister residing there with her whole family would inevitably cause some friction. Secondly, he knew his mother's personality; truly, few people could tolerate her. She was obsessively clean. Despite the house being large and having a child, his mother insisted on cleaning every day, to the point guests commented it resembled a hotel. His own sister was already complaining about doing housework at home. If that were replaced by a daughter-in-law, especially since Yang Jing wasn't one to do much housework, Song Ziwen couldn't imagine the potential conflicts between mother and daughter-in-law, and what he would do caught in the middle.

Moving out? That was a solution that would resolve many issues, but the problem remained: "If the daughter stays at the parental home, and the son takes his wife to live separately, even if outsiders say nothing, won't your wife have thoughts about it?" Wang Qiqi felt that as long as Song Ziwen's girlfriend Yang Jing had no issue with it, things would be fine. Furthermore, if the elder sister and daughter-in-law spent day and night together, real problems might arise. After all, how many people return home from work daily and keep the house sparkling clean? If the daughter-in-law were diligent, it would be manageable, but Song Ziwen's expression suggested Yang Jing was not adept at housekeeping. The issue lay in domestic custom: before a younger brother marries, it's not a major issue for a married daughter to stay at her parents' house, though some gossip might ensue. However, once the brother marries and the son moves out with his wife, what would outsiders think? Especially what would the daughter-in-law and her family think? Would they suspect the family assets were being reserved for the daughter?

Song Ziwen had vaguely broached this topic with Yang Jing, but whether she genuinely wanted to live with her mother-in-law or was simply too embarrassed to ask for a place of their own was unclear; she merely stated she wanted to live with the elders. This left Song Ziwen uncertain how to continue the conversation. "I'm not entirely sure, but I really feel..."

Wang Qiqi interrupted him. "It's not what you feel, but what your girlfriend or her parents feel. After all, Auntie and Uncle have several properties and savings. Coupled with the substantial financial support they provided during your sister's wedding, might they suspect the Song family assets are earmarked for the daughter?" Although Song Yao and her husband's assets now weren't significantly less than Song Wenbo and his wife's, Song Wenbo's couple were cautious, steady earners. All their houses were bought outright with available cash, not through loans. This meant Song Yao's side developed slower. Song Ziwen stood somewhere in the middle; he used loans, but the amounts were modest. However, these were internal family matters; how would Song Ziwen's girlfriend's family know the specifics? People only saw the surface, and these superficial observations often bred conflict. "Have a good talk with your girlfriend's family. By the way, brother, does she only have one daughter?"

Song Ziwen realized he had been far too simplistic. Ah, his friends were right—getting married wasn't easy. A small oversight could easily balloon into a huge problem, and here he was, facing one already. "Yeah, she's an only child."

If she's an only child, it might actually be easier to resolve. "If you lay out all the circumstances for your brother, and mention you plan to buy a place near your wife's parents, perhaps they will agree." Many mothers-in-law appreciate having their daughter nearby so they can occasionally help the young couple tidy up. Wang Qiqi certainly knew this approach had a significant hurdle. "The prerequisite is that you can persuade your aunt." Wang Qiqi could easily picture Auntie Wang Damei's face falling if she heard her son planned to live near his in-laws after marriage, interpreting it as him marrying into his wife's family.

That was the biggest headache. Song Ziwen felt if he brought it up, his mother would immediately assume it was Yang Jing's idea. "We'll see about that later. I plan to talk to her in a few days." Song Ziwen wished he could drag out this negotiation indefinitely, but since he aimed for a May Day wedding, this topic couldn't be delayed. If he could persuade his parents sooner, perhaps he could finish renovating the marital home before May Day. If the mother-in-law/daughter-in-law conflict could be avoided from the start, so much the better, rather than moving out after a period of unhappiness, which would leave negative impressions on both sides.

"You should talk to Sister Yaoyao first and align your opinions. You know Sister Yaoyao's perspective is quite important too." Although it seemed inappropriate for a married daughter to meddle, one of the justifications Song Ziwen would use for moving out was the fact that Song Yao was living at their parents' home.

Song Ziwen murmured an acknowledgment. For the rest of the journey, he remained silent, driving quietly, though his mind was busy calculating how to rally allies, reach consensus with them, and then persuade the two great mountains at home. The more Song Ziwen thought about it, the more immense the pressure felt. "I'm realizing marriage is truly a troublesome affair. Qiqi, I envy you. You're highly likely to remain in the States after your marriage anyway; Han Tao's mother doesn't speak English, so their chances of going abroad are slim." Well, that meant the mother-in-law/daughter-in-law issue wouldn't exist, plus, Song Yao mentioned Qiqi and her future mother-in-law got along exceptionally well, basically teaming up for meals and even buying New Year's goods together.

Slim chance of going abroad? Wang Qiqi viewed it quite differently. "Han Tao only has this one mother. Am I supposed to abandon her just because she doesn't speak English?" Wang Qiqi knew, given Han Tao's filial piety and their years of relying solely on each other, if she and Han Tao truly settled down in America, Luo Hongjuan would follow. That would be her bigger problem—having to constantly accompany an elderly mother-in-law. She couldn't just leave an old woman alone at home, could she? Of course, Wang Qiqi would never voice these complaints to anyone; if any slip-up occurred, she'd be branded a wicked daughter-in-law.

Song Ziwen understood. With only one son, and hearing how his mother's relationship with both the maternal and paternal families soured over issues concerning Han Tao's father, was she expected to live as a lonely old woman domestically rather than rely on her only son? Thinking this through, Song Ziwen felt Wang Qiqi's future responsibilities would be even greater. For instance, domestically, they could live separately; but if they went abroad, it would mean constant, day-and-night proximity. It seemed every family had its own troubles. "Qiqi, you will definitely manage these relationships well, right?" In Song Ziwen's eyes, Qiqi was omnipotent—protecting family assets at a young age, and devising ways to significantly increase the family's wealth. Not to mention his own sister; if not for Wang Qiqi's ideas, Song Ziwen highly doubted his sister would have made such a great leap in leveraging bank loans to acquire so many properties.

Manage well? Wang Qiqi could only smile wryly. Although her relationship with Luo Hongjuan was good during this visit, how much time could she actually spend with her each year? Moreover, since Han Tao wasn't back this time, his mother was waiting for her to relay news about her son.

Song Ziwen parked the car outside a foreign-owned enterprise and got out to wait at the factory gate, having arranged to pick up Yang Jing yesterday.

Yang Jing had actually been waiting for Song Ziwen in the guard room. Seeing Song Ziwen appear, she pointed towards the figure at the gate. "That's my boyfriend, Song Ziwen. Alright, you all have seen him; I'm leaving now." Yang Jing had initially intended to wait at the factory entrance, but her colleagues insisted on seeing her boyfriend. Yang Jing understood there were other factors at play: a young man from the purchasing department had taken an interest in her and had been socializing well with her colleagues to win favor. That young man's education, demeanor, and interpersonal skills were far superior to Song Ziwen's, but Yang Jing felt he was too slick; they could date, but for marriage, he wasn't a suitable match. Thus, Yang Jing had resisted him. This time, when Yang Jing mentioned having a boyfriend, her colleagues thought she was making an excuse. When Song Ziwen said he'd come to borrow her yesterday, Yang Jing didn't object.

Yang Jing fluttered out like a butterfly. "Ziwen, you're here."

Song Ziwen looked at his girlfriend, who was exceptionally delicate in her attire today, and felt a genuine spark. Although the girls introduced by his family or friends had been far prettier than Yang Jing, he felt Yang Jing was the one who stirred his heart, whether she was speaking or simply being quiet. "En, let's go. Get in the car; it's cold outside." Song Ziwen knew the factory gate was chilly, so he gently steered Yang Jing toward the car.

Upon seeing Yang Jing, Wang Qiqi immediately called out loudly, "Hello, sister-in-law!" Wang Qiqi noticed several people peering cautiously from near the guard room; they were likely the future sister-in-law's colleagues. Wang Qiqi then settled into the back seat.

Yang Jing, seeing the scholarly-looking girl in the red coat greet her, paused momentarily before thinking, "You must be Qiqi." Only Wang Qiqi would prompt Song Ziwen to come pick her up.

It seemed Song Ziwen hadn't been sparing with his words about her to his future sister-in-law; whether they were good words or bad, that wasn't the priority now. "Mm-hmm, nice to meet you for the first time, hello, sister-in-law. Let's get into the car; it's cold outside."

Yang Jing hadn't expected Wang Qiqi to be such a gentle young woman. Based on Song Ziwen's description, Yang Jing had concluded she would be quite assertive. Instead, she appeared so fragile and elegant—truly, appearances could be deceiving.

Song Ziwen quickly accelerated after getting into the car and drove away. As the car left the factory gate, discussions erupted in the guard room. "Ah, Yang Jing actually found someone who drives a private car. No wonder." They had initially wondered why Yang Jing would give up such a good man from the company, suspecting she was muddled. Especially since Song Ziwen didn't look as immediately pleasing as the young man from the office. But the fact he had a private car was undeniable. At this moment, everyone concluded Yang Jing was just another materialistic girl who sought a boyfriend from a rich family.