"Remember to come back for a visit during the summer vacation. After all, Wang Rui is your cousin, and you must want to know how she did on her exams," Song Yao pulled Wang Qiqi aside for a long talk just before boarding the train. "Also, your brother-in-law and I have reached an agreement this time. He agrees to move to the capital eventually. After all, the capital is incomparable to our hometown. It's a good thing for Taotao to grow up in this environment."

Wang Qiqi hummed in acknowledgment. A few days ago, she had asked Shi Man and Feng Xuanxiang about handling the proxy shopping business after everyone went abroad. Feng Xuanxiang and Shi Man both said their families had no one to take over. Shi Man’s family looked down on the profession; in her opinion, one should either work in a public institution or become a civil servant. Even knowing the income wouldn't be small, no one would give up a bright future. Feng Xuanxiang felt he had too many relatives; whichever one he handed it to, he would offend the others. What he didn't dare say was that he worried his relatives would completely ruin his reputation—they were too prone to taking advantage. If his reasonable, decisive father hadn't shielded them, he didn't know how those vampire relatives would have tormented the little money he earned. Thus, even though he knew this job could easily net him tens or even hundreds of thousands a year, Feng Xuanxiang dared not share this information with his family, fearing they would swallow the payment funds. With that context, it was perfectly logical for Song Yao to take over. Song Yao and the others had also agreed that when Wang Qiqi and her cohort were in their senior year, the whole family would relocate to the capital and start familiarizing themselves with the business.

"Sis, when you go back, take care of what needs tending to. The opportunities in the capital are far better than back home. Don't look at the current gap; the future disparity will be much larger," Wang Qiqi murmured in a low voice. Song Ziwen and his wife wouldn't be coming. They both had good jobs and wouldn't be willing to quit. Secondly, Yang Jing was an only child and couldn't leave her elderly parents behind to develop in the capital.

Although Song Yao had been touring scenic spots, exploring hutongs, and sampling snacks with Song Ziwen recently, she had also made inquiries about people's livelihoods. While drinking tea in a teahouse, absorbing the daily life of old Beijingers, she overheard conversations about the city's transformation. Any person who wasn't a fool knew Beijing’s development would outpace their hometown. However, what Gong Peixing said was also quite true: the capital was full of influential figures, and coming here meant walking with your tail tucked between your legs. But Gong Peixing was also right: as long as one remained low-key and honest, one could manage. "Don't worry. We’ll consolidate our funds when we return. By autumn, Taotao will be one year old. Then your brother-in-law and I will take another trip for leisure."

Wang Qiqi found this puzzling. Gong Peixing had just taken leave; how could he request another leave in the autumn? There were no National Day mini-holidays back then, so there was no reason for him to take another long leave only a few months later. Could it be... "Is the factory doing poorly, Brother-in-law?" No, that couldn't be right; it was a large state-owned enterprise, and in her past life, that enterprise had managed quite well.

"It's not that it's doing poorly, but someone superior dislikes your brother-in-law," Song Yao sighed. To be frank, Gong Peixing’s previous promotion was due to her father's connections, coupled with a good relationship between the department head and her father. But now that the former head had retired, the successor found every reason to be displeased with Gong Peixing. If her own father wasn't still in a position of authority, Gong Peixing might already have been demoted to the workshop floor. The problem was, how long could her father protect him? "Your uncle-in-law is scheduled to move to a secondary role by the end of next year, and then..." Making way for younger staff would inevitably make Gong Peixing's days in the department increasingly difficult. Since they had already made up their minds, there was no need to present a good face to his superior anymore; performing too well might only increase the other’s suspicion. "If he resigns, what about all those accrued vacation days your brother-in-law has?" In the end, how much money would he get versus just cashing out his leave time?

Wang Qiqi understood why Gong Peixing agreed so readily: things weren't going smoothly at the office. Although Gong Peixing was a very discreet man, he couldn't hide the fact that he married into a well-connected family. After marrying his wife, his net worth had multiplied several times over, and he even bought a private car. How could this not create pressure for his superiors? Another factor was that Gong Peixing was seriously pursuing night classes, giving the leadership the impression he intended to climb the ladder—if they didn't make things difficult for him, who would they target? "If he’s unhappy, he shouldn't do it. You two don't lack this bit of money. He can familiarize himself with the business back home, and the transition to taking over in the capital will be faster later on."

Song Yao nodded. "That's what I think too. The shop I bought has finally been handed over. I plan on doing some simple renovations and opening it up, building the brand through word-of-mouth. Then I can hand it over to Yang Jing later, which would put my mind at ease too." As an older sister-in-law living with her parents, Song Yao deeply felt the pressure; many things required careful consideration.

"Once you leave, perhaps Auntie will ask Cousin to move back," Wang Qiqi thought. She wondered if Wang Damei, who lived for her son, would actually do that. In her previous life, because the daughter-in-law wasn't very agreeable, Wang Damei never asked her son to move home. But in this life, Yang Jing was tactful and sweet-tongued; Wang Damei might very well ask Song Ziwen and his wife to return.

Song Yao shook her head. "Impossible. My mother has recently become obsessed with going out dancing to exercise. Every evening after dinner, she and my dad go to the community square for ballroom dancing. Mom says she wants to be a bit wild in her old age and is embarrassed for her daughter-in-law to see this hobby." Or perhaps, after socializing more with other mothers-in-law, her mother deeply felt it was better to maintain the current arrangement. If the daughter-in-law moved back and they didn't get along, Song Ziwen would be the one caught in the middle. Wang Damei, unwilling to see her son suffer, would naturally make concessions.

"That’s for the best. Even with the best mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship, living together can lead to awkwardness," Wang Qiqi said feelingly. Take Aunt Luo, for instance. She regarded Wang Qiqi favorably, but they hadn't lived under the same roof for extended periods. Most of the time, they returned to their respective homes, and since Wang Qiqi studied in the capital, they didn't meet often, so their interactions were marked by extreme courtesy. But if they faced each other daily, Wang Qiqi couldn't guarantee that Luo Hongjuan, as a mother-in-law, would remain satisfied with her.

Not long after Song Yao departed, the sweltering summer arrived, and Feng Xuanxiang’s procedures for going to the US were nearly complete. Everything went smoothly thanks in part to the connections of Feng Xuanxiang’s former advisor. Shi Man also planned to accompany him to Feng Xuanxiang’s hometown before he left to meet his future in-laws.

Although Feng Xuanxiang repeatedly assured her that his parents were good people, and Shi Man had spoken with her future in-laws several times with pleasant exchanges on the phone, the thought of meeting them in person made Shi Man anxious. Naturally, she wanted to ask someone with experience, but after looking around, she realized the only person she could ask who had a boyfriend and had met her future mother-in-law was Wang Qiqi. However, she knew asking Wang Qiqi wouldn't yield any useful advice.

Wang Qiqi looked at the girl curled up on the sofa, incessantly biting her fingernails. She really wanted to remind her that if she kept biting them, when she went to her future in-laws' house with Feng Xuanxiang, she would need to get a manicure first. "Qiqi, do you think Feng Xuanxiang’s parents will like me?" Shi Man pondered, deciding to rely on the experience of someone who had at least met a mother-in-law.

"Does it really matter if they like you or not?" Wang Qiqi countered. "Relax. Your qualifications are much better than Feng Xuanxiang's. But when you visit his home, remember to smile more and don't always keep a straight face." Although Shi Man’s usual stern look projected a certain presence, prospective in-laws generally preferred a cheerful future daughter-in-law. "A straight face might make them think you look down on them or are dissatisfied with their family's circumstances." Wang Qiqi didn't know if Feng Xuanxiang had mentioned Shi Man’s outwardly serious demeanor to his family, but regardless, Shi Man needed to make a slight adjustment.

Smiling often? Wang Qiqi’s suggestion thoroughly startled Shi Man. "Heavens, won't I look like an idiot?" Nothing funny was happening; why should she be grinning constantly? She wasn't Wang Qiqi, who even saw Juliana drop her perpetual smile nowadays.

"Even if you look like an idiot, it's for the sake of meeting your in-laws," Wang Qiqi stated firmly. "Also, when you go to their house, don't be too reserved. If you see your mother-in-law working, even if you don't know how to do it, put on the appearance of helping. You need to let the elders believe you are a diligent daughter-in-law." Although people talked about gender equality now and women earned money, no mother-in-law wanted her son to marry a career woman who couldn't care for her husband but instead expected him to take care of her.

Shi Man understood this point—it was about putting on a show. "Feng Xuanxiang mentioned it. Besides, he cooks a wonderful meal; the kitchen is her territory." Shi Man was generally a diligent girl. Although she wasn't skilled at cooking after two years of university in the capital, she was competent at cleaning and tidying up.

"Then you’re all set. Don't worry, your man isn't useless," Wang Qiqi stopped offering advice, knowing that customs varied by region. "Ask your man if you don't understand something. Also, don't wear your unhappiness on your face. After all, you’ll only be going back for New Year's at most." Wang Qiqi wondered if Feng Xuanxiang’s hometown had the custom of not allowing women to sit at the main dining table. She felt she needed to privately ask someone about this. If such a rule existed, she had to talk to Shi Man so she could be mentally prepared. While the rule might be excessive, as an uninitiated daughter-in-law and an outsider, there was no need to challenge it immediately. The relatives might not say anything at the moment, but after Shi Man left, they would surely gossip to Feng Xuanxiang's parents, undoing all of Shi Man's hard work.

Shi Man hummed to show she understood. (To be continued.)

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