Chapter 423| Chapter 424| Chapter 425
Chapter 423: Pan Yue Feels Uncomfortable
Not only was the rest of the family surprised, but even Gu Tingxiao, her own father, hadn’t expected his daughter to be so soft-hearted. He made a mental note that he needed to teach her a lesson later: a man playing the victim was a classic tactic of a manipulative leech.
Sheng Wanyan, however, found the reaction completely normal. She already understood Yiyi’s personality; the little girl simply couldn’t bear to see anyone she cared about look miserable. Every time she thought someone was hurt or upset, she would compromise. Still, that kind of temperament wasn’t entirely a good thing. If she kept putting others ahead of herself as she grew up, she would easily be bullied. Gu Tingxiao would definitely need to step up as her father and build up her spine.
Once dinner was over, Father and Mother Sheng eagerly brought out the luggage they had hauled along. Most of it consisted of winter clothes and shoes for the two children, as well as tins of malted milk extract for the elderly elders. True to their word, they had also brought Yiyi her promised toy: a flute.
Sheng Wanyan recognized it at first glance. This type of flute could only be purchased in Hai City. In this era, it was commonly referred to as a “horizontal flute” or a bamboo flute. It was crafted entirely from bamboo and measured about thirty centimeters long. Yiyi fell in love with it the second it was placed in her tiny hands.
Sheng Wanyan knew that for her parents to acquire such an instrument, they must have relied on quite a few personal connections. “Mom, Dad, isn’t this only sold in Hai City?”
“Yes,” Mother Sheng smiled. “It just so happened that your father traveled to the Hai City Steel Plant for an academic exchange some time ago. We figured it would be perfect to bring back for Yiyi. The only thing is, neither your dad nor I have any idea how to play it, so Yiyi will have to figure it out on her own.”
Sheng Wanyan nodded. As a factory deputy director, it was perfectly normal for Father Sheng to be sent on official business trips. “Don’t you usually love musical instruments?” she asked her daughter.
“Oh, it’s just a little trinket,” Father Sheng interjected, looking fondly at Yiyi. “The most important thing is that the little doll is happy.”
Sheng Wanyan didn’t believe her father’s humble dismissal for a second. In this day and age, items meant purely for entertainment and leisure were often the most expensive. Furthermore, this was a legitimate musical instrument; even if it was made of bamboo, crafting it required immense skill and precision.
“Do you like it, Yiyi?” Mother Sheng asked, pulling the toddler into her lap.
Yiyi didn’t just like it—she adored it. Ever since she was an infant, she had a profound love for anything that made a sound, particularly traditional Chinese musical instruments. The small drum her parents bought for her first birthday was still meticulously preserved, and she still brought it out to play from time to time.
“I like it! Thank you, Grandpa! Thank you, Grandma~”
With that, Yiyi planted a grateful kiss on both of their faces. The elders burst into laughter, their eyes crinkling with pure joy.
“Oh, what a darling sweet girl~”
Overwhelmed with affection, Father and Mother Sheng cradled Huzi and Yiyi tightly in their arms, entirely reluctant to let them go.
“All right, all right, you can talk more tomorrow,” Grandma Sheng finally spoke up, stepping in to gently disrupt the session. “The children need to be bathed and put to bed. If you keep revving them up like this, they’ll be wide awake long past their bedtime.”
“Right, of course. Yiyi, go on back home with your mommy and daddy to get some rest,” Mother Sheng said reluctantly. “Grandpa and Grandma will take you out to play tomorrow.”
Yiyi nodded obediently. The little girl curled up comfortably into Gu Tingxiao’s embrace, her fingers tightly clutching her new bamboo flute.
“Wanyan, make sure to take these back with you,” Mother Sheng added, holding out several bundles. She had brought a massive stash of provisions, along with the tailored clothes and shoes for Yiyi.
“Mom, please don’t buy so much next time,” Sheng Wanyan said, feeling a wave of awkwardness wash over her as she looked at the mountain of supplies her mother had packed.
She was a grown woman with her own household. While it was perfectly natural for Mother Sheng to gift her things, doing so in such an overwhelming volume right in front of Pan Yue was bound to complicate things. It simply wasn’t tactful. No matter how much a mother doted on her own biological daughter, a display like this could easily cause a daughter-in-law to overthink.
Sheng Wanyan cast a casual glance toward Pan Yue. Her sister-in-law’s expression appeared stable on the surface, but her smile had visibly tightened. It was no wonder; Mother Sheng had simply packed too much. There were ten large slabs of cured bacon, several wild pheasants and rabbits, and a whopping ten kilograms of refined grain. In an average household, if a mother-in-law gifted a single pheasant or rabbit exclusively to a married daughter, the daughter-in-law of the house would already be throwing a silent tantrum.
Even though Pan Yue didn’t voice any complaints, she couldn’t help but feel a sudden pang of resentment. After all, who wasn’t facing food shortages these days? Her mother-in-law was unloading supplies as if she were clearing out her entire house for her daughter’s benefit. Even though my sister-in-law is usually incredibly generous to me and always gives things in return, this is a bit much, Pan Yue thought.
She had no objections to the grandparents buying clothes, shoes, and toys for their granddaughter out of their own pocket; after all, Yiyi was family, and the elders used their own salaries. She didn’t even mind a few pheasants or rabbits being passed along. But this was a massive hoard of both premium meat and refined grains. There were so many mouths to feed within the main family, and Huzi was right in the middle of a massive childhood growth spurt.
“What do you mean, ‘too much’?” Mother Sheng countered smoothly. “You send several kilograms of fresh meat and ten kilograms of refined grain to our house every single month! Your father and I can’t possibly finish it all ourselves. These slabs of bacon are literally made from the very provisions you shipped to us.”
Mother Sheng was a veteran of family dynamics; how could she not perceive the subtle shift in the room? She immediately laid the facts bare to clear the air. Her daughter had been systematically supplying the elder couples with food every month, keeping the transactions quiet to avoid bragging. As a mother, she absolutely refused to let any silent resentment fester between her daughter and her daughter-in-law. It was always better to make things transparent to ensure domestic harmony.
These provisions had originally been sent by Sheng Wanyan to her parents. Since the elders couldn’t consume it all before it spoiled, they had simply cured the excess into bacon and brought it right back to her. It was entirely logical.
Hearing this explanation, the tension instantly drained from Pan Yue’s face. Flushed with a tinge of shame over her fleeting resentment, she quickly stepped forward to help convince her sister-in-law to accept the bundles. “Wanyan, you always send so much to Mom and Dad anyway. This is just a fraction of it returned. If you don’t take it, Mom won’t be able to sleep tonight out of worry. Oh, and take these two cans of malted milk back for Yiyi to drink, too.”
Pan Yue hastily tacked on the malted milk, her gesture driven by a wave of guilt. If she had known her sister-in-law was single-handedly supplementing her parents’ pantry every month, she never would have harbored such petty thoughts.
She also recognized that her mother-in-law was gently correcting her, subtly reminding her that the family doted on Huzi immensely. The elders wanted her to stop overthinking and worrying that her brilliant sister-in-law would somehow push Huzi out of his inheritance or affect his future prospects. The old couple understood the distinct roles their grandchildren played: they doted on Yiyi as a cherished young lady of the family line, but they viewed Huzi as their foundational legacy and the continuation of their heritage.
“Sister-in-law, please don’t, really,” Sheng Wanyan refused gently, quickly gathering the bags her mother had brought. “I’ll take the bacon and meat, but keep the malted milk here for Grandpa, Grandma, and Huzi. We already have plenty of stock at our house.”
Sheng Wanyan hastily signaled to Gu Tingxiao that it was time to make their exit. If they lingered any longer, Pan Yue would probably try to pile even more gifts into their arms out of guilt. She hurried her husband out the door, eager to escape the heavy wave of female emotional processing.
In truth, she didn’t blame Pan Yue for her initial reaction at all. To be fair, if she herself didn’t possess the extraordinary advantage of her spatial dimension and her knowledge of future trends, she would feel the exact same way. If her own mother-in-law turned up and unloaded a massive stash of prime meat and refined grains exclusively for a married sister-in-law, she wouldn’t be able to remain as dignified as Pan Yue, who had kept her composure and maintained a pleasant smile throughout the evening.
For this era, Pan Yue was already an exceptionally open-minded, generous, and easy-to-get-along-with sister-in-law.
Chapter 424: Mother Sheng’s Plan
Father and Mother Sheng had truly come to handle the childcare so that Sheng Wanyan and Pan Yue could focus entirely on their studies.
Sheng Wanyan possessed a photographic memory, capable of retaining anything she laid eyes on. It was this exact talent that would allow her to tackle a demanding field like medicine without a shred of pressure later in life. Pan Yue, on the other hand, still found the material a bit strenuous, though she was steadily building up her confidence. To be entirely safe, she handed Huzi over to her parents-in-law and threw herself into a final, intense review.
Even though Sheng Wanyan assured everyone that her preparations were going perfectly, Father and Mother Sheng insisted she review the material a few more times just to be safe. Because of this, Father Sheng made it a habit to stop by early every morning to take Yiyi out for the day.
Yiyi was more than happy to follow her grandparents, waving a cheerful goodbye over her shoulder each time. Watching her, Sheng Wanyan could only gnash her teeth at the little traitor. The girl completely forgot about her mother the moment her grandparents appeared.
Still, with Yiyi gone, the sudden quiet left the house feeling a bit empty, making Sheng Wanyan a little restless.
Fortunately, Yiyi always returned by noon. The little girl would grow incredibly drowsy and required her parents to coax her to sleep.
“Alright, alright, Grandpa will take you back out to play this afternoon,” Father Sheng cooed gently as he handed her over at the door. “Drink your milk and take a good nap first.”
Yiyi let out a little hiccup, nodded sleepily, and wrapped her arms around her mother’s neck. “Grandpa~ hiccup… bye-bye.”
Father Sheng tenderly wiped a stray tear from her eye, promising her that he would be waiting the exact moment she woke up. Yiyi readily agreed, locking in an afternoon playdate at her house.
Sheng Wanyan understood her daughter’s temperament perfectly. No matter how much she enjoyed exploring, the little girl couldn’t stay away from home for long before she started missing her familiar surroundings.
“Come on, Mommy will tuck you in.”
Yiyi followed her into the bedroom, perfectly biddable. Sheng Wanyan slipped off her heavy winter coat, prepared a warm bottle of milk, and let her nurse while lying down.
Whenever Yiyi fell asleep, she insisted on holding tightly to her mother’s arm; only then could she rest soundly. She was a child who depended heavily on her parents, needing to touch her mother’s skin and inhale her familiar scent to feel secure. If she didn’t, she was prone to mid-night terrors, waking up to cry inconsolably if Sheng Wanyan wasn’t immediately visible.
Once Yiyi was deeply asleep, Sheng Wanyan quietly slipped away to cook lunch.
Gu Tingxiao returned from work shortly after. He tiptoed into the bedroom, checking on Yiyi as she slept soundly while clutching her plush rabbit, before joining his wife at the kitchen table.
“Wanyan, my leave officially went through today.”
Sheng Wanyan perked up, looking at him intently. She had been worrying about the timeline for days.
“The leadership approved a full four-month block, running from January 20th to May 20th.”
Delighted by the news, Sheng Wanyan immediately scrambled onto his lap and threw her arms around his neck. “Really?”
“Really,” he chuckled, holding her close. “That gives me plenty of time to get you and our daughter settled in the Capital.”
Sheng Wanyan kissed him happily. She hated the thought of being separated from him for too long. With a four-month cushion, he could provide total logistical support through the winter and spring. By the time his leave ended and he returned to the base, his permanent transfer to the Capital would only be a few months away. Calculated this way, their actual time apart would be minimal—at most, a brief three-month stretch before a permanent reunion.
“That’s perfect,” she beamed. “Let’s book our train tickets for January 20th.”
“We’ll take Yiyi back to the Capital for the New Year, and while we’re there, we can scout out a few small courtyard houses to buy. You can look after Yiyi at home, walk me to and from campus, and handle the cooking. And of course, we’ll check out the local nurseries for her.”
Sheng Wanyan painted a beautiful picture of their upcoming life as a family of three. Gu Tingxiao watched her, his eyes brimming with a profound tenderness that never wavered.
“Alright, we’ll do exactly as you say.”
“And once we’re settled, we’ll take Yiyi to climb the Great Wall and stand in Tiananmen Square,” she continued excitedly. “We’ll take her to the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, the Old Summer Palace, and all the historic parks. I want her to experience the beautiful landscapes of her country. We need to enrich her childhood and show her the world. But most importantly, we just need to play with her.”
Sheng Wanyan’s blueprint for the future was entirely centered around their daughter.
“Good,” Gu Tingxiao murmured. He, too, longed for the day he could stroll down the capital’s avenues, holding his daughter’s hand in one of his and his wife’s in the other.
Taking a child to see the world was the ultimate way to witness their growth. Oblivious to the grand surprises her parents were planning for her, Yiyi simply snored softly into her pillow.
Time marched on at a steady pace, and soon, the day of the college entrance examination arrived.
Gu Tingxiao took a brief leave to head into the city to secure their southbound train tickets, taking the opportunity to share their logistical plans with Father and Mother Sheng.
Learning that their daughter and granddaughter would be permanently settling in the Capital after the New Year, the elders were genuinely thrilled. However, it hit them that Sheng Wanyan wouldn’t be able to celebrate the actual Spring Festival with the main family this year, and there was no telling when they would all meet again.
On the eve of the examination, Mother Sheng pulled Sheng Wanyan into a quiet room for a mother-daughter talk.
“Wanyan, when you get to the Capital, will you and Yiyi be moving into your eldest brother and sister-in-law’s estate?”
“No. Tingxiao and I plan to purchase an independent courtyard house near my university campus the moment my acceptance letter arrives,” Sheng Wanyan explained. “Yiyi and I will live there.”
Mother Sheng’s brow furrowed with immediate worry. How could she possibly balance a university workload while raising a toddler alone? “Yiyi will barely be two and a half then. Who will watch her while you’re in lectures?”
“We’re going to enroll her in a local nursery. Plus, Tingxiao’s leave lasts until late May, so he’ll handle the drop-offs and pick-ups. Once he returns to duty, I’ll adjust my schedule to collect her after my last class.”
Mother Sheng disapproved of the arrangement. The thought of sending such a tiny child to a crowded daycare broken her heart. Yet, she also recognized that Yiyi couldn’t be separated from her mother, and crowding into Eldest Brother Gu’s residence wasn’t a sustainable solution either.
“But will the authorities take issue with you buying a private courtyard?” Mother Sheng asked, her voice dropping to a cautious whisper. Although the universities had reopened, she still felt that private property transactions carried a dangerous risk. What if the political tides turned again, and the state launched another crackdown on private capitalism? Wouldn’t that ruin them?
“Mom, don’t worry. This will be an entirely legitimate transaction,” Sheng Wanyan reassured her. “The nation’s decision to reinstate higher education is a clear signal that the economy will open up and develop. Besides, if we don’t purchase a house, where are we supposed to live?”
Mother Sheng conceded the point. Her daughter was exceptionally brilliant; she would never take a step without absolute certainty.
“Mom, think about it,” Sheng Wanyan pushed gently, planting a seed. “Sister-in-law is taking the exam too. If she passes, won’t she eventually have to relocate to the Capital for her studies as well?”
The question caught Mother Sheng off guard, a sudden wave of logistical worry washing over her. Of course. But Sheng Wanze was bound to his military unit here, meaning he would be separated from Pan Yue. With his frequent deployments, the responsibility of the child would fall entirely on Pan Yue’s shoulders—and Grandpa and Grandma Sheng were simply too old to handle a high-energy toddler full-time.
“Your sister-in-law could technically live in the university dormitories,” Mother Sheng reasoned out loud. “But if she takes Huzi along, the dorms won’t accommodate a child.”
Mother Sheng had agonized over this dilemma for weeks, but her daughter’s words suddenly illuminated a clear solution. If there was no housing provided, they could simply buy a place of their own.
“Wanyan, what if your father and I travel to the Capital and purchase a courtyard house ourselves?” Mother Sheng proposed, her eyes lighting up. “That way, your grandparents can relocate with them to help look after Huzi, and Xiaoze will have a proper home base whenever he’s granted leave. And down the line, when your father and I officially retire, we can settle there for our old age.”
Sheng Wanyan smiled secretly. This was exactly what she had been waiting for her mother to say. She deeply desired for Father and Mother Sheng to spend their golden years in the Capital. Even if they eventually chose to return to their roots in Chengdu later in life, keeping the family united during this pivotal transition was undeniably the best path forward.
Chapter 425: The Exam Is Coming
“Mom, have you really thought this through?”
Sheng Wanyan was genuinely surprised by her mother’s foresight. Mother Sheng smiled and explained the reasoning Father Sheng and she had discussed.
“Your father and I talked it over. It simply won’t work to rely on your brother and sister-in-law to buy a place. After all, your grandparents, your father, and I are all still here. Yan’er, even though I get along well with Pan Yue, you have to understand the dynamics of a household—it’s important for the older generation to have their own space and independence.”
“Your father and I are still capable of working, so taking care of your grandparents is our responsibility, not theirs. Besides, if Huzi goes to the Capital for school, your grandparents will naturally want to go with him, right?”
Sheng Wanyan nodded. She knew Huzi was the light of the two elders’ lives.
“But Pan Yue has many relatives in the Capital,” Mother Sheng continued. “If your grandparents live in your brother’s house, and the Pan family relatives come to visit, your grandparents might feel like outsiders or feel inferior in someone else’s home. That’s why your father and I want to buy our own place. It will give your grandparents a sense of security and confidence.”
Sheng Wanyan gave her mother a thumbs-up. It was a wise perspective; living in a younger generation’s home, no matter how kind they were, could eventually lead to friction or discomfort for the elderly. If they had their own house, they could host visitors freely, and if Pan Yue and Sheng Wanze ever felt crowded, they had the option to live separately without the elders feeling like a burden.
“Besides, think about it: if Pan Yue passes the exam and heads to the Capital, your brother will eventually find a way to get transferred there too. Your father and I could never just stay behind without them and Huzi. We need to have our own home base when we go to the Capital, rather than just moving in with our son and daughter-in-law and relying on them for everything.”
“Mom, I’m really glad you’re thinking this way,” Sheng Wanyan said, genuinely touched. She wanted nothing more than for her parents to be settled and happy in the Capital during their retirement.
“Well, I had to, didn’t I? Otherwise, how could I have given birth to such a smart daughter as you?” Mother Sheng teased, basking in her daughter’s success.
“However, I haven’t told your brother and Pan Yue about this yet,” she added. “Let’s wait until after we buy it to mention it; otherwise, they’ll definitely insist on using their own money to pay for it, and that would cause a fuss.”
Mother Sheng had her own plan. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a bank passbook containing the savings she and Father Sheng had accumulated over the years. “Take this passbook. When you get to the Capital, use it to buy a house for me and your father.”
Sheng Wanyan opened the book and found 3,000 yuan inside. She wasn’t overly surprised; Father Sheng had been promoted recently and was earning 130 yuan a month, which, combined with Mother Sheng’s salary, gave them a solid household income of 170 yuan. Since Sheng Wanze and Pan Yue sent back money and food regularly, the elders had very few expenses beyond gifts for the grandchildren.
“Just buy something you like; anything decent will do,” Mother Sheng added.
Sheng Wanyan nodded. With 3,000 yuan, she could definitely find a lovely courtyard house. She envisioned finding a property with two courtyards—or perhaps two smaller units—to ensure there was plenty of space for the whole family.
“Mom, why don’t you and Dad just come to the Capital with me?” Sheng Wanyan suggested.
The suggestion startled Mother Sheng so much she nearly dropped her tea. “How could your father and I just up and leave? Your father is dedicated to his work, and he’ll have a substantial pension coming in a few years. Besides, if I go with your father, I’d just be sitting at home relying on you and your brother for support. That’s not for me.”
Mother Sheng was adamant about her independence. Sheng Wanyan didn’t press the issue, knowing that once the economy truly opened up and the factories began to struggle, her parents would eventually be ready for a change. She tucked the passbook away safely, promising herself she would handle the house hunting as soon as they reached the capital.
The next day was the start of the examination. Early in the morning, Gu Tingxiao took Yiyi over to stay with Father and Mother Sheng, then rode his bicycle to take Sheng Wanyan to the city for the exam.
Sheng Wanze and Pan Yue traveled with them, setting off while the sky was still dark. They arrived at the city junior high school where the testing was being held by 6:30 AM.
Gu Tingxiao and Sheng Wanze went to find a vendor for breakfast, returning with meat buns, fried dough sticks, and hot soy milk. The group ate at the entrance of the examination hall. Many other candidates and their parents were already milling about, waiting for the gates to open.
The other examinees looked on with envy as they saw the well-prepared breakfast. This was especially true for the educated youth who had spent years in the countryside. The sight of a harmonious, supportive family—a husband doting on his wife, and a woman dressed cleanly and well—brought tears to many of their eyes. They had all been vibrant, hopeful young people once, but after being trapped in rural villages, many had been forced into marriages or back-breaking labor just to survive.
“Wife, drink some water.” Gu Tingxiao opened a thermos and handed it to her; it was filled with hot malted milk he had prepared to keep her energy up.
Sheng Wanyan drank half of it and checked her watch. “It’s almost time.”
Pan Yue was vibrating with nerves, unable to even finish her meat bun because her mind was racing with potential questions.
“Let’s go, let’s go,” Pan Yue urged, pulling Sheng Wanyan toward the gate.
Gu Tingxiao handed Sheng Wanyan her stationery case. “Don’t be nervous, wife. You’ve prepared perfectly.” He reached out to adjust her scarf and hat, offering a final word of encouragement.
“I’m not nervous, I’m not nervous,” Sheng Wanyan whispered, though she took a deep, steadying breath. This was a turning point in her life, and it was impossible not to feel the weight of it.
She joined the sea of 5.7 million candidates, filing into the examination hall to begin a new journey. She found her assigned seat and waited for the proctor to arrive.
The exam was scheduled over three days. The first day would cover politics, history, geography, and chemistry. The second day was dedicated to mathematics and Chinese, and the third was for a foreign language test.
The tension in the room was suffocating. Candidates were fidgeting, shifting in their seats, and even in the biting cold of winter, several students were visibly sweating from nerves.
The examiner stepped into the room carrying a stack of sealed test papers. The room fell into an instant, heavy silence.
“The exam is about to begin,” the proctor announced. “Everyone, please clear your desks. Put everything away except for your required stationery.”
The students scrambled to comply, clearing their desks and placing their bags at the front of the room, ready to face the test that would change their lives.
