Two years apart, seeing her son who had grown taller and much more composed, Qin Nian's eyes uncontrollably welled up with emotion. Her lips curved into a smile as she reached out to hug him, but in the end, she settled for patting his shoulder.
"You've gotten taller. In another two years, you'll catch up to me. Come on, let's go eat. You must be hungry."
Mother and son clasped hands, filling half the void in their hearts.
"Li Wu is coming back tomorrow evening. Shall we go pick him up together?"
"Sure, Mom. I have so many questions—can you help me with them?"
"Of course."
As the two chatted, Shen Xianjun realized he couldn't get a word in edgewise. After two years apart, Li Wen was studying things completely different from what he had learned at that age. Were kids these days really tackling such advanced material already?
No way. He’d have to put in more effort. He couldn’t let his wife and son talk about things he couldn’t understand or contribute to—it made him look like an incompetent father.
Losing to his wife was one thing, but falling behind his own child? Unacceptable. Absolutely unacceptable.
Steeling his resolve, Shen Xianjun led the group to the reserved restaurant.
By the time Qin Nian finished answering Li Wen’s questions, the food had arrived. She piled his bowl high with dishes.
"Mom, you should eat too."
Li Wen picked up a piece of meat and placed it in Qin Nian’s bowl, then did the same for Yang Yufen and Professor Wen.
"Grandma, Granny, you should eat too."
"Good, good!"
Both Professor Wen and Yang Yufen were delighted.
Not forgetting his friend, Li Wen also served Wang Xing some food.
Shen Xianjun waited a while, wondering if he should casually praise his son’s thoughtfulness, but the boy was happily eating with his mother, grandmother, and grandmother-in-law—completely overlooking him.
This kid was playing favorites!
Shen Xianjun suddenly found his appetite waning.
Wang Xing, enjoying his meal and naturally observant, noticed Shen Xianjun’s subdued expression. Though not overtly obvious, the man radiated a faint aura of resentment.
Under the table, Wang Xing nudged Li Wen with his foot. When the boy looked over, Wang Xing tilted his chin slightly in Shen Xianjun’s direction.
"What dish do you want to eat?"
Li Wen hadn’t noticed his father’s mood and assumed Wang Xing was too shy to ask for something.
Wang Xing sighed inwardly, leaning closer to whisper,
"You didn’t serve Uncle Shen any food."
Though the boy spoke softly, Shen Xianjun’s sharp ears caught every word. Qin Nian, seated beside Li Wen, also heard and glanced at her husband.
Li Wen turned to look, barely suppressing a laugh as he placed a piece of meat in his father’s bowl.
"Dad, eat up."
Shen Xianjun wanted to say it was too late, but under his wife’s gaze, he silently ate the offering. No sooner had he finished than another serving landed in his bowl.
"You eat too."
This time, it was Qin Nian serving him. His mood instantly lifted.
"Grown man, sulking over a child."
Yang Yufen muttered under her breath to Professor Wen.
Shen Xianjun’s ears twitched. Without a word, he served both his mother and Professor Wen some dishes, restoring balance to the table.
Early the next morning, Qin Nian and Shen Xianjun took Li Wen out shopping while Yang Yufen bustled around at home.
"Chicken, fish, even frying New Year’s treats—and it’s not even the holidays yet!"
Aunt Wang helped Yang Yufen sort through the mountain of ingredients she’d brought back.
"The whole family’s finally together—it’s even livelier than New Year’s! Of course I’m making more. Besides, with the fridge now, things keep longer. I’ll pack some for them to take when they leave."
Yang Yufen’s cleaver never stopped moving.
"Godmother, let me help."
Wang Shuo returned carrying a bucket, the contents rustling inside.
"What’d you bring?"
"Crab. A student’s new research project—raised them really well. Figured you’d have all the usual dishes covered, but crab’s seasonal and hard to come by, so I brought some from the student’s stock."
"Such big ones! They’re raised wonderfully."
Yang Yifen peered into the bucket curiously.
"That student’s got real talent. Most focus on one thing—if they farm, they just farm. But he thinks about how crops sell cheap, how hard farmers work, and how to boost their income alongside farming. A practical mind."
"Ordinary folks might consider intercropping or higher-value crops, but he’s full of unconventional ideas. While studying with me, he even sneaks into animal husbandry classes. Next time, I’ll bring him over to meet you all."
"Seems you’ve taken quite a liking to this student."
Aunt Wang could tell from her son’s tone how highly he regarded this pupil—he’d never praised anyone so consistently before.
"A country boy, worked hard to get here. His family’s had it rough, but he’s got a good head on his shoulders. Just want to give him a leg up where I can."
"If you can help a village kid, you should. And while we’re at it—hurry up and give Fang Fen and me a grandchild while I’m still around to help raise it."
"Mom, honestly, with Yaoyao and Miaomiao, I’m more than content."
"You might be, but have you asked Fang Fen? Or the girls? Men don’t feel the same pressures. If we were an ordinary family, fine. But we’re comfortable now, Fang Fen’s willing, and the girls wouldn’t mind a sibling."
"But that’d mean one of us quitting work—it’s not fair to Fang Fen."
"I bought a property under Fang Fen’s name. Later, she can decide which child to leave it to."
"Mom, when did you buy a house?!"
Wang Shuo looked stunned.
"During New Year’s."
"Mom, you sure can keep secrets."
The times being what they were, even with family planning policies, many still longed for larger families.
Unlike those who had to hide it, their household—with two girls and special circumstances—could legally have another child after paying the fine.
Sometimes, women bore the weight of lineage expectations more heavily than men—a societal chain not easily broken.
That evening, Wang Shuo waited for Fang Fen to return from work. After a private talk, he finally accepted this wasn’t about mother-in-law pressure—his wife genuinely wanted another child. Even the girls’ excitement over a potential sibling surprised him.
"Aren’t you afraid Mom and Dad might neglect you if we have a baby?"
"Grandma says if it’s a sister, she’ll be soft and sweet. We can dress her in our old clothes! If it’s a brother and he misbehaves, we can hit him. When he grows up, he’ll do heavy work—that’s called ‘favoring boys over girls’!"
Miaomiao declared with childish innocence. Yaoyao gently patted her sister’s head.
"Hitting isn’t right. If brother does wrong, we’ll teach him to correct it."
"No hitting? Aww..."
Miaomiao pouted, disappointed. She’d wanted to be an authoritative big sister. If she couldn’t discipline a brother, maybe a sister would be more fun.
Wang Shuo didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
