Second Sister-in-law arrived very early on the day of the family gathering, mainly because she wanted to chat with Eldest Sister-in-law for a while. Eldest Sister-in-law was two years older than her and was the most prudent and thoughtful in both speech and action.

Sun Jingfei wasn’t much younger than them either, but she spoke inappropriately and couldn’t keep her mouth shut. When Second Sister-in-law was pregnant and not yet three months along, she had specifically instructed her not to tell anyone, but afterward Sun Jingfei went and told Mother Sun.

This really wasn’t Sun Jingfei’s fault though—Mother Sun had figured it out herself by observing Second Sister-in-law’s complexion and her craving for sour foods. To get her to talk, Mother Sun said someone had already told her. Second Sister-in-law naturally assumed it was Sun Jingfei.

Perhaps the most important point was Sun Jingfei’s temperament—there were some things that even if you told her, she couldn’t quite understand. She and Eldest Sister-in-law had the most similar backgrounds and experiences; both had to financially support their natal families after marriage, so many things went without saying between them.

How to put it about Sun Jingfei? To summarize simply, she was pampered and spoiled. Even though she had experienced hardship, deep down she was still a willful young miss who did as she pleased. Only a young miss would speak so unrestrained in front of her sisters-in-law, only a young miss would lazily avoid housework when visiting her natal home after marriage, and only a young miss would still act coquettish toward her parents and playfully amuse them at nearly forty years old.

Mother Sun often made excuses for her too, saying she was just straightforward by nature and spoke without guile in front of family.

Second Sister-in-law didn’t think so. She and Eldest Sister-in-law had chatted privately years ago, saying that Sun Jingfei and Sun Jingcheng’s personalities showed low emotional intelligence—they were simply spoiled. A person’s temperament, speech, and behavior reflected their family atmosphere and revealed whether they were favored at home. The Sun Jingfei siblings were clearly doted on by their parents, saying whatever they wanted, never letting themselves suffer any grievance. Their own feelings trumped everything.典ical examples of people who lived for themselves. But that’s how people are—when you live comfortably, others find it hard to be comfortable.

And Zhou Yu… she was another type entirely. Her family background was excellent, and her older brother had died young, so logically she should have been the most pampered daughter, but it was quite the opposite. She was very considerate of others’ feelings, spoke and acted impeccably, always steady and reliable. Many times her all-around competence and effortless grace seemed incredible.

For this very reason, Second Sister-in-law wasn’t very willing to discuss important private matters with Zhou Yu. She didn’t know whether certain things were appropriate to say, or how Zhou Yu would view them if she did. And deep down… she instinctively rejected people whose minds were deeper than her own. Comparatively, she was more willing to chat with the straightforward Sun Jingfei about matters that couldn’t be put on the table.

Eldest Sister-in-law didn’t think there was anything wrong with Zhou Yu’s all-around competence. After all, her father had died when she was just over ten—such a temperament was already quite rare. Previously she had shared Second Sister-in-law’s view, thinking Zhou Yu’s mind was too deep, but after her husband’s death, she had witnessed her daughter’s transformation firsthand and could understand everything.

The two were privately chatting, avoiding the others, when Sun Jingfei arrived and naturally joined the conversation. After hearing the whole story, she told Second Sister-in-law, “I don’t recommend you have it. At this age you’re a high-risk pregnancy, and the risks are significant, not to mention…” She noticed Eldest Sister-in-law giving her a look and abruptly changed her tune, “Just think it through clearly with Second Brother.”

Wasn’t this saying nothing at all?

She was asking them precisely because she couldn’t make up her mind. She had many concerns. Not have it? Deep down she still wanted to. What if it was a girl? Have it? Her postpartum figure would be ruined, and there might be potential complications.

When Mother Sun came back from grocery shopping and heard about it, she washed her hands of it completely. “If you want to have it, I’ll help you raise it. If you don’t, I won’t try to persuade you. But I’ve heard that ultrasounds aren’t accurate these days. Someone’s family—they said it was a boy until seven months, then at seven months they found out it was a girl…”

Second Sister-in-law’s mind became even more muddled after being stirred up by this mother-daughter pair.

To be honest, Mother Sun didn’t want her to have it. What was the point of having so many? Besides, Fourth Son was also planning, and if both gave birth, who would she help raise? But as a mother-in-law, it wasn’t appropriate for her to say anything.

Eldest Sister-in-law stuck to her line: “First focus on a healthy pregnancy, and we’ll talk more after you can check at the right stage.”

“But by the time you check, it’ll have arms and legs—how sinful to not want it then!” Mother Sun said.

“What’s so bad about that? What if you give birth to another son… how terrifying.” Sun Jingfei said.

Mother Sun pushed her. “You’re everywhere, go away!”

“Just go ahead and have it.” Eldest Sister-in-law looked at her. “Let nature take its course, have whatever it is—it’s not like you can’t afford to raise it.”

Mother Sun echoed, “I agree with your eldest sister-in-law. Since you want it, have it!” Then she asked, “What does Second Son think?”

“He—of course he wants it!” Second Sister-in-law said irritably. “He just grunts twice, contributes his sperm and that’s it.”

“Second Brother…” Sun Jingfei was shocked. “Second Brother can only grunt twice now?”

…

“What do you mean grunt twice?” Sun Jingcheng came up and rummaged through the refrigerator for food. Mother Sun slapped his hand away and got things for him herself—every one of them reincarnated as starving ghosts.

“Bedroom matters—Second Brother can’t perform anymore…” Sun Jingfei’s words earned her a slap from Mother Sun.

Second Sister-in-law ignored her and opened a durian to eat while sitting there. Now that she was pregnant, she sat even more righteously.

“Second Brother…” Sun Jingcheng finally said after a long while, “Second Brother is only forty-four?”

“Even at twenty-four he couldn’t—he’s never been able to.” Second Sister-in-law took advantage of his absence to ruthlessly throw dirt on him.

“Never… been able to?”

Mother Sun couldn’t stand listening anymore, scolded them once, and returned to the bedroom.

Eldest Sister-in-law also spat at her, saying she had no dignity as a sister-in-law. Second Sister-in-law acted like nothing had happened, leisurely eating her durian. She saw Zhou Yu returning from the family residential area and casually asked, “Hey, can your Fourth Brother still perform or not?”

Zhou Yu was dying from the heat and answered without thinking, “Can’t.” Her words were followed by a burst of laughter.

Sun Jingcheng couldn’t be bothered with her, ignored this group of women, and went downstairs to continue his clinic observation.

Zhou Yu stood in front of the air conditioner to cool off. She had ridden her electric scooter from the family residential area, facing the scorching sun and heat waves the whole way. Eldest Sister-in-law told her, “Don’t come to the kitchen, go sit and rest for a while.”

“This heat is different today—feels like there’s going to be a torrential rain.” Zhou Yu said, scratching her neck.

“Let it rain, let it rain—it’s stifling.” Second Sister-in-law looked at her neck. “Are you getting heat rash?”

“Really?” Zhou Yu felt her neck and went to the bathroom to check.

“How could it not be? It’s all red.” Mother Sun found prickly heat powder for her, saying, “Today is the 14th, the start of the first hot period. Count it—this year’s dog days will last forty days…”

“Will it cool down after counting?”

“Hard to say. If there’s an autumn tiger, it’ll be hot for another stretch. Hopefully this year will have a ‘smooth autumn’—after a smooth autumn, each autumn rain brings a chill.”

“Mom, what’s a smooth autumn?”

“A smooth autumn is when it rains on the day of the Beginning of Autumn. If it rains, it’s good for the crops, meaning it’ll cool down afterward.”

“What if it doesn’t rain?” Sun Jingfei asked back.

“If it doesn’t rain, you take a shovel and go poke a hole in the sky!” Mother Sun was annoyed with her. “Why are you like a little kid with endless questions?”

…

After Sun Jingfei finished frying the fish, she went downstairs. Help with cooking when you can’t even say nice things—do it yourself! As soon as she came down, she heard Mother Sun calling her, “Where are you going if you’re not cooking?”

Can’t hear you!

She stood under the shade of the trees at the entrance for a while. Too hot, so she went back to the clinic. After chatting with Ke Yu last night, she hadn’t slept all night. This was the situation she feared most—when adults weren’t getting along, the ones hurt most deeply were the children.

For a child, choosing Mom naturally meant betraying Dad. And vice versa. For Ke Yu, choosing her meant betraying the grandparents who had raised him since childhood.

Children saw things in the most black-and-white terms. It wasn’t as simple as adults said—that you could choose one side and still visit the other. When he chose one side, it meant abandoning the other, and he felt guilty toward the abandoned party, with no way to face them. Over time, they would grow distant.

Sun Jingcheng saw her spacing out and asked why she wasn’t going up to help cook.

Sun Jingfei shot back, “I don’t want to!”

…

Sun Jingcheng wasn’t easy to provoke either, responding, “If you don’t help, don’t eat.” He’d been exhausted lately too. After the company partnership, he wasn’t as free. He’d planned to go to Mount Hua but kept being unable to get away, and had to come observe at the clinic on weekends.

He hadn’t gone out for three months now and was thoroughly stifled. Ever since Grandma got sick and they moved the company, all comfortable rhythms had been disrupted. Zhou Yu was tired, he was tired—they were both so tired they had no time for baby-making. Last night they were just about to get started when—damn it—they were startled by a phone call!

Sun Youping was writing prescriptions for patients. Sun Jingcheng stood behind watching, copying down all the symptoms, then took the prescription to fill it. As soon as he had a moment to drink some water, Sun Jingfei came over with her phone, showing him last night’s chat record with Ke Yu.

After reading it, he returned it to her, only saying that Ke Yu had grown up. Sun Jingfei agreed, “Yes, some of his views make me proud.”

She had never had high expectations for Ke Yu. As long as he wasn’t too rebellious, didn’t form gangs to bully people at school, didn’t mistreat girls, and didn’t do things that harmed others or were antisocial, that was enough.

She understood her own son and didn’t place high hopes on him. She didn’t expect him to become a great talent, but also hoped he wouldn’t cause trouble. If he could be like his uncles, she could be content.

“Their generation has real ideas and insights, stronger than we were at that time,” Sun Jingcheng said. “They also have empathy, which is a very rare and precious thing.”

Sun Jingfei didn’t make much of it. “Those who wear shoes can naturally sympathize with the barefoot.”

“It’s different.” Sun Jingcheng said. “Regardless, this is something worth praising and encouraging. It’s better than saying ‘let them eat cake.'”

“I’ve seen truly evil children, the same age as Ke Yu—taking nude photos of girls to blackmail them into having sex with different boys, while he collected fees from it.”

Sun Jingfei was shocked. “Where were the girl’s parents?”

“Her mother couldn’t stand the long-term domestic violence and ran away, her father went out to work.” Sun Jingcheng said, “This happened over ten years ago. Because they were all minors, it ultimately came to nothing.”

Sun Jingfei said nothing more.

“Human nature is both inherently good and inherently evil. It’s just that most people are guided well, with good suppressing evil. While in some people, evil suppresses good. Otherwise why do people need to receive over ten years of school education first? Our family’s children all have good natures. When they make mistakes, criticize them, but when they have something worth encouraging, we should encourage them.”

Sun Jingfei looked at him for a long moment, then said sincerely, “Little brother, you’ll definitely be a good father in the future.”

“Need you even say it?” Sun Jingcheng was quite pleased with himself.

…

“Little brother, do you have some unspeakable difficulty? It’s been so long without conceiving?”

Sun Jingcheng couldn’t be bothered with her. “Don’t worry about nothing—we’re living happily!”

“Little brother, there’s something I don’t know if I should ask…”

“If you shouldn’t ask, then don’t.”

“Is your marital bedroom quality of life high?” Sun Jingfei laughed first before finishing her question.

…

Before Sun Jingcheng could respond, Sun Youping said from the consultation desk: This is a prescription area—idle people keep out.

Sun Jingfei came out laughing, the knot in her heart gradually loosening. As she sat down to look at Ke Yu’s social media posts, she inadvertently noticed through Sun Youping’s leather sandals that he was wearing patched socks. Her feelings were immediately complicated. She walked along the tree-shaded street to a nearby mall and bought five or six pairs of socks in one go, also buying several pairs for Mother Sun while she was at it.

When she returned, Mother Sun scolded her, saying she really had nothing better to do—there were so many socks at home they couldn’t even wear them all. When she saw the label showing 28 yuan per pair, she insisted on having her return them all. Sun Jingfei was so annoyed she directly tore off the packaging—now they couldn’t be returned even if they wanted to.

Second Sister-in-law also chimed in from the side, saying that Jiaxing and Jiarui’s socks were all ten or twenty yuan per pair—that’s what socks cost these days. Mother Sun was angry at her for buying ten pairs at a time, then wearing them twice and throwing away a pair, wearing them twice and throwing away another… the drawer was full of patched socks she couldn’t bear to throw away. Her anger flaring up, she scolded Sun Jingfei for being spoiled by good fortune, grabbed the socks and threw them in the trash can.

Sun Jingfei got angry too—her good intentions treated like dog’s liver and lungs. “Wear them or don’t, I don’t care—I bought them for Dad! Does it look right for my dad to sit in consultation wearing patched socks?”

“What’s wrong with it?”

“It just doesn’t look right—it’s embarrassing! Embarrassing to us four siblings! If others see they’ll think we’re so unfilial!”  Sun Jingfei said to her, “You’re just used to poor days, you don’t even know how to enjoy blessings.”

Eldest Sister-in-law quickly called her to the kitchen. Even in the kitchen her mouth didn’t stop. “Really rare! Getting scolded for buying socks!”

Eldest Sister-in-law nudged her secretly—say less.

Sun Jingcheng heard the commotion and came up, asking what happened. Sun Jingfei felt completely justified and explained the whole thing. Sun Jingcheng also spoke to Mother Sun, “Mom, since they’re bought just wear them, how big a deal is it?”

Second Sister-in-law also chimed in, “Exactly.”

Mother Sun said nothing, bent down to pick the socks out of the trash can, dusted them off and returned to the bedroom. After a while Sun Youping came up and asked her, “What’s wrong?”

Mother Sun broke down in tears, said nothing, only asked him to change from leather sandals to cloth shoes.

Sun Youping saw the new socks on the bed and roughly understood what had happened. He turned back to the living room wanting to say a few words to Sun Jingfei, but seeing the sisters-in-law chatting and laughing while cooking, he ultimately said nothing. Forget it. He poured a cup of hot water, added a small spoonful of brown sugar, and carried it back to the bedroom for Mother Sun.

The old couple sat together for a while. Sun Youping still had to go down to the busy clinic. Passing by the shoe cabinet at the entrance, he bent down to find his old cloth shoes and changed into them, then slowly went downstairs.