“I understand now – it’s kind of you to still care about her. If Zhou Yi has a boyfriend, someone must know about it. I’ll ask around when I get back to Beijing.”

This was something Xiaolan could completely ignore.

Getting involved meant inviting trouble. Leaving aside Zhou Wenbing’s personality, Zhou Cheng knew his aunt was difficult to deal with.

Though it was Zhou Yi’s own business, if handled poorly, Xiaolan might end up being the one blamed.

Zhou Yi was truly ridiculous – she was over twenty, yet couldn’t think things through before dating?

At this age, she couldn’t just mess around with Tang Lilili’s group anymore. If she had no career plans, she was at least at marriageable age. Zhou Yi had probably secretly started dating someone without her family knowing, and when her mother began arranging blind dates for her, she panicked.

In her desperation, did she hope Xiaolan would intervene on her behalf?

How could she forget all the trouble she’d caused Xiaolan for Tang Lilili’s sake? It was already generous of Xiaolan to let bygones be bygones – she couldn’t expect Xiaolan to return evil with kindness and offend the family elders for Zhou Yi’s sake. Zhou Cheng found it headache-inducing. He still respected his uncle greatly – a slightly lower position didn’t mean a lack of ability. Such things depended on individual capability and sometimes luck; his uncle might still rise above others later. Family relationships shouldn’t be defined by rank.

His uncle was such an intelligent person – how had he failed to raise Zhou Yi properly?

Did daughters not need careful guidance? Whatever trouble she caused, the Zhou family still had to clean up after her.

Zhou Cheng couldn’t help but add: “Either her boyfriend’s conditions are too poor for the family to accept, or she’s chosen someone who has a grudge against the Zhou family. Either way, if she insists on her choice, she should bear the consequences herself. You reap what you sow – if you choose the path, you must complete it even if you have to crawl!”

What couldn’t be resolved?

With the determination not to rely on family, naturally one could choose whoever they wanted.

Xia Xiaolan held his hand, “It’s not that serious. If she chooses wrong, she can choose again. Maybe Zhou Yi hasn’t even chosen wrong – she lost her nerve before even bringing it up. Her boyfriend must be quite hurt. Let’s ignore her for now, don’t let her matters affect our mood!”

Zhou Cheng’s strong reaction told Xia Xiaolan she was right not to hide this.

She had laid everything out before Zhou Cheng; if he needed her help, he would say so.

Even if not close to Zhou Yi, she was still Zhou Cheng’s cousin. The Zhou family’s overall relationships were quite harmonious, unlike the troublesome Xia family. Zhou Cheng couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.

“You’re right, this is truly a minor matter – irritating if left unhandled, time-wasting if handled. My wife is meant for great things; your time can’t be wasted casually. You did the right thing – in the future, whoever from the Zhou family asks for your help, tell me!”

The Zhou family was Zhou Cheng’s responsibility; he hadn’t brought Xiaolan home to handle family troubles.

His wife was meant for great things – how could she waste time on such trivial matters?

Zhou Cheng might have previously thought these matters were best handled by the family’s women, but after Wei Juanhong’s incident, he realized women’s responsibilities were not at all easy.

How could they take it for granted, deciding what women should and shouldn’t do?

He had married Xiaolan to cherish her, not to bring home a housekeeper!

Zhou Cheng took on these trivial matters himself, worried his wife was too tired. Xia Xiaolan knew well that good men needed to be cultivated – no one was born perfectly considerate. Though the Stone family incident had caused her and Zhou Cheng to have a cold war at the time, in the long run, it benefited their relationship’s development.

Life together wasn’t all sweetness – teeth sometimes bit lips. Daily pleasantries meant little; what mattered was how they coordinated when opinions differed!

Xia Xiaolan didn’t fight to handle it herself; if Zhou Cheng was willing to do it, she would truly leave it to him.

Women often worried men couldn’t handle this or that, thinking themselves saving angels, fearing he’d go hungry or cold. But thinking calmly, hadn’t they lived fine before dating?

Insisting on mothering men, turning capable men into giant babies, and then complaining – who could they blame but themselves?

Not only did Xia Xiaolan not compete with Zhou Cheng for tasks, she looked at him with complete trust:

“I’ll tell you everything, like Zhou Yi’s matter. You’re siblings – even if things aren’t handled well immediately, Sister Zhou Yi won’t hold it against you.”

They talked as they drove, though Zhou Cheng remained somewhat vigilant, given how Jiang Wu had appeared and disappeared mysteriously. He worried Jiang Wu might have other moves planned.

But they drove to Yang Yonghong’s village without incident.

Yang Yonghong was naturally surprised:

“Zhou Cheng, hello! Didn’t expect to see you!”

It was already afternoon, and Yang’s family was preparing dinner when Xia Xiaolan and Zhou Cheng arrived by car.

When Yang Yonghong said Zhou Cheng was Xia Xiaolan’s boyfriend, he received high-level treatment at the Yang household. Needless to say, Xia Xiaolan had eaten one of their chickens that morning, and now the Yang family was about to sacrifice another chicken… Xia Xiaolan wanted to cover her face. That madman Jiang Wu had disrupted her and Zhou Cheng’s plans, and now they’d arrived at the Yang family’s mealtime – it seemed like they were deliberately coming to mooch meals.

When Yang’s father went to kill a chicken, Xia Xiaolan quickly stopped him:

“Uncle, there’s no time to kill a chicken. We have some business to rush back to Beijing for, that’s why I came early to pick up Yonghong.”

The Yang family’s chickens were truly precious – they only had two hens for laying eggs. Having dealt in eggs herself, Xia Xiaolan knew how valuable laying hens were to rural families.

The eggs were saved to sell for money. Though Yang Yonghong and Yang Jie had earned some money this time, it didn’t mean the Yang family had escaped poverty. Xia Xiaolan couldn’t bear to let Yang’s father kill a chicken.

But what could be said? The Yang family wouldn’t let them leave hungry. While Yang Yonghong went to pack her things, her mother made noodles for the two.

With fragrant scallion and egg topping, Xia Xiaolan’s bowl was too full, so she had to share some with Zhou Cheng.

Zhou Cheng didn’t mind at all – he’d eat whatever was given, especially these fragrant hand-pulled noodles. What was there to be picky about?

The Yang couple gradually relaxed.

Xia Xiaolan driving a car was true, but she was also truly approachable. Similar people found similar partners – Zhou Cheng also appeared spirited and polite. They were both good kids. When Xia Xiaolan was leaving, Yang Yonghong’s mother packed some dried sweet potatoes for her. They were truly poor, with no good things to offer, but this was the Yang family’s gesture of goodwill.

Yang Yonghong got in the car, waving to her parents:

“Coming home for a day was nice. Many villagers asked about Yang Jie working in Pengcheng today. I see many people want to go work outside – Xiaolan, is this normal? If everyone goes out to work, who will farm the land?”

Workers and farmers should have clear divisions – farmers providing food, and workers producing goods. Yang Yonghong only knew that to avoid being a farmer, one had to study and test out, but now she found everyone was still farming while yearning for big cities… With so many people leaving, wouldn’t the country fall into chaos?

Yang Yonghong looked expectantly at Xia Xiaolan, hoping for answers!