“Minglan, you can’t look at things that way. These matters can’t be forced.”

Song Minglan wasn’t being honest – she was trying to stir up trouble in front of him.

Fortunately, he had already discussed changing strategies with his mother. Not long after that conversation, Tang Hongen and Liu Fen got married… While other members of the Song family found it sudden, Huo Chenzhou wasn’t surprised!

Huo Chenzhou tried to deflect, but Song Minglan was dissatisfied: “Can’t be forced? I remember Aunt also wanted to introduce someone to Mayor Tang before. Doesn’t Aunt care at all? Mayor Tang isn’t just slapping my cousin’s face, but the entire Song family’s. Grandfather is still healthy, yet Mayor Tang is already distancing himself from the Song family. What does he mean by this? Cousin, can you not see… Remember, you’re developing your own business in Pengcheng.”

What kind of things had Song Minglan been learning?

She was quite skilled at instigation. But what was the use?

Being born into the Song family already meant having resources unimaginable to ordinary people. Even if one couldn’t enter politics, one could still excel in other fields. If truly capable, after grandfather passed, they might even transition from business to politics – there were commonalities within the system. At worst, they could pursue academics with financial security and become technical experts in certain fields.

But they shouldn’t be like Song Minglan.

Look at what Xia Xiaolan, who came from a rural background, was doing, compared to what Song Minglan, with all the Song family resources, was doing.

Though Xia Xiaolan’s background was far inferior to Song Minglan’s, she was striving hard to catch up, and now as Tang Hongen’s stepdaughter, she had gained even more advantages!

While Xia Xiaolan was managing multi-million projects, Song Minglan was busy gossiping behind people’s backs.

Huo Chenzhou hadn’t previously thought Xia Xiaolan was so outstanding, but now, thanks to people like Song Minglan providing contrast, he did. He looked at his cousin strangely:

“Minglan, why don’t you consider following your cousin Sheng Xuan’s example and study abroad for another degree?”

The Song family weren’t stupid.

Huo Chenzhou felt Song Minglan had been ruined by his second aunt’s petty education.

Rather than waste time, she might as well study more.

Spending a few years abroad, even if it didn’t open her mind, would at least broaden her horizons.

Song Minglan was puzzled. She was discussing important matters with Huo Chenzhou, yet he suggested studying abroad.

While a study abroad opportunity might be worth fighting over for ordinary young people, it was commonplace for Song Minglan. She could go whenever she wanted, so she didn’t take Huo Chenzhou’s suggestion seriously. Quite dissatisfied, she said:

“Cousin, when did we become so distant? You never used to brush me off like this!”

Just as her mother said, what sibling affection? As people grew older, everyone only considered their interests.

Huo Chenzhou thought he was offering valuable advice, but Song Minglan wouldn’t accept it.

Seeing Song Minglan’s anger, Huo Chenzhou gave up trying to reason with his cousin. But due to their childhood friendship, he didn’t want to harm her, so he went along with her words:

“You want justice for Sheng Xuan. Let’s not discuss whether you’re right or wrong, let’s just analyze the feasibility. Do you think Mayor Tang would divorce again to marry your cousin? Let’s be realistic – even if you’re not very clever, you should know how important personal conduct is for someone in politics. No matter how unsuitable his new wife might be, now that they’re married, Mayor Tang can’t possibly marry a third time… So the possibility of removing the current Mrs. Tang to let your cousin marry Mayor Tang is zero.”

This was the plain truth.

Song Minglan knew it too.

That’s why she was so frustrated.

Thinking about how her cousin had transferred to work in Pengcheng for Tang Hongen, only to end up being ridiculed, Song Minglan couldn’t accept it.

Huo Chenzhou continued, “Marrying Mayor Tang is impossible, and Sheng Xuan is too proud – would she become Tang’s mistress without any status? Even if she would, would Grandfather agree?”

No one in the Song family was in politics; now it seemed Tang Hongen would inherit Grandfather’s political resources.

Given how much Grandfather valued Tang Hongen, how could he watch Sheng Xuan ruin Tang’s future?

Even if Sheng Xuan were a Song, Grandfather would still break her legs without mercy, not allowing anyone to disgrace the family.

She couldn’t marry him, and becoming a mistress was impossible. Huo Chenzhou didn’t know how Tang Hongen could “explain” to Sheng Xuan.

Song Minglan bit her lip:

“He should at least apologize to a cousin, compensate her for wasting so many years, not send a secretary to humiliate her!”

Huo Chenzhou looked at her with pity:

“Fine, when Mayor Tang arrives, you tell him that directly. Maybe he’ll agree right there in public.”

Huo Chenzhou felt the conversation couldn’t continue.

Song Minglan was also struck speechless.

If she could say these things directly, why would she spend so much time trying to instigate here? Wasn’t she just trying to gain an ally?

Huo Chenzhou moved to another spot. Song Minglan pulled at pine needles from a snow cedar, the unmelted snow ice-cold against her pampered fingertips. Second Lady Song emerged from behind, “Huo Chenzhou’s attitude is quite strange.”

Song Minglan complained, “Cousin and Aunt think alike. If he talks like this, does it mean Aunt won’t stand up for us either?”

Second Lady Song fixed her daughter’s hair, “Who knows what mother and son are planning. When Song Nanzhen was young… never mind, let’s not talk about that. Anyway, we don’t need to curry favor with Tang Hongen’s new wife and stepdaughter. When they arrive, don’t speak out of turn and upset your grandfather. We’ll just treat them coldly, and settle accounts with your cousin later!”

Song Minglan reluctantly agreed.

Suddenly remembering something, she asked, “Mom, Cousin suggested I study abroad. What did he mean by that? Does he think my education is too low?”

She had just graduated from university this year.

Surely that wasn’t considered low education?

Second Lady Song looked at her daughter lovingly, “Don’t mind what he says. What’s the use of a girl studying so much? Look at your cousin – if she hadn’t studied abroad, she wouldn’t be so stubborn.”

Really?

Song Minglan doubted her mother’s words.

She wasn’t stupid.

If studying abroad was useless, others wouldn’t be fighting for the opportunity.

Being a Song family daughter didn’t mean education was worthless.

Song Minglan was somewhat tempted but didn’t contradict her mother. Instead, she linked arms with Second Lady Song: “I know we can’t trust what Aunt and them say. I want to see what kind of woman could outdo cousin.”

What kind of person?

Second Lady Song imagined the gentle boutique owner.

Tang Hongen’s taste was truly strange, rejecting a brilliant peony for an old country rose.

She was about to speak when someone came to call them:

“Elder Song’s guests have arrived.”

Mother and daughter exchanged glances and walked out arm in arm.