Pressure often serves as motivation – people never know their limits until they push themselves.
Xia Xiaolan had to return to school that evening, leaving her mother to show Grandmother Yu around Beijing. The elderly lady was still thinking about returning to her street-sweeping job! It wasn’t true that she had never been to Beijing – Grandmother Yu had studied here decades ago and had seen everything.
To her, modern Beijing just had more buildings, concrete structures, and grand hotels, none of which impressed Grandmother Yu. Having experienced all the finest things in life, these couldn’t move her.
When Xia Xiaolan tried to book flight tickets for them, Grandmother Yu stopped her, “Just buy train tickets. Am I too frail to take the train now?”
It wasn’t just about the cost of flying – connections were needed too. Whether through Tang Hongen or the Zhou family, Grandmother Yu didn’t want Xia Xiaolan to be indebted to anyone.
Xia Xiaolan didn’t push the matter. Though both families had met each other’s parents separately, the parents hadn’t met each other, indicating they weren’t ready to discuss marriage yet. Grandmother Yu refused to trouble the Zhou family. When Liu Fen asked about meeting Zhou Cheng’s parents, Grandmother Yu shut down the idea with two sentences:
“Since when do the bride’s parents chase after the groom’s family?”
Grandmother Yu didn’t care about modern social conventions. Some customs had persisted for thousands of years and couldn’t be completely dismissed.
Xia Xiaolan knew women pursuing men would become more common, but she couldn’t convince Grandmother Yu, who considered it “beneath one’s dignity.”
That evening when Xia Xiaolan returned to school, she found Ning Xue waiting for her.
“My grandfather would like to meet Grandmother Yu who was with you. Would she have time? My grandfather said he’d like to visit her.”
Mr. Ning Yanfan?
Xia Xiaolan wasn’t too surprised. The Ji and Ning families were old friends, and since Grandmother Yu knew Grandfather Ji Jiangyuan, knowing Ning Yanfan wasn’t strange. The Ji family was close to Ning Yanfan – they must have often sought his advice, otherwise he wouldn’t have known about Grandmother Yu’s arrival in Beijing.
“I’ll mention it to Grandmother Yu, but I can’t decide for her whether she wants to meet Mr. Ning.”
Ning Xue wasn’t unreasonable and naturally understood this logic.
Though Xia Xiaolan’s relationship with the Ji family was tense, and Ning Xue was close to Ji Ya, Xia Xiaolan thought Ning Xue would side with the Ji family and treat her coldly. But after they exchanged a few words and as Xia Xiaolan turned to leave, Ning Xue suddenly called out:
“Xia Xiaolan!”
Xia Xiaolan turned around, and Ning Xue’s expression was exceptionally serious:
“You did nothing wrong this time.”
The seemingly perfect Ji Ya wasn’t perfect at all.
Refusing to apologize after making a mistake was wrong anywhere. In Xia Xiaolan’s position, Ning Xue would also have insisted on an apology. This had nothing to do with Ning Xue’s background – as long as she remained herself, even if she weren’t Ning Yanfan’s granddaughter, she would fight for what was right and wrong.
A genius doesn’t need others’ validation but equally won’t tolerate deliberate humiliation.
Ning Xue left after saying this, making Xia Xiaolan smile.
After returning to school, she visited the Zhou family again to thank Zhou Guobin and Guan Huie for standing up for her and expressed her desire to make Ji Ya apologize sincerely through her efforts.
Guan Huie said she was too stubborn, which Xia Xiaolan admitted.
However, Zhou Guobin didn’t oppose her idea and even supported it:
“Even if it’s not about making the Ji family bow their heads, one should strive for personal achievement and become useful to society. Do whatever you want to do boldly – young people can courageously try new things as long as they don’t break the law.”
Zhou Guobin didn’t presume to tell Xia Xiaolan what to do.
Xia Xiaolan had her ideas. A girl from the countryside who managed to buy property in Beijing within a year – why would she need Zhou Guobin to teach her how to manage her business?
Everyone had different strengths. Zhou Guobin didn’t think he could outperform Xia Xiaolan as an individual merchant. If asked to run a street stall, he couldn’t maintain a smile for every picky customer as she could.
Zhou Guobin meant that while she should rely on herself to prove the Ji family wrong, she shouldn’t hesitate to ask for help when needed.
The Ji family also stood on the achievements of their previous generation. Xia Xiaolan should accept help when appropriate.
“Uncle Zhou, I understand everything.”
Xia Xiaolan wasn’t sure if she and Zhou Cheng would end up together.
But she truly felt the Zhou family’s refinement, despite Grandmother Zhou’s jokes about them being uncouth. The Zhou family showed “respect” regardless of whether they liked her or not. Even when Guan Huie hoped she would break up with Zhou Cheng, she expressed it with restraint and would never make a public scene that would embarrass Xia Xiaolan at school.
What was refinement?
It meant considering others instead of being selfish and self-centered!
As soon as Xia Xiaolan returned to school, Guan Huie’s face darkened:
“The Ji family is truly shameless!”
Unable to deal with the adults, they manipulated the children.
Guan Huie wasn’t even concerned about Xia Xiaolan’s stubbornness anymore – most of her anger was directed at the Ji family. And what about Tang Hongen? He was there that night when the Zhou family wasn’t. Despite Xia Xiaolan treating him as an elder, Tang Hongen must have favored the Ji family.
“Enough, let this matter end here. Although Xiaolan hasn’t married into the Zhou family yet, people need to see that her words carry weight. Let’s do as she says!”
This was how Zhou Guobin treated Zhou Cheng.
How else could Zhou Cheng have convinced Shao Limin back then?
Because others knew Zhou Cheng’s words carried weight – the Zhou family would stand by them!
To raise children with dignity and courage, one must let them create their path… For an example of someone without courage, look at the Ji family’s child – she didn’t even have a voice in her own family. If your own family doesn’t respect you, how can you expect respect from others?
Before Zhou Cheng brought Xia Xiaolan home, who in the Zhou family would have dared to go to Yunan to find the girl? This showed the Zhou family’s respect for Zhou Cheng!
After Zhou Guobin said this, Guan Huie fell silent.
Sometimes external pressure can bring people closer together. After the Ji family’s interference, Xia Xiaolan’s relationship with Zhou Guobin and his wife grew much closer.
When Ning Yanfan wanted to meet Grandmother Yu, Xia Xiaolan rushed to Shichahai again the next morning.
“Little Six’s matter isn’t resolved yet, right? Ji Jiangyuan hasn’t returned to class – is he going back to America?”
Room 307 didn’t dare ask directly and could only discuss it privately, all feeling that Xia Xiaolan had been wronged.
Ji Jiangyuan’s grandfather was too powerful, and the Ji family had great prestige in educational circles. Everyone in Room 307 felt Xia Xiaolan’s defeat was certain, which filled them with indignation. Yang Yonghong quoted from the classics:
“How are nobles and officials born different from us? They can’t oppress us forever!”
Getting into Huaqing University already put them ahead of many peers. As long as they worked hard, they would surely rise above others one day.
Yang Yonghong’s words resonated with everyone in the room.
Lü Yan removed her earphones, “I agree with our leader. I believe in Sister Six too. She’s never failed at anything she’s set her mind to. Wasn’t the English competition difficult? Sister Six still made it to the finals. The Ji family looks down on Sister Six now, but they’ll know her capabilities sooner or later!”