The next day, Director Zhao and Aunt Wu both heard about what had happened and came over to ask about it, offering Su Caiqing some comfort.
Su Caiqing was a widow raising seven children. Having the ability to earn money naturally drew envy and jealousy from others, but attempting to rob her outright was simply too outrageous.
Director Zhao looked somewhat guilty as she said, “It’s all because our publicity and education work hasn’t been thorough enough, so many people still think doing business is speculation and profiteering, like digging into the roots of socialism.”
Su Caiqing replied, “How can it be put that way? I think those people were just looking for an excuse to take my things. Even if they knew the policies have been relaxed now, they would still try to rob me. What does that have to do with the excuse they used?”
Aunt Wu also chimed in, “Exactly! Those people were never good. When buying vegetables, I’ve seen them rummaging through other people’s stalls, making a mess and not buying anything in the end. It’s infuriating. They’re nothing but hooligans! This has nothing to do with you, Director.”
After comforting her for quite a while and asking her to help look after things at home over the next few days, Director Zhao finally let go of her lingering concerns.
Because of this incident, the loading process was delayed. Su Caiqing hired a few more people to speed things up as much as possible.
After the goods were loaded, there was no time to linger. They set off the very same day, with Su Xiaozhuang still accompanying the shipment.
Su Caiqing said to Su Xiaozhuang, “I’m planning to take the train. Riding in a truck makes me uncomfortable. I want to arrive in Shanghai in my best condition to face the clients. What about you? Want to take the train with me?”
Without hesitation, Su Xiaozhuang shook his head. “If you’re not staying with the truck, then I definitely have to. What if something happens, or the driver secretly takes off with all our clothes? We have to be careful.”
Su Caiqing found this somewhat amusing. Su Xiaozhuang was likely still affected psychologically by the earlier incident with those thugs.
“Alright then, go with the truck if you want. We’ll meet in Shanghai. Make sure you bring your water bottle. Last time you forgot like a fool and were thirsty the whole way.” In those days, military-green water bottles were large and clunky, yet very popular.
Su Xiaozhuang took the water bottle. Su Caiqing also packed him a bundle of buns and mung bean cakes wrapped in kraft paper. “If you get hungry on the road, share them with the drivers. The buns are vegetarian. Meat buns are best eaten hot, so wait until you get to Shanghai to have those.”
Su Xiaozhuang nodded repeatedly. The large buns from last time were still fresh in his memory.
After taking care of things at home, Su Caiqing did not delay any further and took the train straight to Shanghai. The convoy that Su Xiaozhuang was with had already departed earlier.
After sleeping through the night, Su Caiqing arrived in Shanghai the next morning, still full of energy.
The Shanghai clients had been waiting eagerly. Most of their inventory had already sold out, and they were waiting for Su Caiqing’s shipment to restock.
After Su Caiqing completed the handover with Yu Zhixin, she watched as workers moved the clothes into the warehouse. Yu Zhixin said, “Many clients this time specifically requested Caiying brand Xingzi shirts. They said the ones with that label look better and feel more comfortable!”
Su Caiqing smiled. “Is that so? That’s good. The fabrics I chose are the most suitable for Xingzi shirts. Outsiders won’t notice anything special, they’ll just feel that my Xingzi shirts look better and are more comfortable to wear, without realizing how much thought went into each piece.”
Yu Zhixin did not hold back his praise. “Only you could come up with so many clever ideas. No one else seems to have your level of ingenuity.”
That remark made Su Caiqing pause for a moment. Was he trying to flirt?
The thought flashed by, but she did not dwell on it and simply said, “The polka dot skirts you ordered last time have also been brought. This time, we’ve also prepared some promotional posters for you free of charge.”
With that, she had Su Xiaozhuang retrieve them from the truck.
Yu Zhixin took one look. The posters featured two women wearing polka dot skirts in different colors, printed as large-format displays, even bigger than celebrity wall posters.
One of them was unmistakably Su Caiqing herself.
She stood quietly in a red skirt with white polka dots, a gentle smile on her face, radiating beauty.
The photo was taken by Liang Qiheng. He had even used it in his own storefront window to attract customers seeking portrait photography, which showed just how well it had turned out.
Yu Zhixin stared at it for quite a while before snapping back to reality. “Very good. I’ll have people put them up later. Many customers will likely fall in love with your polka dot skirts because of this.”
Su Caiqing said, “I think posters are a very effective form of advertising. Your department stores could try using them more often.”
Yu Zhixin nodded repeatedly in agreement.
Twenty-five thousand pieces of goods were unloaded. After parting ways with Yu Zhixin, Su Caiqing prepared to leave when he couldn’t help but run a few steps after her and ask, “Do you have time tonight? I’d like to treat you to a meal and also discuss signing a new supply contract.”
Su Caiqing responded straightforwardly, “Alright, let’s meet tonight. We’ll contact each other by phone then.”
In the process of meeting other clients, Su Caiqing presented the polka dot skirts and promotional posters, showcasing the new products.
Some clients showed interest, while others were not particularly enthusiastic, believing that Xingzi shirts were popular only because of a television drama and that Su Caiqing’s skirts were nothing special.
By the end of the day, she had signed two new orders and sold five thousand polka dot skirts.
Compared to the Xingzi shirts, Su Xiaozhuang inevitably felt a bit disappointed. “These skirts aren’t selling much.”
Su Caiqing was not surprised. “Xingzi shirts are extremely popular right now, so they sell easily and everyone is scrambling to get them. The market response for polka dot skirts hasn’t fully formed yet, so people are hesitant to take risks. Given the choice, they’d rather invest their money in more Xingzi shirts than buy polka dot skirts.”
Of course, the cost of polka dot skirts had previously been higher than Xingzi shirts, but now the situation has reversed. Because of the craze for Xingzi shirts, all kinds of white fabrics, whether cotton, linen, silk, satin, nylon, acrylic, or blends, had all increased in price.
Moreover, due to the high demand for Xingzi shirts, many factories required workers to work overtime, and overtime wages further increased costs. With so many middlemen involved in buying and reselling, the cost price of Xingzi shirts had naturally risen.
Even though Su Caiqing had also raised her prices slightly, compared to other factories, hers could still be considered reasonable.
That evening, Yu Zhixin once again invited the siblings to dine at a more upscale restaurant.
Su Xiaozhuang still felt somewhat novel and constrained, though he was much more at ease than the first time.
Walking toward the restaurant, Su Caiqing said to him, “Later, just make sure you casually mention that I have children when talking to Yu Zhixin.”
Su Xiaozhuang was a bit confused. “Huh? Why?”
Su Caiqing said, “Just do as I say. I’ll explain it to you afterward.”
Su Xiaozhuang nodded. “Alright.”
When they arrived, Yu Zhixin was already waiting.
After some pleasantries, the three of them took their seats.
After preparing himself for a while, Su Xiaozhuang awkwardly said, “My nephews should have finished dinner by now and be doing their homework, right?”
The atmosphere suddenly became a bit stiff, and Su Caiqing felt a wave of exasperation as an awkward tension set in.
Still, this was better than her having to bring it up herself.
“Probably. They were telling me before that pinyin is difficult to learn. I wonder how they’re doing now,” Su Caiqing followed his lead.
Yu Zhixin immediately became unsettled. “Nephews? What do you mean?”
Su Xiaozhuang also sensed something was off, but he still forced himself to continue. “Yes, my nephews, my sister’s children.”
Su Caiqing smoothed her hair and said, “Yes, my children. They just started primary school recently.”
“You’re already married?” Yu Zhixin was quite shocked.
This news hit him hard. From Su Caiqing’s appearance, she was not a youthful girl, but she also didn’t seem like a married woman with children.
Su Caiqing said calmly, “Yes, I married early. But this year I became a widow, and now I’m raising several children on my own.”
Yu Zhixin’s mind was suddenly in turmoil. All his recent thoughts and feelings seemed like a joke.
If she were simply a widow, he might have continued pursuing her without concern, and even considered marrying her. But having children made things entirely different. After weighing his options all this time, he had never intended to raise someone else’s children.
For the rest of the meal, he seemed distracted and no longer as enthusiastic as before.
Su Caiqing did not mind. In fact, she was glad she had discovered this early and directly dispelled his intentions. If it had dragged on and he found out later on his own, he might have thought she had intentionally led him on just to secure contracts and sell clothing.
Yu Zhixin’s meal felt bland and uninteresting, while Su Caiqing remained unaffected.
Shanghai’s local cuisine was quite to her liking, so she enjoyed the meal without any disturbance.
Seeing how indifferent she was, Yu Zhixin felt even more uncomfortable, as though she had never taken him seriously at all.
After the meal, Su Caiqing went to pay. Yu Zhixin was about to step in, but she stopped him and said, “Last time we left, I promised I would treat you. Consider me fulfilling that promise. Besides, you know I’m not short on this bit of money anymore.”
Yu Zhixin nodded awkwardly.
Su Caiqing paid the bill, politely said goodbye, and left the restaurant with Su Xiaozhuang.
Looking back several times, Su Xiaozhuang felt something was off and couldn’t help but ask, “Sis, that Manager Yu seems a bit strange, doesn’t he?”
Su Caiqing replied, “That’s normal. After learning that I have children, the thoughts he had were completely dispelled.”
“What do you mean?” Su Xiaozhuang was still rather clueless.
No wonder that at his age, Su Erzhuang had already managed to marry someone, while he was still single.
Su Caiqing patiently explained, “Manager Yu had a favorable impression of me and assumed I was unmarried and without children, which is why he treated me warmly. So I had you reveal the truth that I have children, to put an end to his unrealistic thoughts.”
Su Xiaozhuang scratched his head and thought for a long time before it finally clicked. “Oh, so that’s it. He minded that you have children?”
Su Caiqing gave a faint “mm.” “Probably.”
“If he doesn’t mind, he would actually be a pretty good choice,” Su Xiaozhuang said naively.
Su Caiqing couldn’t help but roll her eyes at him. “What are you even thinking? Even if he’s willing, I still have to be willing too!”
“He’s a good man. Why wouldn’t you be willing? He’s a purchasing manager at a department store, a stable iron rice bowl with a high income, and he’s from Shanghai. His education is probably not low either.”
Su Xiaozhuang kept rambling, and Su Caiqing felt a headache coming on. “Why must I find someone to marry again? Isn’t my current life good enough? If I marry again, I’d have to cook, wash clothes, and have children for him. How is that more comfortable than being able to travel around freely like I do now? Besides, being a stepfather to seven children is not an easy job.”
Su Xiaozhuang immediately fell silent. Even with just the thought of seven children, he himself was not very willing.
After delivering the goods, Su Caiqing spent some time selling off all the polka dot skirts she had brought and signed several new supply contracts with distributors.
This time, without Su Caiqing needing to say anything, Su Xiaozhuang already knew she would want to buy some things.
“Xiaozhuang, how are your goods selling?”
“They’re doing well,” Su Xiaozhuang replied. “Young ladies and married women all like face cream. Some even told me they’re willing to save up to buy it and asked me not to sell it all. As for snacks like biscuits, they were hard to sell at first, but I started breaking the boxes open and selling them one or two pieces at a time, and they sold quickly. People even bought the empty boxes back to store things in.” During this time, he had learned a great deal from running the business and had even begun thinking of ways to sell everything he had.
Su Caiqing praised him, saying, “You’re doing the right thing. In business, as long as you can sell the goods and make money, that’s the goal.”
“I did quite a bit this time.”
Of course, it couldn’t compare to what Su Caiqing earned, but for Su Xiaozhuang, it was already a lot. Not only had he never handled that much money in his life, but his older brothers, his parents, and even himself had likely never seen so much money before.
Su Xiaozhuang said, “I didn’t bring all the money with me. I’ll give it all to you when we get back.”
Su Caiqing wasn’t after his money. She said, “After deducting costs, give me thirty percent of the profit. The rest is yours. Do whatever you want with it. You can expand the business, or give it to our parents, it’s up to you.”
Su Xiaozhuang was stunned. “All of it to me?”
“Yes. After you calculate everything, give me a clear account to review.”
Su Xiaozhuang scratched his head again. Although he had learned quite a bit from Zhang Yunyang during this time, his calculation skills were still rather worrying.
“I’ll go back and calculate it carefully.”
He truly regretted not studying math properly when he had the chance.
This time, the items Su Caiqing purchased included not only daily necessities like cigarettes and liquor, but also various fabrics.
Jiyang had many factories and a fairly complete industrial system, making it a major industrial city. However, its production was relatively limited in variety, as factories had previously followed planned allocations. Unlike Shanghai, where market reforms had led to increasingly diverse demands, prompting factories to constantly develop new products.
Many of Su Caiqing’s clothing designs required suitable fabrics to bring them to life.
After staying in Shanghai for a few days, Su Caiqing did not linger. Once the goods were sold, new orders signed, and purchases completed, she and Su Xiaozhuang returned to Jiyang.
Just like before, Su Xiaozhuang traveled by truck, while she took the train.
As soon as he arrived, Su Xiaozhuang immediately found several porters to help unload the goods, and the fabrics Su Caiqing had purchased were quickly carried into her home.
Su Caiqing did not like outsiders entering her room, so she had her two younger sisters help bring the fabrics inside.
“Sis, are all these for making new clothes?” Su Yaomei asked excitedly, her eyes sparkling. She loved wearing new clothes.
Su Caiqing sat down and poured herself a cup of tea. “Yes, it’s time to make new styles.”
Although the weather was still warm, it was already September. A change toward cooler weather was inevitable, and summer clothing would soon go out of season. She needed to prepare a batch of winter clothing.
Jiyang was not a particularly cold place. In winter, temperatures below freezing were rare, but that did not stop Su Caiqing from preparing winter wear.
Su Yaomei sat down and asked, “Sis, can I learn how to make clothes?”
Su Caiqing thought about it. Making clothes was not difficult, and skilled tailors were common. The key lay in design.
So she said, “You can start by learning cutting and sewing with me, then pattern making. Once your academic foundation is strong enough, I’ll teach you clothing design.”
Su Yaomei quickly nodded.
Seeing Su Genmei nearby, Su Caiqing also asked her to sit down. “You’ve all had some schooling, so you have a basic foundation. Plus, Zhang Yunyang has helped reinforce your studies over this period. In a couple of months, I’ll assess your level and send you to night school.”
Su Genmei had no objections. Living in the city had made her realize that even simple things like going out, taking transport, and reading signs required education. Without it, it would be difficult to live well here.
Su Yaomei was a bit reluctant, as she had never liked studying.
But since Su Caiqing had made the decision, no one dared to object.
After resting for a while, Su Caiqing was organizing fabrics in the house when the older children returned from school.
At the time, primary school ended at around three in the afternoon, and schools were not particularly strict.
The moment they entered and realized their mother was back, the children were overjoyed and called out loudly from outside.
Su Caiqing responded from inside, “I’m here!”
“Mom, what are you doing?” Zhang Yunbing ran in at the front as expected.
“I just brought back some fabrics and am checking them. Are you hungry? There are red bean pastries on the table,” Su Caiqing said.
“We’ll wash our hands first before eating.”
The children lingered in the room for a bit before heading out again.
Su Caiqing felt that they seemed to have something on their minds, but none of them spoke up.
She did not press them, letting it be.
That evening, Wang Chaoying came straight over after getting off work.
Business matters were not urgent at this moment; she had simply come to check on Su Caiqing.
While chatting, they brought up another topic. “Strange. I waited all day today but didn’t get a call from Manager Yu. He used to call so frequently last time. I thought he would call as soon as you got back!”
Su Caiqing said, “Don’t worry, he won’t call again.”
“Why not?” Wang Chaoying looked intrigued.
Su Caiqing replied, “Because he’s already let go of those strange thoughts. It’s hard for a man to feel anything toward a widow with seven children, don’t you think?”
While emotions aren’t bound by age, gender, or background, when it comes to marriage, most people still consider practical realities.
Although the saying that women hold up half the sky was widely known and women’s status had improved significantly, widows were still at a disadvantage in the marriage market.
Moreover, Su Caiqing herself had never considered the matter. Her children were still young and needed her care.
Wang Chaoying said indignantly, “That man is too realistic!”
Su Caiqing replied, “He never explicitly said or promised anything. What is there to be angry about? Besides, when Director Zhao helps match people, doesn’t she also say that men who are divorced or widowed are better off if they don’t have children? Stepparents are not easy to be. Is being a stepfather any easier?”
Wang Chaoying inwardly agreed but still felt a bit unwilling.
“Hmph! With someone as capable as you, those men are the ones lacking vision for giving you up. Such a man isn’t worth it.”
Su Caiqing merely shrugged. She could be a strong career woman and a devoted mother, but that didn’t necessarily make her a good wife.
Wang Chaoying sighed repeatedly, looking even more regretful than Su Caiqing herself.
Unable to stand her expression, Su Caiqing changed the subject. “Have you figured out what happened with the Chunyan Department Store suddenly canceling their order last time?”
At this, Wang Chaoying looked even more exasperated. “I did find out, and it seems it has something to do with you.”
“With me?” Su Caiqing looked puzzled.
Wang Chaoying nodded. “Don’t get angry when I tell you, but there’s a rumor going around that Liang Qiheng and you, a widow, have opened a ‘husband-and-wife shop’ together.”
Su Caiqing’s eyes widened in shock. “Wha… what kind of talk is that!”
Wang Chaoying nodded. “Exactly.”
There was nothing improper between Su Caiqing and Liang Qiheng, yet people were spreading baseless rumors.
After a moment of scattered thoughts, Su Caiqing mentally cursed those rumor-mongers a dozen times before suddenly asking, “What does this have to do with Chunyan Department Store canceling the order?”
Wang Chaoying snorted. “You don’t know this. I have a classmate named Zhang Lihua. Her father is the manager of Chunyan Department Store, responsible for procurement, sales, hiring, and firing. Zhang Lihua has liked Liang Qiheng since school days, but he never had any interest in her.”
Su Caiqing let out a long “oh,” then said, “So because of the ‘husband-and-wife shop’ rumor, she had her father cancel our order?”
Wang Chaoying replied, “Eighty to ninety percent likely. She’s always looked down on others, especially classmates from worker or farming families, and she often spoke ill of people. Most of us didn’t like her.”
Given Wang Chaoying’s character, her assessment carried weight, making the possibility highly likely.
Still, Su Caiqing found it hard to believe. “Just for that? Over some baseless rumor?”
“Sis, what do you mean ‘just for that’? You don’t know how popular Liang Qiheng was at school. Many girls liked him. Some had admired him since middle school, and by university, some even confessed to him directly. He’s handsome, his father is a professor, his mother is a middle school teacher, and his family background is excellent. His academic performance was also outstanding. If he hadn’t chosen not to become a teacher, he would have had a very promising future.”
In Su Caiqing’s mind, Liang Qiheng’s image surfaced. To be honest, among the many handsome men she had seen, he was not the most outstanding, but he had solid qualities. He was tall, had sharp features, thick eyebrows and bright eyes, and he carried himself with a certain effortless charm that could easily attract admiration from younger girls.
But thinking about the rumors linking him to herself made her feel oddly uncomfortable, as though she had somehow dragged him down.
“Sister Caiqing, why are you making that strange expression?” Wang Chaoying thought she still didn’t believe it.
Su Caiqing said, “Nothing, I’m just surprised. I didn’t expect people to connect with us like that.”
“It’s simple. You two have been seen coming and going together so many times,” Wang Chaoying said.
At this point, there was no way to explain it. They could only let the rumor fade on its own. Once Liang Qiheng eventually got married, people would naturally realize there had been nothing between them.
“Forget it, let’s not talk about this anymore. Since it’s a private matter causing these issues, there’s not much we can do. We can’t go around explaining ourselves either. Since they no longer want to cooperate, then so be it. We’ll move forward. I brought back some fabrics from Shanghai this time and plan to start working on new clothing designs.”
Wang Chaoying’s attention was immediately diverted. “Already? The Xingzi shirts and polka dot skirts are still selling well!”
Su Caiqing replied, “We can’t always follow the season. We can’t wait until the autumn wind arrives before preparing autumn and winter collections. We need to stay ahead.”
At this time, it was not yet common for stores to switch to winter clothing before summer had even ended.
After thinking about the effort involved in making autumn and winter garments, Wang Chaoying agreed that new designs should indeed be prepared in advance.
It was getting late, so Wang Chaoying left first, planning to come back over the weekend to settle accounts for this trip.
After she left, Su Caiqing sat under the lamp in thought. Two men had now been indirectly connected to her, and being a widow truly made things inconvenient.
Fortunately, only Wang Chaoying knew some of the Shanghai matters. As for Su Xiaozhuang, she had instructed him not to tell anyone, not her two younger sisters, nor her elder brother or parents. Su Xiaozhuang took her words very seriously.
If rumors of Yu Zhixin’s interest in her reached Jiyang, it would likely cement a reputation of her being an indecent woman who seduced men.
Women were never truly at ease in any era. Su Caiqing let out a quiet sigh.
But these worries only lingered briefly. Soon, she pushed them aside and filled her mind once again with business and her children.
She had a feeling the children were hiding something, but since none of them had spoken, she decided to wait patiently.
This time, she finally had a telephone installed at home.
By now, the household had a television, a washing machine, and a telephone. Life was steadily improving.
With the phone installed, many things became much more convenient. At least the distributors in Shanghai could now contact her directly, and any supply needs would be communicated to her immediately.
“The polka dot skirts we bought last time sold really well. Some customers even asked whose celebrity photo was on the poster I put at the entrance and what movie she starred in,” said Boss Qi, who ran his own shop.
Su Caiqing smiled. “To be mistaken for a celebrity, I feel truly honored.”
Boss Qi’s voice was loud and carried clearly over the phone. “Exactly! Boss Su, you’re not only beautiful but also smart. Now when customers come to buy clothes, they ask if the Xingzi shirts are from Caiying. They only buy after hearing that they are!”
He was not the first to say such things.
“This is recognition of our products from the customers, and I’m very happy,” Su Caiqing replied.
“Yes, so if you have any new products in the future, remember to contact me!” Boss Qi reminded her.
“Of course! As soon as I have samples, I’ll show them to you first,” Su Caiqing agreed readily.
“Great! I’m busy here, so I’ll hang up now. Goodbye, Boss Su.”
Not long after the home phone was installed and the number shared, it rang frequently.
Standing at the doorway for a while, Liang Qiheng finally walked in and said, “You’re really starting to look like a boss now.”
Su Caiqing smiled. “Listen to you, as if you’re not a boss yourself.”
If one looked at Liang Qiheng carefully, he was indeed a rather rare and outstanding-looking man.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Liang Qiheng felt a little uneasy.
Su Caiqing smiled, showing no embarrassment at being caught. “Nothing. I was just thinking about whether to make some men’s clothing this winter.”
As for the Chunyan Department Store matter, she decided not to tell him. It was not something to be proud of.
Upon hearing this, Liang Qiheng showed great interest. “That sounds great. I’ve always wondered what your men’s designs would look like.”
He was someone who enjoyed dressing well and taking care of his appearance.
Hearing this, he looked forward to it eagerly.
Su Caiqing said, “Perfect, you can be my model and help me try on the clothes.”
“No problem! If it’s something you personally design and make, I’m willing to pay a high price for it.”
He was very aware of Su Caiqing’s skills.
“Let’s talk about that later. If things go smoothly, I might just give it to you,” Su Caiqing said.
Men’s clothing had a smaller market than women’s, but with the development of commerce, business attire for men also carried considerable profit. After all, men like Liang Qiheng, who cared about their appearance, were not uncommon.
The desire for beauty exists in both men and women.
After chatting for a while about clothing, Liang Qiheng finally remembered his purpose. “The weather is starting to cool. The wedding photos we scheduled earlier should be arranged soon.”
Su Caiqing nodded. “Yes, I’ve been thinking about that too. After we finish another two batches of Xingzi shirts, we’ll start focusing on autumn clothing. The Shanghai side won’t need them as urgently or in such large quantities.”
Liang Qiheng asked curiously, “Xingzi shirts are still popular, so why are you planning to stop making them now?”
Su Caiqing replied, “As the weather cools, the popularity of Xingzi shirts will fade. Besides, after this period of rapid sales, the market is becoming saturated. Not just in Shanghai, even in Jiyang, if you walk down the street, eight out of ten girls are wearing Xingzi shirts.”
Liang Qiheng thought about it and realized it was true.
He couldn’t help but admire Su Caiqing’s business insight and foresight.
Thinking about the rumors outside, Liang Qiheng felt nothing but disdain for those who failed to understand her capabilities. The so-called “husband-and-wife shop” rumor had not only spread among outsiders, but even his own older brother had asked him about it, which had become quite irritating.
While others judged Su Caiqing negatively because she was a widow, Liang Qiheng instead felt that she was someone who became more attractive the more one interacted with her.
The word “attractive” suddenly entered his mind, and he felt momentarily dazed at why he would use such a term.
After agreeing on the wedding photo schedule, Liang Qiheng left.
Su Caiqing took out her notebook and planned out her schedule.
Every day was full, every day brought in income, and life felt filled with hope, which made her genuinely happy.
In the evening, while she was cooking, her son Zhang Yunyang hesitantly approached her. “Mom, I want to tell you something.”
Su Caiqing said, “Come here and help me tend the fire while you tell me.”
Zhang Yunyang sat on the small stool by the stove, glancing at his busy mother, looking somewhat hesitant to speak.
Su Caiqing wiped her hands and asked, “Are you running into some difficulty?”
Zhang Yunyang shook his head. “No, I just… I want to move up to second grade.”
Perhaps not knowing the term “grade skipping,” he expressed it this way.
Su Caiqing asked, “What made you think of that?”
Zhang Yunyang said somewhat shyly, “I feel that first grade is too easy. I’ve finished all the textbooks, and nothing is difficult for me. I want to learn new things.”
She knew her son was very intelligent, but she had not expected him to want to skip a grade.
After thinking for a moment, she said, “I’ll need to discuss this with your school. If the school agrees, then you can move to second grade.”
Zhang Yunyang obediently nodded.
Su Caiqing had no objection. If a child was capable and progressed quickly, that was fine. There were even people who entered university at fifteen or sixteen.
Unexpectedly, it was Zhang Yunbing who objected. “If Zhang Yunyang goes to second grade, people will laugh at us!”
Su Caiqing was momentarily confused. “Why would anyone laugh at you? There are children who enter second grade at ten years old and no one laughs at them.”
Zhang Yunbing puffed her cheeks and said, “People will say the sister is not as good as the younger brother, that the younger brother is ahead of us!”
Only then did Su Caiqing understand the root of the issue. It was a somewhat unusual but very real sense of pride in a child. Looking at Zhang Yunqing as well, she saw the same worry and unhappiness.
The two sisters shared the same concern.
Su Caiqing said, “This is your brother’s choice. If he has the ability to go to second grade, I will let him do so.”
“Mom—” Zhang Yunbing couldn’t help but shout.
Su Caiqing raised a finger to her lips and shushed her. “If you have thoughts or opinions, express them properly instead of shouting.”
Zhang Yunbing stopped shouting, though her eyes turned red and filled with tears.
Su Caiqing knelt down and said, “Yunyang is your brother. If he can skip from first to second grade, that means he’s very capable, doesn’t it?”
Zhang Yunbing stubbornly bit her lip, but still nodded slightly.
“As his sister, you should feel happy and proud, because he is your brother. Other people don’t have such smart brothers, do they?”
Indeed, Zhang Yunyang was her brother, not anyone else’s.
Zhang Yunbing murmured in agreement.
Su Caiqing held her hand and said, “Your brother being excellent doesn’t mean you are not excellent, it just means he is a bit more advanced in that area. What you should do is make yourself better too. Then others will say, ‘Ah, their siblings are all excellent, all of them do well in school.’ Don’t you think so?”
Zhang Yunbing thought it over and accepted the reasoning, nodding obediently.
Su Caiqing wiped her tears and said, “When you see someone excellent, you should think about how to become excellent yourself, not feel sour with jealousy. My Yunbing and Yunqing are both very smart. How could you possibly be worse than others? Of course not. You are my precious daughters, I know you best.”
“I also want to go to second grade,” Zhang Yunbing said through tears.
Su Caiqing nodded without hesitation. “No problem. The same applies to you as Yunyang. As long as the school approves, I have no objection.”
“How can the school agree?” she asked.
“They will probably test your abilities,” Su Caiqing replied, though she was not entirely certain.
When Su Caiqing went to the school to propose that the children skip grades, the teachers were not very understanding or supportive.
Zhang Yunyang was acceptable. He had shown from the start that he was a diligent student, attentive in class and hardworking afterward, almost as if he were born to study.
But the pair of twins did not seem particularly outstanding.
Su Caiqing said, “The children are confident and want to try. I think testing one child is testing, testing three is also testing. It’s better to let them all try. If they succeed, it’s cause for celebration. If some fail, it’s a valuable lesson. They should try to know the outcome.”
She did not want to limit her children’s development. Anything they were interested in, she encouraged them to try. Success was good, and failure was an opportunity to learn and improve, with nothing to lose.
Fortunately, the principal was familiar with Principal Jiang and had also heard about Zhang Min’s situation. He knew that Zhang Min had been a person with great academic talent, and if not for health issues, he would have undoubtedly become a university student.
Since the children of such a person, they might very well have inherited his talent.
After considering it, the principal decided to give them a chance.
The assessment was not complicated. The three children would complete several test papers in the teachers’ office, and their results would determine whether they could skip a grade.
On the day of the assessment, Su Caiqing waited outside the office, watching for the children to finish.
The three children could see her figure outside the door, which made them feel much more at ease.
They had only recently learned to hold a pen and write, and the twin sisters were especially new to it.
Yet this time, they wrote each stroke with great care.
After finishing the tests, they did not have to wait long for results. Several teachers gathered to grade the papers.
On the second-grade papers, Zhang Yunyang scored over eighty in Chinese and over ninety in math, placing him among the excellent students in second grade.
Zhang Yunbing and Zhang Yunqing both scored in the seventies. While this was enough to pass the threshold for skipping, it was not particularly outstanding for second grade.
The teachers even tried to persuade Su Caiqing, suggesting that Zhang Yunyang could skip, but the two girls did not need to. Su Caiqing shook her head and said, “We already agreed that as long as they passed, they would be allowed to attend second grade. If I now persuade them to go back, I would be breaking my promise. Trust is something that cannot be eroded like that.”