Zhou Qin hung up the phone with a delighted smile.
When she looked up, she saw Old Song standing silently by the door. She had no idea how long he had been there.
She shot him an annoyed sideways glance. “Are you sneaking around like a thief? You didn’t make a sound.”
Song Bingkun wiped the thoughtful look from his face and put on a suitably honest, good-natured smile.
“I heard you talking to A-Yu and didn’t want to interrupt you mother and daughter. What did she say? You’re grinning from ear to ear.”
Zhou Qin had no intention of keeping it completely secret. She was just about to explain when she heard footsteps approaching from the corridor. A moment later, Ji Hong from the same office sashayed in, swinging her hips.
Seeing the husband and wife together, she gave a coquettish laugh and teased them, “Oh my, I really came at the wrong time. Did I interrupt the factory director and Madam while you were whispering sweet nothings?”
Though she said that, there was little sincerity in her expression. Her eyes were even less restrained, circling Song Bingkun like searchlights.
Ji Hong was a woman with improper thoughts, and she especially enjoyed making suggestive remarks without regard for whether they were appropriate.
Zhou Qin had never liked her much, and the delight immediately faded from her face.
She replied coolly, “What private matters could my husband and I have that we couldn’t discuss at home? At the factory, naturally, we’re discussing official business. Don’t ask about things you have no business knowing.”
The two of them were, after all, a factory director and an accountant, so there really were plenty of matters they needed to coordinate at work.
Ji Hong looked embarrassed. She raised a hand and tucked the loose hair at her temple behind her ear.
Then she gave Song Bingkun an inconspicuous glance and deliberately swayed her plump body.
She was already in her forties, but she had a curvaceous figure and dressed with care. At first glance, she could indeed be called a woman of extraordinary allure.
“Then I misspoke. Sister Zhou, don’t take it to heart. You two carry on.”
Although she said that, it was impossible to tell whether she was deliberately trying to annoy them or really had business there. She turned around, sat down at her own desk, and did not leave.
Zhou Qin found it thoroughly irritating and gave her back an exaggerated roll of the eyes.
There was an old saying that matters succeeded when kept secret. Her daughter’s situation had only just begun to show promise, so it was inappropriate to spread the news. Better to be cautious.
She subconsciously looked toward Song Bingkun. The man had his shortcomings, but he was a decent person.
Walking over to him, she lowered her voice. “After work, go buy some braised dishes. I’ll pick up our son and go home to fry a few simple dishes. We’ll have a drink tonight.”
It was obvious that something good had happened in the family. Only then did Song Bingkun relax, nodding without hesitation.
“While you’re at it, pick up a few Chinese medicines for me too. I’ve been feeling a little unwell and need to regulate my health.”
The moment she heard that he wanted to fiddle around with Chinese medicine, Zhou Qin frowned in displeasure.
“If you’re sick, go to the hospital for an examination. Do you think medicine is something you can just take recklessly?”
Song Bingkun remained completely unruffled and said solemnly, “You don’t understand. The prescriptions handed down by our ancestors are the most effective. Western doctors reach for surgery at the slightest excuse, and all the medicines they use are antibiotics. Take them for too long and they’ll cause all kinds of harm. Traditional Chinese medicine is still—”
Zhou Qin’s good mood immediately took a nosedive. Her face filled with impatience.
“All right, all right, all right. Hurry up and give me the prescription. When we get home, go simmer your medicine in the stairwell. If you make the whole house smell like Chinese medicine, you’ll see what I do to you!”
Song Bingkun had long been accustomed to her foul temper and was not offended in the slightest.
He swiftly pulled a slip of paper he had already prepared from the pocket of his Mao suit.
He had gone to a meeting that morning, so he was dressed somewhat more formally than usual.
Zhou Qin took the note without even looking at him, turned around, and went back to her work.
Song Bingkun did not mind. He had come over in the first place to repair the water kettle for his wife. They could each attend to their own business.
As the factory director’s wife, Zhou Qin did enjoy a little privilege.
Once she had finished dealing with the matters at hand, leaving early once in a while was no great offense.
Then, because she had to visit several more pharmacies to gather all the Chinese medicines, she nearly failed to make it in time to pick up her son from school.
There were many children in those days, and they were not especially pampered. They all went to and from school on their own.
The textile factory school was not far from their home. Her younger son, Song Congchun, had always gone to and from school by himself and had never needed his parents to worry about him.
So when he suddenly saw his mother waiting outside the school gate with a bicycle, Song Congchun was somewhat surprised.
Once he realized what was happening, the boy, who was only a little over ten, quickly ran over to Zhou Qin.
Old Song had no shortage of sons, and although he appeared not to care much about his younger son, Zhou Qin cherished the boy with all her heart.
She loved her daughter too, but deep-rooted traditional thinking still made her believe that her son would be the one to support her in the latter half of her life.
On that front, even Old Song had to take second place.
The moment her son came over, Zhou Qin took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from his face.
“Look at how filthy you are. Even when you’re playing with your classmates, you still have to pay attention to hygiene.”
Song Congchun flashed a bright, toothy smile. His young and handsome face shone like a spring flower.
Perhaps because his mother was so beautiful, all her children had inherited an attractive appearance.
Song Congchun lowered his head to look at the stains on his clothes and could not help feeling annoyed.
“Mom, I really didn’t notice. I won’t do it again next time. Whose bicycle is this?”
Compared with the families living in the surrounding streets and alleys, their family was not badly off. Besides, his parents usually took a factory shuttle bus to and from work.
There was a bicycle at home, but it was for Song Meiting to ride to work.
She taught at a village primary school in the countryside, where there was no direct bus service, so she had no choice but to ride a bicycle herself.
Zhou Qin motioned for her son to get on. Once he was seated, she began pedaling and explained, “I borrowed it from a coworker at the factory. Your father made me buy that ridiculous bitter broth of his. If I didn’t ride, my legs would break from all the running around.”
Old Song’s recent hobbies really were difficult to describe.
Song Congchun knew everything about what went on in the family. It was not some harmful vice, after all, and did not matter much.
“My dad doesn’t have many hobbies besides work. We’ll just put up with it.”
His small-adult tone made Zhou Qin burst out laughing.
“You’re all the ones indulging him. If he really comes down with a serious illness one day and refuses to go to the hospital, what will you do then?”
Song Congchun was very open-minded about it. When that day came, they could talk about it then. There was no need to worry now.
The breeze blew gently as he swung his legs from the back seat, enjoying himself immensely.
“Mom, when is my sister coming back?”
After all, they shared the same mother, and Song Congchun was closer to Zhong Yu.
Although he was also a son of the Song household, his older brothers and sisters with the same surname were still wary of him, as though he would take away all the family’s property. Only Zhong Yu sincerely treated him as a younger brother and doted on him, so naturally he thought of her more often.
Zhou Qin was delighted to see her son and daughter getting along and helping each other. That was the way to build a lasting family.
As for her stepchildren, they had been useless at their studies and lived off the family’s past savings and achievements. What could she possibly expect from them?
She wished they would stay as far away from her son as possible. If Old Song had been willing, she would have separated the households long ago.
Not wanting those two useless siblings to ruin her mood, Zhou Qin happily shared the news with her son.
“Your sister will be coming back soon. She’s finished her standardized training and will officially start working soon.”
Song Congchun admired his sister more than anyone else, and his face glowed with pride.
“My sister is going to stay at that big hospital in the capital, isn’t she? It’ll be a shame that we won’t be able to see each other often. She probably won’t be able to stay for more than a few days this time either.”
Zhou Qin quickly shook her head. “She isn’t leaving again after she comes back this time.”
Song Congchun was startled. His body tilted to one side, and the bicycle swerved with him. They nearly fell.
“Did the big hospital in the capital not want my sister?”
Zhou Qin chided him, “You’re already so grown-up, yet you still jump at every little thing. I haven’t finished speaking.
“Your sister wants to join Fuda University Affiliated Nanshan Hospital. It’s a Grade Three-A hospital too, and it’s no worse than Capital Hospital. She’ll also be able to stay here with your mother and me. What could be better?”
Song Congchun brightened at once.
“That really is great news. But I heard from my classmates that Nanshan Hospital has very high standards. Is my sister certain she’ll get in?”
Zhou Qin looked completely composed.
“She only called me today. She’s confident it will work out, but nothing has been finalized yet, so we have to keep it under wraps for now.”
Their family situation was complicated, after all. Some people were incapable of accomplishing anything, but that did not mean they could not think up trouble.
Though Song Congchun was young, he was a sharp little thing. At this moment, he might even be more capable than his elder brother.
“Mom, we should wait for my sister to announce it herself before telling outsiders. It wouldn’t be right to hide every bit of it from Dad either.”
Old Song seemed unconcerned about family matters, but he actually kept a careful account of everything in his heart.
He had his own principles, and though he did not say much, he could not be taken lightly.
Zhou Qin had already thought it through.
“Don’t worry. We’ll tell people half of it and hide the other half. As long as we don’t spell it out, who will know for certain?”
Song Congchun nodded in agreement. Better to avoid trouble whenever possible.
By the time mother and son leisurely made it home, the others had not yet returned.
Zhou Qin told her son to go to his room to read and do his homework while she hurried into the kitchen to start preparing the meal.
Their home was not large, but it had a separate kitchen and bathroom, which already put them better off than many families.
With so many people eating, making too little would never be enough, so Zhou Qin had to work herself quite hard.
She was brisk and efficient. By the time the food was served, the father and sons had all returned as well.
Song Botao was still wearing the blood-spattered work clothes from the meat-packing plant. He walked in carrying two ounces of meat.
Smelling the food, he instinctively looked toward the dining table first.
When he saw the braised pig’s feet and the alcohol laid out on it, his face immediately fell.
“Dad, did you find money somewhere? Braised pig’s feet are so expensive. One serving costs nearly half a month of food expenses for our family. If you really want to eat them, I can buy some from our factory and have Aunt Qin braise them.”
Zhou Qin happened to be bringing out the bowls and chopsticks. She set them down on the table and replied with a smile that did not reach her eyes, “I’m not the Song family’s housemaid. You open your mouth and start assigning me chores. Do you think I depend on the two of you to survive?”
Old Song was wringing out a towel from the washbasin and wiping his face. Completely unconcerned, he said, “There are four wage earners in this family. It’s not as if we can’t afford some pig’s feet. Why fuss over it?”
Song Botao tossed the meat into a basket and pulled a disgruntled face.
“If our family really has money, then don’t waste it all on eating and drinking. We should hurry up and buy a house instead. I’ll have to get married and start a family sooner or later, won’t I? How are we supposed to fit all these people under one roof?”
As soon as he finished speaking, Song Meiting happened to enter the room.
She looked displeased too, dusting the dirt from her trouser legs as she walked.
“Dad, when are you going to use your connections to transfer me back? I’ve had enough of that miserable backwater.”
Old Song frowned unhappily.
“Not one of you is easy to deal with. You’re all like debt collectors. Can’t you let me eat one peaceful meal?”
Song Congchun had been watching the commotion for quite a while. The moment he caught his mother’s glance, he immediately stepped in to smooth things over.
“Dad, I’m still growing and I’m practically starving. Are we eating or not?”
Old Song had not truly intended to lose his temper. He took advantage of the opening to sit down at the table and waved his hand dismissively.
“Let’s eat first. Those miscellaneous matters aren’t things that can be resolved in a moment.”
Song Botao was unhappy and was just about to say something when Song Meiting tugged at his sleeve.
He glanced at his sister. Though unwilling, he ultimately swallowed his anger and backed down.
Once he had quieted down, Song Meiting went to wash her hands, then came over and sat down on Zhou Qin’s left.
Looking at the unusually sumptuous spread, she asked with a beaming smile, “Aunt Qin, is there some happy occasion we’re celebrating today?”
Her eldest daughter’s question reminded Old Song of what had happened that morning.
He turned to look at Zhou Qin, his eyes full of inquiry.