Song Meiting was far more calculating than Song Botao.
She was the same age as Zhong Yu and had always competed with her in everything, scheming against her in every way she could.
It was not until Zhong Yu’s college entrance examination results came out that she finally began keeping her head down and behaving herself.
Who else in this household could stand seeing Zhong Yu do well, if not her?
Zhou Qin gave her a meaningful look and spoke in an even tone.
“It’s nothing serious. My A-Yu is graduating and coming home.”
The smile on Song Meiting’s face froze, and the skin around her mouth pulled unnaturally.
Then she pretended not to care and asked, “A-Yu’s graduating already? I thought medical students had to spend several years doing internships. I figured that by the time she started working, she’d have become an old maid.”
Zhou Qin lowered her head and took a sip of soup, completely unaffected. Only someone consumed by jealousy would say such vicious things.
“A-Yu already has her physician’s license. What can I say? She’s clever, and she started school early.”
After saying this, she gave Song Meiting another meaningful look.
“Have you forgotten? A-Yu is the same age as you. She started school early and even skipped a grade. If she’s an old maid, what does that make you?”
Song Meiting’s expression grew even uglier. Ever since her father remarried, she had never managed to gain the slightest advantage over this mother and daughter.
Song Botao failed to hear the sarcasm and continued shoveling rice into his mouth expressionlessly.
Showing all his teeth, Song Congchun put a piece of pig’s trotter into his big brother’s bowl.
“Big Brother, you must be exhausted. There’s nothing but hard physical labor at the meat-processing plant. You should eat more and build yourself back up.”
He was clearly trying to stuff food into his brother’s mouth to keep him quiet. Old Song acted as though he had heard nothing and turned his head toward Zhou Qin.
“So, has the work assignment been settled? Can she stay in the capital?”
Zhou Qin shook her head. Before she could answer, Song Meiting cut in again.
“Oh, Aunt Qin, as far as I know, outstanding medical students all stay on to work at their university’s affiliated hospitals. Is A-Yu running out of steam? Well, I suppose surgery really is better suited to men.”
Zhou Qin set down her bowl and chopsticks, still without getting angry.
“My A-Yu is filial. She’s worried that Congchun and I will be bullied, so she wants to come back and work in Hai City. Her supervising professors think very highly of her.”
Old Song did not give his daughter a chance to speak either.
“A-Yu worries too much. You and Congchun still have me to protect you. But it’s good for her to come back, too. Which hospital can she join?”
Old Song was thinking further ahead. Although working at Capital Hospital would be prestigious, it would not do much for the family. If he could lend a hand here in Hai City, he was willing to put in the effort.
Zhou Qin was pleased to hear him say that. After all, he was a factory director and had connections.
Song Meiting, however, bristled and raised her voice.
“Dad! Is it true that once there’s a stepmother, there’s a stepfather too? I’m still stuck in that godforsaken backwater, and even if you’re going to pull strings, shouldn’t you be helping me? She has an education and ability—why would she need you to add flowers to brocade?”
Without waiting for Zhou Qin to respond, Song Congchun wiped his mouth and said with a grin, “Big Sis, even if Dad wanted to help you, you’d need an education first. Even the least qualified teachers at our school have junior-college degrees.”
Zhou Qin brightened and quickly chimed in.
“Exactly. Favors have to be repaid. Helping with something small is one thing, but groveling and begging on your knees while throwing away your dignity—what would that look like? Doesn’t your father have any pride left?”
Song Meiting was so furious that her chest hurt. She shrieked in protest, “There’s nothing shameful about begging for your own daughter! Begging your father and kowtowing for someone with no blood relation to you—that’s what a fool does!”
Even Song Botao, slow as he was, could tell that his father was angry. He hurriedly pulled his sister back down into her seat.
“Speak properly. What are you getting so worked up about?”
Zhou Qin leisurely finished the last mouthful of wine in her cup. Without even looking at Song Meiting, she said calmly, “A-Yu has her teacher’s recommendation. She can go to whichever hospital she wants. She doesn’t need to beg anyone.”
She had said it with considerable force. If her daughter had not been so capable, Zhou Qin truly would never have been able to hold her head up in this household.
Song Meiting was like a clown putting on a performance, bouncing around only to gain nothing at all.
The moment Song Botao heard that Zhong Yu was coming back, he immediately stated his position.
“Dad, I don’t care where A-Yu works. She’s capable, after all. But let me make this clear first: I’m not sleeping in the same room as Congchun.”
Song Congchun made a sound of surprise and asked with an innocent expression, “Big Brother, didn’t you know? My sister has a place of her own. Uncle Zhong’s work-unit apartment on Weihai Road was transferred into my sister’s name a long time ago.”
Song Botao looked at his father in bewilderment. Song Meiting’s face twisted with jealousy.
The two of them were both shocked. They had assumed the apartment had long since been returned to the machinery factory. Who would have guessed it had already been transferred?
Song Meiting’s eyes shifted. She stood up, slipped her arm through Zhou Qin’s, and said sweetly, “Aunt Qin, it’s such a waste to leave that apartment empty for so many years.
“My brother is bound to get married and start a family eventually, and there really isn’t enough room in our house. We’re all family, so there’s no need to distinguish between what’s yours and what’s mine. Why not just let A-Yu come back and live here? That way, you can take better care of her, too.
“Lend the apartment on Weihai Road to my brother for his wedding. Wouldn’t that make everyone happy?”
Song Botao’s eyes lit up at his sister’s words, and he looked at Zhou Qin with earnest expectation.
Song Congchun, meanwhile, looked as though he had swallowed a fly. He nearly threw up.
Zhou Qin yanked her arm out of Song Meiting’s grasp without the slightest courtesy and shot her a look of utter disgust.
She slammed the bowl and chopsticks in her hand onto the table, pointed at Old Song, and said, “Song Bingkun, my daughter was not raised by your family. That apartment was left to her by her biological father, and the machinery factory has been sending her living expenses every month. She has never taken advantage of your Old Song family, so don’t you dare start scheming to take advantage of her!”
Song Bingkun had not expected his daughter to say something so shameless either.
As the director of the textile factory, he had always conducted himself with integrity and honesty. He never imagined he would raise a daughter with no sense of decency whatsoever.
“What nonsense are you spouting? Have I ever let you go hungry or left you without clothes? How can you be so narrow-minded? And you—”
He turned and glared furiously at his eldest son. Seeing the boy’s blank, confused expression, he immediately deflated like a punctured ball.
The boy was as thick as a block of wood. No matter how much he said, it would all be wasted breath.
“Forget it. All of you, get out. Not one of you gives me any peace. If you start coveting things that don’t belong to you again, I’ll break your legs.”
Song Meiting curled her lip dismissively. She had long since grown too old to be afraid of her father.
“Dad, don’t be angry. If you find me an eyesore, I’ll leave right now. Finals are coming up at school anyway, so it’s not as though I have much time to keep traveling back and forth.”
With that, she headed into the kitchen. After rummaging around for a while, she packed a large bag with the household’s cured meat and dried vegetables. She even put in the two ounces of meat Song Botao had brought home.
“Aunt Qin, didn’t Dad buy quite a lot of dried noodles last time? I need to take some to school. There’s nothing to eat or drink over there. I can’t exactly starve to death, can I?”
Old Song was still furious, but despite his displeasure, he got up without hesitation and brought the food out for his daughter.
After taking enough provisions to last her quite some time, Song Meiting grabbed several changes of clothes and left without lingering for even a moment.
When Zhou Qin saw that the house had been stripped bare, her teeth chattered with anger.
Song Congchun rubbed his forehead helplessly, then spent a long time comforting his mother in private.
The food itself was not worth much. What Zhou Qin minded was Song Bingkun’s attitude.
What worried her was her son’s future. At most, he would be able to inherit one-third of the family’s property.
The greatest disadvantage was that her son was more than ten years younger than his older brother and sister. He was at an inherent disadvantage.
By the time he grew up, she feared there would not be a thing left in the household. By then, Song Bingkun would probably have retired, and they certainly could not count on him.
Whenever Zhou Qin thought about Song Congchun’s future, anxiety kept her awake at night.
Meanwhile, Zhong Yu’s days had unexpectedly become quite leisurely.
She had taken care of everything she needed to at school, and packed up and mailed home all the usable items from the dormitory.
She had even bought her ticket home. Her state of mind was completely different from what it had been at this point in her previous life. Now, she was filled with hope for the future.
Before leaving, she still had to make one trip to Capital Medical University Affiliated Hospital.
For one thing, she was worried about the patients she had operated on before. For another, she wanted to formally say goodbye to Teacher Ni.
Before she could set out, however, her counselor came to find her first.
Zhong Yu had once been a counselor herself, and this happened to be the same office. The moment she entered, she felt a familiar sense of déjà vu.
Counselor Wang sat in his office chair, watching her with a broad smile. He had always been particularly protective of the youngest student in his class.
When they had undergone military training in their first year, he had helped her fake excuses and evade it more than once.
“Don’t be so formal. Sit down first. Have you finished tidying up the dormitory? Liao Sha hasn’t had time to come back to school lately, has she?”
When the dormitories had originally been assigned, the school had planned to have the two of them share with female students from other majors.
Counselor Wang had refused outright, saying that the students in his class were younger and could easily be bullied.
Fortunately, he had stood up for them. Otherwise, she and Liao Sha would never have been able to live so comfortably.
“I’ve finished packing my things. I helped pack some of Shasha’s as well.”
Counselor Wang had been her counselor for eight years. He had always thought she was sweet and lovable, and if he had had a daughter, he imagined she would have been just like Zhong Yu.
“Good. I’m not the one who called you here today. Director Tang from Capital Medical University Affiliated Hospital wants to see you.”
Zhong Yu was startled. She did not seem to have done anything recently.
“Teacher Ni never mentioned this to me. Did something happen?”
Counselor Wang took a sip of tea and said cheerfully, “Director Tang came here personally to invite you to join Capital Medical University Affiliated Hospital.”
Zhong Yu was flattered and quickly waved her hands.
“I’m just a medical student who’s only just graduated. What have I done to deserve that?”
The moment she finished speaking, a slightly hoarse voice sounded from behind her.
“Doctor Zhong, you’re being too modest. With your skills, having you stay at our hospital would be like adding wings to a tiger. I’ve watched the recordings of your surgeries and reviewed the patients’ recoveries. If the patients didn’t tell others themselves, no one would ever know they had undergone surgery.”
Director Tang was always serious and responsible in his speech. He would never exaggerate.
Zhong Yu was delighted. This proved that the Rebirth Vine was an assisting cheat rather than a stumbling block. She could finally set her mind completely at ease.
“As long as the patients recover normally, that is the greatest comfort a physician can have.”
Director Tang nodded in agreement. He had not expected someone so young to be this composed. She truly was an excellent prospect.
Counselor Wang had already risen to his feet. Once they finished speaking, he said warmly, “Director Tang, please, have a seat. Whatever you’d like to discuss, we can take our time and talk it over.”
After Director Tang sat down, Zhong Yu tactfully went to fetch tea leaves and brew him a cup.
Counselor Wang could not help glancing sideways when he saw how familiarly she took the tea leaves from the cabinet.
Director Tang lifted the tea she had brewed for him and took a small sip. Only after setting down the cup did he ask kindly, “I hear from Teacher Ni that you want to return to Hai City to work?”
Zhong Yu smiled and nodded.
“I mainly want to live closer to my mother. Our work is already so busy, and if I’m far away, I’ll have even less time to look after her.”
Director Tang agreed with what she said. But his purpose today was to persuade her to stay, and there were some things he had no choice but to say.