Chapter 238: The Significance of One's Birth

Chen Feng didn't expect that his mother harbored such a strong prejudice against Yang Qing.

He felt a bit indignant.

"My sister also said, my brother‑in‑law now runs a big enterprise in Jiedao."

"If my brother‑in‑law had problems, how would Jiedao give him such great authority?"

Zhao Ruoyun said disdainfully.

"Little Feng, Yang Qing lacks depth; he can't hold onto good things."

"If you don't believe it, let's watch; sooner or later the lot in his hands will be handed to others."

"Now he's working so hard, but in the end it's just making a wedding dress for others."

"Such things happen far too often where we are."

"I understood it at a glance."

"A rabbit's tail can't grow."

"Ah……."

Chen Feng was startled.

"How could this be? Isn't this bullying?"

Rural villages have always been hard to survive in; the harder the life, the more nonsense occurs.

Zhao Ruoyun, after all, is the wise person who has gathered the grassroots struggle experience of the whole village.

She sees many matters more clearly than many others.

This is the origin of the saying that having an elder at home is like having a treasure.

"Bullying? How can you call it bullying? For such an important position, how many people can be trusted to hand it to him? Only when it's given to a reliable person can one feel at ease."

"Yang Qing? Can't he do other things?"

"Just don't aim too high, that's all."

"This is destiny determined by one's birth."

"Little Feng, you've grown up; you should start learning about the real state of the world."

"Only by understanding its true nature can you avoid detours."

"Do you understand?"

Chen Feng's three views were somewhat shattered.

"Mother……"

He didn't know what to say.

Zhao Ruoyun said irritably.

"Alright, stop feeling sentimental here; who are you doing this for?"

"Your father and grandfather built this huge foundation with their lives; it's not for you to be pampered here."

"And you mustn't be held back because of Yang Qing."

"Leave your brother‑in‑law's affairs alone; whatever the future holds is their destiny."

"You don't need to worry; after all, he has gotten close to your sister and the old lady."

"As long as things stay calm, nothing major will happen."

Zhao Ruoyun's words made Chen Feng's head buzz like a bomb.

Zhao Ruoyun ignored him, did some Household Chores for him, then went to the old lady.

That night, Zhao Ruoyun talked with the old lady for a long time and learned more.

The old lady repeatedly covered for Yang Qing.

"Yang Qing, this child, is a good kid and has ability."

Zhao Ruoyun was troubled.

"What I fear is that he has ability."

The old lady, seeing she took advantage and pretended to be obedient, said irritably.

"You, you never are satisfied; the money and grain coupons Chen Hong mails home each month are all funneled by Yang Qing."

"It's not proper to eat your fill and then scold the cook."

Zhao Ruoyun, seeing the old lady had misunderstood, brought out her own theory again.

The old lady fell silent.

"Your worry is valid, but after he bumps into the wall a few times, he may settle down."

"He has indeed made contributions; those people can't look too disgraceful either."

Zhao Ruoyun lay flat, sighing.

"Sigh, who knows; never mind, let's ignore them."

"With you watching over the old town, nothing should happen."

When the old lady heard herself mentioned, she fell silent; she had reached the age of knowing her destiny and felt, in the depths, that her time was short.

Relying on her might not be very dependable.

Yang Qing, unaware of what happened at home, returned to the hospital, tended to Chen Hong, coaxed her to sleep, then wrapped himself in a blanket and fell asleep beside her.

The next day.

Sure enough, as he expected, the snow had stopped but was very deep—so deep it was a leg high.

Crossing the snow back? That's impossible.

Fortunately he was prepared; Yang Qing strapped on skis, leaned on two poles, and slid all the way back home.

Early in the morning, he prepared breakfast, and Chen Feng was woken by the cooking sounds.

Yang Qing instructed him to get up and eat; after that he took the meal himself and returned to the hospital.

Chen Feng got up, drank a bowl of porridge—quite tasty—and after finishing, feeling warm, went out to find snow everywhere, and diligently went out to shovel it.

Zhao Ruoyun was awakened by the sound of Chen Feng shoveling snow; she had stayed up too late yesterday and overslept.

The old lady was also woken, got up out of habit, dressed neatly, and went out.

Seeing the food in the kitchen, she praised, saying

"This must be Xiao Feng's cooking, what a diligent child."

Zhao Ruoyun looked at the dishes and knew it wasn't made by Chen Feng.

A crispy fish, a pot of rice‑pumpkin porridge, a plate of salted duck egg, a plate of pickled ginger, and a plate of cured pork stir‑fried with cabbage.

Yang Qing never told them about the ingredients, so how could Chen Feng know where these things came from?

"It shouldn't be Xiao Feng; perhaps Yang Qing came back."

The old lady was not surprised at all.

"Ah, Xiao Feng is also quite spry, shoveling snow first thing in the morning."

She praised her son without any motherly discontent.

"Well, Xiao Feng can only exert a little force; he's trained in martial arts since childhood, so he's healthy."

The two chatted lightly, finished breakfast quickly, and then went out to help Chen Feng.

The old lady tried to act, but Zhao Ruoyun stopped her outright.

"Stop, stop, you go back and rest; there's still snow on the ground, it's slippery—don't fall."

Mother and child, both diligent, soon cleared the area up to the restroom; honestly, although they knew it was a restroom, they had never entered it before.

Upon reaching there, they suddenly felt a bit urgent.

Chen Feng pointed out to Zhao Ruoyun where the women's restroom was, then hurriedly slipped inside himself.

The moment he entered, he was shocked by how clean the restroom was.

"Restroom?"

"It can be like this?"

Don't blame his amazement; down there are all pit latrines—dig a hole, place two bricks, and that's a restroom. This situation persisted into the early 2000s, even the early 2010s, and many places still have such earth toilets.

Chen Feng, who had never paid much attention to city life, began to feel a bit envious.

Zhao Ruoyun was equally surprised; she hadn't expected a restroom could be built like this.

"Later, ask Yang Qing how this was done—there's no smell at all, yet it's so clean."

At that moment, Xu Damao happened to come to use the restroom; as soon as he entered, he saw a stranger.

He immediately shouted a question.

"Who are you? Why are you in our courtyard?"

Chen Feng saw a man about his own height with a horse‑shaped face and questioned him.

He hurriedly explained.

"My brother‑in‑law is Yang Qing; I live in the courtyard next door."

Upon hearing he was Yang Qing's brother‑in‑law, Xu Damao, after a moment of surprise, immediately said warmly,

"So you're Chen Hong's younger brother; when did you arrive?"

"Yang Qing didn't even tell me, so I could give my brother a proper welcome."

"In that case, tonight I'll set a table; just let your brother‑in‑law know."

"Lately I haven't seen him at all."

Chen Feng, seeing Xu Damao speak that way, thought they were good buddies of his own brother‑in‑law.

"Alright, brother, I'm Chen Feng. What's your honorable surname?"

Xu Damao chuckled.

"You look like a scholar; that's too formal—what's your surname?"

"No need for formality; I'm Xu, called Damao."

"You can just call me Brother Xu."

"Today it's heavy snow; we have to go to the factory for collective labor, otherwise I'll take you for a stroll to see Zijincheng."