Chapter24

Always bragged a little: "My student here? Not just an academic. Also a Senior Tea Master." Had to perform tea ceremonies sometimes.

Back then, "tea master" meant tea master. Nothing to do with "green tea."

Supervisor beamed: "Pay for this skill at a teahouse? Costs a grand easy. Today’s on me." Naturally brought waves of envy and flattery.

Supervisor treated me like a daughter. Always praised me.

"Such a good student. Wasted on that brat Zhou Xiang."

"If you two ever break up? Marry my son." 24

Sigh.

Her son? Only a freshman.

She had the nerve.

But this? The kind of parents I wanted.

Even if I was ordinary? In her eyes, I was priceless. Even the Emperor himself wasn’t good enough.

Maybe Heaven took pity on me. Sent the supervisor to make up for what I lacked.

Ran into Zhou Xiang’s parents and the supervisor at a restaurant once.

She sang my praises. Secretly picked up our tab.   That day? His parents’ attitude shifted noticeably.

Final year of grad school. Campus recruitment began.

Time for me to find a job too.

Supervisor saw my resume. Wasn’t happy.

"Job hunting? Why didn’t you ask me? Running around like a headless chicken?"

She recommended a leading domestic heavy industry company.

Still had to interview, of course.

Position: Senior Business Manager. Mainly translating for foreign clients, helping seal deals. Ten people in the final interview round.

Two were returnees.

My 985 master’s degree? Felt insignificant.

But the lead interviewer looked so familiar.

He scanned my resume. Asked: "Did you work at Longrun Teahouse before?"

Remembered.

He often brought foreign clients there for tea.

Usually had translators, but tea terminology? Translators struggled.

Sometimes I helped out.

Free, authentic native speakers? I jumped at the chance to chat more.

Interview vibe? Great the whole time.

Got the offer fast.

Total comp: 300k a year.

Nothing compared to Zhou Xiang. But remembering how I struggled to find work after undergrad? World of difference.

Job secured. Zhou Xiang’s mom got anxious.

"You’re not getting any younger. Marriage, kids? Need to get a move on."

See? Marriage works like that.

Only when you hold enough chips do you get respect.

Sister? Junior year that year.

Originally planned for grad school. Zhou Xiang and I had it all mapped out.

Suddenly, she didn’t want to.

Pressed hard. Found out she had a boyfriend. Three years older.

Junior college grad. Now in sales.

Boyfriend wanted to marry ASAP.

My mind exploded.

Met the guy. Seemed slick. Unreliable.

"Heaven gave you that brilliant brain! Just to grow a love-struck mind?"

"You worked so hard for college. Just to marry right after graduation?"

"Why’s he stopping you from grad school? Scared your degrees will outshine him!"

"Qiuqiu, he’s not your kind."

…

We both lost our tempers.

Qiuqiu snapped back.

"You had a regular undergrad! Brother-in-law’s a PhD! He didn’t look down on you!"

"Ah Song’s right, Jie! You meddle too much! I’m not three! I can handle my own life!" …

chapter25

In that moment? Desolation washed over me.

Always planned for her. Wanted her to avoid the hard roads.

Ended up as: meddling too much.

Qiuqiu realized she’d gone too far. Apologized softly: "Sorry, Jie. He really is good to me." Netizens all say: Respect. Bless them.

But she’s my only sister.

Just watch her life slide downhill?

Relationship with Sister stayed tense for weeks. Only Zhou Xiang playing peacemaker stopped a total blowup.

Parents were frantic.

Helpless. Just begged me to talk to her more.

Stayed that way till late October.

One day, Qiuqiu called: "Jie … I broke up with him."

We fought hard. Qiuqiu started to waver.

Boyfriend played a dirty trick.

Poked holes in the condom. Wanted to get her pregnant.

Lock down the marriage.

Luckily? Qiuqiu’s love-struck phase wasn’t terminal.

That night? She sobbed in my arms.

Next morning, dawn breaking: "Jie … is it too late to start studying now?"

"Of course not!"

Two years into the job. Big company reshuffle. Got promoted to Deputy Section Head ahead of schedule.

Under pressure from both sets of parents? Zhou Xiang and I had a grand wedding.

All the relatives came.

Mother-in-law gave me full face.

"Name-changing fee" of 100k. Praised me in front of all the guests. Auntie? Green with envy. Eyes nearly popped out.

Even asked the waiter if she could pack a whole lobster.

Dad’s legs and speech had recovered well. Handing me to Zhou Xiang? His eyes reddened. "Xiaxia’s had a tough road growing up. You treat her right."

Mom left, clutching my hand, weeping.

"Your dad and I favored others back then. Had no choice. Family couldn’t afford it. Don’t blame us."

A parent’s love? It can change.

Once kids grow up? They seem to favor the more successful one.

Parents started texting me often. Cold? "Wear more layers." Hot? "Don’t get heatstroke." Made all my favorite pickles. Stuffed my trunk every time I went home.

Towards Sister? Less attentive than before.

They’d text me too. Complained I never called. Rarely came home.

Many kids away from home get homesick.

They grew up wrapped in love from grandparents, parents.