Step by step, a gentle breeze leads to a smooth path

Chapter 91 New Friends

"No, my son is no match for them." Song Wanxing dared not boast. His grandfather had once examined him and said that he was far from ready, immature, and even less intelligent than his elder brother. He also lamented that his elder brother had injured his foot, and that one could not take the imperial examination without a disability, otherwise... he wouldn't have been able to afford to study, right?

As Song Wanxing recalled the past, his face became somewhat ferocious; everyone in this family looked down on him.

"Wanxing!" Qian Shuzhen looked at her son and felt so unfamiliar with him. Gentle and refined? It all seemed like an illusion.

"Mother, what do you want me to do?" Song Wanxing emerged from his memories, trying to suppress his impatience, but his tone was still somewhat impatient.

"I just want to talk to you about who you've been getting close to lately, and see what new friends you've made?" Qian Shuzhen said, launching an attack from the sidelines.

"A new friend?" Song Wanxing thought, a slight smile playing on his lips. She should be considered a like-minded friend, right?

"Wanxing, do you have any new friends?" Qian Shuzhen sensed something was wrong, noticing her son's absent-minded smile.

"No, Mother, as you know, I've never had many friends. I can't get along with anyone. I don't even have as many friends as Ting Nan." Song Wanxing was clearly not telling the truth, and he even brought up Ting Nan.

“Wanxing, are you envious of Tingnan’s large circle of friends? Why don’t I talk to your older brother and you go run a freight business too? That’s how Tingnan makes friends.” Qian Shuzhen genuinely thought it was a good idea. Traveling around would broaden your horizons and open your mind.

Unexpectedly, Song Wanxing strongly resisted, roaring, "Mother, you actually want me to run a peddling business? Going from house to house, haggling over prices? It's an insult to scholarship! Don't I have any shame?"

"Wanxing, how could you think like that? Is it shameful to be a peddler? Tingnan started peddling when he was six years old, and what about you? You're just doing odd jobs, earning the meager money in the village, isn't that shameful? You rely on your wife to raise three children, you can't help with anything inside or outside the village, you can't earn any money, isn't that shameful?" Qian Shuzhen was furious and threw a pillow at him.

"Mother, I know you've always looked down on me. Now that my eldest brother's family has risen to prominence, you look down on me even more! I rely on my wife? When have I ever relied on my wife? Zhao Xiaojuan is illiterate; you forced her on me. I want a divorce!" Song Wanxing roared recklessly.

"What's wrong? What's wrong?" Song Wanli limped in. "Weren't we just fine? Wanxing, you've upset your mother. Apologize quickly."

"Hmph, you think you know how to behave? You think you're so great!" Song Wanxing slammed the door and left.

"Mother! Have some water, calm down, don't be angry!" Song Wanli poured a glass of water and handed it to Qian Shuzhen.

Qian Shuzhen took a sip of water, took a deep breath, and said dejectedly, "Wanli, your brother has changed, he has changed! No, maybe today is the first time we've seen his true colors."

"Mother, what happened?" Song Wanli was completely baffled.

"Wanli, your parents made you marry Yi Dani, do you hate us?" Qian Shuzhen asked, staring at Song Wanli. She suddenly felt like a complete failure as a person; both her sons had their wives chosen by them, but...

“Mother, I don’t hate you. I know the situation back then. You and Father did your best to protect our family. Yi Dani is doing well now. She’s just mentally unstable. I have two sons and a daughter now. I’m very grateful for your good intentions, Mother.” Song Wanli knew why his mother had kept Tingnan under his name back then. It was because she was afraid that he would have no one to carry on the family line.

Although he now has two sons, Tingnan is his capable helper, and he is truly grateful to his mother for her thoughtful consideration.