Chapter 7 : “Why not let Weiwei give this marriage to Yingying?”

Especially Zhao Huili, she couldn’t understand it at all. Her daughter had always been devoted to the boy from the Ji family next door. No matter how she and her husband tried to persuade her, it was useless.  

She had always said that even if she were beaten to death, she would still marry Ji Yanli.  

But just a few days ago, they heard that the boy from the Ji family had a girlfriend. After coming back from the rain, she had a high fever, and when she woke up, she suddenly said she wanted to go on a blind date.  

At first, Zhao Huili thought her daughter was just trying to spite him otherwise, why would she keep going on blind dates one after another?  

Who would have thought that today, she would come back saying she had a boyfriend? And not only that, but they were getting engaged in just a few days?  

How could she not be shocked?  

She quickly reached out and touched Song Shiwei’s forehead.  

“You don’t have a fever anymore? Why are you talking nonsense?”  

Song Shiwei smiled helplessly and took her mother’s hand away.  

“Mom, I’m telling the truth! I’m not lying to you!”  

Seeing that his daughter didn’t seem to be joking, Song Zhiyong’s expression turned serious.  

“What’s the boy’s name? Where is he from? How old is he? What does he do for a living?”  

Song Shiwei suddenly realized she had no idea where Zhou Tingyue’s family was from. She had been so happy that she forgot to ask.  

But it didn’t really matter. She was planning to go to the island with him and join the military anyway, putting as much distance as possible between herself and the male and female protagonists.  

“Dad, Mom, my boyfriend’s name is Zhou Tingyue. He’s from the East China Sea Navy Garrison! He’s a regiment commander!”  

When Zhao Huili and Song Zhiyong heard that he was actually a regiment commander, their eyes widened in shock.  

My goodness, a regiment commander? Once he retires from the military, that position should at least be at the deputy county level or even a department director level, right?  

The Song family had been ordinary people for generations. The best any of them had done was work in a factory, when had they ever produced a high-ranking official?  

Zhao Huili was immediately overjoyed.  

“Okay, okay, a regiment commander! That’s amazing!”  

At lunchtime, she eagerly shared the good news with the entire Song family.  

“We’ve really leveled up! My daughter found a regiment commander as a partner! He’ll be coming to our house in two days! Mom, can you give me some money so I can buy a few things in advance? We can’t let him look down on us!”  

She had been oppressed by her sister-in-law for years. Now, finally, she had a chance to hold her head high and feel proud.  

The Song family was an old Beijing family, and their courtyard house had been passed down from Grandfather Song.  

Old Lady Song was now over seventy years old. She had three sons, the eldest, Song Zhiguo; the second, Song Shiwei’s father, Song Zhiyong; and the youngest, Song Zhiwei, who had joined the Construction Corps to support national development.  

In addition to her three sons, she also had a daughter.  

Maybe because Song Zhiguo was the eldest and her firstborn son, Old Lady Song favored him the most.  

As the saying goes, as long as the parents are alive, the family will not be divided. Since the Song family hadn’t been split up, everyone’s salary had to be handed over to Old Lady Song for safekeeping.  

And she would often secretly give financial support to Song Zhiguo’s family.  

But when it came to her second son, Song Zhiyong, she wasn’t nearly as generous especially with Zhao Huili, whose family background wasn’t great. She was even more critical of the children Zhao Huili had given birth to.  

At first, when she heard Zhao Huili say that Song Shiwei had found a regiment commander as a fiancé, she was delighted.  

But when she heard that she was asking for money?  

Her face instantly darkened.  

Money?  

No way!  

“We haven’t even started yet, so why are you in such a hurry, second son’s wife? What’s wrong with our family? How could anyone look down on us? After all, we are a working-class family! If he looks down on us, then he must have political issues!”  

The eldest son’s wife, Feng Chunmei, also nodded in agreement.  

“That’s right, sister-in-law. If Shiwei’s boyfriend looks down on our family because of this, then it means he doesn’t truly like Shiwei! We can’t spoil him!”  

But Song Yingying, who was sitting nearby eating, rolled her eyes.  

She was the only daughter of the eldest son’s wife and was only a year younger than Song Shiwei.  

Now, she was at the age where she should be looking for a husband.  

But since she hadn’t been a good student, she had dropped out of school before finishing junior high. Luckily, Feng Chunmei had heard that the machinery factory was recruiting workers and asked her to take the exam. Although she didn’t pass to become a permanent worker, she at least got in as a temporary worker.  

Now, she could eat state-provided rations.  

On top of that, since her mother and father had spoiled her since she was little, and her three older brothers also indulged her, she naturally thought she was slightly superior to Song Shiwei.  

It’s not like she hadn’t had thoughts about Ji Yanli from next door either, but hadn’t Song Shiwei also failed to win his heart?  

And now, Song Shiwei had a regiment commander as a fiancé? For some reason, she felt restless.  

That’s a regiment commander, he’s a big deal!  

If Song Shiwei really married someone like that, wouldn’t she gain an advantage in the family?  

If she could marry him instead of Song Shiwei, wouldn’t she be admired everywhere she went?  

And then, how could Feng Chunmei continue to suppress Zhao Huili in the future?  

If Song Shiwei really married a regiment commander, no one in the Song family would dare to look down on Zhao Huili anymore.  

Feng Chunmei had spent her whole life keeping Zhao Huili beneath her, how could she let her surpass her now?  

As she ate, Song Shiwei carefully observed everyone’s expressions.  

She couldn’t help but sneer in her heart.  

Look at that her so-called family, scheming against each other.  

She really didn’t want to live in such an exhausting environment anymore. It was too tiring!  

She always ended up being dragged into the drama somehow.  

Her mother and aunt had taught her about strength her whole life, so she definitely wasn’t going to back down now.  

Her father was an honest, soft-hearted man what people called a “soft persimmon” that anyone could squeeze.  

Since he couldn’t stand up for himself, her uncle’s family naturally didn’t care much about his dignity either.  

So, Feng Chunmei rolled her eyes and immediately spoke up.  

“That’s true. Shiwei just graduated and doesn’t even have a job yet. A regiment commander might really look down on her. But our Yingying is different, she passed the recruitment exam right away and is already a worker!”  

The implication was obvious, Song Shiwei wasn’t as good as their Yingying.  

Maybe Captain Zhou wouldn’t like Song Shiwei, and the engagement might fall apart. But if it were their Yingying instead, the marriage would have a greater chance of success. Then, the Song family would truly have a distinguished relative a regiment commander.  

Old Lady Song had always been biased, and after hearing what Feng Chunmei said, her thoughts immediately shifted.  

“Why don’t we let Weiwei give this engagement to Yingying?”  

As soon as she said this, not only did Zhao Huili and Song Zhiyong’s eyes turn red with anger, but even Song Shiwei and her younger sister, Song Shimiao, were left speechless.  

Wow, they really dared to say that?  

Zhao Huili was so furious she jumped up in outrage.  

“Mom, this isn’t the old society! How can marriage just be given away? That’s Weiwei’s boyfriend!”