Chapter 84: Mother Favors Sons Over Daughters!

When Qin Wu brought up the subject, he couldn’t help but speak up for his wife. “Mom, you have no idea how troublesome those two boys are… They’re always bouncing around, their grades aren’t any good, and they’re nothing like Wanwan—she’s so much more obedient! If only all our children were girls! You can’t imagine how sweet Wanwan is…”

Grandma Qin shot him a withering look, her head pounding from his words, wishing she could split him in two. After all that lecturing, this is what he says? “So according to you, if a child’s grades are bad, they don’t deserve to be loved? When you were born, who did you outshine? Your father and I never considered throwing you away! Every child is a blank slate. Is Qinyun never a handful? Or the children of the third household? Only yours are troublesome? Perhaps you should reflect on yourself and your wife. Enough—get out.” Grandma Qin had no desire to argue further. If the beam above isn’t straight, the ones below are bound to stray, and yet he blames the lower beams for not growing upright. What kind of thinking is this? Annoying and an eyesore!

Qin Wu left awkwardly, and as he stepped outside, his wife was waiting for him.

Aunt Qin asked, “What did Mom say?”

Qin Wu recounted everything honestly.

Aunt Qin grew indignant as she listened. “What’s wrong with showing affection to Wanwan? She’s lovable, that’s why she’s loved! Mom is just biased toward sons!” But then, recalling the nation’s emphasis on nurturing talent, she forced herself to swallow her anger.

They had to rely on her parents-in-law to keep in contact with their benefactor and Qin Yan. If they tried to reach out directly, their letters would vanish without a trace.

Still, the matter left Aunt Qin in no mood to be pleasant to her husband. When they returned to their quarters, they found Qin Wanwan practicing the guitar. The instrument was difficult for her, and the strings made her fingertips ache, but remembering certain things, she stubbornly persisted. Hearing their arrival, she quickly stood and poured water for her parents. “Dad, Mom, why do you both look so upset?”

Seeing her daughter’s thoughtfulness, Aunt Qin couldn’t help but smile with relief. “It’s all because of your grandmother…” She repeated what Grandma Qin had said. “No matter what we do, your grandmother’s heart is always with the first household!”

Qin Wanwan frowned, disagreeing with this. Even if Grandma didn’t favor their branch, she certainly wasn’t partial to the first household either. Had no one noticed how the first household always shrank into the corners and dared not speak during family gatherings? If they were truly favored, would they behave like that? In fact, if there was any bias, it was toward their own family; the resources always seemed to lean their way. Her mother’s words felt a bit ungrateful.

After what happened last time, she saw this even more clearly.

Even if Grandma Qin had favorites, she tried her best to treat everyone fairly.

With these thoughts, she took Ye Ru’s hand and said coquettishly, “Mom, don’t say things like that. If Grandpa and Grandma heard, they’d be upset. We’re all one family! If Aunt and Uncle are having a hard time, what’s the harm in helping a little? It’ll make Grandpa and Grandma happy too, right, Dad?”

Uncle Qin looked at his daughter with gratitude. “Yes, yes, exactly.”

Aunt Qin poked her daughter’s forehead, half exasperated. “You’re so kind-hearted, what if it brings you trouble in the future?”

Qin Wanwan lowered her gaze and didn’t answer. Would kindness bring her trouble? No… Kindness makes people more likable. Remembering how unlikable she was in her past life, she resolved to change this time around. “Suffering loss is a blessing! It doesn’t matter, as long as Grandpa, Grandma, Dad, and Mom are all well. By the way, what happened with the internet café?”

“Somehow Qin Hongfei managed to convince your grandmother. Opening an internet café costs a fortune and requires technical know-how. Your eldest aunt is just a hopeless enabler, always trying to help that Xia Shangxu in hopes of reaping some benefits in the future. Who knows how much money she’s already poured in—she’ll suffer for it later, you’ll see.” Aunt Qin let out a cold laugh when she thought of her sister-in-law, even feeling a bit of schadenfreude. She was waiting for the first household to bring about their own ruin. She looked down on people who could never stand on their own two feet—relying on men all their lives, first a husband, then a cousin! Did she ever stop to think if that was reliable? Men, those creatures… once they had wives, it would be a miracle if they still thought of their sisters!