The workers had all gone home. Papa Wang locked the front door of the new house and checked once more to make sure nothing had been left behind before the four of them headed home together.
Wang Cheng told his parents that Madam Zhang and her daughter had come asking Eldest Brother for help. The moment Madam Zhang was mentioned, Mama Wang’s expression soured. Never mind that her eldest son merely worked for a pharmaceutical company. Even if he truly had useful connections, she would not let him help them.
“That girl Wang Ningxiang was never cut out for studying. Eight times out of ten, she only wants to go to university so she can have fun. All that talk about people looking down on you without a degree is just an excuse. There are far more people in this world who never attended university than people who did. Didn’t they just show an interview on television a few days ago with some businessman surnamed Chen? He didn’t even finish high school, and he still became the richest man in some place or other.”
Mama Wang might only be a village woman, but she was definitely a worldly one.
As if still worried, Mama Wang warned Wang Ning’an, “Ning’an, you have to listen to Mom on this. If your Second Aunt asks you again, don’t agree no matter what she says.”
“All right. I’ll listen to Mom.” Wang Ning’an nodded.
Papa Wang sighed softly.
“What? You have an objection?” Mama Wang immediately raised her brows at him.
“Of course I agree with you a thousand, ten thousand percent. I’m just feeling a little emotional that in the entire Wang family, only my branch seems to have amounted to anything.”
Papa Wang was not wrong. Wang Cheng’s Eldest Uncle had only one son, their eldest cousin Wang Ningkai. He was two years older than Wang Ning’an but still unmarried. He was not academically inclined either, though at least he had not scored only a little over one hundred on the gaokao like Wang Ningxiang. He had barely managed to attend a third-rate university.
Second Uncle had one son and two daughters. The eldest daughter was already married. His son, Wang Ningshan, was in much the same situation as Wang Ningkai. Both had university diplomas, but the diplomas were little more than decorations. Looking at all the children in the extended family, the most successful ones were unexpectedly those from the third brother’s household, the branch that had once been poor and largely overlooked.
“What’s there to feel emotional about? People say like father, like son, like mother, like daughter. If the adults don’t set a good example, what else can you expect from the children?” One sentence from Mama Wang cut off the melancholy Papa Wang had only just begun to indulge in.
Papa Wang had nothing to say to that. His eldest and second brothers truly did not know how to raise their children. The childhood days when the brothers supported one another had long since vanished beneath conflicts of interest.
“You two brothers had better remember this. Our family is not allowed to turn out like your Eldest Uncle and Second Uncle. Family affection is priceless. Ruining the bond between brothers over a little money isn’t worth it at all. If I ever catch either of you doing that, I’ll break your legs.” After lecturing Papa Wang, Mama Wang turned to lecture both sons and even issued a threat.
“Mom, you’re thinking way too far ahead. Eldest Brother and I get along just fine.” Wang Cheng thought her worry was completely unnecessary.
The Wang family had splintered mainly because of Eldest Uncle and Second Uncle’s dispositions. They naturally placed great importance on personal gain and could disregard family ties for profit. Papa Wang was different. He had valued family bonds since childhood, and after he had children of his own, that was how he raised them as well. Money was not important. What mattered was that the family lived together harmoniously and happily. That was enough. So even though their family had once been poor and now had money, their way of thinking had not changed at all.
Wang Ning’an smiled. Their family truly did not have that problem.
Mama Wang was mostly talking for the sake of talking. Deep down, she knew exactly what her own sons were like, and that was precisely what comforted her most.
When they got home, Mama Wang cooked them a delicious meal.
Both sons loved meat, so she made three meat dishes: braised pork with bamboo shoots, pork belly with preserved mustard greens, and ginger-vinegar pork trotters. There was also eggplant with garlic sauce, stir-fried green beans with dried radish, and finally a bitter melon, soybean, and pork-bone soup. Dinner was lavish.
It was rare for all five members of the family to sit around the same table. Mama Wang brought out all her best skills, and the meal gave the three children excellent appetites.
“Ning’an works hard. Eat more.” Mama Wang placed a piece of pork trotter in his bowl.
Wang Ning’an was not a picky eater, but his appetite was not as large as Wang Cheng’s. Normally, at most, he ate two bowls of rice, one bowl of congee, and one bowl of soup. Any more and he could not manage it. This time, however, he drank an extra bowl of soup.
The daintiest eater was Wang Ziyu. Girls dieting often ate less and less, though in truth a little fullness was more beautiful and gave a body something soft to the touch. What man these days would like a girl who was all skin and bones? There would be nothing pleasant to hold, just bones digging into you.
After dinner, they rested for a while. Wang Ning’an decided to return to the city that night because he had work first thing the next morning and could not afford to be delayed. Wang Cheng had no objection.
Mama Wang repeatedly told them to be careful on the road and packed a large amount of local specialties for them before finally letting them leave.