Chapter 13: Imagination and Grudges Unspoken

When they saw the beautiful wish written by Ruan Lu, both Ruan Liuzheng and He Chen were taken aback.

Ruan Liuzheng suddenly blushed.

She felt she understood everything clearly.

She finally grasped her mother’s painstaking intentions.

What does "a son-in-law who surpasses the heavens" mean?

What exactly is a “son-in-law”?

Half a son-in-law — a son-in-law is half a son!

Her mother was obviously hoping for a son-in-law better than anyone else.

But is such a son-in-law easy to find?

Certainly not!

So he must be cultivated in advance.

He Chen’s appearance and physique were those of a favored child of heaven, perfectly fitting such a standard.

His personality had been stable until recently, when it suddenly became unsettled.

As for his grades, they were hardly extraordinary.

However, if he were perfect in every way, he wouldn't be just “half a son-in-law who surpasses the heavens” but a “son who surpasses even the heavens,” better than a prince.

Such a son-in-law, she believed, was beyond her reach.

So “half a son-in-law who surpasses the heavens” was just right.

As to why her mother kept reminding He Chen he was her older brother and insisted she suppress any girlish feelings for him, it was also for her own good.

Since He Chen’s grades were unreliable and the future family’s financial burden would fall on her shoulders, she had to study hard, get into a good university, find a good job, and earn money to support the family.

He Chen would be responsible for his handsome looks, while she would be responsible for earning and supporting the household.

Perfect!

Once the college entrance exams were over, if she got into her desired university, her mother would surely reveal the truth then, and at that point, she could add a word before “older brother”…

Coincidentally, it would be around her birthday, perhaps her mother’s best gift for her coming of age.

The more Ruan Liuzheng thought about it, the more convinced she became that this was the truth. Her cheeks burned, yet her determination grew stronger.

She had to work twice as hard.

Otherwise, with her current grades, it would be quite difficult to enter the Medical School of Beijing University.

Ruan Liuzheng’s subtle thoughts were of no concern to He Chen.

He was already stunned by the four characters Ruan Lu had written, as a television drama from a past life flashed through his mind.

There was no helping it!

Those four characters were too famous.

Originally, he hadn’t thought along those lines because Ruan Lu’s surname wasn’t Liang, and although she was no longer in her prime, she was not so aged that people would mock her for claiming she was once the campus belle. She remained an elegant middle-aged beauty.

Moreover, in his previous memories, there was no recollection of Ruan Lu’s husband; she always seemed alone, her marital status unknown.

This was a world synthesized from various dramas, with countless lookalikes, so He Chen truly hadn’t made the connection.

But now, Ruan Lu had written down "a son-in-law who surpasses the heavens" so solemnly and without hesitation, forcing He Chen to think harder.

He himself had written "longevity like a crane and turtle," the wish he desired most. Ruan Liuzheng had pondered for a few seconds and glanced at Ruan Lu; he knew it wasn’t her true wish. Living under her mother’s expectations, she probably had no strong personal desires.

But Ruan Lu’s unhesitating choice was likely her own obsession.

Yet, wasn’t this supposed to be Qi Tongwei’s obsession?

How did it come to be hers?

So strange!

He wanted to ask but dared not; Ruan Liuzheng’s heart was pounding so hard she could barely hold back, and she couldn’t speak either. After writing the words, Ruan Lu stared blankly at them.

The three of them stood silently, no one speaking.

Until the sharp pop of a balloon burst, breaking the spell.

Following the sound, they saw Qiao Yingzi storming off in a huff.

Her parents stood there awkward and helpless.

It turned out that Qiao Yingzi and her parents had also been writing wishes.

Without hesitation, Qiao Yingzi had written: "CNSA!"

The abbreviation for China National Space Administration!

Qiao Yingzi’s father, Qiao Weidong, who had been closely watching his daughter, immediately explained that her wish was to join the space agency in the future and explore the stars and seas.

Seeing that her father not only knew but supported this, Qiao Yingzi excitedly shared her dreams, so delighted that she high-fived him in celebration.

This immediately annoyed Qiao Yingzi’s mother, who grabbed the balloon and insisted on rewriting the wish: “Be admitted to either Jinghua University or Beijing University!”

Qiao Yingzi couldn’t help but frown.

Qiao Weidong felt embarrassed for his ex-wife, and seeing their daughter unhappy, he quickly took the balloon and added: “Get admitted into the aerospace program!”

Qiao Yingzi’s mother, seeing her ex-husband’s addition made their daughter happy again, became displeased and insisted on having her daughter add once more on the balloon: “Must score 700 points!”

Qiao Yingzi was reluctant, feeling it too blunt and mundane, but her mother was sincere in her wishes and couldn’t bear to see her ex-husband win the daughter’s favor, so she insisted. The two ended up arguing, and in the scuffle, the balloon burst.

“Dreams must be what one truly loves, not what others expect,” He Chen said to Ruan Liuzheng as Qiao Yingzi’s parents chased after their daughter.

“Otherwise, not only will one be unhappy, but one wrong step can lead to a lifetime of regret, harming oneself and others.”

“What do you mean by that?” Qiao Yingzi’s mother, overhearing, glared at He Chen with frustration.

If anyone else had said it, she wouldn’t have minded, but having learned of He Chen’s situation from a close friend, she was convinced he was deliberately mocking and cursing her.

“That means you’re taking it personally; I guess you do understand,” He Chen said without denying the insinuation.

He really despised her obsessive, pushy attitude toward pushing her daughter.

Qiao Yingzi studied hard, ranked at the top, and had her own romantic dreams of the stars and sea. By any measure, she was an exemplary child. Any other mother would be quietly proud.

But Qiao Yingzi’s mother couldn’t stand her daughter's happiness, dismissed her lofty dreams, and insisted on imposing her own wishes without any deviations.

Not to mention she insulted him so openly.

Qiao Weidong had heard his ex-wife scold He Chen before and felt embarrassed, thinking she had gone too far, so he quickly pulled her away, reminding her that finding their daughter was the most important thing.

Qiao Yingzi’s mother shot He Chen a hateful glare, muttered “ill-mannered,” then pushed her ex-husband’s hand aside and ran off after their daughter.

He Chen didn’t chase after them and simply made a mental note.

“You have to stop picking fights with everyone you see,” Ruan Liuzheng complained.

“Bonus round—if not now, when?” He Chen laughed. “Besides, I mainly said it for you. Qiao Yingzi, though her mother doesn’t support her, at least has clear dreams. What about you? Are you sure studying medicine is your dream?”

“What do you mean?” Ruan Liuzheng frowned. “So in your eyes, I’m not even as good as Qiao Yingzi, right?”

“Do you even understand what studying medicine entails?” He Chen didn’t deny it but retorted, “Do you know what life, work, and study are like for doctors?”

“You’ll find out soon enough,” Ruan Liuzheng said defiantly. “The school is organizing a college entrance exam consultation.”

He Chen knew that after the balloon event, there would be a college counseling session. Chunfeng High School had invited admissions offices from various universities in Beijing to provide guidance to students and parents during the senior-level mobilization day. The educational resources were truly incomparable.

Back when he was a student, he hadn’t even fully understood his own major upon graduating, let alone before university.

Not to mention the college entrance exam in their province was generally considered the easiest, with lower admission scores needed for top universities compared to other regions...

Such resource advantages were simply unmatched!