Volume 1 Rebirth - The Eve of High School Chapter 6 Family Banquet (Part 2)

  The dinner table looks harmonious, the men talk about work, the women talk about clothes and jewelry, children's grades. But if you listen carefully, the men are all boasting about how they make money, the women are all comparing clothes and jewelry, children's grades with each other. Flattering those who are stronger than you, stepping on those who are weaker than you.

  For example:

  Third Uncle patriotically picked up the wine bottle, poured a cup for Ai Guohua, and started boasting: "I'm telling you, Second Brother, look at your current job, working hard every day, earning only a few hundred yuan a month, not even enough for me to treat our leader to a meal. Last time I treated Wang, the deputy director of the municipal bureau, to dinner, do you know what level he is? He's a full-time official! And he still gave me face!"

  Because Yangshi is a deputy provincial level, the director of the public security bureau should be at the level of a full or deputy department, if not concurrently serving as a member of the municipal party committee. Generally speaking, it is at the deputy department level. The second-in-command is the executive vice director, also at the deputy department level. The third-in-command is the deputy director without administrative duties, at the full section level. For example, in state-owned enterprises like Ai Guohua's unit, the leadership also holds national administrative ranks, but corresponding to government agencies, they are generally half a rank lower. For instance, a state-owned enterprise's full section chief is equivalent to a government agency's deputy section chief. Of course, their powers cannot be compared - one is an enterprise and the other is a power department.

  Like Lao Da Ai Guohua's direct superior, at most he is just a small positive or negative officer, so with the Public Security Bureau Deputy Director who had dinner together, San Shu also feels that he has the qualification to despise his father's leadership and starts talking nonsense. According to Zi Qing's estimation, San Shu at most was just being taken along as an accompaniment, on the dinner table he is not even worth talking to, people from this kind of administrative unit look down on you small businessmen.

  Zi Qing guessed it right, that time Ai Guofen was indeed pulled by friends to accompany them for dinner, and he himself accompanied Xiao Lian from start to finish, the official didn't even give him a sideways glance. He's so depressed, but this time at home there's something to brag about.

  It turns out that Xu Juan, the big sister, is a Tianjin native and has always been clever and shrewd. After hearing that Ai Guofen had dinner with the municipal leaders, she immediately smiled and said: "Hey, Old Zhong, I told you so! Your younger brother is really capable! Now even the deputy director of the city bureau is giving him face, isn't this just proving my words? Ha ha, Old Three, you should help your older brother more. He's a practical person, not as clever and sociable as you!"

  Ai Guofen was delighted when she heard her sister-in-law's compliment, and humbly said "Oh no, oh no! Sister is too modest, I'm not as capable as my brother, he can endure more than me."

  The two men were humble and flattering to each other, the more they flattered, the prouder their faces became, neither of them noticed Ai Guohua's awkwardness as if he was just accompanying them.

  Actually, from the previous generation, Ziyin knew that her grandparents were also very particular and had a tendency to look down on others. They saw that her uncle and aunt had some abilities, but her own father was just an ordinary worker, so they looked down on Ziyin's family, especially since her aunts would often flatter the elderly couple, making them happy, which in turn made them fond of Ziyin's older brother Aiping and younger sister Aijia. Ziyin's mother, Jiangqin, was not good with words and would tolerate being bullied by others rather than argue back, but she was a very down-to-earth person who always bought the elderly couple gifts that were no less than what the other two families gave, and even showed more care for them in her actions. However, because Jiangqin was just an ordinary worker and Ziyin's father Aiguo had no special abilities, he had no say in the family, so the grandparents looked down on Jiangqin to some extent, and were not particularly fond of Ziyin either, with their bias being very obvious.

  At this time, Aunt San asked again "Has Da Ping been studying hard recently? Is he confident about the exam?"

  Ai Ping looks a bit introverted, but don't be fooled by his name Ai Ping, his appearance is not ordinary. At 17 years old, he already has a height of 180cm, with a medium to high facial features, high nose, thick eyebrows and big eyes, very much in line with the aesthetic standards of this era. Although he usually doesn't speak or express himself, there's an air of pride in his bones, unlike Ai Jia who is somewhat spoiled. Ai Ping is the type of person who thinks "if you're not better than me, I don't need to pay attention to you", but if you're better than him, he'll admire you. He's a relatively direct person, similar to his younger sister Ai Guofen in this aspect.

  "Review is done, hope to bring out the best level during the exam." Ai Ping smiled slightly, and Xu Juan, who was usually proud, indeed had reasons to be proud of Ai Ping.

  "Zi Qing sister, I'm waiting to take the exam with you and get into No. 1 Middle School together! Then, I can bask in your glory and have a good time at Su Xiang Garden, haha!" Ai Jia said with a playful smile, full of sarcasm. Ai Ping glanced at Zi Qing with some disdain in his eyes, but didn't bother to say anything sarcastic like them, after all, he was the older brother. As for Ai Xuan, who had an average relationship with Zi Qing since childhood, scrunched up his nose and said "Zi Qing sister's grades aren't even better than mine, how could she possibly get into No. 1 Middle School? Hmph!" He always had this attitude towards everyone except Ai Ping.

  Ziying smiled silently, looking at these people's faces. What was the point of explaining anything now? Can't we just wait and see the results later? Isn't that right?

  At night, returning home, the parents went back to their room, closed the door, and let out a sigh. Ai Guohua said in a low voice, "It's all my fault for not being able to bear it, making you both lose face too!" As he spoke, he heavily pounded his chest with his fist, a sign of a man's helplessness.

  Jiang Qin hastily grabbed her hand, her eyes slightly red as she said, "What's the meaning of this? Whether or not we have the ability, as long as our family is happy, what does it matter how others look at us? Zi Qing has become so obedient and sensible lately, what more could you be dissatisfied with? Dad and mom may be biased, but we can't be unreasonable. As long as we do what we should, that's enough!"

  Shedding two tears, although it's said that I don't care, but the fact is that I'm wronged. But who can be blamed? Both of us have tried our best, should we blame this realistic society?

  Ai Guohua listened to his wife's words, and his eyes were also slightly red, pursing his lips with a smile. This was his wife, who didn't despise him for being poor and humble, knew how to be content and happy, and had suffered such grievances in her husband's family, but instead of complaining to him, she came to comfort him. What did he have to be discontent about?

  Yes! Zi Qing is so sensible and has been working hard in her studies. Although she started a bit late these last two days, it's still a good start!

  Even if it's just borrowing some money to attend a slightly better high school, and then getting into an ordinary university, after graduation, let his uncle help him find a more stable job, and then marry someone with a stable income who is down-to-earth, living a simple and honest life, what else would he have to be dissatisfied about?

  Ai Guohua also nodded with tears in his eyes and said "Contentment! Yes! Contentment is good..."

  Ai Zi Qing heard this and quietly walked back to her room, softly closing the door behind her, secretly vowing to change her current predicament!

  This night is full of stars twinkling.