Educated Youth 013

Upon returning to the city, Zhang Qingqing didn't go home. She knew that returning in her current state would only earn her a severe scolding from her parents, so she followed Wei Xiangyang back to the Wei family.

Only this time, she was no longer the gentle and lovely young lady from a wealthy family. Instead, she looked like a rural peasant woman, holding a child in her arms. Mother Wei used the exact same treatment on her that she had used on Fang Xiaoxia in the original storyline.

Zhang Qingqing not only had to do all the chores but was also constantly scolded. The only silver lining was that her son was deeply loved by the two Wei family elders.

Little Hei followed and watched for a while. Finding that Zhang Qingqing was perfectly repeating Fang Xiaoxia's original fate, it lost interest and left. Right before it departed, the now-violent Wei Xiangyang was throwing punches and kicks at Zhang Qingqing, while Mother Wei stood to the side holding her grandson, cursing at Zhang Qingqing.

"To be honest, it's pretty miserable," Little Hei said after returning to Fang Zhiyi's side and recounting the scene. "But are you really just going to let them off like this?"

Fang Zhiyi was incredibly busy right now. Orders were flying in one after another, and there were even small trucks parked at the factory gate waiting to load goods.

"Let them off? There's a saying that the blisters on your feet are of your own making. Do you think Zhang Qingqing has an honest and submissive temperament like Xiaoxia?"

Saying that, Fang Zhiyi suddenly slapped his forehead. "I almost forgot, Xiaoxia is coming back today."

Watching him rush out in a flurry, Little Hei sighed. "He's clearly a single dog, yet he worries so much every time he plays a father."

Even during her university years, Fang Xiaoxia never gave up her research on machinery. She even attended a research conference at a large machinery factory as a student, all thanks to the recommendation of that old expert from before.

Fang Xiaoxia's thinking was influenced by Fang Zhiyi. Some of the technical directions she proposed made the experts' eyes light up. When they learned she was a university student from the countryside, they immediately tried to recruit her on the spot, but fortunately, the old expert fiercely protected her.

Fang Xiaoxia's return this time was firstly because of her graduation, and secondly because she was a bit lost. Faced with the invitation from the machinery factory, she didn't know if she should accept it and wanted to ask her father for his opinion.

After all, in her eyes, her dad would definitely have a good idea.

However, when she stood at the entrance of the toy factory, she was completely dumbfounded.

"Dad, you're saying you started this factory?"

"That's right."

"But this, this..."

"It's not just mine alone, everyone has a share. This is Xiashan Village's factory." Fang Zhiyi pointed to the massive characters for "Xiashan" at the entrance. "This is our brand!"

He rubbed his hands together. "Hehe, I don't have any other ideas. If you have nothing to do after graduation, just come and take over this business. Everyone here is a fellow villager, we all pull together, it's convenient."

"Dad, actually I..." Fang Xiaoxia glanced at her father carefully. "I was wondering whether I should agree to go work at the machinery factory."

Little Hei was highly amused. "Oh ho ho, she looks down on these little toys of yours!"

Fang Zhiyi wasn't surprised; he had merely set this up in passing.

"Take this."

Fang Xiaoxia blankly took the coin Fang Zhiyi handed her.

"Think about what you want to do, hold it in your mind, and let heaven decide," Fang Zhiyi said with a smile.

"Dad... I'm serious."

"So am I." Fang Zhiyi stared at his daughter.

Unable to argue with him, Fang Xiaoxia tossed the coin into the air. She watched nervously as the coin flipped, but just as she was about to catch it, Fang Zhiyi suddenly reached out and grabbed it.

"Dad?"

"You already have your answer, don't you?" Fang Zhiyi smiled. "The result of this thing isn't important. What you were thinking about when you threw it is what truly matters."

Fang Xiaoxia froze.

After a long while, she suddenly gathered her courage and said, "Dad, I want to pull Technician Wang and the others together to build a factory, to make our own cars! And tractors, and big trucks!"

Fang Zhiyi nearly choked on his own saliva.

He couldn't help but look the girl up and down. Truth be told, after these past few years, Fang Xiaoxia had blossomed into a graceful young woman. Her skin was much fairer, and she now looked capable and refreshing.

"You're not very big, but your ambitions sure are." Fang Zhiyi shook his head, thinking how daughters eventually outgrow their fathers. "Alright, how much money do you need? Just name a number, as long as your dad has it."

Wei Xiangyang returned home drunk. Zhang Qingqing was sweeping the floor with a cold expression. Sitting on the sofa, Wei Xiangyang found her more and more of an eyesore. Suddenly, he picked up a cup and hurled it at her.

Zhang Qingqing froze, looking at him with some fear.

"Do you know who I saw today? That Silly Dakui who stayed in Xiashan Village! He came back! He even bought a lot of things for his family. He said that Fang Zhiyi set up a toy factory in the village, and business is booming. Now the entire Xiashan Village is rich!"

Zhang Qingqing's face was full of disbelief.

That impoverished place?

Wei Xiangyang continued cursing: "Bah! A bunch of country bumpkins actually stumbled into money!" He looked at Zhang Qingqing's face, his jealousy and unwillingness morphing into rage. "It's all your fault! If it weren't for you, I definitely wouldn't be like this now!"

Zhang Qingqing curled her body up tightly.

She knew what was about to happen, but the shock in her heart overpowered her fear, followed quickly by jealousy that continuously took root and sprouted.

She had also sought help from her own family, but her parents completely ignored her, instead mocking her for being a loose woman. For the sake of her son, she had no choice but to continue enduring the Wei family's violence.

Her son also came back. Seeing his mother being beaten, he completely acted as if he hadn't seen a thing. He just loudly complained that he was hungry. Mother Wei, who had been hiding in her room, immediately came out to coax her grandson, taking a moment to scold Zhang Qingqing for not even having dinner ready.

Zhang Qingqing's face looked like death.

But what truly broke her was a newspaper.

The newspaper read, "The Birth of the First Private Car Brand," and the person smiling and cutting the ribbon in the photo was none other than Fang Xiaoxia, whom she had once looked down upon.

Equally shocked was Wei Xiangyang. He could never have imagined that the dark and ugly country girl from back then could become so beautiful now. Looking back at Zhang Qingqing, a nameless fire rose up in his heart once again.

Only this time, Zhang Qingqing didn't hold her head in defense; she just kept shaking it.

"It shouldn't be like this, it shouldn't be like this..."

She had clearly planned everything perfectly, so why had things turned out like this today?

Looking at her state, Wei Xiangyang cursed and turned to leave. Ever since experiencing those events in Xiashan Village, his personality had become even more extreme. Even now, he was still mooching off his parents, and he had gotten into several arguments with his older brother over this, nearly coming to blows.

"Hey, hurry up and cook, or I'll have my dad hit you again!" Her son, Wei Kunxiang, walked over and shoved her.

Zhang Qingqing looked at the son she had given birth to, the despair in her eyes gradually replaced by a touch of madness.