26: Chapter 26 Aunt 8_1 26: Chapter 26 Aunt 8_1 He Zhilan remembered that Liang Jing used to be quite clingy to her when she was little.
That was because Zhilan’s grades had been good since childhood, and any kid would harbor a small admiration for such an older sister.
But due to Zhilan’s lackadaisical attitude, as Jing grew up, she came to realize how irresponsible Zhilan was, and her admiration began to fade away as well.
“Zhilan, that’s just how Jing is.
Don’t take her too seriously, she’s just a kid who still hasn’t grown up.
She’s always causing her father and me concern—her grades are mediocre, and she has a bit of a temper.
Not to mention, she’s always running around outside.”
“Mom, I…” Liang Jing rolled her eyes and huffed with annoyance, obviously not appreciating He Hongmei airing her shortcomings in front of others.
Liang Hong, the neighbor from the old Liang Family house, had also come along with Jing.
She and the Liang family were distant relatives several generations back, but now the relationship was so complicated it was hard to keep track of.
They were just neighbors now.
Liang Hong was two years older than Jing, but because she started school late, they ended up as classmates in elementary school.
Hongmei and Jing’s father had watched her grow up.
However, Hong only finished middle school till the eighth grade.
After that summer she dropped out and started working.
Though Liang Hong and He Zhilan were born in the same year, Hong was a few months older.
But unlike Zhilan, Hong was already married.
“Auntie, is Zhilan your brilliant niece who got accepted to Capital University?
I heard about it from Jing, so I thought I’d come over and see her.” Liang Hong politely greeted Zhilan after taking a good look at her.
When women look at other women, they usually focus on each other’s family background and looks.
Liang Hong compared herself to He Zhilan and immediately felt a sense of superiority, at least in terms of their background.
Even though her family was from the village, her life had improved significantly since marrying into a family in town.
They never worried about life’s essentials.
But He Zhilan was another story.
Despite her marriage two months ago, she was not as fortunate.
So what if she was a university standout?
She was still married to a soldier!
She had been that soldier’s betrothed ever since she was a child.
He was way older, and being in the military meant they barely got to see each other.
On top of that, everyone knew the He family was poor.
When Liang Hong finished comparing their backgrounds, she gave He Zhilan another look, this time comparing their appearances.
And she didn’t feel as confident anymore.
He Zhilan was quite famous around here, and not just because she had impressive academic achievements as the first person from their county to be admitted to Capital University.
A part of this reputation was due to her looks.
Thanks to the care and protection of He Zhongguo, Zhilan, like He Dongxue, spent very little time on housework or farm chores, which resulted in her skin being unusually fair — something that every local girl envied.
Plus, Zhilan herself had a unique air about her, which Liang Hong couldn’t exactly describe but knew it to be something that others wouldn’t be able to mimic.
This comparison left Hong feeling a little upset.
In the end, she had to comfort herself by saying, “What’s the use of being pretty or being well-educated?
In the end, she’s still not as fortunate as someone like me who may look just average and be uneducated.”
Hong’s thinking mirrored that of most people living in these times who believed that young women didn’t need much education.
They deemed that being able to read and do simple calculations was more than enough.
No matter how educated a woman was, they’d ultimately marry, become someone’s daughter-in-law, and then start raising kids, right?