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Chapter 114: Chapter 114: Does the Si Family Have a Claim to the Throne?
"Sister-in-law, I heard from Hai Sheng that the Dean is planning to hold a competition for us doctors’ family members in July this year. It will test some basic medical knowledge, and the person who comes in first will get free medical treatment at the hospital for life. The details haven’t been nailed down yet, and not many people know about it, so you can just secretly read some medical books when you have free time, but don’t go around telling others."
When Li Meiyu heard the news, she was confident she could come in first as she had the highest level of education among all those in the family quarters. People like Li Nuanchun and Chen Yanmei barely knew how to read and had spent many years as homemakers and child minders in the family quarters, losing touch with books a long time ago. She doubted they would even understand if they tried to read, let alone if it was something medical-related.
The reason Li Meiyu told Chen Yanmei about this was somewhat selfish. Not only did she want to come in first, but she also wanted Chen Yanmei to come in second, humbling Tong Yao by placing her last.
"Really? This is happening?" Chen Yanmei’s eyes shone brightly, only to dim again as she sarcastically remarked: "Even if this activity happens, what’s the point of me reading? Even if I do read, it’s pointless. You’re sure to come in first. You have the highest education here in the Dean’s residence."
This wasn’t her flattering Li Meiyu, she simply saw that they were not on the same level. What was the point of competing with a teacher? Reading more books wouldn’t help. Why go through all that trouble?
She might as well concentrate on raising her child.
"Sister-in-law, why don’t you understand my good intentions?" As for coming in first, Li Meiyu was quite confident and didn’t refute anything. She lowly muttered, "I’m urging you to read, not to surpass me, but to surpass everyone else. Think about it, if someone who’s just been in the family quarters for two or three months ends up ranking higher than you, you won’t be the only one who’ll be embarrassed."
Without mentioning any names, anyone who wasn’t a fool would know who Li Meiyu was referring to as the person who had just moved in two or three months ago. Chen Yanmei had been in the family quarters for a long time, neither too long nor too short. If she were to be outperformed by Tong Yao, wouldn’t she lose face amongst the family quarters?
Moreover, her husband was a vice president at the hospital.
Now alert, Chen Yanmei put aside her carefree attitude and asked sternly, "Meiyu, do you have any more news about that? What kind of knowledge will be tested?"
Li Meiyu laughed, "Sister-in-law, I really don’t know about that. Anyway, reading a few medical books surely won’t hurt you."
Even if she did know what the questions would be, she wouldn’t share that information! 𝑛𝘰𝑣𝑝𝑢𝑏.𝘤𝑜𝘮
What if Chen Yanmei studied day and night and ended up coming in first, stealing her thunder? No!
Now that she had reminded Chen Yanmei to read medical books, she had already done her part. If it weren’t for wanting to drag Tong Yao through the mud, she would not have told anyone about this.
Realising there were no shortcuts, Chen Yanmei quickly retorted, "Thank you for telling me. Don’t tell anyone else about this, okay?" If more people became aware and started reading, she might not even make the top ten, let alone come in second.
Li Meiyu was right about one thing. If she did poorly in the contest, wouldn’t she be embarrassing her own man?
No, she had to rush home and read. There were several medical books at home that were almost molding. She remembers that she wanted to throw them away the last time, but it was good that she hadn’t.
"Sister-in-law, don’t worry. The details are still not fixed, so I definitely won’t go around blabbering." Li Meiyu was not a fool. She knew when to keep her mouth shut, "Sister-in-law, I am going to take a shower. You better put your kid to bed and get down to reading really quick!"
With that, Li Meiyu turned around and went downstairs.
Chen Yanmei sprung into action like her behind was on fire, as though she was not on top of things. After returning to the room with her child, Baodan, she dug out two candies for him from the drawer, then began to read a medical book. Looking at the dense text on the page, she felt as if her head was going to explode. Sure, the words recognized her, but she didn’t recognize them!
She hadn’t been to many years of school, and it had been years since she had read books. Those things she knew had been forgotten a long time ago. She was not interested in medical books and wasn’t able to immerse herself in them at all.
After thinking it over, she decided to wait for her man to come back and let him find out more about the competition from the hospital. Maybe he could extract some useful information.
No sooner had Li Meiyu and Chen Yanmei finished speaking than the nosey parker of the number six house relayed the information verbatim to Tong Yao. Tong Yao found it hilarious. She had only been in the family quarters for just over a month and was the newest and youngest member. She intended to throw the competition intentionally with no shame. Competing with her was asking for trouble, surely?
Thinking of this, Tong Yao’s eyes narrowed into crescents, lively like a kitten. Her infectious humor touched Si Chen’s heart, making him feel all warm inside.
"What’s got you so happy?"
"Huh?" Her train of thought interrupted, Tong Yao blinked her big eyes and made up something on the spot, "I just think this Spicy Chicken is too delicious. Your cooking skills are getting better and better, I will become a two-hundred-pound fat woman if I continue to eat like this."
Swallowing the chicken bone in her mouth, Si Xiaohui candidly replied, "Being fat would be a good thing. Fat people give birth to sons. You’re too skinny right now, like a bamboo stick." She looked at the pile of chicken bones in front of her and noticed they were more than the ones in front of Tong Yao and Si Chen combined.
Lin Fengying was more frugal and would never buy meat on ordinary days. She would only have pork during festivals, not to mention chicken. Though chicken was cheaper than pork, she would need to buy a whole one, costing at least two yuan. The last time she had chicken, she borrowed some from Tong Yao.
She was thankful she wasn’t dying for meat today or else one chicken wouldn’t be enough.
"What do you mean, ’being fat gives birth to a son’? Does that mean women can’t?" Tong Yao thought Si Xiaohui’s words were a bit odd. Even as a woman herself, she preferred sons over daughters. Such thought should have already been abolished.
Standing firm, Si Xiaohui declared, "Nowadays, the family planning policy is strict. We can only have one child. If we have more, my brother could lose his job. So, of course, we have to have a son!"
If they had a daughter who went to another family when she got married, wouldn’t that spell the end for this older brother of hers?
Tong Yao rolled her eyes and retorted, "So, it has to be a son? Does the Si Family have a throne to inherit?"
Caught off guard, Si Xiaohui turned her head towards Si Chen, seeking support, "Brother, do you or do you not want to have a son?"
With this older brother being so talented, if they had a daughter, would not all the money he earned go to someone else’s family? It was only right to have a son take over the family business.
She originally thought that Tong Yao, having read so many books, would be broadminded, but it turns out she didn’t even understand this basic concept.
