Teacher Mu shot Old Fang a meaningful glance, and Old Fang immediately said, "Muyang, come with me to the study."
Only Teacher Mu and Fei Ni remained in the living room.
Fei Ni guessed that half the reason the Fang family didn’t want Fang Muyang to take the job at the pictorial was because of her.
Her unwelcoming attitude toward Ling Yi was written all over her face, and now she had to explain further. She didn’t want Fang Muyang to give up a decent job for her sake—a job he was fully capable of handling. She couldn’t bear the responsibility of letting him sacrifice his future for her likes and dislikes.
When it came to one’s future, personal preferences carried no weight.
"I think he’s very suited for the job at the pictorial—it’s much more fitting than working at a hotel. He’s completely capable of handling the work there. The Ling family has always wanted to repay his kindness. If he agrees, this debt will be settled. A small kindness is remembered, but a great one breeds resentment. If the favor is too heavy and can’t be repaid, the fear of the benefactor exposing the matter can turn into hatred. Once the debt is cleared, interactions will naturally become more relaxed. If he goes to work at the pictorial, it will benefit everyone."
Fei Ni didn’t think Ling Yi would hold a grudge against Fang Muyang—it was far more likely Ling Yi would resent her. Of course, if Fang Muyang took the job at the pictorial, Ling Yi might once again get the mistaken idea that she was superior.
Teacher Mu hadn’t expected Fei Ni to be so thoughtful. She herself hadn’t considered this angle—great kindness can breed great enmity, something she had experienced. Yet she had clearly seen that Fei Ni didn’t like Ling Yi, but her rationality made her set aside her personal feelings.
As soon as Fang Muyang returned home, he sensed something was off.
Old Fang called Fang Muyang into the study but didn’t mention Ling Yi directly. Instead, he asked his son, "Do you know what the best decision I’ve made in my life is?"
Old Fang waited for his son to ask for the answer, confident his question was intriguing.
But Fang Muyang didn’t play along, showing no interest in the question.
Old Fang had to answer it himself: "The best decision I’ve made in my life was marrying your mother. Without her, I might not have survived to see you. Feelings that can’t withstand hardship are shallow. Fei Ni took care of you when you were in difficulty—she’s the one who can stay with you for life. When choosing a partner, you should pick someone who can support you in times of suffering."
"I think there’s some truth to what you’re saying. Couples should support each other. But choosing a partner just because they can help you when you’re suffering seems rather uninspiring. You didn’t choose Mother solely because she could endure hardship with you, did you?"
"Of course not." Old Fang temporarily ignored his rebellious son’s misinterpretation and asked, "Then what do you think is most important in choosing a partner?"
"First, I have to like the person. If I don’t like someone but only see that they’re kind, responsible, and would help me when I’m suffering, and then decide to be with them—isn’t that too selfish? Besides, one can’t spend their whole life in hardship, can they?"
Old Fang felt his rebellious son made some sense but quickly grew wary and subtly hinted, "But one must know gratitude. You’re already married—the most important thing now is responsibility."
"Fei Ni doesn’t need me to take responsibility for her. You’re underestimating her. It’s me who can’t live without her, not the other way around. You don’t think Fei Ni was desperate to marry me and I reluctantly accepted, do you?" Fang Muyang laughed. "What gave you that misunderstanding?"Old Fang finally remembered why he had called his rebellious son in, adopting an understanding expression. "I knew you gave up your university spot to Ling Yi out of pure sympathy, with no other intentions. But others might have some different speculations... You'd better decline the job the Ling family arranged for you."
Fang Muyang pressed further, "Why should I refuse? I actually think it's a good position."
"Fei Ni might have some misunderstandings about you and Ling Yi. You should minimize contact with Ling Yi—there's no need to let outsiders affect family stability. Reducing or even cutting off contact with Ling Yi won't impact your life." But having a jealous wife who constantly fretted over such trivial matters would greatly disrupt daily life. This was a profound lesson Old Fang had learned from past experience, though for the sake of paternal dignity, he didn't cite specific examples.
"Fei Ni trusts me completely."
"Fei Ni seemed in low spirits when she saw Ling Yi today." Old Fang was convinced his rebellious son was boasting, because he had said the same thing back in the day—yet in reality, his own wife had certainly not trusted him much.
"That wasn't because of jealousy. You're underestimating Fei Ni's emotional capacity." Fang Muyang then asked Old Fang, "Do you think the college entrance exams might be reinstated next year?"
"They're still discussing it in meetings. They'll definitely increase the weight of academic performance in admissions, but whether the exams will be reinstated, I can't say for sure. Why, do you want to take them?" He remembered his rebellious son had never shown interest in university.
"You might not know Fei Ni well—she could translate Russian manuals in elementary school and had already memorized simple English dictionaries. If the exams were reinstated, whether in arts or sciences, she could get into any university she wanted. But now she's stuck doing things she's not good at." Not to mention Ling Yi, even he was seeing his future become clearer, while Fei Ni saw no other possibilities for herself—it would be strange if she weren't in low spirits. He just hadn't realized her mood was so visibly affected, which suggested it was quite severe.
"Of course I believe our daughter-in-law is exceptional, but you're exaggerating a bit. I have some understanding of your secondary education." Old Fang was already amazed that Fei Ni knew textual criticism, but he suspected his son's claims were slightly inflated—not that he distrusted Fei Ni, but during those years, everything was prioritized over academic learning, even in schools. In such an environment, it was hard to believe Fei Ni could have studied effectively, and even if she had, there were few avenues for it.
Fang Muyang laughed. "Most of Fei Ni's education came from textbooks she found at the scrap collection station." He truly regretted that Fei Ni couldn't attend university, but if she had gone a year earlier, she wouldn't have married him; and if even earlier, she wouldn't have taken care of him in the hospital.
He had known all along that Fei Ni frequented the hospital primarily for the chance to go to university—she wanted it so badly.
As for him giving up his university spot to Ling Yi, he believed Fei Ni's main focus was on the university itself, not on Ling Yi.
Although Fei Ni occasionally felt a twinge of jealousy, to her, university was far more important than Ling Yi.
In fact, if forced to choose between him and university, Fei Ni would probably pick university.
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