Chapter 354: A Family Gathering and Unexpected Revelations

“Thank you, Uncle!”

Su Qianqian followed Zhou Can’s lead and greeted the elders.

Seeing both Uncle and Aunt had given red envelopes, Zhou Can’s mother reached into her bag and pulled out an impressively stuffed red envelope. The wallet was so packed it looked like it might burst.

According to Zhou Can’s family traditions, when the mother-in-law gives the future daughter-in-law her first meeting red envelope, the amount depends on her own financial ability.

The bare minimum is 666 yuan—any less would be a bit embarrassing.

If the family’s more well-off and really likes the girl, it’s usually 6,666 yuan or even 8,888. It rarely goes over ten thousand though—money doesn’t just fall from the sky.

Anything more than ten thousand couldn’t even fit in a red envelope.

“Qianqian, this is just a little something for you—go treat yourself to some new clothes!”

“Thank you, Auntie!”

Su Qianqian took the envelope, feeling its thickness in her hand. A touch of emotion flickered on her face.

She knew Zhou Can’s family had nearly gone bankrupt. They’d just finished paying off their debts, and now his mother handed her such a generous red envelope. It spoke volumes about how much she was valued and loved.

“How come the pretty auntie gets a red envelope but not me?”

A sweet, childish voice interrupted.

It was Cousin Zhou Hai’s daughter speaking up.

The little girl was about three—chubby cheeks, big eyes, at that adorable and mischievous age where everything sounded soft and cute.

Everyone broke out laughing.

Thankfully Zhou Can was prepared. He’d brought a few red envelopes just in case.

He immediately pulled one out of his pocket and walked over.

“Well, you didn’t ask for one! If you call me Uncle Can, I’ll give you a red envelope so you can buy some candy!”

Zhou Can knelt down to play with his cousin’s child.

“Hello Uncle Can!”

She bravely called out, but as soon as the words left her mouth she spun around and dove into her mother’s arms, burying her face and hiding shyly.

“Oh, what a sweet little voice! So polite, too. Here, take this red envelope and buy yourself some candy.”

Zhou Can grinned as he placed the envelope in her hand.

With her wish granted, the little girl turned and looked up at Zhou Can.

“I’m not called Little Candy Bean, my name is Huanhuan.” She pouted, quickly correcting him.

“Oh, so your name is Huanhuan! I won’t forget.” Zhou Can tried his best to keep a straight face but couldn’t help smiling. “Do you like eating candy beans, though?”

“I do! They’re super yummy! But my mom says eating too much candy is bad for your teeth—bugs will grow on them.” The little girl answered seriously, too adorable for words.

Su Qianqian joined them, a red envelope in her hand as well.

“Huanhuan, can you call me too? I’ve got a red envelope just for you!”

The little girl stared at her with wide, innocent eyes.

Then, in a crisp, clear voice, she called out, “Hello, pretty auntie!”

“Haha, such a sweet tongue—how could anyone not like you! Here’s a red envelope for your candy, but you have to promise not to eat too much, okay?”

Su Qianqian was absolutely delighted.

Being praised for her looks by adults had grown old, since adults rarely meant what they said.

But when a child spoke, there was an innocent honesty that felt genuine.

“Thank you, Uncle Can and pretty auntie!”

The little girl’s mother nudged her daughter to say thank you.

“Thank you both!”

At such a young age, the girl already had her own way of thinking—a sign of real independence.

With the right upbringing, this little one was bound for great things.

“Huanhuan, you’re amazing!”

Zhou Can couldn’t help but praise her.

Su Qianqian was completely smitten with the little girl, too.

“If you and your wife like kids so much, why not hurry up and get married—have two of your own!” Cousin Zhou Hai said, not bothering to be polite.

The word ‘wife’ made Su Qianqian blush crimson.

Having two kids—such a sensitive subject—made her even more flustered as an unmarried girl.

“Haha, the two of us are trying to learn from you and your wife!”

Zhou Can gave a sheepish laugh to ease his girlfriend’s embarrassment.

“Let’s head to the hotel and eat while we chat! After we eat, Qianqian and I have to rush back to the provincial capital for work.”

“That’s the downside of being a trainee doctor—it’s almost impossible to get a day off! In the hospital, us trainees and interns have the least rights of anyone.”

His cousin, snacking on grapes nearby, couldn’t help but chime in after hearing Zhou Can mention returning to work.

“It’s true! Things might get better after you’re officially hired.”

Zhou Can agreed with a laugh.

“I only got today off to come visit Uncle—I had to beg my mentor for ages. If my mentor didn’t really like me, I never would’ve gotten it. Took forever to convince them to let me go. Being a trainee is no joke.”

Though his cousin was complaining, in reality he was bragging about how valued he was at the hospital.

Zhou Can caught the real meaning right away and smirked.

Their aunt and uncle took real pride in appearances—a tradition their two kids had inherited perfectly.

The less someone has, the more they want to show off.

Zhou Can’s simple remark about going back to work hit his cousin differently—it sounded like one-upping to him. Human emotions can be so amusing.

When something sensitive gets touched in your heart, there’s an intense resonance.

“My son Shangfu doesn’t realize how valuable his job really is. The Provincial Children’s Hospital is a major hospital—so many people dream of working there but can’t get in! His mentor is the star pupil of the famous specialist Wei Zhengru, and really values Shangfu—has even come to our house multiple times. He promised to nurture Shangfu and once he finishes his training, he’ll take him into the operating room to do surgeries.”

“What a fantastic opportunity! If our generation had that, we’d have worked our fingers to the bone for it. But him? As soon as he heard we were visiting Uncle, he insisted on getting time off to come along—said he missed everyone.”

Aunt’s words once again put Cousin Shangfu in the spotlight.

Cousin Zhou Hai worked in the health system as a deputy section chief—he had some real perspective.

Learning that cousin Shangfu was connected to the renowned expert Wei Zhengru basically made him Wei’s ‘grand-disciple’.

He looked at cousin Chen Shangfu with bright eyes. “Wow, Shangfu, who would’ve thought! You’re doing really well. Professor Wei Zhengru’s name is legendary—the go-to pediatric specialist in the Provincial Children’s Hospital. Now that you’re being mentored by his star student and are so valued, as long as you keep it up, your future’s set. Who knows, in twenty or thirty years, you could be a top pediatric specialist yourself!”

Zhou Hai’s words were a bit of an exaggeration, but cousin Chen Shangfu really did have a bright future.

The only uncertainty was whether he could pass his physician’s exam—and after two years of training, stay on at the hospital.

“Did you hear what your cousin said? He works in health administration—if he thinks highly of you, your future must be bright. Pull through this training, son, and success is right ahead.”

Uncle took his son’s career seriously.

From some angles, Uncle could seem selfish or ungrateful. But as a father, he was truly devoted and outstanding.

He’d raised both kids to be postgrads and guided them into promising careers. That was no small feat.

“I know. I only asked for time off to visit Uncle’s house. After I’m permanent, I’ll be even busier. I’ll probably only have time to visit during New Year’s!”

His cousin milked the family card for all it was worth.

It sounded nice, but really, ever since Zhou Can’s family got out of debt, their aunt and uncle wanted to seize the chance to reconnect and repair ties.

Having well-off kids, they brought them along—not just for pride, but to boost their family weight.

They had their own clever plans!

In today’s world, money really is king.

Director Zhou is the wealthiest of the three siblings. When the older brother or little sister hit a financial snag, Director Zhou was the one they turned to.

During Zhou Can’s family’s tough times, only Uncle’s family stepped in. Third Aunt’s family stayed out of it.

If they didn’t fix their relationship, asking for money from Director Zhou in the future would just be awkward.

“Honestly, my job is crazy busy. I’m working toward head nurse right now, and I’d rather not take time off. But thinking about how much Uncle, Aunt, and my older cousins loved me growing up reminded me that family matters most. So I begged the head nurse for a leave to come along.”

His cousin Chen Shangmei was even better with words.

Her mushy speech made Zhou Can, a grown man, feel almost pregnant.

“Haha, wasn’t it just yesterday that Shangmei was wearing those two pigtails? In the blink of an eye, she’s about to become head nurse! Third sister’s kids turned out great.”

Uncle beamed paternal pride.

For elders, seeing their younger kin succeed is the greatest joy.

“You two have grown up and found good jobs—wonderful! As for Uncle and me, coming to see us for New Year’s is enough. Your careers come first!”

Director Zhou had high hopes for his younger family members.

He wanted nothing more than to see them all succeed in their careers.

“Come on, let’s head to the hotel and eat! We can chat more over dinner.”

Mother stood at the door, hurrying them along.

Her main concern was always her son and future daughter-in-law. She just didn’t want dinner to be so late it would disrupt their work.

The group of over ten people poured out of the villa, making quite a sight.

“I’ll drive ahead and lead the way. Little Fat Sheep Restaurant on 11 Wenyi Street has great specialty dishes. Since it’s Qianqian’s first time visiting, she’s got to try the best our county has to offer.”

Mother headed toward her car.

That white Audi might be mid-range, but it was still a pretty decent ride.

“Honey, I’ll leave my car here and ride with you instead!”

Director Zhou headed straight for his wife’s Audi.

The couple hopped in and quickly drove the car out.

“Son, close the door behind us, all right?”

“No problem!”

Zhou Can called back.

Both Aunt and Uncle’s families eyed the BMW intently.

“Zhou Can, is that BMW yours?”

Aunt asked curiously.

Honestly, while a BMW worth hundreds of thousands was just a commuter car to Zhou Can, to most middle-class families it was a sweet luxury.

Her own Cadillac might look nice, but they knew deep down…

That used luxury car was mainly for show. Real rich folks wouldn’t be fooled by it.

“That’s my girlfriend’s car. I stay at the hospital dorm, so I walk to work—it’s super close.”

Zhou Can answered truthfully.

“So what does your girlfriend do? If she can afford a BMW, her family must be well-off too.”

His cousin couldn’t help but feel a little envious.

She and Su Qianqian were about the same age, but their finances were worlds apart.

Her curiosity about Su Qianqian’s job and background grew.

“My family’s just a regular farming family. I usually just sing for a living.” Su Qianqian had nothing to hide and was completely honest with Zhou Can’s relatives.

“Oh… singing’s great! I wanted to be a pop star when I was a kid, but I can’t carry a tune, so I ended up studying medicine instead.” His cousin reacted quickly, smoothing over the moment for Su Qianqian.

After a moment of surprise, she switched subjects gracefully to avoid any awkwardness.

“Bet my cousin’s helped out a lot! No wonder you’ve won such a beauty’s heart.” She smiled, teasing Zhou Can a little.

She figured there’s no way an average small-time singer could afford a car like that.

Since Zhou Can’s family had money, he must’ve pitched in.

“I’d love to chip in, but Qianqian wouldn’t let me. She bought it with her own hard-earned money.” Zhou Can rushed to clarify.

He couldn’t let the family think Qianqian was some gold digger.

He promised himself he’d never let his girlfriend feel wronged.

“Her job’s singing… her name’s Qianqian! Wait, I think I’ve seen you online before. Are you the singer Su Qianqian who’s been blowing up all over lately?”

Cousin Chen Shangfu, still single, had quite an eye for pretty girls.

The first moment he saw Su Qianqian, he thought she looked familiar.

He just hadn’t connected the dots with the online celebrity.

After all, the photos and videos online were taken by professionals—they always looked different from real life.

When Uncle, Aunt, and the others heard that Zhou Can’s girlfriend might be a celebrity, they were stunned.

“I can’t live up to ‘queen of purity’, but yes—I’m Su Qianqian, the singer you’re thinking of.” Su Qianqian replied with natural poise.

“No way, you really are Su Qianqian the singer! That’s incredible! No wonder you’re so beautiful and elegant.”

At that moment, nobody cared about her rural background.

With her current level of fame, birthplace really didn’t matter anymore.

“I’ve heard a lot of your songs—they’re so soothing! Could you sign something for me later?” Cousin Chen Shangfu realized he didn’t have any pen or paper and made a mental note to get some.

He hadn’t expected to turn out to be a true fan.

“Sure, I’d be happy to.”

Su Qianqian agreed readily.

“Unbelievable! My cousin’s girlfriend is a pop star… No wonder she drives a BMW!” His cousin finally recovered from her shock and started looking at Su Qianqian like she was a walking fortune.

“Wow, look at how clueless we are—not even realizing she’s a celebrity. Qianqian, you have to come visit our home sometime—we live in the provincial capital, too.”

Aunt literally slapped her forehead in amazement, sidling up to Su Qianqian enthusiastically.

Her attitude warmed up by at least tenfold.

“Exactly! Qianqian, you’re always welcome at our place too. If you ever need help, just call.” Uncle was the king of opportunists.

Now that they’d found a walking ATM, they weren’t about to let go. He almost wanted to wrap Su Qianqian up like an octopus.

“Thanks so much. If I get the chance, I’ll definitely visit!”

Su Qianqian handled these situations with ease.