His brother-in-law had hit the nail on the head. Living there was comfortable, but the key was your financial capability.

Although money isn't everything, you can't do anything without it. No matter where you live, you'll find it impossible to get by if you're broke. How comfortable can you really be, even in the countryside? The culture of comparison is even more intense in rural areas than in the city.

When you live in the city, everyone is a stranger. You don't know the neighbors upstairs, downstairs, or next door. They are no different from strangers, so there's not much to compare and no issues of face to worry about.

Living in the countryside, however, is a different story. It seems like everyone is constantly comparing themselves to everyone else. When only one or two households in the village have a television, you might not think much of it. But when almost everyone has one except for a handful of families, including yours, you start to feel embarrassed and lose face. During the new rural development projects, every family builds a new house. If yours is one of the few that doesn't—not because you already have a new one, but because you're too poor to afford it—it's awkward, isn't it? People will look at you differently. Many village families have bought houses in the county town, but a few, including yours, can't afford one. How could you not feel awkward? When other children your son's age get into top-tier universities while he only manages to get into a vocational college, how could you not feel ashamed?

Even hosting a banquet becomes a competition. People compare the number of dishes, the ratio of hot to cold dishes, and the number of premium dishes. If you serve fewer or poorer quality dishes, you feel embarrassed. If the cigarettes and liquor you offer are inferior to what others serve, you feel embarrassed. Even if you personally don't care, others will talk until you do. People will even mock you for not having a son to carry on the family name, claiming your line is finished.

Having grown up in the countryside, Yi Anguo was all too familiar with these customs, the constant comparisons, and the fickleness of human relationships. If you did well for yourself, earned good money, and returned to the village, everyone would greet you with a smile. They would even pull you into their homes for a meal and a drink as you passed by. But if you were struggling, returning for the New Year with no money to show for it, the villagers' attitudes would be completely different. They would gossip behind your back, saying you were incompetent and had no skills. Some might even mock you to your face. As for inviting you into their homes for a meal? You could forget about it.

If you returned successful, wealthy, and still single, matchmakers would practically beat down your door, all vying to introduce you to someone. But if you came back broke for the holidays, no matchmaker would willingly set foot in your home. Even if you approached one yourself, they would make all sorts of excuses, claiming there was no one suitable for you. And if you pointed out someone you were interested in, the matchmaker would dismiss it as a bad match, saying the woman's family had better prospects and would surely look down on you.

"Brother-in-law, you should build a big villa at home next year! That way, my sister will be more comfortable living in the countryside," Yi Anguo said suddenly.

"Where would we get the money to build a big villa? This is fine as it is," his brother-in-law replied with a bitter smile. He had been in Shenzhen for a while but was still in the learning phase. Even though Yi Anguo had arranged for him to be paid while he studied, six months' salary wasn't nearly enough to build a villa.

"But you have me, don't you? I'll advance you one million in salary, and you can pay it back slowly."

Building a large villa in the countryside only cost a few hundred thousand yuan, so one million was more than enough.

"A one-million-yuan advance? Wouldn't that mean he'd have to work for you for the rest of his life and still might not be able to pay it back?" his sister said cheerfully.

"Of course not," Yi Anguo said, shaking his head. "Once my brother-in-law gets his certified accountant's license and various other financial certifications, and becomes the company's financial manager or director, his annual income will be well over one million."

"Is the salary really that high?" his sister asked, surprised.

Her husband, however, was not shocked. He had already gained some understanding of the industry's prospects. Of course, not just anyone could become a financial director. The position was crucial to the company, a true high-level executive role. But he also knew that as long as he had the skills and knowledge, becoming the company's financial director was just a matter of Yi Anguo saying the word.

He understood why Yi Anguo wanted him to attend the accounting courses. The role of a financial director was vital and required someone absolutely trustworthy. As Yi Anguo's brother-in-law, he was that person. Still, being trusted was one thing; having the ability to perform at that level was another. But even if he didn't reach the level of a financial director, his future income would not be low.

"Absolutely," Yi Anguo affirmed. "For financial directors at big companies and major corporations, an annual salary of over one million is quite normal. For those at large multinational corporations, an annual salary of over ten million, or even tens of millions, is also very common."

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