Chapter 546: Chapter 546: What’s the Appeal?

Chen Wenze smiled and nodded. "I’ve only been there once, back when I first met the family. I haven’t been back since. I’m very curious about you and my sister-in-law. What kind of country is it? It’s so underdeveloped, yet you both went back without a second thought."

"I’ve looked at the statistics. Among all the international students at my university, students from Hua Country have one of the highest rates of returning home. And from you, I learned the story of Academician Qian—such a great scientist, giving up the incredible benefits in the United States to return to his country."

"I want to find out what kind of charm that country holds. I want to experience it for myself, so I applied for an exchange program. I’ll be studying at Fudan University in Shencheng for a year."

Hearing this, Chen Wenxuan was slightly surprised. "Welcome back. No matter what I say, it’s nothing compared to experiencing it yourself. Once you’re in the country, you’ll feel your heritage awaken."

Chen Wenze raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "I look forward to it!"

The two brothers made a plan to meet in Shencheng.

When Han Xiaoqing returned that evening, Han Xiaorui saw her carrying a case. "What’s in there?"

"It’s jewelry from my mother-in-law. It’s pretty heavy, I’m not sure what’s exactly inside," Han Xiaoqing replied. "Aren’t you curious, Sis?"

Han Xiaorui nodded. "Of course I am. Open it up. Grandma gave me a lot of pieces before, so let me see how yours compare."

Han Xiaoqing placed the case on the table and opened it using the combination lock.

The inside was lined with many jewelry compartments, all fixed in place.

There were bangles made of jadeite, Hetian jade, diamonds, and other precious stones.

They were a dazzling, vibrant array of colors.

Han Xiaorui pointed to a set of elegant, dainty gemstone studs. "If you feel like bangles and bracelets get in your way, you can always wear earrings."

Han Xiaoqing paused at her sister’s words and touched her earlobe. "I don’t think my ears are pierced!"

Han Xiaorui looked at her younger sister’s earlobes. "You’re right! Well, you can’t wear them for now, then. We can get your ears pierced after you have the baby."

Han Xiaoqing waved her hand dismissively. "I’ll just put them away. The thought of getting my ears pierced is kind of scary! There are some simple necklaces and rings here I can wear. I’ll just skip the rest."

Han Xiaorui laughed. "Suit yourself. It’s your choice whether to get them pierced or not! I have mine pierced, so I get to wear all sorts of beautiful jewelry!"

"Your brother-in-law is on a business trip right now, and the things he brings back for me most often are all kinds of jewelry! I keep telling him he doesn’t need to spend the money, but he insists."

Han Xiaoqing rolled her eyes. "Sis, I think you’re just bragging! You should tell my brother-in-law to give Chen Wenxuan a few pointers."

"Chen Wenxuan has the most typical, logical brain. Last time we were on a trip, I saw a really pretty ring. He picked it up, weighed it in his hand, and said, ’This isn’t pure gold, but it’s more expensive than pure gold. What a rip-off.’"

"With a lot of jewelry, it’s the design that you fall for, not necessarily the material! But in Chen Wenxuan’s eyes, artistry is worthless. The material is the only thing that matters."

Han Xiaorui burst out laughing. "Well, Chen Wenxuan has a point! I sometimes complain to your brother-in-law about the same thing—how can a copper ring be more expensive than a gold one!"

Han Xiaoqing rolled her eyes again. "Sis, you’re so unromantic!"

"Hahaha!" Han Xiaorui roared with laughter. "In a couple, one person has to be the romantic one, and the other has to be the down-to-earth one! If you’re both romantics with your heads in the clouds, how are you supposed to get through daily life?"

Han Xiaoqing thought for a moment. "You’ve got a point, Sis! I guess I shouldn’t give Chen Wenxuan such a hard time about it."

Han Xiaorui smiled. "But you should still hold him to certain standards when it counts. I’ll talk to your brother-in-law! I’ll have him remind Chen Wenxuan to buy you a gift on Valentine’s Day or other holidays."

"A marriage has its mundane necessities, but it should also have its elegant pursuits. Speaking of romance, though, you have to give it to Yao Ziqian!"

Han Xiaoqing’s eyes lit up. "What about him, Sis?"

Han Xiaorui covered her mouth as she laughed. "Oh, Yao Ziqian is something else! Do you know what he got Lingling for her birthday?"

Han Xiaoqing thought for a moment. "Wu Lingling is in the fashion business, so it probably wasn’t clothes. Was it gold and silver jewelry?"

Han Xiaorui shook her head. "Wrong! Guess again!"

Han Xiaoqing couldn’t come up with anything. "I haven’t seen Yao Ziqian in ages. How could I possibly guess his gift? For you to make a special point of mentioning it, it must be something really unique!"

Han Xiaorui answered with a smile, "Yao Ziqian took Wu Lingling back to Yue Province for the New Year celebration. After dropping their kid off with his parents, he took her on a trip to Hong Kong and Southeast Asia!"

"They were gone for half a month, just eating, drinking, and having fun all over Southeast Asia. He planned the whole thing as a surprise for Wu Lingling. How’s that for a gift?"

Han Xiaoqing’s eyes brightened. "Now that is a surprise! But were they really comfortable just leaving their child with his parents?"

Han Xiaorui sighed. "We might think it’s a terrible thing to do, but Yao Ziqian and Wu Lingling thought it was a great idea! ’It’s not good for a child to be too clingy to their parents. A little separation helps them become more independent!’ That was Yao Ziqian’s justification, and he said it with complete conviction!"

"The kid was crying, asking for his mommy and daddy. Yao Ziqian’s parents had no choice but to carry him around, trying to find other people for him to play with. They were constantly on the phone with Uncle Wu and Aunt Wu, complaining about what an unreliable couple their kids were."

Han Xiaoqing didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "With parents like them, the kid really does have to learn to be tough and independent."

Han Xiaorui chuckled. "And after they got back from their trip, they found out she was pregnant again. That couple is really something else. When Yue Province was cracking down on the family planning policy, they’d run off to Shencheng. And when Shencheng started cracking down, they’d just run back to Yue Province."

Han Xiaoqing was taken aback. "Isn’t the family planning policy in the country really strict?"

Han Xiaorui replied, "Oh, it is! It’s very strict. But neither of them works a government job, so as long as they weren’t caught, it wasn’t a problem."

"After the baby was born, they went straight to the family planning office in Shencheng and paid the fine. Since the child was already born and the fine was paid, the officials at the registration office had no choice but to hold their noses and issue the household registration."

Han Xiaoqing sighed. "They’re so free-spirited. After Wenxuan and I go back, we’ll probably both be working in the public sector, so we’ll only be able to have one child."

"But that’s fine, too. It’s less of a burden. Once our child is old enough for school, I can throw myself completely into my work. My mother-in-law tried to convince me to have a few more, but before I could even say a word, Chen Wenxuan shut her down."

Han Xiaorui smiled. "Chen Wenxuan is a good man, though. He just has that classic, logical way of thinking. He’s not romantic, but people like him are also very straightforward. Life with someone like that isn’t so exhausting."

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