Tan Desheng himself was actually quite capable. He enlisted in the army during a recruitment drive back in the day and later became a police officer in Z Province. He worked his way up to a department-level official before retiring, so his monthly pension was quite substantial.

With such a capable relative, Tan Lin naturally wanted to use him to improve his own family’s life. But no matter how he tried to curry favor, Tan Desheng simply preferred Tan Deji’s family and was very cold toward Tan Lin and his wife, Cheng Wenhui.

For example, before Tan You was born, Tan Lin and Cheng Wenhui also went to Z Province to find work. Tan Desheng paid them no mind, but he took great care of Tan Deji’s son, Tan Shanyun, and his wife, Cao Xiaojing, who had gone there around the same time.

Not only did he put in the money and effort to arrange housing for them, but he also helped them find jobs and build connections. Tan Lin and his wife, Cheng Wenhui, couldn’t make it in Z Province and had no choice but to come back.

Of course, Tan Lin was resentful. In his heart, this was his own uncle, his father’s younger brother. He couldn’t understand why Tan Desheng doted on Tan Shanyun and his wife, who weren’t even blood-related, while turning a blind eye to him and Cheng Wenhui as they wallowed in hardship.

Thinking of these things, Tan Lin couldn’t help but feel deeply wronged.

Seeing Tan Lin’s pouting expression, the grown man looked so pitiful. Tan You sighed. She knew Tan Lin had all sorts of flaws, but at the end of the day, his past had been genuinely hard. Tan You couldn’t, in good conscience, pretend she didn’t see that. She used to not understand why Tan Desheng was so biased, but now she understood everything.

Such scandalous affairs weren’t unheard of in the countryside. The reason Tan Desheng doted on Tan Deji’s son, Tan Shanyun, was perfectly clear. He had undoubtedly coveted Cheng Wenhui as well, but unfortunately for him, Cheng Wenhui was a woman of firm principles, and Tan Lin also had his boundaries. Tan Desheng simply never got his way.

She mulled it over for a moment. "If Second Grand-uncle comes back, you two should just stay in town. There’s no need to return to see him. He doesn’t treat you well anyway, so there’s no point in staying in touch from now on."

Tan Lin put on a proud front. "Don’t I have to come back to see your grandparents? What if you use that as an excuse to dock my pay?"

Despite his words, he glanced at Tan You. "Do you want Second Grand-uncle to know about your situation?"

"There’s no need. He doesn’t treat me well, either," Tan You refused without hesitation. "He favors boys over girls and much prefers Tan Deji’s two grandsons. Why would I go looking for a snub?"

"If you tell him, he’ll just turn around and tell Tan Deji’s family. That man is the type to look down on you when you have nothing and resent you when you have something. Why stir up unnecessary trouble?"

"We just need to focus on living our own lives. We’re doing alright now, and things will only get better from here. And him? His life only looks good on the surface. People see a retired official with a hefty monthly pension who travels all the time."

"In reality, his life isn’t all that happy," Tan You said with a small smile. "I remember he and Second Grand-aunt got divorced, didn’t they? Because he was cheating on her."

Tan Deming nodded. "It’s been over twenty years. He hadn’t even retired back then. I heard both his son and daughter are estranged from him."

"So, you see, he’s just enjoying himself while he’s still able-bodied," Tan You said softly. "With no partner and estranged children, how long can his smugness last?"

"As for his pension, I’m not after it. I don’t mind if he comes to see you, but if he expects me to grovel and wait on him, that’s never going to happen."

Tan Deming replied, "You’re not wrong to think that way. He’s my younger brother, but we can have our own separate relationships with him. Besides, you’ll be off at school soon. I’ll deal with things on this front."

"I couldn’t bear to see you grovel, either. You’re the one holding this family up. At the end of the day, your second grand-uncle has his own family. But you are my biological granddaughter. We’re a family, and we’re naturally closer."

Tan You’s smile was radiant. "Grandpa, you see things most clearly."

Tan Deming looked slightly smug. "But of course."

Tan You glanced at Tan Lin again. Seeing him still looking so listless, she couldn’t help but feel a little amused. She pulled out two bills and stuffed them into his hand. "Stop looking so miserable. I’ll treat you to lunch, and you can keep the change as pocket money."

"Two hundred for one meal?" Tan Lin muttered, but his mood had clearly improved. He touched the money in his breast pocket and suddenly felt most of his old resentment, bitterness, and stubbornness just melt away.

"So you’re really treating me to lunch?" Seeing Tan You, Tan Deming, and Tan Yue walking ahead, Tan Lin hurried to catch up to her, a smile finally breaking out on his face.

Tan You shot him a sideways glance. "You look much more pleasant this way."

"Heh. When I think about your second grand-uncle, all alone with his kids ignoring him, and then I look at my own eldest daughter... I realize I’m much happier than he is." Tan Lin ran a hand through his hair, suddenly feeling that, when compared to Tan Desheng, his own life was actually much more comfortable.

When it was time for lunch, Cheng Wenhui arrived. She wiped the sweat from her forehead. "I took a two-hour leave for my lunch break. Will that be enough time to get everything done?"

Tan Yue had her take a seat as the dishes began to arrive one by one. Tan Lin was frugal by habit, so even though Tan You was paying, he had still picked a humble roadside diner and ordered just enough food for the five of them.

Tan You didn’t comment on his choice. ’If giving him some money can make him a little happier, then there’s no harm in it.’ When she looked at Tan Lin and Cheng Wenhui these days, she had completely shed the perspective of a daughter.

Instead, she viewed them with the faint air of an elder. From a parent’s perspective, she found the two of them weren’t so difficult to get along with. However, if Tan Lin and Cheng Wenhui were to take her money and still try to pull rank as her parents, Tan You wouldn’t be nearly so accommodating.

As it stood, it seemed the couple understood their position quite clearly.

Cheng Wenhui had no objections at all to the house Tan Lin and Tan You had chosen. In fact, as long as it wasn’t in the countryside, she didn’t have high standards for her living situation. And so, after viewing the house, they headed to the real estate bureau that afternoon to handle the transfer of ownership.

Cheng Wenhui certainly couldn’t be absent for this. Her planned two-hour leave was extended right up until the end of her shift. But she wasn’t the least bit worried; on the contrary, her heart was overflowing with joy.

She had always felt a sense of rootlessness and instability in the past. The house in the village belonged to Tan Deming and Wang Hunv. In City C, their rental apartment belonged to a landlord. Not a single home was truly hers.

But now, things were different. She had a house in town. With a house of her own, she finally felt like she had put down roots. In this house, she could do whatever she wanted without having to worry about what anyone else thought.

Watching Cheng Wenhui’s myriad expressions, Tan You couldn’t help but sigh. ’A person like my mom has been completely held back by her husband and children.’ Why else do people say that marriage is a woman’s second birth? If you end up with an incompetent man, a life of suffering and hardship is all you can expect. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

As Tan Deming was making the payment, the homeowner remarked with a sigh, "It’s wonderful that the elder of your family is buying you a house."

Tan Lin gave a dry laugh and glanced at Tan You. "Yes, our benefactor is very good to us."

In Tan Lin’s mind, Tan You was no longer his daughter, but his benefactor. And as for riding his daughter’s coattails, Tan Lin didn’t feel the slightest bit of shame. After all, no one else knew about his family’s situation.