Countdown to Awakening

"Grandpa?..." Qi Yuanyuan felt a little uncomfortable. In her cognition, her grandparents were just an unbearable memory.

No one in the room responded. Qi Yuanyuan called out again.

At this time, a middle-aged woman emerged from the house. She looked about the same age as Liang Xiaocui, but she didn't look like someone from a poor family. Instead, she dressed more elegantly than the other people in the village. This was Qi Yuanyuan's great aunt, Wang Ning.

Wang Ning looked Qi Yuanyuan up and down before saying sarcastically, "Hey, isn't this my second brother's daughter? How did you find out you were here?"

From her tone, it was clear that Wang Ning was no pushover. Otherwise, she wouldn't have urged her grandfather to be unfair when dividing the family property.

But she still had to speak to Wang Ning politely: "Auntie, I'm here to give you the invitation." Qi Yuanyuan didn't beat around the bush. When Wang Ning heard this, he paused. Then he looked at her.

"What's wrong? I heard that Sister Huang introduced you to a guy yesterday, and you came to send the invitation today? Wow, that's pretty fast. But that's good. For a girl, it's more reassuring to find a good partner as soon as possible. When are you planning to have the wedding?" Wang Ning looked at her after he finished speaking.

Qi Yuanyuan was speechless. She smiled and continued, "Aunt, it's not a wedding. I just didn't like the guy Aunt Huang introduced me to yesterday. This invitation is for my university entrance banquet... I sent it to you today."

Wang Ning's expression changed immediately after hearing this. She had forgotten that her second brother's daughter had just been admitted to university this year...

So she could only continue, "This, this is a good thing... But I still have to remind you. Girls, be careful not to read too much or no one will want you in the future. So..." Before Wang Ning could finish her words, Qi Yuanyuan interrupted, "Don't worry about that, Auntie. I'll make my own judgment."

"..." Wang Ning was speechless. She had tried to persuade Qi Yuanyuan in a gentle manner, but she refused to listen and even interrupted her? She didn't listen at all and had no manners at all! How did the second brother's family raise her?

Wang Ning walked up to Qi Yuanyuan and asked, "So when are you planning to get married? We can't delay this. After all, no one wants a woman after she's 20."

Qi Yuanyuan smiled faintly and didn't respond. But she was thinking: What does this have to do with you? Why are you still caring about me? Do I have any idea what's important?

Wang Ning saw her hesitate, and then he remembered to invite her in.

As soon as they entered the house, Wang Ning asked Qi Yuanyuan to sit on a chair and called everyone in the family out.

Seeing that they had all arrived, Qi Yuanyuan stood up.

Uncle Qi Ronghua also looked at her. "You're here so early? There's no food for you this early."

Nearby stood two elderly men with graying hair: Grandpa Qi Xuzong and Grandma Li Zhaodi. Behind them were three boys about her age and a little girl. They were my uncle's children. The older ones were the twin brothers Qi Qingyang and Qi Qingguang. The two younger ones hadn't come out yet.

"Grandpa and grandma." Qi Yuanyuan also called them.

Unexpectedly, Li Zhaodi looked disdainful. How dare a little girl enter their home? The second son's wife was so disappointing that she only gave birth to a girl. Humph, this girl is so lucky now that she even got into college?

Grandpa looked forcedly happy.

"Yuanyuan, please sit down." After Qi Xuzong said this, he sat down too.

She handed over the red invitation. Qi Xuzong opened it and smiled. "Yuanyuan, it would have been better if you were a boy. It's a pity that a girl, even if she passed the college entrance exam, wouldn't be able to enter the family tree..." Qi Xuzong shook his head, as if denying her.

Qi Yuanyuan was speechless once again. What did it matter whether she was included in the family tree or not? She didn't even care.

Qi Xuzong handed the invitation to Qi Ronghua who was standing beside him. "How about this, let's make an exception. Yuanyuan is the first college graduate in our family, so let's write her into the family tree."

Wang Ning and Li Zhaodi were not happy about this. Why? "Dad, how can this be? Didn't she just get into college? The Qi family genealogy has always been a place where only boys can join. Why should a girl like her join? We don't agree."

How could Qi Yuanyuan simply get into the Qi family tree by getting into college? Wang Ning, she'd given birth to three children, two of them twins. And no one had suggested she be included? Why? She refused to accept it! If she couldn't even get in, how could Qi Yuanyuan be included? Did she think just because she had the surname Qi meant she could be included? So, did that mean her eldest daughter, Qi Yue, could also be included?

Qi Xuzong noticed Wang Ning's dissatisfaction and said, "My dear wife, you are also a great contributor to this family, but your last name is not Qi. It would be against the rules to include you in our Qi family tree, right?"

The rule in their family is that daughters-in-law and girls cannot be included in the family tree, only boys can be included. If a daughter-in-law wants to be included in the family tree, she must get the approval of the elders in the family.

Obviously Wang Ning didn't qualify, even though she had given birth to three sons.

"Dad... since I gave birth to three sons and they can't be included in the family tree, then Qi Yuanyuan can't be included either. Otherwise, it would be a waste of my hard work. I worked so hard to give birth to three sons for the Qi family, but they can't be included in the family tree. She's just a little girl, and she can make an exception and be included in the family tree just because she got into college? No way!" After Wang Ning finished speaking, he didn't forget to roll his eyes at Qi Yuanyuan.

She and her daughter couldn't be included in the family tree, so why could Qi Yuanyuan? She was also a daughter of the Qi family, so did she qualify just because she got into a poor university?

Qi Xuzong was helpless: "Okay, okay, if you don't want to enter, then don't enter. My eldest daughter-in-law, you'd better get your son into college! Otherwise, even if he is included in the family tree, it will not be a glorious achievement!"

Isn't that a heartbreaking statement? Wang Ning's three sons, the first two twins, are already 20 years old and have no chance of getting into college. The latter is even worse; he's already misbehaving while still in junior high. What hope is there for him to even get into college? Her eldest daughter, only a year older than the twins, is already married. She doesn't plan to let her youngest daughter finish high school. She might as well marry off early like her older sister to earn the bride price for the three boys.

Qi Yuanyuan tried to hold back her laughter when she heard this.

This made Wang Ning furious. "The second son's family doesn't even have a male child. When he's gone, won't his nephew still have to take care of his affairs? And he's not my son? So having a girl is pointless. I need a son to avoid being bullied."

The whole family seemed to agree with this statement and remained silent. Qi Yuanyuan scoffed. Seeing that she had given birth to so many sons, the betrothal gifts would make her collapse.

Wang Ning said, "Oh, I'm telling you, Yuanyuan, why don't you just give up college? Give her to your eldest cousin. He's only two years older than you. Just change the name. It'll be quick. Just settle down and marry someone in the village. I can give you a dowry as a way of repaying your eldest cousin. Girls don't need to study so much."

Again.

"Aunt, if you don't want to come, you don't have to. Others will come. I know you've always looked down on me for getting into college. But don't talk like that."

Wang Ning felt uncomfortable when she heard that. "Don't be so rude. What's wrong with me telling you to get married? We women are supposed to get married. And you could have given your college education to your cousin. Can you bear to see him so uneducated that he can't find a wife in the future?"

Qi Yuanyuan was becoming increasingly speechless. Your son can't find a wife, and you're blaming me? He doesn't work hard and expects to get something for nothing? He deserves to be unwanted.

"Aunt, if you want him to find a wife sooner, tell him to find a job and work hard. There will always be someone who likes him." Qi Yuanyuan said.

Li Zhaodi suddenly spoke up: "You little girl who lost money, how can you say that about your elder brother? You were able to get into university today, isn't it because of the blessing of the Qi family ancestors? Are you so proud? Without the blessing of the Qi family ancestors, how could you have gotten in?"

Li Zhaodi's face was full of disgust and aversion.

"...Grandma, don't say that. The Qi family's ancestors are willing to protect me but not my eldest brother. What does this mean?"

Li Zhaodi was furious after hearing this. "You... you're so awesome... you're trying to piss me off to death, aren't you? I'm your elder! How dare you talk to an elder like that? You're so rebellious! You don't know the rules!"

Qi Xuzong looked up at Li Zhaodi.

Li Zhaodi stopped talking, but she still felt resentful.

Qi Yuanyuan felt sad. Wang Ning started to act up again: "Yuanyuan, I'm your aunt. I'm asking you to get married early for your own good. Look at you, you're very dignified. This little skirt makes you look even more beautiful. You won't suffer any loss if you marry into a family like this."