Li Weili led Chen An back to the room: "I'll give you some pointers on how to memorize. You're not under pressure, but you should also do justice to your years of effort and see how much you've learned in the end."
"Mm, thank you, Lili jie."
The siblings entered the room, and Tian Jing patted her sister-in-law:
"Not bad, your speaking has improved. Keep it up, you'll definitely be a good mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother."
"No, no!" Li Min shook her head and turned back to the kitchen to continue cooking.
"Being a good person is too tiring. I'll just be the kind of mother-in-law who's neither good nor bad, like you used to say."
...
After dinner, Tian Jing specifically went into her daughter's room to ask if she felt any pressure.
Li Weili shook her head. She, her elder brothers, and her younger brother were all raised quite freely. What pressure could she possibly have?
Besides, her grades had always been among the top. She was very confident in herself.
"Mom, I've applied to schools in the capital."
Tian Jing nodded. Her children were growing up and wanted to spread their wings. She wouldn't stop them.
Li Weili leaned on her mother's shoulder: "Mom, aren't you going to ask me which school I applied to?"
Tian Jing casually asked, "Which school did you apply to?"
"Hehehe," Li Weili chuckled, "Mom, you're the most open-minded parent. No matter what we want to do, you don't object."
"Although you and Dad didn't have much time to care for us because you were busy with village affairs, I know that you and Dad love us."
"When filling out applications, many classmates said their parents told them to apply to this school or that school, and some parents even came to school to help fill them out."
"Only I got to fill out the schools I wanted to apply to as I pleased. Because I knew that even if something went wrong, you wouldn't scold us."
Tian Jing put her arm around her daughter's shoulder and gently swayed: "So, which school did you apply to?"
Li Weili almost nestled into her mother's embrace:
"I applied to the University of Finance and Economics, as well as the finance and architecture departments of several other renowned universities."
"I plan to major in economics and minor in architecture. Because I want to take over the real estate company in the capital."
"Uncle Ouyang is also doing a good job, and that's because you and Dad guided him on land acquisitions."
"Ever since I thought about taking over the company in the capital, I've been calling him regularly."
"His methods of handling problems are not keeping up with the times."
"And some of his brothers from the south went to the capital and wanted to work with him. He refused them, but he still pointed them in a direction."
"This is very bad. He's cultivating enemies for himself."
"Eldest brother, second brother, and younger brother don't take the usual path. I want to earn a living for them."
Tian Jing didn't expect her daughter not only to think about it but to have already taken action.
She raised her hand and rubbed her daughter's head: "My daughter has really grown up. I'm not too concerned about the company in the capital. As long as there's land in hand, it's profitable."
"Since you want to do it, go ahead. Your Uncle Ouyang must be very happy. He should retire soon."
"Yes!" Li Weili smiled brightly: "When I talked to him on the phone, he didn't know how to solve some problems, and I gave him advice."
"He also said you wouldn't come to save him. When he knew I wanted to take over the company, he was so happy he wished he could immediately shed the burden from his shoulders."
...
From July 7th to 9th, Tian Jing accompanied her sister-in-law and sisters-in-law outside the examination hall for three days.
Of the four children, only her daughter followed the normal path. She considered herself an unqualified mother, and she had to be there for these three most important days of her life.
When parents waiting outside came to chat, Tian Jing would talk to them.
From these conversations, she learned what other parents did.
She solemnly asked her daughter again if she envied how other parents were so involved, hovering around them like shadows.
Li Weili shook her head repeatedly. She didn't want that feeling of being controlled by her parents.
After confirming that her daughter truly didn't want it, Tian Jing stopped trying to give her daughter the option. She herself couldn't stand parents who wanted to control their children.
Li Weili burst out laughing: "Mom, even if I did, are you planning to accompany me to college? College is when parents let go. You've got it backward."
Tian Jing chuckled: "You're right. We never accompanied them like that. I was worried you might feel regret."
"No," Li Weili shook her head. "I'm very content with you accompanying me these days. Any more, and I wouldn't be able to handle it."
"Let's quickly pack our bags and go home. I want to see the cave."
The group of six, plus luggage, took two trips to get home.
As soon as they returned home, they encountered Zeng Jingrong coming to pick up Li Weixin.
Tian Jing refused: "This summer vacation, I plan for him to enjoy his last moments of ordinary, leisurely time."
"He'll stay home and spend time with us and his sister. In the future, like the eldest and second brothers, he'll rarely be home. Have you returned to the camp?"
"No," Zeng Jingrong shook his head. "A friend of mine suddenly disappeared, and I'm looking for her."
A friend? Disappeared?
Tian Jing told her daughter to find her younger brothers and go play in the cave, while she would help Captain Zeng find the person.
Captain Zeng quickly waved his hand: "No, no, I can find her myself."
Li Weili glanced at her mother's upturned lips, then turned and ran off to find An An and Xiao Yu.
Tian Jing would not allow Zeng Jingrong to refuse: "Please sit down, I'll make a call at the village committee."
After calling County Chief Ji, she learned that Ji Shiyi had been driven to the village by the county chief himself on the day she left.
Tian Jing suppressed a laugh, almost choking herself. She told County Chief Ji what Zeng Jingrong had said about his friend disappearing and looking for her:
"Did you guess, and that's why you did it?"
County Chief Ji chuckled: "A man like Zeng Jingrong needs to be made to feel anxious to face his own heart. Just give him a hint, don't tell him."
Tian Jing guaranteed: "Don't worry, he won't find out if he doesn't go back."
Returning to the courtyard, Tian Jing asked Zeng Jingrong: "Don't you have to manage things at the camp?"
Zeng Jingrong shook his head: "I can arrange things by phone."
"Oh~" Tian Jing drew out the end of her voice. "By the way, the person I sent in last time, I changed the contract."
"The secretary said it wasn't suitable, but I already had them sign it."
"Fortunately, it was signed for one year. After one year, you can arrange it as you see fit."
Zeng Jingrong was surprised: "How could you arbitrarily change a contract? Which person who went in didn't sign a contract for more than ten years? You..."
Zeng Jingrong suddenly paused: "You, when did you send the person in?"
Tian Jing blinked her eyes: "I forgot."
Zeng Jingrong turned and ran out of the courtyard. The words "I'll come to pick up Ran Ran in early September" floated in from outside the courtyard.
Tian Jing was speechless. She hadn't even hinted yet, and this guy reacted so quickly?
...
Li Weili took her two younger brothers to the hot spring valley and found her father and youngest brother by the cave entrance.
The father and son were preparing to go down into the cave.
She quickly called out to stop her father and brother.
Li Zhengguo turned around and was met with a hug from his daughter: "How did the exam go?"
"Hahaha," Li Weili laughed heartily, "You, like all parents, love to ask those four words."
"Mom stayed outside the examination hall with me for three days. Every time I came out of the exam room, she'd ask if I was hungry."