Little An’an Goes to School

On the first day of school for their little "divine beast," the whole family mobilized.

Chen Pingsheng drove their large Navigator SUV to drop her off, only to get stuck in traffic long before reaching the school.

A quick glance outside showed that almost every car belonged to parents dropping their kids off.

It was just a primary school within the Fourth Ring Road, but this was still Beijing.

Parents who could send their children to a school like this were far from ordinary.

Those driving Volkswagens were mostly government employees, while those with high-end cars were typically business owners or corporate executives.

Little An'an had spent the last two months purely having fun, so the start of the school year left her a bit dazed.

With a big backpack strapped to her back, her chubby little legs carried her straight toward the school entrance.

Primary school wasn't too stressful, as long as the parents didn't pile on the pressure.

Chen Pingsheng and Song Yanxi exchanged a knowing glance with the teacher at the entrance.

—The red envelope has been given. Take good care of our child.

—Received. Rest assured, I'll do my job well.

Expecting teachers in Beijing to afford a house on their school salary alone?

Just take a look at the parents outside—who would believe that?

The rules of society had long changed. If other parents were giving gifts and you weren't, how would your child keep up?

And this was just primary school. There would be middle school, high school, and even university in the future.

In short, if parents didn't put in the effort, their children wouldn't even have the chance to attend a good school.

"Pingsheng, do you think An'an will cry on her first day?"

"Cry? Her backpack is stuffed with snacks."

"That's true. As long as this little rascal has enough snacks, she won't make a fuss."

Song Yanxi then said, "I saw a lot of extracurricular classes around the school—painting, piano, ballet… Should we sign her up for a couple?"

"Forget it. She's too young to be forced into these things. She'll probably lose interest in all of them when she grows up."

Being parents wasn't easy.

After watching Chen An'an enter the school, the two finally prepared to leave.

On the way out, several other parents greeted them.

It was early September, the start of the school season, and every parent had their own plans in mind.

Back at the Company

By the time they returned to work, the ten community stores invested in Shijingshan were ready to open.

There was no big celebration—this had become routine.

Previously, Chen Pingsheng had personally covered the investment for these stores. Now that they were opening, Zhang Tao and Liu Jing each had to contribute 400,000 yuan according to their shares.

Old Guo, on the other hand, needed to put in 450,000 yuan.

All the money went directly to Song Yanxi, who, without a word, used it to buy an 80-square-meter apartment in the Third Ring for speculation.

Once a woman got hooked on real estate, there was no stopping her.

Chen Pingsheng didn't bother interfering—mainly because real estate was, indeed, profitable.

Mid-September: An'an's Birthday

On An'an's birthday, Chen Pingsheng personally made her a small birthday cake at home. It didn't look as good as the ones from bakeries, but since it was made by him, An'an enjoyed every bite.

"Brother, I called our eldest sister. She'll be coming in a couple of days."

Their eldest sister had been married for nearly ten years, with two kids, and had long settled down in Shacheng.

If it weren't for the fact that he was doing well in Beijing, she probably wouldn't have come.

She ran a small convenience store, while her husband drove for Didi.

Driving for Didi was quite profitable now—with all the bonuses, he could make 10,000 to 20,000 yuan a month.

"Is she planning to stay long-term, or just visiting?"

Eldest sister Chen Yao had taken care of them since childhood. She could be a bit naggy, but her heart was in the right place.

Chen Qi had worked hard to persuade her to come to Beijing, hoping she would stay permanently.

"I told her to stay long-term. Whether he drives in Shacheng or Beijing, it's the same. And with you here, she won't have to worry."

"You're always scheming. Do you think our sister is like you, single and carefree? She has two kids—what about them if she moves here?"

Chen Qi had considered this, but not very thoroughly.

Besides, both of her kids were about to start middle school.

Wouldn't it be better to transfer them to a school in Beijing?

Easier said than done. Actually transferring schools would be a major hassle.

It had been nearly a year since Chen Pingsheng last saw their sister. He'd figure things out once she arrived.

Helping the Family Prosper

Now that their family's situation had improved, according to village customs, the first to become wealthy was supposed to help others do the same.

He couldn't just live well while ignoring the rest of the family.

That wouldn't be right.

There was once a villager who got rich working in the oil business out of town. Within a few years, his entire neighborhood followed in his footsteps.

Even in the worst years, they still made around 200,000 yuan annually.

He became a respected figure wherever he went.

Now that the Chen family had someone making big money in Beijing, it was only natural for relatives to come seeking opportunities.

His eldest sister was immediate family—of course, he'd take care of her.

Eldest Sister Arrives

Chen Yao arrived alone, scouting the situation in advance to avoid troubling her younger brother.

She and her husband lived decently in Shacheng.

Her husband wasn't highly educated but was an honest and hardworking man.

He drove for over ten hours a day, earning a decent income.

With her small convenience store, their life in Shacheng wasn't glamorous, but they had some savings.

Plus, housing prices there were cheap—only 5,000 yuan per square meter even now.

They had managed to buy a three-bedroom apartment without much financial pressure.

"Big Sis!"

Chen Qi was delighted. With their sister here, she finally had company.

Most importantly, people would stop saying she was just living off her brother.

Chen Yao carried an oversized sack full of local specialties from Shacheng in one hand and her luggage in the other.

She was just in her early thirties, but with no skincare routine, she looked over forty.

"Xiao Qi, where's Pingsheng?"

"He went with Sister-in-law to buy water for you."

Their car was parked outside, and Chen Qi quickly grabbed her luggage.

"Big Sis, you're not in a hurry to go back this time, right?"

"How could I stay? I don't have any qualifications—what would I do in Beijing?"

"Oh, come on, Big Sis! Brother only has a middle school education, and that didn't stop him from making it big in Beijing."

Chen Qi added, "Sister-in-law just bought another apartment this month. If you move here, you won't even need to buy a house."

"Don't think that way. Your brother is married now—what's his is his. Don't make things awkward for your sister-in-law."

"No worries. She's super nice! She even asked me if I liked the apartment and said she might give it to me as a dowry."

"In Beijing's housing market? She'd just give you an apartment?"

Chen Yao was shocked. No matter how generous, that seemed excessive.

"What's the big deal? Housing is expensive, but my brother makes money fast."

Chen Qi whispered, "Between us, my brother and sister-in-law keep their finances separate. She earns a monthly dividend from the fruit store—when business was booming, it was a few million a month. Lately, it's dropped, but she still makes at least 100,000 a month."

That's considered "a bit lower"?

Chen Yao had no words.

Rumors in their hometown varied wildly, with some saying her brother had bought a villa in Beijing and had a million-yuan salary.

That was already outrageous enough.

But now, she realized—her sister-in-law alone made more than that every month.

Buying houses? That was just part of their routine.

Buying cars depreciates in value, so the family doesn't encourage it.

But when relatives come, it's a different story—his younger sister was gifted an Audi A4.

As for his eldest sister, Song Yanxi would certainly make arrangements.

She was always thoughtful about these things.