Chapter 581 - 580: Brewing

The *Imperial Capital Daily* already thought highly of Su Li. After this incident, they went all out, inviting her to come work for them upon graduation.

They were welcoming her with open arms!

Who doesn’t love exceptional talent?

Su Li was very grateful, but since she was only a junior, it was still too early to talk about a full-time job.

Su Li’s internship at the newspaper came to a successful end, and she then dove headfirst into her final exams.

The exam preparation period and the finals themselves concluded on schedule. Su Li had not only mastered the theoretical knowledge but had also exceeded all expectations for her internship. Having excelled in every aspect, she had naturally become the most outstanding student of her year.

After her newspaper internship ended, Su Li gave it some thought and decided to intern at a television station during winter break.

’At the moment, television isn’t widespread, so radio and newspapers are still the dominant forms of media. But it won’t be long before television becomes mainstream, and after that, the internet.’

’In the future, the internet will dominate the news. No matter where something happens, people all over the world will know about it in real-time, as long as they have an internet connection.’

’Eventually, radio, newspapers, and television will all become digitized and go online. That’s the way things are headed. Besides, Su Li spent her previous life working at a TV station, so she still felt more drawn to a career in television.’

Her previous apprenticeship was over; this would be a true internship.

As winter break began, Su Li enthusiastically started her internship at the television station.

Tang Yuanxiao was on break as well.

He only had one more year left in his training program before he would graduate.

He had already returned from intensive training and possessed both the skill and the experience. This program would perfectly compensate for the one thing he lacked: a higher-level formal education.

With that weakness addressed, Tang Yuanxiao’s career could truly take off.

After helping Lin Huanzhu find her enemy, Tang Yuanxiao had thrown himself into his work. Though he was technically only in a transitional role, he was actually quite busy.

Juggling exams and work, he was so busy he could hardly see straight. Finally, winter break arrived.

His supervisor called him in for a talk to discuss his schedule for the coming year. The implication was clear: starting next year, he would be much busier. The organization valued him and was investing in his development, and he had to live up to that trust.

"...Starting next year, your duties and responsibilities will be much heavier. It won’t be as relaxed as it has been this year. So, with the New Year approaching, we’re giving you some time off to have a proper celebration."

In all his years with the organization, Tang Yuanxiao had never once had a real New Year’s celebration.

This year, they planned to let him have one. It was partly compensation and partly a chance for him to enjoy his last stretch of relative calm.

After speaking with his supervisor, Tang Yuanxiao spent the next few days preparing for his leave.

Mrs. Tang had been clamoring to go home for a while. Coincidentally, he hadn’t been back to Xinghua Village in a long time either. ’Might as well go back, then,’ he thought.

Once he’d made up his mind, Tang Yuanxiao paid a visit to Tang Mo and told him he was going back to his hometown for the New Year.

Tang Mo and Tang Yuanxiao saw each other about once a month, or twice if they were lucky, and their relationship was decent.

After that, Tang Yuanxiao took Mrs. Tang back to their family home in Xinghua Village for the New Year.

Thanks to Qin Shanshan and Su Dan, word of Mrs. Tang’s imprisonment had long ago spread throughout Su Family Village and Xinghua Village. The story of how she nearly killed Tang Mo—who wasn’t even Tang Yuanxiao’s biological son, but a friend’s—had made the rounds as well.

Mrs. Tang, however, remained oblivious. She thought her secret was safe. Before leaving, she made a huge fuss, insisting on buying new clothes and all sorts of things, even in her paralyzed state.

If she hadn’t remembered that her family was still deeply in debt, there’s no telling how far she would have gone.

"...When we get back, Tangyuan, you must remember not to say anything about me being in prison." Mrs. Tang nagged Tang Yuanxiao repeatedly, from the moment they boarded the train until they got off.

Finally, putting on an air of returning in glory, they arrived back in Xinghua Village.

In the past couple of years, life had been improving for everyone, whether in the city or the countryside, and the people of Xinghua Village were no exception.

Having not been back in nearly three years, he saw that many new tile-roofed houses had been built. The Tang Family’s home was no longer the only one of its kind.

The Tang Family’s house had been well-built, but after being vacant for two years, it had fallen into considerable disrepair.

As the mother-son duo entered the village, they didn’t have time to dwell on the strange looks they were getting. Seeing the familiar village, every blade of grass and every tree, stirred a great deal of emotion in both of them.

This was, after all, the village where he had grown up, and Tang Yuanxiao felt a complex mix of emotions. Mrs. Tang was even more moved, to the point of tears.

She had spent her entire life here. Compared to the Imperial City, this place was far more familiar. She had once dreamed of going to the Imperial City, but after that whole ordeal, she’d come full circle and realized the village was the best place to be.

Her eyes welled with emotional tears, and she failed to notice the villagers’ odd reactions.

The villagers, for their part, looked at Tang Yuanxiao with growing wariness. Besides, knowing that Mrs. Tang had been in prison, they didn’t dare cause trouble, so things remained peaceful.

After they had been back for two days and had reacquainted themselves with everyone, Mrs. Tang started ranting, cursing out Su Li, Qin Shanshan, and everyone else she could think of.

"...That Su Li is just an ungrateful brat. She thinks she’s so special, wanting to be a ’reporter.’ Who knows what the heck that even is."

Zhao Wenming’s mother, Fang Yulan, also hated Su Li with a passion. All this time had passed, but she hadn’t forgotten a thing. Since she wasn’t a particularly good person herself, she wasn’t intimidated by Mrs. Tang and could still find common ground with her, just like in the old days.

As Mrs. Tang cursed, she and a few of the village’s other gossipy women would curse right along with her.

Most of the villagers had no idea what a "reporter" even was.

"That’s right! Who knows what that’s supposed to be? Is it better than being a factory worker? Is it as secure as a teacher’s ’iron rice bowl’?"

The few who did know what a reporter was simply thought there was no way Su Li could ever become one. ’It’s impossible.’

As everyone was bad-mouthing her, Mrs. Tang accidentally let it slip that Su Li was now driving a car. Fang Yulan and the other women were instantly stunned. A wave of envy, jealousy, and hatred washed over them, and they immediately turned their complaints to the factory in Fengcheng County.

"That factory is making a fortune now! Everyone’s practically breaking down the doors trying to get in!"

"I know, right? People from all over the county can get a job there, but they refuse to hire a single person from Xinghua Village or Su Family Village!"

The villagers got angry just talking about it. Yet, despite their anger, they couldn’t help but follow news about the factory, and they couldn’t stop themselves from buying the children’s clothes it produced.

Around Fengcheng County, it had become a point of pride for children to wear clothes from that factory for the New Year.

The people of Xinghua Village complained and seethed with jealousy, yet they still ended up buying the clothes. The sour grapes were overwhelming. They gossiped behind Mrs. Tang’s back, saying she and her family had made a huge mistake. They’d thrown away a daughter-in-law who could earn so much money. If it were them, they’d have held on and never let go, no matter what.

After they were done with that topic, they moved on to the pitiful state of Miao Fenghua and Su Dan’s family, saying that having a daughter like that was the same as having no daughter at all.

"That Su Li is living the high life, even driving a car, but look at the state her mother and brother are in! Such an unfilial daughter! If she were mine, I’d have dragged her home and choked her to death with piss by now!"

Fang Yulan was rambling on at the dinner table as well. "Tang Guihua must be regretting it something fierce. She had a daughter-in-law who could make so much money, but she threw her away. She’s still cursing and complaining, but if she didn’t regret it, why would she be so angry? If I were her, I’d be furious enough to die..."

Her son, Zhao Wenming, had made a rare trip home. Fang Yulan was thrilled to have him back and chattered endlessly at the dinner table.

At first, Zhao Wenming listened with a scowl, wishing Fang Yulan would just shut up. But as she continued, his expression eased. The eyes behind his glasses narrowed dangerously as a thought seemed to occur to him.