Because Song Qiao had given advance notice, Xu Ran was well-prepared. When his aunt's family arrived, he immediately started serving the dishes.
Upon entering the private room, Yan Bin couldn't help but curl his lips at the array of hearty dishes on the table.
He cast a pitying glance at his cousin, Xia Xueqing.
He began to mutter to himself,
"This Xia Xueqing's family is clearly struggling, yet they're still putting on airs. They'll do anything for face."
"It's likely that after this banquet, their already tight family finances will be stretched even thinner."
His mother-in-law, seeing the guests arrive, quickly rose to greet them and invited the aunt to the head seat.
She affectionately took her hand and said,
"Sister, it's been two or three years, and you're looking younger and younger."
The aunt's face instantly bloomed with pride. She glanced proudly at her son, Yan Bin, and said smugly, "It's mainly because my Bin Bin is so successful. He works in the system now, with a stable job, so I don't have to worry too much."
Whether intentional or not, as she said this, her gaze fell entirely on Song Qiao, as if hinting at something.
"Yes, yes, Bin Bin has always been an accomplished child. We all envy that."
Knowing her sister's proud nature, the mother-in-law followed suit, showering her with praise.
This made Yan Bin even more pleased, a smile never leaving his face.
"Sister-in-law, there's something I don't know if I should say."
After everyone was seated, the aunt brought up the matter of Song Qiao's car again.
"I know your family values my son and me greatly, but there was no need to rent a car specifically to pick us up from the airport."
She then glanced smugly at her sister-in-law, her eyes seeming to have seen through her.
Song Qiao couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. This shrewish woman thought a bit too highly of herself.
Renting a car just for her? He truly couldn't fathom her line of thinking.
The mother-in-law looked at her sister with a touch of surprise, then understood.
"Sister, you might have misunderstood. This car was bought with their own earnings."
Not wanting her sister to embarrass herself further in front of the younger generation, the mother-in-law gently reminded her.
"What? Are you joking?"
"Bin Bin told me this car must be at least over a hundred thousand yuan. With their combined salaries, they'd have to save for eight to ten years without eating or drinking to afford it."
The aunt said incredulously, her condescending demeanor immediately drawing the displeasure of Song Qiao's family.
Song Qiao, not wanting to dwell on this matter, simply took out the motor vehicle registration certificate from his pocket and handed it to his aunt.
Since she looked down on him, there was no need to be too polite. It was time to put her in her place.
Upon receiving the registration certificate, the aunt's smug expression instantly froze. Her face turned ashen, like a swollen eggplant, and she was speechless for a long time.
Of course, Song Qiao didn't want to press his advantage too hard. After a two-second silence, he intended to offer a toast to change the subject.
However, at that moment, his cousin, Yan Bin, suddenly spoke,
"You two are so financially illiterate. Choosing to buy a car with a loan. Cars depreciate rapidly the moment you drive them off the lot. I really don't understand what you were thinking."
With this remark, the already awkward atmosphere in the room became even more bizarre. Song Qiao couldn't help but want to sigh to the heavens and wonder what was inside Yan Bin's head.
Based on his own prejudices, he had come up with a reason based solely on speculation, without any evidence.
He really wondered how such a person could survive in the system.
Seeing Song Qiao's silence, the aunt's awkward expression regained a hint of smugness. It seemed her son was right; it was indeed bought with a loan. Now, let's see how proud sister-in-law's family could be.
"Yes, Xiao Song, Bin Bin works in the system and isn't in a hurry to buy a car. He's planning to buy a property in the city after the new year," the aunt said, glancing proudly at Song Qiao, implying her family also had money, but they had a more long-term investment vision.
Song Qiao smiled, offering no further defense. Since they were so ignorant, let them live in their own dream world. He didn't need to waste so many words.
Xia Yuqing also tried to smooth things over, shifting the conversation to health and wellness.
The aunt then launched into a lengthy discourse, her words constantly boasting about her precious son, virtually comparing him to Song Qiao in every possible way.
"Right, Bin Bin, weren't you going to introduce a job to your brother-in-law?"
Midway through the conversation, the aunt suddenly remembered something and glanced proudly at Yan Bin, signaling her son to speak.
Yan Bin was currently devouring the dishes on the table. It had to be said that Xu Ran had prepared a very high-class spread this time. Yan Bin had only seen some of these dishes on television. Now that he had such a great opportunity, he naturally ate his fill.
Upon hearing his mother's reminder, he slowly wiped his mouth, sized up Song Qiao, and said, "I heard brother-in-law's factory job is gone. How about working as a security guard at our unit? The salary isn't high, but it's stable."
Xia Yuqing couldn't help but shake her head as she listened. She increasingly failed to understand her so-called cousin. No matter how incompetent Song Qiao was, he was only in his twenties or thirties, yet her cousin was suggesting a job that a sixty-year-old man could do. She wondered who he was looking down on.
"No need, cousin. I'm starting a small business now. It's enough to supplement our household income, and I have plenty of freedom."
Song Qiao couldn't be bothered to respond and simply politely refused.
Yan Bin frowned, adopting his elder brother persona again.
"What business are you in? Can it be as stable as the job I'm offering you?"
Xia Yuqing, listening nearby, was about to burst into laughter. Her husband's business might not be as stable as being a security guard, but she suspected that what he earned in a week would be more than a security guard earned in a lifetime.
"Cousin, Song Qiao has opened a food processing plant. He mainly makes snacks like stinky tofu. It's called Xiang Piaopiao. I don't know if you've heard of it in government circles."
This time, before her husband could speak, Xia Yuqing directly began to refuse on his behalf. Her tone was calm but pointed, responding with immense sarcasm.
This Yan Bin truly had no sense of self-awareness. Her husband had yielded multiple times out of consideration for his mother and her own face, yet this person had the audacity to push his luck further.
As Song Qiao's wife, if she didn't say anything, she feared this mother and son would truly believe her family was easy to bully.