With Su He giving birth, Su Ying becoming pregnant, and Su Chen getting engaged, Su Lin was the only one of the four Su siblings still single.
At previous gatherings, the conversation always revolved around Su He. Now, the focus shifted to Su Lin.
"You're twenty-five. It's time to start dating!"
"If you don't date, where will you get inspiration for your songs?"
"You have family and friends. Love is a must too!"
"A life without love is incomplete!"
Faced with his family's persistent pressure to find a girlfriend, Su Lin felt overwhelmed. He had just finished a concert tour; couldn't they let him rest for a few days?
To find some peace and quiet, Su Lin decided to turn off his phone and retreat to a tranquil place.
Han Yutong, also on hiatus, hadn't visited her hometown in years. Since her movie had wrapped and promotional activities hadn't begun, she discussed it with her agent and decided to spend some time back home.
Xu Jing managed more than just Han Yutong, so she was incredibly busy. Fortunately, Han Yutong had already become one of the "Four Little Flowers," no longer needing to boost her presence through variety shows or commercial events. She agreed to grant her a few days off.
Han Yutong's hometown was in Hangzhou.
Upon returning to her long-absent home, many relatives swarmed around her, showing overwhelming enthusiasm.
"Our Yutong has made it big; she's a superstar now!"
"Your mother didn't even agree when you wanted to apply to dance school back then!"
"Yes, studying art is so expensive. The whole family tightened their belts and scraped together the tuition fees... Back then, you even had to participate in competitions, and we borrowed money from relatives for the travel expenses!"
Han Yutong listened to their pleasantries, but her smile didn't reach her eyes.
Their constant mention of lending her money for her studies was simply a way to pressure her into giving them more in return.
Han Yutong couldn't help but sneer inwardly.
They probably forgot how their faces looked when her parents humbly went to borrow money. They were evasive, claiming that girls eventually get married and it wasn't worth the effort to educate them. Furthermore, studying art, something that couldn't earn a living, was a complete waste of money.
Even if someone was willing to lend money, they did so with an air of benevolence, as if her parents should have been begging them.
Seeing her mother's subservient smile and hearing her repeated placating words, Han Yutong's heart ached. She had once wanted to give up on dancing, but her mother had forbidden her from quitting halfway.
"You've already studied for so many years, how can you give up! Study hard. With your talent, you'll definitely make a name for yourself in the future."
"Don't be afraid of hardship, and don't pay attention to their harsh words. Mom is waiting for the day you succeed. We absolutely cannot let them make a mockery of you!"
It was her mother's repeated persuasion and encouragement that allowed her to persevere.
In fact, her mother had strongly opposed her desire to enter the entertainment industry. She believed that the world of fame and fortune was a corrupting influence, and with Han Yutong's outstanding looks, she would easily become a target. Moreover, Han Yutong was too innocent and unaware of the wickedness of human hearts; what if she was bullied?
However, when both her parents fell ill and required a large sum for medical expenses, Han Yutong secretly auditioned behind their backs, thus entering the industry.
Han Yutong was fortunate to have met a discerning and supportive boss.
"Yutong, come help me serve the dishes," her mother's voice called from the kitchen.
Han Yutong seized the opportunity to escape from the relatives and felt a slight sense of relief.
After dinner, the relatives gradually departed, leaving a mess behind.
Han Yutong looked at the disheveled room, feeling exhausted. But ultimately, she resigned herself to finding a broom and began cleaning from room to room.
"You go rest. I'll do it," her mother said. She was a capable housewife and couldn't bear to let her pampered daughter do such laborious work.
Now that she was a big star, she had to maintain her best condition. Doing chores could easily lead to calluses on her hands, which might not look good.
Han Yutong couldn't bear to see her mother work so hard and insisted. "You've been busy since early this morning; you're the one who should be resting. These chores aren't tiring, and I'll be done soon."
Han Yutong was not some noble princess whose hands never touched manual labor. When she was younger, she had often helped her family with chores.
Han Yutong's mother snatched the broom from her. "Have some awareness of being a celebrity, won't you? Those hands of yours are worth a fortune. Aren't you supposed to be filming a commercial next week? You can't be careless!"
Han Yutong was amused.
By the time Han Yutong's mother finished and stopped, it was already time to prepare dinner.
"How long are you planning to stay this time?" her mother asked while peeling beans.
Han Yutong held her cup and took small sips. "About a week."
"That's perfect. Tomorrow is the weekend, and your cousins will be off work. You can get together and reconnect," her mother said. While kind-hearted and capable, her mother had one flaw: she was too much of a softie.
Take her cousins, for instance. They weren't particularly close, had even quarreled, and didn't get along well. Yet, Han Yutong's mother cherished her maternal relatives and insisted that she maintain good relations with them. She said they would be her support system in the future, so she wouldn't have to suffer in silence if she was ever wronged.
Han Yutong did not agree with her mother's philosophy.
Firstly, her mother had always been the one making sacrifices, while those relatives never truly considered her important. Han Yutong's mother, being the eldest daughter, was instilled with the idea of taking care of her younger siblings and sharing good things with them first. Over time, she developed a selfless personality. Although she felt wronged, she couldn't defy her parents' saying that blood is thicker than water.
However, her self-sacrifice only moved herself. Her uncles and aunts didn't think they were getting a great deal; they believed it was her responsibility as the elder sister.
Secondly, their values differed. As the saying goes, those with different beliefs cannot work together. She disliked her mother imposing her own beliefs on her! Her mother was accustomed to being exploited by those relatives and saw it as a manifestation of responsibility, but Han Yutong disliked it. Why should she go out of her way to please people who were two-faced?
She wasn't inherently inferior.
"Mom, I already made plans to go hiking tomorrow," Han Yutong said, politely declining.
"Hiking? With whom?" Her mother seemed unconvinced. Han Yutong had moved to another city to study dance at the age of twelve. Her former classmates and friends had long lost contact; who was she going hiking with?
"An elementary school classmate." Seeing her mother's persistent questioning, Han Yutong continued to lie. "You wouldn't know them anyway."
Her mother pursed her lips but ultimately said nothing more.
Her daughter had finally come home; she didn't want to create unnecessary tension.
Since she was staying for a week, there would be opportunities to meet.
Her intention was for her daughter, now a big star, to help out her relatives. Her maternal relatives had subtly hinted at their desire to have their children develop careers in the entertainment industry.
With Han Yutong's assistance, they could avoid many detours. Several of her nephews were good-looking and would likely do well.