What does it feel like to suddenly know that your real dad and mom are swindlers?
He Tiantian: ...
Actually, you know, it's not that I'm that repelled by it.
Because no matter what profession my parents are in, their love for He Tiantian is very sincere and strong.
Especially after hearing the conversation between her parents and a colleague who came to visit, He Tiantian felt even more moved.
He Hongtu and Tian Zhenzhen didn't have many relatives, but they still had colleagues or business partners.
When they heard Tian Zhenzhen had a child, they all came to visit.
Among them were some married women with children, who put on a know-it-all attitude and earnestly advised Tian Zhenzhen, "Wait a couple of years, once your body is well-rested, you can have another one!"
"Right, have a son, then you'd have both a boy and a girl, how great would that be!"
"Exactly! If you ask me, you need to have a son. The He Family may not have elders now, but they still have relatives back in the old home. If you don't have a son, I bet you won't even be able to get buried in the ancestral grave!"
Tian Zhenzhen felt nauseated inside but managed a smile and said, "No, the country only allows us to have one, we don't dare break the policy!"
"Oh come on, you and Little He don't live off the government. Even if you have more than allowed, the most you'll get is a fine. Little He is so capable, he earns several thousand just from performance bonuses each month, a small fine is nothing to him!"
He Hongtu then pretended to be distressed, "Earning more doesn't mean we can waste it. We haven't even bought a house yet!"
Why on earth must they have a son?
To carry on the family line? To inherit the family business?!
It's laughable, He Hongtu doesn't even have his own house, what would he leave for his son to inherit?
And what's this about getting buried in the ancestral grave?
Pah, as for those black-hearted, deceitful relatives back home, the ancestral graveyard isn't even a nice place.
He Hongtu felt that if he was buried there after death, he might even sully himself.
He had long decided, even if he died, he would never go back to the old home. He'd buy a grave in the city and be buried there with his wife, that would be enough.
"But having another child is still better. Once your daughter gets married and you're gone, it's good to leave her some family!"
"And you know, to put it bluntly, if one child doesn't turn out filial, having another is also like having insurance!"
"Having a son to rely on in old age, sons are the ones you can count on after all!"
The colleagues continued to urge them on, each with their own arguments.
He Hongtu and Tian Zhenzhen exchanged glances and saw in each other's eyes disapproval and impatience.
In the end, He Hongtu smiled and said, "We're not having any more, whether it's a son or a daughter, we just want our one Tiantian!"
"Right, if a child is well-raised, one is already reliable. If not, having a whole bunch is useless!" Tian Zhenzhen chimed in.
Lying in the crib, surrounded by a crowd of onlookers, He Tiantian was incredibly touched by her parents' words!
Reborn once, although she didn't become a boy, she became her parents' only one.
In this life, her parents not only didn't abandon her, but even when they had the option to have another child, they chose not to bet on having a son!
She really was fortunate!
To have such loving parents!
...So, even if such parents are swindlers, what does it matter? As long as they're good to her, that's all that matters!
Besides, her parents aren't real swindlers, but legitimate marketers.
Even though He Tiantian hasn't spent much time with them and doesn't know much about their work methods,
She realized through their casual conversations over the past few days that her parents are indeed very devoted to the old people they deal with.
Making regular visits, patiently listening to their ramblings, and if an old lady has a headache or fever, the couple would actively offer help.
And then there are the small gifts, perhaps not very expensive, but all very practical.
They really put in the effort, so they gained the elderly's trust and affection, and then successfully sold their products.
Okay, He Tiantian knew she was somewhat making excuses, but close ties differ from distant ones; since her parents loved her so much, of course, she had to stand by their side.
At most, at most, in the future, she would try to persuade her parents to change their job or even start a small business herself!
He Tiantian clenched her little fists, eagerly wishing she could grow up.
However, the gratitude lasted only three seconds.
After the visiting colleagues had left, He Hongtu and Tian Zhenzhen spoke what was in their hearts—
"Have a son? Rely on children when old?"
"Have these people forgotten what they do for a living? Forgotten what they rely on to gain the trust of those aunts and uncles?"
The elderly who were superstitious about health products, some indeed were afraid of death, trying by all means for the sake of health.
But more of them were lonely because their children were not around.
Suddenly, a sweet-talking young man or woman would diligently come to them, keep them company, help with chores, and during holidays, even go to the trouble of driving them around.
Under such waves of warm attacks, many old people started treating these young people like their adopted sons and daughters.
Since they are "family," helping the kids gather people for sales and pushing for performance targets was surely part of the expected duties.
"Just like Aunt Li, she does have several sons, but some have gone abroad, others have stayed out of town, and the old lady, nearly in her seventies, doesn't even have someone nearby to serve her tea or water!"
"To put it bluntly, if she died at home and her body started to decompose, no one would even know!"
He Hongtu snorted with laughter, "What's the use of having sons! If the child is filial, it doesn't matter how many there are, or whether they're male or female."
Tian Zhenzhen nodded vigorously, "That's exactly it. We have Tiantian and she's enough. If she's unfilial in the future, we'll just leave our money to someone who's willing to be filial to us!"
He Tiantian: ...
Real mother, are you sure you're my real mother?
The older generation in Hua Country is traditionally known to work hard for their children, leaving everything to their own flesh and blood, even if the children are unfilial.
How come when it gets to you and dad, it's, well... Anyway, she would be filial to her parents in the future and didn't need to worry about them giving away her inheritance to others.
But, despite understanding the logic, hearing her parents being so "clear-headed" still made He Tiantian feel awkward.
Awkward as it may be, but He Tiantian had to admit that in this life, her real father and mother had been extremely good to her, completely fulfilling all her fantasies and desires for paternal and maternal love.
And there, she had just turned one month old, and her parents had already started to take her out to gain worldly experience and even took a special trip back to their hometown to pay respects to her grandparents who had passed away accidentally.
Okay, to tell the truth, as very devoted salespeople, He Hongtu and Tian Zhenzhen, the couple had reasons behind everything they did.
For example, going back to the countryside, besides the declared reason "to let the grandparents see the child," it was more about acquiring some natural and pollution-free agricultural products.
Like home-raised free-range chickens, eggs from forest chickens that drank spring water and ate insects, fruits, and vegetables that were grown for their own consumption without using pesticides...
These things weren't worth much in the countryside but were incredibly valuable to the elders who cared about health preservation.
It happens that the Mid-Autumn Festival was approaching, and He Hongtu was planning to purchase a batch of forest chicken eggs, pomegranates, and wild grapes to give to clients as festival gifts.
Of course, if the villagers needed help, He Hongtu would also lend a hand.
Making money coming and going, both He Hongtu and Tian Zhenzhen were shrewd and calculated individuals.
"…Ah, you ask me, the hospital business is the best, with a never-ending stream of patients, and whatever amount they ask for, you've got to give it, no bargaining allowed!"
As He Hongtu held his daughter and chatted with a few elders at the edge of the village, somehow, the topic shifted to medical treatment and medications.
An old man, who was considered an elder to He Hongtu by seniority, grimaced and said painfully.
"Third Grandpa, actually, the medical expenses at the county hospital can be reduced. I can get you a discount!"
A spark flashed in He Hongtu's mind, and suddenly, he spoke enthusiastically to the old man.
He Tiantian twitched the corner of her eye, not knowing why, but she had a bad feeling again.
Dear Dad, are you planning to con someone again?