"Xiao Bei, so even though you've been making money during this time, you're still hesitant to spend it on yourself, all to save it for your older brother and younger brother?"
Su Xiaotian understood.
She had always thought that the Qian family allowed their daughter to study because they loved her.
Now she realized it was nothing more than a scam.
They cultivated their daughter into someone talented, only for their sons to leech off her!
Qian Xiaobei hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
"My mom said that after I finish university and get a job, half of my monthly salary will go to my older brother, and half to my younger brother!"
As Qian Xiaobei said this, the girls in the dormitory were all shocked.
Half for the older brother, half for the younger brother?
Then what about Qian Xiaobei herself?
With her entire salary going to her brothers, wouldn't this girl have to go without food, clothes, or even get married in the future?
Her parents had sent her to university with the sole purpose of achieving this, it was unimaginable!
"Then what about yourself?" Zhao Hongmei couldn't help but ask.
Although she had always felt that there was a slight preference for boys in her own family, compared to Qian Xiaobei, her parents were practically paragons of fairness.
They had never demanded that she help her brothers live a better life; instead, they encouraged her to go to university, get a good job, and live a comfortable life in the future.
Qian Xiaobei looked lost. Her family hadn't said anything about it.
Perhaps they would allow her to keep a little for living expenses?
If they truly left her with nothing, how would she survive?
Even without Qian Xiaobei's answer, Su Xiaotian had a good idea.
"Did you send all the money you earned during this time back home?"
If the Qian family had this mindset, and Qian Xiaobei sent all her earnings home, then Qian Xiaobei's hardships were far from over.
Qian Xiaobei shook her head.
Su Xiaotian let out a sigh of relief.
The other girls in the dormitory also sighed in relief.
"No, I only sent twenty yuan, saying it was from working during the holidays. My family wrote back, telling me not to come home for the summer and to earn money in Beijing instead."
Although Qian Xiaobei had a slight smile on her face as she said this, the sadness in her eyes was undeniable.
"That's good then," Su Xiaotian breathed a sigh of relief.
At least this girl wasn't completely foolish. If she had sent all that money home this time, she would probably have to keep sending money in the future.
"My mom also said that the family is preparing to get my eldest brother married, and they haven't saved enough for the betrothal gifts yet, so they want me to find ways to earn more money, preferably to work even after classes."
Heh, that idea certainly made sense. Su Dan Novel Network.
Since Qian Xiaobei had decided to reveal all this, she didn't hesitate and explained everything clearly.
In fact, she hadn't seen anything wrong with these words before, but during her time at university, she gradually began to feel that it was unreasonable.
"Then why didn't you give all the money you earned during this time to your parents?" Zhao Hongmei was curious.
Given Qian Xiaobei's personality, she shouldn't have been able to hold onto money, right?
Since her family had asked, Qian Xiaobei must have found a way to send them money.
Otherwise, it would only mean that the Qian family's upbringing was not successful.
"Jianhong said that we shouldn't just do the hair accessory business, and that we could try other things later. I think there might be some investment needed then," Qian Xiaobei mumbled.
Su Xiaotian hadn't expected that the reason this naive girl hadn't sent all her money home was this.
If Jianhong hadn't suggested expanding the business, would Qian Xiaobei have sent all the money she earned by working hard from dawn till dusk to her family?
"I didn't think about not giving them the money I earned; I just thought I'd send it all home after earning a bit more!" Qian Xiaobei said softly.
From the moment she said this, Su Xiaotian could sense that this girl probably felt she had done something wrong.
In reality, how could she have done anything wrong?
It was clearly the unreasonable, patriarchal attitude of her family.
"It's not wrong even if you don't send money back," Qi Xiaofang said.
Qian Xiaobei looked at Qi Xiaofang with obvious confusion and disbelief.
The other students in the dormitory came from well-off families, as they were from the city.
Only she, Li Jianhong, and Qi Xiaofang were from the countryside.
Being from the countryside too, why would Qi Xiaofang say that it was right for her not to send money home?
Although she was smart and had gotten into Beijing University, deep down, due to her upbringing, she was a timid and insecure person.
The young girl, who should have been carefree, couldn't even be sure if it was right or wrong to not give all the money she earned to her family.
Her parents had already written to say that they still didn't have enough for her eldest brother's betrothal gifts, yet she still hadn't sent the money.
Wasn't doing so too selfish?
She looked at her roommates with hopeful eyes.
Those who were walking towards the cafeteria stopped and looked at Qian Xiaobei.
"Xiao Bei, you're still a student, and you shouldn't bear the burden of your family. Your older brother getting married is his own affair, and on a larger scale, it's your parents' responsibility, not yours," Chu Yue said.
If these words weren't made clear today, this girl would likely never overcome this internal struggle.
"That's right, Xiao Bei. Being filial is a good thing, but filial piety doesn't mean agreeing to all the reasonable and unreasonable demands of your family," Su Xiaotian continued.
"My parents said that after they supported me through university and I got a job, they wouldn't manage me anymore, and would only give me a small dowry, with the rest going to my brothers," Zhao Hongmei said. "They said that once I had a job, I would be able to live a good life."
Qian Xiaobei looked around. Was it supposed to be like this?
"But..." Wasn't it too selfish to only think about oneself?
"Xiao Bei, don't always think about what you should do for your family. Think about what contributions your older brother and younger brother have made to your family," Chu Yue said persuasively.
It was unrealistic to expect this girl to accept their ideas all at once.
But they could guide her little by little, helping her understand that she didn't owe her family anything.
As long as she was filial to her parents within her capabilities, that was enough.
Instead of carrying the entire family's livelihood on her shoulders and treating it as her responsibility.
Her family had never asked her to bear any family responsibilities.
Although this was partly due to their better circumstances, it wasn't the only reason.
In fact, her parents had always emphasized that everyone in the family had different responsibilities to bear.
According to their family's theory, Xiao Bei, as a student, should be focusing on her studies.
It was inherently wrong for her to bear the responsibility of her elder brother's marriage.
Su Xiaotian couldn't help but sigh.
It wasn't just the eighties; even in the twenty-first century, there were still many people with such ideas.
A daughter's mission was to ensure her sons lived a better life.