From humble beginnings to the pinnacle of life

Su Qing shrugged lightly, avoiding the topic by not directly answering my question.

She looked up, forcing a relaxed smile, and said with a hint of stubbornness in her voice, "It's really nothing, don't overthink it."

"What they think and how they see it is their business. I am the one who lives my life, and no one can stop me from making my choices."

Looking at her trying to be strong, I felt both heartache and warmth in my heart.

I know she was saying this to me, but also to herself.

Behind this seemingly carefree and fearless demeanor lies her stubbornness and the hardships she endured fighting against her family of origin and societal prejudices on her own.

Although she spoke with a carefree and assertive tone, as if no one could control her, I still felt uneasy.

I carefully considered my tone, but couldn't help asking another question:

"Are you really sure you're okay? Besides making them lose face, your livestreaming must have caused a lot of gossip among acquaintances, right? After all, your social circle is different from ordinary people; won't the impact be too great?"

Before I could finish speaking, Su Qing frowned slightly, her tone impatient, and interrupted me.

"Okay, stop worrying! I don't see anything wrong with it myself, so don't overthink it and make yourself upset."

"Just remember, my parents have no say in my affairs, and I don't care what other people say!"

I understand Su Qing's personality.

She is stubborn and headstrong by nature, and she responds better to gentle persuasion than force.

If I continue to pursue this topic, it will only make her more irritable and may even lead to an unpleasant situation.

I didn't try to persuade her further, and instead joked to ease the tension: "Honestly, I just find it a little strange. It seems like your parents haven't really approved of anything you've done since you were little?"

She immediately nodded vigorously, saying with a wronged expression, "You're absolutely right! From childhood to adulthood, no matter what choices I made or what I did, they have never truly supported me even once."

She paused for two seconds, then sighed softly, her tone filled with envy and resentment:

"But my sister is completely different. No matter what decision my sister Su Wan makes, my parents will unconditionally trust and support her, and never interfere."

Su Qing paused for a moment, then continued to complain, "Take this incident in the no-man's-land for example. I wanted to go with them at first, but they didn't know about it then. When they found out later, they strongly objected and absolutely refused to let me go."

"As soon as I mentioned that my sister was also going, their attitude immediately changed completely."

She became increasingly helpless as she spoke, her tone filled with frustration.

"They immediately changed their tune, saying that my sister was sensible and that she must have made the decision after careful consideration, and that I should learn from her. Hearing these words really annoyed me to death."

I listened quietly to Su Qing's complaints, and from her perspective, I could really empathize with her.

It's so painful to try your best in everything but never get recognition from your family and to always be compared to others.

Su Wan is mature, steady, and meticulous. She has been well-behaved and sensible since childhood, never causing her family any worry. She is the most reliable child in the eyes of her elders.

What her family saw as constraints and protection became, in Su Qing's case, omnipresent shackles and denials.

This is also the root of her rebellious nature and her determination to live authentically.

We chatted casually along the way, and soon the car came to a smooth stop at the entrance of Leng Shanshan's residential area.

After I paid the fare, Su Qing and I got out of the car together.

She walked straight towards the gate of the residential area, but I stopped in my tracks.

"Go on in, I'll wait for you at the entrance of the complex," I said softly.

Su Qing looked at me with a puzzled expression, then gently shook my wrist:

"Why are you waiting for me outside? Let's go in together. It's not like this is the first time you've met Shanshan. There's no need to be so formal."

I hesitated for a moment, but couldn't resist her pull, and finally followed her into the residential area.

Stepping into the community, I truly felt the huge difference between top-tier luxury communities and ordinary residences.

The park's landscaping is exquisite, with clean and tidy walkways extending in a staggered pattern, and the green plants trimmed neatly and orderly.

The air is fresh, and the environment is quiet and elegant, comparable to a fine city park.

In the central courtyard of the residential complex, many residents were strolling and chatting with their families.

The adults here speak with composure and possess a gentle demeanor, and even the children running around exude a relaxed and confident air I have never seen before.

At that moment, I truly understood what it means to have confidence that comes from money and family background.

These children are born at a starting point that others may never reach, even after a lifetime of struggle.

Their privileged family background, quality education, broad horizons, and harmonious environment have fostered their innate self-confidence.

Many people outside the family hold prejudices against the children of the wealthy, believing that most of them are arrogant, domineering, and unreasonable.

But most of the scions of wealthy families I've met are actually very well-mannered and gentle.

The world they've seen, the resources they possess, and the circles they've connected with are things that countless ordinary people could never reach in their entire lives.

I've always known that for a family to truly change its fate...

It has never been something that can be accomplished easily by one generation.

There always has to be someone willing to stand up and face fate alone.

Bearing all the grievances of being misunderstood, enduring the long, lonely days when no one cared.

He saw himself as a stepping stone, using half a lifetime of perseverance and forbearance to pave a path for future generations to move forward.

Those who came before us bore the burden so that those who came after could enjoy the shade.

This courage is the source of a family's confidence to move forward.

At that moment, I silently made up my mind that my children must never follow the same path I did.

I don't want to be like me, struggling in my youth, bound by life and troubled by reality from a young age.

As he was lost in thought, Su Qing, who was beside him, suddenly laughed and teased, "You've been staring at that little kid for so long, are you overflowing with fatherly love and wanting a child early?"

I snapped out of my reverie, shook my head with a helpless smile, and said, "What are you thinking? I just feel that the kids here all look so sunny and confident, their energy and spirit are completely different."

"Aren't all children innocent and cheerful like this?"

Su Qing looked completely bewildered, utterly unable to comprehend my sentiments.

I sighed softly to myself; this was the most real class difference between her and me.

She was in the top circle, and everyone around her was so relaxed and confident, so she thought it was all very normal.

But I've seen too many children from ordinary families who, despite being just as innocent and carefree, lack that innate confidence in their eyes and instead appear reserved and timid.

I chuckled awkwardly and said, "You've grown up in this privileged circle, so you're used to this environment and naturally find it normal. But most of my peers don't have this kind of innate confidence."

Su Qing nodded as if she understood, but still couldn't fully empathize with my feelings.

Looking at the heartwarming scene before me, I whispered, "I was just thinking that when I have children in the future, I will never let them experience the kind of hardship I went through as a child."

Su Qing immediately retorted, "But I think your childhood was great! You were free and carefree, able to climb mountains and catch fish and crabs in the river in the countryside. That's the purest and most beautiful childhood."