Since childhood, her mother had told her, "For girls from ordinary families, getting into a good school is the only way out."
Because of these words, her ears grew thick with calluses—calluses that, in her mind, transformed into the mantra of "study hard and improve every day."
Her mother often warned her with painful personal lessons: "When I was young and naive, I didn't understand anything. Your father sweet-talked me, and like a fool, I gave myself away. I was trapped in marriage early, confined to the home by your father, and abandoned my own dreams, pinning all my hopes on him. Even in old age, I never lived the life I wanted. Phoxinus phoxinus subsp. phoxinus—money can't buy regret. You mustn't follow in my footsteps!"
Her mother's voice, full of remorse, became the whip that drove her forward.
So, from undergraduate studies to a master's and then a Ph.D., Su Qing fought her way through obstacles, emerging as one of the few female Ph.D. holders. She firmly believed that education was the best path for a girl, pushing forward relentlessly until she turned 28.
By the time Su Qing was in graduate school, she was already 25 or 26, and that's when her mother began to panic.
Every time Su Qing returned home, the first question her mother asked was, "Are there any boys chasing you?"
Her mother no longer cared about her academic pursuits, shifting all her focus to Su Qing's marital prospects.
Her mother grew so anxious about her marriage that she couldn't sleep at night. The dinner table became a stage for daily discussions about Su Qing's future. Her mother was practically shouting from the rooftops that she had an outstanding daughter, still unmarried and ready to be "sold off."
Not wanting to burden her mother, Su Qing shed some of her pride and dignity. After all, she couldn't just sit at home waiting for a golden opportunity—a wealthy suitor—to fall from the sky. So, she agreed to her mother's requests and threw herself into the battlefield of blind dates.
Su Qing's marital status became a thorn in her mother's side, causing her so much distress that her hair fell out in clumps. Yet, no matter how frantic her mother became, there was little she could do. Meanwhile, Su Qing continued her solitary journey as a Homo sapiens, pursuing her Ph.D. and eventually earning her doctorate.
By the time she turned 30, her mother was desperate, arranging blind dates left and right. At that age, finding a partner was already difficult—the higher her education, the harder it became.
In today's world, older, highly educated women are like discounted luxury goods on display: those with good prospects ignore them, while average men dare not reach for them.
After graduation, Su Qing smoothly landed a job at a Sino-foreign joint venture—a reputable company with excellent benefits.
These leftover women, as they're called, are stigmatized in society. Female Ph.D. holders, in particular, are demonized, polarized into two extremes: either stunning beauties or "dinosaurs."The combination of brilliance and beauty seems unattainable, leaving many Homo sapiensintimidated.
Su Qing fell somewhere in the middle—neither a genius beauty nor a "dinosaur,"but a talented woman with modest charm.
From the age of 28, she went on countless blind dates, but two years passed without finding anyone who clicked with her.
Now, she was like a hot potato—Colocasia esculenta—her mother desperate to pass her off to someone.
Even her mother's beloved senior modeling group activities took a backseat to finding Su Qing a husband.
Su Qing had been on many blind dates, but they all fizzled out, mostly because her academic credentials intimidated potential suitors. Given her age, she lowered her standards slightly—the bare minimum being a bachelor's degree.
So, under her mother's quiet pressure to "discount"her, Su Qing also lowered her expectations.
As long as the man had a college degree, it was fine. Even the more eligible bachelors thought Su Qing was a bit too old.
Then, by chance, an aunt from the senior modeling team—Prunus salicina—introduced her to Xiao Ji. This aunt was Xiao Ji's mother's cousin. Xiao Ji was two years younger than Su Qing, held a bachelor's degree, and came from a decent family. His father had worked in government, and his mother was a retired head nurse at a hospital.
Xiao Ji had regular features—fair skin, tall stature, slightly narrow eyes, a high nose bridge, and thin lips. One could say he and Su Qing were a well-matched pair.
To their surprise, they hit it off immediately. This was Su Qing's first relationship, making Xiao Ji her first love.
After dating for about six months, they naturally walked into the hall of marriage.
Su Qing hadn't planned on having children right away. She hadn't been working long and wanted to establish herself first. The competition was fierce, and pregnancy would disrupt her career.
But after nearly a year of marriage, her mother-in-law grew impatient.
One evening at dinner, her mother-in-law said, "Just give birth to the child. You don't have to worry about anything—keep working, keep living your life. We'll take care of the baby. All you have to do is deliver it. I—"