"Not gonna lie, with that 'First-Class Merit Recipient' plaque hanging there, it really feels different. When will I get one of those? My parents would be so proud."
When the elevator doors opened, Zhao Jiwei looked at the plaque mounted on the wall, his voice full of envy.
"Your parents have plenty to be proud of already. You're a police officer in the city—what better conditions could there be? And you've got one second-class merit and one third-class merit too. I'm green with envy. Your family must be arranging blind dates for you, right?"
Li Dawei sounded sour, his envy practically tangible.
Zhao Jiwei waved his hands. "No. You all know my family's situation. Even if marriage didn't require a house or a bride price, I still couldn't afford a wife. My family depends on this little bit of salary I earn. My younger sister will be taking the college entrance exam next year, my mom isn't in great health, and my dad and mom only make twenty or thirty thousand a year at best. With my circumstances, who would want to be with me?"
"Don't be so pessimistic. Society may be obsessed with material things these days, but not every woman has dollar signs in her eyes. You're a promising prospect. As long as you open up and get to know women, you'll eventually find someone suitable. Besides, you need to think about your future too. What if luck really smiles on you and you get promoted? Having no wife or children would be a disadvantage. And look at Cao Jianjun—someone like him found a beautiful wife who even earns more than he does. Where's the justice in that?"
Wang Yan chuckled as he used Cao Jianjun as an example, but it was the truth. Some people loved money,