Chen Jiangong called out "Captain Yan," and Yan Zhao suddenly turned around.
Looking at his face, Chen Meilan's mind conjured eight words: face as calm as water, eyes like cold stars.
Chen Jiangong grasped Yan Zhao's hand and said, "My sister has been without parents since childhood, and we brothers have mistreated her terribly, but you must treat her well. If you don't treat her well..."
Glancing at his watch, then at the bus, and again at the jostling crowd, although the bus was about to depart, Yan Zhao still patiently listened to Chen Degong's rambling.
However, at that moment, a sudden cry came from the crowd: "Zhaodi, where are you, Zhaodi?"
Chen Meilan thought it was her own Zhaodi who was lost and hurriedly clutched her daughter tightly to her chest.
Yan Zhao simultaneously broke free from Chen Jiangong's grip, took long strides through the crowd, lifted up a little girl, and called out loudly to the woman who had just been crying out, "Comrade, is this your child?"
It turned out someone had lost a child also named Zhaodi.
A pregnant woman pushed through the crowd, rushed over, and immediately slapped the girl's face: "You little wretch, I told you to hold onto your brothers, and instead you go and get yourself lost."
There were two even smaller girls, like newly fledged birds, clinging tightly to the woman's clothes.
The one who had been slapped endured the cold or pitying gazes of those around her, and like a gentle lamb, obediently took hold of her two sisters' hands.
But things got even more chaotic. Just as the onlookers were about to disperse, suddenly a man grabbed the pregnant woman and shoved her towards the long-distance bus: "Quick, run! The county family planning office people are coming to catch us!"
The three little girls, like mice at a mouse wedding, neither crying nor calling out, agile and quick, scrambled onto the bus one after another.
It turned out this was a real-life version of an over-birth guerrilla squad.
Just at this moment, as the bus was about to leave, Yan Zhao suddenly reached out, grabbing Zhaodi with one hand and Chen Meilan with the other. Before she could react, he had scooped them up onto the bus like catching chickens.
The family planning office people had already charged into the bus station, brandishing megaphones, banging on the bus doors, threatening the driver to stop.
The over-birth guerrilla family huddled together, wailing and howling, continuously begging the driver to leave quickly. The woman and three children even knelt down.
This was an era of "one person sterilized, the whole family honored." The family planning office was even worse than the later urban management officers, the most hated by people. Everyone on the bus was shouting at the driver to go.
The driver kept honking his horn, crashing through the family planning office people. The bus roared and swayed as it left the station.
The bright red slogans on the wall were quickly left behind.
Chen Meilan and Zhaodi were squeezed so tightly they didn't even have a place to stand.
Yan Zhao stood right behind Chen Meilan. Although the weather was very hot, this man's body was particularly cool. When she accidentally touched his wrist, it was shockingly cold.
Those with seats had already sat down, while those without were crowded in the middle. The windows of the minibus were open, and the wind was gusting in.
Chen Meilan thought to herself that after all, this was a second marriage, and this man seemed a bit stingy, not even willing to buy tickets with seats.
From Jinyang County to Xiping City was 300 kilometers. At the current speed of the bus and road conditions, it would take at least six hours. In this bus packed like a sardine can, with people crying and vomiting, standing for four hours would make one's legs swell.
Zhaodi was squeezed into a corner, occasionally raising her head to look at Yan Zhao, trying hard to give him a smile. This new dad, just judging by his face, wasn't as fair-skinned as her original dad, nor did he smile at everyone like her original dad. He looked much fiercer than her original dad.
Zhaodi was terribly afraid in her heart.
Just as they left the county town, Yan Zhao asked the leader of the over-birth guerrilla squad, "Comrade, does your ticket include a seat?"
The over-birth squad leader and his pregnant wife each occupied a seat, and window seats at that. Their three daughters were squeezed into one seat, with the cool breeze blowing comfortably.
"Of course, would I dare to sit without a seat? Seated is 38, standing is 17 yuan. If you don't have a seat, just stand properly, don't envy us," the squad leader said.
Yan Zhao handed over three tickets: "These seats are all ours."
The pregnant woman quickly stood up: "Sit, sit, you sit."
But Yan Zhao pressed her back down, turned to Chen Meilan and asked, "Can you manage holding the child and squeezing in?"
So he had bought three tickets, but seeing the pregnant woman and those children looking so pitiful, he wanted to give up two seats for them?
"We can manage," Chen Meilan said.
But as soon as she sat down, the over-birth squad leader went to the back to grab the children, twisting one's arm: "You little wretches, all of you stand up, this seat is for your father to sit."
The girls obediently stood up, three little lambs even more docile than Zhaodi.
Yan Zhao placed one large hand on the over-birth squad leader's shoulder: "Comrade, uncomfortable standing?"
His voice was deep enough that, though not loud, everyone on the bus could hear it.
The over-birth squad leader was clearly a typical feudal-minded man who forced his wife to keep having children until they got a son. Such people were deeply rooted in their beliefs, thinking only those with male parts were worthy of being called human and deserving of seats.
He looked at Yan Zhao for a while, then suddenly started grinning: "Officer, let's stand together. Standing is fine, standing is comfortable."
He had noticed the golden badge on Yan Zhao's belt and realized the other was a police officer, which was why he softened his stance.
The bus continued on its way. Chen Meilan, feeling the cool breeze, took several deep breaths of fresh air before feeling alive again.
Zhaodi, meanwhile, continued to cautiously observe Yan Zhao, but would immediately look away whenever his gaze fell on her.
This fierce new dad had intimidated the child. She had lost her earlier joy and was tightly curled up in Chen Meilan's arms, probably imagining how much it would hurt if this dad were to beat her.
Should she cry? Should she tell mom?
"My daughter, is she pretty?" Yan Zhao asked the over-birth squad leader beside him, pointing at Zhaodi.
Zhaodi was dressed up beautifully today, her braids carefully plaited by Chen Meilan, with flower-decorated hair ties. Sitting on her mother's lap, blinking her bright big eyes, she looked like a little princess.
The over-birth squad leader looked at Zhaodi, then glanced at his own three daughters huddled together, and said sincerely: "Pretty, but it's a pity she's just a girl."
"She might become a policewoman, a female soldier, or perhaps a teacher or actress in the future. I won't have any more children, and I'm proud to have a daughter like her," Yan Zhao surprisingly said.
Zhaodi took a sharp breath, blinking her big eyes, bravely meeting Yan Zhao's cold yet subtly warm gaze, and gave him an open smile.
New dad, she suddenly wasn't afraid anymore.
But the bus was crowded, and some people found this absurd: "What? You're not having any more children with just one daughter? Young man, the country is implementing family planning, they'd be thrilled if you don't have more, they might even give you a banner. But you're a fine-looking man, without a son your family line will end. Don't you understand?"
Yan Zhao's expression remained serious, and he boldly declared: "I only believe in Marxism-Leninism, not in ghosts and gods. I'm not afraid of ending the family line."
"When you're dead and your ancestors are cursing you as an unfilial son, then you'll know regret," someone sneered.
But the pregnant woman tugged at Chen Meilan's arm, choking up as she said: "Sister, that's your husband, right? You're so lucky to marry such a good man."
Chen Meilan looked up at Yan Zhao, seeing him still with a cold expression, yet calmly accepting the disdainful looks from the men and envious gazes from the women on the bus.
What was this about?
He clearly had two sons, and Zhaodi was a stepdaughter he had just taken on today. This man looked so serious, but his heart was quite dark, wasn't it? Brazenly deceiving a whole bus of people?
But it wasn't over yet.
After sitting for a full six hours, sleeping twice, and drooling who knows how much, the bus finally swayed into Xiping City.
Yan Zhao had been silent the whole journey, but just before getting off the bus, he firmly gripped the over-birth squad leader's shoulder: "If you want to have children, have more, try hard for a son. But I firmly believe that if you educate and nurture one well, my daughter will earn more money in the future than your three daughters combined."
He even knew how to strike precisely, aware that what the over-birth squad leader loved most was money and comparison?
This man, whom Chen Meilan had completely given up hope on, had greatly surprised her today.
The birth control team captain looked at his three children. They were all good-looking, and the eldest was especially smart, studying just as well as the boys. Recently, because they were on the run from family planning enforcement, the children had even been expelled from school.
Looking at other families' adorable little princesses cradled in their laps, then at his own vagrant children, his heart softened. The captain's eyes suddenly reddened, and he got off the bus first.
Chen Meilan's family got off after him. Just as they reached the entrance, the birth control captain walked up and blocked Yan Zhao's path. He lit a cigarette, pointed at Yan Zhao from afar, and said after blowing out a smoke ring: "Comrade policeman, I think my daughters are no worse than yours. We're in a communist society now. Your family environment might be better than mine, but if my girls study hard and get into university, they can make something of themselves too."
Grabbing his wife's hand, he shouted, "We'll go home after having this baby and pay the fine. I want Zhaodi, Yindi, and Tuodi to all go to school. I don't believe my girls are any less capable than anyone else's."
The pregnant woman wiped her tears, waved goodbye to Chen Meilan, and left.
So had Yan Zhao successfully convinced a team of over-birth guerillas to give up their ways?
Catching his unfathomable gaze, Chen Meilan also shuddered in fear.
Now she just wanted to take two bus rides and get home quickly.
But Yan Zhao was in no hurry.
After leaving the bus station, he settled the mother and daughter on a bench at the bus stop and left.
He returned shortly with a large paper box and two bottles of soda.
Taking out two pieces of cake from the box, he gave one each to Chen Meilan and Zhaodi, then said, "We still need to pick up Little Wang and Little Lang. We'll leave after you've eaten."
The soda was ice-cold, quenching their thirst in one big gulp.
Chen Meilan hadn't eaten much in the morning. Smelling the cake's unique aroma, she took a bite and was surprised by the rich chestnut flavor.
"Is this chestnut cake?" she asked in astonishment.
"Mom, this piece costs three yuan. It's so delicious," said Zhaodi, taking a big bite.
Chestnut cake was a famous traditional pastry in Xiping City. It was said to have been invented by chefs in state-owned restaurants in the early days of the People's Republic when low-gluten flour wasn't available domestically. To make soft and fluffy cakes, they put bread dough in the middle, wrapped it with a layer of chestnut paste, then covered it with cream. One bite filled the mouth with rich aroma and the unique sweet, sandy texture of chestnuts on the tongue.
Such cakes wouldn't exist in the future. Chen Meilan could easily eat at least three pieces in one sitting.
But she had only eaten one piece when, after sitting on the cool bench at the bus stop for a while, Yan Zhao asked again, "Are you full? Shall we go pick up the kids?"
Right, she was remarrying, and Yan Zhao had two sons.
Becoming a stepmother again, she wondered just how unsightly Yan Zhao's two good-for-nothing sons really were.
"Where do they live?" she asked.
"At their maternal grandmother's house," Yan Zhao said, furrowing his brow slightly and pointing to a village in the city. "Zhou Family Village."
"So until now, you haven't brought the two children to live with you?" Chen Meilan asked in surprise.
"Isn't that what I'm preparing to do now?" He was truly a conversation ender.
Besides, picking up wife and children together saved time and effort.
But never mind, Chen Meilan was only interested in him for help with transferring her house ownership. They were a perfect match, like two peas in a pod.
The winding rural roads on the outskirts were lined with three-wheeled vehicles, bicycles chiming as they passed. The already narrow roads were so crowded that one could easily bump into cars or people.
After walking about three li, the road got worse. Vegetable patches squeezed into every available space, growing a couple of cabbages here, a row of green onions there, or a few lonely corn stalks.
At the entrance of a small village, a group of little boys were roughhousing. Among them, a three-year-old carrot-top was biting the finger of a bigger boy, dangling in mid-air.
The older boy was screaming at the top of his lungs, shaking his hand. The little boy spun around in the air as he was shaken.
Yan Zhao shoved the cake box into Zhaodi's arms and strode over. He grabbed the little boy and asked, "Little Lang, where's your brother?"
"Papa, it's Papa," the boy finally let go and pointed at another boy. "My brother sell tapes make money money, Zhou second brother steal money money, all money money, bite him." His little milk teeth, all white, went in for another bite.
Ignoring what the child was saying, Yan Zhao brought the little wolf cub who wanted to bite over to Chen Meilan.
"You take this one, I'll go find the other," he said.
This wasn't picking up children, it was like picking potatoes - grab one and toss it in the basket.
Little Lang looked up at the pretty auntie and sister, licked his lips, and sniffed around. "Auntie smells good."
Zhaodi had already taken out a piece of cake. "Come on, have some cake."
This little brother seemed a bit fierce, and Zhaodi was actually quite scared. She also just realized that her new dad had prepared four pieces of cake, two of which were for his two boys.
This dad was different from her original dad. He had given her a share of the best food too, not despising her for being a girl unworthy of cake.
Little Lang took the cake. His mouth, which had just been biting people, opened wide. "Wow, it's so good," he said as he took a big bite.
True to his name, he really was a little wolf cub.
