However, upon arriving at Teacher Huang's house, both he and his wife looked worried.
Chen Meilan thought something terrible had happened, but when she asked, it turned out to be great news.
As it happened, Teacher Huang's wife had been feeling bloated recently. When she heard Song Huaihua was going to the hospital, she decided to tag along. While Song Huaihua's tests didn't reveal anything, the hospital discovered that Mrs. Huang was pregnant, already three months along.
This was joyous news, but also a massive problem.
Teacher Huang had only become a permanent employee last month, but even after that, his salary was just over a hundred yuan.
Third Sister-in-law Huang was 40 years old and pregnant, making her a high-risk pregnancy. The hospital said there were signs of potential miscarriage and advised her to stay in bed to protect the fetus. They also suggested hiring a caretaker, but Teacher Huang couldn't afford one on his meager salary.
Given his wife's age, he was worried about complications. Teacher Huang was in a dilemma, unsure whether to terminate the pregnancy or quit his job to start a business. After all, on a teacher's salary alone, he couldn't afford to raise this child.
"Teacher Huang, I have a part-time job for you. I'll pay you five yuan a day. You don't need to quit your job, just help me with some work, okay?" Chen Meilan immediately offered.
Chen Meilan knew this job well. It didn't require regular office hours, only occasional check-ins at crucial times. The main task was calculating the quantities of cement, sand, steel, and concrete needed, which could be done from home.
Teacher Huang was overjoyed at the prospect of part-time work.
However, he wanted to know about the working hours. Daytime was definitely not possible, nor were weekdays, as he had to teach during the day and grade papers in the evening. Despite only teaching 50-60 students, being a teacher was incredibly demanding. He needed to understand each child's strengths and weaknesses to teach them effectively.
"Not on weekdays, just weekends. It'll take up one day of your time," Chen Meilan thought for a moment and said, "Consider it as being my consultant."
Five yuan a day meant 150 yuan a month, without having to go to an office. It was an excellent opportunity.
Teacher Huang was indeed tempted: "When does the work start? Isn't it too much to give me so much money at once? I used to work myself to the bone for just forty yuan a month. This is too much; I feel uneasy taking it."
Chen Meilan's intention wasn't just to have Teacher Huang read blueprints; she wanted him to teach Chen Degong how to read them. Once Chen Degong could read blueprints himself, they might be able to take on other jobs.
One step at a time, one bite at a time.
Apart from not being able to read blueprints, Chen Degong was well-versed in other aspects, such as hiring and managing people. He had handled everything when building Chen Meilan's house before.
Having done it once, he could manage it himself.
Coincidentally, Chen Meilan's bonds were due to mature today, so she cashed them all out at once.
She first gave Chen Degong a thousand yuan to hire workers and start the project, then chased down Yan Dawei to sign a "Personal Contracting Agreement."
With that, the job was secured.
Chen Meilan brought Little Wang along as a helper to make Chen Degong's bed and tidy up his bedding.
Despite his unrefined demeanor, the little fellow worked diligently like a seasoned helper.
After all, Chen Degong used to be his uncle. While Little Wang despised his grandparents, he was quite fond of Chen Degong.
Not only did he make Chen Degong's bed neat and tidy, but he also took the initiative to clean his father's unused slippers thoroughly and placed them at Chen Degong's doorstep.
While Chen Meilan was signing the contract, Little Wang was wandering around, first checking out the school, then the residential area, having a great time exploring.
Leaving the Dongfang Factory, Chen Meilan decided to reward the little helper for his good work and asked, "Do you want some ice cream?"
"I have my own pocket money. I don't need yours," Little Wang said.
"Then why don't you use your pocket money to treat me to a small milk popsicle?" This little miser, although Chen Meilan had given him pocket money, hadn't spent a penny of it. He had even stopped drinking cola recently.
He was saving all his money, looking like he was ready to run away at any moment.
Chen Meilan was genuinely worried he might try to sneak away one day, so she had to find a way to make him spend his money.
However, she thought this little penny-pincher wouldn't buy himself ice cream, but to her surprise, he ran into the small shop and came out with an ice cream a moment later.
"Oh, my stomach hurts. Never mind, I won't eat it," Chen Meilan said, clutching her stomach.
Little Wang was very angry: "You liar, you're just trying to trick me."
"Then why don't you eat the ice cream?" Chen Meilan said.
Little Wang didn't realize he had fallen for her trick. He unwrapped the ice cream and licked it, then jumped onto the nearby roadbed and said solemnly, "Auntie, can I discuss something with you?"
"Go ahead," Chen Meilan said straightforwardly.
"I saw Yuanyuan's dad with that woman today," Little Wang said.
While Chen Meilan was signing the contract, the little fellow had been wandering around, apparently to check on Hu Xiaomei.
"What was she doing?" Chen Meilan asked.
Little Wang pouted: "She was having people carry big air conditioners and big color TVs into the house. Also, she was with a man I really dislike."
This flood of information left Chen Meilan confused: "What exactly are you trying to say?"
Little Wang's mouth twisted: "Never mind, I won't say anymore."
Chen Meilan could guess what he was thinking: "You want us to get a big color TV and a big air conditioner for our home too, right?"
Little Wang pouted: "I don't care about that stuff."
"Why not?" Chen Meilan asked.
Little Wang pouted again: "Because Zhou Xueqin bought those things for her kids too."
Zhou Xueqin had recently become wealthy. Although she was avoiding Little Wang, she was constantly bringing home TVs and refrigerators, which Little Wang surely noticed.
"Aren't you Zhou Xueqin's child?" Chen Meilan asked in return.
This immediately angered Little Wang: "You want me to call you mom, but how am I suddenly Zhou Xueqin's child?"
Adults like to joke, but children take things seriously.
Chen Meilan realized she hadn't been particularly kind to Little Wang, and the child was very wary of her. How could he get so angry just from her little joke?
"I'm sorry, you're my son, okay?" Chen Meilan said.
Little Wang was already running away, licking his ice cream: "Too late, I'm already angry!"
As they were passing by the post and telecommunications office, and it was still working hours, Chen Meilan thought she should ask Song Huaihua about the results of her medical examination.
Entering the post office, before Chen Meilan could reach Song Huaihua's small office, she heard people arguing inside.
"Sister-in-law, yes, I've divorced Yan Zhao now, but we used to be family, right? And I'm using our courtyard as collateral for the loan. What's wrong with lending me some money?" It was Zhou Xueqin's voice.
Not only was Zhou Xueqin there, but Lu Jingyu was also present.
Song Huaihua sat behind her desk, slapping it as she spoke: "Comrade Zhou Xueqin, our post office does provide home loans, but a small rural courtyard can only secure a loan of three thousand yuan at most. You're asking for thirty thousand yuan, which is impossible. Even if you go to the leadership, it's still impossible."
"Director Song, you're both a leader and our relative. Can't you think of a way for us?" Lu Jingyu said with a smile.
Song Huaihua stood up: "I'm just a small director, what kind of leader am I? Alright, it's time for me to get off work. Goodbye."
Clearly, Zhou Xueqin had come to apply for a loan, but Song Huaihua didn't want to approve it.
Zhou Xueqin was visibly dejected. After a moment of silence, she said, "Sister-in-law, this is a society where money talks. You look down on me today, but don't be envious or regretful when I make money in the future."
Song Huaihua was about to leave her office but turned back and bluntly said, "Then go out and make money! Why are you standing here crying? Why beg me? It's annoying enough."
Chen Meilan heard this much and decided not to listen further, turning to leave.
In her previous life, Lu Jingyu had also taken out a loan. It was her who had brought the three children to the post office to beg Song Huaihua for the loan.
But the premise then was that Lu Jingyu's home renovation company already had some foundation, with dozens of employees and several big projects in hand.
Zhou Xueqin had been reborn and wanted to recreate Lu Jingyu's path to wealth, even aiming to get rich earlier.
But clearly, she had taken too big a step and was about to do the splits.
Hadn't she failed to get this loan?
But it didn't matter. Although she had been reborn, Chen Meilan felt that even if one wanted to make money, it should be done steadily and surely.
Money could be earned, but more importantly, there was Yuanyuan. If she had to choose between money and Yuanyuan, she would rather choose to be with Yuanyuan than to make money.
"Meilan, slow down! Why are you walking so fast?" Song Huaihua had just gotten off work and was hurrying to catch up with Meilan, who was walking ahead.
Chen Meilan stopped and asked, "Sister-in-law, how were your test results?"
"They were fine. Yan Zhao was making a fuss over nothing. I'm not pregnant," Song Huaihua replied.
Normally, one shouldn't gossip about other people's marriages, but Song Huaihua had died by jumping into a well in her previous life.
Chen Meilan secretly guessed that she might have died from a venereal disease. Unable to hold back, she said, "You might not have understood Yan Zhao's meaning. It's possible that your husband has been with prostitutes..."
The police wouldn't publicly announce if an officer had been with prostitutes; they would handle it internally. But Chen Meilan felt Song Huaihua needed to know about this.
Song Huaihua stood still, stunned for a long while, then sighed, "Actually, I've suspected it for a while. I'll just stop sleeping with him from now on. That should solve it, right?"
"Then why don't you get a divorce?" Chen Meilan asked in response.
How to put it? Apart from his indiscretions, Yan Bin was actually quite good at home. He was willing to do housework, good with the children, and even helped them with their homework.
He also kept promising that he would make money once he went out to sea. What was Song Huaihua supposed to do? Should she really divorce him just because he had been with prostitutes?
"Meilan, I regret it so much. I sold those bonds too early and made too little profit. Next time there are good bonds available, remember to let me know. We'll buy them together," Song Huaihua said, taking a few steps before stomping her foot in frustration.
Indeed, she had sold too early and now regretted it.
People rarely find moments of contentment.
Little Wang ran faster than Chen Meilan and had already reached home.
As soon as Chen Meilan entered the house, she heard Yuanyuan and Ningning's voices.
"Uncle, these bed sheets are so pretty!" Ningning exclaimed.
But Yuanyuan said, "Dad, I don't think Mom will like them." The little girl understood her mother better, knowing that she didn't like pink.
By this point, Chen Meilan already had a bad feeling. When she looked through the window, her eyes nearly popped out of her head.
Yan Zhao had just returned after working overtime for three days straight. Last time he came back from overtime, he had given her a big surprise with a pink bed. Today, he had an even bigger surprise.
He had bought a set of pink bed sheets and duvet covers.
He was in the process of putting them on the bed, apparently intending to wash the current set.
This wouldn't do. The pink headboard was already giving Chen Meilan nightmares. With a set of pink bed sheets on top of that, she'd rather die than sleep in that bed.
"Yuanyuan, Ningning, could you two go out for a bit? Auntie needs to talk to Uncle, okay?" Chen Meilan said.
Ningning didn't want to leave; she wanted to keep touching the soft pink sheets.
Yuanyuan tugged at her, saying, "Come on, let's let my dad and mom have some time alone, okay?"
As soon as the children left, Chen Meilan closed the door and turned to Yan Zhao, asking, "Did you buy these sheets?"
"You don't like them?" Yan Zhao asked in return.
"I love them," she lied. After all, she had said she liked the pink headboard before.
A lie told is a debt unpaid.
Yan Zhao then pulled out four hundred-yuan notes and handed them to Chen Meilan, saying, "My salary for this month."
Voluntarily handing over one's salary is the first step towards a harmonious marriage. Little Wang and Yuanyuan were secretly peeking through the window on tiptoes. Chen Meilan took the money and said, "This money comes at just the right time. I was really short on cash."
Yan Zhao's hand froze in mid-air, his eyes narrowing as he tried to determine if she was being sincere, given that she had just made five or six thousand yuan in one go.
Chen Meilan shrank back in fear and said softly, "I really am short on money."
Yan Zhao narrowed his eyes again, clearly not believing her.
But the effect was very good – Yuanyuan and Little Wang both broke into wide grins.
Chen Meilan then decided to ask Yan Zhao about the important matter: "How long will Yan Xishan be sentenced for?"
If he really got life imprisonment, forget about the house and car – Hu Xiaomei might even sell off the coal mine, and Chen Meilan couldn't just stand by and watch that happen.
"The case is still under review, but it shouldn't be too serious. However, you should keep this to yourself and not tell anyone else," Yan Zhao said.
This suggested that Yan Xishan's sentence wouldn't be too heavy.
In that case, wasn't Hu Xiaomei being a bit hasty, rushing to sell the car and buy a house? And if she set her sights on the coal mine in a few days, wouldn't that be biting off more than she could chew?
Chen Meilan sat down on the edge of the bed, deciding to wait and see what Hu Xiaomei's next move would be.
But as soon as she sat down, Yan Zhao sat down beside her and reached out his hand.
Chen Meilan suddenly felt nervous as Yan Zhao's hand casually and gently rested on her knee.
This dog of a man – wasn't he supposed to be very shy? So shy that she thought he wouldn't even know how to make babies. Yet here he was, in broad daylight with the curtains open and the children skipping rope outside, potentially coming in at any moment, and he dared to touch her thigh?
But Yan Zhao asked, "What happened to your shoes?"
Chen Meilan had been to a construction site, so of course her shoes were dirty. Not only were her shoes dirty, but she had also tracked dirt onto the floor.
"Take them off. I'll clean them for you," Yan Zhao said.
He was even going to clean her shoes for her?
Of course, although Yan Zhao had been working overtime at his job, only coming home normally once every three days or so, whenever he had time, he would thoroughly clean every room, especially the kitchen. He even washed the children's clothes.
The new bed sheets and duvet cover, of course, needed to be washed.
Yan Zhao had even gathered Chen Meilan's clothes from the bedroom, including her underwear. Even the ones she had already washed once, he collected them all together, intending to wash them again.
This man's housekeeping abilities were truly unparalleled.
After Yan Zhao finished cleaning the shoes, he started to remove the bed sheets and duvet cover. These were all new items and needed to be washed.
As Chen Meilan came out of the bedroom, Little Wang pouted and turned away to hide.
This little brat, in the words of Zhou Xueqin and Zhou Qiaofang, was an ungrateful wolf. Not only did he like to make small amounts of money here and there as a child, but he never gave any to his mother. What was even more infuriating was that he was terrible at school, excelling only in fighting and skipping classes.
Zhou Qiaofang had once laughingly mentioned that one time, when Zhou Xueqin hit him, he didn't hit back. When she scolded him, he didn't talk back. So she used the awl from the sole of a cloth shoe to prick him, just to see if he would bleed, if he would cry, and if his blood was red.
As it turned out, he did bleed, and his blood was red, but he didn't make a sound or shed a tear.
From this, Zhou Xueqin concluded that Little Wang was an ungrateful wolf.
But Chen Meilan didn't believe it. Today, she was determined to tease this little "ungrateful wolf."
"Yuanyuan, Little Wang, Little Lang, come here," Chen Meilan called.
Yuanyuan immediately ran over. "Mom, what is it?"
"Your father got paid, and I'm thinking of buying something big for our home. I just asked Little Wang's opinion about buying a color TV or an air conditioner, but he didn't want either. I can guess what he wants, but I won't say it, and I won't buy it unless he's willing to come with me," Chen Meilan said.
Little Wang had come over too, but with an expression that suggested he couldn't guess what she was thinking and definitely wouldn't go with her.
"A washing machine," Chen Meilan blurted out.
Little Wang immediately let out a surprised "Ah!" and looked up.
This boy wasn't an ungrateful wolf at all. In fact, he was extremely filial – to his father.
The reason he didn't want a big color TV or a big air conditioner was that he saw how his father would come home and immediately start washing and cleaning, which was very tiring. He wanted Chen Meilan to buy a washing machine.
Clearly, this little one just needed someone who knew how to guide him.
The little fellow cried, but as he cried, the corners of his mouth started to turn up, and soon he was smiling through his tears.
