"Brother?" Yan Xishan came out, his face still smiling.
But Hu Xiaomei had complained most bitterly about Yan Bin, so Yan Xishan had to make a symbolic show of anger. He reached out and grabbed Yan Bin's collar.
Yan Bin had been a police officer before, so there was no way Yan Xishan could actually overpower him. But Yan Bin had to pretend to be weaker for appearance's sake, repeatedly saying, "Xishan, we're brothers. I really didn't mean to. Don't be angry, please don't be angry."
By mistake, he had given the ultrasound report to Meilan.
Yan Sanye and Yan Xiong came to break up the fight. Yanguan Village had eight brigades, full of hidden talents. The men of the village should work together in unity - they were all brothers, how could they fight?
Hu Xiaomei was pregnant, and she had come to the village today to show off. She didn't dare say anything to Chen Meilan, but at least she wanted to see Yan Xishan teach Yan Bin a lesson to feel satisfied.
So if Yan Xishan didn't act, she would cry and claim her stomach hurt. She had already lost face, so she might as well make a scene.
People love to watch drama unfold. Even Little Wang and Yuanyuan, hearing the commotion, rushed out from Third Sister-in-law Huang's house. The scene was completely surrounded by onlookers.
Yuanyuan watched her father from afar, silently taking Little Wang's hand and hugging Little Lang close.
Adults can be shameless because they never consider the children. But for children, seeing their parents like this is the most upsetting. The three little ones, united in their shared pain, hugged each other tightly as they silently watched everything unfold before them.
A group of men were shouting, while Hu Xiaomei was crying about stomach pain.
Chen Meilan had taken the ultrasound report and was comparing it to the one Yan Xishan had been showing around earlier.
These days, ultrasound images were still photos pasted onto medical records, which were handwritten. But the ultrasound photos were developed all at once, with the ID number and name of the person printed on the side.
As she looked, Chen Meilan smiled. She had it figured out.
Hu Xiaomei was still stomping her foot: "Brother Shan, my stomach hurts. First go get that 100,000 yuan back from Chen Meilan, and make her burn the agreement. Then take me to get our marriage license, or else my stomach will keep hurting. I'm in pain from anger."
Yan Xishan was actually looking for a way out. He turned to look at Meilan: "Please, I'm begging you, can you give me that 100,000 yuan first and burn that agreement?"
Yan Zhao stayed out of it, just coldly watching Yan Xishan.
But Chen Meilan smiled and said, "Xishan, if Xiaomei's stomach hurts, why don't you help her inside to sit down for a bit?"
Yan Xishan of course knew Hu Xiaomei was faking, but at a time like this, the more intense the conflict between the two sides, the more he had to try to defuse it. After all, whether it was Xiaomei or Meilan, he couldn't bear to upset either of them. So he supported Hu Xiaomei and said, "Come on, let's go inside and sit for a while."
Things could be discussed slowly. Hu Xiaomei entered the courtyard and sat down. She wanted to see with her own eyes Yan Xishan take the money and Chen Meilan burn the agreement.
"Xiaomei, are you three months older than me?" Chen Meilan asked after pouring Hu Xiaomei a glass of water.
Hu Xiaomei reflexively said, "What? I'm three months younger than you."
"Come on, Xishan, come inside. I'll get you something." Chen Meilan glanced at Yan Xishan and went into Yan Zhao's room.
Yan Xishan of course followed her in. As soon as they entered, Chen Meilan handed over both ultrasound reports with the photos attached. She only said one thing about the photos: "If your eyes aren't blind, take a close look at that photo."
First of all, the two photos were identical. Secondly, the handwriting was faintly visible, showing the name Wang Ju. Moreover, both Hu Xiaomei and Chen Meilan were born in 1963, but the ID number on this photo was 670505. The 15-digit ID number had the person's birth date in the middle - if it was from 1967, how could it possibly be Hu Xiaomei?
...
Yan Xishan had actually seen many ultrasound reports before, because Hu Xiaomei had been pregnant more than once. They were all ultrasounds done by Fan Zhenhua's wife at the provincial hospital. When it showed a girl, Hu Xiaomei would abort.
Yan Xishan had even personally entered the ultrasound room, which was mysterious to most people nowadays. He had even chatted with the head of the ultrasound department, Fan Zhenhua's wife. He understood things like how before embryo differentiation, round shapes were girls and eggplant shapes were boys.
He even recognized the signature on Hu Xiaomei's ultrasound report, because it was signed by Fan Zhenhua's wife.
This was truly a case of a lifelong hunter being blinded by the hawk he was hunting.
"It's just two coal mines, right? If Yuanyuan doesn't want them, here, let Xiaomei take them all," Chen Meilan said deliberately.
It wasn't just those two ultrasound reports - Yan Xishan's whole being was like a leaf in the wind.
Private coal mining had always been illegal, but coal demand was growing daily, and state-owned coal companies couldn't meet the demand.
Shaanxi Province had opened up private coal companies since the 1980s. Initially, it was Qi Dongmei who introduced Yan Xishan to Fan Xiang, and Fan Xiang helped him find connections to apply for a coal company. But Fan Xiang was just a middleman - it was Yan Xishan's repeated wining and dining of people in nightclubs, getting drunk, and building relationships that was the main reason he was finally able to acquire seven coal mines.
The coal supply to Dongfang Group was initially his coal company's biggest business, but it wasn't anymore.
As for Fan Xiang, he used to make money through Yan Xishan. Yan Xishan would take the fall and do all the unconscionable things, while Fan Xiang took clean money.
If Yan Xishan went to prison, Fan Xiang wouldn't let the coal mines sit idle. He would look for new candidates. Hu Xiaomei was just a front - those nouveau riche she invited over all had Yan Xishan's potential: smooth talkers who knew how to flatter, drink, and build connections.
Fan Xiang would observe them in secret, and whoever he thought was capable would be chosen.
Yan Xishan saw through all of this. He didn't provoke anyone. As long as Fan Xiang could help him continue to obtain coal mining permits, he would go along with it. He coaxed Hu Xiaomei, saying marriage was impossible, but as long as he tried to be more law-abiding in the future, he would only become wealthier.
He was very clever. He thought he could see through everything.
It wasn't until this moment that he realized his only weakness, which was also the most fatal - a single Hu Xiaomei could strangle him.
He thought he could have a son, but now even the son turned out to be fake. If he really died, wouldn't he be left with nothing?
In the past, when the coal company was established, there were equity ratios, after all, one person couldn't establish a company alone.
And Yan Xishan, being a miser, had used the company he and Chen Meilan set up at the time. After all, it was better to keep things in the family. They just had different equity ratios.
Yan Xishan of course still wanted to be wealthy. The whole country knew Shaanxi had coal, and across the nation, thermal power, steel, oil, and various large factories and mines all needed coal. Demand was flying towards Shaanxi Province, and he owned the largest mine. He was riding the wave.
He had drunk so much alcohol in the past, had knelt before people, had smiled until his face hurt night after night. He couldn't possibly just quit now.
"Meilan, if you want to transfer the two coal mines, you'll have to set up a new coal company. That's too much trouble." Yan Xishan choked up softly a couple of times, then suddenly said, "You know, in my coal company, I originally had 99.9% of the shares, and you had 0.1%. How about this - tomorrow, let's switch. You take 99.9%."
Chen Meilan looked at Yan Xishan and gave a cold laugh.
"I guess I'm not destined to have a son. Meilan, please take good care of my Zhaodi," Yan Xishan said.
His Zhaodi would not only bury his bones but was also his only support - his daughter, the daughter who would sing with big stars.
Only by transferring the coal mines to Zhaodi's name could the mines continue to belong to the Yan family, even if he died.
Yan Xishan only understood this principle at this moment. He patted Chen Meilan's shoulder a couple of times, with the air of someone who had seen through the ways of the world and looked beyond life and death. He even shed a few crocodile tears.
Coming out of the bedroom, Yan Xishan, ever the one to keep his composure, hugged Hu Xiaomei and prepared to leave.
"Brother Shan, what about the money? Did you get it?" Hu Xiaomei asked, her arms around Yan Xishan's neck, looking back at Chen Meilan.
Yan Xishan actually said, "I got it."
"But you don't have any money on you." Hu Xiaomei started feeling his pockets.
Yan Xishan was truly good at lying. He could even manage a smile as he said, "It's in a bank book."
Hu Xiaomei was happy to hear this. She then said, "What about the agreement? Did she burn it?" This was also very important.
With a thud, Yan Xishan threw Hu Xiaomei down in front of the coal yard gate.
It really was a thud. Hu Xiaomei's whole body hit the ground.
Hu Xiaomei wasn't prepared, and it was a cement floor. With a crack, her spine might have even broken.
"Xishan, be careful, Xiaomei is pregnant," said Yan Sanye. Seeing that Xishan didn't pick up Xiaomei, he had to add: "Look at Yan Zhao's shameless physique, and then look at yourself, skinny as a shrimp, without an ounce of strength."
The onlookers burst into laughter.
...
People were still outside watching the commotion, but no one was crowding the front door anymore.
The three little ones held hands, timidly, as if entering the house for the first time, and slipped in from outside.
Children are especially afraid when there's a fight at home.
Dad was cleaning up the cigarette butts in the courtyard. After finishing, he picked up the chair Hu Xiaomei had sat on and threw it out the door.
Yuanyuan and Little Lang each brought a small stool and sat in the kitchen. Even Little Lang was a bit scared. Children, when their parents are unhappy, are most willing to say or do something to cheer them up.
"Mama, look at my tooth, it's coming out!" the little one suddenly said.
Chen Meilan, after all, had her own concerns and was still pondering about the coal mine. She hadn't expected Yan Xishan to want to transfer 999% of the shares, which meant that the entire Xishan Coal Mining Company would be put under her name - a significant asset.
But assets also meant responsibility. If Yan Xishan dared to commit crimes again, or if the coal mine flooded, she would be held accountable.
She could end up in jail if she wasn't careful.
Getting the coal mine wasn't enough; she also had to make Yan Xishan run the business legally, which was even more difficult.
After all, Yan Xishan was used to dancing disco on the edge of breaking the law. Asking him not to break the law was like asking a wolf to become vegetarian.
Hearing Little Lang's babyish call about his tooth brought her back to reality.
Little Lang grinned, pointing at his teeth: "White little tooth, see?"
It was actually a piece of cotton stuffed in his tooth gap; the little one was trying to cheer her up.
But as soon as Chen Meilan lowered her head, the little one suddenly hugged her face and gave her a kiss, wrapping his arms around her neck: "Mama don't be angry, Mama has Little Lang."
Once, Zhou Xueqin had complained to Zhou Qiaofang that Little Lang never hugged or kissed her.
Zhou Qiaofang said it was because the child had been bottle-fed from a young age. Children who drank formula, having never tasted breast milk, were naturally not as affectionate towards their mothers.
Little Lang indeed, even when Yuanyuan kissed him, would instinctively wipe his mouth, but he had just voluntarily kissed her.
His father hadn't made a move, but Little Lang had kissed her?
Yuanyuan also rushed over and hugged her: "Mama, don't be angry, okay?"
"Sit up straight, both of you," Chen Meilan said sternly, pushing the two children to sit upright in front of her, trying hard not to smile, and asked them: "What do you want to eat tonight?"
Little Lang hesitated for a moment. He wanted to eat dumplings because Third Sister-in-law Huang had just tried to tempt him to stay with the promise of dumplings.
Yuanyuan thought for a moment, knowing that cooking was tiring for her mother, so she said: "Plain noodles, I like those."
"I'm going to make dumplings tonight. Now, I'll kiss Yuanyuan 8 times, and Yuanyuan must eat 8 dumplings. How many does Little Lang want to eat?" Chen Meilan said, turning Yuanyuan's face and pecking it 8 times like a chicken pecking rice.
Little Lang counted on his fingers, as he had only learned to count to ten in kindergarten, so he used all ten fingers: "Ten!" He was too excited.
"Then 10 kisses, and Little Lang will eat 10 dumplings," she said, pulling Little Lang's face close and starting to kiss him.
Little Lang was so excited, he pointed at his forehead: "Here too."
After the kisses, he pointed at his ears: "Here too."
He wanted many kisses on his mouth too. After Chen Meilan finished kissing him, he regretted it: "Mama, I want to eat many, many more, one more kiss please."
"Then one more kiss, and you can eat one more, okay?" Chen Meilan said.
Little Lang thought seriously, feeling it wasn't enough: "I want many more."
"Then tell me, how many is one more than ten?" Chen Meilan asked in return.
Little Lang only had ten fingers, and he counted them until he was sweating profusely, but he just didn't know how to count beyond ten.
Children need differentiated education.
Her original intention was to encourage Yuanyuan to eat a few more dumplings, but if Little Lang were to eat seriously, even his father would be worried. Balancing them was truly not easy.
Little Wang was outside washing clothes with his father. This little boy, being a bit older, was concerned about bigger matters. He turned and asked his father: "Dad, did Yuanyuan's mom give her money to her real dad?"
"Kids shouldn't meddle in adult affairs," Yan Zhao said.
Little Wang had once found that "Coal Mine Transfer Agreement" and, not knowing many characters, had even looked them up in a dictionary. He knew about that thing, that the coal mine belonged to Yuanyuan.
So he asked his father again: "What about the agreement, was it really burned?"
Yan Zhao looked at his son: "Go, horse stance, ten minutes."
Little Wang defiantly stood up, clenched his fists, and stood next to his father: "Why don't you make Little Lang and Yuanyuan do horse stance too?"
"Talk more and it's another ten minutes," Yan Zhao said again.
Little Wang was so angry he was hissing, trying to hold back from speaking, but ultimately couldn't resist and added: "Actually, I can eat 20 dumplings at once."
He licked his lips and looked back at the kitchen. Chen Meilan was mixing the filling, and after that, she started wrapping the dumplings herself. Beef and green onion filling, with sesame oil added, the aroma wafting through the air. The two little ones were leaning on the chopping board watching.
"Add another ten minutes," his father said.
Little Wang took a deep breath, clenched his fists, and couldn't help but say again: "I really can eat twenty."
"Thirty minutes!"
Little Wang's face turned red with the effort of holding back, and he finally stopped talking.
In Shaanxi Province, dumplings are never an everyday meal.
If Yuanyuan hadn't been so frightened today, Chen Meilan wouldn't have made dumplings.
Little Wang really did eat twenty in one go.
That night, it was Yan Zhao who threw the two little ones onto the kang bed, then he called out: "Meilan, come in."
Chen Meilan entered, and as soon as she did, she felt her face burning. Of course, Chen Meilan immediately raised both hands, smiling and saying: "Tomorrow, Xishan will transfer 999% of the coal mining company's shares to Yuanyuan."
Yan Zhao turned Chen Meilan's face towards him, looking at her.
"Really," she said, smiling, afraid he wouldn't believe her.
To anyone, it seemed impossible for Yan Xishan, that smiling King Yama who didn't favor sons over daughters, to even transfer the coal mine to his daughter.
He didn't believe Hu Xiaomei, but that had nothing to do with transferring the coal mine. Xishan was the kind of man who had been so poor since childhood that when he got married, he didn't even have underwear and had to urgently borrow a pair from Yan Bin at the First Team to wear to his blind date.
It was impossible for such a man to hand over his property to anyone.
But this woman, Chen Meilan, who looked gentle, always smiling, and seemingly not very clever on the surface.
She always seemed able to simplify extremely complicated matters.
This was the first time the two of them looked into each other's eyes. Her cheeks were pink, her lips curved into a beautiful arc, and she was smiling at him.
She could still smile; she seemed to always be smiling, as if she never got angry.
Yan Zhao suddenly cupped her face, took a deep breath, and kissed her.
