True to her word, Chen Meilan really did cry.
...
She didn't expect her little life would need to be saved by Little Lang.
She had nearly scratched the edge of the vat raw when suddenly she heard Little Lang grunt, "Mama."
This child loved to get up in the middle of the night. Even if he didn't need to pee, he would cry a bit. Using the cover of his cries, she grabbed her clothes and left, not daring to look back, running while putting on her clothes. Just as she entered the door, Yan Zhao's hand slapped against it.
She had just picked up Little Lang when she heard Yan Zhao clearing his throat outside. She didn't respond. He cleared his throat again, and she still didn't answer. He did it once more.
When she still didn't respond, he started knocking on the door directly.
But even with more knocking, she wouldn't go over. She had already submitted the "homework" that needed to be turned in.
"Mama, there's a big bad wolf outside," Little Lang whimpered.
Chen Meilan bundled the child onto the kang bed, her heart still pounding: "The big bad wolf has already been chased away by mama. Go to sleep quickly."
Where was there someone who could eat their fill of meat every day? She still wanted to live.
Chen Meilan guessed that Yan Zhao must be very angry, and might even be so upset as to go on strike from doing housework, because he stood outside for half the night, occasionally clearing his throat, then doing it again after a while, pacing with heavy steps like a caged beast.
Until she said: "It hurts."
"Then go to sleep early," he finally left.
From the sound of it, he seemed very displeased.
But it was okay. Early the next morning when she got up, there was store-bought spicy soup in the steel pot, just needing to be reheated. The leftover lamb rolls from last night's dinner, which he was afraid would smell gamey if steamed, he had specially grilled.
The grilled lamb roll shells were too hard and not good to eat with porridge, but when soaked in the spicy soup with radish and beef balls, it was absolutely delicious.
Chen Meilan limped to the Third Brigade in the morning, because she had forgotten to use protection, and she clearly understood that if a man's performance in that area was a parabola, these few days would definitely be the most difficult time for her to endure.
The village clinic was at the Third Brigade. The health worker was called Su Chuncao, who was on fairly good terms with Meilan. Seeing Meilan limping, she was very surprised: "Why are you limping? What happened?"
"I took a fall. It's not a big deal. Give me a few condoms," Meilan said.
She hadn't done that for four or five years. To avoid the bed creaking, they did it standing up, with her hands braced on the edge of the vat, and it went on for a long time.
Yan Zhao probably hadn't done it like that before and got too excited, of course, he must have also discovered that Chen Meilan was an experienced driver.
But both of Chen Meilan's legs were about to give out.
She had come to get condoms, but Chen Meilan had forgotten the ways of the countryside in recent years. Su Chuncao grabbed Meilan's arm: "Condoms? What do you need those for? Get sterilized, get sterilized right now. Once you're sterilized, you can do whatever you want without needing to prevent anything."
Chen Meilan turned and left the clinic.
Su Chuncao chased after her, shouting: "Meilan, you have three children, you must use birth control. You have to choose either an IUD or sterilization, otherwise the family planning team will come to catch you personally one of these days."
...
"Meilan, don't run! If one person gets sterilized, your whole family will be honored," Su Chuncao was still chasing.
Chen Meilan pretended not to hear and ran away like the wind.
She chose neither sterilization nor an IUD. She'd better go find condoms. Look, she was running, and happened to run into Song Huaihua.
"It's just condoms, why ask the clinic? We have plenty at our work unit. I'll bring you some on Monday," Song Huaihua said, holding her belly. "I got an IUD and had heavy bleeding, then accidentally got pregnant, and ended up getting sterilized in the end. Sterilization has side effects. Don't worry about what the policy says, protect yourself."
Today was the weekend. Ma Xiaogang's mission to build a bridge of friendship was complete, and it was time for him to go home.
"Auntie, can I come to your house again in the future?" Ma Xiaogang asked, blowing a snot bubble.
Chen Meilan said: "Of course you can. Just treat this as your home, come play anytime."
Ma Xiaogang shyly looked at Yuanyuan: "Next time I come, can you have Yan Shengnan sing for me?"
He always heard Yuanyuan singing at school and heard she liked to sing for her brother at night, so he came, but as soon as he arrived she stopped singing.
Yuanyuan liked Little Wang and Little Lang, but not snot-nosed kids. She pretended not to hear and ran inside to watch TV.
Although Ma Xiaogang always had a long string of snot hanging, he was worth an office building, so after breakfast, Chen Meilan wanted to hire a three-wheeled vehicle to personally send him home.
But she only sent him to the outside of the Qinchuan Group staff quarters. Chen Meilan didn't go in, letting the children escort him home.
Yan Xiaowang was eager and actively wanted to help Chen Meilan secure a big business deal. He even thought when they arrived that Mrs. Ma would discuss some business matters with him, but when Mrs. Ma saw the three of them, she just gave them each a few pieces of chocolate and sent them on their way.
Little Lang's face was smeared with chocolate. Yuanyuan clutched her hand tightly, but as soon as she got on the three-wheeler, she stuffed an entire round liqueur-filled chocolate into Chen Meilan's mouth.
Xiaowang looked worried: "Auntie, Grandma Ma didn't say anything."
"You can't say anything either. Keep the matter of the project to yourself," Chen Meilan said.
There were many contractors, but few who could keep working for long. Those who went around handing out money recklessly would die sooner or later. Only those who were watertight, could consider things from the other's perspective, were cautious and clever could survive. This was called "caution makes the ship last a thousand years."
Mrs. Ma sent her grandson to make peace. Chen Meilan had to show some response, but couldn't be overly enthusiastic.
On the way home, before the three-wheeler reached Yanguan Village, Xiaowang suddenly jumped off and ran to a tricycle selling Coca-Cola, holding out his hand. The small vendor actually handed Xiaowang a tape recorder.
Once, Xiaowang had mentioned that he would soon have a tape recorder. In this era when cassette tapes were very cheap, tape recorders were considered somewhat useless, as people preferred simple radios.
Chen Meilan was too embarrassed to ask, but always felt that Xiaowang had some kind of secret deal with this vendor.
"Young man, your method really works. This tape recorder is a gift for you. Goodbye," the vendor said.
Xiaowang held up the tape recorder, proudly showing off to Chen Meilan: "I earned this tape recorder, you know."
"How did you earn it?" Chen Meilan asked curiously.
The vendor couldn't explain clearly to Chen Meilan, but he opened the Coke crate on the tricycle to show her: "See this? We used to have to move these boxes in and out, but now we don't need to. Just roll it and it's done. This thing was modified based on your son's suggestion."
The plastic crates for Coke had a bamboo frame attached to the bottom, and there were four rollers under the bamboo frame.
Although this small thing was small, it was especially useful for the vendor. He ran wholesale, and had to move crates of Coke every day. With this cart, he didn't need to carry them. He just needed to put them on the small bamboo frame, push, and it would move. Not tiring at all.
How could Xiaowang be useless? For a seven-year-old child to be so clever and skillful, Chen Meilan was impressed.
When they got home, Chen Meilan finally understood why Xiaowang specifically wanted a tape recorder. Yuanyuan loved to sing, but only sang at home, and there was only one demo tape that had been recorded.
As for Xiaowang, it turned out he had collected many instrumental tapes, and they were all currently the best and most popular song instrumentals.
Now, he would play the instrumental, Yuanyuan would sing along, and he would record. He even knew to find a quiet room to record. Wouldn't this produce a best hits tape that could be sold?
This was truly a little money-making genius.
A few days later, Qinchuan Group published a full-page notice in the newspaper, publicly inviting bids. Chen Meilan had Yan Bin submit the "Bid Document" on her behalf.
According to Yan Bin, because this project was for the overall construction of Qinchuan Group's office area, with a budget of 300,000 yuan, there were a full fifty contractors who came to bid.
So the chances were not high.
Yan Bin had been running errands for Chen Meilan recently, back and forth for a month. Chen Meilan gave him 300 yuan. Although it wasn't given to him directly, but to Song Huaihua, at least Yan Bin finally saw some money.
In comparison, Chen Meilan had more conscience than the ruthless Chen Ping. Of course, Chen Ping was now only willing to work for Meilan.
But going into business was for making big money. Meilan was just a stepping stone, and she didn't have much ambition. If he wanted to make big money, Yan Bin would have to continue to interact with Yan Xishan. Although he was harsh to his subordinates, he was also generous.
It just so happened that Chen Meilan called Yan Xishan to Yanguan Village to discuss the next steps for coal mine extraction, so Yan Bin went to pick up Yan Xishan.
Yan Xishan was also a capable person. He had transferred most of the shares to Meilan, but Hu Xiaomei's side didn't know about it. Recently she kept falling for various reasons. Xishan kept insisting on sending her to the hospital, but Hu Xiaomei didn't dare go without a baby in her belly. She had no choice but to stay at a small clinic, under the pretext of protecting the pregnancy.
Yan Xishan sent Qi Dongmei to take care of her, while he himself visited morning and evening, holding Hu Xiaomei's hand and saying that regardless of whether the child could be saved or not, as long as she recovered, he would immediately marry her.
However, to help his son accumulate more wealth, he asked Hu Xiaomei to contact Fan Xiang again to help process the mining permits for several other mines.
Fan Xiang had an old classmate who was a high-ranking official in the province. With a word from him, those procedures that usually required bribes and favors could be quickly approved.
As a result, Hu Xiaomei contacted Fan Xiang, and the permits were about to be approved.
Meanwhile, Hu Xiaomei and Qi Dongmei were guarding a non-existent 'male fetus' at a small clinic, pretending to be nurturing the pregnancy.
To prove she was really pregnant, Hu Xiaomei even made an effort to fatten herself up.
"Second brother, do me a favor. Keep a close eye on Qi Dongmei recently. She's definitely going to try to buy a baby soon. You're free these days, so watch her for me. If she dares to make a move, report her to the police. You understand what I mean, right?" Yan Xishan smiled as he pulled out three hundred-yuan bills from his pocket and slapped them on Yan Bin's leg: "This is the down payment."
So Qi Dongmei was panicking about buying a child, while Yan Xishan was watching her, ready to report her if she dared to make a move?
Isn't this entrapment?
Yan Bin wasn't exactly upright, but he had never seen Yan Xishan act like this before.
Hu Xiaomei was clever, but Yan Xishan was even more cunning. He used her to obtain the coal mining rights and could even trick her into staying in that small clinic, not daring to go out.
But if the job was done, there would be a thousand yuan. Alright, Yan Bin accepted this task.
Yan Xishan came today to get that hundred thousand yuan as operating capital. He planned not only to take away all of his own coal but also to buy up all the surplus coal currently in Shaanxi Province, then send it south by rail car, making a huge profit.
This should help him become a millionaire in one fell swoop.
But Chen Meilan poured cold water on his plans: "No, you first need to install the most advanced safe mining equipment in the coal pit, and buy a set of circular coal washing systems. After they're installed, have the manufacturer come to me directly for payment."
Currently, most coal mining was done by manual digging and carrying. If a place looked like it might collapse, they'd just prop it up with a rotten piece of wood. Safe mining equipment, on the other hand, included large anti-tilt supports, coal cutters, tunneling machines, and anti-tilt and collapse warning devices. The circular coal washing was a new technology that had just hit the domestic market.
Such a complete system would cost well over a hundred thousand yuan.
Yan Xishan was furious when he heard this: "Meilan, I think you're trying to default on my money, right? That makes sense. Yan Zhao is just a poor policeman, earning only 400 yuan a month, poor as dirt. Look at our home now, we've got a refrigerator and a telephone. You must have secretly given all my money to Yan Zhao, haven't you?"
Chen Meilan got up and went into the room, bringing out Yan Xishan's red crocodile skin bag. She opened it, revealing stacks of hundred-yuan bills, still wrapped in the bank's white paper bands.
"I only invest money in production lines, because if coal miners die, it's my money that pays compensation," Chen Meilan said.
Yan Xishan understood this principle, but he felt that safety production could be postponed. If Meilan was really worried, she could ask a Taoist priest to perform some rituals and make offerings to heaven. She was such a good person, heaven would surely bless her.
Now that the demand for coal was so strong, once it was sent south, he might make over a million. Watching this money-making opportunity slip away made him angry and furious.
At this moment, he didn't even regret divorcing Chen Meilan, because she was the biggest stumbling block on his path to making money. If he really listened to everything she said, he could forget about making big money in this lifetime.
Just then, Little Lang rushed in through the door, threw down his schoolbag, picked up the basket of cassette tapes, and was about to run out. Yuanyuan followed closely behind.
Seeing his daughter, Yan Xishan's anger dissipated a bit. He quickly stood up and called out with a smile: "Zhaodi."
Yuanyuan pretended not to hear and rushed out with Little Lang like a gust of wind.
Although Little Lang didn't like Yan Xishan, the child was polite and answered for Yuanyuan: "Uncle, we're very busy, we're going to sell cassette tapes."
Cassette tapes?
Yuanyuan had recorded a song that Yan Xishan particularly liked to listen to, but Chen Meilan wouldn't give it to him. He had asked Yan Zhao about it, and Yan Zhao said the song was from a movie and there was only one sample tape.
Could it be that the two children were going to sell that very tape?
So Yan Xishan chased after them, wanting to snatch a tape to listen to at home.
This string of people heading out coincided with Yan Zhao and Song Huaihua walking home while chatting.
Song Huaihua was carrying a large woven bag, Yan Zhao was also carrying a large woven bag, Little Lang was holding the cassette tapes, and Yan Xishan was chasing behind. With a loud crash, the whole group collided.
The cassette tapes and the things in Song Huaihua and Yan Zhao's hands were all scattered on the ground.
Yan Xishan saw something white that looked like a cassette tape, so he picked up one. Seeing that Yan Zhao's expression wasn't good, he was already thinking of slipping away. This living King Yama was even harder to deal with than Chen Meilan.
It was he who had reminded Chen Meilan to start with control rights.
"Xishan came to discuss the mining business, right?" Yan Zhao asked.
Chen Meilan pulled her lips: "He's been locked up once, and his mind still isn't clear. Rotten wood for supports, and he still wants to send people down the mine. Yan Captain, why don't you lock him up again?"
Yan Zhao turned on the faucet. It was already November, the weather was cold, and the water was even colder.
He picked up the soap to wash his hands and face, and Chen Meilan handed him a towel.
This scene was truly an eyesore for Yan Xishan, who was so angry he didn't want to look for even a minute.
He couldn't understand how he, a person as cunning as a ghost, had ended up in this situation today.
"I had a meeting with the coal bosses in our city today, informing them not to sell you coal on credit, because you don't have money now and can't pay back debts. So don't think about getting coal on credit to ship south," Yan Zhao said slowly and calmly, wiping his hair as he spoke.
Yan Xishan, holding a cassette tape, took a deep breath and went out.
What he had in mind was indeed that if Chen Meilan wouldn't give him money, he would ask other coal bosses for coal on credit, then sell it in the south, make a big profit, and come back to pay off the debt.
He was the only coal boss in the entire Xiping City who had a connection with Yan Zhao, and by throwing his weight around, everyone would surely give him credit.
With one sentence, Yan Zhao had cut off his backup plan.
As he walked out with the cassette tape, Yan Xishan overheard Second Sister Liu whispering: "Did you all just see? It looks like Yan Zhao might have emptied out all the condoms from the police station?"
Sister-in-law Mao also laughed and whispered back: "Song Huaihua was carrying a big bag too."
"That couple... they could at least slow down a bit."
The rumors, as they spread, became more and more unsavory, and all the women were laughing.
Yan Xishan looked at the box he was holding and immediately threw it on the garbage platform. It turned out not to be a cassette tape but condoms.
Life had become unbearable.
"Dad." Yuanyuan waved from a corner.
Yan Xishan walked over, sighed, and knelt down: "Daughter, you miss Dad, don't you?"
Once upon a time, he felt he owned the entire Xiping City. He didn't know why, but after being in jail once and coming out, he found a cliff of ten thousand feet before him. Turning around, only this little girl, whom he had once kicked away, stood lonely behind him.
If he were to fall off the cliff, in all the world, among all the dust, only she would reach out to grab him.
"Here, this is for you." Yuanyuan gave Yan Xishan a cassette tape and reached out to touch his bald head: "It's getting cold, Dad. Remember to wear a hat."
It was the songs Yuanyuan had sung, like "Night at the Military Port", "By the Water", "Sweet as Honey", "Small Town Story", all the songs Yan Xishan used to love listening to when he was hugging hostesses.
The childish voice gave them a different kind of gentleness. The songs no longer flowed with alcohol, women and sex, and the surging excitement of money, but with a beautiful, sweet-as-honey life.
It couldn't help but remind Yan Xishan of that pair of red underwear he had borrowed. Because he had never worn it before and was in a hurry, he put it on backwards. When he went to pick up Meilan, he was pulling at his crotch the whole way, walking with his legs spread, swaying in a bow-legged gait, constantly tugging at his crotch.
Putting it in the car and listening while driving, Yan Xishan couldn't help but shed tears.
Money and safety, whether to continue dancing disco on the edge of breaking the law - this was a question.
