No, he couldn't agree.
Why did Zhou Xueqin, after introducing her ex-husband to someone, still come to Chen Family Village to keep watch?
It was because she didn't want Chen Meilan to take Zhaodi away, wanting her to wholeheartedly take care of those two useless people in her family instead.
Fortunately, she had secretly discussed this with Zhou Qiaofang, who agreed to find a way to prevent it.
Sure enough, Zhou Qiaofang smiled and said, "It's just a little girl, just an extra pair of chopsticks and a bowl. She can live with us in the future. Meilan, just let her marry on her own."
Yan Zhao's face suddenly turned cold. He had originally planned to go inside to talk with Chen Meilan, but he stopped and asked her, "You want to leave the child at your parents' home?"
This was their first meeting, and Chen Meilan was quite satisfied with Yan Zhao.
But to say she couldn't bring the child? That was absolutely unacceptable.
In her previous life, Zhaodi later developed a particularly bad habit. She didn't like eating openly, but preferred to hide all her food and eat it secretly.
She didn't eat much at the dinner table, but she always liked to steal food and hide it in her blanket to eat quietly.
It was the same at home, at school, and when eating out with others. While everyone else was eating properly, she was like a hamster, constantly and quietly stuffing tasty things into her pockets.
She was often despised and ridiculed for this.
For many years, she couldn't break that bad habit. The bed sheets and covers would get dirty quickly. In the morning, when you shook out the bedding, either a piece of candy or half a dumpling would roll out from the blanket. Chen Meilan had beaten and scolded her countless times for this. With all the beating, Zhaodi grew to hate her, and at a young age, instead of studying properly, she ran off to learn how to do business like others.
Later, when she made money and bought a big house, had money, a house, and a car, she still couldn't break the habit of hiding food. She always hoarded lots of snacks at home, and like a hamster, even when she was alone at home, she liked to hide in corners to eat secretly.
She also liked to eat spicy and greasy foods, which led to acne breakouts and weight gain. Then she'd take diet pills to lose weight. Her face was often pale, and in her early twenties, she looked as haggard as a woman in her thirties or forties.
Chen Meilan had never understood how her once sweet and lovely daughter, in this era of material abundance, could become like a little beggar, stealing and hiding, unable to behave properly in public.
But now she was starting to understand. It must have been those three months when she left the child at her parents' home that planted this demon in the child's heart, a demon that turned into a disease – the disease of hoarding food.
If Yan Zhao wouldn't let her bring the child, there was no way she could agree to this marriage.
"Impossible. Wherever I go, I must bring my daughter with me," Chen Meilan said firmly.
She thought that after saying this, the marriage negotiations would fall through. But to her surprise, Yan Zhao immediately said, "What other conditions do you have? Let's go inside and discuss slowly."
Zhou Qiaofang immediately lifted the curtain: "Hurry inside, you two can talk at your leisure."
The most important point for Chen Meilan, of course, was the house. She needed to ask Yan Zhao if he would immediately help her transfer her household registration once they got married.
It was already 1988, and in 1990, the government would fully launch the relocation project. The value of old houses would skyrocket, and by then, Yan Xishan would certainly regret it, and she wouldn't be able to get the courtyard.
"Where is your house?" Yan Zhao asked.
"In the suburbs of Xiping City, Yanguan Village," Chen Meilan said.
Yan Zhao replied promptly, "That's perfect, it's within our bureau's jurisdiction. Transferring the household registration will be easy. We can find time to get the marriage certificate, and I can directly help you transfer the household registration."
"For my daughter Zhaodi..."
"Transfer hers too." This man didn't like to waste words and immediately cut off Chen Meilan's sentence.
Originally, before Chen Meilan's divorce, all her savings had been stolen, and even though she reported it to the police, there had been no progress.
She wanted to ask Yan Zhao, since he was transferring to the police department, if he could help investigate this matter. But because this man spoke so bluntly, she didn't feel comfortable bringing it up.
The air became a bit stiff. After all, the two had only heard about each other and had never met before. Yan Zhao looked up, his sharp eyes scanning Chen Meilan, and then said, "Let me introduce myself. My name is Yan Zhao."
Chen Meilan had actually heard about Yan Zhao's family situation from her sister-in-law, but she always thought her sister-in-law must have exaggerated to encourage her to marry him.
However, as Yan Zhao introduced himself, Chen Meilan realized that her sister-in-law hadn't exaggerated at all.
"My father works in Capital City, living in the Air Force compound. I have two older brothers, also in Capital City, and I myself have two children, both boys..." When mentioning his two sons, Yan Zhao unconsciously furrowed his brow, but quickly relaxed it and sincerely said, "The children's mother and I are divorced. In the future, I'll have to rely on you to take care of them."
The village women huddled together, all peering through the window, feeling incredibly anxious.
Why wasn't she agreeing yet? What was she pretending for?
But their anxiety was for nothing. Chen Meilan wasn't in a hurry at all. Instead, she held Zhaodi tightly in her arms and suddenly asked, "You don't hit women or children, do you?"
Such a decisive and excellent man must have some flaws, otherwise why would Zhou Xueqin divorce him? How else could she have lucked out like this?
The first thing Chen Meilan thought of was whether he might be prone to domestic violence.
They say men who have been in the army are often prone to domestic violence.
"I don't hit," he replied, his lips twitching, answering with just two words.
Chen Meilan recalled that in her previous life, she had never heard anyone mention that Yan Zhao had a tendency for domestic violence.
"If we can't get along and I ask for a divorce, you'll agree, right?" Chen Meilan said again.
Outside, her sisters-in-law were about to die of anger. What kind of talk was this, discussing divorce before even getting married?
But Yan Zhao remained very decisive and said, "As long as you ask, and you're serious, I'll divorce immediately."
Even if he didn't want to, Chen Meilan had an older brother who could stand up for her. If there was any danger, he would shield her, so she wasn't afraid of anything.
"I'll also need to sign a contract with you, proving that the courtyard in Yanguan Village is my premarital property. Also, it's hard to raise a child alone, so I'll need to work in the future. You'll need to help with housework as much as you can. It's not easy for children from two families to get along, so if I scold your children, you should at least ask why first. We can discuss things rationally, but you can't just get angry right away."
She had already been a stepmother in her previous life and knew how difficult it was. It was better to lay out the ground rules from the start.
As for going out to work and housework, this was a preemptive measure. Although she was in a hurry to register her residence and transfer the house ownership, she would definitely want to go out to work in the future. If Yan Zhao wouldn't agree to this, the marriage was off. Chen Meilan would rather not have the house than marry him.
Outside, the sisters-in-law exchanged glances, both feeling that this marriage was surely going to fall through.
Was Meilan crazy? Yan Zhao had a formal job with a monthly salary. Why should he do housework for her? And she still wanted to go out to work? Just because she had married a nouveau riche before, did she think she was all that?
But once again, everyone was stunned.
Because Yan Zhao stood up and said decisively, "I'm very good at housework, you don't need to worry. As for the children, I've trained soldiers before, so I know how to educate them."
After saying this, he quickly pulled out a large banknote from his pocket, stuffed it into Zhaodi's hand, got up, and left the room.
Did this mean that Yan Zhao had agreed to all the conditions Chen Meilan had proposed?
Was he willing to marry her?
Outside, Zhou Xueqin received second-hand information, but she also heard people saying that Yan Zhao had agreed to let Chen Meilan bring her daughter along when she married.
Half pleased and half worried, she still hoped that Zhou Qiaofang could keep Zhaodi behind.
Yan Zhao had already come out of the room.
Thinking about his deep, cold, and unfathomable gaze, Zhou Xueqin, although she had been his wife, had spent very little time with him and felt a chill run down her spine. Afraid of running into him here, she wrapped her headscarf tightly and slipped away quietly in the commotion.
"Colonel Yan... oh, Comrade Yan Zhao, how did the talk go? What are your thoughts?" Chen Degong came up to ask.
Yan Zhao still answered very directly: "If she's willing, I'm willing. But I have one condition. I currently don't have a place to live, and Yanguan Village is very close to my work unit. I might need to temporarily stay at Comrade Chen Meilan's house in Yanguan Village for a while, but I can pay rent."
They were about to get married, what was all this talk about rent?
Chen Degong turned back to ask Chen Meilan, "What do you think?"
Yan Xishan was a nouveau riche and a minor local tyrant in Xiping City. Since he could manipulate her on the household registration matter, he might also find some thugs to threaten and bully her.
Having a police officer living at home would eliminate these worries.
So she readily agreed, "Alright."
The elder sister-in-law let out a long sigh of relief. Her younger sister-in-law was finally getting married, which meant one less mouth to feed at home and less food to cook for each meal.
"Then it's settled. First, prepare your ID card, introduction letter, and personal file. I'll go to the police station to report in, and after that, I'll come back to pick you up. We'll return to Xiping City together," Yan Zhao said, then left without lingering.
Was it really done just like that?
Could Meilan really move to the city?
The second sister-in-law was bewildered, thinking they hardly discussed anything, yet these two had somehow come to an agreement.
What should she do now? She was hiding a secret, and because of that secret, she couldn't let Meilan marry into the city.
The elder sister-in-law picked up Zhaodi and probed further with a smile, "Meilan, why don't you leave Zhaodi in our village? I'll take care of her for you. Whether it's three or four children, it's all the same. I can manage one more."
Hearing this, Zhaodi immediately protested, kicking her feet, "No! I want to go with my mom!"
"You naughty girl, why are you so disobedient? Yan Zhao's two sons are quite fierce. Aren't you afraid they'll beat you?" The elder sister-in-law raised her voice.
Chen Meilan took her daughter back, saying calmly, "If they dare to hit Zhaodi, won't I hit them back? As an adult, can't I handle two kids?"
The elder sister-in-law was eager to marry her off, not only because their family truly lacked food, but also out of concern for her two nephews, wanting Meilan to go and take care of them.
As the saying goes, you can never truly know what's in someone's heart. Though the elder sister-in-law was generally upright, in her previous life, when Chen Meilan remarried, she only left Zhaodi with her natal family for three months. The child was beaten and mocked by other children in the village, leaving her with emotional scars that lasted a lifetime.
If she didn't take Zhaodi with her when she remarried, how would this life be any different from the previous one?
Seeing the usually close elder sister-in-law and Meilan arguing, the second sister-in-law was pleased, "So what kind of good marriage is this? In my opinion, you should reject it early and just marry a village man instead."
...
Since it was a second marriage, there wasn't much to prepare. It was basically just moving in together to muddle through life. Moreover, since he was Zhou Xueqin's ex-husband, Chen Meilan didn't have high hopes.
But on the day after the marriage was settled, a young man in an olive-green police uniform came from the Capital City. Carrying a small leather bag, he entered the village, found the Chen family, and handed the bag to Chen Meilan in front of many onlookers, then left with a grin.
The second sister-in-law, of course, had to join in the excitement and see what Yan Zhao had sent to Meilan. After all, that Yan Zhao didn't seem to have much money. If the gift was too shabby, she could still taunt Meilan a bit and discourage her from marrying into the city.
But when she looked inside, she fell silent.
Inside were two little dresses for young girls. One was pink, the other white, both made of chiffon fabric. They were adorned with sparkling rhinestones and round pearls, so beautiful they could dazzle one's eyes.
In addition, there was a pair of Kangnai leather shoes in a paper box. They were too big for Zhaodi's feet, probably needing another year before she could wear them.
If Yan Zhao had sent something for herself, Chen Meilan wouldn't have felt so pleased.
But she had to admit, although Yan Zhao's tone was harsh, this gift hit the mark perfectly. Dressed up in these, Zhaodi would look like a beautiful doll.
"This set must have cost at least twenty or thirty yuan," the second sister-in-law said, feeling the chiffon dress on Zhaodi.
The elder sister-in-law couldn't help but tug at it too, saying with a hint of sourness, "Xueqin always said Yan Zhao loved daughters and always wanted a girl. I didn't believe it then. What man doesn't love sons and instead dotes on little girls? Today I've finally seen something rare. Yan Zhao is different from others. His affection for Zhaodi seems genuine."
Meilan had lucked out with a man her own sister didn't cherish.
But then the elder sister-in-law thought, her sister-in-law and Yan Zhao, one with a son and one with a daughter, would make a good match. Meilan was grateful by nature, and if life improved, she would surely help out. Why was she getting all worked up?
Naturally, she also gave up on the idea of keeping Zhaodi.
Chen Meilan noticed the second sister-in-law's eyes gleaming like a wolf's, full of envy. She subtly jabbed at her, "Elder sister-in-law, don't worry. Once I've established myself in the city, I'll bring your whole family over."
Zhou Qiaofang knew Chen Meilan's character well - she valued family, was loyal, and spoke her mind. She also knew that if Meilan dared to say such things, she could definitely make it happen. So she said, "Meilan, you're so thoughtful. Your sister-in-law will be waiting for the day you bring us all to the city."
The second sister-in-law's face suddenly turned pale, and she turned and left.
Meanwhile, Chen Meilan coldly smiled and listened quietly through the wall. She heard an argument break out on the other side.
"You were the one who caught Yan Xishan and that whore in bed together. How can two thousand yuan be enough? Go ask Yan Xishan for more money," the second sister-in-law said in a hushed voice.
...
"Ask for another two thousand yuan, so we can buy a house in the city and live there," seeing her husband silent, head down like a rooster with its comb plucked, the second sister-in-law shouted.
Chen Meilan continued to listen intently. After a while, she heard the second sister-in-law say again, "Yan Xishan is a scoundrel. We don't dare to make trouble for him, but that whore has a formal job. She's afraid of losing face and losing her job. We should go make trouble for her. We must get another two thousand yuan out of her."
So not only had her second brother and his wife set her up with Yan Xishan, but they had also caught Yan Xishan and his mistress in bed together?
And then her second brother not only didn't speak up but also took two thousand yuan in hush money from them?
What did two thousand yuan mean in those days?
A four-courtyard house in the suburbs cost only two or three thousand yuan, and a pound of rice cost one yuan. If used to buy rice, two thousand yuan could feed them until the end of time.
Initially, Chen Meilan wanted to call her elder brother right away and go next door to expose her second brother and his wife.
But on second thought, she held back.
In her previous life, she had been proud and disdainful, thinking Yan Xishan was trash. Although she had long known that Yan Xishan had someone outside, she had never investigated or been curious about who these women were, thinking they were just prostitutes or hostesses.
But this time, the second sister-in-law's mention of a "whore with a formal job" successfully piqued Chen Meilan's curiosity.
Why not go and see who Yan Xishan's mistress really was?
Early the next morning, the second sister-in-law left the house, and Chen Meilan naturally followed her quietly.
