To be suddenly hit by her husband, who could Mi Lan turn to with her grievances?
As Yan Wei tried to strike again, Yan Zhao and Yan Bin simultaneously pointed at his nose, forcing him back.
Everyone was most worried about Yan Peiheng.
A heart attack in an elderly person could be fatal, so Yan Wei naturally had to rush to the capital immediately.
"Third Brother should go too. Our uncle is ill, we must go see him," said Yan Bin.
Yan Zhao shook his head: "It's enough for Yan Wei to go back. I'm not going."
How could he be so cold-blooded? The old man had suffered a heart attack, how could he not go?
"Just go for a visit," Yan Bin said again.
Yan Zhao only said: "Second Brother, take them to the airport."
As soon as the adults left, the phone rang. Only Yuanyuan was in the house, so the child answered the call.
Chen Meilan immediately turned back. She was feeling a bit regretful now, because earlier she had only focused on being angry. She had been too impulsive and hadn't anticipated that Yan Peiheng, who looked so robust, would suffer a heart attack.
She was afraid that if it was Yan Peiheng who had woken up and called, since he had never met Yuanyuan and she was Yan Xishan's daughter, the old man might be upset if the child answered the phone.
At a time like this, it was best not to let the old man be unhappy.
Just as she rushed in, she heard Yuanyuan already talking to Yan Peiheng.
"Where's Yan Zhao?" asked Yan Peiheng.
"Hello, Grandpa. Are you feeling better now?" Yuanyuan asked in as gentle a voice as possible.
Yan Peiheng's tone was very weak: "Who are you?"
Yuanyuan leaned into the receiver and said: "I'm Yuanyuan, Grandpa. You need to get better soon, okay? You haven't heard me sing yet. I'll sing for you later, alright?"
Yan Peiheng, having suffered a heart attack, was in a daze. He mumbled: "Okay."
Chen Meilan came out again, gesturing for the Yan brothers to come in and take the call, pushing Yuanyuan to go out.
But children don't understand when others don't like them. Thinking her grandfather wanted her to sing now, she actually started singing: "Luo luo mian mian, oil pancakes and skewers... I'm a lucky egg, born in luck and growing in luck, enjoying good fortune since I was little."
This was a children's song from Shaanxi Province. In the capital, Yan Peiheng was lying in bed, surrounded by people preparing to take him to the hospital. But he held the receiver, slowly sitting up, and listened quietly.
"Let the children come back quickly, and you should go to the hospital right away," Minister Cui said, pacing by the bed.
The neighboring Soviet Union was in the midst of dissolution, and all the leaders here were on high alert. No one's health could be at risk at a time like this.
Mrs. Cui also nodded: "The Chief of Staff's illness is too scary. He must go to the hospital. Let the children come back."
Wang Gebi, who never entered Yan Peiheng's bedroom, sat outside, silently shedding tears: "Third son and his wife have always hated the Chief of Staff, alas, they've always hated him!"
Mrs. Cui, without showing any reaction, moved to the doorway and blocked Wang Gebi: "Old Yan, shall I call Third Son for you, ask him to come too?"
On this end of the phone, Chen Meilan could hear the voices on the other side, and her heart skipped a beat.
It wasn't a good choice to have Yan Zhao go to the capital now.
The bonds could be cashed at any time, and the real estate wasn't going anywhere. What belonged to Little Wang was his, and could be collected at any time.
But the Public Security Bureau was about to finalize the "Indictment Opinion" for Bureau Chief Mi, and help overturn Qi Songlu's case. All these cases were being handled by Yan Zhao. If he left for a few days, the sentencing results for Fan Zhenhua and Bureau Chief Mi's group at the Public Security Bureau would be completely different, and Qi Songlu probably wouldn't be able to have her case overturned.
This was also why Chen Meilan particularly regretted her actions. She shouldn't have acted on impulse and blurted out everything in a moment of anger.
At this moment, she was also unsure, afraid that Yan Peiheng would be even more annoyed if the child kept singing. So she said: "Yuanyuan, stop singing. Grandpa doesn't like it."
"Sing, sing a couple more lines for me to hear..." Yan Peiheng on the phone surprisingly said, his tone childlike.
Just then, Yan Zhao came in and took the phone. He said hello, and heard Yan Peiheng's tone was particularly calm as he said: "Third Son, was that Xishan's daughter singing just now?"
"That was my daughter."
"Her voice sounds just like Xing Xing's." The old man said on the phone, his voice full of helplessness and sadness.
It wasn't surprising, given the unbreakable blood ties. Yuanyuan not only looked like Yan Xing, but her childhood habit of loving to sing, her unique Shaanxi accent, and the old-fashioned nursery rhymes she knew were all very similar to Yan Xing.
After twenty years, this was a bloodline that lived in the same place as Yan Xing and belonged to the same maternal grandmother.
The old man had just nearly died, and was still suffering from angina. His consciousness was a bit confused.
Yan Zhao asked: "Is Yan Wei coming to the capital now?"
Yan Peiheng sighed deeply, then said sternly: "No need. Don't come back. Tell Yan Wei and Mi Lan to calculate Little Wang's money and return it to him immediately. Tell your Second Brother, if he and Mi Lan have lost money, they should use their real estate and wages to compensate. If it's still not enough, then as Meilan said, they should sell their flesh to pay it back."
...
"Let them settle the accounts clearly before coming to the capital. I won't die. I'll be very healthy waiting for them!" It was time to settle scores.
As Yan Zhao was about to hang up, Yan Peiheng asked another question: "Third Son, are the children doing well?"
Yan Zhao didn't answer and hung up the phone.
This commotion had gone on until 8 PM. The money definitely had to be returned. Yan Wei wanted to hand over the bonds right away, but Yan Zhao disagreed.
"Convert it to cash. I'll only accept money," he said.
If the bonds dropped too drastically in value, would Yan Zhao and his wife have to make up the difference? That was impossible.
Yan Wei and his wife were too ashamed to stay at Yan Zhao's house any longer. It happened that Yan Bin invited them over to offer incense for Su Wen, so they went to the old house of the First Team.
Watching them leave, Yan Zhao asked Meilan: "By your estimate, how much cash can Mi Lan's bonds be exchanged for?"
Chen Meilan roughly counted the bonds, estimating for the worst-case scenario: "I estimate the money will be at most 100,000 yuan. The signing contract for that building was 200,000 yuan."
In other words, after all Mi Lan's hard work over the years, she was actually left with only 300,000 yuan.
Yan Zhao was making oil-splashed noodles. He flattened the dough, and with a slap, the smooth, thin, shiny noodles flew into the pot. After a long pause, he said: "Big Brother studied philosophy. After going abroad, he once wrote to me saying that education in our country had no future, that this country had no hope. In ancient times, there was Li Hongzhang's study abroad faction. Now he would raise his three sons abroad himself. When they grow up, they'll return to serve the country. He firmly believes that the good education abroad will make his sons become pillars of the nation. As for Second Brother Yan Wei, I've always thought that although he's not accomplished, he's at least kind-hearted..."
Of the three brothers, apart from Yan Zhao himself, not one of them cared about their mother.
Who was Gu Xiao? The person who caused their parents to never resolve their estrangement for a lifetime.
Yan Wei actually used that person's money to speculate in stocks and buy buildings. Now, to deceive his brother, he even conspired with outsiders to put on a show.
And such a clumsy trick could be seen through at a glance. How could he think it was flawless?
At this moment, Yan Zhao probably wanted to kill someone.
This topic wasn't discussed further, so Chen Meilan didn't say anything more.
Of course, he kneaded all his anger into the noodles. Tonight's oil-splashed noodles were exceptionally smooth and chewy.
The children slurped the oil-splashed noodles noisily. Little Lang insisted on demonstrating how to suck up a whole noodle in one breath. As he was slurping, he choked and his face turned red. He got stuck, and if Chen Meilan hadn't patted him a few times, he would have choked badly.
After dinner, Qi Songlu called Chen Meilan from next door, asking her to come over.
Chen Meilan also wanted to know why she had been supported by Yan Zhao today, so she went over.
As soon as she entered, she saw Yan Sanye fetching water, and Qi Songlu washing her knee. Her knee had a large scrape. After washing, Yan Sanye found a clean towel for her and a stool for her to sit on.
Qi Songlu sat on the stool, with alcohol in one hand and cotton in the other, about to disinfect herself.
"What happened to you? Where did you scrape it?" Chen Meilan asked, taking the alcohol and cotton to clean Qi Songlu's leg for her.
This is what happened to Qi Songlu.
Of course, she had never thought that her case could one day be overturned.
But just now, Yan Zhao had found her and asked her to write an appeal letter, stating her wrongful conviction to the Jindong Road Branch of the Public Security Bureau, saying it would be used at tomorrow's public trial.
The two were walking and talking, and Qi Songlu got so excited that her knee gave way and she fell to the ground, scraping her knee and drawing blood.
Yan Zhao also said she must write the "Appeal Letter" quickly tonight.
Early tomorrow morning, she would hand over her statement to Yan Zhao, and then she would have to go to the public trial venue.
Tomorrow's public trial, considering the risk of a stampede due to the large crowd, would not be open to the public. Instead, it would be broadcasted on local television.
So tomorrow, Qi Songlu would be on TV.
She would make her appeal live on television starting at 7:30 PM.
According to Yan Zhao, the police department had procedures for handling wrongful convictions, and her case would be overturned tomorrow.
After that, she could even sue the police department for compensation.
In fact, all of these matters were written in the law. When the police misjudged a case, causing an innocent person to be wrongfully convicted and imprisoned, the victim could sue and request compensation.
However, given the current dark state of society and imperfect legal system, Qi Songlu had resigned herself to her fate, feeling it was just her own bad luck and poor judgment in choosing a man.
She never imagined that her case could be redressed one day.
She hadn't even thought about appearing on television. After coming home, she had been crying on the kang bed-stove. Only now did she get up and prepare to write, finding paper and pen. When she reached out to pull the light cord, she missed and accidentally yanked it off.
She looked at Chen Meilan with a silly smile: "It's over. The state is ready to overturn my case, but my light isn't cooperating. It's broken."
In her previous life, Chen Meilan had seen news reports of many wrongfully convicted people suing the state for compensation, but this was the first time she was experiencing it firsthand.
Qi Songlu had been imprisoned for a full year and lost her job due to her ruined reputation. All of this could be grounds for compensation claims.
She not only needed to write an "Appeal Letter," but should also write a "Lawsuit" directly to the court, suing the police department and demanding compensation quickly.
"Come write at my place," Chen Meilan said.
"No, no, no. Earlier when I fell, Yan Zhao helped me up, and three or four women rushed to help me. Several others came to visit, telling me how good you are and not to let you down. You might not care, but if I go to your house again, the village women will start gossiping about me behind my back."
Qi Songlu took the letter paper outside, set up two stools facing each other, and began writing in the courtyard.
Yan Sanye was hard of hearing and couldn't make out what the two women were whispering about.
But for an old lecher like him, just seeing young, beautiful women moving about in front of him was enough to make him happy.
So he eagerly brought a stool for Chen Meilan, insisting that she sit down too.
These two beauties could cure his cataracts.
Not knowing what was going on, he said at one point, "Little Qi, if Xishan dares to bully you, just tell me. I'll beat him up."
Then a moment later, he said, "Little Qi, what do you think of my Xishan? Why don't you marry him? Although your bottom is even smaller than Meilan's, and you don't look like you'd be good at bearing sons, it doesn't matter. I, Old Three, think you're a good person. Even if you have seven or eight daughters, we won't give up. We'll keep trying until we get a son."
"Uncle, let's go for a walk outside and let Songlu write in peace, okay?" Chen Meilan said as she coaxed Yan Sanye out of the house.
If he kept interrupting, Qi Songlu might not be able to finish her "Appeal Letter" tonight.
Back home, the little rascals were unusually united and quiet. Yuanyuan was playing the piano, while Little Wang and Little Lang were practicing horse stance. They didn't disturb each other, being quiet and well-behaved. Chen Meilan felt that having a bit of conflict in the family was good, at least it made the children unite.
At 10:30 PM, Yan Zhao ordered them one by one to take a bath, wash their hair, and go to bed.
Lying in bed that night, it was scorching hot in June.
Chen Meilan actually had another matter she was very curious about and wanted to discuss with Yan Zhao at night.
In her mind, she kept hearing Wang Gebi calling "Peiheng" over and over. She was particularly curious about the relationship between Yan Peiheng and Wang Gebi.
But she had never been to the capital and had never met Wang Gebi, so she didn't know the specific situation and could only ask Yan Zhao.
Of course, this kind of question could only be asked after the fact.
"Do you think our dad, being alone in the capital for so many years, might have found other women?" Chen Meilan probed. Seeing Yan Zhao remain silent, she continued, "Do you know how Wang Gebi addresses our dad? She actually calls him Peiheng."
Wasn't this hint clear enough?
Far water can't quench a near thirst. Chen Meilan didn't know what Wang Gebi looked like.
But from her tone, she seemed to be well-educated, gentle, and reserved.
Chen Meilan understood men all too well.
The convicted Deputy Chief Ma Kai's wife was a middle school teacher, dignified and quiet, with an outstanding temperament. Yet his mistress was a rural woman, dark-skinned and ordinary, with neither a pretty face nor a good figure. Her belly was as round as a six-month pregnant woman's.
The one time Chen Meilan heard Wang Gebi, she directly called Yan Peiheng by his name, "Peiheng." If there wasn't something between them, how could she address him so casually?
Could it be that Wang Gebi and Yan Peiheng had that kind of relationship?
Yan Jun had gone abroad long ago, and Yan Wei was a fool who might even be happy to see his father with his mother-in-law, considering he was much closer to his mother-in-law than to his own mother.
Yan Zhao had been to the capital after coming of age, though he only stayed for a few days and might not have even lived at home. But he was an outsider.
Moreover, he was a very intelligent person. If there really was something going on, he would surely have noticed.
But Yan Zhao was truly stubborn in this regard.
"I stayed on the Old Mountain frontline for a full four years," he said.
Chen Meilan knew that. Since Zhou Xueqin became pregnant with Little Lang, he hadn't come back.
"All humans have physiological needs, but these can be controlled. Even after marrying you, I waited until you were willing before we were together. If you hadn't been willing, I would have waited for years," Yan Zhao added.
Did he mean that he hadn't fooled around during those four years away? Why didn't he mention that there were only men on the battlefield, no women, so even if he wanted to, there was nowhere to go?
Besides, how could four years compare to twenty years?
Let him try enduring for twenty years!
But for Yan Zhao, this topic was already over.
"Let's sleep," he said, turning over, turning off the light, and getting into the other bed.
"It's not easy for a person to endure for twenty years, really," Chen Meilan persisted.
Yan Zhao suddenly turned back, looking very serious, his eyes particularly bright in the darkness: "I can do it. It's not necessary. I've always been indifferent in that aspect, without much need."
Chen Meilan was inwardly screaming and shrieking, thinking how impossible that was.
He couldn't even wait one night.
Whenever her period ended, he was particularly energetic in his work. The pot handles were replaced monthly, all broken by him.
Twenty years? Who was he kidding?
But in his previous life, after divorcing Zhou Xueqin, did Yan Zhao really not have any other romantic experiences?
Chen Meilan was never curious about the women Lu Jingyu kept outside, not even those who had borne his children. She didn't even feel a twinge in her heart when she met Hu Xiaomei.
But now she couldn't help being curious about Yan Zhao's romantic experiences in his previous life.
When people start to overthink, they get hot. This room faced west and was even hotter. Because it was too hot, Chen Meilan sat up: "I'm going to sleep with Yuanyuan, okay?"
The air conditioning was in the children's bedroom, and she needed to find somewhere cooler.
Yan Zhao suddenly sat up: "... Lan, do you have something on your mind about me?"
What could she be thinking? She was just hot and wanted to sleep in the next room, that's all.
"Brother, I'm hot. I want to sleep next door. Is that okay?" Chen Meilan suddenly had a brainwave and started to act coy.
She wanted to learn from Wang Gebi and see if it would have any effect on an iron-hearted straight man like Yan Zhao.
Yan Zhao's breath hitched, then he fell silent. Chen Meilan guessed he probably got goosebumps all over.
After a while, he suddenly got up, went out to get a fan, and came back in: "You sleep. I'll fan you."
This man had his principles and bottom lines. He wouldn't mess with relationships, wouldn't lend favors, and as for the bedroom, he wouldn't let her leave at night.
So for him, the bottom line was non-negotiable.
What about Wang Gebi then? Had she won over Yan Peiheng? How did she do it?
Curiosity kills the cat!
...
The next day was Saturday. Yan Peiheng called to ask about the money situation. Yan Zhao only said, "Very good, it's being handled," and then hung up the phone.
Yan Peiheng then called again, probably wanting to chat with his son a bit longer. He brought up Little Wang, Little Lang, and the other kids, saying it was perfect timing with the summer vacation. He suggested Yan Zhao bring the children back to the capital for a visit, as he couldn't leave at the moment but wanted to see them.
"Not possible," Yan Zhao said, hanging up the phone.
Chen Meilan was truly worried that his father might have another heart attack from the stress.
In the morning, she had to go to the school for a parent-teacher meeting to get the children's report cards. After that, they would start their summer vacation.
Chen Meilan left the house with Yan Zhao and ran into Qi Songlu, who was wearing her brownish-yellow tank top and the pants she used to wear at the wholesale market. This set of clothes, stained with sweat that couldn't be washed out, bore witness to her six years of life's hardships.
Not only was Chen Meilan startled, but Yan Zhao also frowned: "Comrade Qi, your clothes..."
Qi Songlu took a deep breath: "Since I'm going to be on TV, I want the entire Shaanxi Province to see what I used to look like, to see how I went from being an accountant at a proper factory to a small vendor, and then to a coal miner."
From being paraded through the streets, to going to Guangzhou, and then returning to Xiping City to run a small wholesale stall, Qi Songlu's life had indeed been full of hardships.
She needed the whole city to see her appearance, her sweat-soaked jersey, and her pants tied with multiple knots to prevent theft.
Chen Meilan had a sudden idea and said, "Sister Qi, if you don't mind, why don't you do an advertisement for us?"
Qi Songlu was momentarily stunned.
Even Yan Zhao frowned.
In coal mines and construction sites, the most important item is the safety helmet. Whether it's for protection against falling objects or cave-ins, the safety helmet is there to save lives. One migrant worker's life represents an entire family.
One of the safety production measures at West Mountain Company was the safety helmet, which bore the company's name.
These helmets were specially ordered from Shanghai and met international standards.
Qi Songlu currently worked at West Mountain Company, and a safety helmet would complete her standard coal miner outfit.
"Why don't you wear a safety helmet too? West Mountain Company, the safest coal mining company. You can do an ad for us, and afterward, I'll give you a Montagut dress," Chen Meilan said as she hopped back into the house like a rabbit to call Yan Xishan.
Yan Zhao's face twisted behind her.
Five minutes later, Yan Xishan's flashy red Xiali car appeared in front of Meilan's house.
Yan Xishan got out of the car shirtless, looking dejected. He tossed the safety helmet to Qi Songlu, speaking in an irritated tone.
"Here, this is Meilan's safety helmet. It's a women's style, specially made. She hasn't even worn it yet, so be careful not to get it dirty," Yan Xishan couldn't hide his dislike for Qi Songlu.
Qi Songlu disliked Yan Xishan even more and left without a word.
Yan Zhao frowned, looking at Yan Xishan's skinny, bare chest and waist thinner than a woman's, and asked, "Did you go to the nightclub again last night? Where's your shirt, did you lose it while drinking?"
"Yan Zhao, don't ruin my reputation. Be careful my daughter doesn't hear and get ideas about me. I've enrolled in night school and study every evening. Go ask the teachers if I've ever missed a single class," Yan Xishan replied angrily.
Indeed, since Qi Songlu was Chen Meilan's person, he had to be wary of Qi Songlu trying to kick him out of West Mountain Company. To keep an eye on Qi Songlu in financial matters, he had enrolled in night school, specifically studying accounting.
He hadn't been to a nightclub in ages.
So why was he shirtless today?
Damn it, who would believe that on his way to Yanguan Village earlier, Yan Xishan had seen Chen Degong and a bald guy from his construction site, each wearing a Lacoste T-shirt that was the same style as his.
From a distance, he saw one red crocodile and one green crocodile.
The migrant workers' dark skin made the sight so ugly it made him want to vomit.
These days, even dogs could afford brand-name clothes.
Yan Xishan had immediately taken off his shirt. He'd rather die than wear the same clothes as migrant workers like Chen Degong.
