Chapter 69.1

That night, when Mrs. Ruan entered the room, she immediately saw the emo expression on Father Ruan’s face.

“What are you doing now?”

Father Ruan sighed, clutching his heart with a forlorn look. “Just thinking about our daughter getting married makes me feel upset…”

Mrs. Ruan rolled her eyes. She walked to the side, got into bed, and didn’t bother to respond.

“Wife, every time I think about our daughter getting married, my heart aches.”

“Wife?”

“Wife! Say something…”

“Shut up!” Mrs. Ruan kicked him, “If you can’t sleep, go run a couple of laps outside and stop bothering me.”

Father Ruan rubbed his leg where she kicked him, feeling aggrieved as he climbed into bed.

The room fell into darkness. As Father Ruan closed his eyes, images of his daughter being close with Xie Yanzhao filled his mind. He finally understood that his daughter was leaving him, her old father…

With Father Ruan’s sighs, the night soon passed.

The next day, Mrs. Ruan woke up to see a pair of panda eyes staring back at her.

Mrs. Ruan: “…”

“What can I say about you?” She turned her head away in disdain. “Your daughter is doing just fine, and that young man looks reliable. While we’re at the farm, he still remembers to ask Secretary Huang to take care of us.”

“Did you see him trying to take credit?”

If it weren’t for Secretary Huang telling them, Father Ruan and Mrs. Ruan would have never known about it.

Father Ruan: “…I get it, but I’m still upset.”

He had been feeling this way since last night.

Mrs. Ruan was speechless. “You’re as melodramatic as your daughter!” She changed her clothes. “Just wallow in your misery.”

Father Ruan: “…”

Knowing his parents were coming, Ruan Mingfu prepared a lot of things that would come in handy.

Mrs. Ruan took out some fresh chicken and a few medicinal herbs before starting to stew them. They were both feeling weak, and although they had no conditions at the farm, since they had it ready now, she wouldn’t be polite about it.

Before long, a delicious aroma wafted through the air.

Ruan Mingfu, lying in bed, twitched her nose and suddenly opened her eyes.

“My mom must be cooking something delicious!”

She had to check it out.

Ignoring her foot injury, she stepped onto the floor, sending a sharp pain shooting through her. She grimaced in pain.

“Let me see where you’re hurt?”

Xie Yanzhao, anxious, held her foot to examine it.

After a night of rest, her condition had improved significantly. The swelling was down, but there were still large, dark bruises where she had twisted her ankle.

“Be careful,” Xie Yanzhao sighed in relief. “If you’re so reckless, your foot won’t heal.”

Ruan Mingfu wrinkled her nose in dissatisfaction but didn’t argue with him.

The increasingly fragrant smell in the air made her pat Xie Yanzhao’s shoulder.

“My mom is definitely making something good. Hurry and take me there!”

Xie Yanzhao had already caught a whiff of the enticing aroma, which made his stomach growl. He swallowed hard and then carried her to the kitchen.

“Aunt Ruan, is this okay?”

As soon as Ruan Mingfu entered, she saw her plastic friend fawning over Mrs. Ruan.

How annoying!

This plastic friend was trying to steal her mom away.

Mrs. Ruan glanced at Gu Yilin, who was holding a scant handful of wilted lettuce, and slowly nodded.

“Put it over there.”

She pointed to the sideboard, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ruan Mingfu.

“How’s your foot?”

She diligently found a spot at the stove and started the fire.

“It’s getting better,” Ruan Mingfu said, her eyes shining as she stared at the pot. “Mom, what are you cooking?”

Mrs. Ruan ignored her and instead smiled at Xie Yanzhao.

“Don’t spoil her. It’s just a foot injury, not the end of the world. Let her walk on her own.”

Ruan Mingfu: “…”

Listen, listen, listen, are these the words spoken by your biological mother?

Xie Yanzhao cleared his throat and gently deflected, “Mom, is there anything I can help with?”

“Just gut the fish.”

“We’re eating this well for breakfast?”

Ruan Mingfu looked at the pot simmering in the distance, then at the hefty fish in the bowl, and seized the opportunity to negotiate.

“Mom, I want to eat sour fish soup.”

“You can forget it!”

Mrs. Ruan shot her a glare.

Ruan Mingfu pouted and obediently stayed at the stove to stoke the fire.

Hmph!

Her mom was getting meaner by the day.

Breakfast was just congee with sweet potatoes, nothing like the grand feast Ruan Mingfu had hoped for. But with the increasingly rich aroma filling the air, her heart felt as if it had been clawed by a cat.

But she didn’t dare to ask.

…

Meanwhile, as Qi Yangyan was about to get in the car, a chubby figure suddenly rushed over and blocked his way. The bodyguards around him reacted quickly, immediately blocking the newcomer from getting close.

“Young Master Qi, please help me. You are the only one who can help me now!”

Qi Yangyan frowned, feeling a bit impatient.

“Didn’t I tell you before that I can’t help you with your problem?”

“Yes, of course!” Boss Zhang’s eyes widened as he stared at him. “Young Master Qi, as long as you can lend me a hundred… no, ten million! I can definitely get through this crisis.”

Boss Zhang, who had always been full of energy, now looked completely deflated. His complexion was sallow, and it seemed like he hadn’t rested in days, with dark circles under his eyes. His hair was disheveled, nothing like his usual well-groomed appearance.

He tried to reach out and grab Qi Yangyan, but the bodyguards blocked him firmly.

“Young Master Qi, I’m begging you. I can’t go bankrupt…”

Qi Yangyan looked at him calmly.

“The last time I lent you a million, you had to use your company’s shares as collateral. Now you’re asking for ten million… Boss Zhang, what do you plan to use as collateral this time?”

Cold sweat began to form on Boss Zhang’s forehead. He had already made poor decisions that caused his company to suffer losses. In desperation, he had mortgaged his company to Qi Yangyan. But now, with the foreign shipment he’d been expecting stuck in customs, he had spent a lot of money trying to smooth things over, yet the financial hole was still too deep. Even after selling off all his assets, it wasn’t enough to cover half of what he owed.

With no other options left, Boss Zhang had turned to Qi Yangyan again, which led to today’s situation.

“Young Master Qi, you’re the only one who can help me now. If you don’t, I truly don’t know who else would be kind enough.”

“Don’t flatter me, Boss Zhang,” Qi Yangyan replied coldly. “I’m a businessman. I don’t engage in deals that lose money.”

Boss Zhang understood this all too well. But he had nothing left to offer.

“Please, Young Master Qi. Just help me this once. If I can get through this, I swear I will follow your lead and help you secure your position as the heir to the Qi family.”

“Your promises mean nothing to me.”

In truth, Qi Yangyan’s personal fortune far exceeded that of the Qi family’s holdings in Hong Kong. Had it not been for the fact that he had taken over someone else’s life and felt a sense of duty to help this mother and son reclaim their inheritance, Qi Yangyan would have long since stopped associating with these people.

Boss Zhang’s face twisted in desperation.

After what seemed like a long, agonizing moment, he finally made up his mind.

“I’ve heard, Young Master Qi, that you’ve been searching for a true painting by Master Wang. My ancestors once had the honor of owning one. If you help me this time, I will not only give you the painting but also offer you more than half of my remaining assets.”

He had thrown everything into the pot now. If the customs officials continued to hold his shipment, not only would he lose his fortune, but he would also be facing lawsuits.

Qi Yangyan sneered.

He had deliberately leaked the information about the painting, and now someone had actually fallen for it.

“Boss Zhang, I can’t help you.”

With a wave of his hand, Qi Yangyan signaled his bodyguards to remove Boss Zhang.

No matter how much Boss Zhang struggled or shouted, he could only watch helplessly as Qi Yangyan got into his car and drove away. He stood there, dazed, as if his soul had been sucked out of him. His legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the ground.

His emaciated body trembled as he sat there, and after a long while, he finally opened his bloodshot eyes, gritting his teeth.

“They forced me… they forced me!!”

Qi Yangyan didn’t spare another thought for Boss Zhang as he headed towards the military district. When they arrived at the gates, Old Gu was already waiting with a group of men.

As soon as he spotted them, Old Gu’s eyes lit up.

“Welcome, welcome,” he greeted enthusiastically, “Welcome, Comrade Qi.”

“No need for formalities,” Qi Yangyan nodded indifferently, but his gaze shifted to Xie Yanzhao standing nearby.

Old Gu, being the shrewd man he was, had deliberately brought Xie Yanzhao along, knowing their relationship. It was all part of his plan to add an extra layer of leverage to the military’s negotiations.

“Comrade Qi…” Old Gu began, but before he could finish, a car pulled up, interrupting him.

When he saw who stepped out, Old Gu’s eyes practically rolled to the back of his head.

The man was in his forties or fifties, with a pair of gold-rimmed glasses perched on his face. His eyes lit up the moment he saw Qi Yangyan.

“Is this Comrade Qi? I’m Lin Xiao, from the Foreign Affairs Office.”

“Hello.”

Old Gu shot him a sideways glance. “Comrade Qi, let’s head inside and discuss our matters further.”

“What a coincidence,” Lin Xiao smiled like a fox, “I’m here to see Comrade Qi, too.”

Old Gu: “…”

If it weren’t for all the people watching, he would’ve jumped up and smacked Lin Xiao, that sly old fox, upside the head.

“Commander Gu, why don’t we all go in together?” Lin Xiao suggested with a broader smile as he glanced at Xie Yanzhao. “It’s been a while, Yanzhao. You’re looking more spirited than ever.”

Xie Yanzhao nodded in acknowledgment. “Uncle.”

“You two are related?” Qi Yangyan asked, intrigued.

Lin Xiao squinted, looking even more fox-like.

“I’m Yanzhao’s mother’s cousin,” he said with a knowing glance at Qi Yangyan. “So, it turns out we’re all family.”

Old Gu: “…”

His face had turned as long as a horse’s. That slippery old fox had come to steal the spotlight.

There was no doubt that Lin Xiao, with his sharp political mind, had come prepared, using just a few words to pull everyone closer. Despite Old Gu’s fury, he had to save face and invite everyone inside.

Damn it!

The frustration was eating him up inside.

Old Gu shot Xie Yanzhao a glare, silently berating himself for bringing him along. Those crafty officials from the Foreign Affairs Office had clearly done their homework before sending Lin Xiao here.

After all the trouble he’d gone through, he still couldn’t prevent this from happening!

No matter how angry he was, Old Gu maintained a smiling facade.

This visit was supposed to be a discussion about supporting the families in the family compound, so Old Gu led them towards the path that ran from the compound to the back of the mountain.

“Comrade Qi, you wouldn’t believe how tough things are in the family compound,” he began.

“Indeed,” Lin Xiao nodded in agreement, “Every household here is a microcosm of the country. As long as their lives improve, so too will our nation grow stronger and more prosperous.”

Old Gu: “…”

He endured it again and again, “There are only two seasons here, winter and summer, and the climate has a huge impact on agriculture…”

“That’s right!” Lin Xiao spoke again, “There are many places like this in our country, which are affected by the climate. The harvests in the fields are low, and they have no ability to resist disasters at all.”

Old Gu: “…”

Could you please shut up?

Damn it, I really want to beat this bastard to death!

He decided not to endure it any longer.

“Yanzhao, why don’t you give Comrade Qi a brief overview of the situation here?”

Without hesitation, Yanzhao began to explain, and at that moment, Lin Xiao finally fell silent.

Old Gu: “…”

Just targeting him, right?

As they walked past the family compound, many people noticed them.

The military wives recognized the group, and once they passed by, they began to gossip.

“What’s going on? Is there some big movement in the military? My husband hasn’t mentioned anything.”

“I heard my husband mention a bit.”

When the military wives heard this, they turned their attention to her.

“Quick, tell us what you know! What’s actually happening?”

“Yes, exactly.”

“I heard they’re looking for someone to build a factory here, and they’re planning to recruit us.”

As soon as she finished speaking, everyone erupted with excitement.

“Is that for real? Could such good fortune happen to us?”

“It can’t be a scam, right? Where would something like this happen?”

“Oh wow, who would have thought we’d have a chance to work as factory workers…”

Just then, one keen-eyed military wife recognized Qi Yangyan.

“I’ve seen that guy before. Isn’t he Comrade Ruan’s brother?”

“Yeah…”

Upon hearing this, the wives felt a bit disappointed and turned to the woman who started the conversation.

“Is your news reliable? We don’t want to get our hopes up only to find it’s not true.”

“Right?”

“What are you thinking? Do you really believe such good fortune would fall into our laps? Wake up! Who would build a factory in such a remote place?”

It all came down to transportation issues. The military district was too remote, making it particularly inconvenient to transport goods. But considering the military wives, the factory location couldn’t be too far away.

It was essentially a deadlock.

Old Gu shared the same concerns. He felt uncertain.

But with the situation at hand, he asked, “Comrade Qi, what do you think?”

They reached the foot of the back mountain, surrounded by lush trees. However, at this time of year, most leaves had already fallen, creating a thick, soft carpet on the ground.

Qi Yangyan looked around and noticed some military wives coming down the hill with baskets.

“What’s that?”

“It’s the transition from autumn to summer, the perfect time for mushrooms to grow,” Old Chief Gu replied anxiously. “They go up the mountain to pick mushrooms for extra meals.”

Qi Yangyan nodded.

Meeting Old Gu’s hopeful gaze, he fell silent for a moment.

“Let’s head back and discuss this further.”

Old Gu felt a bit disappointed but nodded in agreement.

“Alright.”

It seemed the prospects weren’t great.

Old Gu felt melancholy as he realized they had lost such a wealthy opportunity, and the future of the family compound was still uncertain.

Sigh!

He sighed again.