Chapter 34: Havoc in Heaven (Part 2)

Chen Yufeng repeated firmly, “Judge, I stand by my claim—I want to recover all market earnings!”

Panicked, Chen Fanshi turned to the judge. “This is my daughter throwing a tantrum. It’s a family matter; we don’t need a court ruling. We can settle this ourselves.”

The judge remained silent, observing the father and daughter.

Chen Yufeng steadied herself and then countered, “You say you’re my father—do you even know my daughters’ names?”

The judge raised his head, also looking at Chen Fanshi.

Could a grandfather really not know the names of his own granddaughters?

Chen Fanshi hesitated before asking, “Right… what’s the white one called? And the black one?”

Chen Yufeng replied coldly, “There’s a program list for tonight’s performance at the Grand Auditorium. In The Indian Girl, my eldest daughter is the lead dancer. In Havoc in Heaven, my second daughter plays Sun Wukong. If you want to know their names, go watch.”

The law is not devoid of human sentiment, and judges do take personal circumstances into account.

But after hearing what Chen Yufeng had to say, the judge decisively stamped the lawsuit with a loud thud.

Now, as soon as the physical evidence was obtained, the case would formally enter judicial proceedings. That meant retrieving every yuan Chen Fanshi had earned since contracting the wholesale market.

Watching his daughter leave, Chen Fanshi was livid. He turned to the judge and ranted, “She’s my daughter! I used to carry her, kiss her! But kids—kids are heartless! The moment you’re slightly unfair to them, they’d push you off a cliff!”

He was nearly losing his mind.

After working hard for over a decade, he had just finished accumulating his initial wealth.

If the military district reclaimed all earnings, wouldn’t he be back to square one overnight?

How could his daughter be so ungrateful?

Had she forgotten how he carried, fed, and kissed her when she was little?

The judge, an old military officer who was familiar with Chen Fanshi, simply asked, “Mr. Chen, do you truly not know your granddaughters’ names?”

“They’re just kids, and girls at that. What does it matter if I know their names or not?” Chen Fanshi scoffed.

July 1st, the anniversary of the Party’s founding, was a major occasion for Party officials. That evening, the Grand Auditorium would host a carefully curated performance by the art troupe, middle schools, elementary schools, and the preschool class.

For a child to be selected was a point of pride for their parents—and the entire family.

Yet here was a grandfather who didn’t even know his granddaughters’ names.

With another loud thud, the judge placed the case firmly in the prosecution column.

…

By Wednesday, neither Wang Guoguo nor Zhou Yafang had arrived.

Chen Yufeng was running out of patience. She flipped through the yellow pages, found the town government’s number, and directly called the mayor. This time, she was blunt: she wasn’t pregnant, but she had taken over a restaurant and couldn’t handle it alone. She needed her two mothers to come immediately.

She was determined to push them into coming, one way or another.

That day, two workers were installing the restaurant’s sign, while Chen Yufeng was getting the kitchen up and running.

She prepared a plate of stir-fried pork belly with pickled chili, a simple dish of stewed squash and beans, and a bowl of oil chili sauce for dipping. She also treated the workers to a meal.

A Hong Kong businessman who was watching chuckled, “Miss, if you’re planning to open a restaurant, cooking like this, I’m afraid no one will eat here.”

“Then don’t eat. Let Dan Haichao eat it all by himself,” Chen Yufeng replied.

“I’ve tasted the finest delicacies. This kind of food is beneath me,” the businessman scoffed.

But when Chen Yufeng placed the dishes on the table, he took a bite—and fell silent. Instead of speaking, he started competing with Dan Haichao for the food.

Yunnan-Guizhou cuisine isn’t known for its presentation, but its aroma and flavor make it irresistible, especially when eaten with rice. With just two simple dishes, the two workers each finished three bowls of rice.

After their meal, they connected the restaurant sign to electricity, got paid, and prepared to leave.

Dan Haichao was the typical old-school Chinese military man—he worked silently and efficiently.

The Hong Kong businessman, on the other hand, was endlessly talkative. As he was about to leave, he boasted to Chen Yufeng, “I am from Hong Kong, you know. And I’m a patriotic businessman! My passport was stolen, but once Hong Kong sends a fax proving my identity, your military will have to compensate me! Because I was here on business with them. I was a patriotic merchant, but not anymore! This country has broken my heart! But if you come to Hong Kong, I’d still welcome you to open a restaurant.”

Having had enough, Chen Yufeng retorted, “Uncle, enough with the bragging. You got arrested because you tried to hire a prostitute. You think people don’t know?”

“You—!” The businessman, caught off guard, bared his teeth in frustration.

Chen Yufeng handed both him and Dan Haichao thirty yuan each and said, “In the future, stop hiring prostitutes. You’re not young anymore, and it’s bad for your health.”

This man was clearly a fake Hong Kong businessman.

The moment he saw the thirty yuan, he beamed and happily accepted it before leaving.

Would a real Hong Kong businessman get that excited over thirty yuan?

Even though her two mothers hadn’t arrived yet, Chen Yufeng still needed to set up the bedrooms on the third floor.

There were four rooms in total, but since only two of them would be occupied, she prepared just those.

The location was perfect—it could be used as both a business and a residence. Plus, in winter, the heating made it far more comfortable than the single-story homes.

She not only set up the bedding but also decorated the rooms with artwork.

Wang Guoguo loved lush landscapes, so Chen Yufeng hung up a painting of mountains and rivers.

Zhou Yafang adored chubby baby boys, so she put up two paintings featuring round, happy toddlers.

Before long, school was out, and her two daughters didn’t head home. Instead, they played in front of the restaurant.

Suddenly, Mimi shouted excitedly, “Mommy, Grandma Ma is here!”

Ma Lin?

By all accounts, Ma Lin should be feeling heartbroken these days. Chen Yufeng assumed she’d be hospitalized, so why was she here?

The restaurant’s entrance had a red sign that read Tianmi Restaurant. The glass windows and doors had been wiped spotless.

Surprisingly, Ma Lin didn’t look too worn out. She was dressed in her military uniform, proving she hadn’t taken any time off and had been working all along.

She had also brought a pair of roller shoes. When Chen Yufeng came downstairs, Ma Lin was teaching Mimi how to wear them.

Mimi had always been agile. If Chen Yufeng had to wear those roller shoes, she probably wouldn’t even be able to stand properly. But Mimi put them on, held Ma Lin’s hand, rolled a couple of times, then let go—and started running!

“Inline skates. I figured Han Mi would love them, and I was right.” Ma Lin watched Mimi with a soft expression.

Tian Tian, who had gone into the restaurant, came out holding a cup of water from a brand-new cup her mother had bought and handed it to Ma Lin.

Taking the cup, Ma Lin continued, “I did a thorough background check on Han Chao back in the day, but it never occurred to me that his mother would be someone from my past.”

Not just from her past—someone she had hated for thirty years.

She had looked into Han Chao because he bore a striking resemblance to Wang Guoguo.

Chen Yufeng had already guessed that despite Ma Lin’s tough exterior, she was actually quite soft-hearted. Testing the waters, she asked, “What about Zhang Yanli and Aixia? Are you planning to forgive them?”

“I’ve already pressed charges. Just the act of dumping a corpse alone is enough for a prison sentence.” Ma Lin took a deep breath and continued, “Aixia’s husband, Xu Yaoguo, was once the leader of the revolutionary youth at our cadre school. One year, there was a massive fire, and he carried each of us out, unconscious, from the flames. He saved all our lives. But that’s a separate matter—gratitude is one thing, justice is another. What must be prosecuted will be prosecuted.”

Chen Yufeng wasn’t well-versed in law. She didn’t even understand what kind of crime corpse disposal fell under.

But as long as Ma Lin was standing her ground, that was enough.

Suddenly, Ma Lin sighed, “Back then, Yanli and Aixia were my closest sisters. Whatever clothes I wore, they had to wear the same. Whatever hair accessories I had, they would get identical ones. I always thought we were kindred spirits, deeply connected… Sigh!”

Chen Yufeng was reminded of her childhood friendship with Qi Cailing.

She had also copied everything—what Chen Yufeng wore, she wore. The way she tied her hair, Qi Cailing did the same.

But when the county’s department store was recruiting, Qi Cailing had promised to take her along to apply. Instead, she secretly went alone, giving Chen Yufeng the wrong time. Qi Cailing got the job, while Chen Yufeng remained a farmer.

A betrayal by a close friend cuts the deepest.

Changing the subject, Ma Lin asked, “Your restaurant is opening soon, right? The food at the August First Hotel is terrible. From now on, I’ll arrange official receptions at your place.”

For an official reception, each table came with a 50-yuan military subsidy—if the guests gave good reviews.

“I’ll do my best to make sure the food is excellent,” Chen Yufeng assured her.

“Oh, by the way, your mother-in-law probably won’t want to come if she knows we’re all in the military district. Give me your home address. This weekend, everyone from the cadre school who’s still in the military district will visit her—to pay their respects and, at the same time, verify her alibi.”

Chen Yufeng wasn’t sure whether her mother-in-law would come. She worried that if her mother-in-law still had feelings for Commander Xu, she might refuse to come to the capital.

But given her age, she should be more open-minded by now. Besides, upon hearing that Chen Yufeng had opened a restaurant but couldn’t manage it alone, she should feel concerned and anxious. Logically, she should come.

“You can check her alibi, but there’s no need to apologize. She’ll be coming to the capital soon,” Chen Yufeng said.

Ma Lin hesitated before replying, “You’re mistaken. She won’t come.”

“Why not?” Chen Yufeng asked instinctively.

“I’ve known your mother-in-law since she was very young. She never had a formal education and always felt inferior around us. Now that she knows we’re all doing well, she’ll feel even less inclined to see us,” Ma Lin explained.

Had Wang Guoguo really never felt inferior before?

Thinking about it, it made sense. Everyone she once knew was now in high-ranking positions, while she remained a village woman.

Though they were of the same age, compared to Ma Lin, she had aged far more.

Could it be that her mother-in-law truly wouldn’t dare come because of her self-doubt?

If that were the case, Chen Yufeng would have no choice but to hire help and cook at the restaurant herself.

And what would happen to the beautifully arranged beds she had prepared?

What a waste.

After finishing up at the restaurant, she took her daughters to the bathhouse—a wellspring of gossip.

Someone was saying, “Did you hear? Today, Zhang Yanli knelt at Zhang Aixia’s doorstep, crying for half the day, begging her to admit that she was the one who threw the child away—not Yanli.”

“Did Aixia admit it?” someone else asked.

“No. She insisted she had nothing to do with it and that Yanli was the one responsible.”

“But they’re sisters. Clearly, they planned it together. Why are they so fixated on who actually disposed of the body?” another woman questioned.

“The one who did it has to go to jail. If it were you, which would be more important—protecting a relative or staying out of prison?” someone responded.

Prison meant her children would never have the chance to work in a government position again.

Whether Zhang Aixia was guilty or not, she would never admit to it. Her son and daughter both worked in government offices—if she confessed, not only would she go to jail, but their futures would be destroyed as well.

At a time like this, even sisters would turn against each other. After all, they had their own families to protect.

Chen Yufeng felt that this matter was far from over.

Especially since Ma Lin had just mentioned that Zhang Aixia’s husband, Xu Yaoguo, was once the leader of the revolutionary youth at the cadre school. If those sisters kept dragging each other down, who knew what other skeletons might come out of the closet?

Of course, she herself wasn’t above fanning the flames.

So, on Thursday, she went to the military court again to push for an update on the case.

She reiterated her stance—she wanted nothing for herself. She only wanted the military district to recover the lost assets.

She wouldn’t take a single cent from Chen Fanshi.

She wanted the military courts to thoroughly reclaim everything.

Let Zhang Yanli suffer one misfortune after another, trapped in a hopeless situation.

On Friday, the two little girls would begin their summer vacation, and next semester, they would officially enter elementary school.

Tiantian always stayed at home obediently with Chen Yufeng. She loved watching TV, and her favorite show was Dream of the Red Chamber, especially Lin Daiyu.

In the scorching heat of July, the sun blazed like fire, and the asphalt roads in the city seemed on the verge of melting. But ever since Mimi got her roller skates, her speed was beyond Chen Yufeng’s control. She spent all day out on the streets, skating from one end to the other like a streak of lightning. Naturally, her skin got even darker.

Chen Yufeng had assumed her mother-in-law really wouldn’t come.

Just as the restaurant’s renovations were completed, the military affairs department sent someone over, saying there would be a banquet within the next couple of days and that she should make the necessary arrangements.

Chen Yufeng was anxious and was just about to pull in Mrs. Bao to help her manage the front desk.

Then, out of nowhere, on Friday, Mimi skated in like a flash of lightning and shouted the moment she entered:

“Mom! Grandma is here!”

Chen Yufeng thought, That’s impossible. If her mother-in-law was coming, she would have at least called ahead so someone could pick her up.

Besides, how would a rural woman even find her way to the military district?

But in reality, not only had her mother-in-law arrived, she had hired a yellow taxi and brought an entire carload of goods—chili peppers, cured meat, and pickled vegetables. The two women had taken a bus, transferred to a train, and then hired a taxi, all while carrying an enormous load of supplies.

Wang Guoguo was dressed in a traditional jacket. Though her skin was fair and her posture upright, she couldn’t compare to Ma Lin—tall, slender, youthful, and elegant.

She and Zhou Yafang were rural women. Each carried a bundled cloth package, exuding an unshakable rustic charm.

“You sure have guts, daring to open a restaurant. That thing is like a venomous green viper—you kids don’t understand. If you’re not careful, it’ll bite your hand!” Wang Guoguo nagged, as she always did, calling anything dangerous a “venomous green viper.”

“There will soon be official banquets, and each table can earn 50 yuan. Mom, you both must stay,” Chen Yufeng said.

Wang Guoguo gave her daughter-in-law another sharp look, filled with both love and reproach.

There was no justice in the world—her family had been torn apart, yet those who had once wronged them were now all in high positions. The men were dashing and successful, the women glamorous and stylish.

She was just a village woman carrying a cloth bundle, coming to the capital. If not for her daughter-in-law, would she have come?

Where would she find the courage to stay in a place like this?