The Divorced Wife of the Richest Man is Reborn

Chapter 124

In the morning, as usual, there was a routine morning meeting. Chen Meilan left the ledger with Liu Xiuying and asked her to review it herself. On her way from the office to the conference room, she called Yan Zhao.

If it were just the couple of the eldest son making a trip for the sake of their child, even if they made a scene, it wouldn't matter to inform Yan Peiheng, as it was a family matter.

But Liu Xiuying came to check the accounts for Gu Xiao, and Chen Meilan felt that it might be better to delay informing Yan Peiheng about this. After all, the relationship between the old man and Gu Xiao was fraught with tension. If he found out, he might be so enraged that he would collapse on the spot.

And if Yan Peiheng were to die of anger, wouldn't that just fulfill Gu Xiao's wishes?

"I'll handle it. You... didn't your legs hurt after last night's activities?" Yan Zhao asked.

Last night, the two of them had been standing in the bathroom for half the night, and Chen Meilan had been moaning about leg pain even in her dreams, which was why Yan Zhao asked this.

"No, they don't hurt. Go take care of your work," Chen Meilan replied.

"By the way, today is my last day at the Jindong Branch Bureau. Next week, I'll be moving to the city bureau. The comrades at the branch are planning a farewell party for me, scheduled for a recent weekend evening. You should come too, right?" Yan Zhao said.

The Jindong Branch Bureau was full of Yan Zhao's old subordinates, and Chen Meilan didn't particularly like meeting them.

Because whenever she did, those people always smiled with a peculiar meaning.

"I won't go," she instinctively said. "If you want to bring someone, bring Little Wang."

"You should still come. Ma Bo and the others are secretly discussing how to get me drunk. I'm afraid I might lose my temper and yell at them," Yan Zhao said.

As the direct superior, Yan Zhao was stern, and everyone in the unit was afraid of him.

But now that he was being promoted to the city bureau, although he would become a higher-ranking leader, he would no longer be the direct superior. After four years of enduring Yan Zhao's temper, his subordinates were planning to give him a hard time at the farewell party, determined to get him drunk.

They had never seen Yan Zhao drunk before.

Of course, upon hearing that Ma Bo and the others wanted to get Yan Zhao drunk, Chen Meilan's maternal instincts kicked in immediately: "Alright, I'll come and help you fend off the drinks."

Yan Zhao's usual style was high-pressure and cold, in stark contrast to Chen Meilan's easygoing management approach.

Most of the subordinates at the branch were loyal to him.

But as a leader, there were inevitably times when one unintentionally offended subordinates. The farewell party required drinking because a drink could dissolve grudges. But if Yan Zhao were to yell at someone again at the farewell party, it might sow the seeds of future enmity.

As a leader, Yan Zhao understood this himself. He wanted Chen Meilan to play the good cop and earn some goodwill. Given the importance of this to their family's safety, Chen Meilan had to agree.

Just as she hung up the phone, Chen Meilan caught a whiff of alcohol. She turned around and was startled to see Hu Xiaohua standing behind her, his head hunched, his face sleepy, and his eyes crusty with sleep.

"Sister-in-law, what were you talking about with my third brother?" Hu Xiaohua asked.

Chen Meilan pointed to the conference room and said, "Hurry up and go in for the meeting. Wipe your eyes, don't you wash your face in the morning?"

Hu Xiaohua blocked Chen Meilan and wouldn't let her leave: "Sister-in-law, the winter order conference is about to start. This time, I'm sure I can sign orders worth 1.2 million, but you can't keep holding me back. Every time I'm having a good time drinking, you get those stinky soldiers to drag me off the table. What's your problem? Are you afraid I'll make too much money for us?"

At the order conference, drinking and sales were intertwined. Every time Hu Xiaohua wanted to drink more and close more deals, Chen Meilan would drag him off the table, which made Hu Xiaohua very frustrated.

Chen Meilan pointed at his forehead and said, "I know you could close deals worth 2 million at a single order conference, but our production line is limited. If we can't produce the products, or if the quality isn't up to standard, it will ruin our reputation."

"Quality doesn't matter; I think money is more important," Hu Xiaohua said.

Chen Meilan pressed further: "Didn't the incident at the ham sausage factory, where dead rats were found inside, teach you a lesson?"

Xue Mingfang arrived and pulled Hu Xiaohua's arm, saying, "Chief, don't pay attention to him. This guy has no sense of responsibility or honor. He's a criminal in the making. Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on him and reform him."

The few of them chatted and laughed as they went to the meeting.

Meanwhile, Liu Xiuying hadn't even opened the ledger on her desk. Listening to the chatter outside, her hands couldn't stop trembling.

As a Chinese person, she naturally understood China and the traditional business practices of Chinese entrepreneurs. For example, Zhang Baohe had issued many invoices with inflated amounts to evade taxes. This was not allowed by Gu Xiao, who had a long-term vision and wanted the companies he invested in to go public and become truly joint-stock companies.

Evading taxes could make more money in the short term, but in the long run, it was akin to committing slow suicide.

Because Zhang Baohe did that, Gu Xiao sent financial personnel to oversee his pharmaceutical factory.

And for Chen Meilan's company, Liu Xiuying hoped for the same outcome. She hoped Chen Meilan would cook the books, get caught, and then be overseen by Gu Xiao's financial team. Once financial oversight was in place, Gu Xiao could intervene in operations. Even if Gu Xiao didn't hold actual shares, controlling the finances meant controlling the company's voice.

Gu Xiao had once said that if Liu Xiuying could find evidence of Chen Meilan's fraudulent accounting, he would give her fifty thousand US dollars.

Liu Xiuying had thought she could easily pocket this money.

In her view, Chen Meilan and Zhang Baohe were no different, just ordinary small business owners.

Didn't Chinese people have short-sighted, narrow-minded views? Having done accounting for Chinese small business owners for ten years, Liu Xiuying knew them too well.

But Chen Meilan even knew that to ensure product quality and reputation, she could ignore net profit.

This proved that she had ambition and was preparing to take 271 public.

So, was there any need for her to cook the books a little?

Then, Liu Xiuying, risking angering Yan Peiheng and possibly never being able to return to the United States, wouldn't she end up with nothing?

She flipped through the ledger, looking for inflated invoices or fictitious invoices. Such internal financial reports would be marked, and the retained invoice stubs would not match the tax reports submitted to the tax bureau.

With just a glance, Liu Xiuying's heart sank.

Because in the eyes of this veteran accountant with over a decade of experience, everything was normal.

She closed the ledger with a snap and made a decision in that instant.

Quietly, she slipped out of Chen Meilan's office. As she passed the conference room, she bent down and used her hands to support herself, trying to avoid being seen. But just then, Qi Songlu arrived late and saw a red-haired, plump woman sneaking out of Chen Meilan's office. She immediately asked, "Ma'am, who are you and what are you doing?"

Instantly, everyone in the conference room turned to look at Liu Xiuying.

Hu Xiaohua turned around and immediately said, "Oh, big sister, having been a dog for the capitalists for too long, have you forgotten that people walk on two legs?"

Liu Xiuying was half-crouched, her hands still on the ground, being stared at by a group of Chinese military veterans, feeling utterly humiliated.

...

Yan Zhao certainly wouldn't care if his father would be angered to death by his sister-in-law.

After hanging up Chen Meilan's call, he immediately called Yan Peiheng, revealing everything his sister-in-law had come for, both on the surface and in private.

It was morning, and the military started work earlier than civilian units. Yan Peiheng, at the Central Theater Command, had just finished the morning meeting and hadn't had breakfast yet. Holding the phone, his hand was bulging with veins, and large beads of sweat were forming on his forehead.

Secretary Mao Xun saw the old man's ashen face and didn't know what kind of call could make him like this. He quickly found some quick-acting heart-saving pills from the first aid kit and prepared some warm water for the old man.

"Go home, I'll head back too," Yan Zhao said.

Yan Peiheng swallowed the pills in one gulp and said, "Alright."

The drive from the Central Theater Command to Xiping City took three hours, so Yan Peiheng could be home by noon.

Yan Zhao was currently briefing Ma Bo on the upcoming work at the branch bureau. After tidying up his personal belongings, he could leave early today.

After packing his things, he handed Ma Bo a piece of paper and said, "Ma Bo, here's a case. Take a look at the details and send a coordination notice to the Civil Aviation Administration."

With that, he picked up a cardboard box and headed downstairs, leaving the office.

Ma Bo assumed it was a routine report and placed the case description on his desk before escorting Yan Zhao out.

Upon returning, he took over Yan Zhao's desk. It was then that he finally looked at the case description left by Yan Zhao and was stunned.

The complainant was Yan Zhao himself, and the case was a theft worth three million yuan. The suspects were named: one was Liu Xiuying, and the other was Yan Jun.

Ma Bo was taken aback. He realized that Yan Jun was Yan Zhao's older brother.

Was Yan Zhao filing a report against his own brother?

Moreover, he had applied for a coordination notice, requesting that the Civil Aviation Administration not sell tickets to Liu Xiuying until the case was resolved, preventing her from leaving the country?

Ma Bo thought, it seems even the family affairs of the bureau chief are a tangled mess.

From the Central Theater Command to Yanguan Village, it takes Yan Peiheng four hours if he drives slowly and three hours if he drives fast. So by now, it was noon, and Yan Peiheng had already arrived in Yanguan Village. Coincidentally, Yan Zhao also entered the village at the same time.

Yan Peiheng was not feeling well today but still dismissed Mao Xun and the guards as soon as he got out of the car.

There were family scandals, and it was not good for outsiders to see them.

However, as soon as he got out of the car, the old man was shocked.

Because at noon, there were quite a few children and adults gathered at the gate.

Yan Sanye, an old mischief-maker, was sitting at the door, shouting out numbers, as if there was some extraordinary excitement inside the courtyard.

At that moment, Yan Zhao had just gotten out of the car and was waiting for his father at the coal yard entrance.

Yan Peiheng then extended his hand and called out, "Old Three, come help me."

Yan Zhao was the only son from a young age who never wanted to be touched by him, not even a hand. This was his nature, and he had been like this since he was very young. Except for Su Wen, even Yan Laotai, who wanted to touch him, was refused.

Of course, Yan Laotai doted on Yan Jun the most. Yan Wei had a good temper, so she didn't say much. But Yan Zhao's temper was too bad, so she always blamed Su Wen for not educating the child properly.

Su Wen deliberately made Yan Zhao hate her.

For this reason, the old lady had not stopped crying and making a scene, and Yan Peiheng had not stopped reprimanding Su Wen for it.

The relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, family matters, are not to be discussed much. However, even on her deathbed, Yan Laotai, while forgiving Su Wen, still took the most pride in Yan Jun, saying that he was the child she had nurtured and would definitely be better than Yan Zhao.

This was the old lady's partiality.

And partiality was something Yan Peiheng also had. As a father, he couldn't treat all his children equally.

From a young age, he had carried Yan Jun on his shoulders, Yan Wei had peed in his neck, and whenever he returned from the army, Yan Xing was like a permanent accessory hanging from him.

Only Yan Zhao, he had never even held his hand. The relationship between them was probably the most distant between father and son in the world.

Under normal circumstances, Yan Peiheng would not let his son support him.

But today was different.

Liu Xiuying had come to do the accounts for Gu Xiao and even wanted to buy off Yan Peiheng's honor earned through thirty years of separation from his wife with ten thousand US dollars. This was already a big blow to Yan Peiheng.

For outsiders, it was a spectacle, but for the family, it was a scandal.

Not knowing what had happened at home, Yan Peiheng was afraid that without Yan Zhao's support, he might really collapse and die on the spot today.

However, he thought that with his son's solitary and stubborn nature, he probably wouldn't support him.

But Yan Zhao extended his hand, the strong hand of a young man, first supporting Yan Peiheng, then realizing that he had no strength at all, Yan Zhao half-carried his father forward.

Yan Peiheng was still in office, holding real power, and had never felt old.

But being supported by this silent son, walking unsteadily, he realized that he was indeed old.

Once, when Yan Zhao refused to go to the capital, Yan Peiheng had scolded him for being self-degrading.

But now, Yan Wei had become mediocre, and Yan Jun had turned into a traitor.

He realized that if it weren't for this son who had been left in the countryside since childhood and allowed to grow wild, his life would truly be a complete failure.

The adults were dealing with their scandals, and the children at home probably weren't resting either.

Yan Peiheng didn't know what his American grandson was doing at the moment, but he guessed that he was probably boasting about how America was a paradise and how great it was, which would make the whole village laugh.

He was a senior officer of the Hua Country military, and Yan Peiheng couldn't understand how his eldest son, whom he had taken to the capital, educated personally, sent to the best schools, and to the most arduous places for training, had turned out to be like this, becoming a traitor himself and trying to turn his son into one as well.

But as soon as he reached the gate, he was stunned.

Because when Yan Sanye turned around and saw him, he said with a smile, "Peiheng, your foreign grandson is something else, he can drink!"

"I think foreigners are no worse than those born and raised in our Hua Country," Yan Xiong added with a laugh.

Yan Zhao and his father were dumbfounded.

A blond, a black-haired, two brats with a bag of peanuts, were drinking together.

"I'm the Runaway Winner!" Jim said, raising his head and downing a cup.

Little Wang said, "I'm the God of Gamblers, I don't believe I can't drink you under the table."

But the wine was too strong, Jim could down it in one gulp, but Little Wang really couldn't, the strong smell making him tear up.

Yuanyuan and Little Lang tried to persuade the two brothers not to drink, but Little Wang didn't want to admit defeat and was struggling to find a way to down the wine in one go. Just then, he caught a glimpse of his black father standing at the door and quickly grabbed the wine bottle, hiding it under the table.

Jim was completely unaware of the fear, his cup empty, he picked up Little Wang's and poured it down his throat, then shouted, "Dad, I love you so much!"

...

"Hua Country is so good, the air is so sweet!"

...

"I want to stay in Hua Country forever!"

...

The sugar-coated bullets of socialism had thus conquered the capitalist brat, and he had lost all face for his mother!

...

When Yan Zhao arrived, he closed the courtyard gate, and the villagers dispersed.

Yan Peiheng didn't want to ask the two children why they were drinking. People have a natural affection for their children. Seeing that little Jim was crying, he sat down in front of him and asked the child, "Don't you want to go back to America, why?"

"It's so tiring, I have to study every day," Jim said, drunk, pointing at Little Wang, "You're so lucky, you still have time to play, you can spend a whole day without studying or doing homework, and your dad doesn't even hit you."

"Why do you have to study every day? Why don't you have weekends, can't you rest?" Yan Peiheng asked.

Jim shrugged, "Because my dad says that although we have a good background, our grandfather won't help us, he only cares about himself and his career. We have to study hard and succeed on our own."

Yan Jun was quite good at educating his son, and his words were not bad.

"So your dad thinks that his dad is not a good dad, and he himself is a good dad, right?" Yan Peiheng asked again.

Yuanyuan was worried that the two brothers would drink too much and hurt their bodies. She had just asked around and heard that plum juice could help with a hangover. She had just bought some plums and was now brewing plum juice. As hot water went into the teapot, the sour aroma of plums filled the entire courtyard.

Jim didn't recognize Yan Peiheng, but the nature of grandfather and grandson, the bloodline couldn't be changed. He quite liked this elderly man in military uniform who looked very dignified. He stood up, swaying, supported by Little Lang, walked towards Yan Peiheng, but because he was drunk and dizzy, he fell into the old man's arms.

His voice sweet, he said, "Yes."

Yan Peiheng sat for a long time, watching Yuanyuan chase after the two brothers, feeding them plum juice, watching Yan Zhao call for lamb stew from outside, watching Little Lang carefully break the bread with both hands, breaking it into pieces of the same size.

This little rascal's personality was exactly the same as his father's when he was young.

The steamed bun was torn into small, perfect pieces.

He even had to adopt a horse-riding stance when tearing a bun, with his two short, sturdy legs, his base as steady as a millstone. It could be imagined that when he grew up and joined the army, he would be the kind of soldier who, once in the military, even the drill instructor couldn't knock down.

Finally, Yan Peiheng asked Yan Zhao, "Is your home phone set up for international long distance?"

The monthly fee for an international long distance landline is 58 yuan, but it has been kept open every month for international communication.

"What's it called again, Jimu, right? What's your home phone number?" Yan Peiheng asked.

Yan Peiheng was about to call his eldest son.

Whether out of shame or hatred for Yan Peiheng, Yan Jun had never told his father his home phone number all these years, but his son must know it.

In this era of advanced information, even if separated by thousands of miles, it's just a phone call away.

As soon as Jim mentioned the home phone number, Yan Zhao prepared to dial.

In the meantime, he needed to brief Yan Peiheng: "Big Brother took over my mother's temple property, and I'm preparing to file a report. Since Big Sister-in-law is already here, this matter must be clarified. You should ask Big Brother to come back too."

"Alright," Yan Peiheng replied.

In the United States, it was one o'clock in the morning, and Yan Jun hadn't gone to sleep yet. He was fully dedicated to his three sons.

The eldest son was not at home recently, but the second son's studies were very busy. He was currently busy preparing breakfast for John, his second son, for the next morning.

Since coming to the United States, Yan Jun has become a standard househusband.

But he didn't regret it at all, because compared to the hard times in Qinghai where he couldn't eat or wear enough, his current life was very happy. Once, Yan Peiheng, for his own promotion and leadership position, never cared about the happiness of his children, but now he has dedicated his life to his sons. He felt that everything he did was particularly valuable, and he was satisfied, feeling that his life was full of meaning.

As soon as the phone rang and he picked it up, without even a sound, he immediately felt a tightness in his scalp. He knew it was Yan Peiheng just by the breathing.

"Dad...?"

"Third Son said you want me to write a recommendation letter for the West Point instructor to recommend Mike's admission..." Yan Peiheng got straight to the point, saying, "Oldest, it sounds like your son isn't very outstanding, right? If he were truly outstanding, he wouldn't need his grandfather to write a recommendation letter for him, would he?"

Yan Jun was unaware of the recommendation letter matter, as it was Liu Xiuying's own idea.

As for whether Mike could get in, as a native Hua Country child, getting into West Point was his only hope to obtain a green card and stay in the United States. That's why Yan Jun and his wife pressured him to apply.

And he himself wanted to be an artist, which often led to arguments between father and son recently.

Yan Jun had a deep reverence for Yan Peiheng, both respectful and fearful, so much so that he dared not speak to him directly since going abroad.

And now the phone was already connected, he had to listen, even though he didn't dare to hang up.

"You are dedicated to raising your sons, which is very good," Yan Peiheng paused and then said, "But Oldest, as a father, I want to give you some advice and admonition. Don't be too dominant over your children's will. Just like me, I once tried my best to teach my eldest son, exhausting my efforts to send him to the hardest places to train, to increase his qualifications, just so he could take over my position. But not only did he not appreciate it, he also hated me deeply. Do you think your son will be any different from mine? Do you think he will understand your intentions?"

Pausing again, Yan Peiheng continued, "Those comrades you once worked with in Qinghai, who were down-to-earth, are now all in important positions, all division-level leaders, commanders of military districts. Third Son is also about to become a deputy bureau-level leader of the Xiping City Public Security Bureau. As men, they first endured hardships and then achieved success. Although they may not have as much money as you, they have honor, status, and no worries about food and clothing, proving their value as men. And you, besides hating me, what achievements do you have?"

Heaven will bestow a great responsibility upon someone, and must first make his mind suffer, his bones toil, and his body starve.

The military is even more a place where one competes in hardships and qualifications. Without suffering and qualifications, why should others respect you?

Yan Peiheng once put all his relationships and resources on his eldest son, sending him to the hardest places to train. As long as he was willing to endure hardships, he would not be a commander of a military district or at least a division-level leader now. But not only was his painstaking effort not understood by his son, it also earned him an enemy.

He gave love to the second son, but got an average talent. In terms of education, he didn't believe in the eldest son's approach.

Instead, the hands-off approach of Chen Meilan and Yan Zhao seemed better to him.

Regarding Little Wang and Jim's drinking competition, the old man also felt it was nothing. The way Su Wen and Chen Meilan educated their children was right.

Giving them love and appropriate indulgence, they would strive to grow and achieve for the love of their parents.

For example, Yan Zhao worked so hard not because of Yan Peiheng's harshness and high pressure, but because he loved Su Wen and hoped to become the kind of person Su Wen liked, wasn't he?

"Dad..." Yan Jun stammered, sounding like he was crying.

But Yan Peiheng wouldn't listen to his crying and had already hung up the phone.

"Dad, how are you?" Yan Zhao asked.

Yan Peiheng took a deep breath and waved his hand, "I'm fine, dial the phone, I want to call Gu Xiao."

Calling Gu Xiao would be the first time the two old men had ever spoken.

They had met in Yanguan Village before but had never directly spoken or communicated.

"Should I first call Meilan and ask about the audit?" Yan Zhao suggested.

Liu Xiuying was still auditing at 271, and they had to be careful not to find any faults.

He was worried that if Yan Peiheng called Gu Xiao, the other party might ridicule him, so Yan Zhao wanted to first brief Chen Meilan.

Yan Peiheng waved his hand, "No need, the daughter-in-law you personally chose, I trust."

Perhaps the eldest son's family had no morals or bottom line.

But Yan Peiheng trusted Chen Meilan, his third daughter-in-law, who wouldn't falsify accounts!