The spring mattress of the Simmons bed was no longer functional, so Yan Zhao removed it and ced it outside, opposite the coal yard, securing it with an oilcloth to prevent it from getting soaked.


    This turned into a giant trampoline for all the vige children, intended for them to jump around on, creaking and squeaking. However, Little Wang decided to charge a fee, demanding five cents for each jump, which he would only allow if he was present.


    But he couldn''t be there all the time, so the children would jump only when he wasn''t around.


    Little Wang wasn''t actually greedy; he just liked to tease people. He had also made a lot of money selling cassette tapes.


    His life was on the rise!


    However, the creaking Simmons bed had caused quite a few rumors in the vige.


    "Men and Yan Zhao have only been married for a few months and they''ve already worn out a Simmons bed."


    "Just look at Yan Zhao''s physique, he''s like iron, isn''t he?"


    The rumors had reached this point.


    And Yan Zhao, more wronged than Dou E, was carrying arge straw mattress into the house. Yes, a two-meter-wide mattress, which he carried with one hand.


    This only further confirmed everyone''s suspicions.


    The bed frame under the Simmons bed was a bit low, making it hard and ufortable to sleep on directly. Laying down the straw mattress and adding twoyers of quilts, though not as soft as the Simmons, wasfortable and breathable.


    Yan Zhao was making the bed himself and called Chen Men in: "The production team called, saying they want Yuanyuan to join them next Saturday."


    "Is it for ''The Yellow River''s Lament''? How long will it take, and how long will the shoot be?" Chen Men asked.


    Yuanyuan was only in the first grade, and Chen Men didn''t want her to be a child star. Moreover, the time spent on set might be too long, and she would need to take leave from school.


    "It''s said to be two days, Saturday and Sunday. If you don''t want her to go, we can cancel it," Yan Zhao said. Actually, he didn''t want Yuanyuan to go either, and he had initially refused when the assistant director called. Later, Director Teng called personally, wanting Yuanyuan to join and assuring that it wouldn''t take too long, so he came to discuss it with Chen Men.


    Hearing that Chen Men wasn''t too keen either, Yan Zhao was ready to refuse.


    "If Yuanyuan wants to go, let her go. She can take leave on Saturday, and I''ll help her catch up on her lessons," Chen Men thought for a moment and said.


    What if she didn''t let her go and Yuanyuanined when she grew up?


    Yan Zhao added: "Today I saw Zhou Qiaofang buying vegetables outside and she avoided me. Has she not been to our house?"


    Although the work for the Dongfang Group was finished, there were still many finishing tasks to be done. Chen Degong had sent all the workers home and was handling the final tasks himself.


    Away from home for several months, Chen Degong hadn''t returned to his hometown, and his wife''s family was in Xiping City, so she would naturallye to visit her husband.


    However, Zhou Qiaofang had a habit: when she felt justified, she liked to be with Chen Men, as they were of simr age and had endless topics to chat about. But if she had done something she felt guilty about, she would avoid Men.


    Chen Men guessed that it was probably because Chen Degong had made some money, and Zhou''s Mother hade to demand more, so Zhou Qiaofang had given in and was too ashamed to face Men.


    Fortunately, Chen Degong had secretly hidden nine thousand yuan; otherwise, all the hard-earned money would have gone to support Zhou''s Mother''s family.


    Zhou Qiaofang''s giving money didn''t earn her any favors, as Zhou Xueqin was more eloquent and earned more. Even if Zhou Xueqin didn''t give Zhou''s Mother a single cent, Zhou''s Mother still favored Zhou Xueqin.


    Having given money to her mother''s family and still being scolded by her mother, Zhou Qiaofang didn''t even dare to visit her sister-inw.


    Thinking about Zhou Qiaofang''s situation, Chen Men couldn''t help but smile.


    Yan Zhao paused and then smiled again; she was smiling again.


    "Lie down and try it out?" He patted the mattress.


    The two fluffy quilts made the bed look exceptionally soft. Chen Meny down to try it, and before she knew it, Yan Zhao had joined her in a yful embrace.


    She pushed, but he didn''t budge.


    Suddenly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a hundred yuan, handing it to Chen Men: "Bonus. One hundred for the water heater, one hundred for the mattress, and one hundred left."


    This persistent man had waited for days until he received his bonus to buy the mattress.


    And in this yful embrace, handing over the money looked quite amusing.


    Chen Men took the money and pushed again, but Yan Zhao didn''t budge.


    Little Lang was calling for his mother outside, as his small water cup had been taken away by Chen Men and ced high up. After jumping on the trampoline for a long time, he was thirsty and wanted water.


    "Little Lang will be in soon," Chen Men was startled, her face turning pale.


    Yan Zhao, however, enjoyed seeing Chen Men not smiling, what was it called again, her face turning pale.


    Hearing themotion of several children running in, he finally got up, his expression unchanged: "The bed won''t creak tonight."


    Couldn''t he speak more gently?


    Couldn''t he say something inviting?


    She was going to sneak in with her pillow, like a stealthy intruder.


    All he said was that the bed wouldn''t creak?


    Yan Zhao seemed to want to say something more, but Little Lang came in shouting for water, and he quickly left, lifting the curtain.


    ...


    Hearing that Zhou Qiaofang was currently with her husband, Chen Men went to the construction site with the intention of having a good talk with her. After all, her brother was her only rtive, and Zhou Qiaofang, although from the Zhou family, was also her brother''s wife and the mother of Jinbao and Zhenbao. Despite the difficulties, she had to persuade her to live a good life with her brother and not be led astray by Zhou''s Mother''s family.


    However, she didn''t meet Zhou Qiaofang at the construction site but encountered a familiar man, who was squatting with Chen Degong, smoking and scratching his head.


    "Isn''t this...?" The man stood up: "You?"


    "You?" Chen Men blurted out: "You? The leader of the Overpoption Brigade? How''s your wife? Did she give birth? What did she have?"


    This was the leader of the Overpoption Brigade that Yan Zhao had persuaded. It seemed he knew her brother?


    "A son." The man grinned and then gestured with an eight: "Nicknamed Eight Hundred, because he was fined eight hundred yuan, and I still haven''t paid it. I came to see if Lao Chen could help me out."


    Chen Men detested the preference for boys but felt more sympathy for the women''s wombs and the girls born and then despised, looked down upon, tossed around, and even drowned.


    So, with a sigh, for that poor woman, this was the best oue.


    The leader of the Overpoption Brigade, surnamed Li, was named Li Guangming, from Li Family Vige.


    He had been able to live a decent life, but the family was now destitute due to the birth control enforcement.


    Because he hadn''t paid the fine yet, and his wife had been sterilized right after giving birth, all the furniture, pots, and pans had been taken away by the birth control department. Unless he could quicklye up with eight hundred yuan, his wife and children would go hungry.


    Chen Degong asked Chen Men: "Any news about the Qinchuan Group''s project? Your Li Family brother can''t just pay the eight hundred; he has four or five mouths to feed, and no ie won''t do."


    The leader of the Overpoption Brigade no longer had his former arrogance. Realizing that Chen Men was the boss that Chen Degong always mentioned, he sped his hands: "I have strength, and as long as there''s work, I''m good. Degong said you''re kind and pay quickly, Chen Boss, can I work for you?"


    He had three little girls like Yuanyuan and an infant waiting to be fed. To evade the birth control enforcement, he had left his crops unattended.


    "First, work with my brother here to finish up. I can only offer you two yuan a day. I''ll try my best for that project, but I''m not sure if we can get it," Chen Men said.


    Chen Degong had already agreed to take in Li Guangming but at three yuan a day. With Men now saying two yuan, he was in a bind.


    However, he kept giving Men signals, which she ignored.


    As she was about to leave, Chen Men felt something was off and turned back to ask Chen Degong: "Brother, where are those nylon ropes and the pots and pans from the kitchen?"


    "Didn''t your sister-inw say she took them all home?" Chen Degong retorted and then immediately pped himself: "She and her mother took them."


    "Come, I''ll take you to find them," Chen Men said.


    Everyone thought that projects were about making big money and should be done without much attention to details.


    But those nylon ropes, pots, and pans were all bought with money, and they were needed for the next project. If they were gone, they would have to spend several hundred yuan to buy new ones. If Chen Men guessed correctly, Zhou Qiaofang, coaxed by Zhou''s Mother, must have secretly taken them away.


    And since it was just taken today, it couldn''t be far.


    Without looking elsewhere, Chen Men led Chen Degong and Li Guangming straight to the First Brigade.


    Yan Zhao''s hometown was an old courtyard with blue-brick andrge tiled roofs, a square siheyuan with a que on the gate that read "Honored Military Family," the only one of its kind in Yanguan Vige.


    It had six or sevenrge rooms, and if it were to be demolished, it would yield several high-rise apartments. As soon as one entered the courtyard, they would see a chubby boy, Lu Dabao, urinating against a corner of the wall. This child preferred to urinate against the wall instead of using the toilet. The blue bricks at the corner were covered in white stains, emitting a strong urine odor, all thanks to his habit.


    If it were Chen Men, she would have dragged him to the toilet to urinate, but now that Zhou Xueqin and Lu Jingyu were often away, it was clear they had left the child in the care of Zhou''s Mother. Zhou''s Mother herselfcked proper upbringing, let alone teaching the child.


    "Who the hell are you, and what are you doing in my house?"


    Chen Degong opened door after door looking for something, while Li Guangming eximed, "The outside of the courtyard looks so neat and tidy, but inside it''s a mess."


    Pushing open arge room, they found it filled with chickens clucking and pping. Another room had a stinking urinal that had been left there for an unknown amount of time. When they tried to open another door, it wouldn''t budge. Chen Degong thought Zhou''s Mother and Zhou Qiaofang were inside, so he kicked it open. Inside, several washed but still yellow-stained women''s underwear hung on a rack, and a kang was piled high with crumpled clothes, the floor littered with newspapers open to the section on national debt.


    This was the bedroom of Lu Jingyu and Zhou Xueqin.


    Opening another room, they found it stacked with brand new, snow-white nylon ropes and construction site utensils.


    While Chen Degong and Li Guangming moved the items, Chen Men turned to ask Lu Dabao, "Dabao, where are your parents?"


    "None of your business," Lu Dabao retorted with a sneer.


    Chen Men gave him a thumbs up. "You swear so well, say it louder."


    "None of your business, is that loud enough?" Lu Dabao repeated.


    "Very good, keep swearing like that in the future, keep it up," Chen Men said with a smile.


    This child certainly had potential, perhaps as cunning as Yan Xishan, but he was rude from a young age, had a foul mouth, and loved to swear. Chen Men had invested a lot of effort in trying to discipline him.


    Now that no one was educating him, and his father was already wealthy, the boy''s swearing had only gotten worse.


    He might be very capable in the future, but it was also possible that his foul mouth would get him killed before he grew up.


    Carrying two bundles of nylon ropes out, Chen Men felt a pang of regret for Yan Zhao. This simple and majestic courtyard of blue bricks andrge tiled roofs must have cost Yan Zhao''s family a lot of effort, but now it reeked of urine, with foul kitchen wastewater flowing all the way to the gate, making it look like a pigsty.


    Zhou''s Mother and Zhou Qiaofang had probably gone out to buy breakfast, returning with a few fried dough sticks and eggs.


    Zhou Qiaofang spotted Chen Degong and his group first, pulling Zhou''s Mother and quietly standing in a narrow alley.


    Chen Men had wanted to call out to her brother, asking him to confront their sister-inw face-to-face.


    Wasn''t her family draining her dry enough?


    But then Zhou''s Mother pinched Zhou Qiaofang and pushed her forward, indicating that Zhou Qiaofang should step forward to ask for the ropes and utensils.


    Normally strong-willed and proud, Zhou Qiaofang now kept her head down, not uttering a word. If Chen Degong saw her like this, he would p her so hard her ears would ring.


    Chen Men decided to let it go, thinking that if Zhou''s Mother beat her a few more times, Zhou Qiaofang''s mind might clear up.


    Returning home, they first stored the items in Yan Xishan''s coal yard. As Chen Men came out, she ran into Yan Xishan, who was wearing a green hat, standing at the entrance of the coal yard, looking satisfied and smiling like an auntie.


    This military green hat was bought by Yuanyuan for him. Given Yan Xishan''s personality, he shouldn''t like wearing a green hat.


    But when Chen Men turned around, she saw Yuanyuan and Little Wang going door-to-door selling cassette tapes, and she understood.


    This cunning scoundrel was recentlypeting for Yuanyuan''s affection, trying to make her fall in love with him again.


    Sure enough, as soon as the children turned around, he took off the green hat and stuffed it into his pocket.


    "Men, money''s tight, let''s just pretend to take care of safety, what do you think?" He lit a cigarette and said.


    After much internal struggle, Yan Xishan decided to install the coal mining production line first, not out of conscience, but because if he didn''t, Yan Zhao wouldn''t let him start work.


    But he didn''t want to install the most advanced one currently avable in the country, as it would cost a whopping thirty thousand yuan. He might have to take out loans, sell his car, and raise money to install it. Meanwhile, other coal bosses were already assembling wagons and heading south in a grand procession. It was better to just fake it and start mining as soon as possible.


    "Install it, and do it seriously," Chen Men said.


    "The first payment alone is ten thousand yuan, and the second one is too. Men, I only have five thousand yuan. Sell me, how much do you think I''m worth?" Yan Xishan said, shaking his frail body.


    "I''ll find a way to raise the money, you just focus on installing the production line," Chen Men said seriously.


    "Men, people die in coal mines, that''s normal. Look at how many coal mine idents happen in our Shaanxi Province every year, how many workers die, and have the mine owners been sentenced? No, as long as you bribe someone, it''s not a problem. Do you know that Zhou Xueqin, Yan Zhao''s ex-wife, introduced you to me, but I''ve always looked down on her. In my eyes, you should be a thousand times more open-minded than her, but do you know, Zhou Xueqin is making a fortune now, and look at you?"


    Indeed, it was Zhou Xueqin who introduced Men to Yan Xishan.


    Zhou Xueqin used to be the belle of the woolen mill, fond of dancing.


    She was the top dancer in all the dance halls of Xiping City, especially good at disco, and knew almost all the local nouveau riche.


    But she was a tough sell in the marriage market because no one wanted to marry a woman who danced all day and never stayed home.


    Why did she marry Yan Zhao? It was because his father, the secretary of the woolen mill, had praised her to the skies in the archives, calling her virtuous and capable of managing a household, that she managed to get married.


    Their marriagested because Yan Zhao was often away, and whenever he returned, the Zhou family would put on a show for the sake of his allowance.


    All the men in Xiping City had beenughing at Yan Zhao''s green hat since then, and they still do.


    But that woman, Zhou Xueqin, is said to have made a lot of money by specting in national debt.


    Yan Xishan is envious, jealous, angry, and can''t figure it out.


    "If you want to open a mine, first ensure safety, or I''ll rece you immediately," Chen Men said sternly.


    Zhou Xueqin probably made a lot of money specting in national debt, but now the social headlines in the newspapers often report on national debt spectors fighting, brawling, and even dying on trains.


    Isn''t life more important than money?


    And she is working hard on the Qinchuan Group''s project, and if she can secure it, that money can be used to fully install the production line.


    "Xishan, Xishan,e here," Yan Bin just returned from outside the vige and pulled Yan Xishan aside, whispering something to him.


    Yan Xishan, who had been stubbornly arguing, finally made up his mind after hearing Yan Bin''s whisper: "Men... I''ll listen to you, let''s install it."


    The further Yan Xishan went, the more perilous his path became.


    It was also to be expected. Fan Zhenhua''s wife worked in a hospital, and Qi Dongmei, in this era of strict family nning, couldn''t buy or even steal a son. Girls were easily discarded, but as long as a boy was born, he was the family''s treasure.


    Fan Xiang promised her that he would persuade his daughter-inw to find a way to get a newborn son from the hospital.


    Although it fit Yan Xishan''s suspicions, and as long as Fan Zhenhua''s wife dared to act, Yan Bin would report it to the police, with aplete chain of evidence, even pulling Fan Zhenhua down from his position, Yan Xishan wasn''t happy.


    He had once given his heart to Hu Xiaomei and was grateful to Qi Dongmei.


    But that''s how those people treated him.


    He decided to listen to Men once, even if it meant not making money, even if he had to listen to others getting rich and feel miserable, just to umte some good karma for his little Yuanyuan.


    Of course, before leaving, Yan Xishan had to say, "Men, Zhou Xueqin willugh herself to death at us."


    Chen Men couldn''t be bothered to scold Yan Xishan and went home.


    Chen Men was genuinely surprised that someone actually wanted to buy Yuanyuan''s recorded songs.


    The vige itself was notrge, and everyone loved listening to tapes. Little Wang''s tapes were all self-recorded onto nk tapes he bought, cutting out the middleman and selling them cheaply.


    At least four or five fools were lured by the low price and bought hisption tapes. She passed by several households and heard Yuanyuan''s voice in them.


    Yuanyuan bought her another gift today, a cheap lipstick from the corner store, likely made fromrd, fragrance, and dye, so red it was frightening and so fragrant it made one want to vomit.


    "Mom, you really look beautiful," Yuanyuan said, watching her mother apply it, then dabbing some on herself and Little Lang.


    Little Lang''s skin was already fair, and with the lipstick, he looked so red and vibrant that he could easily pass for a little girl.


    But his mouth was a bit crude: "Damn, it looks good."


    "Saying things like that, you won''t grow any teeth. You should say, ''Thank you, sister, it really looks good!''" Chen Men gently tapped his little mouth.


    Children tend to pick up badnguage, so you have to correct them from a young age. Little Lang, for the sake of his teeth, obediently said, "Thank you, sister, it really looks good."


    Chen Men couldn''t resist letting the kids enjoy the lipstick for a bit, but she wiped it off as soon as she went out.


    She knew that men''s interest in sex would follow a parabolic curve, eventually declining.


    But when that curve is at its peak, waiting for it to drop is a hassle.


    Yan Zhao was cleaning the cloth covering the mattress and the sponge inside. He had taken it all apart, washed it, and was now sewing it, apparently preparing to make a mattress or something.


    Chen Men had been interacting quite a bit with Yan Xishan recently, not because she wanted to see him, but because she had to keep an eye on Yan Xishan. If she let her guard down, it could cost dozens of lives. If Yan Xishan repeated his past mistakes, it would ruin more families.


    But she couldn''t let Yan Zhao think she had any improper thoughts about Yan Xishan. All her interactions with him had to be crystal clear.


    "I met Xishan today and talked about safety production. I convinced him to install production lines properly," Chen Men said first.


    "Don''t smile at him," Yan Zhao suddenly said.


    It was a concise, almost childish remark. Chen Men turned around to see him looking serious, full of righteousness, but why would he say something like that?


    Was he being serious?


    Or was he perhaps jealous, and of Yan Xishan, of all people?


    "I''lle over tonight," Chen Men dered proactively, making the hardworking man happy was her duty.


    But there was another issue: "That... it hurts. My gynecology is definitely fine. Do you think it could be because of you?"


    Yan Zhao was trying to thread a needle but failed a few times.


    Chen Men took the needle, licked it with her tongue, and helped him thread the needle.


    Yan Zhao took the needle and said, "Is it because you''re not willing in your heart that it hurts?"


    Did women have to wear their willingness on their faces?


    Or did they have to shout "I''m willing!" like the heroines in Qiong Yao dramas to stop the pain?


    Chen Men couldn''t just say the size, what would he think? He knew she had been married before, did she still have any dignity left?


    She handed the needle back, staring at Yan Zhao for a long time. His ears turned bright red.


    He threaded the needle into the cloth, his hands, despite being strong, were nimble and skilled at sewing, though the stitches were a bit uneven, like centipedes.


    Chen Men waited for an answer. Her meaning was that the time could be shorter, the pressure lighter, and so on. He had to give her a promise.


    "I''ll be gentler."


    Yan Zhao carried therge bedcover away.


    That evening, Uncle Yan the Third got afortablerge mattress to lie on, and he praised Yan Zhao a million times better than Xishan.


    Under the dim night, Chen Men had put the children to sleep and was already lying on the t, soft,fortable, and silent bed. But Yan Zhao was still busy outside, watering the tworge peonies in the courtyard with leftover chicken soup.


    Autumn was the time to nourish the peonies, ensuring they bloom luxuriantly next year.


    Listening to his busyness, Chen Men sighed inwardly.


    Yan Xishan''s old house was kept so clean and tidy by Yan Zhao that if there were any ancestral spirits, they would rest peacefully.


    Their old house, however, was turned into a pigsty by Lu Jingyu and Zhou Xueqin.


    Although they hadn''t had a deep conversation, his father Yan Peiheng in the capital had never called Little Wang or Little Lang, nor had he directlymunicated with her. Even Yan Zhao didn''t mention letting her go to the capital to meet his father, his elder brother, or sister-inw.


    So there must be quite a rift between Yan Zhao and his father.


    If Yan Peiheng knew what his old house looked like now,


    the rift between Yan Zhao and his father would only deepen.


    Hopefully, Yan Zhao won''t go to the First Brigade, and he won''t find out.