Not only was Little Wang missing, but many children from the first-ss familypound had joined the army. Due to the recent flood, a significant number of missing soldiers had left everyone on edge. Whenever a phone rang in thepound, everyone''s heart skipped a beat.
"Have they been found? Are they still alive?" These were the mostmon questions asked.
Gradually, Cui Zixiang''s son was found, and so were Chao Commander''s two grandsons.
But there was still no news of Little Wang.
Yan Zhao was quite confident about his son. In his eyes, the boy had been through countless trials since childhood and had strong survival skills. He believed that Little Wang would be thest person to get into trouble.
However, as September approached and the start of the university semester neared, Little Wang still hadn''t returned. Given his son''s personality, Yan Zhao suspected that he was probably hiding somewhere, making a fortune, and had be so engrossed in it that he didn''t want toe back.
Little Wang scored 681 in the college entrance exam, just one point above the admission cut-off for Tsinghua University. Originally, he had intended to apply to Tsinghua, but under Yan Zhao''s strong "suggestion," he changed his mind and opted for Wuhan University, majoring in Electronic Computer and Software Engineering. This was Little Wang''s own decision, but Yan Zhao chose Wuhan because it was where the leader had studied, hoping to impart some red education to his money-oriented son.
However, Little Wang wasn''t keen on going to Wuhan. Yan Zhao worried that his son might be using this as an excuse to avoid attending university.
Chen Men, on the other hand, was deeply concerned, fearing that something had happened to their son. She med Yan Zhao for not using his connections to search for Little Wang, calling him as stubborn as his father. For the first time in ten years of marriage, the couple had a disagreement, their eyes red with frustration, and at times, even argued.
Fortunately, on September 1st, Little Wang called home.
His words took both Yan Zhao and Chen Men by surprise.
"Dad, please notify the school to dy my enrollment for a year. Also, help me transfer to the Civil Engineering department. I don''t want to study Computer Engineering anymore," Little Wang said over the phone.
In the next decade, Computer Engineering would be the hottest field, while Civil Engineering graduates would likely end up as construction workers.
What had gotten into this boy?
Why would he abandon a popr major to pursue a less desirable one?
Before Chen Men could ask anything further, Little Wang added, "Mom, tell Yan Shengnan that if she can''t get into Tsinghua, it''s okay. She can aim for Wuhan University''s Biology department. I''ll be in the same year as her."
With that, the young man hung up the phone.
From partnering with future tycoons to pursuing Computer Engineering, Little Wang had always been on a path to wealth. But now, he suddenly wanted to switch to Civil Engineering, leaving Chen Men both shocked and regretful.
There was also one more thing that surprised both of them.
Yan Shengnan, who usually scored around 500 in mock exams, was about to enter her final year of high school in September. When had this girl decided she wanted to aim for Tsinghua?
After hanging up, the couple looked at Yan Shengnan.
Feeling a bit embarrassed about her unrealistic dream, Yan Shengnan turned on the TV, her cheeks blushing red.
But having dreams was a good thing. Yan Zhao said, "Go for it. I''ll sign you up for some tutoring sses, focusing on Biology and Chemistry. Let''s give it a try, Yan Shengnan. What do you think?"
Yan Shengnan silently nodded, a small smile ying on her lips.
Although her father didn''t believe she could make it, the fact that he was willing to support her made her happy.
Just then, Little Xiaxia from next door came into the yard, waving a magazine andughing, "Sister Yuan,e and see! Is the person Lu Fei is talking about in this magazine you?"
Yan Shengnan turned and pulled Little Xiaxia inside, asking, "What''s in the magazine now?"
Thirteen-year-old Little Xiaxia, who was into following celebrities, pointed to an interview with Lu Fei in the magazine and said, "Look, I think the person Lu Fei is talking about is you. But Sister Yuan, I feel like you''re not like what she''s describing. What should I do? I don''t like Lu Fei anymore."
Chen Men, who was near the phone, grabbed the magazine and saw an interview with Lu Fei. In it, Lu Fei said, "Some people have good parents and good resources, so they can be child stars from a young age, enjoying fame and the spotlight. But I''m different. I came from an ordinary family and climbed up through hard work and struggle. Child stars, being spoiled since childhood, tend to be willful and arrogant. I''ve heard that some washed-up child stars even dare to p producers in the face on set. But I''m different. I''m humble, eager to learn, and hardworking. I achieved sess through my own efforts. Even though I didn''t be a child star, I''m just starting my journey at the age when others are fading. I believe I have a broader future ahead."
The words sounded nice, almost praising herself to the skies.
Chen Men read the entire interview carefully and handed the magazine to Yan Shengnan, saying, "Lu Fei is indeed talking about you, the washed-up child star."
Chen Men was so angry she could barely speak, but Yan Shengnan remained calm, saying, "Let her be. I''m not in that circle anymore." She then went upstairs and added, "Mom, I''m going to study. Call me when dinner''s ready."
For a long time, Yan Shengnan had been constantly mentioned by entertainment journalists, oftenbeled as a washed-up child star. Chen Men had thought it was just journalists being nosy and creating unnecessary drama.
But now it seemed there was a puppet master behind it all.
Although Yan Shengnan wasn''t acting or in the entertainment industry anymore, she had starred in many beloved films since childhood, from "Return to the City" to "The Queen is Pregnant," and "Father and Son Karaoke." She had a strong fan base and was deeply loved by the audience. People were always eager to catch a glimpse of her current situation and news.
Whenever Yan Shengnan''s name appeared, newspapers and magazines sold like hotcakes.
Lu Fei was a neer who had just emerged. It would take time for her to be epted by the audience.
In modern terms, she was stepping on Yan Shengnan''s fame, capitalizing on her traffic, to enhance her own image.
Of course, she couldn''t do this alone; she must have a dedicated team behind her, scheming to create buzz and make her popr. That team would also likely use provocative photos to stir up public outrage, possibly to threaten her if she didn''tply.
Chen Men knew Yan Shengnan''s capabilities. She wasn''t a typical child star; even in minor roles, she would thoroughly read the script, analyze, and pour her heart into her performances. That''s why the audience loved her characters, and her skills in folk songs, thanks to her many teachers since childhood, were far beyond Lu Fei''s reach.
Watching Lu Fei on TV, Chen Men wished Yan Shengnan could immediately step up andpete with her.
But everyone has their own path. Even if she couldn''t achieve her dreams, having them was enough. If Yan Shengnan could really get into Tsinghua, even if it didn''t bring as much money as the entertainment industry, finding a stable job in a government institution and living a peaceful, free life would make Chen Men feel more at ease.
Originally, ording to the timeline of her previous life, Lv Erniu should be about to shoot that set of kimono photos.
Without her father''s guidance and protection, it was easy to imagine the public outrage and bacsh those photos would cause if they were leaked.
Chen Men had been thinking of finding an opportunity to write Lv Erniu a letter, warning her about this in advance.
But now, how could she?
The road is one''s own to walk. Whether Lv Erniu could have a smooth career as in her previous life depended on her own choices.
From now on, Yan Shengnan''s dream of getting into Tsinghua became Chen Men''s most important and challenging task of the year.
Without considering any cost, she began searching for the best tutors.
It just so happened that the wife of a military leader was a chemistry teacher from the prestigious Capital No. 4 High School. It was said that almost all her students scored full marks in chemistry. However, she had retired and, after a lifetime of teaching, no longer wanted to work and just wanted to enjoy her retirement, taking care of her grandchildren.
Chen Men wanted to ask her to tutor Yan Shengnan, but she didn''t even know where the retired teacher lived. Just as she was worrying about how to approach her, Yan Peiheng heard about the situation.
Yan Shengnan wanted to get into Tsinghua?
For the first time in his life, the old man brought gifts and went to someone''s house to ask for a favor. Upon hearing that she would be tutoring the washed-up child star Yan Shengnan, the retired teacher surprisingly agreed, and she didn''t ask for any payment. She said she greatly admired a girl who was willing to give up acting and seriously pursue a university education.
For this reason, she teaches for free!
Well, the child''s chemistry is finally taken care of.
Biology, however, is a major challenge.
High school evening sses end at 9 PM, and it takes half an hour to get home. After a tutoring session, it''s already 11 PM. Despite this, Yuan Yuan still can''t go to sleep; she has to spend two more hours memorizing biology. Every morning, she wakes up at 5 AM, and apart from a midday nap, she barely gets three hours of sleep a day.
With Dongpai''s new clothing line already on the market and the milk powder factory running smoothly, Chen Men decided to take a break from all her work and go on leave. She stayed home to ensure Yuan Yuan''s meals were nutritious.
However, there was one thing Chen Men almost forgot about—that is, until Yan Xishan showed up at her door one day.
She had made a bet with Yan Xishan: if Dongpai''s clothing line sold well, he would have to go back and manage the coal mine.
Chen Men had miscalcted this bet. Due to the floods in 1998, the entire economic environment had been significantly impacted, with the clothing industry taking the hardest hit. Not losing money was already a victory, and this quarter had been particrly bleak for everyone''s business. It was hard to tell who was doing better or worse.
So, logically, Chen Men was going to lose the bet.
But when Yan Xishan came by that day, he got straight to the point and said goodbye to Chen Men, announcing that he was going back to Xiping City to take care of the coal mine.
It was noon, and Yuan Yuan was taking a nap upstairs. Chen Men tiptoed around, not daring to make a sound. After all, the child only got three hours of sleep at night, and from 12:40 to 2:00 PM was her only chance to rest properly. But then Yan Xishan showed up, banging on the door loudly and shouting, "Men, I''m leaving. Take good care of my daughter."
"Shh, keep your voice down. The child is sleeping. Are you crazy?" Chen Men retorted.
Yan Xishan raised his voice again, shouting, "Damn it…"
"Shut up!" Chen Men snapped.
Yan Xishan pulled out an entertainment magazine, flipping through the pages noisily before handing it to Chen Men. "These magazine reporters are really shameless. Look at what they wrote about me, about Yuan Yuan."
Chen Men nced at the headline and almost got a heart attack from anger: "The Fall of a Child Star: A Shocking Revtion of Her Father''s Dark Past—A Coal Tycoon Who Stepped on Miners'' Ashes to Climb to the Top!"
This was clearly another scheme by Lv Erniu''s team.
They didn''t dare to dig into Yan Zhao''s past, but they exposed Yan Xishan''s background in detail. At the end of the article, they added a vague statement: "Yan Shengnan suddenly quit the entertainment industry, possibly because her father''s coal mine was involved in a fatal ident!"
This was simply defamation. When had Xishan Coal Mine ever had a fatality?
But the destructive power of rumors is beyond imagination. Yan Xishan had always portrayed himself as a professor who had returned from studying in Southeast Asia. Now, with his background exposed—a primary school dropout who used to be a hooligan—how could he continue to be seen as a professor? Who would believe him or take him seriously?
This article stripped Yan Xishan of his pretentious veneer, revealing his true nature as a hoodlum.
However, this was inevitable. The 1990s were a time of rampant deception. Hoodlums could pose as professors, and absurd ideas like blowing a hole in the Himyas or covering the Pacific Ocean were mainstream. But as information became more essible and people''s knowledge grew, these things would eventually be jokes of the past.
As the saying goes, "If you don''t want people to know, don''t do it in the first ce." Unless one is truly authentic, secrets will alwayse to light.
Yan Xishan had been a professor for seven or eight years. Initially, Chen Men had pushed him into the role to boost sales, butter, she couldn''t control him. He enjoyed the spotlight and exaggerated his image for money and fame. He had even been invited to several universities as a guest professor, reaping numerous benefits and des.
Chen Men had always felt that he would eventually fall from grace, but people have their own paths to follow. She couldn''t persuade him, so she had to watch from the sidelines.
Now, there was nothing she could do. After all, there''s no such thing as a free lunch. Every piece of fame and fortunees with a price tag. She could only watch and see how Yan Xishan would handle this situation.
Sighing, Yan Xishan said, "Tell Yuan Yuan not to be sad or feel wronged. She should focus on her exams. I''m done with being a professor. I''ll go back to running the coal mine, which is the foundation of my family. My coal mine has never had a fatality. I''m the top taxpayer in the Shaanxi Provincial Tax Bureau. If I manage it well, bing a representative in the National People''s Congress is just a matter of time. Damn it, my daughter is going to get into Tsinghua University, and I''m going to continue being a People''s Congress representative. Let those who look down on me for being a primary school dropout and a former hoodlum see the spirit of our oldndlord family."
As the saying goes, "A loss may turn out to be a gain."
This time, whether or not Lv Erniu managed to generate some buzz for herself, it turned out to be a good thing for Yuan Yuan.
After all, Chen Men''s ultimate goal was to get Yan Xishan back to managing the coal mine.
"Go ahead, run the coal mine well. I''ll make sure Yuan Yuan gives you a raise, up to 150,000 yuan a year," Chen Men said.
150,000 yuan was less than what Yan Xishan made as a professor, but in China, he was still considered wealthy.
Yan Xishan immediatelyughed. "Chen Men, that''s not like you. 150,000 yuan? Are you really that generous?"
"I am. But if the police catch you soliciting prostitutes or gambling, I''ll fire you immediately," Chen Men added.
Before leaving, Yan Xishan tiptoed upstairs. Yuan Yuan was sprawled out in bed, drooling, but in Yan Xishan''s eyes, she was a little fairy from heaven, an angel and a sprite of the mortal world.
He said, "Chen Men, if my daughter gets into Tsinghua University, that would be a great honor for our Yan family. Even if you don''t change her household registration book, my father and I will be proud of her for the rest of our lives."
The Criminal Law book was still sitting on Little Wang''s desk.
Chen Men had originally wanted to show Yan Xishan the photo, but she decided against it. After all, Yan Xishan had always idolized Yan Peiheng, the oldndlord. She would let him continue to be proud of his father for a while longer.
...
No weekends, no rest, just a two-point routine: wake up and study.
At first, Chen Men could stay up with Yuan Yuan, butter, she became too tired and couldn''t keep up. Then Yan Zhao took over, but he had to work during the day and often had to workte at night, so he couldn''t keep up either. It all depended on Yuan Yuan''s self-discipline.
However, every morning at 5 AM, Yan Zhao had to wake up with Yuan Yuan and take her to school.
It''s not that you''re not working hard; it''s that others are working even harder.
Yuan Yuan was diligent enough, but other candidates were equally hardworking. All the students in the senior year ss of Bayi School were self-motivated. Every morning at 5 AM, they arrived at school, continuously reading, solving problems, and memorizing.
The sound of loud reading formed a torrent, which was the daily life of senior year students.
Before long, it was the end of the year. Yuan Yuan''s efforts had not been in vain. With each test, her score improved slightly. By the end of the semester, she had scored 580 points.
580 points! That wasst year''s admission score for the second-tier universities in Shaanxi Province. Without reaching this score, the child''s options would have been limited to junior colleges and technical schools. With 580 points, she could at least get into a second-tier university.
Theck of sleep and excessive staying upte had taken a toll on her body. She had always had a weak stomach, been a picky eater, and wasn''t very plump to begin with. After a period of intense studying, she visibly became even thinner. Chen Men tried various ways to cook chicken soup and make dishes that Yuan Yuan loved.
Meanwhile, Yan Zhao took care of the morning and evening pickup and drop-off.
Little Lang was still studying at a military school, in a closed environment, and couldn''te home yet.
Little Wang asionally called to report that he was safe, but he didn''t reveal what he was doing, so Yan Zhao and Chen Men didn''t know exactly what he was up to.
Time flew by, and it was July 1999. The new round of the college entrance exams had officially begun.
Yuan Yuan had worked hard for a full ten months, and it was time to see the results.
The exams were held in Shaanxi Province, so Yan Zhao took leave and cleaned up the house in the Eastern Compound. He personally escorted Yuan Yuan to the exam venue and then waited outside the exam hall, while Chen Men prepared lunch at home.
After the exams, they returned to the capital to wait for the results.
That summer, songs like "Single Love Song" and "The Moon Caused the Trouble" were all the rage, along with Dicky Cheung''s "How Much Love Can Be Repeated." The pop songs were getting better and better.
But music-loving Yuan Yuan had no time to listen to them.
This time, students filled out their preferences (college preferences) before the exams. Apart from the first choice, the second and third were just random. Yuan Yuan, though outwardly delicate, had a stubborn personality. Once she set her goal, she wouldn''t give up easily.
After deciding to aim for Tsinghua University, even Little Wang thought it was difficult and tried to persuade her to ease up, but she wouldn''t budge. She persisted.
The results of the exam would take at least twenty days to be released, and traditionally, one would need to call to check them.
But Yan Shengnan''s results came unexpectedly.
Before the exam, her parents pampered her, treating her like a national treasure, a panda. But after the exam, she was demoted back to being her mother''s little helper. That morning, she rode her electric scooter to the market to buy steamed buns. The shop owner was unusually enthusiastic, giving her a thumbs-up and saying, "Good job, girl."
Yan Shengnan didn''t understand why he said that, so she bought the buns and left. At the soy milk stall, the vendor, who was only vaguely familiar, also gave her a thumbs-up and said, "You''re Yan Shengnan, right? Not bad, kid. 685 points. Tsinghua is within reach!"
Yan Shengnan was stunned for a moment. Looking down at the breakfast stall, she saw the front page of *Capital Morning Post*. On the B section, there was a photo of her from when she filmed *Father and Son''s Karaoke Bar*. The headline read: "Child Star Yan Shengnan Resists Temptation of Entertainment Industry, Scores 685 in Gaokao, Ranking in Top 100 of Shaanxi Province."
Top 100 in Shaanxi Province?
This score was so good that Yan Shengnan could hardly believe it.
Thest mock exam she took was only 650, which in Shaanxi Province was just enough to get into a decent undergraduate program. The better institutions and majors were out of reach. At that time, when she filled out her college preferences, her homeroom teacher, principal, and dean all advised her to give up her dream of attending Tsinghua University and choose another university instead. With a score of 650, Tsinghua was simply out of the question.
But Yan Shengnan resolutely filled in Tsinghua. Then, on the ne to Shaanxi, she was doing practice problems. On the eve of the exam, while other kids were rxing and going out for a walk, she was still studying. Even in her dreams, she was thinking about biology and chemistry.
Especially biology. Little Wang''s three notebooks, every page, she could recite backwards and forwards.
685 was her best performance in three years of high school.
She forgot the soy milk, grabbed the newspaper, and ran. After a year of hard work, she had to let her parents know!
The soy milk vendor called after her, "Hey, there''s another one! *Capital Youth Daily* has a whole page on you!"
Although she didn''t know if she would be admitted yet, based on Tsinghua''s admission score line from the previous year, Yan Shengnan was within reach.
What was this like?
Last year, media outlets constantly wrote about how she was "out of style," but today, they all seemed to have agreed to change their tune. In *Capital Youth Daily*, Yan Shengnan was the model of the new generation, a role model. *Capital Morning Post* gave her half a page, praising her as the embodiment of the country''s new generation''s hard work, struggle, and courage to not waste youth.
Even entertainment newspapers, which had been harsh in the past, were now singing her praises.
Chinese people, regardless of their profession or social status, have a natural reverence for knowledge.
Today was just the beginning. Media across the country started to report on her one after another.
Eventually, the Yan Shengnan portrayed on TV was unrecognizable, not the real Yan Shengnan.
Some said she had never liked acting and only loved studying since childhood. Others described her as rebelling against her family to resist bing a child star, even going so far as to say she had a falling out with her parents. Some even portrayed Yan Xishan as a devil, iming he forced Yan Shengnan into the entertainment industry just to make money.
Poor Yan Xishan, who had already returned to Shaanxi, was dragged out by the media and "posthumously" criticized again.
Even someone took advantage of the hype to publish a book titled *Tsinghua Girl Yan Shengnan*.
The content was entirely fabricated, but because it had the name Yan Shengnan, it sold exceptionally well.
Even people in the top-tier residentialpounds bought it, using it as an educational guide.
Fortunately, Yan Zhao worked in public security and quickly coordinated with the city bureau to shut down the shady publishing house.
Even so, Yan Shengnan''s admission was partly due to luck, or perhaps the influence of public opinion, because this year, Tsinghua''s lowest admission score was 685. A difference of just 0.5 points would have caused her to miss the opportunity.
Before long, it was mid-August. Recently, Yan Peiheng, Yan Zhao, and officials from the military and public security had all gone to Beidaihe for a meeting. Meanwhile, the capital was unbearably hot.
Yan Shengnan would soon start school and had to report for orientation.
Although still in the same city, from now on, she would be living in the dormitory.
For the first time in her life, she would be separated from her daughter. Moreover, with the widespread fame Yan Shengnan now enjoyed, Chen Men wasn''t happy about it. Having lived an extra lifetime, she had seen too muchplexity and darkness. In the future, when the inte became more developed, many dark aspects of society would be exposed. There was a case of poisoning that urred in a Tsinghua dormitory, which Chen Men had read about in the newspaper and remembered to this day.
And Yan Shengnan, who had been ostracized in elementary school, might now, because of her overly glorified and embellished reputation, face istion from her ssmates and dorm mates. This was what Chen Men was most worried about.
"Don''t worry, Mom. I''ll try my best to get along with everyone," Yan Shengnan said confidently.
"How will you get along with them? What if they bully you or talk behind your back? Or worse, secretly tamper with your cosmetics or drinking water?" Chen Men asked.
Yan Shengnan replied, "If they talk about me and it''s not too bad, I''ll just ignore it. If it''s too much, I''ll confront them myself. Worst case, we''ll have a fight."
Chen Men didn''t want her daughter to get into fights.
And if someone harbored malicious intentions after a fight, what would happen?
It was said that in biological sciences, harmful substances were readily avable.
Chen Men was worried sick.
Yan Shengnan said, "Mom, I''m not that talented. I probably won''t be the best in the ss. Other girls like to chase celebrities, and so do I. They like to go shopping, and so do I. I''ll just be diligent in the dormitory and try to get along with everyone. But I won''t harm others, though I''ll be cautious and protect myself. Is that okay?"
Seeing her mother''s worried expression, she added, "That''s the standard answer. Are you still not satisfied?"
Not harming others but staying vignt, not picking fights but always being cautious to avoid being hurt—this was indeed the best way to navigate the world.
Chen Men chuckled, about to say something, when suddenly she heard "coo coo coo," as if a magpie was calling.Aliali: 67613dfc87939c8e13ac5983
But Chen Men remembered there were no magpies in this courtyard.
Did the neighbors start raising magpies?
At that moment, Yan Shengnan, who was standing by the window, suddenly turned around and tiptoed downstairs, skipping and hopping outside.
Yan Shengnan had a habit that only Chen Men knew. Normally, she walked and ran properly, but if Little Wang was waiting for her, she would run like a rabbit, skipping and hopping, which was quite amusing.
In that instant, Chen Men''s sixth sense told her that Little Wang must have returned.
Turning to the curtain, she saw a boy standing behind the osmanthus tree. He was wearing a jacket and jeans, carrying a shoulder bag. From the second floor, she could clearly see that he was hiding a bouquet of pink lilies behind his back.
Yan Shengnan dashed out, stopped in front of Little Wang.
Today,pared to a year ago, Little Wang had changed a lot.
Not only was his skin much darker, but he also seemed to have grown taller. His body was more muscr, and his skin was even darker. At first nce, he looked like a younger version of Yan Zhao.
Where had he been for a year, and why did he only return now?