Chapter 218: The Yan Family Arrives in Jingcheng: Two Daughters-in-Law Show Up at the Door

"Mm, my grandma's hand-rolled noodles are the best."

Yan Li held a bowl of hand-rolled noodles, eating while praising them; beside him, Grandma Yan beamed, using her chopsticks to pick meat and place it in his bowl.

"Eat more—you've gotten too thin, my eldest grandson. There's still noodles at home; if you want some, I'll make more tomorrow."

"No need—I'm leaving tomorrow."

Yan Li swallowed the noodles in his mouth and said: "I still have matters to settle in Jingcheng; I came back just to see home, and to burn paper for Grandpa during Qingming."

"With all that work, why not stay a few more days?"

Yan Li shook his head: "I really can't stay."

Grandma Yan felt a pang of loss—among all her grandsons, her second son's boy was the most accomplished, bringing her and the Yan family countless moments of pride.

But ambitious children are rarely seen; they don't return even once a year, not even for Lunar New Year—just a hurried visit, then off again in a flash.

Yan Li looked at the old woman, her face silent and downcast, and smiled: "You can't bear to part with me, can you?"

Among the Yan family's grandkids, Yan Li was neither the eldest nor the youngest, nor the best student—he was even a bit mischievous. On top of that, his mother Zhang Hong had a strained relationship with Grandma Yan, so he carried a full stack of negative buffs.

But he made up for it with his sweet tongue and knack for soothing people; though not the absolute favorite, he was at least second in line, with a shot at first.

Grandma Yan had lived through famine years, so she was frugal—she never wanted to eat the good things at home, always saving them for Lunar New Year or when guests came.

Of all the grandkids, only Yan Li could sneak tasty bits from Grandma's hands; as a child, he was once the role model for his two cousins.

Now, he was the most successful among them—and the one she saw the least.

Out of sight, out of mind—yet he'd become her most cherished treasure; him coming and leaving so quickly, she'd surely hate to let him go.

Grandma Yan, of the old generation, wasn't one to express feelings openly; she didn't say anything, just nodded. Yan Li finished every last strand of noodles in his bowl.

"That's easy—you just come to Jingcheng with me."

Since his stay in his hometown was short, Yan Li had decided to persuade his parents and grandmother to move to Jingcheng for a while; after all, he had plenty of space there.

"Me? Go to Jingcheng?"

"Yes—your son and daughter-in-law are coming too, and your niece-in-law can visit Xiao Xin. You come along, too. Go sightseeing in Jingcheng—visit the Forbidden City and Tiananmen."

Grandma Yan was tempted, but hesitant: "What about the chickens? Someone has to tend the fields…"

"Don't worry about that—I've already arranged it with your son and daughter-in-law. Just pack your things."

Last night, Yan Li had argued with his parents for hours—he'd learned his lesson, so he cut straight to the point and settled it.

As for the chickens, ducks, cats, dogs, the fields, and the restaurant—he handed all of it over to his eldest cousin. Feed the animals so they don't die; if the restaurant can be run, run it; if not, just let it go—it's not worth much anyway.

His younger cousin Yan Xin got along well with Yan Li, and his eldest cousin was tempted—but Yan Li felt someone had to stay behind to watch over the home, so he persuaded him to stay.

Of course, Yan Li wouldn't let him down.

Directly giving money would seem too distant; if he wanted to start any business back home, Yan Li would invest.

In Yan Li's mind, once he got his parents settled in Jingcheng, he'd hand over the restaurant and the braised meat recipe to his uncle and eldest uncle's families.

Even if he fell on hard times later, he'd never be short of one braised meat recipe—it was better to use it to help his relatives.

…

The next day, Yan Li arranged an extra car and took his parents, grandmother, and aunt-in-law all to Jingcheng.

Aside from Old Yan, who had come to Jingcheng twice before—once to take Yan Li for his exam, once for school—everyone else was visiting Jingcheng for the first time, even leaving their province for the first time.

Yan Li deliberately took a detour, bringing them to Tiananmen first, then stopping at a courtyard gate in Yangjiao Deng Hutong, near the Wang Fu.

"Get out and take a look."

Yan Li called to his parents and grandmother to get out and enter: "I feared you'd be uncomfortable in an apartment—this sihe academy is similar to our old flat-roofed house back home. The renovation's all new. Take a look—if you don't like it, I'll get another house."

Yan Li had only recently learned his parents couldn't stand living in apartments.

When his wealth became public, fearing for their safety, he'd told them to shut down the restaurant and leave the village, moving into a residential compound for safety.

But both of them had been deeply uncomfortable.

One couldn't get used to the toilet; the other felt uneasy with people living above and below; then there was no courtyard—they could only huddle on the balcony, feeling stifled and suffocated.

Both were miserable. Yan Li figured his grandmother, who'd spent her whole life in the countryside, would suffer just as much.

Luckily, he had a 200-square-meter, standalone sihe academy—he cleaned it up and prepared it as their new home.

"This house is nice."

Zhang Hong walked around inside and out—it wasn't as spacious as their home back in the village, but the renovation was excellent, clean and elegant.

Old Yan, ever the professional, went straight to the kitchen, nodded: "The stove's a bit small, but it'll do."

Grandma Yan was already bending over, hands behind her back, choosing rooms; but the aunt-in-law looked at the sihe academy with disappointment.

Sure, the renovation was good—but it was still a flat-roofed house. She'd thought coming to Jingcheng meant seeing luxury mansions, not being led into hutongs.

"Didn't you say your brother's a billionaire? Is this all he gives to his grandma and uncle?"

She quietly pulled aside her son Yan Xin, who Yan Li had called over to help, and questioned Yan Li's wealth.

"Oh my god."

Yan Xin slapped his forehead, utterly exasperated: "You think this is our village? This is a sihe academy in Jingcheng—it's more expensive than an apartment! My brother spent nearly six million buying and renovating it—it's his most expensive property, and he won't even live in it himself."

"How much?"

The aunt-in-law's voice nearly cracked, drawing everyone's attention. She didn't care—she just stared at Yan Xin in disbelief.

"This broken house and yard? Six million?!"

"Uh."

Yan Xin saw his second uncle, second aunt, and cousin staring at him—he panicked and hurried to explain.

"This land borders the Wang Fu, right next to Shichahai and Houhai—it's one of Jingcheng's best locations. It's a standalone courtyard with clear ownership, fully renovated and restored—it's a top-tier sihe academy. This price is absolutely fair."

Zhang Hong looked at Yan Li: "Did this house really cost six million?"

"Mm."

Yan Li nodded, then ended all debate with one sentence: "I bought it early. With the Olympics coming, prices in scarce areas keep rising—this house's already climbing toward eight million."

It doesn't matter if it cost a lot—as long as you make money!

Upon hearing the house had earned nearly two million, all shock and disbelief vanished beneath joy.

But now that they knew the price, everyone felt restrained, sitting lightly as if afraid of damaging the floor.

Yan Li couldn't help glaring at Yan Xin—he hadn't told the family how much the house was worth precisely to avoid this, and now this kid couldn't keep his mouth shut.

Fortunately, when they learned Yan Li had given them his most expensive and finest house to live in, the elders were moved by his filial devotion; though slightly uneasy, they didn't suggest moving out.

Seeing this, Yan Li relaxed—he knew that once they lived there long enough, they'd naturally stop treating it as something extraordinary.

…

Yan Li had originally planned to help the family tidy up, but an urgent work matter came up, so he had to leave first.

Still, he left behind his cousin Yan Xin and driver Wu Maowen to help—they were familiar with the family, so the elders gave them orders without ceremony.

But unlike what Yan Li expected, the elders didn't care whether the two could actually work; instead, they seized them to ask questions about Yan Li.

"Which one's your brother's girlfriend? Is she in Jingcheng?"

Zhang Hong pulled Yan Xin and pressed him; he shook his head like a rattle: "Auntie Zhang, I've told you dozens of times—I don't know."

He'd been sent back to their hometown before, returned for the New Year, and been interrogated countless times—but he never budged.

Zhang Hong knew asking him was useless, so she turned to Wu Maowen: "Xin says you're always with Yan Li—you must know who he's seeing."

Wu Maowen glared at Yan Xin, kept his head down, and said nothing; Zhang Hong grew impatient.

"What are you pretending to be mute for?"

"Enough."

Yan's grandmother glanced at her daughter-in-law: "If Xiao Li wants to tell, he'll tell. Why are you pressuring them?"

"I'm not trying to force anything—I just want to know who the real daughter-in-law is?"

Zhang Hong's head ached just thinking about the past year's wild rumors about Yan Li—this little brat wouldn't really assemble a group of seven fairy brides for her, would he?

Both refused to speak, and Yan's grandmother sided with them; eventually, the interrogation fizzled out.

Yan Xin, sent out to buy missing daily necessities, sighed in relief—his brother was too accomplished, and the elders gave him face, so they took it out on him.

The older brother dates girls, the younger brother takes the blame…

As he muttered to himself, his phone rang—he pulled it out, felt his scalp tingle, hesitated a moment, then answered.

"Hello, sister-in-law."

Qin Lan's warm, gentle voice came through: "I heard from your brother that Grandma and your uncle and aunt have come to Jingcheng. I've prepared some things—come over to my place and help me bring them over."

Yan Xin couldn't tell if Qin Lan genuinely knew or was testing him, wasn't sure if she wanted him to deliver items or just get the address, and most crucially, had no idea what Yan Li's intentions were.

"Sorry, sister-in-law, I'm out of town right now—my brother sent me to check out cinema locations."

"Oh, I see."

Qin Lan said nothing more, ended the call in a few words; Yan Xin patted his chest in relief and immediately called Yan Li to warn him.

"Got it."

Yan Li seemed to be in a meeting—he replied briefly and hung up; Yan Xin could only pray his cousin would be lucky.

After buying the items, Yan Xin carried them back and opened the courtyard gate—his scalp exploded again.

Dong Xuan, with long hair flowing over her shoulders, wearing a light blouse and A-line skirt, elegant and composed, smiled warmly as she chatted with Zhang Hong and Yan's grandmother.

Seeing Yan Xin return, Dong Xuan greeted him familiarly: "Xiao Xin, you're back? I came to see Grandma and Uncle and Auntie."

"Ah, uh, oh."

At that moment, Yan Xin dared not casually call her "sister-in-law," mumbled a vague reply, then went to find Wu Maowen and asked quietly.

"What's going on?"

"I don't know. She showed up out of nowhere—Li Ge's phone hung up immediately. I sent him a text."

Wu Maowen remained calm; Yan Xin, however, was scratching his head.

Since this sihe academy was where Yan Li's parents lived, Yan Li had personally overseen the renovation before handing it over to him.

According to Yan Xin's knowledge, very few people knew about this house—certainly not Qin Lan—and even fewer knew Yan Li's parents had arrived today and were staying here.

Plus, as Yan Li's cousin, he'd often been courted and bribed by Dong and Qin—if any leak occurred, he'd be the first to blame.

"Li Ge replied."

Wu Maowen showed Yan Xin his phone: "He said himself—it's none of our business."

"Phew~"

Yan Xin dramatically wiped sweat from his brow, then couldn't help sighing: "I knew it—my brother's still sentimental; Dong Xuan is the one he holds dearest."

Wu Maowen said nothing aloud, but nodded inwardly.

He also believed Dong Xuan was the one Yan Li valued most.

Previously, he'd heard gossip on set from insiders who said Dong Xuan had voluntarily abandoned her career and hidden as a teacher at North Film, making her no match for Fan Xiaopang.

But then again, is a career partner more important than a homely, supportive wife?

Dong Xuan as a teacher is respectable, has time to care for the family, and can still ease the burden on Yan Li's busy life.

Plus, she doesn't have to expose herself to the messy entertainment industry.

Yan Li's thoughts were unknown, but Wu Maowen firmly believed women were better off staying quietly at home.

So in Wu Maowen's view, Dong Xuan might seem unassuming, but she was steady, grounded, and deeply rooted—he was most confident she'd win in the end.

On the other side, Dong Xuan had no idea that Wu Maowen, Yan Li's personal driver and childhood friend, favored her—right now, she was pouring all her energy into impressing Yan Li's family.

Yan Li was filial—if she won over his family, Qin Lan and Fan Xiaopang could both go cool off somewhere else.

Dong Xuan kept performing, while Yan's grandmother, Zhang Hong, and the others observed her, directly or subtly.

They knew this girl—Yan Li's college ex-girlfriend—and hadn't expected their breakup was fake.

After a brief chat, Zhang Hong and the others were quite satisfied with Dong Xuan.

A daughter-in-law who's beautiful and fair-skinned, with excellent poise, a good family background, and who's even a university teacher—what a perfect match for a harmonious household.

Especially Zhang Hong, after chatting for a while, grabbed Dong Xuan's hand and wouldn't let go, her affection obvious to all.

Seeing the atmosphere was good, Yan Xin and Wu Maowen relaxed too, deciding to go outside for a cigarette.

But as soon as they stepped out, before they could light up, they saw a stunning woman with a fox-like face and sunglasses stepping out of a Mercedes G-Class; she nodded approvingly at them.

"Looks like I didn't get the wrong place—you're just in time, come help me carry things."

"What the hell!"

Yan Xin's jaw dropped—Fan Xiaopang was shooting a drama in Hebei Province, so how did she suddenly show up in Jingcheng?

Wu Maowen was stunned too, but he reacted quickly, telling Yan Xin to stall Fan Xiaopang while he pulled out his phone to call Yan Li.

Yan Li hung up again immediately; the situation was urgent, so Wu Maowen didn't care what Yan Li was doing—he dialed two more times.

Probably realizing something was wrong, Yan Li answered the third call.

"What's wrong?"

Wu Maowen explained the situation, and Yan Li went numb.

Dong Xuan was someone he'd told; he'd prepared Qin Lan too. He hadn't decided what to say to Fan Xiaopang yet, so he'd said nothing—so how did she find out, and why did she show up so precisely?

There's a traitor!

Yan Li's first thought was this—there's no way Fan Xiaopang had her own intelligence network.

"Bro, come quick—she's already here, should we stop her?"

"Don't hang up—go inside and check."

Yan Li ordered Wu Maowen to livestream via phone; the latter didn't dare delay and followed him into the courtyard.

Fan Xiaopang apparently didn't know Dong Xuan was there—when she entered, her face was bright with smiles, her voice clear as she greeted the curious onlookers, until her eyes landed on Dong Xuan, and her smile froze on her face.

Dong Xuan, who had been smiling warmly and kindly toward Zhang Hong and the others just moments ago, instantly turned cold at the sight of Fan Xiaopang walking in with luggage.

As the popular leading actress and Yan Li's publicly acknowledged girlfriend, Fan Xiaopang was impossible for Yan Li's family not to recognize.

Old Yan and Mrs. Zhang couldn't help exchanging a glance; a shadow fell over both their hearts.

I told you not to come to Jingcheng—that little bastard keeps digging holes for me…

————

PS: Today's update: 6000/9000 words

(End of Chapter)