Chapter 318: Seeing Yan Li This Child, Silver Wing, Pierced Through Two Thousand Years Up and Down

Jingcheng, airport

Qin Lan waved at the newcomer: "Mom, sister-in-law."

The middle-aged woman leading the group was Qin Mu, an accountant at a state-owned enterprise, looking stern and mature.

Qin Lan was still under thirty, and since the older generation married early, Qin Mu was barely over fifty, not yet retired, and had taken special leave for this trip.

"Did you come alone?"

Qin Lan was somewhat afraid of her mother; in the Qin family, her mother called the shots, and she had been raised with extreme strictness, leaving her with lingering psychological scars.

"He had an emergency meeting at the Ministry of Science and Technology—called by his superiors, couldn't be refused."

"Auntie, he's a big boss, of course he's busy; as an elder, you should understand."

Qin Lan's sister-in-law stepped in to defuse the tension; Qin Lan was an only child, but she had an uncle, and this sister-in-law was her cousin-sister-in-law, though the two families were very close, and since both were only children, their bond was nearly like that of a real sister-in-law.

For this trip to Jingcheng, Qin Fu didn't come, so they brought this niece-in-law along to assist—she got along well with Qin Lan, so it wasn't awkward at all.

Qin Lan gave her cousin-sister-in-law a grateful look: "Sister-in-law, Xiao Lang's summer break is coming up soon—let my brother bring him to Jingcheng to play."

Xiao Lang was her nephew, Qin Lang, currently in elementary school and the only third-generation child in the Qin family.

Qin Lan doted on him; every time she returned to her hometown, she brought him gifts, sometimes even mailed things back—she and her nephew were very close.

The cousin-sister-in-law had a plump, prosperous appearance and spoke warmly to Qin Lan: "Xiao Lang will be thrilled—he talks about you every day at home. We didn't dare tell him we were coming, or he wouldn't have focused on his final exams."

After chatting a while, Qin Lan signaled the driver to bring the luggage, and the group got into the car and left.

"This car's great—a Benz, Lanlan, did you buy it yourself?"

The cousin-sister-in-law touched the comfortable seat, curious; Qin Lan in the front passenger seat pursed her lips.

"Seeing Yan Li had an emergency, so he specially sent his own car to pick us up, to show respect for my mom."

"So this is his personal car?"

The cousin-sister-in-law finally realized—she'd already thought the car looked impressive, its exterior dignified, interior luxurious and refined, which was why she'd asked; now that she knew the truth, her excitement surged.

"How much did this car cost?"

Qin Lan's tone was uncertain: "Two or three million, I'm not exactly sure."

"Goodness, one car equals several houses in Shen City…"

Before she finished, her foot was stepped on; she turned and saw Qin Mu glaring at her, nodding subtly toward the driver.

The meaning was clear: show some decorum!

The cousin-sister-in-law chuckled awkwardly and fell silent, but inside she was anything but calm—not just her, Qin Mu's heart was also stirred.

Over the past few years, the economy in Northeast China hadn't been good, and wages weren't high either.

Qin Lan's parents both worked at state-owned enterprises, which were doing well, and both held technical positions, so their benefits were relatively better.

Qin Mu, as an old accountant, earned about four thousand a month including salary and other benefits; Qin Fu, a mechanic, earned more—the two together made roughly ten thousand a month.

The cousin-sister-in-law's family was different.

Qin Lan's uncle had retired, her aunt had been laid off, and her health was poor—medical bills and daily expenses wiped out her pension entirely.

The cousin-brother drove for the factory; since his job depended heavily on business, his income was unstable. The cousin-sister-in-law was a kindergarten teacher, and since it was a public institution, her pay was slightly better—their combined monthly income was only five or six thousand, and when the cousin-brother had no work, their income dropped further.

For the cousin-brother and his wife, their greatest wish was to save up and buy a house, to move out of the cramped, crowded worker's housing district.

But even though Shen City's housing prices were far below those in Jingcheng, they were still expensive for ordinary people.

Even modest units cost over three thousand per square meter; for better locations and quality, prices could reach six to eight thousand per square meter.

Such homes were beyond the cousin-sister-in-law's imagination, yet Seeing Yan Li's car was worth several of them.

Originally, Qin Mu's trip had carried a tone of confrontation—at least to support Qin Lan, with the cousin-sister-in-law playing the complementary role.

But now the cousin-sister-in-law felt confrontation was unnecessary, the double act redundant—what good would support do when the two sides were so far apart in status?

The car slowly drove into Fuli City, and Qin Lan led Qin Mu and the cousin-sister-in-law into her home.

The moment the door opened, the 170-square-meter penthouse with its luxurious, refined interior stunned Qin Mu and the cousin-sister-in-law.

The cousin-sister-in-law excitedly toured the apartment; Qin Mu, more composed, glanced at her daughter: "Last time your father came, weren't you renting a small place?"

Qin Lan had been drifting in the north for years, and her parents couldn't ignore her forever.

Once, when Qin Fu came to Jingcheng on business, he wanted to visit his daughter; Qin Lan had him stay at a hotel, claiming she was sharing an apartment with others—it was too inconvenient for him to stay with her.

When Qin Fu returned home, this tough old man actually cried, saying his daughter's life in the north was hard—she'd bought them a house, yet lived in a rental herself.

She hadn't even dared let him see where she lived—she might be living in a basement, just like the newspapers reported.

Since then, whenever Qin Lan sent money home, her parents hardly spent it—they saved it for her dowry, even after she became famous.

This blog scandal had fully exposed the truth; Qin Lan no longer had reason to hide it, so she brought Qin Mu straight to Fuli City, and only then did her mother realize how much her daughter had suffered.

Qin Lan felt embarrassed, but she feigned innocence, pushing her mother onto the sofa and eagerly serving tea and water.

The cousin-sister-in-law wandered around, exaggerating: "It's too big—I'm almost lost."

Qin Lan smiled without replying; when she first moved into Fuli City, she'd felt the same way—but now she was used to it, and Seeing Yan Li had even started complaining it was too small, telling her to research better developments so they could swap for a bigger one, otherwise she'd be too embarrassed to invite friends over.

Qin Mu couldn't help glaring at her—why did you come here if you can't be serious?

The cousin-sister-in-law fell quiet; Qin Mu's personality was cold and rigid—not only did Qin Lan fear her mother, she was also a bit afraid of this aunt.

After restraining the cousin-sister-in-law, Qin Mu regained control; with the main person absent, she would interrogate Qin Lan.

She could've asked over the phone, but this stubborn girl always dodged sensitive questions, pretended bad signal, and hung up—only face-to-face could she get clear answers.

"Who bought this house?"

"Him."

"How much?"

"About two million when we bought it in 2004—the floor and renovation were good; with housing prices rising fast these years, it's probably worth nearly five million now."

"Whose name is it under?"

"Mine."

"Only yours."

"Mm, the property certificate is at home—I'll go get it to show you if you don't believe me."

Qin Mu fell silent; the moment she stepped into this apartment, she knew it wasn't cheap, and had planned to use it as an entry point to probe deeper—but the more she probed, the more she shut down.

Qin Lan, seemingly unconvinced the shock was enough, added two more sentences: "This one was paid in full—no mortgage for me. I also own two smaller apartments and a commercial shop, all paid in full, all under my name."

The cousin's wife's voice grew stiff: "He bought them all."

"Some of the money came from him, some I earned myself."

Nowadays, asking Qin Lan to save money as a backup for Seeing Yan Li would be nonsense.

For safety's sake, Qin Lan still saved a fair amount, but the remaining internet cafe dividends left her with surplus, and her own job also brought in income.

Though she didn't take many roles, Qin Lan was still a popular Qingyi actress—between filming and ads, she earned plenty all year round.

This money couldn't possibly be spent just on food, drinks, dog care, and sisterly get-togethers; Qin Lan dared not invest recklessly, so she followed Seeing Yan Li's advice and bought houses and commercial shops to hold onto.

Just from these real estate holdings alone, Qin Lan's net worth had to exceed ten million.

Qin Mu rubbed her temples, then suddenly noticed the house—everything was spotless—and perked up.

"Do you have to cook him three meals a day, act as his full-time maid?"

Qin Lan shook her head: "Not really—I only cook for him occasionally in the morning and evening. The housework is handled by a housekeeper."

Besides, Seeing Yan Li isn't home every day—but Qin Lan didn't dare tell her mother that.

Qin Mu blinked: "Then what do you do every day?"

"When there's a role, I film; I collect rent and check accounts occasionally; otherwise, I walk the dog, do beauty treatments, practice yoga, meet friends…"

The more Qin Lan spoke, the more guilty she felt, her voice growing quieter; Qin Mu's face had turned grim, translating for her daughter.

"So you mean you just eat, drink, and play all day?"

"I still have a job."

Qin Lan emphasized it, though her working hours were short, it was still work.

Honestly, she hadn't realized it herself until her mother summed it up—Qin Lan now saw she was nearly being spoiled "soft" by Seeing Yan Li; not even Fan Xiaopang had a job, and that Dong guy still held a teaching post at Beijing Film Academy.

The cousin's wife had already given up commenting, and merely addressed Qin Mu.

"Auntie, I think we should be a bit more careful, or it'll seem… like we're taking advantage."

Good grief—she just eats and lounges, gets plenty of money, and you literally can't find a single fault with Seeing Yan Li.

She was even a little jealous of her sister-in-law now!

The cousin's wife's words were harsh, but Qin Mu had no reply—she'd come here to confront Seeing Yan Li, but now, how could she even begin?

To complain Seeing Yan Li treated her daughter too well?

Or that he gave her daughter too much money?!

The only possible angle was his unfaithfulness, but that line was too hard to tread—if they pushed too hard and ruined the relationship, it would only hurt her daughter.

Regardless, Seeing Yan Li truly treated Qin Lan well, and from her daughter's face during their chat, Qin Mu could see Qin Lan genuinely liked and cherished him.

So unless absolutely necessary, Qin Mu didn't want to start by attacking him.

Watching her mother and sister-in-law sit in silent turmoil, Qin Lan kept praising Seeing Yan Li.

From Qin Lan's perspective, Seeing Yan Li was perfect except for his wandering eye—and naturally, she painted only his shining image. There might be some exaggeration and gaps, but given Qin Lan's treatment, Qin Mu and the cousin's wife had no choice but to believe her.

True feelings can deceive, but real gold and silver cannot!

Qin Mu and the cousin's wife were both married women—they understood these things all too well.

Seeing Yan Li was willing to pour money into Qin Lan, and the amount far exceeded her own worth—making him superior to countless men.

Real gold and silver are also real feelings—this statement may be biased, but it held a grain of truth…

…

The women chatted until afternoon, when Seeing Yan Li finally returned from his meeting.

He'd just come from a meeting, so today he wore formal attire—shirt, slacks, leather shoes—his tall, muscular frame and ruggedly handsome face made him stand out; anyone who saw him would praise: "What a handsome young man."

Qin Mu and the cousin's wife thought the same—his appearance was truly outstanding; no wonder he'd bewitched her daughter and sister-in-law.

"Auntie, I'm truly sorry I didn't pick you up."

Seeing Yan Li lowered his posture completely—his woman's mother was his mother-in-law; he wouldn't put on airs.