After Divorce, My Ex-Wife Became My Creditor - Chapter 25 - Summoning an Ancestor

When Han Qian returned to the General Affairs Department, everyone had already left. Only Yan Qingqing was sitting at his desk. Han Qian gestured towards Yang Lan and then pointed to the office. Yan Qingqing nodded. Just then, Liu Jiulong poked his head in from outside, looking at Yang Lan with a face full of concern.

Unfortunately, no one paid him any attention.

Yang Lan went to rest. Han Qian glanced at Yan Qingqing sitting in his seat, then walked over to Su Liang, quietly instructing him to draft some documents. He mentioned that the documents could be roughly written, but the drawings needed to be clearer and more detailed. Liu Jiulong was also sitting next to Su Liang, joining in the conversation.

At this moment, Han Qian turned to Yan Qingqing.

“General Manager Yan, are the relocation funds provided by the government or by us?”

Yan Qingqing frowned slightly and replied softly, “They say it’s only for the land value. I’ll call tomorrow morning to confirm, but I’ve heard that residents will be moved to a developing neighborhood. I don’t know the specifics. Han Qian, have you calculated how much we won’t lose?”

“If nothing unexpected happens, keeping it under six million will guarantee a profit, and the funds will be quickly recouped. The document preparation time is definitely tight, but I should be able to present it verbally at tomorrow’s executive meeting. I’ll go make a call.”

With that, Han Qian left the General Affairs Department, ignoring Yan Qingqing’s piercing gaze. He walked to a corner and took out his phone to call Wen Nuan. Wen Nuan was already home, seemingly having dinner, and mentioned she was feeling much better, asking if she could skip the medication.

The answer was a definite no. He gently persuaded her and suggested she call her mom to let her know she was fine. Wen Nuan agreed with an “oh,” and after hanging up, she dialed the number saved as “Mom.” When the call connected, she sweetly said with a smile, “Mom, what are you up to? Han Qian is working late, and I’m home alone, so I thought I’d call you, hehe.”

If Li Jinhe were here, she would surely grit her teeth and scold Wen Nuan as a little ingrate. Qian’s mom, holding the phone, was overjoyed and replied warmly, “Nuan, did Han Qian leave you home alone while he worked late? Did he make you dinner? Are you hungry?”

“He did, Mom. I caught a cold.”

“A cold? Did you take any medicine? Did Han Qian leave you home sick? Old Han, you need to talk to your son. Does he know what’s more important, work or his wife?”

“No, no, no, Mom, don’t get worked up. Han Qian took me to get a shot yesterday. I just missed you, Mom. I want to eat your dumplings.”

“You want dumplings? I’ll make some right away, freeze them tonight, and have them sent over by shuttle bus in the morning. You can cook them whenever you want.”

Listening to her mother-in-law’s hurried footsteps on the phone, Wen Nuan couldn’t help but cover her mouth as tears fell. She really loved her mother-in-law. Li Jinhe treated her well, but only fulfilled her financial needs. For everything else, she had to rely on Mr. Wen. Now, she merely mentioned wanting dumplings, and her mother-in-law was already busy, even planning to send them over by shuttle bus.

“Mom~~ Can I come back to spend the New Year with you?”

Wen Nuan’s voice trembled slightly. There was a brief silence on the other end of the line, as if her mother-in-law was taken aback, and then her joyful voice came through.

“Old Han, Nuan wants to come home for the New Year. I need to think, I need to think. Nuan loves crabs, let’s buy some and keep them for when she comes back. Nuan, you better not be teasing me. Last year you said you’d come back, but you didn’t.”

Wen Nuan couldn’t hold back her emotions any longer; tears streamed down her face as she nodded vigorously.

“Mom, I’ll come back for Little New Year¹, to be with you. Please take care of yourself. I… I need to take my medicine now.”

She said she was going to hang up, but listening to her mother-in-law’s caring words, Wen Nuan couldn’t bring herself to end the call. They chatted for half an hour until Wen Nuan’s phone warned it was about to shut down.

Sitting on the sofa, Wen Nuan cried and laughed simultaneously.

Everyone is vulnerable when they’re sick, even Wen Nuan, who is a strong woman at work, felt fragile. Alone at home, hearing her mother-in-law’s concern and joy at the news of her coming home for the New Year, Wen Nuan was truly touched.

Her mother-in-law’s kindness left Wen Nuan unsure of how to express her gratitude. She only remembered the first time she went home for the New Year. Han Qian’s family lived in a bungalow, and before dawn, her father-in-law would heat the brick bed², worried she might be cold. The rooster would be slaughtered, and when Wen Nuan woke up for breakfast, her mother-in-law would hold her hand, sharing stories and Han Qian’s embarrassing moments. Wen Nuan would cling to her mother-in-law’s arm, playfully asking for various foods, and her mother-in-law would smile and instruct her father-in-law to prepare them.

Wen Nuan didn’t realize that she had already grown accustomed to Han Qian, opening her heart to accept her in-laws.

After charging her phone, Wen Nuan sent a text to Han Qian.

“Don’t tell your parents we’ve divorced.”

Han Qian stared at the message, bewildered. Why did Wen Nuan suddenly send this? The next moment, his phone rang, and he was scolded by the old man on the other end. Han Qian slumped helplessly in his chair.

How did Wen Nuan manage to inform Li Jinhe not to worry, yet reach his mom with the news?

Han Qian only remembered the old man saying, “You little rascal, wait till you get home.”

The old man was someone who didn’t make promises lightly. Whenever he said this, Han Qian never escaped a beating.

This troublemaker even thought of reporting him while sick?

Then Han Qian called his mother-in-law. She seemed to be lecturing Mr. Wen about secretly drinking, advising Han Qian not to spoil the little ingrate. Listening to Mr. Wen saying not to bully their daughter, Li Jinhe’s angry voice pierced Han Qian’s eardrums.

“Bully your daughter? Old Wen, is that even human talk? Don’t you know what kind of child Qian is? Don’t you know Wen Nuan only had a cold, and Han Qian stayed with her at the hospital all night? Can you, as a father, stay up all night with your daughter, or can I, as a mother, do that? Han Qian, don’t listen to your dad. What couple doesn’t argue?”

“Hey? Li Jinhe, you’ve got it wrong. For thirty years, it’s been you single-handedly slaughtering me. Do you really think I, Wen, have no temper?”

“Wanna try?”

“You should go play cards.”

Han Qian silently hung up the phone… His mother-in-law’s temper and character could probably even tame Yan Qingqing. She truly was capable of taking action.

Feeling utterly defeated, Han Qian slumped in his chair, covering his face with a book. He wondered if the old man would forget his promise come New Year. Forgetting would be best, forgetting would be best. The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he became, ready to explode.

“I’m going to sleep. Wake me up in the morning.”

Amidst several bewildered glances, Han Qian propped his legs on a chair and prepared to sleep. Su Liang’s eye twitched slightly; Han Qian really wasn’t worried at all? Yan Qingqing’s eyes were practically shooting fire as she gritted her teeth and trembled.

“Liu Jiulong, go to the security office and tell them to turn off the surveillance in the General Affairs Department. I… must not get angry… must not get angry… I summoned this ancestor… I allowed him to work at Rongyao… self-inflicted… self-inflicted…”

Liu Jiulong broke out in a cold sweat.

Footnote:

1. Little New Year(小年):A traditional Chinese festival celebrated a few days before the Lunar New Year (Spring Festival). It marks the beginning of the New Year’s preparations, often involving cleaning the house and offering sacrifices to the Kitchen God.
2. Brick Bed(炕):A traditional Northern Chinese heated platform or bed, typically made of brick or mud. It is warmed by a flue running underneath, often connected to a stove, providing warmth for sleeping and daily activities, especially in colder regions.