Chapter Forty-Two: “Clear Logic” Tian Yulan

Meanwhile, at the Yan household.

Yan Peng entered the apartment humming a tune. Having spent the day gaming with friends at an internet café, where he dominated the competition and secured a "penta-kill," he was in high spirits. However, the moment he stepped inside, he sensed that the atmosphere was off. Tian Yulan, who was usually bustling about the house, was nowhere to be seen in the living room. Instead, his son, who should have been buried in books and worksheets, was hunched over his desk playing with his microbial specimens.

Having been married to Tian Yulan for years, such a shift immediately put Yan Peng on high alert. He sensed that something was amiss. He tiptoed over to his son and whispered, asking what had happened. Yan Ziyou, long accustomed to his father’s peculiar antics, explained that his mother had gotten into a fight with his uncle-in-law.

Yan Peng was stunned. What could possibly have happened for his wife to clash with Xia Junshan? He could have believed it if she were arguing with Nan Li, but a fight with Xia Junshan? He found it hard to fathom. Yet, looking at his son’s expression, he knew the boy wasn't lying.

"Son, tell Dad, what exactly happened?" Yan Peng asked, sitting down beside Yan Ziyou with a serious expression.

Yan Ziyou recounted the events of the day in detail, concluding, "Mom really went too far today. She even tore Uncle Xia’s shirt..."

Children have their own sense of right and wrong, and having witnessed the entire incident, he knew exactly what had transpired. Yan Peng frowned. He did not doubt his son; he knew that given Tian Yulan’s personality, such behavior was entirely possible. What surprised him was that the usually mild-mannered Xia Junshan would engage in a shouting match with her, though when he considered how protective Xia was of his daughter, it became a bit more understandable.

Yan Peng scratched his head in frustration. Having grasped the sequence of events, he now had to figure out how to comfort his wife. Leaving Yan Ziyou to his playing, he walked into the bedroom.

"Honey!"

With a playful affectation, Yan Peng sashayed into the room. Seeing Tian Yulan sitting alone on the edge of the bed, he struck an even more exaggerated pose. "Honey, I’m home! Aren't you going to welcome me?" He puckered his lips and leaned toward her face.

"Get lost."

Tian Yulan pressed a palm against his face and shoved him to the floor. "I’m not in the mood for your nonsense."

Yan Peng, unfazed, asked with a grin, "Honey, who upset you this time?"

Tian Yulan rolled her eyes. "You already know, don't you?" Though she had remained in the room, she had heard Yan Peng return and overheard his conversation with their son.

Yan Peng chuckled sheepishly. "It’s nothing major, honey. Don’t take it to heart. It’s just a bit of arguing; it’ll blow over in a few days. I know Xia Junshan—we’re all family, after all. Surely we won't stay at each other's throats."

"Family?"

If he hadn't mentioned family, it might have been fine, but that only infuriated her further. She spoke with deep resentment: "You think we’re family, but they have never treated us as such. Do you know what he said to me today? In front of the child, he listed all my faults! Is that how a relative acts? And he calls himself a man? He couldn't stand up to Nan Li, so he takes his anger out on me? What kind of ability is that?"

Yan Peng frowned. He already knew the sequence of events from his son, who had noted that the fault primarily lay with Tian Yulan. Hearing her speak so harshly made him uncomfortable. Still, she was his wife, and even if she was in the wrong, he was naturally inclined to side with her.

"Alright, alright, don't be angry. Honey, don't be mad. Let your husband give you a kiss..."

"Get away!"

Pushed aside once more, Tian Yulan remained livid. "His daughter can't even keep her position as vice-monitor, and yet he blames me. If she’s capable, let her earn it herself! Spending all that money on a tutor—what’s the point? No matter how much she studies, she’ll never compare to our Ziyou."

Yan Peng dared not argue with that. He quickly pivoted, "Fine, fine. Let’s not involve the children in adult quarrels. They’re both our kids; there’s no need to compare them."

"I’m just stating facts! What, did I say something wrong? They spend over ten thousand a month on a tutor—what are they trying to show off? In the end, they still can't beat my son. Our Ziyou is just smarter than their child; that’s something money can’t fix."

"Right, right, right, you’re absolutely right. Honey, I haven't eaten yet. I’m starving, and I’ve been craving your cooking."

His goofy, aggrieved expression finally made Tian Yulan burst into a reluctant smile. "I know, I know. I’ll go make you something. I must owe you and your son a debt, taking care of the little one wasn't enough, now I have to take care of the big one too."

"Honey, I love you! You’re my favorite."

"Get up, I’m going to cook."

...

The next day, Tian Yulan was busy preparing for the Yibai Shopping Mall anniversary celebration. For a mall, the anniversary is a major event, and the entire staff treated it with the utmost gravity. Management had stated clearly: no issues were to occur during the celebration, and whoever was responsible for a department that failed would be fired immediately.

Tian Yulan had worked at Yibai for many years, finally clawing her way up to the position of floor manager. During the anniversary, her workload was immense. It had to be said that she was a formidable woman; balancing her demanding job with caring for her "big son" and little son was no small feat. Of course, this was her choice. Despite her husband's family having significant assets and a factory they could manage, she preferred to remain independent for the sake of her self-esteem. However, her independence was largely self-proclaimed; in reality, most of their household expenses were covered by her parents-in-law. Her sense of pride was, in truth, merely self-delusion.

"Manager Tian! Manager Tian!"

A subordinate ran over in a panic. Tian Yulan asked, "Why the rush? Tell me, what happened?"

The employee replied, "Manager Tian, the materials for the home goods pavilion haven't arrived yet. We called them, and they claim they were shipped according to the schedule, but we can't find a tracking number. The anniversary is in two days! If the materials aren't here, what are we going to do?"

Tian Yulan’s expression changed. "Is it the material for 'Wei Nuan'?"

"Yes, exactly. We ordered a lot of display items, but they haven't sent a single one. It's too late to find another vendor. Manager Tian, what should we do?"

"Don't panic. Let me figure something out."

Tian Yulan felt a surge of anxiety. If the home goods section was empty during the anniversary, the consequences would be unimaginable. Since she was the floor manager, the blame would fall squarely on her. She had every reason to be worried. Wei Nuan was a leader in the industry, and the mall had gone to great lengths to secure them as a tenant. If a problem arose, the mall certainly wouldn't blame Wei Nuan; they would blame her.

However, she was just a floor manager. She didn't know anyone of real influence at Wei Nuan—or rather, she knew one person.

Tian Yulan bit her lip, staring at a contact number on her phone. She hesitated, but after a moment, she made her decision and pressed the call button.