It had to be said that circumstances can make a man. His parents had once been people who were poor at conversation, and now each had a career of their own, living each day with relish.

"Uncle Chen, you and my dad are always together?" Yang Ce asked in surprise. His own father was actually often with Uncle Chen.

"We're in-laws, aren't we? Your dad and I will just tag along and freeload a bit—nobody can find fault with that," Uncle Chen said with a laugh.

"But Uncle Chen, your leg hasn't fully healed yet, and you're already off to drink? Is that really wise?" Yang Xutang could not help but smile wryly. "Going drinking on crutches—you're the first of your kind."

"Haha," Chen Fei's old face flushed red, and he laughed. "Let's not talk about that. Let's get down to business."

"Right. Uncle Chen, whatever it is, just say it," Yang Yanzhou said.

"It's like this—Chen Shutang's second uncle on his father's side, that is, Chen Dazhuang—you know him, don't you?" Chen Fei explained. "You and Mengyan met him together—Chen Afu's father."

"I know him. Did he come to you to plead his case?" Yang Yanchuan asked.

"Not to plead, exactly—he just wants to see Chen Afu once," Chen Fei said with some feeling. "Chen Dazhuang's had a hard life. He got into some trouble years back and did time, and it was all he could do to serve out his sentence and get released—and then his son..."

"Then let him see him, Uncle Chen. You know Chen Afu is being held by the Investigation Bureau. If there's to be a meeting, you'll have to work it out with Xia Yan," Yang Yanzhou said.

"I've already talked it over with Old Xia. He said you're the one who made the arrest, so he told me to ask your opinion. That fellow—" Chen Fei smiled bitterly. "I told him I'm your father-in-law, and he still said no. It made me furious. So I called you straightaway."

"I see. Then I'll give him a call right now and explain. Uncle Chen, wait for my call," Yang Yanzhou said.

"All right, all right." Chen Fei agreed at once and hung up.

Yang Ce immediately dialed Xia Yan's number, and as always Xia Yan picked up quickly. "Yang Ce? What is it?"

"You know perfectly well what it is, don't you?" Yang Ce said irritably. He had just hung up on Chen Fei, and by then Yang Ce had more or less worked out the key to the matter—and understood why Xia Yan had insisted that Chen Fei come to him.

"Know what? I haven't the faintest idea," Xia Yan said with a chuckle.

"Enough. No more beating around the bush—Chen Dazhuang, Chen Afu's father, wants to see Chen Afu. Arrange it for him," Yang Ce said bluntly.

"All right, but—" Xia Yan had just started to speak when his phone signaled that the call had ended; Yang Ce had hung up on him.

Xia Yan was furious enough to curse aloud. He had had a few things prepared to say, and now he had no chance to say them. He thought about calling back to continue, but on second thought decided against it.

He was, after all, an elder, and could hardly stoop to quibble with a junior like Yan.

Yang Ce had seen through Xia Yan's little scheme, and naturally gave him no chance to speak. He had helped Xia Yan earn a great credit—by all accounts, Xia Yan ought to show him some gratitude. He had not wanted the credit himself and had given it to Xia Xue instead, so that Xia Yan felt he owed him a great favor, and thus kept trying to find a way to repay it.

And so, precisely when Chen Fei came to him for help, Xia Yan had instead told Chen Fei to call Yang Ce—which was as good as repaying Yang Juehuan's favor. Having grasped the crux of the matter, why would Yang Ce give Xia Yan any chance to speak?

You owe the favor, so just owe it. Haha—owe it until you're eaten up with guilt.

Yang Ce wasted no time and called Chen Fei again to tell him the outcome. Chen Fei was delighted, and said he would contact Xia Yan at once and have Chen Dazhuang meet Chen Afu as soon as possible.

With the matter of Chen Dazhuang settled, the bathwater was ready too. Yang Ce lay in the tub, soaking, utterly at ease. The thought that only Wang Yanqiu had ever used this tub sent a thrill through him.

He had not been soaking long, however, when the phone rang again. Yang Ce had not wanted to answer, but when he saw the caller ID still read "Chen Shutang's house," he really could not ignore it.

Neither Uncle Chen nor Chen Shutang could be slighted. There was no help for it—he had to dry the water from his hands and take the call.

"Hello, Uncle Chen?" Yang Cenbin answered, not daring to blurt out "Wife, wife."

"Yes, it's me. I've been in touch with Xia Yan," Chen Fei said, pausing to consider. "But he says you're to take Chen Dazhuang to visit Chen Afu."

"Why me? Can't you just go? What difference does it make who goes?" Yang Moyi asked, rather puzzled.

"That's what I said, but that fellow Xia Yan specifically named you. There's nothing I can do," Chen Fei said helplessly. "Though the Investigation Bureau does have secret offices in every city—it's only reasonable they don't let outsiders know about them casually."

Yang Lanxu thought: what do you mean, not let outsiders know? The police aren't outsiders either, surely. This Xia Yan must be unwilling to let that hang-up go and wants another chance to bring the matter out into the open.

But matters had come to this point, and Yang Shuoxuan had no way out. He could only nod and accept the errand—he could hardly refuse Chen Fei, could he?

"All right, Uncle Chen. When should I go?" Yang Yanchuan asked.

"The sooner the better," Chen Fei said. "Chen Afu may be transferred away in the next couple of days. So I'm afraid if too much time passes, it'll be too late."

"All right then. I'll head over in a little while," Yang Ce had to say. He had originally meant to relax with Wang Yanqiu today, but now it seemed there would be no time for that.

"Good. I'll contact Chen Dazhuang right now and tell him to come to my house. Once you arrive, you can set off," Chen Fei said. "Oh, and Mengyan too—"

Yang Ce was just about to hang up when he heard Mengyan's name, and his heart lurched. He asked quickly, "What's wrong with Mengyan?"

"Mengyan's caught a cold. When you come, pick up some medicine for her," Chen Fei said.

"What? Mengyan's caught a cold? Why didn't you say so earlier?" Yang Ce was startled and leaped straight out of the tub. He had been thinking of dawdling a while before going to Chen Fei's house, but now he did not want to linger even a moment.

"The house is too cold—she probably just hasn't adjusted yet. She slept a night, and first thing this morning she started running a fever and sneezing," Chen Fei said. "A few days at your place, and she's turned delicate."

To be continued.

1031. Whose Tears Are Flying

Zhao Ying clutched the little box tightly and walked out of Yang Juehuan's villa like a woman who had lost her soul. She had summoned immense courage to come here and wait for Yang Ce, but what she got in return was Zhao Ying's tears flying like rain. She let the cold wind blow against her face, freezing the crystalline teardrops into beads of ice, and did not notice in the least.

It was not until ice had caked thick on her eyelashes so that she could not close her eyes that Zhao Ying became aware of it—and even then she paid it no mind. She no longer cared how others looked at her now; she had no heart left for such things.