Chapter 227: Apology in Person
The director of the textile factory, Zou Jianling, has been quite on edge these days. He had never heard of someone like Ding Ancheng before, but after asking around, he found out that most people knew him as a math teacher at the County First Middle School, a Jing University math department graduate.
However, further inquiries didn’t get him more information. Zou Jianling then asked someone he knew in Jing City. He thought it would take days to get a response, but to his surprise, he received one the same day, and the information shocked him so much that he sat in his chair for a long time, unable to return to his senses.
Ding Ancheng’s reputation is more prominent in Jing City than in Huaixi County. He’s the son recently found by the Xu Family in Jing City. After Xu Zongyin transferred the ashes of his beloved wife Chi Moyao to Jing City, many reputable families there soon knew that the Xu Family had a legitimate heir, named Ding Ancheng, the grandchild of the Chi Family.
At first, people thought he was found from somewhere unknown and were just observing. Unexpectedly, the first to visit the Xu Family to express congratulations was the Zhou Family. Zhou Jinruo and Zhou Zeyuan went together. Although Ding Ancheng hadn’t grown up with the Xu Family, he was mentored by Zhou Jinruo for his abilities, and he was a fellow student and friend of Zhou Zeyuan.
The second to visit was the Hu Family and the Yuan Family. After learning Ding Ancheng’s identity, Zhou Jinruo immediately called his old friend Zhu Dangting, and then the Hu Family in the provincial capital knew about it. Hu Zhishu immediately informed his parents living in Jing City. The Yuan Family, because of the Hu Family and Yuan Xiangyu, knew about Ding Ancheng and Yi Roujing; they were benefactors to the Hu Family, and hence to the Yuan Family as well.
The third to visit was the Zheng Family in Jing City, which was understandable since Xu Zongyin’s deceased mother was married from the Zheng Family.
The friend Zou Jianling contacted in Jing City was a police officer, who happened to be on duty that day. As Zou Jianling didn’t specify his reasons for inquiring, his friend thought Zou Jianling was on friendly terms with Ding Ancheng and jokingly said he was about to shine again.
Zou Jianling didn’t expect Ding Ancheng to have any connections to Jing City, let alone being the descendant of the Xu Family. What surprised him even more was that although Ding Ancheng had just been recognized by the Xu Family, his abilities were already outstanding. It was impossible for the Xu Family to have helped him achieve this seven years ago; Ding Ancheng had unknown connections. Without relying on the Xu Family, he had already made a name for himself—such a person could indeed make the Zou Family fall from grace.
Zou Jianling, having learned about Ding Ancheng’s situation, called over Zou Jianfeng, Zou Xuri, and Wu Zhuoyue to explain it. He finally advised Zou Xuri to personally visit the next day to apologize and compensate, as resolving this matter would be the best outcome for the Zou Family.
On September 14th, a Sunday, Zou Jianling and Zou Jianfeng personally led Zou Xuri to the County First Middle School, inquiring about the address of Ding Ancheng and Yi Roujing. When they saw the standalone house, they once again marveled at Ding Ancheng’s prowess; to think that a teacher at his age could be assigned such a residence, it was clear how much he had contributed to the school.
Each of the three carried a mesh bag filled with good food and expensive traditional medicinal supplements, a testament to their sincerity in apologizing.
Ding Weihuo and Li Hongying were also there. It was their first time seeing members of the Zou Family, surprised by their behavior. When Zou Xuri entered and saw Yi Roujing and Xie Chenyan coming out from inside the house, he immediately knelt down and admitted his mistakes, reflecting on himself, and declared that from now on he wanted to be someone useful to society and serve the people.
Xie Chenyan didn’t expect to receive such an apology and promise. If it had been only Zou Xuri coming alone, she might not have believed it, but with Zou Jianling and Zou Jianfeng also present, assuring that they would not allow Zou Xuri to act recklessly again, she believed them.
Li Hongying, not knowing the background of the incident, just assumed they came to apologize to Xie Chenyan and even wanted to keep them for a meal, but the three expressed their gratitude and politely declined.
Xie Chenyan had already stayed at the County First Middle School for a long time. Owing to Li Hongying’s cooking skills, she and her brother Xie Chentao had put on a little weight, and their complexion had significantly improved. But after Zou Xuri apologized, she started packing, planning to return home.
Yi Weiliang personally accompanied the siblings, helping clean a house that hadn’t been lived in for nearly half a month.
Zou Xuri, because of kneeling, was feeling agitated. That afternoon, he got into a conflict with someone, and by evening, he was found in an alley with a burlap sack over his head, severely beaten. After being discovered, he was sent to the hospital; both his legs were broken, making it necessary for him to stay in bed for three months.
Due to the conflict with Zou Xuri and the apology from the Zou Family, no one targeted Xie Chenyan again. Through Liu Guangmei, the people at the textile factory began to gradually learn that Xie Chenyan had a suitor.
On September 20th, Mid-Autumn Festival, Yi Weiliang took Xie Chenyan and Xie Chentao to the Wan Tang Production Team. Ding Ancheng and Yi Roujing also went along. For family occasions, returning to one’s family is customary, though they also had more important matters to discuss.
Liu Huilan was overjoyed to see so many people coming back home, and of course, the happiest news was that Yi Weiliang brought someone home to introduce.
Liu Huilan warmly held Xie Chenyan’s hand, smiling and asking about her well-being, while Xie Chentao had already blended in with the three Yi Junbao children. After playing with Liu Youning and staying at the County First Middle School for half a month, Xie Chentao was now more cheerful and assertive.
"Sister-in-law, did you have breakfast? If not, I’ll boil an egg for you," Weng Hefeng offered gratefully to her sister-in-law Yi Roujing.
On September 1st, Wan Tang Production Team started installing electrical lines. Yi Weimin came with his teacher to Wan Tang. Now everyone there knew Yi Weimin, and soon the electricity would be available. No one could forget; living with the benefits of electricity installation, Yi Weimin was surely remembered.
Because of this, Weng Hefeng was very popular in the team lately. People would bring her vegetables or slip her an egg, all thanks to Yi Roujing, which made Weng Hefeng grow fonder of her.
Upon entering the house, Weng Hefeng attended closely to Yi Roujing, offering her sugar water, seeds, and peanuts. Seeing Yi Roujing enjoy the food made Weng Hefeng worried she hadn’t had breakfast.
"My sister is eating for two now," Yi Weiliang chuckled.
Liu Huilan, who had been tending to the Xie siblings, asked, "What do you mean, is Roujing pregnant? Since when?"
Yi Roujing paused with the peanut in hand, blinking at Liu Huilan in surprise. She hadn’t explicitly told her parents about her pregnancy because she assumed one of her three brothers would mention it. How did it end up like this...
The result was that the three Yi brothers were severely scolded by Liu Huilan, and then Yi Roujing received the utmost care from her mother, who nearly fed her every meal.
Pan Kexia had been quite honest lately. She was scolded by her husband after she complained, wishing Yi Weijun had gone to the electricity plant. She regretted it but said words blaming her older brother and sister-in-law.