Chen Yang walked confidently to the handcrafted five-drawer chest from the 1980s against the north wall, opened the bottom drawer, and sure enough, saw the black box lying quietly inside.
Chen Yang's eyes lit up. The black box was clearly made of high-quality ebony, exquisitely crafted and meticulously made. The peony carvings on the box were lifelike, clearly the work of a master craftsman. A small, old-fashioned brass padlock hung on the box. Chen Yang was prepared; he took out a thin wire from his pocket.
Lock picking was an essential skill for special agents. In his previous life, Chen Yang had practiced under Jing Shuo, an intelligence expert from the General Staff, until he had mastered it to perfection. This old-fashioned padlock was useless against him.
Chen Yang carefully inserted the wire into the keyhole, gently fiddling with it a few times. With a soft "click," the padlock opened, the whole process taking less than five seconds.
Chen Yang set the padlock aside, took a deep breath, and then flung open the lid. Looking inside, he saw a pair of silver bracelets, a gold ring, a mithril cosmetic box popular in the 1970s and 80s, a warm jade Buddha, and a worn-out diary.
Chen Yang had a keen eye; he could immediately tell that the craftsmanship of the jewelry and jade pieces was exquisite, worlds apart from anything sold in ordinary workshops. However, his gaze was drawn to the unassuming diary.
"If all goes well, this should hold the answer I'm looking for..." Chen Yang muttered to himself as he picked up the diary.
It was a hardcover notebook with a picture of Weiming Lake at Peking University on the cover. The paper was slightly yellowed, and the edges were frayed, indicating its age, and that Han Xuehua must have frequently consulted it. Suppressing his excitement, Chen Yang slowly opened the diary's cover.
Just then, a photograph tucked between the pages of the diary fell out.
Chen Yang, without bothering to look through the diary, quickly picked up the photograph and examined it closely. It was a black-and-white photograph, bearing the logo of the famous Jinshan Photo Studio in Beijing during the 1970s and 80s. Upon seeing the people in the photograph, Chen Yang was immediately struck by a profound shock…
The people in the photograph were all too familiar to Chen Yang. Seated in the center were none other than the highly respected Party and state leader, Comrade Han Changzheng, and his revolutionary partner, Comrade Hui Yueying. Behind them stood three young people side by side. The girl on the far right, with a radiant youthful smile, was instantly recognizable to Chen Yang—his mother in this life, Han Xuehua.
The two slightly older young men beside Han Xuehua were also easily identified by Chen Yang. The one in the center was Han Lingfei, the eldest son of the second generation of the Han family, currently the political commissar of the Beijing Garrison Command, a deputy regional-level official; while the one on the left was Han Junfei, the second son of Han's grandfather, currently a member of the Standing Committee of the Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee and Minister of the Organization Department.
Chen Yang was deeply shaken. He had long suspected his mother's identity might be unusual, but he never expected her to be a member of the Han family, and seemingly a direct descendant at that. Otherwise, it would be impossible to explain her appearance in a family portrait of the Han family's core members.
Then, Chen Yang noticed something on the back of the photo. He quickly turned it over and saw a line of strong, powerful handwriting that seemed to penetrate the paper: "Commemorating my beloved daughter Xiaohua's 20th birthday. August 1982."
In his previous life, Chen Yang had studied calligraphy and traditional Chinese painting under Master Bai Yan and had in-depth knowledge of many famous works. He immediately recognized the writing as the work of Han Changzheng, a young Red Army soldier who had herded cattle and was practically illiterate. However, he was a man of true perseverance. Even amidst the fighting, he never forgot to study. After the liberation of the country, the old man rose to a higher leadership position and became fascinated with calligraphy. With an indomitable spirit, his calligraphy skills improved rapidly, eventually reaching the level of a master.
Old Master Han's calligraphy was unique, grand and powerful, with a hint of solemnity within its strong strokes. This was related to his arduous military career, something that ordinary people could not imitate. In his previous life, Chen Yang had specifically studied Old Master Han's calligraphy, so at first glance, he was quite certain that this was an authentic work.
Han Xuehua…Han Xiaohua…
Chen Yang kept muttering to himself. Now everything was clear. His mother in this life, the peasant woman who had made a living growing vegetables in a remote southeastern border town for over twenty years, was actually… a direct descendant of the powerful Han family, the biological daughter of Old Master Han! But what exactly caused Han Xuehua to leave her family? For over twenty years, not a word was spoken of, and no one from the Han family ever came looking for her. What happened back then that caused Han Xuehua to completely sever ties with her family? It seems the only answer lies in her diary.
Chen Yang carefully tucked the photograph into the title page. Just as he was about to open the diary, he suddenly heard the wooden gate outside the courtyard open. Chen Yang quickly closed the diary, hurriedly put the notebook back in the wooden box, put everything back in its place, locked the box, and closed the drawer.
Chen Yang had just stood up when Han Xuehua put down her hoe and vegetable basket in the yard and went into the main room. Chen Yang casually asked loudly, "Mom! Where's my blue t-shirt? Did you put it in your closet?"
Han Xuehua, her face covered in sweat, quickly replied, "Yangyang, don't rummage around! You'll mess it up again! Your t-shirt is in your own closet. I'll help you find it!"
Chen Yang grinned and agreed, slowly walking out of Han Xuehua's room. Han Xuehua didn't suspect a thing. She wiped her sweat with a towel, poured herself a glass of water, gulped down a few mouthfuls, and said with a smile, "I thought you'd sleep in! Why are you up so early? Wait a minute! Mom's making you sweet potato porridge! Freshly dug sweet potatoes, your favorite!"
Chen Yang looked at Han Xuehua; the sweat on her face hadn't been wiped away, and there was a patch of mud on her forehead. Chen Yang couldn't help but sigh inwardly: life can truly change a person so completely! The former heiress is now adept at everything from raising pigs and growing vegetables to cooking, completely shedding her former pampered and lazy ways.
Han Xuehua, a little embarrassed by her son's gaze, glanced at Chen Yang and said,
"Silly boy, why are you staring at me? Are you squinting?"
Chen Yang chuckled, put his arm around his mother's shoulder, and said,
"Mom! You've worked so hard!"
Han Xuehua smiled with satisfaction, patted Chen Yang's head, and said,
"Silly child! Go and rest! Mom will make you breakfast!"
...
Around noon, Chen Yang returned alone to the Oriental Hotel where he was staying. Han Xuehua didn't work in the fields all morning, staying home with Chen Yang. Therefore, Chen Yang hadn't had a chance to look at the diary again, and he still couldn't understand why Han Xuehua had run away from home all those years ago. It wasn't until noon, when Fang Xu called to say that Han Wenhai had booked a private room at the Oriental Hotel, that he left home and returned to the hotel.
Chen Yang stood at the hotel entrance waiting for Su He. Nanpu County was small; Su He could get there from Su Weimin's house in just a few minutes by motorcycle, so Chen Yang didn't go to pick her up, but simply arranged to meet her at the hotel.
Watching the cars go by on the street, Chen Yang's thoughts were complicated. The upcoming luncheon held a different meaning for him. His mother, Han Xuehua, was Old Master Han's daughter, so Han Wenhai was his cousin? Why did the Han family send Han Wenhai to work in the Southeast Province? Did they know about Han Xuehua's situation over the years? Or was Han Wenhai's job transfer just a coincidence?
Chen Yang had too many questions in his mind, and he unconsciously became lost in thought.
Suddenly, a pair of soft, warm hands covered Chen Yang's eyes. Chen Yang immediately snapped out of his reverie, grabbed Su He's delicate hand, and gently blew on it. Hiding behind Chen Yang, Su He couldn't help but giggle, then after a moment, suppressed a laugh and asked,
"What were you thinking about so intently?"
Su He's voice was soft and pleasant to hear, and Chen Yang couldn't resist teasing her:
"I was just thinking about a very complicated question: When Su He looks in the mirror every morning, is she ever shocked by her own beauty?"
Su He's pretty face flushed slightly, and she muttered under her breath, "Chen Yang...you're being silly again!"
Fortunately, after spending so much time together, Su He's immunity had greatly improved; otherwise, she would definitely have been incredibly embarrassed. Chen Yang chuckled and asked with concern,
"How did you and Grandma sleep last night? Did He Chunzhi give you any more trouble?"
Su He smiled gratefully and said,
"Fine, Grandma slept very well... Auntie didn't say anything mean anymore. It's just that my uncle kept advising me not to bring Grandma to Rongcheng, and kept assuring me that he would never let anything happen to her."
"Don't mind him! I don't feel comfortable letting Grandma stay at his house!" Chen Yang said nonchalantly, then took Su He's hand and said, "Let's go! Fang Xu and Deputy Secretary Han are already waiting for us in the private room! After lunch, we'll go back and pick up Grandma to go back to Rongcheng together. Don't worry! I'll arrange everything."
Su He blushed slightly, but didn't pull her hand away, letting Chen Yang hold it as they walked side by side into the lobby of the Oriental Hotel. Han Wenhai had reserved a private room on the second floor. He hadn't booked it through the county office to avoid drawing attention, as he was Old Master Han's grandson, while Fang Xu was Fang Hongda's son. Although their close relationship was well-known in their circle, it would still cause trouble if someone with ulterior motives saw them.
Chen Yang and his companion followed the hostess to the private room door, where she knocked. Chen Yang silently thought, "Big brother, let me meet you!"
The moment the door opened, before Chen Yang could even see Han Wenhai, a white figure flashed by, and Huanhuan rushed out of the room, throwing herself into Chen Yang's arms.