In the fiery red era of the heavens, refrigerators are refreshed daily.

Chapter 173, Section 172: Witnessed by Multiple Parties, a Statement is Needed. Xianglan Returns to Her Husband's Home.
On a Sunday afternoon, the courtyard of the Shikumen was scorching hot under the bright sun.

Before one o'clock, a lot of people had already gathered in the courtyard.

Chen Le'an's wife had finished washing the clothes early, and the polyester shirt and work pants hanging on the bamboo pole would soon be dry under the scorching sun.

He Caiyun had almost finished picking the vegetables, and the vegetable leaves were piled in an enamel basin, looking fresh and green.

Teacher Feng tinkered with the Red Lantern brand radio until it could make a sound, playing rousing songs, but the volume was turned very low, as if afraid of waking people from their afternoon nap.

The men were smoking, mostly Labor Brand or Daqianmen cigarettes, the smoke rising slowly in the sweltering air.

The women were fanning themselves with palm-leaf fans; some were newly bought, made of fine bamboo strips, while others had been used for many years, their edges frayed.

Everyone's eyes were glancing towards the gate, and they were talking in hushed tones, the conversation always revolving around the Wang family.

"Old Mrs. Wang is getting more and more senile as she gets older. She bullies orphans and widows, and she's not afraid of what the neighbors will say behind her back," Aunt Chen said, swatting away mosquitoes that had bitten her calves with a palm-leaf fan.

“Exactly, Xianglan is such an honest person, yet she forced her into that state,” He Caiyun chimed in, her hands still busy knitting a maroon sweater.

Chen Le'an squatted on the threshold, exhaled a smoke ring, and said slowly, "Jianjun has only been gone for a short time, and you can't even tolerate him anymore. Isn't it all because you're eyeing that little bit of money? The pension plus the money from selling job slots is no small sum."

Zhao Tiemin, standing nearby, nodded in agreement: "Let's see what Master Wang says this afternoon. If he still protects his wife, then this family will really be impossible to deal with."

At 1:30, the Yang family members also came downstairs one after another.

Yang Yongkang remained seated in his old, dark red bamboo chair, leaning against the mottled wall, his face calm, slowly fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan.

Zhang Xiuying sat on a small stool, mending a bright red old garment. The stitches were much finer than in the morning, but her eyes kept glancing towards the door.

Li Guihua held Zhuangzhuang in her arms, sitting next to Yang Xianglan on a long bench. Zhuangzhuang was sleeping soundly, his little face flushed, and fine beads of sweat glistening on his forehead.

Yang Xianglan lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her faded blue cotton shirt, making it wrinkled. Her gaze was blankly fixed on the ground, as if trying to find some answer in the cracks of the concrete.

Yang Guanghui squatted down beside his father, silently smoking a Laodong brand cigarette, his brows furrowed.

Yang Guangming stood against the wall, his gaze calmly sweeping over the neighbors in the courtyard before finally settling on his older sister, a hint of barely perceptible worry in his eyes.

He was wearing a clean and crisp white polyester short-sleeved shirt today, which contrasted subtly with the people around him who were wearing tank tops and vests.

Honghong was playing with some old bottle caps, her small figure looking somewhat lost in the stagnant atmosphere among the adults. She lined up the bottle caps, counting them softly, and occasionally glancing up at the adults' faces.

Time passed slowly, and the hands of the watch pointed to 1:50.

The chatter in the courtyard gradually subsided, a tacit expectation mixed with the humid heat of summer spreading through the small space. Some people kept checking their watches, while others paced to the doorway to look out, then paced back.

Five minutes to two, the light at the entrance to the courtyard dimmed momentarily. All sound seemed to be cut off, instantly falling silent. A dozen pairs of eyes turned to the entrance.

Master Wang and his group arrived there somewhat slowly.

He walked at the front, wearing slightly worn blue overalls, his face showing obvious embarrassment and discomfort. The overalls were faded from washing, but neatly ironed, clearly worn specifically for this occasion.

Wang followed behind, her hair neatly combed, but her eyes darted around, and she kept her head down, not daring to look at anyone.

Wang Jinhuan and Wang Yinhuan followed behind their parents, heads bowed, their faces burning with embarrassment.

Besides them, there were two middle-aged men in their forties or fifties, with dark skin and wearing undershirts, who looked like they were people who did manual labor often.

Yang Guangming recognized them; they were old residents of the Wang family's shikumen house, and he often saw them in his sister's courtyard.

The taller one's surname is Zhao; he's a senior worker at the factory. The shorter one's surname is Qian; he's the manager of the nearby vegetable market.

The two men were considered respectable figures in the Shikumen community, and were generally well-regarded. Inviting them to be witnesses showed how much importance Master Wang placed on today's conversation.

Master Wang cleared his throat and tried to force a natural smile, but it looked extremely stiff.

He quickened his pace, came up to Yang Yongkang, and extended his hand: "Yongkang, I'm sorry to bother you. I made sure your whole family had a good time on Sunday."

Yang Yongkang put down his palm-leaf fan, stood up, shook hands with him, and said in a flat tone, "It's good that you've come. Please sit down." His attitude wasn't particularly warm, but he wasn't deliberately making things difficult either, which made Master Wang breathe a slight sigh of relief.

Li Guihua and Yang Guanghui quickly brought out a few more small stools and chairs from the house, inviting the Wang family members to sit down. The two Wang family neighbors seemed a little reserved, waving their hands repeatedly and saying there was no need to be polite, but they were persuaded by Yang Guangming to sit down anyway.

The courtyard suddenly felt even more crowded, with neighbors standing or sitting, all their eyes focused on the two families in the center. Someone handed over a few palm-leaf fans, which Mr. Wang and his two neighbors accepted, thanking them in return.

Master Wang rubbed his hands together, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, whether from the heat or from shame, it was hard to tell.

“In-laws…” he began, his voice hoarse, “I’m here today mainly… mainly about Xianglan and the children. A few days ago, my wife was confused and didn’t know how to speak properly. She made a mistake, which caused Xianglan to suffer, and also made you and all the old neighbors laugh at us.”

He paused, stealing a glance at Yang Yongkang's face. Seeing that the other man had no expression, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and continue, "I gave her a good talking-to when I got back, and she knows she was wrong. She came here today to talk things out, to take Xianglan and the two children home, and to live a good life from now on."

Yang Yongkang then slightly lifted his eyelids, glanced at the Wang family, and slowly said, "In-laws, it's good that you came and have this attitude. We've been working together for decades, so let's not beat around the bush."

He sat up straight, his voice not loud, but clearly carrying throughout the quiet courtyard: "I've invited all of you old neighbors here today to be witnesses. You all probably know what happened. I'll just repeat it again."

He looked at Master Wang, his tone steady yet powerful: "Why did Xianglan take the child back to her parents' home? It's because your husband forced her to hand over all her wages from the factory and the two fixed deposit certificates she had, so that he could keep them safe."

"That's not all." Yang Yongkang's tone became more serious. "It's been so many years since the new society was established, and you're still spouting feudal superstitions, cursing my daughter for being unlucky and bringing misfortune to her husband! You're rubbing salt into her wounds! Mother-in-law, have you ever said those things?"

Wang's face turned deathly pale instantly, her head drooped even lower, her lips trembled, and she dared not respond.

The neighbors around them murmured amongst themselves, their disdain deepening. Wang Jinhuan shifted uncomfortably, while Wang Yinhuan turned her face away, as if that would shield her from their accusing gazes.

Master Wang's face flushed red and then paled, and he sighed heavily. He raised his hand to stop his wife, who seemed about to argue, saying, "I did say that! That was nonsense! It deserves criticism! We admit it!"

Yang Yongkang nodded and continued, "I'm not an unreasonable person. The matter of the compensation was clearly explained last time with close relatives from both sides present. The deposit slips will each be kept in half; that's the established rule. Xianglan's salary is earned through her own labor, so she should be free to spend it as she sees fit."

"I put myself in your shoes and understand that you're worried that Xianglan is young and might not be able to stay, or that things might change in the future." He changed the subject, "But understanding is one thing, but it can't be a reason to bully her. Xianglan is my daughter. She was widowed young and has two children to raise. It's not easy for her. As her father, I can't just watch her suffer in her husband's family for the next few decades and waste her life like this."

He took a deep breath and said the most crucial words: "So, I'm making my stance clear today. Our Yang family supports Xianglan in taking the next step and starting a family again when she encounters a suitable opportunity. This is also what the country advocates, so that widowed women can have a new future."

Upon hearing this, the Wang family's expressions changed. Madam Wang abruptly raised her head, a flicker of panic in her eyes. She instinctively tried to speak, but was glared at by Master Wang, who silenced her with a fierce look. Wang Jinhuan and Wang Yin exchanged a worried glance, and the two neighboring witnesses also seemed somewhat uneasy.

Master Wang's throat bobbed, and he tried to remain calm: "Brother, I understand what you mean. Xianglan is still young, it's normal for you to have this idea. It's just..."

He paused, carefully choosing his words: "But Jianjun has only been gone for a short time, the two children are still young, and Xianglan herself probably doesn't have the heart for this. Should we... postpone it and consider it further?"

“I’m not forcing her to remarry immediately,” Yang Yongkang interrupted him. “I’m talking about ‘the future,’ about ‘the opportunity.’ One year, two years, or even longer, it’s up to her. What I need now is your attitude! If Xianglan comes to her senses in the future and wants to take that step, will your Wang family stop her or not?”

All eyes were on Master Wang's face.

He felt immense pressure; beads of sweat formed on his forehead and streamed down his cheeks.

He raised his hand to wipe it, remained silent for a few seconds, and finally spoke with difficulty: "If...if Xianglan really wants to...want to take another step in the future, our Wang family...will not stop her."

He spoke these words as if he had used up all his strength, and his shoulders slumped slightly.

Wang let out a very soft sob and quickly covered her mouth with her hand. Wang Jinhuan reached out and gently patted her mother's back, her own eyes reddening.

“Good!” That was exactly what Yang Yongkang wanted to hear. He immediately replied, “My dear in-law, I’m relieved to hear you say that. Let’s settle the agreement today in front of all our old neighbors to avoid any future disputes.”

He looked around, his voice steady and powerful: "I, Yang Yongkang, do things with integrity and never take advantage of others in the slightest. If Xianglan remarries in the future, I guarantee that what belongs to the Wang family will not be taken away by a single penny."

"First, Xianglan will transfer half of those two large deposit certificates to me for safekeeping. We also ask the Wang family, and all the neighbors present today, to supervise this. No one is allowed to touch a single penny of this money until Honghong and Amao grow up! This can be written in black and white in the agreement!"

Mr. Wang listened carefully and nodded slowly. He agreed on this point. Keeping the money was the most important thing. The two neighbor witnesses also nodded in agreement.

"second."

Yang Yongkang continued, "Regarding the issue of Amao providing for his grandparents' care... (The sentence is incomplete and requires more context to be translated accurately.)
Even if Guo Xianglan remarries, Amao will not change his surname; he will always be surnamed Wang, and he is Wang Jianjun's son. When he grows up, he must return to the Wang family to take care of you two in your old age and see you off in your final days.

Before this, you are welcome to visit the child anytime, and they can stay with you on weekends, during winter and summer vacations. Your filial duties will not be neglected.

These words struck a chord with Master Wang. His grandson was the root of the Wang family, and that could never be changed.

His expression softened considerably, and he nodded repeatedly, "That's right, that's right." Wang also raised her head, a glimmer of hope flashing in her eyes.

"third."

Yang Yongkang looked at Master Wang and asked, "About the job quota for Xianglan to replace Jianjun in the factory."

If she remarries in the future, our Yang family is willing to pay 800 yuan to buy this spot.

The eight hundred yuan was divided into two parts: four hundred yuan was kept by the Wang family and four hundred yuan was kept by Xianglan.

Ultimately, these two sums of money, like all the previous ones, were to be left to Honghong and Amao.

Similarly, Xianglan's share will be kept by my family, with everyone supervising its management; this will be written into the agreement.

Yang Guangming listened quietly to his father's thoughtful consideration, which even exceeded his expectations.

It almost completely plugged all the loopholes that could be used for criticism, and also took into account the Wang family's core concerns—their grandson and their money.

He noticed that his sister Yang Xianglan's fingers, which were twisting the hem of her clothes, loosened slightly, and her back was no longer as straight as before.

After listening, Master Wang remained silent for a moment.

What Yang Yongkang proposed was similar to what he had expected, or even more reasonable. He really couldn't find any reason to object. He exchanged glances with his two neighbors, and seeing that they both nodded slightly, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The surrounding neighbors whispered among themselves, "Brother Yongkang has truly done everything he could for others."

"Yes, we've considered everything, so we don't take advantage of anyone."

“That’s good, everything will be clear from now on.” Master Wang finally raised his head, looked at Yang Yongkang, and nodded solemnly: “Brother, you’ve thought this through. We’ll do it your way. We have no objections.”

A barely perceptible softening appeared on Yang Yongkang's face: "Alright, since no one has any objections, let's draw up a written agreement. Teacher Feng, you have a good pen, could you please help us draft an agreement?"

Teacher Feng had already prepared paper and pen, pushed up his glasses, and nodded: "It's my duty."

He walked to the small square table in the middle, spread out the letter paper, thought for a moment, and then began to write quickly.

The courtyard was quiet, save for the scratching sound of a pen cutting through paper. Everyone held their breath, watching the pen move across the paper as if the ink flowing from its tip represented not just the ink itself, but the future destinies of the two families.

Soon, a clear and well-written agreement was completed.

Teacher Feng also placed a sheet of carbon paper underneath and made a copy, so that there were two copies, one for the Wang family and one for the Yang family.

"Yongkang, Master Wang, please take a look and see if there are any parts that need to be modified." Teacher Feng handed the two copies of the agreement to the two men respectively.

Yang Yongkang and Master Wang looked at it carefully, occasionally exchanging opinions in low voices.

The neighbors around also craned their necks to watch.

The agreement basically consists of the three points Yang Yongkang just mentioned, clearly written down, with some additional details, such as specific arrangements for child visitation and methods for supervising the safekeeping of funds.

“No problem.” After reading it, Yang Yongkang handed it to Zhang Xiuying and his sons.

“We have no problem with it either.” After reading it, Mr. Wang handed it to the two neighbor witnesses for their review.

Everyone expressed no objection.

"Then sign it." Yang Yongkang took out the inkpad he had prepared beforehand. It was a small red inkpad box, the edges of which were already chipped, revealing the metal inside.

As representatives of their respective companies, he and Master Wang first signed their names on both agreements and then pressed their red fingerprints. Yang Yongkang's handwriting was neat and square, while Master Wang's was slightly messy, but both were written carefully.

Zhang Xiuying and Wang, as family members, also signed and pressed their fingerprints. Zhang Xiuying's hand trembled slightly, while Wang was almost supported to complete the action.

Next, Wang Jinhuan, Wang Yinhuan, Yang Guanghui, and Yang Guangming, as related relatives, also signed their names. Yang Guangming's signature was the most elegant and fluid, attracting the attention of several neighbors.

Finally, the two neighbors of the Wang family, along with Teacher Feng and Chen Le'an, solemnly signed their names on the agreement as witnesses. Chen Le'an also specifically noted his workplace and position to increase the formality of the agreement.

Each stroke of the pen seemed to carry weight. When the last name was signed, everyone secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

After signing and pressing their fingerprints, each party kept a copy of the agreement.

Yang Yongkang carefully folded his copy, put it in his jacket pocket, and even pressed it down. Master Wang also carefully put the agreement away and placed it in his inner pocket.

After the matter was discussed, the tense atmosphere eased considerably.

Yang Yongkang said to Li Guihua, "Guihua, pour tea for the guests. Bring out the chestnuts and walnuts that Guangming brought last time, and also grab a handful of milk candy."

"Okay, sure," Li Guihua replied with a smile, and quickly went inside to prepare. A moment later, she came out with a tray containing several glasses of jasmine tea, the tea leaves slowly unfurling in the hot water.

Soon, the tea was served. Although it was just ordinary jasmine tea, it had a delicate fragrance on this sweltering afternoon. Two bowls of dried snacks were placed on the small table: golden chestnuts, brown walnuts, and a small pile of White Rabbit milk candies—considered quite decent hospitality these days.

Master Wang repeatedly expressed his gratitude, saying, "You've gone to so much trouble, you've gone to so much trouble."

Neither of them brought up the unpleasantness from before, and they deliberately tried to talk about lighter topics. The conversation went from the weather to production at the factory, and then to the children's schooling, and the atmosphere gradually became more lively.

Naturally, the topic shifted to Yang Guangming's promotion to deputy director of the factory affairs office.

"Guangming is truly young and promising!" Master Wang exclaimed sincerely. "He's only been in the factory for a short time, yet he's already a deputy section chief. He has a bright future ahead of him."

As he spoke, his eyes revealed genuine appreciation, but also a hint of barely perceptible regret—if his son Jianjun were still alive, he might have benefited from it in the future.

"Yes, I heard that salaries have increased quite a bit. He's already at level twenty-one at such a young age!" The neighbor surnamed Zhao chimed in, his tone tinged with envy.

"It's all thanks to the organization's training and the leaders' high regard for him. He still has to keep working hard." Yang Yongkang said modestly, but his eyes and brows couldn't hide his pride.

His youngest son's success brings him pride in front of his in-laws.

Yang Guangming simply smiled slightly, saying little, and served tea to the elders as needed. His movements were unhurried, displaying composure and propriety. When someone inquired about the factory, he would offer a few brief words, neither boastful nor overly modest.

Wang forced a smile, grabbed a handful of milk candies, and stuffed them into Honghong's hand: "Honghong, have some candy."

Honghong timidly took the candy and whispered, "Thank you, Grandma." Then she quickly hid behind her mother.

Amao fell asleep in Xianglan's arms, his little face flushed, completely unaware of what had just happened.

Time passed by unnoticed, and the wall clock pointed to 3:50.

Master Wang finished the last sip of tea in his cup, stood up, and said, "Yongkang, it's getting late. We have some things to take care of at home, so we'll head back now."

Yang Yongkang also stood up, without trying to stop them, and simply nodded: "Alright, then I won't keep you."

He turned to Yang Xianglan, who had been sitting silently to the side: "Xianglan, go and get your things, take the child, and go back with your parents-in-law."

Yang Xianglan raised her head, glanced at her father with a complicated expression, then quickly looked at her mother-in-law, Wang Shi, nodded slightly, and got up to go inside to get the bundle that had been packed earlier. The bundle wasn't big; it contained just a few changes of clothes and some small items for the children.

Zhang Xiuying stood up, took her daughter's hand, and whispered, "Go back and live a good life. Don't think about the past."

Then he deliberately raised his voice and said to Wang, who was next to him, "You must continue to be filial to your parents-in-law and take good care of the children, just like before."

Yang Xianglan hummed in agreement, her eyes slightly red.

Madam Wang quickly came over, her face beaming with smiles, and affectionately took Yang Xianglan's other arm: "Xiuying, don't worry, Xianglan is like my own daughter. I was senile before, but I will never be like that again. I will definitely treat her well." She spoke these words somewhat hastily, as if she wanted to make up for something as soon as possible.

Master Wang also stated, "Yongkang, Xianglan's mother, don't worry. Xianglan will definitely not be mistreated when she goes back." Although his words were simple, his tone was firm, which convinced everyone.

Yang Xianglan came out carrying a small bundle, and Honghong clung tightly to her mother's clothes.

Yang Yongkang said to his daughter in closing, "Once you're back in your husband's family, you'll be a daughter-in-law of the Wang family. The old grudges should be resolved, and living a good life is the most important thing."

“Dad, Mom, I know,” Yang Xianglan replied softly. Her voice was soft, but clear enough.

The Wang family and two neighbors said goodbye and left. Yang Xianglan carried Amao and held Honghong's hand, following behind.

As she reached the doorway, she glanced back at her family and neighbors in the courtyard, her eyes filled with confusion, helplessness, and a sense of relief.

At that moment, her gaze met that of her younger brother, Yang Guangming. The two siblings exchanged a complex look, one of comfort, encouragement, and an inexplicable melancholy.

Yang Guangming stood beside his father, watching his sister's slightly frail figure disappear into the alleyway, and sighed softly in his heart.

The father did everything he could, and he got everything he could.

Whether my sister chooses to stay home with her family or take a step forward is up to her to decide.

In this era, widows are often the subject of gossip and trouble; it's not just a saying, but they face many difficulties and pressure from public opinion in their lives.

Although this trouble has passed, he is not optimistic about whether the future will be peaceful.

He saw that although his sister's steps were slow, they were firm, and he felt a little more at ease.

Seeing that the play had ended, the neighbors in the courtyard also dispersed, chatting amongst themselves as they went home to attend to their own affairs.

Some people patted Yang Yongkang on the shoulder and gave him a thumbs up; others nodded to Zhang Xiuying, casting understanding glances. Before long, only Yang's own family members remained in the courtyard.

On a sweltering afternoon, a faint breeze seemed to finally sweep through.

The Yang family members stood in the courtyard, silent for a moment. The leftover tea and snacks on the table still stood there, a reminder of what had just happened.

Li Guihua began clearing away the dishes, making soft clinking sounds. Yang Guanghui helped tidy the tables and chairs, his movements swift and efficient. Yang Guangming silently picked up the scattered carbon paper and carefully put it away.

Zhang Xiuying let out a long sigh of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted, but a lingering worry remained between her brows.

She walked up to Yang Yongkang and asked softly, "Do you think Xianglan can live a peaceful life after going back?"

Yang Yongkang did not answer immediately; his gaze remained fixed on the small patch of sky cut off by the eaves in the distance.

After a while, he slowly said, "The agreement is signed, and the points have been made clear. If the Wang family still has any sense of shame, they won't make things difficult for Xianglan anymore. As for the future..."

He paused for a moment, then said, "It all depends on Xianglan's own fate."

Yang Guangming chimed in, "Mom, don't worry too much. With the agreement in place and so many neighbors as witnesses, the Wang family will weigh the pros and cons. Besides, we're here for you." His words softened Zhang Xiuying's expression.

Yang Yongkang sat back down in his bamboo chair, picked up a palm-leaf fan, and slowly began to fan himself.

His gaze deepened, as if he could see further beyond the eaves of the house.

“Times have changed.”

He seemed to be talking to himself, or perhaps to his family, "Women hold up half the sky, it's not just an empty phrase. Xianglan has a job and can be independent, that's her greatest source of confidence."

The cicadas in the sycamore tree began to chirp tirelessly once again.

The sound was particularly jarring on the sweltering afternoon, but it also brought a strange sense of peace—that's life, no matter what happens, the sounds of nature never cease.

As the sun dips below the horizon, another day in the Shikumen alleyways is drawing to a close. Families begin preparing dinner, and wisps of smoke rise from their chimneys.

But life goes on.

(End of this chapter)