The younger son grew increasingly outstanding, while the elder son, on whom he had pinned his hopes, remained consistently mediocre.
He hadn't wished for his son's death; after all, he was his own flesh and blood. He had merely intended to suppress him for a few years while he still held power.
But he had not anticipated that his actions would lead to the loss of both his son and his wife.
He still recalled the ledger Shen Rong had presented to him, and it seemed he truly hadn't invested much in his younger son.
After Shen Rong moved out, Xu Qing moved into this three-story small building.
Looking at her father's dejected state, she didn't know how to persuade him. After all, she was the one who had been treated with favoritism, and she had no standing to say anything.
She could only bring her own child over. Although teenage boys could be rebellious, he behaved quite obediently, staying at home with his maternal grandfather.
Lin Yan received a transfer order, classified and secret. She didn't refuse but instead returned home to pack her belongings.
She also bid farewell to Xu Haoran. She was a soldier, and a soldier's nature was obedience.
It was just that she hadn't expected Xu Haoran would also receive a transfer order.
And so, the two of them quietly disappeared from everyone's sight. Except for regular contact with relatives and friends, they seemed to have vanished completely.
Time passed slowly, and when they reappeared in public view, it was at the 1999 military parade.
Lin Yan and Xu Haoran, in their military uniforms, stood on the viewing platform, the military decorations on their chests glinting brilliantly.
By then, Zhou Qi had become a nationally renowned entrepreneur, accompanied by his second wife.
He was also invited to attend the military parade. Although his seat was towards the back, even that position was enough to indicate his standing.
The economic development in this life was faster than in his previous one, especially the progress in various appliances. Although the large-scale wave of layoffs had not yet occurred, many small factories had closed down.
Numerous military factories had emerged, dominating the market with their superior quality, becoming even more popular than foreign goods, and many were exported abroad.
The mechanization of agriculture had also accelerated, as if everything had been put on fast-forward.
Although the market had undergone some changes, certain industries developed as they had in his previous life.
In his early days, Zhou Qi made quick money through reselling. He refused the job assignment from the school and went south to open factories, buy land, and build houses.
While he might not have been the richest man in the country at present, he could certainly rank among the top ten.
Moreover, unlike his previous life, his network was broader, and he had more friends. With the help of those classmates, his path in this life had been smoother.
However, due to his excessive busyness, his first wife divorced him. She was the woman he had truly fallen for.
But it didn't matter much. As long as he was successful enough, he could find someone better. Wasn't his current wife an example of that?
She had a better education, was more beautiful, and especially younger. Like Lin Yan in his previous life, she was a university teacher.
Her parents were both civil servants. Although their positions weren't very high, they held important roles.
He was very pleased with his current wife, especially after she gave birth to a son for him.
Suddenly, he seemed to see someone familiar, someone buried deep within his heart, someone he thought he had forgotten.
It was Lin Yan, the Lin Yan he had yearned for across two lifetimes.
Time seemed to have left no trace on her face. Dressed in a crisp military uniform, her profile was as beautiful as when they first met.
He sat at the back of the invited section, but she was in the front. Those in the front were undoubtedly people who had made significant contributions to the country.
He still couldn't seem to reach her. Had she joined the army after she left back then?
He hadn't paid attention to the content of the military parade in his previous life. If he had remembered the parade from his past life, he would have noticed that the nation's weaponry and equipment had advanced by more than one echelon in this parade.
And all of this was related to the woman sitting in the front, who appeared to be still young.
Zhou Qi stared blankly at Lin Yan in front of him. He hadn't seen this person in twenty years, yet she seemed to have changed very little from back then.
No, there were changes. In his previous life, as a university teacher, she was gentle and intellectual. During the educated youth period, she was delicate and distant.
Now, she was indeed resilient and confident, possessing the aura of someone in a position of authority.
"Husband, what are you looking at?" His beautiful wife nudged Zhou Qi's arm.
"Nothing." Zhou Qi snapped back to attention, no longer looking in that direction.
Looking was useless anyway. Although he wasn't very familiar with military ranks, he knew Lin Yan's rank must be considerable.
Moreover, Lin Yan was so close to the man beside her, also in military uniform. That must be her husband.
Neither of them was someone he could afford to offend, so he could only keep his feelings firmly buried in his heart.
In the front row, Lin Yan was quietly discussing past weaponry with Xu Haoran beside her.
One was the developer, the other the user. Their different perspectives allowed their discussions to provide each other with more ideas.
"We have another meeting after this. Is someone picking up Nian Nian?" Lin Yan inquired.
"Yes, Xiao Chen is picking her up," Xu Haoran replied.
"Our family is quite remarkable, with all three of us participating in the military parade," Lin Yan said with a smile. "Did you see Nian Nian's formation just now? Did you get any photos?"
"Yes, it's mainly because the child's mother is amazing! I got them. The camera captured them clearly. We'll get them developed when we get back and send them to Mom and the others to see!" Xu Haoran promised.
"Host, the male protagonist is to your right and behind you," the system's voice announced.
The male protagonist? That term had disappeared from her life for many years. "Is that so? He's an irrelevant person now anyway, no need to bother with him!"
The people of Zaolin Brigade were also watching the military parade on television. When they saw the camera focus on Lin Yan, they cheered.
They hadn't seen Lin Yan for a long time but had consistently received her letters.
Their brigade had now become the wealthiest in the entire county and the center of the entire Hongqi Commune, or rather, Hongqi Town.
Especially since they had always prioritized education, almost all the children in the brigade had been admitted to university. Those who didn't get into university had learned a trade.
They were truly grateful for the changes Lin Yan had brought them. Seeing her on television now, in military uniform, with so many military decorations on her chest, they all felt proud of her!
"Yan Yan is still so outstanding! When she first came to Zaolin, I thought she was no ordinary person!"
"Yes, Yan Yan brought us a bunch of machines without charging us any money. Those machines are still in the brigade's warehouse!"
"Exactly. Yan Yan truly knows everything. We owe her so much over these years! Otherwise, we wouldn't be living such good lives now!"
At this moment, everyone in Zaolin praised Lin Yan and, using her story, exhorted their own children to study hard.
Although Lin Yan had long left Zaolin Brigade, her story continued to be told there, influencing generations of children.