Siheyuan: Starting from 1958

The next morning, Yan Fugui met his three sons at the detention center.

When facing his boss Yan Jiecheng, Yan Fugui didn't mention the fine at all. He just told him to reform himself in prison and that he would definitely help him find a good job and a wife after he was released.

Because Yan Jiecheng was not yet aware that he could be released after paying the fine, he was even somewhat moved by Yan Fugui's comfort and assurance.

…………

When it was the second son Yan Jiecheng's turn, Yan Fugui's statement changed.

"Second brother... the police said... you committed smuggling. Unless you are willing to pay a fine of three thousand yuan, you will serve at least three years in prison."

"You know the situation at home."

"In order to earn more money, I invested all my retirement savings of decades into Xu Damao, and now I can't even come up with 500 yuan."

"But in order to get you out, I decided to mortgage the west wing of the front yard to Wang Dong and borrow 1,500 yuan..."

"I'm still 1,000 yuan short of the 3,000 yuan fine required by the police."

"I have no choice but to go to your wife..."

“But after this incident, your wife harbored a great deal of resentment towards the family. She stopped calling me ‘Dad’ when she saw me and even proposed to divorce you. She wants both children to live with her and will have no further connection with the Yan family.”

"Of course I disagree..."

“Your two children are not only her children, but also my Yan family’s grandchildren. How could you possibly sever all ties with our old Yan family?”

"But your wife threatened me with a thousand yuan..."

"If you agree to the divorce, I'll borrow a thousand yuan to pay your fine."

"If you don't agree to the divorce, then be prepared to spend another three years in prison."

"You're still young... You can remarry if you lose a wife, have another son if you lose a son, and find a new job if you lose a job."

"But if you are sentenced to prison, it will affect your future job search, marriage, having children... all of these things will be affected."

"For your future, without your consent, your father unilaterally agreed to the divorce terms she proposed..."

"This is the divorce agreement..."

"If you don't want to go to jail, then we'll sign this agreement..."

"Of course, if you feel it's okay to serve three years in jail here, you don't have to sign."

He was relieved to hear that he could leave the house and avoid jail once he signed the divorce papers.

The anger that Yan Jiefang initially felt upon hearing the word "divorce" vanished instantly, replaced by genuine excitement.

Although he only spent a few days in the detention center, it felt like an eternity, and he didn't want to stay there for even a minute longer.

More importantly, being imprisoned after being sentenced is much more unpleasant than being in a detention center.

Not only would he lose his freedom and have to undergo various forms of education, but his meals would also become worse, and he would have to participate in various forms of labor reform... These were all things that Yan Jiefang could not accept.

Looking at the divorce papers Yan Fugui produced, it was as if he had grasped a lifeline in despair. His face filled with expectation, he asked, "Dad..."

"After we signed the divorce papers, she was really willing to borrow 1,000 yuan to help me pay the fine... Did you also prepare the other 2,000 yuan for the fine?"

Yan Fugui answered with certainty: "Liberation..."

"The money to pay the fine was obtained by you through the divorce, so it's definitely for you to pay the fine..."

“The eldest brother is divorced, and the third brother isn’t married yet. Neither of them has a wife to help them, and I can only raise two thousand yuan. I can only pay your fine first and get you back…”

"The eldest and third sons will have to stay here a little longer." "Once Dad finds a way to raise enough money, he'll come back to pay their fines and redeem them."

Upon hearing Yan Fugui's guarantee, the second son, Yan Jiefang, was so excited that words could not describe it. Without hesitation, he nodded: "Dad..."

"I'll do as you say, I'll sign the divorce papers right now..."

…………

Upon seeing the third son of the Yan family, Yan Fugui displayed a completely different demeanor.

Looking at his son's terrified face, Yan Fugui didn't waste any words and immediately put on a troubled expression, saying, "Third son..."

"The police officers have already explained it to us..."

“You’ve committed smuggling by following Xu Damao. You’ll either have to pay a fine of three thousand yuan or serve three years in prison.”

"You should know the situation at home..."

“Your mother and I invested all our retirement savings of decades into Xu Damao. After you were arrested, that money was lost, and we can’t get a single penny back.”

"But your parents can't just stand by and watch you go to jail."

"Whether it's selling our houses or selling our blood, we will do everything we can to rescue you..."

"But now there's a problem facing our parents, and they don't know what to choose..."

"To raise money, Dad has mortgaged the house, sold everything he could, and borrowed all the money he could. In total, he raised three thousand yuan."

“But the three of you brothers owe a total of nine thousand yuan in fines, and the three thousand yuan we’ve raised can only cover the fine for one person so far…”

"Who should pay first..."

"Your mother and I can't make up our minds..."

"After all, you are all our sons, and we can't favor one of you over the other..."

Upon hearing this, the third son of the Yan family became anxious and immediately cried out, "Father..."

“They definitely have to pay my fine first. I’m the youngest. If I go to jail, my life will be over.”

"Moreover, my eldest and second eldest brothers are already married and have their own son and daughter. I am not married yet. If I go to jail, I will not be able to get a wife or have children in the future."

"You certainly don't want me to grow old alone..."

Seeing that Yan Fugui still had a furrowed brow and a troubled expression, the third brother subconsciously thought that Yan Fugui had not been persuaded by him, so he spoke again.

"There is another, most important reason."

“Both my eldest and second eldest brothers have sons. Even if they pay the fines and are released, and find new jobs, they will still have to share a portion of their wages to take care of their sons and daughters.”

“My son is different…”

“I’m not married yet, I have no burdens, and I can give you all the money I earn.”

“My son went to high school. Although he didn’t get into university, he is considered highly educated in our neighborhood.”

“My eldest and second eldest brothers only graduated from junior high school, so their education level is not as high as mine. After leaving the steel rolling mill, the jobs they can find outside are definitely not as good as mine, and their monthly income is not as high as mine…”

"Paying my fine is definitely more worthwhile than paying the fines for my older brother and second older brother."

“Our house has been mortgaged, hasn’t it? If my eldest and second eldest brothers don’t earn enough money after they leave and can’t pay off the family loan on time, the house will become someone else’s.”

"I give all my salary to Dad, and I earn more than my eldest and second eldest brothers. I'm sure I can pay off the loan and keep the family house." (End of Chapter)