novellhall Chapter 166 Fighting for Jiang Yan's Custody
Chapter 166 Fighting for Jiang Yan's Custody
The next day, Wenrou had just gotten up and finished eating the breakfast Jiang Yan had made when several people arrived at the entrance of the family compound, saying they were from the Fifth National Research Institute.
Soon, the guards led them in.
The person in charge was the director of the research institute's department, who was also a senior member of the institute.
I heard that this director was recruited in the same batch as Jiang Yan's parents, and they are good friends.
He came with several of his apprentices.
Wenrou was also taken aback when she heard the news.
Are they friends of Jiang Yan's parents? They've come to see Jiang Yan?
She didn't think about any other possibilities, since there was no other way.
"Xiao Yan, someone from the research institute is here. They say they're friends of your parents. Come out quickly, we'll go meet them in a bit," Wenrou called out to Jiang Yan inside the house.
This was the first time she had heard all the researchers come over since she adopted Jiang Yan.
They came to see Jiang Yan after all, so Wenrou took it very seriously.
Jiang Yan wasn't interested in people from any research institute, but since Wenrou said they were friends of his parents, he decided to go with her to meet them.
Soon, the people from the research institute were brought in and arrived at Wenrou's doorstep.
At this moment, everyone else in the compound was also very curious when they saw that people from the research institute had come.
Because people from research institutes are usually hard to see, their laboratories are usually built in secluded mountain valleys or dense forests.
Their people are also subject to military-style management, just like the armed forces.
They are usually surrounded by high walls, guarded at the main gate, and have no signs; the only contact information is a mailbox code.
"I heard they came to see Jiang Yan. The child's parents are also researchers at the research institute."
"It's just so pitiful. His parents died at such a young age. The people from the research institute must have heard about this and came to visit him."
"That's not necessarily true. I've heard that Huo Tuan's wife doesn't treat that child well in private. Every morning she makes him get up so early to cook for her. Even though there's a washing machine at home, she still makes the child wash their clothes by hand."
"Is what you're saying true? Huo Tuan and his partner don't seem to be that kind of people, do they?"
"Of course it is! I've been secretly observing for several days now. That child is just so pitiful. I thought I'd found a good family, but instead, he's being abused like this!"
"So, the people from the research institute aren't coming here to take Jiang Yan away, are they?"
Peng Xiaowan had just come in from outside when she overheard their conversation. Her expression immediately changed, and she retorted, "What nonsense are you talking about? Huo Tuan's lover isn't the kind of person you're describing."
"How could it not be? I've seen it with my own eyes several times already. She even made Jiang Yan wash her two daughters' diapers. I think she adopted Jiang Yan just to find a maid for her family." Sun Mei, standing to the side, crossed her arms and chuckled.
No one knew that she had secretly written that letter to the people at the research institute.
She had long disliked Wenrou's behavior; wasn't she very proud of herself, showing off in the family compound?
Let's see if she can still smile this time.
"Now that you mention it, I think I've seen it a few times too. That kid Jiang Yan gets up so early in the morning to chop wood and cook. It's really pitiful," someone nearby chimed in.
At this moment, the researchers from the research institute had already entered the compound.
Upon hearing what the man had just said, one of the women's expressions suddenly changed.
She walked towards the person from before, her face cold, and asked, "What you just said is true? She actually made a five or six-year-old child chop wood and cook?"
The woman looked to be in her thirties, wearing a plaid dress, her hair styled in the latest trendy wavy curls, and pointed-toe mid-heel black leather shoes.
She looks like she's from the city.
But this was probably her first time in the Gobi Desert. She didn't know that the surface temperature here was over 50 degrees Celsius. Wasn't she afraid that her little leather shoes would melt and stick to her feet when she stepped on the ground?
Before the man could speak, Sun Mei chimed in, "Of course it's true! Many people in our compound saw it. Jiang Yan is just a kid at the age where he's playful and mischievous, but he doesn't have a single friend and stays home all day doing chores. It's really pitiful."
Hearing Sun Mei's exaggerated words, the woman's expression immediately became even more unpleasant.
"Senior brother, did you hear that? How dare she treat Xiao Yan like that? He's Jiang Jun's only bloodline left in this world. You shouldn't have stopped me from adopting this child in the first place!" the woman shouted angrily.
"I never expected Jiang Yan to be abused here. It's all my fault. If I had agreed to let you adopt him, this wouldn't have happened." Director Fang, the head of the research institute, frowned deeply upon hearing this.
Although he entered the research institute with Jiang Yan's parents, he was a little older. While the other people were in their twenties when they entered, he was already over thirty.
Jiang Yan's parents were twenty-five when they had him, and they were killed by a spy organization when they were thirty.
Director Fang is now over forty years old and has only just taken up the position of department head.
"It's not too late now. Now that we know what that woman is like, I won't let Xiao Yan stay here any longer. This time, we're here to take him away." The woman said, her eyes filled with anger, wishing she could go and settle accounts with Wenrou right now.
The people from the other two research institutes were just as angry as the woman when they heard about this.
"Teacher Lin is right. Xiao Yan can't stay here any longer. The environment here is too terrible, even worse than our research institute. Such a young child is being abused here. I don't know how he's managed to survive until now."
When Jiang Yan's ordeal was mentioned, everyone's faces showed heartache.
Soon, the researchers arrived at Wenrou's doorstep.
At this moment, Wenrou and Jiang Yan were preparing melons and fruits to entertain the people from the research institute.
Because of Jiang Yan's parents, she also greatly admired the staff at the research institute, so she prepared as much as possible.
Jiang Yan, however, wasn't interested in them much, treating them only as relatives from afar.
"Xiao Yan, go to the refrigerator, take the watermelon out and cut it up. We'll serve it to the guests later."
Wenrou was busy in the kitchen when she called out to Jiang Yan.
Just as Jiang Yan was about to get a watermelon from the refrigerator, there was a knock on the door.
He walked over and opened the door, where he saw several people dressed in research institute work clothes standing at the entrance. He guessed that these people must be his parents' friends.
Just as she was about to gently invite them in as instructed, a woman rushed towards them and hugged her.
"Xiao Yan, it really is you! I've finally met you!" The woman hugged Jiang Yan tightly with great excitement upon seeing him.
Jiang Yan looks so much like his father that seeing him reminds her of her senior brother Jiang Jun.
When she first entered the research institute, she was a complete novice who knew nothing.
If Jiang Jun hadn't guided her step by step and patiently taught her, she wouldn't have passed the final assessment and become a formal member of the research institute.
Jiang Yan was being held by the woman, and when he smelled the pungent perfume emanating from her, his small face scrunched up.
He reached out and struggled to push the woman away.
He hates being touched by anyone other than people he knows and is familiar with.
"Xiao Yan, don't you recognize me?" The woman was taken aback by Jiang Yan's unfamiliar attitude towards her, and then asked.
Jiang Yan's expression remained unchanged as he addressed the group in front of him: "I know you are my parents' friends and colleagues. Aunt Xiaorou asked me to invite you in."
The woman, still unwilling to give up, pulled Jiang Yan aside and introduced herself, "I am Lin Yun, your parents' best friend. Your mother, Xiao Lan, and I are best friends. You can call me Auntie."
Jiang Yan has rarely seen his parents since he can remember. Because of the nature of their work, their identities need to be kept secret, so the number of times his parents and children have met can be counted on one hand.
He can hardly even see his own parents, let alone Lin Yun?
Lin Yun only saw Jiang Yan when he was just one year old, and never saw him again after that.
Jiang Yan was so young at that time, of course he wouldn't remember her.
Seeing Jiang Yan's cold attitude towards her, Lin Yun's expression changed, and she followed him inside unwillingly.
Upon hearing the noise, Wenrou quickly came out of the kitchen and politely greeted the people from the research institute, saying, "You must be Xiaoyan's parents' colleagues and friends, please have a seat."
As she spoke, she brought over the freshly brewed tea, along with several enamel cups, poured a cup of tea for each of them, and handed it to them.
Although the others didn't look too happy, they were too embarrassed to say anything because of Wenrou's enthusiasm.
But when it came to Lin Yun, she had a cold face and knocked the teacup out of Wenrou's hand.
Wenrou hadn't expected her to react this way. Caught off guard, the freshly brewed tea spilled onto her hand, scalding the back of her hand.
"Don't pretend. Let me tell you, we're not here for tea today. No matter what, I'm taking Xiaoyan away." Lin Yun was already furious when she entered the family compound, and she vented her anger on the spot after seeing Wenrou.
Jiang Yan had been silent, but when he saw Wenrou get scalded by the boiling water, his expression changed drastically. He immediately went to the kitchen, fetched a basin of cold water, and made her put her hand in it.
Gently, she put her hand into the cool water, and the pain on the back of her hand eased a little.
She glanced at the group of people who had entered, then her gaze fell on the woman from before, and her expression darkened.
She had initially thought these people were there to visit Xiao Yan, but now it seemed that they were not.
She realized from the woman's words that she was here to take Xiaoyan away from her.
"I only treated you kindly because you are friends and colleagues of Xiaoyan's parents. What do you mean by this?" For Xiaoyan's sake, Wenrou tried her best to suppress her anger.
At this point, Lin Yun stopped pretending and, with a look of anger on her face, accused, "Do you really think we don't know how you treat Xiao Yan? We already have evidence of your abuse of him. Just wait to go to the police station."
She showed no remorse for the gentle apology she had shown for the burn; her face was filled with hatred and anger.
"What did you say? I abused Xiao Yan?" Wenrou turned to look at Jiang Yan as if she had heard a joke.
She now probably understands why the people from the research institute suddenly came looking for her, and not only that, they also want to fight her for custody of Jiang Yan.
What a joke! Where were they when Jiang Yan was taken away by that woman He Wenjun in his previous life, and when he eventually went astray and became the head of a criminal organization?
Jiang Yan's parents had been missing for so long, and Jiang Yan had been missing for so long, yet they didn't even bother to look for him.
Now they even have the nerve to come to her door asking for her people back?
I don’t know where they heard that she abused Jiang Yan, and then they accused her of child abuse.
"Comrade, you are a military family member, after all. Jiang Yan's parents sacrificed their lives for the country; they are martyrs. How can you bear to mistreat a five- or six-year-old child like that?"
"So many people in the compound saw how you treated Jiang Yan. Do you think we'd wrongly accuse you now?"
"If you obediently call Jiang Yan out now and honestly confess your crimes, we might give you some face. Otherwise, you and your husband can expect to be punished."
At this moment, the people who had been standing next to Lin Yun also began to criticize Wenrou.
Although Director Fang, who was in charge, did not speak, he looked at Wenrou with a very serious gaze, his eyes full of anger.
"Xiao Yan, they say I'm abusing you, what do you think?" Wenrou ignored them and looked at Jiang Yan with a smile, asking him.
Jiang Yan then realized their purpose: they wanted to take him away from Aunt Xiao Rou.
But he doesn't even know them. Just because they are his parents' friends, do they have this right?
Thinking of this, a hint of panic couldn't help but appear in Jiang Yan's eyes.
He looked at the group of people, stood beside Wenrou, took her hand, and said earnestly, "Aunt Xiaorou is very good to me and has never mistreated me."
"Xiao Yan is still a child, what could he know? We have witnesses to how you abused him, you can't deny it. Xiao Yan has to come with us today no matter what." How could Lin Yun give up just because of Jiang Yan's words?
Jiang Yan is the only thing Jiang Jun left in this world. Because of Xiao Lan, she couldn't openly pursue him.
If she could have his child with her now, it would be a way to give her something to remember him by, so that she wouldn't have to think about the time she spent with Jiang Jun every day.
It was at this moment that Huo Yanchuan heard the news and abandoned his training, rushing back from the army.
How could he tolerate someone coming to his door to bully his wife and even trying to take away Jiang Yan's custody?