Volume One, Chapter 32: Should We Break Up?

Xu Li was crying bitterly, her voice growing louder and louder. I couldn't help but stop mid-stride as I headed upstairs and sat down beside her.

"What's the matter?"

Xu Li grabbed me in a tight embrace, burying her face against my shoulder and sobbing uncontrollably. Her scalding tears soaked into my neck. I didn't move, letting her vent her emotions.

After a long while, Xu Li finally let go, wiped her tears, and choked out, "I remembered that woman's phone number and called to confront her, but she just cursed me out. Your father called just a moment ago, saying he’ll be back in a few days to divorce me."

Divorce?

My father and Xu Li were actually getting a divorce!

Looking at Xu Li’s red, swollen eyes, I didn't know if I should comfort her. Xu Li had torn my family apart. Now, she was about to be abandoned by my father. Even my former dream woman had gradually lost her allure with the passage of time.

Is this karma?

Xu Li had used every underhanded trick to drive me out of the house. Never did I expect that she would be the one to leave first. My father is truly trash—fickle, extremely selfish, and never considering anyone else’s feelings. Our once-wealthy family would only grow poorer with every divorce.

I felt deeply ashamed of my father. I truly hoped that one day I could stand on my own, sever our father-son relationship, and have no further dealings with him.

"What should I do?"
"Xiao Yan, you're going to have a new stepmother again!"
"I lost almost everything for the sake of this family; I’m so bitter!"

...

Xu Li kept rambling, acting every bit the resentful wife. I felt agitated, offering her only perfunctory comfort.

"You're so beautiful, you'll surely find someone better. It's my father who is blind."
"You think I'm beautiful?" Xu Li’s eyes brightened.
"I've always thought so. If I hadn't been forced to drink so much bitter medicine, I’d have a sweeter tongue, too."

My words carried resentment, but Xu Li smiled through her tears, saying softly, "Xiao Yan, I'm sorry. I'm not a good woman, and I'm not a good mother."

I never considered her my mother. That stubborn conviction had been etched into my bones since the day my parents divorced. I didn't respond to that, stood up, and went upstairs.

I hadn't been in bed long when Yu Qingman called. The first thing I heard was her soft sobbing, laced with immense grievance. I listened quietly, saying nothing.

***

The words of Fu Xiaoya and Han Feng had affected me deeply. They gave me a sense of estrangement from Yu Qingman, as if I couldn't see through her anymore.

"Zhou Yan, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have hit or scolded you. I was just too angry at the time and couldn't help myself," Yu Qingman apologized in a low voice.

"It's nothing. Many people have hit me; I'm long used to it."

I gave a bitter smile, feeling like a pathetic coward. I shouldn't have been so submissive and long-suffering; I should have fought back, even if it meant being broken and bloodied.

"Is that girl your girlfriend?" Yu Qingman asked.
"Of course not, just a friend."
"I'm jealous!"

Yu Qingman returned to her coquettish tone.

"Manman, focus on university. You have a bright future; why dwell on these things?"

My words came from the heart. If my college entrance exam hadn't been sabotaged, I would have chosen to go to another city by now, far away from all this turmoil.

After a brief silence on the other end, Yu Qingman asked, "Zhou Yan, are you breaking up with me?"

Breaking up? It felt like things between Yu Qingman and me had never truly begun.

"Let's leave everything to the future," I sighed softly, giving her my answer.

"It's all Qin Shaohu's fault. He's not a human being. Why didn't you beat him to death that night?" Yu Qingman said angrily.

I froze. Something about that sentence felt wrong.

"Manman, I didn't hit him. Really, I didn't. I was sleeping at home that night!"

I emphasized loudly before hanging up the phone. Yu Qingman called back immediately, but I didn't answer; I felt too restless.

I didn't know if it was just my imagination, but I always felt that a giant net was hanging over my head, ready to drop at any moment and bind me tight. Monkey, Yu Qingman, the police at the station... they were all using every method to make me admit that I was the one who hit Qin Shaohu that night. And I kept Fu Xiaoya's words in mind: I must not say a single word wrong.

Night fell, and the streetlights flickered on. I dressed neatly, left the house, and arrived at the entrance of the small park. Han Feng, leaning on his crutches, was waiting there, his restless eyes scanning every pretty woman passing by.

"Brother Feng!"
"Brother, no matter the situation, stay calm."

Han Feng patted my shoulder and added, "Believe one thing: they don't dare to kill us. All their tricks are just to scare us."

***

I nodded, though my heart couldn't help but hang by a thread.

Chu Hailong, known as Brother Long, was currently the biggest thug in Dong'an County. Everyone trembled at the mention of his name. The outside world described Chu Hailong as ruthless and incredibly cunning, always walking on the edge of the law while his crew grew steadily. Petty thugs all took pride in knowing Brother Long. This included my sister, Fu Xiaoya.

I was about to meet Brother Long tonight; how could I not be nervous?

Han Feng hailed a taxi, and we climbed in, soon arriving at an area of luxury villas. The wealthy of the county lived here; cars frequently entered and exited, and everyone’s face was filled with confidence. Although my house was a two-story building, it was a self-built property. Once, when my father was drunk, he mumbled on the sofa that if he hadn't divorced my mother and lost most of his assets, he could have bought a villa here.

Han Feng took out two pairs of sunglasses, put his on, and handed me a pair. The night grew darker. I felt like an idiot, but I kept them on, following Han Feng into the villa district.

It was precisely because of those sunglasses that the guards didn't stop us. They assumed we were thugs and, not wanting to get into trouble, chose to look the other way.

Taking off our sunglasses, we arrived in front of a three-story detached villa. Through the iron-barred fence, I saw green trees and flower beds in the yard. Parked against one wall was a black SUV and a white sports car.

"Looks pretty impressive, right?" Han Feng asked with a smile.

I nodded. This was the most lavish mansion I had ever seen—bigger than the three nearby townhouses combined.

"I used to live here. After I went to prison, the court auctioned it off, and it ended up in Chu Hailong's hands. Thankfully, my mother left me a small place to live, or I'd be sleeping on the streets."

Han Feng sighed with emotion, but I was deeply astonished, looking at him with newfound admiration. Han Feng must have been quite a legendary figure back in the day. If he hadn't fallen into such dire straits, he would never have chosen to let me follow him.

Han Feng lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, and then pressed the doorbell on the side of the iron gate. Soon, the villa door opened. A burly man in a suit walked out. He didn't open the iron gate but instead opened a small window on it, cautiously sizing up Han Feng and me.

"What do you want?" the burly man asked coldly.

"Go back and tell your Brother Long that Han Feng is here and wants to have a word with him."

Han Feng’s face was as still as water as he exhaled a cloud of smoke into the small window.