Chapter 20: A Great Man Has No Need to Worry About Being Without a Wife

Chen Feng breathed a secret sigh of relief. Having encountered this woman so many times, he had become indistinguishable from anyone else; if she truly intended to cause trouble, it would be quite a headache.

He thought to himself that once he returned to Xiuzhou, he would immediately pack his things and head back to his hometown. Surely, he wouldn't run into her again then.

He sat down in his seat, leaned back, and shortly after, the plane took off.

Just as Chen Feng closed his eyes, he heard Zhang Jingwen, sitting in the adjacent seat, lean over proactively and ask, "Tell me, how did you get my flight information? Do you have connections at the airline?"

Hearing this, Chen Feng felt speechless. As an ordinary citizen, he didn't have such powerful connections or relationships. He didn't want to answer for fear she would cause trouble after landing, yet neither a denial nor an affirmation felt appropriate.

If he denied it, Zhang Jingwen certainly wouldn't believe him, but admitting it wouldn't work either; regardless of legality, it would confirm he had been snooping into her privacy with ulterior motives.

After a moment's thought, Chen Feng said in a half-joking tone, "I only found out you were on this flight; I didn't get your specific seat. It just so happens that I'm sitting next to you by pure coincidence."

"Really?" Zhang Jingwen sounded skeptical.

"False. I don't have any friends who are airline insiders. Meeting you again this time is truly just a coincidence."

Chen Feng was, of course, telling the truth, but Zhang Jingwen clearly didn't believe him and gave him a huffing glare.

After a while, perhaps out of boredom or curiosity, she asked again, "Where are you from?"

Chen Feng thought about it and answered honestly, "Lu City."

"Oh, Lu City. I have a classmate from there too. We just haven't been in touch for a long time. However, since you're from Lu City and taking a flight back to Xiuzhou, you're certainly quite persistent in your celebrity stalking."

As she finished, Zhang Jingwen eyed Chen Feng with a strange and complex expression. His looks were decent, but he was a bit chubby and a little older.

His attire was ordinary, but he must have some money; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to afford first class and five-star hotels.

Hearing this, Chen Feng could only explain, "I work in Xiuzhou."

"I see." Zhang Jingwen didn't believe him, but she didn't press the matter. Instead, she offered some earnest advice, "Then just focus on your work when you get back. It's fine to support your idols moderately, but don't be my sasaeng fan again. That will only make me hate you, or even call the police to arrest you. Do you understand?"

What else could Chen Feng say? He could only act like a qualified fan and nod. "Yeah. I understand. I definitely won't do it again."

Only then did Zhang Jingwen nod in satisfaction and lie back in her seat.

After that, the two remained silent for the rest of the journey.

While waiting to disembark, neither of them said goodbye. Chen Feng was too lazy to say it, and Zhang Jingwen was afraid he would misunderstand.

Chen Feng waited until the very end to get off the plane. To avoid any possibility of running into Zhang Jingwen again, he deliberately lingered at the airport for over ten minutes before calling a ride-hailing car.

This time, the trip back to his rental apartment went smoothly. He showered, changed, and prepared dinner.

Since it was already quite late, it wasn't a good time to head back to his hometown. Chen Feng booked a flight for the next day and sent a voice message to his mother, Zhao Xiaolan, on WeChat, saying he would be staying at home for a while starting tomorrow.

His mother immediately asked him what was going on.

Chen Feng didn't make a special effort to hide his divorce, especially since it couldn't be kept secret anyway, so he told her directly.

There was a long silence on the other end. It took a full half hour before she sent a voice message back.

[Sigh, you... Mom doesn't even know what to say to you. I thought Shen Lin was the one who proposed it, but it turns out it was you. What's wrong with you? Do you not value her anymore? Your job is currently so mediocre, while Shen Lin at least has a permanent position—a steady 'iron rice bowl.' You should be thanking the heavens that she didn't look down on you, yet here you are looking down on her?]

Clearly, his mother had asked Shen Lin, and Shen Lin had shifted all the responsibility onto him. However, this was essentially the truth; he was the one who had initiated the divorce.

[Mom, it's not that I look down on her. It's that she looks down on me for being a greasy middle-aged man with no ambition and no future. In short, she doesn't want me. Anyway, our feelings have grown fainter over the past two years. Aside from living in the same house, we basically had no communication. Living like this was exhausting for both of us, so it's better to part ways early.]

What Chen Feng said were basic facts. He wouldn't intentionally disparage himself or take all the blame for the divorce upon himself.

[Sigh! Fine, fine. You're already divorced, what else can be done? I felt back then that you were punching above your weight and feared you wouldn't be able to keep her. Sure enough, it's only been two years. Sigh! Since your job is like this, it's good for you to come back and stay for a while. We'll talk more when you get back.]

Zhao Xiaolan was clearly exhausted, but knowing her son must be feeling terrible, she didn't say anything more. It seemed the matter was temporarily settled.

However, once he returned home, he would inevitably face a bout of nagging.

Later that evening, his older brother, Chen Rui, called him and spoke for over ten minutes. It was mostly words of comfort, saying things like "a real man shouldn't worry about being without a wife" and "there are plenty of fish in the sea."

The bond between the two brothers was quite good, but as they grew older, they only saw each other a few times a year. With wives and children to care for, their communication had gradually decreased.

In recent years, the brothers only contacted each other via WeChat during holidays.

Normally, unless something was happening, they rarely called.

But no matter what, they were blood brothers; even if bones are broken, the tendons remain connected. Moreover, they had no conflicts and genuinely cared for one another.

It was rare for his older brother to call and talk for ten minutes straight, and Chen Feng felt a warmth in his heart.

In this life, when all is said and done, the ones who can truly be good to you and care for you unconditionally are likely only your own family.

Spouses can be very reliable sometimes, and other times, they are just like that—many end up viewing each other as enemies after a divorce. To be both closest and most distant; that was the reality.

Chen Feng and Shen Lin were doing alright; it was a peaceful breakup, and Chen Feng had nothing to complain about.

The next day, Chen Feng first drove to a large shopping mall for a massive shopping spree: clothes and health supplements for his parents, gifts for his brother and sister-in-law, and gifts for his two young nieces.

After finishing his shopping, Chen Feng drove to Fumanlou for a meal.

The Cantonese cuisine here was excellent. Chen Feng had eaten here twice before when accompanying company executives to entertain clients, and he had always been unable to forget the taste.

A few days ago, he certainly wouldn't have been able to bear paying for it himself, but that was no longer an issue.

After parking and arriving at Fumanlou, he saw the antique architectural style, the large plaques, and the upturned eaves, which stood out uniquely on this street.

Completely ignoring the two beautiful hostesses in slit cheongsams at the entrance, he strode inside toward the counter.

"Hey! Hey! Uncle!"

Suddenly, the wild girl Qin Xiaorou rushed in from the side, blocking his path, looking at him with a face full of pleasant surprise.

Tickets!!!!