Chapter 26: An Initiative Invitation

Chen Feng saw Wu Mengting step out of the car, grab a warning triangle from the trunk, and run about a dozen meters behind the vehicle to set it down. She then stood by the roadside and hurriedly pulled out her phone to make a call. It appeared, however, that she couldn't get through.

After a moment's thought, Chen Feng rode his scooter over and pulled up by the roadside. Looking through the guardrail, he watched her finish her call and then shouted to her, "Broken down again?"

Only then did Wu Mengting notice Chen Feng. A flash of joy crossed her face, followed by a helpless nod. "Yeah. It just suddenly stalled. It's driving me crazy. It hasn't been long since it was repaired last time. I drove all the way from Xiuzhou without any issues, but then it breaks down right here. I don't even want this car anymore."

"Were you calling for roadside assistance just now?"

"No, I was calling my insurance company, but I couldn't get through."

"How about I take a look first? I've heard before that when this kind of car stalls automatically, it's often because a wire is loose."

"Really? Then come over and check it out. I'm in a hurry to meet up with my classmates."

Chen Feng walked over and popped the hood to begin his inspection.

His ex-wife, Shen Lin, had a similar car a few years ago with almost the exact same problem. At the time, Chen Feng had searched for the cause online and found that this phenomenon was quite common. Some said it was a loose battery cable, some said it was a software issue, and others blamed the relay.

Back then, Chen Feng had simply reconnected the battery cable, and it worked perfectly.

Now that it was Wu Mengting's turn, Chen Feng decided to give it a try. He didn't use any tools; he simply fiddled with a few wires. Then, he told Wu Mengting to try starting the engine.

To his surprise, it actually started. What luck!

"Thank you! Thank you! You've been a huge help, and twice in a row! Brother Chen, I've realized you are my guardian angel."

Wu Mengting, feeling delighted and grateful, stepped out of the car again to thank him.

Chen Feng thought to himself, *It seems like you've been quite unlucky whenever you run into me. If you hadn't met me, maybe this car wouldn't have broken down.*

"It was a coincidence. I didn't expect it to actually be that issue."

"It really was a coincidence, such good luck. Otherwise, I would have missed my meeting with my classmates today. She's waiting for me to go try on dresses."

"Well then, you should get going. Don't keep your classmate waiting."

"Okay, I'll head off then. Next time I'm in Xiuzhou, I'll definitely treat you to a meal."

Perhaps truly pressed for time, Wu Mengting jogged over, put the warning triangle in her trunk, and drove off immediately.

Chen Feng watched her car drive into the distance before getting back on his scooter to head home.

He thought he wouldn't have any more intersections with Wu Mengting, but two days later, she took the initiative to call him.

Though somewhat surprised, Chen Feng answered immediately.

"Brother Chen, are you still in your hometown?" Wu Mengting's voice sounded quite cheerful.

"I am. Is something the matter?" Chen Feng's tone was calm.

"It's like this: I want to do some field research in Linnan County. If you're free, I'd like to hire you to be my guide for a day or two. I can pay you a fee—three hundred a day. How does that sound?"

Chen Feng hadn't expected such a request and was stunned for a good while.

"How about it? Brother Chen, is it inconvenient? If it is, don't worry about it."

"Ah, no, it's not inconvenient at all. I don't have much going on at home, so being your guide is no problem. Actually, I've been wanting to go out and wander around myself."

"That's wonderful! I'll come find you right now. At the car detailing shop you run at your house, okay?"

"Sure, no problem."

Once they had agreed, Chen Feng packed up briefly and headed out on his scooter.

Chen Feng arrived first. After waiting for about ten minutes, that familiar Mini drove up.

Chen Rui saw this as well and said encouragingly with a smile, "She reached out to you first; you have to seize this opportunity. Be a bit thicker-skinned."

Chen Feng gave a bitter smile and stepped forward to wave at the Mini.

"Get in. How about you show me around your area first?"

"No problem."

Chen Feng sat in the passenger seat, and the car quickly started up.

Under Chen Feng's guidance, the car first drove to an ancient site in Qingpu Town: the Taiyin Palace, which was nearly two hundred years old. It was a Taoist temple with local characteristics, covering a large area and featuring a performance stage.

Historically, temple fairs were centered around this Taiyin Palace, with stalls lining the area, making it incredibly lively. It was held every year on the twenty-eighth day of the first lunar month, attracting people from several surrounding towns.

When Chen Feng was a child, he looked forward to this temple fair every year; it held a deep place in his childhood memories.

There were many Taoist murals inside the Taiyin Palace, which Wu Mengting found fascinating. She took photos with her camera from time to time, the shutter clicking repeatedly.

Returning to this old place brought a sense of nostalgia to Chen Feng.

The Taiyin Palace had undergone several renovations, making it look brighter and more dazzling, but it had lost that sense of intimacy and familiarity from his childhood.

Furthermore, since Chen Feng was in high school, the temple fair on the twenty-eighth of the first month had been declining year by year, losing its original allure.

However, there was one thing that seemed largely unchanged, giving Chen Feng a profound sense of familiarity.

That was a large open-air well in the center. The mouth of the well was circular, over three meters in diameter, and it housed a school of bright red field fish. People often threw food into it.

On this visit, although a high guardrail had been added around the mouth, the well still contained a school of bright red field fish. Upon seeing someone at the edge, many of the fish surfaced.

This surprised both Wu Mengting and Chen Feng, and they stood around it watching for a long time.

The two stayed at the Taiyin Palace for nearly two hours before leaving. By then, it was almost noon, so Chen Feng took the initiative to invite her to lunch.

Wu Mengting did not refuse; she accepted with a smile.

They were considered friends now. As the local, Chen Feng should have taken her home to eat, but to avoid any misunderstanding from his family and to prevent potential embarrassment for Wu Mengting, he chose to eat out in town.

He found a local restaurant and ordered several local specialties, including the field fish.

Field fish look very similar to koi and can even be kept as pets, but field fish are primarily for eating, while koi are for ornamental purposes.

Wu Mengting had never eaten field fish before. At first, she felt a bit reluctant and didn't dare to pick up her chopsticks. After Chen Feng persuaded her a few times, she finally took a bite and ended up loving it. The taste was indeed excellent.

Wu Mengting was very satisfied with the meal.

Seeing that she looked a bit tired, Chen Feng booked a room for her at a local guesthouse so she could rest before he continued showing her around.

Wu Mengting did not refuse and agreed with a smile.

When Chen Feng returned home, he was immediately caught by his mother, who was watching the shop.

Since there was no one in the shop, she asked urgently, "Your brother said a girl reached out to you to hang out? How did it go?"

Chen Feng had no choice but to explain, "She's just an ordinary friend. She's a magazine editor and just came here for field research and photography. She asked me to be her guide, nothing more."

Zhao Xiaolan clearly didn't believe him and glared, "I don't care if she's an ordinary friend. Since you're divorced and single now, find someone reliable as soon as possible. Give me a grandchild soon."

"Alright, I get it."

Chen Feng gave a helpless, perfunctory response and hurried upstairs.

(End of Chapter)