Chapter 47

Jiang Chen was making coffee when he saw Wang Manni approach. He smiled warmly and gestured for her to wait a moment.

Wang Manni smiled back and took a seat at an empty table.

A little while later, Jiang Chen came over with a cup of coffee. "Give it a try."

Wang Manni picked up the cup and took a sip, savoring it. "Mm, that's good. But it's different from the one you made before."

"Of course it's different. This one..." Jiang Chen rambled on about the coffee's origins, going on for a while.

Halfway through, he noticed Wang Manni wasn't interested and asked, "If I remember right, you're supposed to be at work today. How come you have time to come see me?"

Wang Manni took a sip of her coffee. "I'm leaving."

"Leaving? Where are you going?" Jiang Chen didn't understand.

"Home."

"Home?"

"Home!"

Jiang Chen fell silent. After a long pause, he managed to ask, "Can't you stay?"

Seeing how he was, Wang Manni cut straight to the point. "You'll be fine. Don't let me hold you back."

"You could stay at this coffee shop. You wouldn't make much, but at least you'd be free."

"All right, I should head home." Wang Manni didn't answer his suggestion.

"I'll take you."

"Fine. Take me to the subway station."

"Whatever you say. The subway station."

They'd met at the subway station, so it was only right that this belated goodbye should happen there, too.

Did Wang Manni have feelings for Jiang Chen? Honestly, she probably did. It was mainly because of the youthful days they'd spent striving together and relying on each other. That time was part of her past.

As for getting back together? Wang Manni had said it herself: once you missed your chance, it was gone. Even a good horse didn't eat the grass it had left behind.

That afternoon, Gu Jia messaged Wang Yan to say she wouldn't be home for dinner and told the three of them not to wait for her.

Wang Yan knew what was going on. Wang Manni was leaving, and the women were seeing her off.

This time, Zhao Jingyu hadn't come along to stir things up, and Wang Manni was returning much later than she had in the original story. She'd already turned thirty.

If she put off going home for too long, there was a good chance she and Wei Zhijie would never get together.

If she'd listened less—or not at all—to the nonsense from that neighbor of hers, the old barber called Uncle Yu, perhaps her fate would have taken another turn.

But who could say for sure? People were who they were, and the path they were meant to take might still lead them there after a detour. In any case, it had nothing to do with Wang. She could do whatever she wanted.

More than half a year passed in the blink of an eye.

Wang Yan, Gu Jia, and Xu Ziyan were still a happy family of three, with no worries to speak of.

Gu Jia spent her days socializing with the other wives, and used her remaining time to deal with business matters. She'd even taken on some work for Wang Yan's company. Her days were always full.

As in the show, Mrs. Li's family had lost their powerful backing. They'd moved abroad as a family, and with her gone, Gu Jia had more or less become the group's undisputed leader. She'd reached the top.

To Wang Yan's surprise, Gu Jia had stayed true to herself. She hadn't pulled the same stunt on the new arrivals that she had with the previous group.

During that time, they sold another season's worth of tea. The previous batch had sold extremely well and earned a great reputation, so this one sold smoothly, too.

The profits were higher, and they invested more as a result. Henglu Village had changed more and more.

Wang Yan had never said anything about Gu Jia's choice to do things this way. They both understood the reasons. She could do whatever she wanted.

Most of the villagers who'd gone elsewhere to make a living had returned, except for those who truly had promising prospects. After all, if they could live well in their own village, why keep working so far from home?

The old village chief knew how to get things done. When they'd first invested, he'd reported the news to the higher-ups. Now that they'd invested again, the county had reported it to the city. Leaders at every level had praised the approach, presented them with an award, and even featured it in the news. Gu Jia had earned some recognition, too.

Though busy every day, Gu Jia was very happy with her life.

Wang Yan was still the same as ever, with plenty of free time each day. He read, drank tea, practiced calligraphy, wrote code, and looked after the kids.

In the meantime, Xu Huanshan had brought Lin Youyou to visit Xu Ziyan several times. Whatever else he was, he was still the boy's father. How could he not think about his own son?

Wang Yan might have been a jerk, but he really hadn't tried to turn Xu Ziyan against his father. Still, his presence had filled the void left by Xu Ziyan's longing for a father. As time passed, it was only natural for the boy to grow distant from Xu Huanshan. Xu Ziyan couldn't be said to have no affection for his father, but it had faded. He no longer felt close to him.

Xu Huanshan knew why. So much time had passed that he'd come to terms with it.

One day, Xu Huanshan took advantage of a day off to bring the heavily pregnant Lin Youyou to Tianyue Mansion once again.

Their efforts to have a child had paid off. Lin Youyou was now more than six months along, with only two months or so until her due date.

That was why they'd come to Tianyue Mansion. It wasn't convenient to take her out and about with the baby on the way; what if something happened?

Wang Yan thanked the property staff, then led Xu Huanshan and Lin Youyou inside.

Gu Jia wasn't home. She didn't want to see Xu Huanshan and Lin Youyou, especially with Lin Youyou so heavily pregnant, so she'd gone out to meet some people.

It was mainly because Xu Huanshan had been so ruthless during the divorce, leaving no room for their past relationship.

Of course, the real culprit was Wang Yan, who'd acted like a jerk—supporting Xu Huanshan on one hand while flirting with Gu Jia on the other.

It was a shame that the flowers at home hadn't smelled as sweet as the wild ones. Otherwise, there wouldn't have been any place for Wang.

Xu Ziyan had been watching TV in the living room. When he saw Xu Huanshan come in, he ran over. "Dad! Auntie! You're here!"

Xu Huanshan hurried over and picked Xu Ziyan up. "Hey, son, you've gotten so chubby! Dad can hardly lift you anymore."

"Really? Should I eat less, then?" Xu Ziyan thought it over seriously.

His expression made Xu Huanshan burst out laughing. "Ha ha, you silly boy. Dad was just teasing you."

Then Xu Huanshan and Lin Youyou played with Xu Ziyan.

Lin Youyou wasn't exactly a kind person, but she was never much of a presence around Wang Yan. Mostly, she felt uneasy whenever she saw the knowing look in his eyes.

Wang Yan watched them play for a while, then shook his head and went upstairs, leaving them to spend time together.

"Hiss... whoosh..."

On the terrace, Wang Yan smoked as he gazed at the high-rises outside.

He hadn't even finished his cigarette when Xu Huanshan came upstairs.

Wang Yan picked up the cigarettes beside him and offered one. Xu Huanshan shook his head. Lin Youyou was pregnant, and smoking was bad for her.

"Wang Yan, I want to know the truth."

Wang Yan stared into Xu Huanshan's eyes for a moment. "Regretting it?"

"We're at this point already. What's the use of talking about that?"

Wang Yan thought for a moment. "If you hadn't cheated, I wouldn't have been involved."

Xu Huanshan believed him. He knew Wang Yan had no interest in lying to him.

Unwilling to waste words with Wang Yan, Xu Huanshan turned to leave.

Wang Yan called after him. "Old Xu."

Xu Huanshan turned around.

"Go check on the fireworks factory when you get back. Make sure they're following safety procedures. That's all I have to say. Take care of yourself."

He turned away and continued to look out at the scenery, his hands behind his back.

Xu Huanshan paused, then left. He remembered the time he'd gotten into a fight and lost, and how Wang Yan had tried to talk Shen Jie around.

He decided to go check on the factory as soon as he got back. He couldn't afford to be careless.

Wang Yan had finally let his guard down. It didn't matter whether Xu Huanshan was right or wrong, or whether Lin Youyou really loved him.

There were two people who'd die in the fireworks factory explosion, and families behind them. There was also the child in Lin Youyou's belly. All of them were innocent.

The explosion was bound to happen, but the hell of it was that he was here now. None of those people had wronged him or hurt him.

He'd already been a big enough jerk. He still had to hold on to some conscience and a few basic principles.

A long time had passed, and apart from their mismatched schedules and the fact that she sometimes couldn't keep up with his energy, Zhong Xiaoqin felt very happy.

Her parents also knew that Zhong Xiaoqin and Zhong Xiaoyang had gotten together. The deed was done. Apart from sighing, there was nothing they could do about it.

But Zhong Xiaoqin was feeling very anxious at that moment. She'd just dry-heaved, and having been through this once before, she immediately realized what it might mean.

She hurried downstairs to buy a pregnancy test from the pharmacy. When she got home and took it, it showed two lines, just as she'd expected.

For a while, Zhong Xiaoqin didn't know what to do. She just sat on the sofa in a daze.

After a long while, the door opened and closed with a bang, and Zhong Xiaoyang came home.

Recently, Zhong Xiaoyang had used his skills to find a job modifying motorcycles. It was exhausting work, and he'd never imagined he'd end up doing something like this.

After doing it for a while, he'd started to feel like he couldn't keep it up. But he couldn't quit, either. If he did, what would he eat? How would he pay his bills?

People said turning a hobby into a job was the happiest thing, but that depended on the person and the job. And once a hobby became a way to make a living, people usually stopped loving it.

The sound of the door snapped Zhong Xiaoqin out of her daze. She glanced at the time. "You're back. Wait here while I make dinner."

Zhong Xiaoyang came over, put his arms around Zhong Xiaoqin, and kissed her. "Hurry up. I'm starving."

Zhong Xiaoqin busied herself for a while and cooked two dishes. They ate together, making small talk as they went.

"Xiaoyang, I'm pregnant." After a moment of silence, Zhong Xiaoqin suddenly spoke.

Zhong Xiaoyang's hand paused as he reached for a dish. He drew it back and asked, "When did this happen?"

"This afternoon. I dry-heaved, so I bought a pregnancy test and took it. Look, two lines." She handed him the test.

He glanced at it, thought for a moment, and asked, "What do you want to do?"

"I want to know what you think."

Zhong Xiaoyang said a lot, mostly about how they couldn't provide for a child and how they weren't financially secure.

He ended with, "Let's get rid of it."

"Okay."

Seeing how down Zhong Xiaoqin looked, Zhong Xiaoyang hurried to comfort her gently, saying the sweet things that had always worked for him before.

This time, they didn't work.

Zhong Xiaoqin had expected this answer, but she was still disappointed. It meant Zhong Xiaoyang had never intended to stay with her in the long run. Otherwise, he would have considered her age. And she'd had a uterine curettage only six months ago. Zhong Xiaoyang knew that. If she had another abortion now, who knew what the consequences would be?

"I'm done eating. You can finish," Zhong Xiaoqin said before going back to the bedroom. She lay down and pulled the covers over herself without moving.

Zhong Xiaoyang said nothing. It wasn't the first time this had happened. He could comfort her, and she'd be fine in a couple of days. He had experience with this.

The next day, Zhong Xiaoqin and Zhong Xiaoyang both took the day off to go to the hospital for an abortion.

There were quite a few people there for abortions, too, and they had to wait a long time before it was Zhong Xiaoqin's turn.

Before long, Zhong Xiaoqin came out, weak and unsteady.

The doctor prescribed some medication and told her she couldn't have another abortion. She'd had a uterine curettage and had only just recovered, and now she was having an abortion. It could seriously affect her future health. She might become infertile, or her risk of losing a premature baby could increase.

In any case, Zhong Xiaoqin was terrified. She spent the whole ride to Zhong Xiaoyang's place crying.

After resting for half a day, Zhong Xiaoqin forced herself to pack. Without a word, she prepared to leave.

Zhong Xiaoyang had thought he could just soothe her and be done with it. He'd never imagined she'd be so determined.

He hurried to plead with her, swear he'd change, apologize, and beg her to stay.

Zhong Xiaoqin didn't get into a screaming match with him. First, she was in far too much pain. Second, her heart had died from grief. No matter what he said, it wouldn't matter.

She looked at him, then dragged her suitcase downstairs, forcing herself to keep going. She hailed a taxi and went back to her parents' place.

There was no elevator, and her parents lived on an even higher floor. She could barely keep going. She called her mother and asked them to come downstairs and help her.

As soon as she hung up, her parents hurried downstairs. Seeing Zhong Xiaoqin with a pale, ashen face and cold sweat pouring off her, her mother was terrified.

She rushed over, wanting to ask what had happened and stand up for her daughter. "Xiaoqin, what's wrong? Why do you look like this? Did that boy bully you?"

Her father took the suitcase from her hand and asked, too, "Yes, Xiaoqin, what happened?"

Zhong Xiaoqin's parents knew that she and Zhong Xiaoyang were together. Their daughter had made her choice and insisted on being with him. Apart from sighing and worrying about her every day, there was nothing the two of them could do. They simply couldn't control her anymore.

Zhong Xiaoqin didn't have the energy to explain. In a hoarse voice, she said, "Let's go upstairs, Mom and Dad. Don't ask. Let's go upstairs."

Seeing her like this, Zhong Xiaoqin's mother helped her upstairs, her heart aching.

They got her settled and waited until she fell asleep before finally breathing a sigh of relief.

"What do you think happened to her?" Zhong Xiaoqin's mother sighed.

"I'm going to ask that boy." As he spoke, he started putting on his coat.

Zhong Xiaoqin's mother hurried to stop him. "Oh, don't make things worse. Let's wait until Xiaoqin feels better."

Zhong Xiaoqin slept straight through until the next day.

Her mother helped her get up with great difficulty. After she drank some porridge, she went back to bed.

Watching her from the side, Zhong Xiaoqin's mother felt miserable. "Xiaoqin, what happened? You have to tell us! Are you trying to drive your father and me crazy?"

"Mom, Dad, I'm sorry." Zhong Xiaoqin burst into tears.

"Oh, child, you have to tell us what happened!"

"I was pregnant. Zhong Xiaoyang didn't want the baby, so I had an abortion yesterday," Zhong Xiaoqin sobbed.

She went on to explain everything that had happened over the past couple of days. Her parents were heartsick as they listened.

After they'd finally managed to calm Zhong Xiaoqin down, the two of them went straight to Zhong Xiaoyang's place.

They came back empty-handed, of course. They'd only managed to scratch Zhong Xiaoyang a couple of times. There was nothing else they could do.

When they got home, the two of them slumped down on the sofa.

"Chen Yu really was better," Zhong Xiaoqin's mother suddenly said.

Her father said nothing. She'd chosen her own path. Who could she blame?

As for Chen Yu, he'd recovered completely and been discharged long ago.

He threw himself into his work and didn't think about anything else.

But fate always had a way of working things out.

Two months earlier, he'd met a woman who quietly helped elderly people living alone and children with disabilities at a welfare home.

That was the strange thing about fate. Chen Yu usually didn't go out into the field to gather material or conduct interviews. He'd only gone this time because he'd recently been discharged and wanted to get back into the swing of things. That was how they'd met.

After the interview, and then some deeper conversations afterward, the two of them had gotten to know each other. They were now trying to grow closer.

Anyway, they'd been getting along very well lately, and it looked like things might work out.

As for Wang Manni, for a while after she'd gone back, Gu Jia, Zhong Xiaoqin, and the others would chat with her whenever they had time. Wang Yan had overheard some of their conversations, too.

Just as in the original show, she met Zhang Zhi through a blind date.

But Wang Yan only knew that much. As time passed, the three women talked less and less, until more than half a year had gone by. They'd all tacitly stopped talking, and their brief friendship had come to an end.

Gu Jia still occasionally went out to meet Zhong Xiaoqin, but neither of them ever mentioned Wang Manni again.

Wang Yan wasn't concerned about Wang Manni, either, so he didn't bother looking into what she was up to. He just let it be.

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