Chapter 4.2

As the gentle dusk breeze rustled through, the sky painted with colorful hues, Qi Feifei and Xin Zhihuan bent down in his mother’s carefully tended vegetable field, picking vegetables. She quietly watched him earnestly pulling out radishes, her heartstrings couldn’t help but tug.

From the moment he returned aggressively, standing in front of her, looking down at her with that arrogant posture, she knew he had come back to Taiwan to punish her.

Setting the rules of the game, saying he would play by his rules, she had to help him become the general manager before he would agree to divorce her. At that time, she guessed it might just be a beautiful excuse, and his subsequent actions made her realize even more clearly that he was just kidnapping her time.

Why did he have to do this?

Of course, it was because he didn’t want to see her living freely and happily with other men. He wanted to tease her, torture her, to satisfy his sense of revenge.

He succeeded.

That night, Fang Jiajun witnessed their game’s kiss, became jealous, and left angrily, refusing her calls, cutting off contact with her.

He achieved his goal.

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Gqvla vbyv dktbv, bkp yvvkvwel vsoyaep bla wdelaoldv y 180-eltall vaydpqsaxyvksd.

Mbl yaastydnl yde rakel qyele yoyu, alrzynle cu y xsal nbkzekpb yojoyaedlpp, nzlyazu vaukdt vs rzlypl bla, cwv yzoyup ralvldekdt vs cl kdekqqlaldv.

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Tl oyp y obkvl-nszzya lzkvl obs qaliwldvle Eyzz Fvallv, cwv bl ynnsxrydkle bla vs oyvla yde ekt pskz kd vbl hltlvyczl qklze, tlvvkdt ewpv yzz shla bkp qynl, bkp bydep ekavu.

Ebyv’p xsal lxcyaayppkdt oyp vbyv bl nswzed’v lhld rwzz swv y ayekpb.

“Tso es usw rwzz vbkp vbkdt swv?” Fllkdt bkx pvawttzkdt qsa y zsdt vkxl, rwzzkdt swv byzq yde vbld tlvvkdt pvwnj, pbl nswzed’v blzr cwv oydv vs zywtb.

“Fs obu eke usw nsxl yzsdt? Zsw esd’v lhld jdso bso vs rwzz swv hltlvyczlp.” Fbl vlyple tldvzu.

“Who says I don’t know?” He was not convinced, clapping his hands covered in mud and pointing to the vegetable basket nearby.

“Look at those, I pulled them all out!” 

“Yeah, really amazing.” She smiled and walked over to inspect the vegetable basket full of vegetables. “This bok choy, the most tender parts are all plucked by you, this tomato, it’s not even ripe yet, why are you in such a hurry to pick it? This basil, sigh, you’ve crushed it.”

“Oh come on!” He listened to her criticism one by one, displeased, pouting. “So are you really good at it? You’re just like me, living in the city, I don’t believe you’re good at these farming tasks.”

“Better than you, right?” She retorted with a smile. “Every month when I come back, I’ll patrol the vegetable field with your mom. And don’t forget, didn’t I used to make a living with my mom at the market?”

He blinked, speechless.

“So my qualifications in this area are definitely better than yours, no doubt about it,” she asserted.

“Hmph,” he reluctantly scoffed.

“Here, watch me.” She demonstrated for him. “Pulling out radishes isn’t just about using force; you have to find the knack. First, grip the leaves lightly and shake to loosen the soil, then grip firmly and pull it out… like this.”

She deftly pulled out a complete radish.

His eyes lit up with admiration and envy, but quickly, he masked the expression of admiration and pursed his lips. “Looks easy.”

“Then you try,” she challenged.

He squinted, grabbed the radish head, followed her instructions to shake and loosen the soil, then exerted force—

The radish didn’t come out, but he ended up sitting on the ground.

Seeing his disheveled appearance, she couldn’t help but laugh, her laughter as clear as wind chimes, stirring his heart.

He felt embarrassed, but listening to her laughter, he also felt sweet—well, if he could get a smile from her, what’s a little embarrassment?

Xin Zhihuan sprung up from the ground, patted his dusty backside, trying to act cool.

Qi Feifei watched him, her eyes lingering with his movements. He was wearing handsome jeans, perfectly accentuating his long legs and firm buttocks.

She knew many women would give top marks to that sexy narrow waist of his, especially when he was completely naked…

She suddenly shook her head vigorously, trying to shake off the inappropriate pinkish image from her mind. It was terrible, how could she entertain such fantasies in broad daylight?

“What’s wrong with you?” he looked at her strangely. “Are you uncomfortable? Your face is red.”

Really? Was her face red?

Qi Feifei panicked, reaching up to touch her slightly flushed cheek. “I might… um, it’s just too hot today,” she hastily offered an excuse.

“Too hot? I feel quite cool,” he remarked. “Because… you didn’t pull out the vegetables seriously, of course you wouldn’t feel hot.” She waved her hand in front of her cheeks to create a breeze.

“Who says I’m not serious? I’m very serious, okay?” He was provoked again. “Pulling out radishes, right? Humph, I’ll show you!”

He squatted down again, grabbed the disobedient radish head, shook it and exerted force, and this time, he finally succeeded in pulling it out.

He stood up triumphantly, holding up the radish, which didn’t look very appealing, like a victorious warrior brandishing a glorious trophy.

The setting sun softened his slightly masculine features, making him look more like a child, a genuine and adorable big boy.

She watched, feeling as if ripples were being dropped into the lake of her heart.

After dinner, Qi Feifei went to the kitchen to help her mother-in-law wash the dishes, while Xin Zhihuan accompanied his father for a drink in the living room.

“What’s going on between you two?” Xin’s mother took the washed dishes from her daughter-in-law, wiping them dry with a cloth, and asked quietly.

Qi Feifei was mentally prepared for this question and continued to wash another dish at a leisurely pace before pretending to be naive. “Mom, I don’t understand what you mean.”

“You know.” Xin’s mother didn’t buy her act at all and directly exposed her lie. “To be honest, when Zhihuan came back this time, he intended to divorce you, right?”

Her mother-in-law’s questions were too sharp, her gaze too keen, and Qi Feifei knew she couldn’t avoid it, so she could only nod. “Yeah.”

“I knew it.” Xin’s mother sighed. “You’ve been separated for six years, dragging it out like this, you should have handled the divorce paperwork a long time ago. But…”

“But what?” Qi Feifei sensed there was something more to her mother-in-law’s words.

Xin’s mother looked her straight in the eye, now that the topic was out in the open, she might as well be more direct. “I see that you two seem to get along well this time, no fighting, and Zhihuan seems to be sticking to you quite a bit.”

“He’s not sticking to me, he’s—” 

“What?” 

How should she put it? Even she couldn’t understand his intentions.

Qi Feifei awkwardly touched her nose. “Anyway, it’s not what you think. Between Zhihuan and me, we… it’s impossible.”

“Is it really impossible?”

“Yeah.”

Xin’s mother frowned, looking regretful. “It’s a pity. I really like you as a daughter-in-law, you know?”

“I know you care about me, and so does dad.” Qi Feifei met her mother-in-law’s sincere and caring gaze, suddenly feeling very guilty. “I’m sorry.”

“What are you apologizing for? Silly child!” Xin’s mother affectionately patted her. “It’s not your fault. You can only say that you and Zhihuan are fated to be separated! Alas, it’s a shame that boy isn’t lucky enough to know how to cherish such a good girl like you.”

Was it really fate that she and him were meant to be separated?

Qi Feifei silently pondered her mother-in-law’s heartfelt words, feeling her heart sway.

At the same time, Xin’s father and son were also chatting in the living room.

“What are you doing with Feifei?” Xin’s father, after two glasses of liquor, had a flushed face and a loud voice.

“What do you mean?” Xin Zhihuan looked around nervously, afraid that his father’s loud voice would attract the attention of the two women in the kitchen.

“Don’t play dumb!” Xin’s father roared. “Are you trying to reconcile with her?”

“Reconcile? Dad, have you forgotten? We haven’t even settled the divorce yet!”

“So what? You’re not planning to, and you want to win her back?”

“Who said that?”

“Then what? Why did you two come back together?”

“We came back together because you ordered us to.”

“When have you ever listened to what I said obediently? You ungrateful child, do you want me to count how many times you’ve resisted me?” Xin’s father’s anger grew, his voice getting louder and louder.

Xin Zhihuan hurriedly covered his father’s mouth with his hand. “Dad, could you please keep your voice down? Alright, alright, I know I’m rebellious, I’m unfilial, please stop nagging!”

“Then explain it clearly!” Xin’s father pulled down his son’s hand, his eyebrows furrowed, his eagle eyes narrowed. The habitual expressions of anger between father and son were almost identical. “You and Feifei, do you really have no hope left? Are you really planning to divorce her?”

“I’ve made up my mind.” Xin Zhihuan responded calmly. “And Feifei has too.”

“Just like that?”

“Just like that.”

“Don’t you feel regretful?”

“Regretful about what?”

“You brat, you’ve really angered your father!” Xin’s father suddenly grabbed his son’s collar, roaring displeasedly. “How can you not want such a good wife? Are you planning to marry some questionable foreign woman?”

“Who said foreign women are questionable?” Compared to his father’s indignation, Xin Zhihuan appeared calm as he slowly removed his father’s hand. “I know many elegant and beautiful women in New York.”

“Talking about elegance and beauty, can our Feifei lose to those rich young ladies? Moreover, she’s obedient, filial, and runs her business properly outside. I don’t think her abilities are any worse than yours,” Xin’s father snorted.

On this point, Xin Zhihuan couldn’t deny it. “Her restaurant… is doing quite well.”

“So, are you an idiot? Have you lost your mind? How can you bear to let go of such a good girl?” Xin’s father accused bluntly.

That was quite harsh!

Xin Zhihuan pursed his lips. “What’s there not to bear?” he muttered softly, seemingly indifferent on the surface, but feeling as if a big chunk of his chest had been hollowed out, an inexplicable sense of loss.

His father’s words were harsh, but they made sense. In terms of looks, talent, and temperament, Feifei was no less than the glamorous women he knew in New York, and perhaps even more meticulous and intelligent.

So, why was he willing to let her go?

What was he thinking?

As thoughts churned in his mind, Xin Zhihuan couldn’t grasp a single clue, so he stubbornly poured himself a glass of liquor and downed it in one go.