129 The Kind-Hearted Landlady

When Li Feng'er and I were married, all the local residents attended the wedding feast for free. They felt a sense of gratitude toward Sister Li’s family, and they were well aware that I was merely the son-in-law who had moved into her home.

This was hardly surprising; I lived in her house, drove the car she had purchased, and she had covered every expense for our wedding. The neighbors all knew I was a "kept man." When Sister Li’s adoptive mother passed away and I, her husband, was nowhere to be found, they had whispered behind my back, branding me an ungrateful, white-eyed wolf.

Now that I was seen lingering near her home, they assumed I was there to harass her. Naturally, they wanted to teach me a lesson to vent their frustration on her behalf and ensure I would never dare to bother her again.

As they rushed toward me, my instinct was to run, as I knew I couldn't win a fight. But today, I didn't flee, nor did I strike back. I simply crouched by the roadside, shielding my head with my hands, letting them rain blows upon me as they pleased. Seeing that I neither retaliated nor ran away, they eventually grew bored and stopped.

Fortunately, Sister Li rushed out just then, shouting for them to stop, and dispersed the crowd. She helped me up and asked, "Why didn't you run? Why just stand there foolishly and take a beating?"

I couldn't help but wrap my arms around her waist and ask, "Feng'er, do you still love me?"

Li Feng'er’s gaze was distant as she murmured, "I have always loved you."

I said excitedly, "Feng'er, then can we continue our relationship?"

Li Feng'er shook her head. "Spilled water cannot be gathered back. Just call me 'Sister' from now on; I still prefer to think of you as my younger brother."

Seeing my blank and melancholy expression, she sighed. "Oh, don't feel guilty anymore. I no longer blame you for what happened. But you know as well as I do that there is no possibility for us now. If you keep coming back to find me, look at how the neighbors look down on you."

I gave a bitter smile. She was right; I truly had no face left to cling to her. I let go of her waist and whispered, "Take care, Sister."

Li Feng'er handed me the keys to her BMW and said, "Feng, you should take the car and go."

I shook my head. "No, thank you." Indeed, I no longer had the face to drive the car she had bought.

I stumbled away. Li Feng'er watched me leave, and when I looked back one last time, I saw her eyes were clouded with tears. I felt a deep, piercing sorrow—sometimes, the people you love are not meant to be with you. I had meant to bring joy to Feng'er, but instead, I had only brought her pain.

My marriage to Li Feng'er was a true whirlwind—a flash wedding followed by a flash divorce. It was a fake marriage, yet the feelings were real. We had lived together for less than a month before parting ways. Life is like that—unpredictable in its joy and sorrow; a beautiful beginning does not guarantee a beautiful ending.

I reached the main street of the town, hailed a taxi, and headed straight for the Qingxi District in Mingzhou. I sat slumped in the back seat, listless and lightheaded, feeling as though my time with Sister Li—the meeting, the marriage, and the breakup—had all been a dream.

The taxi sped along the highway. Time passed without me noticing until the driver suddenly asked, "Hey! We’re in Qingxi. Where do you want to be dropped off?"

Where could I go now? To go back to Jin Yulian would feel shameless, as if I were seeking a new lover the moment I’d parted from Sister Li. As for Auntie Lin and Tietou, I had no face to see them either; my grand wedding had fallen apart in less than two months. How could I answer if Auntie Lin asked? And I couldn't bear to face the pure, innocent gaze of Lin Xiaoyu.

"Zhu Shu Village," I said casually. I thought of that dilapidated rental room; even though the bed was broken, it would suffice for the night.

The taxi soon reached the entrance of Zhu Shu Village. I paid the fare and hopped out, suddenly struck by a wave of hunger. Seeing "Sister Hua’s Beef Noodle Shop" nearby, I decided to grab a bowl to fill my stomach.

It was the same shop where Jin Yulian and I had eaten before. It was already around four in the afternoon on the third day of the Lunar New Year. The shop wasn't officially open, but the plump proprietress was inside, washing vegetables.

I hesitated, but my hunger was overwhelming, so I asked sheepishly, "Proprietress, do you have any beef noodles?" Usually, during the New Year holidays, most people ate at home or with relatives, rarely seeking out beef noodles.

The proprietress looked surprised. "You want beef noodles?" I nodded.

Seeing my disheveled clothes and the wound on my forehead, she clearly took me for a pitiable soul. She smiled sympathetically and said, "If you want them, I’ll cook them for you. You’re my first customer of the New Year; that’s quite rare."

"Thank you," I said quickly. Soon, the noodles were ready. There was a generous portion of beef—far more than usual—and the taste was excellent.

After finishing, I asked, "How much do I owe you?" The proprietress replied with a smile, "Don't worry about it. You’re the first customer of the New Year; this one is on the house."

I knew she was just pitying me. On the third day of the New Year, who with a home to return to would be out eating beef noodles to stave off hunger? I tried to press some money into her hand, but she refused... Just then, a car drove past. I recognized the license plate—it was Sister Yang's car.

I pretended not to see it and tried to turn my head away. No one wants an acquaintance to see them in such a wretched state, but Xiao Ya, who was sitting in the car, spotted me and shouted, "Mom, look! It’s Uncle Feng!"

Sister Yang saw me, pulled the car over, and began to walk toward me.