Chapter 8: You Don't Want Your Dad to Be Embarrassed, Right?

Wu An led A Qing toward the pier, where several fish‑buying shops were located.

A Qing couldn't help turning back for a glance and said, "Brother, Lin Hu ran up onto the big reef rock where we were just fishing."

Wu An smiled, "Let him be."

If it weren't for cheating, that place wouldn't catch any fish at all.

Waiting for Lin Hu to fail at catching fish, and thinking about how he and A Qing used the Linked Rod Technique earlier, it must be even more painful for him.

Mm.

Self‑inflicted suffering.

Who can be blamed?

The two each carried a fishing box on one side while walking, spilling water all the way; at this rate they might not even reach the pier, and the fish in the boxes would die of thirst.

A Qing said, "Brother, let me carry it alone."

"You just need to hold that big Sea Bass."

The villagers all said A Qing was dim‑witted.

In fact, A Qing was sincere.

Having been wronged, he wouldn't think of revenge, not even complain; he just endured, suppressed it, and suffered alone, and over time the villagers thought he was a simple, easy target.

Now A Qing just wants to exert a bit more effort so he can be more at ease; Wu An didn't refuse, nodded and said, "Alright, give it a try."

He placed the fishing box on the ground and let go.

As a result, A Qing gave it his all but could only lift the box, managed two steps before giving up, and awkwardly said, "Brother, it's a bit heavy."

Wu An wasn't surprised, "The two of us carrying it is no problem; you go home and bring a handcart over."

A Qing nodded and "whoosh" ran toward home.

Back home, he grabbed the handcart and was about to leave when Li Juan, just out of the house, stopped him and asked, "What are you taking the handcart for?"

A Qing shouted, "Mom, I'm going to haul fish."

Li Juan, even more curious, "What fish are you hauling?"

"Where did the fish come from?"

"Ah, seeing you drenched in sweat, sun‑burned all over, hurry inside and eat an ice cream to cool down, stop running around pointlessly."

A Qing shook his head, "No, no, my brother is still waiting for me."

Li Juan's face darkened instantly, "You're hanging out with that good‑for‑nothing Wu An again!"

In the past, A Qing wouldn't dare or be able to retort, but today he shouted, "My brother isn't a good‑for‑nothing; he said he's turning over a new leaf."

"Today he took me, and we caught a lot of fish."

"We couldn't lift them, so we came home to get the handcart."

After saying that, he skirted around Li Juan and ran out.

Li Juan, surprised, knew all too well what kind of person Wu An was; the villagers all knew that his father had recently announced a severance of their father‑son relationship.

Can he fish?

Stealing fish would be more like it.

She glared and shouted, "You've even learned to lie!"

"Wasn't it Wu An who taught you?"

"He had you bring the handcart; could it be to steal someone else's big catch?"

"Tell Mom the truth."

A Qing, impatient, shouted, "Hey, I'm being serious."

"If you don't believe it, come with me and see."

Li Juan nodded, "Alright, I'll go with you."

After only a couple of steps, A Qing suddenly stopped, handed the handcart to Li Juan, ran back into the house, and a moment later emerged with a foam box.

Li Juan, curious, "What did you bring this time?"

A Qing said, "A popsicle."

"Wrapped like this it won't melt easily."

"Mom, hurry up."

After that, he himself took off running.

Li Juan was fuming, "This unlucky son, should've never been born," she cursed while grabbing the handcart and hurrying to keep up.

…

Under the shade of a tree.

Wu An sat on the fishing box, whistling; the evening in the small fishing village was quite cool, especially with sweat on his skin, the sea breeze feeling crisp.

Passing villagers who saw him all walked around him.

In his previous life he had left the village for many years, becoming strangers to many; no one greeted him, yet he was content, and when someone looked his way, he didn't withhold a smile, returning one.

As a result, the person who saw his smile took off running, almost sprinting.

After the passing villagers moved away, they gathered to whisper among themselves.

"Wu Erzi's fishing box looks like Lin Hu's."

"He actually dared to steal Lin Hu's fishing box; his nerve is getting bigger and bigger. Elder Wu severed their father‑son ties to scare him, but this good‑for‑nothing has completely let himself loose."

"Yeah, just now he smiled at me, it was terrifying."

"He probably isn't after you, right?"

"You hurry home and see if your wife is still there, ahahaha."

"Sweet rain, huh!"

Wu An watched the villagers' exaggerated reactions and couldn't help but laugh helplessly.

After returning from university, he indeed became a troublemaker, doing many unscrupulous things, causing the villagers to look at him as if he were a ghost.

It's fine.

Compared with the embarrassment of his previous life, now he has plenty of time and can slowly turn the situation around.

Waiting is boring; this is actually a bit of fun.

As a result, a figure stopped in front of him.

He looked up and saw a girl of average build, but her outfit was eye‑catching: black stockings, a leather mini‑skirt, a halter top; her face was ordinary, heavily made up.

It was Xiao Fang.

Having lived two lives, he stared without speaking; honestly, his mood was rather complicated.

Indeed.

The terrible life of his previous incarnation was his own doing, but Xiao Fang also bears part of the blame: you initiated the relationship, you initiated the breakup, then you immediately started flirting with other men.

Did you ever ask about his feelings?

He has regretted it.

If he hadn't hit rock bottom, giving up on entangling Xiao Fang, hadn't K‑ed someone into the hospital, hadn't implicated his father, hadn't let his brother‑in‑law and sister‑in‑law be disappointed and cut off ties, what would have happened to him?

He probably would have been doing quite well.

It did happen in a dream; upon waking, he found tears soaking his pillow.

Now he can personally turn all those regrets, everything from the dream, into reality with his own hands.

Then let's start by giving up the entanglement with Xiao Fang.

Xiao Fang, stared at by Wu An, rolled her eyes with disgust and said, "What are you looking at? You're not allowed to look at me that way."

"Hey... you're still looking."

"I warn you, we have no relationship at all right now!"

"Got it," Wu An nodded, and asked, "You stopped in front of me; you probably aren't here to say these words, are you?"

"If you have something to say, say it straight."

"So that the villagers passing by don't misunderstand."

He vaguely remembered that before leaving his hometown in his previous life, Xiao Fang had approached him once, but it had been so long that he suddenly couldn't recall what it was about.

Wu An's expression was very calm, which left Xiao Fang puzzled; she looked at him suspiciously, wanting to know whether he was just being stubborn or being sincere.

And he's also worried about being misunderstood by the villagers?

It should be her who's worried, right?

Xiao Fang, inexplicably a bit annoyed, said, "Fine then."

"Tomorrow morning, come with me to the County Hospital."

"You beat my friend so badly; you can't just pay money."

"Give a proper apology, bow ninety degrees, and beg for forgiveness!"

She spoke with righteous confidence, unquestionable, exuding a mysterious certainty that once she said it, Wu An would obediently comply.

Hearing this, Wu An recalled that in his previous life Xiao Fang had indeed asked him to apologize; he actually went to apologize, was insulted, greatly provoked, and ultimately fled to another place.

This life...

Would he still apologize?

Impossible!