Chapter 501: Night Trip to the Provincial Capital

Just as I was about to take further action, my aunt Wanru called out to me from the living room, "Xiao Feng, what are you doing? Come out quickly."

My aunt's shout nearly scared the soul out of me. I hurriedly put on a relaxed look and came out of the kitchen, asking her, "Aunt, did you call me?"

My aunt Wanru nodded, signaling me to sit down. After pondering for a while, she said, "Xiao Feng, I've been thinking, you need to make a trip to the provincial capital."

"Why?" I asked in surprise.

"Think about it, what you said to Mengmeng just now, I think it makes perfect sense. If the four of you get married together, what a wonderful thing that would be." My aunt Wanru said with infinite longing, "As long as Jiaxiao and Mengmeng get married, Dian Dian can live by my side, don't you think?"

I smiled noncommittally. Chen Meng was also an only child in her family, and her child was the apple of the eye for Secretary Chen and his wife. In other words, Dian Dian carried not only the continuation of the He family line but also the continuation of the Chen family's incense. Even if they got married, who the child would live with was likely not something my aunt could wish into reality.

"Aunt, since you think it's a good idea, hurry up and call Jiaxiao back." I listened to the clattering sounds coming from the kitchen, imagining Sister Xiao Mei's busy figure, and my heart surged with waves of emotion.

"No." My aunt Wanru rejected my suggestion decisively, looked at me for a long time, and suddenly began to laugh inexplicably.

When my aunt laughed, it felt like a caterpillar was crawling in my heart, and I was so panicked I nearly broke into a sweat.

Since I had known my aunt, she had never laughed at me like this. She was always the authority figure in front of me; if she didn't scold me, I'd be lucky.

"I think you need to make a personal trip to the provincial capital. If Jiaxiao won't come back, even if you have to tie him up, you must bring him back for me." My aunt's words were almost an order, leaving no room for me to resist.

"But..." I hesitated.

"But what? Afraid of delaying your own wedding?" A cloud of gloom spread across my aunt Wanru's face.

"No, no," I denied it vehemently, but couldn't find a reason to refute her.

In fact, I was thinking that the Huang family was already busy arranging the wedding. It didn't matter if I couldn't help, but running off to the provincial capital at this time wasn't that going to cause trouble for the Huang family? Besides, my father-in-law, Minister Huang Shan, had already requested leave for me at the Provincial Organization Department.

"Don't say anything else. You leave now, go to the provincial capital." My aunt Wanru ordered me in an unquestionable tone, "Whether your cousin Jiaxiao can be happy in his next life depends on you."

This sentence felt like a mountain, pressing firmly on my chest. He Jiaxiao's happiness was actually tied to me; this was something I couldn't adapt to for a moment.

With things having reached this point, unless I never stepped foot in her house again, I couldn't refuse my aunt.

My aunt was a person who held grudges; she wouldn't tolerate me brushing her off.

I had no choice but to stand up, pat my chest, and say, "Aunt, don't worry, I will definitely bring Jiaxiao back."

After leaving my aunt's house and standing in the courtyard, I couldn't find my direction for a moment.

After smoking a cigarette, I took out my phone and called Huang Weiwei, telling her I was going to the provincial capital and would be back by the day after tomorrow at the earliest.

Huang Weiwei urged me to be careful on the phone, not asking a single word about why I was going to the provincial capital, which made me feel a bit lost. After hanging up, I started calling Qian Youyu.

I needed a car now; it would be very inconvenient to go to the provincial capital without one.

Qian Youyu happened to be in the city, and within half an hour of receiving my call, he drove the car to me.

"Brother, you need something from me?" He came over, laughing and joking, wanting to put his arm around my shoulder.

This was Qian Youyu's standard move, but it was limited to people he trusted. However, I didn't like being put in a headlock; this move, which rural farmers loved most, could fully demonstrate a person's cultivation and quality.

Therefore, when he tried to hook my shoulder, I dodged to the side. My move made Qian Youyu pause for a moment, then, as if he understood something, he laughed awkwardly.

I told him I was going to the provincial capital and needed to borrow his car.

Qian Youyu said readily, "I knew it. When you call me, it's mostly for a car."

He opened the car door for me, making a comical gesture of invitation. After I was settled, he pointed to the glove box and said, "Brother, I've prepared some things for you; they'll be useful when you get to the provincial capital."

I wanted to open it to see, but Qian Youyu stopped me, smiling mysteriously, "Leader, don't worry, it's not poison."

I smiled and didn't insist on looking, casually asking, "Are Xiao Zhu and the others doing well?"

Qian Youyu hesitated and said, "You mean your secretary?"

I nodded and started the engine.

"They're alright, I guess." Qian Youyu sighed, looked away, and waved his hand, "Go on. Driving alone is boring; listen to some music to relieve the fatigue."

I saw from his expression that he seemed to have something difficult to say. I originally wanted to pursue the question, but before I could open my mouth, I saw Qian Youyu hail a taxi, jump in, and speed away.

Qian Youyu's hidden trouble left a shadow in my heart, but I had no time to worry about it now. My current task was to rush to the provincial capital and bring He Jiaxiao back.

On the way, I encountered two car accidents, and one place blocked me for several hours. It was already past three in the morning when I arrived at the provincial capital. This city didn't seem to be asleep yet; people could be seen coming and going everywhere on the streets.

It is the provincial capital after all! I thought with a sigh.

I had lived in this place for four full years. In those four years, relying on a dilapidated bicycle, I had walked through every street and every alley of this city. Wandering the city back then was my happiest time outside of class; my dreams set sail here!

Once, in the middle of the night, I stood on the main street of this city and shouted, "I, your father, am going to live here!"

Ideals are always plump, while reality is incomparably skinny.

Not only did I fail to stay in this city, but I nearly became an outcast, someone who would never be able to turn things around. Although I eventually returned to Hengyue City smoothly, I became an unemployed drifter.

A person holding a university diploma who becomes an unemployed drifter—what a sigh-inducing thing that is. Especially when those sitting high in the temples are often people who haven't even finished middle school!

In one's life, opportunities are always everywhere. I relied on my father to become an extra-budgetary temporary worker.

Fate often likes to play jokes on people, and I am the typical fruit of fate's jokes.

Along the brightly lit city streets, I slowed down, enjoying the scenery outside the window.

This city had changed, changed so much that I couldn't recognize it at all. The small alleys of the past could no longer be found, and the tall French plane trees that used to line the streets were nowhere to be seen. They were replaced by endless high-rise buildings, and the dim alley lights were replaced by neon lights like stars.

This city was now so strange to me. So strange that it even made my heart ache!

As I passed the highway bridge, I suddenly thought of Xu Mengda, so I took out my phone and tried calling him.

The call went through immediately. Before I could speak, Xu Mengda's voice came through: "Chen Feng, right? Where are you?"

I knew he was a night owl, but I didn't expect him to be such a night owl—not sleeping at three in the morning, and still speaking so clearly.

"Brother Xu," I called out, "Not resting yet?"

"You know me," he said calmly, "You've come to the provincial capital, haven't you?"

I didn't answer him, my eyes fixed on a girl walking in front, a man following her, lewdly putting his hand on her buttocks, the two of them laughing and joking as they walked forward.

"If you hadn't come to the provincial capital, you wouldn't be calling me in the middle of the night," Xu Mengda said as if he could divine the future, "Come over, I'm at the club."

It was as if I had been waiting for him to say this sentence all along, so I immediately said happily, "Brother Xu, I'll be there right away."

I knew the address of Xu Mengda's club; my aunt had lived there with me. Although this city was already very strange, finding my way was easy; after all, the skeleton of this city was still there. As long as the skeleton was there, we could see history and hear the wind of history.

As I was getting out of the car, I remembered Qian Youyu's words. I opened the glove box and saw a large paper package inside. Opening it, I saw several stacks of brand-new hundred-yuan bills.

I smiled, stuffed three stacks into my handbag, opened the door, and got out.

Xu Mengda's club was as quiet as ever; one could barely hear human voices or see human shadows.

In the huge lobby, there was a golden nanmu chair and a golden nanmu tea table about two feet thick and five or six square meters in size. Several Yixing clay teapots were placed on the table, and the kettle next to them was dancing happily.

Xu Mengda was lying on the chair, a beautiful girl standing behind him, helping him knead his shoulders.

Seeing me enter, he didn't even move, greeting me, "Sit!"

I sat down opposite him, my eyes looking at the girl standing behind him.

The girl had the appearance of a delicate, sheltered young lady. Seeing me looking at her, her face flushed, and she hurriedly shifted her gaze away, not daring to meet my eyes.

Xu Mengda waved his hand and said, "You go down."

Once the girl left, Xu Mengda sat up, stared at me for a long time, and squeezed a sentence out through his teeth that nearly made me lose control of my bowels. ===== CHAPTER 502 =====