Chapter 181 The Other Man
Su Zi had been dressing up elaborately and going out almost every evening lately. She would often return in the early hours of the morning, or sometimes not come back at all. As for Feng Chengda, he was staying out even more often at night, claiming he was too busy meeting with clients.
Feng Changheng had originally thought that once Feng Chengda divorced Yin He, he would marry his mother and give him a complete family—this was something he had dreamed of for years.
But he never expected that after divorcing Yin He, Feng Chengda not only did not marry his mother, giving her a proper status and him a legitimate identity, but he even came home less often than before.
For so many years before, no matter how busy Feng Chengda was, he would spend at least three nights a week staying at their place. When he was little, he would watch TV with him, play with him, and put him to sleep. After he started school, Feng Chengda would sometimes help him with his homework. If he did well on exams, Feng Chengda would take him to the amusement park. Every year on his birthday, Feng Chengda would prepare surprise gifts.
Luxury watches, expensive cars, branded clothes and shoes—as long as he wanted them, he could get them. Feng Chengda would satisfy all his wishes.
But now, Feng Chengda had clearly divorced Yin He. He no longer needed to keep up appearances for her family. Logically, Feng Chengda should be able to come home here every day. Who would have thought that Feng Chengda would come back even less, hardly appearing a few times a month.
Previously, Feng Changheng had seen Su Zi mention to Feng Chengda that he was never home, only to be mocked by Feng Chengda in return. Feng Changheng still clearly remembered what Feng Chengda said at the time: "Isn't it because I have to work and earn money? Who do you think is to blame for all this? If it weren't for that time I went shopping with you, would we have been photographed? Would I have been forced to divorce? Yin Changhong only has Yin He as his biological daughter. The Yin Group would have been mine sooner or later. If it weren't for you, why would I have to work so desperately? The situation I'm in now, leaving early and returning late, having to flatter clients, isn't it all because of you? What right do you have to blame me here?"
It was also since that argument that Feng Chengda came home even less, and Su Zi began to change. She was no longer the gentle woman who would speak to her son in a soft tone, no longer the virtuous woman who would spend a whole day preparing a table of good dishes, just waiting for Feng Chengda to come home at night, take a bite, and praise, "The food you made is really delicious."
She began to become often silent and occasionally hysterical. Her eyes gradually filled with gloom. She would always use a stern tone to pressure him to study hard. If he did anything slightly wrong, she would scold him sharply.
Sometimes, once it was confirmed that Feng Chengda would not be home that day, Su Zi would dress up meticulously that evening and go out for a long time, even staying out all night.
On the day Feng Chengda went to get the divorce certificate, Feng Changheng had still been smug, feeling that the family reunion he wanted was within reach, that his childhood wish was finally coming true.
He never expected reality to slap him hard in the face.
"Where are you going, dressed up like this?" Feng Changheng clenched his fists, looking at his mother with gloomy eyes.
"Adult matters are none of a child's business," Su Zi said while picking up the purse hanging on the wall, standing in front of the full-length mirror to choose a bag that matched today's outfit.
Feng Changheng stood right beside her, staring fixedly at her.
Su Zi's face still bore traces of anger that hadn't dissipated, but perhaps because time was tight, she couldn't be bothered to fuss over her son's overly aggressive tone. She just said, "Then you better rein in that temper of yours. What have you been learning at school? How to talk back to your elders? Reflect on yourself properly. I'll settle this with you when I get back!"
As she spoke, Su Zi had already chosen a suitable bag and went to the door to put on her shoes.
Feng Changheng remained rooted to the spot. He stared at her with an icy gaze, his fists clenched so tightly at his sides that his knuckles audibly cracked.
"Have you found some other man outside?" Feng Changheng asked coldly.
Su Zi paused in her steps, then turned around, finally meeting her son's eyes. Noticing something off in her son's gaze, Su Zi was speechless for a moment, but quickly found a retort: "Are you questioning me? How ridiculous. Your wonderful father spends all his time fooling around outside, barely seen a few times a month, always coming home with random perfume smells on him. Why don't I see you asking him if he has women outside? I've only gone out a few times, and you start questioning me? Very good. You really are his good son. When he's not home, you help him keep me in check, right?"
After Su Zi finished saying all this in one breath, she realized it wasn't appropriate to speak to her son like this. She had to suppress her anger, take a deep breath, and say in the gentlest voice she could muster: "Ah Heng, Mom didn't mean to say those things to you just now. It's just because Dad hasn't been home these days, and Mom is too angry. Mom isn't going to see anyone. Mom is just going to work. Feng Chengda is completely unreliable. For the two of us to live well in the future, we have to rely on Mom. Mom is the one who loves you most in this world. Do you understand?"
Hearing this, Feng Changheng was stunned for a moment. His slightly fierce gaze gradually softened because he also realized that Feng Chengda had indeed changed now, becoming different from before.
"Mm, I know, Mom," Feng Changheng nodded.
"It's best that you understand Mom. Mom might come back a bit late. Study well at home, go to bed on time, understand?" Su Zi said.
With a "click" as the door closed, the entire room fell into silence.
Feng Changheng stood alone in the empty living room, reminiscing about the past. He couldn't help but think, how wonderful it would have been if, on his birthday that day, he hadn't insisted on Feng Chengda taking him out to play and celebrating his birthday with him.
Then the three of them wouldn't have been photographed by the media, wouldn't have been exposed. He could have had more pocket money, could have invited classmates and friends to parties he hosted anytime, and everything would still be as it was before.
Unfortunately, time cannot be turned back. There are no "what ifs" in the world.
Feng Changheng picked up his phone and opened it. The screen still showed his message thread with Xiao Yanyan.
Among them, the three words "Yin Chengjue" lingered in his mind like a curse.
Feng Changheng tightened his grip on the phone and sent another text to Xiao Yanyan.
Early in the morning, the day after Yin Changhong's seventieth birthday banquet, Yin Chengjue was awakened by a relentless, life-or-death ringing.
Yin Chengjue stretched his hand out from under the warm quilt, fumbled around, and finally found the phone that had been ringing for a while under the bed.
"Hello?"
Yin Chengjue said "hello" several times in a row, but there was no response from the other side. Curious, Yin Chengjue lifted the phone, looked at the word "Second Brother" displayed on the screen, and was somewhat confused: "When did I have a second brother?"
The person on the other end of the phone: "..."
After reacting for two seconds, Yin Chengjue came to his senses a bit: "Ah, this isn't my phone."
Yin Chengjue looked beside him and saw that Rong Yu was still hugging his other arm, sleeping soundly. Not wanting to disturb him, he could only say to the person on the phone: "Second Brother, Xiao Yu hasn't woken up yet. If you have something to tell him, I can relay it for you."
A voice finally came from the other end, and it was an explosive one: "Who are you calling second brother! Who are you? Where is that little brat? Why is his phone in your hands! Talk!"
Even without putting it on speakerphone, Yin Chengjue could feel the thunderous volume of his voice and couldn't help but marvel at how imposing this second brother-in-law's voice was.
So Yin Chengjue answered honestly: "He's still asleep. The phone rang, so I answered it for him."
The other end: "Shut up! I want to hear him speak right now! Give him the phone!"
Yin Chengjue: "Well, is it urgent? Do I really have to wake him up?"
The voice on the other end grew even louder: "He's sleeping with some other man! How could it not be urgent!!"
Yin Chengjue: "Second Brother, please calm down. This matter actually doesn't have to be urgent. After all, I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."
The other end: "...Don't let me find out who you are, or you're dead!"
Yin Chengjue: "It seems he hasn't mentioned me to you, Second Brother?"
The other end, furious: "Don't call me second brother! I am not your second brother!"
Yin Chengjue quickly tried to use the gentlest voice possible: "Calm down, calm down a bit. What I mean is, since Xiao Yu hasn't mentioned me to you, I won't introduce myself for now. I'll wait until he mentions me first, then I'll bring gifts and visit. By the way, could I ask, Second Brother, what are your interests? I'd like to choose suitable gifts..."
The other end: "Interests my ass! You just wait! I'm coming over right now!"
Yin Chengjue, surprised: "Ass? I've never heard of such a unique interest before."
"Beep, beep, beep..."
Yin Chengjue: "Hello? Hello? He hung up just like that?"
Yin Chengjue looked at the call duration displayed on the phone and sighed helplessly.
By now, Rong Yu was also awakened by the noise. Groggily nuzzling against Yin Chengjue's arm, he asked, "Brother, what's wrong?"
Yin Chengjue handed him the phone: "I was still half-asleep and answered your call."
"Oh, who called?" Rong Yu was still a bit dazed.
Yin Chengjue touched his nose: "Hmm, it seems it was a call from your second brother."
Rong Yu didn't react at first: "Oh, Second Brother. What did he say?"
Yin Chengjue: "He said to wait, he's coming over right now. But I didn't give him the address."
Hearing this, Rong Yu laughed: "Pfft, for my second brother, tracing a location through a phone call is easy. Without that skill, they would have been out of a job long ago... Wait? Who did you say called just now?"
Rong Yu sat up sharply, pulled at a sore spot, and groaned as he fell back into Yin Chengjue's arms.
"You said you answered Second Brother's call, and he said he's coming over?!" Rong Yu's face instantly turned pale: "Quick, we have to go!"
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