I have few friends, but many childhood sweethearts.

Chapter 135. Xia Guofu's Affair 2
Women can be silly sometimes, but when they suspect their husbands of cheating, they can be so detailed that even Sherlock Holmes would be impressed.

Lin Jing had actually felt that Xia Guofu was acting strangely last year. He was coming home less and less often. He said it was because he was too busy with business and wasn't doing his homework as actively. He could also say that he was in middle age. But he often made phone calls in a mysterious way, hiding from her. How could that be explained?

It wasn't until she accidentally discovered a hair on her husband that didn't belong to her that Lin Jing decided to dig deeper.

She first went to the service center to print out Xia Guofu's phone call records for the past year. Only two mobile phones had been dialed more than 100 times throughout the year, one of which was hers and the other.
After receiving the phone, Lin Jing did not angrily call to argue. Instead, she first dialed the number from a public phone booth to confirm that the owner of the phone was a woman.

When Lin Jing came to this conclusion, she was devastated, which is why Xu Qingfan overheard her losing her temper and cursing at Xia Xiaoxiao's doorstep last time.

Lin Jing still didn't choose to expose the theory. She felt that there might be some misunderstanding. Xia Guofu worked very hard driving a truck day and night, and she didn't want her unfounded suspicions to cause a rift in their relationship.

But her investigation into the woman suspected of being a mistress never stopped. She repeatedly posed as a salesperson and a member of the neighborhood committee to extract a lot of information about the woman's identity. She even learned that the woman's name was Liang Siyu, a native of Hunan, born in 79, and 25 years old this year.

Who would call a young woman who is not related to them hundreds of times a year? In fact, the investigation was almost conclusive by now, but perhaps for Xia Xiaoxiao's sake, Lin Jing still did not detonate the detonator.

During the Chinese New Year, Lin Jing suggested that Xia Guofu could quit his job as a truck driver and buy a few shops like Yao Jinping's family to live a peaceful life collecting rent. She also subtly mentioned Xiaoxiang.

She felt she had been magnanimous enough, not making a scene like a normal woman would, and that Xia Guofu should end his extramarital affair with dignity.

However, the result was that while they were still in the countryside exchanging New Year's greetings and hadn't even started lunch, Xia Guofu left without hesitation because of a phone call from that woman.

Lin Jing was completely devastated this time. She dragged her exhausted body back to Licheng with her daughter, not wanting to tell her relatives about this.

After returning home, Lin Jing found Yao Jinping, hugged her and cried for a while before pouring out her heart.

She told the other party everything she had been investigating and about Xia Guofu's upcoming visit to that woman's house.

As a childhood friend, Yao Jinping was furious after hearing this, wishing she could grab a cleaver from the kitchen and kill that bastard Xia Guofu.

Yao Jinping made a phone call and summoned Xu Aiguo, who had gone fishing somewhere, back to China. The three of them set off on the highway to Xiaoxiang without even having time to pack their luggage.

They drove all the way to Changsha in one day. After a short rest for the night, the three of them began to stake out the entrance of the residential area that Lin Jing had tricked into revealing over the phone the next day.

Everything seemed to be going very smoothly. Before 10 a.m., the three of them saw Xia Guofu coming out of the residential area in the taxi. A plain-looking woman was holding his arm.

Despite being mentally prepared, Lin Jing still broke down immediately, tears streaming down her face.

Yao Jinping opened the car door and wanted to get out to kick the scumbag, but Lin Jing stopped her.

She shook her head, crying, heartbroken.

After Xia Guofu and the woman got closer, the three of them could see clearly the baby in Xia Guofu's arms.

In an instant, Lin Jing felt like the sky had fallen.

The family of three walked down the street, looking so well-matched that they seemed like a real family.

Xu Aiguo drove slowly behind Xia Guofu, watching as the two of them carried the child into a health center. Only then did Lin Jing burst into tears.

After waiting for the two people outside the hospital for more than an hour, and watching them return to their residential area, the three of them went back to their rented hotel.

Then came the phone call I had with Xia Xiao last night.

Although she didn't finish her sentence, Lin Jing already had the answer in her heart when she asked that question.

All she wants to ask Xia Guofu now is why, what did she do to wrong him, and what was wrong with her education, appearance, and knowledge compared to his mistress?

"I'm sorry." In a quiet private room at a restaurant, Xia Guofu said nervously to Lin Jing, who looked utterly despondent.

Before Lin Jing could even speak, Yao Jinping started cursing: "You son of a bitch Xia Guofu, where's that mistress? Does she know she's too ashamed to show her face? You're really something, your child is almost a year old, isn't he? I'm so impressed!"

Faced with Yao Jinping's accusations, Xia Guofu did not retaliate, but looked at Lin Jing with a guilty expression.

"Why?" Lin Jing asked coldly, like an emotionless machine.

Xia Guofu opened his mouth to speak. He had thought of many excuses before coming, but when faced with his wife's icy face, he didn't have the courage to say that he had just been confused for a moment. "My mother wants a son," he said.

When were you born?

“April 18, 2003,” Xia Guofu answered nervously.

"Heh, no wonder." A self-deprecating smile appeared on Lin Jing's face. "Congratulations."

"Jingjing, don't do this."

"Shut up, don't call me Jingjing!" Lin Jing suddenly stood up hysterically and roared.

Everyone in the room was startled by her reaction, and Yao Jinping nervously grasped her hand.

Lin Jing smiled at Yao Jinping and sat down again. "It started the year before last, right?"

Xia Guofu was too ashamed to speak, so he remained silent instead of answering.

"Liang Siyu, a very nice name, and the little girl looks quite simple and honest."

"Jingjing."

"Shut up!" Lin Jing shouted hoarsely, her eyes reddening. "I wish you happiness. Go back and get the divorce papers done. Xiao Xiao will stay with me from now on. A Tao, let's go!" She closed her eyes and turned away, trying not to let her tears fall.

Xia Guofu got up to chase after her, but when he saw Yao Jinping's murderous gaze, he finally slumped back down.

"Ha~ I want a boy." Lin Jing recalled Xia Guofu's vows when Xiao Xiao was born and felt like a joke.

Lin Jing works as a Chinese language teacher at a public primary school, and her position is affiliated with the Education Bureau, so she is considered a member of the system.

The school has a certain quota every year, and the target is young married women like Lin Jing who have just given birth to their first child.

Five years ago, he said that having a son or a daughter was the same, and that daughters could also carry on the family tradition. Five years later, he came back and told himself, "My mother wants a son."

Lin Jing found everything so ridiculous. A tenured teaching position—give it up if she didn't want it; the small fine for having an extra child—pay it off if she didn't want it. But she simply couldn't accept that her partner had cheated on her for that reason, after only five short years.
Now that things have come to this, it's like a joke that even I can't help but laugh at.

In the original timeline, Liang Siyu also became pregnant in 03, but Xia Guofu didn't have enough money to buy a house in Xiaoxiang at the time. The mistress felt that there was not enough security if she gave birth to the child, so the two of them decided to have an abortion.

But this time, because she made several hundred thousand yuan from wholesaling crayfish, the mistress naturally hoped to use the child to tie Xia Guofu, this ATM machine. Not for anything else, even if their affair was exposed in the end, it would be good to get a house worth several hundred thousand yuan. After experiencing the glamorous world of the big city, Liang Siyu would never allow herself to return to the countryside.

Liang Siyu told Xia Guofu about her pregnancy. At first, he didn't want it, but after confirming at a small clinic that it was a boy, Xia Guofu changed his mind.

If it weren't for the child issue, Lin Jing might have been able to forgive Xia Guofu once more, just like in her previous life, but unfortunately, there are no "what ifs."

Back at the hotel, Lin Jing cried again, but it was the last time.

"Are you really sure?" Yao Jinping asked, sitting opposite Lin Jing in the room.

"Hmm, do you think I should do this?" Even though she had already made a decision, Lin Jing still hoped to get Yao Jinping's support.

"Whatever decision you make, I'll support you!" She stood up and hugged her best friend.

"Thank you, Jinping." Lin Jing felt the urge to cry again.

She felt that if she asked her parents and relatives about this, they would all unanimously answer that she should think about the children, and that divorced people often have a miserable old age.
"Have you thought about how to talk to Xiaoxiao?" Yao Jinping asked.

Lin Jing shook her head. "I don't know."

"Why don't we let my little rascal do the talking? The two kids might have more to talk about." Yao Jinping suddenly had a whimsical idea. After all, Xu Qingfan's behavior was not like that of a normal child; he was quite cunning.

Thinking of her two little ones still at home, Lin Jing's face broke into a rare smile. "Yes, I'll listen to you. Xiao Fan is indeed sensible."

Seeing her best friend smile, Yao Jinping pressed on: "Jingjing, what do you think about letting Xiaoxiao be my daughter-in-law? The relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law won't be tense, and we can save on the bride price."

"I can walk a few more steps before I go back to my parents' home," Lin Jing said with a smile.

"."

Xu Qingfan, who was sleeping at home, was unaware that his mother had sold him. The familiar tingling and numb sensation woke him from his sleep.

He opened his eyes and found Xia Xiaoxiao's head resting on his arm again. Xu Qingfan clicked his tongue in exasperation. He had clearly given her a pillow and a silk quilt, so why was she sleeping in his bed again?

He gently pulled his arm away from Xia Xiaoxiao's grasp, propped his head up with one hand, and looked at Xia Xiaoxiao's sleeping face.

Xia Xiaoxiao, nicknamed "Xu the Stinky Pig," smacked her lips.

Three black lines appeared on Xu Qingfan's forehead. Just as he was about to reach out and flick Xia Xiaoxiao's forehead, she continued, "Don't go, brother."

Xu Qingfan chuckled, "Such a smug jerk."

He shook his head with amusement, got up, and dressed.

The two went to bed around 1 a.m. last night, and it's only a little before 10 a.m. now. If Xia Xiaoxiao hadn't woken him up, Xu Qingfan probably would have slept until 1 p.m.

[Since we're already up, let's go to the market to buy groceries and cook!] Xu Qingfan thought to himself.

Xia Xiaoxiao can still talk in her sleep, so she'll probably sleep for a long time. Therefore, Xu Qingfan isn't worried about not seeing her when she wakes up.

After washing up, he rode his bicycle to Fupeng Market, bought a scallion pancake for 50 cents for breakfast, and then began to stroll around the market.

Buying vegetables at the market can be tricky. It's best to avoid vendors who look like they're from out of town and come in a tricycle to sell vegetables, because they might try to cheat you on the weight.

It's best not to buy vegetables from elderly women who look to be in their fifties or sixties and whose prices aren't clearly marked, because they might try to cheat you by adding extra weight to make it five yuan for vegetables that cost three yuan.

During the mask-wearing period in his previous life, he bought a lot of groceries and cooked a lot, so he can be considered a seasoned expert. Xu Qingfan bought eight flower crabs, a pound of beef, and a pound of pork ribs. At noon, he planned to make a stir-fried flower crab with scallions, a stir-fried beef with yellow peppers, and a soup made with the pork ribs—a Lingnan-style soup—carrot and corn stewed pork ribs.

You can ask the kind vendors to help you prepare the ingredients. When buying vegetables in the port city, you can buy just one scallion. Of course, it is more likely that the vegetable vendor will give it to you for free.

Xu Qingfan hung large and small plastic bags on his bicycle and slowly rode it home.

Xu Qingfan stopped his car as he passed his own convenience store.

"Xiaoyu, Auntie!" Wu Lingyu's father and grandfather have already returned to Gangcheng, and the two newly hired female shop assistants have not yet come to work during the Spring Festival. At this moment, there are only Li Meijuan and Wu Lingyu in the shop.

"Hey, Xiao Fan went to buy groceries! That's great!"

"Brother Fan."

Xu Qingfan nodded and smiled, "Auntie, I bought groceries for you and Xiaoyu. You don't need to cook lunch, I'll bring you some."

Because she couldn't leave the shop, Li Meijuan had been cooking all her meals in the shop using a rice cooker for the past few days.

"Xiao Fan, you can cook?" Li Meijuan asked in surprise.

“What’s so difficult about that? It’ll definitely taste delicious. Auntie, I’ll go home and make the soup first, otherwise I won’t have time for lunch,” Xu Qingfan said with a smile.

"Okay, then I'll try Xiaofan's cooking at noon."

Wu Lingyu stared intently at Xu Qingfan, as if she couldn't get enough of him.

"Auntie, I'll head back now. Goodbye, Xiaoyu." Xu Qingfan waved goodbye to the two of them.

"Goodbye."

Wu Lingyu subconsciously waved, watching Xu Qingfan walk away until he completely disappeared from sight.

I returned home.

After putting the groceries in the kitchen, Xu Qingfan went to check on Xia Xiaoxiao in her room. Xia Xiaoxiao was still sleeping.

He smiled, closed the door again, put the chopped pork ribs into a pot of cold water, poured the beef into a bowl, added salt, and soaked it to remove the blood.

Carrot, corn, and pork rib soup is the most basic soup in Gangcheng. After blanching the pork ribs to remove blood, rinse them clean and put them into a clay pot. Cut the corn and carrots into chunks and put them in as well. Finally, add a few slices of peeled ginger. Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat for two hours.

After soaking the beef for more than ten minutes, rinse it again, drain the water, and start marinating. Add baking soda to make the meat more tender, add dark soy sauce for color, white pepper to remove the fishy smell, and finally use cornstarch to lock in the moisture and peanut oil to seal in the oil.

"Xu Qingfan~ Ha~" Xu Qingfan was busy in the kitchen when Xia Xiaoxiao appeared at the door.

"Get up! Go brush your teeth and wash your face first. Lunch will be ready soon." Xu Qingfan turned around and smiled at her.

"It smells so good! What are you cooking?"

"The flower crab is very plump!"

"Oh, why does it smell like chili peppers?" Xia Xiaoxiao had already walked out of the living room, her voice fading into the distance.

After adding cornstarch slurry to the nearly cooked flower crab, Xu Qingfan stir-fried it over high heat for a few seconds before plating it.

The soup had only been simmering for a little over an hour, but it was almost done. Xu Qingfan added salt and put it into a thermal container. He also divided the rice and other dishes in half, packed them up, and gave them to Wu Lingyu and Li Meijuan while they were still hot.

As Xu Qingfan was leaving, Xia Xiaoxiao came over after brushing her teeth. "Where are you going?" she asked.

"I'm going to deliver food to Xiaoyu and her mother. I'll be right back. If you're hungry, eat first. The food's in the rice cooker," Xu Qingfan said, lifting the reusable bag in his hand.

"okay."

After delivering the soup and rice to the convenience store, he rode his bicycle home.

Li Meijuan and Wu Lingyu were both stunned for a moment after opening the lunchbox he brought.

It's a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate. The beef is tender and flavorful, and there's not much to say about the flower crab—as long as it's fresh, it's impossible for it to be badly cooked.

[What is it that Brother Fan can't do?] Wu Lingyu's admiration for Xu Qingfan grew day by day.

"Why aren't you eating?" When he got home, the dishes and chopsticks were already set on the dining table. Xia Xiaoxiao was watching TV in the living room. Xu Qingfan asked curiously.

"Waiting for you."

"Let's eat." Xu Qingfan sat down on the stool, picked up one of the bowls of rice, and began to eat.

"Mmm!" Xia Xiaoxiao had already sneaked a few pieces of beef while getting her food, and couldn't wait to sit down and eat.

"Xu Qingfan, how come you can cook?" Xia Xiaoxiao asked in surprise after finishing half of the flower crab.

"I learned it from cooking shows on TVB Jade. Once you understand the principles, you can learn it in no time. Do you want to learn? I can teach you."

"No, I want you to cook for me!" Xia Xiaoxiao pouted and said with a smile.

"Then you'll be in charge of washing the dishes!" Xu Qingfan wasn't going to tolerate her.

"Hmph~ I'll wash it, but you're responsible for taking out the trash!"

"By the way, did you have a dream this morning? What did you dream about?" Xu Qingfan suddenly remembered the sleep-talking he heard when he woke up.

Xia Xiaoxiao blushed slightly, her eyes darting away. "Did I talk in my sleep?"

If Xu Qingfan hadn't mentioned it, she would have almost forgotten what she dreamed about. Xia Xiaoxiao remembered that she seemed to be on an adventure fighting monsters with Xu Qingfan. She had forgotten many details, but she seemed to have called him "brother" in her dream.

“Yeah, things like ‘stinky pig’ and ‘brother,’ and ‘don’t go’ and stuff like that.” Xu Qingfan joked with a smile.

Xia Xiaoxiao remembered; it seemed that Xu Qingfan was going to leave with someone else, and in her dream she cried and begged him not to leave her.
"You misheard me, I said Coco, the name of my grandma's dog!" Xia Xiaoxiao tried to argue.

"Pfft~ Hahahaha"

"Don't laugh! I'm talking about Coco, my grandma's dog!!" Xia Xiaoxiao glared at him.

"Ah, yes, yes!"

"."

(End of this chapter)