I have few friends, but many childhood sweethearts.

Chapter 137. Divorce
Xia Xiaoxiao was even more sensible than Lin Jing had imagined. Before Lin Jing could speak, the little girl said, "Mom, Xu Qingfan told me that he will support you no matter what you do. I have Mom, that's enough!"

She had thought Xia Xiaoxiao would ask her something like, "Does that mean I won't have a dad anymore?" She had already thought about how to answer: Although Mom and Dad are divorced, Dad is still Xiaoxiao's dad. Xiaoxiao can visit him regularly, it's just that we don't live together anymore.

Even if they don't get divorced, Xia Guofu only comes home once every month or two, so what difference does it make whether they live together or not?
Lin Jing's prepared words stuck in her throat. She pulled her daughter onto her lap, holding her close with affection. "Mommy knows, Mommy has Xiaoxiao, that's enough."

The mother and daughter snuggled together and chatted for a long time in Xu Qingfan's bedroom, talking about everything from their childhood to the future.

It seems that Xia Guofu's absence in the future is insignificant.

"Mom is looking forward to our little one growing up quickly, and when she can grow as tall as Mom," Lin Jing said tenderly, stroking Xia Xiaoxiao's head.

"I'll be as tall as my mom when I get to high school, but that'll be another seven years!" Xia Xiaoxiao calculated.

"Yes, when Xiaoxiao goes to high school, she'll definitely be the prettiest girl in school, but you're not allowed to date during your studies," Lin Jing said with a smile.

"No way! Those boys in my class are so childish!!" Xia Xiaoxiao looked disgusted when she thought of the two boys in her group. They called each other things like "first-grade thief," "second-grade robber," and "third-grade handsome guy with no one to play with." She was speechless.

"Haha~ Isn't that right? Xiao Fan is childish too?" Lin Jing pinched her daughter's cheek and teased her.

Xia Xiaoxiao's ears burned, and she looked away awkwardly. "He's the same way, so childish!"

The little girl recalled Xu Qingfan's behavior at school, including but not limited to shaking her hand and saying, "Shake hands, good friend, I'm the master and you're the dog," and so on. "Xu Qingfan is such a boring and childish bastard!" Xia Xiaoxiao complained.

“Okay~ Our Xiao Fan is such a child, Xiao Xiao is the most mature.” Lin Jing found it very amusing. Although she, as a teacher, opposed students dating early, she could relax the restrictions until high school if her daughter’s boyfriend was Xu Qingfan.

[They're in their final year of high school together, and both kids are doing so well academically, they're sure to get into the same university. They can date for four more years in college, and then get married right after graduation.] Lin Jing was thinking a bit too far ahead.

"That's exactly right!" Xia Xiaoxiao said proudly.

"Hmm? Little one, have you been sleeping with your brother Qingfan these past few days?" Lin Jing glanced at the two sets of bedding on the bed and asked with narrowed eyes.

Xia Xiaoxiao's face flushed slightly, and she said guiltily, "Xu Qingfan said he's afraid of the dark and doesn't dare to sleep alone when no one is home. He insisted that I come and keep him company, which is such a hassle." Her voice trailed off as she spoke.

"Hehe~ Really? Boys are afraid of the dark? But Xiaoxiao is all grown up now. As for Xiaofan, he can't sleep with other boys." Lin Jing recalled that the last time she taught her daughter about sex was when she was five years old. Almost three years have passed in the blink of an eye.

"I won't sleep with other boys!" Xia Xiaoxiao said emotionally, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

"Okay, okay, our Xiaoxiao won't sleep with those stinky boys." Lin Jing suppressed her laughter with a straight face and nodded seriously.

"If Xu Qingfan hadn't begged me to sleep with him, I wouldn't have paid any attention to him!"

"Yes, yes, let's just ignore him."

February 2nd is auspicious for: marriage, coming-of-age ceremony, adoption, and travel; inauspicious for: planting, breaking ground, litigation, and resolving disputes.

Today is the first day back to work after the Lunar New Year holiday, and also the day Lin Jing and Xia Guofu are going to the Civil Affairs Bureau to complete their divorce procedures.

February 2nd, in Chinese culture, seems to be a day associated with sorrow and separation.

Li Shangyin's seven-character regulated poem "The Second Day of the Second Month" pushes this sentiment to its peak with the lines, "The new beach does not understand the traveler's feelings, but adds to the sound of wind and rain on the eaves at night."

Early in the morning, because Xia Xiaoxiao insisted on coming along, Xu Qingfan was also forced to get out of bed by Yao Jinping.

Xia Guofu may have already prepared for the worst. When Lin Jing proposed divorce, he did not try to stop her in every way. On the contrary, he agreed without hesitation.

Knowing that the conflict between him and his wife would become irreconcilable after having a child, and since the child needed to be registered in advance, he said directly, "Let's go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get a divorce on the first day after the New Year."

Faced with Xia Guofu's decisiveness, Lin Jing felt a mix of emotions. She recalled a classical Chinese passage she had studied in high school: "Making solemn vows without considering the possibility of betrayal. If betrayal is not considered, then so be it!"

The bullet fired ten years ago struck him right between the eyebrows, and the education cycle was completed at that moment.

When Xu Aiguo drove the group to the Civil Affairs Bureau, Xia Guofu and the woman had already arrived.

The two were dressed in bright red festive clothes today, and it seems they planned to get a divorce and get married on the same trip.

"Disgusting!" Yao Jinping glared at him coldly.

"Xiaoxiao." Xia Guofu looked a little embarrassed and didn't dare to look at Lin Jing's face, so he turned his gaze to Xia Xiaoxiao.

"Hmph!" Xia Xiaoxiao disdainfully moved away from Xia Guofu, looking her father's mistress up and down. "Auntie, you're much uglier than my mother!" she said without any politeness, seeking revenge for her mother.

Liang Siyu looked like a weak and helpless little woman, remaining silent and only looking at Xia Guofu with a wronged expression.

[Damn it, what a green tea bitch!] Xu Qingfan cursed inwardly.

He probably knew why Xia Guofu's underwear was in danger; many men like this kind of thing—a wife who is submissive and dependent on them, so as to show off their male chauvinism.

To be honest, if Xu Qingfan hadn't been an observer with a clearer perspective, he would have doubted whether he could have endured this.

“Xiaoxiao, this is your Aunt Liang. It’s all my fault. Don’t blame her.” Xia Guofu stepped forward and hugged Liang Siyu, who was only about 1.5 meters tall, to comfort her.

Xia Xiaoxiao made a disgusted face, and Lin Jing said coldly, "Let's not waste everyone's time. Mr. Xia, let's go get a divorce first."

In the early 2000s, divorce procedures were very easy to handle, unlike in later years when there was a three-month cooling-off period. When the aunt at the Civil Affairs Bureau saw Xia Guofu dressed in festive clothes and blatantly bringing his mistress to get a divorce, she helped the two get divorced without asking any questions.

With a red stamp on the notebook and the file erased from the computer, from now on, Lin Jing and Xia Guofu will each go their own way.

Lin Jing took out a bankbook from her bag and threw it over. "This is half of the family's savings. Xiao Xiao and the house are mine. You don't need to pay child support. Also, you have two hours to move your things out of the house. If there are any left behind when I come back, I will dispose of them as garbage. Finally, I will change the locks on the house later. Don't come back unless necessary. That's all, Xiao Fan and Xiao Xiao, goodbye."

"The money is yours." Xia Guofu opened his mouth to speak, wanting to leave all the money to Lin Jing, but she had already taken Xia Xiaoxiao and Xu Qingfan's hands and turned to leave the Civil Affairs Bureau.

Liang Siyu stood on tiptoe to look at the numbers on the passbook. When she saw the number 440,000 written on it, she couldn't stop smiling with happiness.

"Brother Fu, the baby still needs to be fed," she reminded Xia Guofu from the side.

"Okay, let's get our marriage certificate first."

[Scumbag!] The old lady who had just helped Xia Guofu get a divorce cursed him in her heart when she saw him shamelessly pull out his ID card to get married on the same day.

But this is her job after all, and she can only make their wedding photos look a little less attractive within her authority.

"Don't come back if nothing's wrong, and definitely don't come back if something happens. That's all, Xiao Fan, Xiao Xiao, I'm leaving." Xu Qingfan repeated, mimicking Lin Jing's tone, "Auntie, you're absolutely awesome."

After getting back into the car, Xu Qingfan said excitedly.

"Of course my mom is cool!" Xia Xiaoxiao looked at Xu Qingfan proudly.

"Auntie is so cool, how come you're so useless? How come you're afraid to sleep alone?" Xu Qingfan teased. "Xu Qingfan, stop trying to shift the blame! It's clearly you who's afraid to sleep alone!" Xia Xiaoxiao retorted confidently.

Xu Qingfan stared wide-eyed in disbelief. "[No, Xia Xiaoxiao, how can you lie so confidently?]"
“Xiao Xiao is right. This brat has been afraid of the dark since he was a child. Last time I asked him to go up to the eighth-floor balcony to collect the quilts, he told me that he was too scared to go because it was dark!” Yao Jinping joined in with a smile.

"Oh right, I'm afraid of the dark. I'm afraid to walk alone at night, and I'm afraid to sleep alone. I'm a coward!" Xu Qingfan said, feigning weakness.

"Hahaha~" Everyone in the car burst into laughter at his joke, as if they had never experienced the divorce.

Lin Jing naturally understood their intentions and was touched. [It's already incredibly lucky to have a friend like Atao, and Xiaoxiao has Xiaofan too. We must look forward!]
"Xiao Fan, is there anything you'd like to eat? Auntie's in a good mood today, so I'm treating you," Lin Jing said with a smile.

Xia Guofu still needed to go back to the Lotus Courtyard to pack his belongings; it wouldn't be good if they ran into each other on his way back after dinner.

"How about we go on a picnic? The second day of the second lunar month is the Spring Outing Festival!" Xu Qingfan suggested.

"We haven't prepared anything, how are we going on a picnic? Are we just going to starve? Or do you expect your dad, who's only half-baked, to catch any fish?"

"What's so difficult about that? We can just buy disposable foil boxes for grilling. There are marinated barbecues sold in the market. They're just a little more expensive. Today, I, Young Master Xu, will pay for everything. You can just take what you need!" Xu Qingfan said, patting his chest.

Everyone was amused by him again, but they all agreed to his suggestion of a picnic.

Xu Qingfan made a phone call and summoned Lin Wanning and Zhang Yiyi. After picking them up, he went back to the store to pick up Xiao Ruanwen and Wu Lingyu. Together with Xu Qingfan and Xia Xiaoxiao, the six members reunited after a year.

Xu Qingfan took the drinks and snacks directly from the store, and to avoid affecting the statistics, he honestly paid for them.

Afterwards, they went to Fupeng Market for a big shopping spree, filling the trunk to the brim, before getting back into the car and setting off for their outing.

Xu Aiguo might not always catch fish, but if you're asking about the best fishing spots in terms of resources and scenery, you've come to the right person.

On the bus, Xia Xiaoxiao sat on her mother's lap, Wu Lingyu sat on Yao Jinping's lap, and Lin Wanning sat on Xu Qingfan's lap. So, although there were quite a few people, there wasn't a shortage of seats.

"Uncle Xu, are there any snakes at the picnic site?" Having been bitten by a snake once, she was afraid of ropes for ten years. Having had the experience before, Xiao Ruanwen couldn't help but ask.

"Ruan Wen, don't be afraid. With Xiao Bai here, the snake definitely won't dare to come near, right, Xiao Bai?" Lin Wanning's dog also got into the car. She rubbed her leg against the dog lying at her feet and said.

"Wang Wang!"

"Hehe~ Don't worry, it's right by the river, there won't be any snakes," Xu Aiguo explained with a smile.

"That's good, I'm terrified of snakes!"

"."

After driving for more than 30 kilometers, Xu Aiguo parked the car in a secluded grove of trees. A group of people got out of the car, gathered their belongings, and walked through the bamboo forest, where the sound of flowing water grew closer and closer.

Before long, the group emerged from the bamboo forest and were greeted by a winding stream. The scenery was delightful, and in the distance, birds could be seen fluttering their feathers and bathing in the water.

"Wow!"

Children can't resist the temptation of playing in the water, so they put their things on the ground and ran eagerly towards the stream.

The stream was crystal clear, and "there were about a hundred fish in the pool, all seemingly swimming in mid-air without anything to rely on," just like the description in the Record of the Little Stone Pool.

The stream flows downstream from upstream, its shallowest point reaching only ankle height and its deepest point not exceeding an adult's thigh.

Xu Qingfan was truly impressed by his father. How did he find such a perfect place for a spring outing?

"Be careful not to slip, the moss is very slippery!" Xu Qingfan quickly reminded them as they eagerly took off their shoes, rolled up their trousers, and started walking in the stream.

"Brother Qingfan, there's a fish!" Lin Wanning said, pointing to a small crucian carp about the size of two fingers in the water.

"These fish are so small, they're not even enough for Little White to eat." Because it was still a bit cold, Little White Dog just stood on the shore anxiously performing the lion dance and didn't go down to play.

"Wan Ning, you two come back quickly, be careful not to fall into the water, the stream is very cold!" Lin Jing walked over and waved to the two of them.

"Hehe, okay~" Lin Wanning and Zhang Yiyi held hands and returned to the shore.

Xia Xiaoxiao and Xiao Ruanwen sat side by side on the bluestone on the bank, dipping their feet into the clear stream, swaying them like oars. In the sunlight and the reflection of the lake, their feet looked like a pair of flawless white jade feet.

The well-behaved and sensible Wu Lingyu was helping Yao Jinping sort and organize the purchased ingredients.

Once the campfire was lit, the atmosphere for a picnic immediately became lively.

The adults were in charge of starting the fire and grilling, while the children were in charge of playing. Yao Jinping smiled and patted Wu Lingyu's head, "Yu'er, go play with them too. It's a rare opportunity to come out."

"Mmm!" Wu Lingyu smiled sweetly at Xu's mother, ran over to Xu Qingfan, squatted down and watched him stack stones.

"What are you doing, Brother Fan?" Wu Lingyu asked in confusion after squatting down and watching for a while, noticing that the stones Xu Qingfan had placed were unbalanced and kept falling.

"I call this the Anti-Gravity Stone Tower. The stones by the river are too slippery, and there isn't enough friction," Xu Qingfan explained to himself.

"Oh, oh!" The little girl nodded, seemingly understanding. [Anti-gravity stone, that sounds amazing! Brother Fan is really awesome.]
After a while, perhaps Wu Lingyu's arrival brought him good luck. When he added the last stone and slowly let go, the anti-gravity stone tower actually maintained its balance.

"Hey, look at me!" he exclaimed excitedly.

"Wow~"

"Brother Qingfan, why aren't they falling off?" Lin Wanning got up and ran over to check.

"Hey, don't!"

Just as Xu Qingfan was about to remind him, Lin Wanning's finger had already lightly touched the top of the tower. Due to this tiny push, the stone tower could no longer maintain its balance and scattered into pieces.

"Ah! I'm sorry, Brother Qingfan, Ningning didn't mean to." Lin Wanning quickly pinched her ear and apologized when she realized she had caused trouble.

"It's okay, you've all seen it. I was going to push it anyway, and Ningning helped out." Xu Qingfan patted her head to comfort her.

"Hehe~ Brother Qingfan is so nice!"

Inspired by Xu Qingfan, the group abandoned the traditional method of stacking stone mortars and patiently built an anti-gravity stone tower by the stream.

Before long, all sorts of stone towers, resembling people, puppies, and hearts, appeared at their feet. The six people quietly rose and stood behind their respective works, and the camera captured this moment forever.

(End of this chapter)