Jiaren Wu drove her Chevy sedan and waited outside the kindergarten. She saw the young teacher with light makeup on her. After sending off the last student, the teacher carried her bag and left work. This teacher used to be Zhu Zhen’s girlfriend, Lin Huiyue.

  Jiaren Wu quietly followed her and saw the teacher suddenly turn into a supermarket.

  Jiaren Wu stopped the car and walked in.

  In the toilet of the supermarket, the female teacher, Lin Huiyue, pushed open a cabinet door, then locked it. She immediately squatted on the ground, opened her bag, and anxiously searched for something inside. Finally, she took out something that looked like lipstick, twisted it open, put it under her nose, and inhaled deeply.

  Gradually, her expression became calm and satisfied.

  At that moment, a bucket of cold water fell from the sky. Lin Huiyue, who was enjoying herself as if she were floating in the clouds, suddenly trembled in fright. She looked up at the top of the toilet but did not see anyone. All she saw was a middle finger pointing at her.

  Lin Huiyue trembled in fear as she kept her things. By the time she opened the toilet door and ran out, that person had already escaped without a trace. Recalling how that person had raised a middle finger, Lin Huiyue was both shocked and afraid.

  The next day, when she went to school, she was called to the principal’s office. That afternoon, Lin Huiyue packed her things and left like a coward.

  When she got home, she drew all the curtains, sat alone in the house, and puffed away. She thought about how she had lost her job and her stable income, and on top of that, she was addicted to this thing that she could not quit no matter what. All of it made her anxious.

  When she thought about how her miserable situation was most likely caused by the person who had splashed water on her in the toilet the previous day, her face instantly sank.

  The next day, when night came, Lin Huiyue changed her clothes and put on thick eyebrows. She carried her bag and took a bus to a bar called Empty Color. She did not expect that someone would be watching her every move in the crowd. The female teacher entered the bar and found a man named Ah Song.

  “I’m out of stock,” she said.

  Ah Song glanced at her and said, “You have to pay for the goods.”


  Lin Huiyue gave him her last bit of money and obtained a small bag of goods.

  “I heard you lost your job.” Ah Song stared at the female teacher with a smile in his eyes.

  Lin Huiyue was stunned at first, but she quickly understood that everyone knew about her job loss. She bitterly smiled. “I wonder which b*tch reported me.”


  “Be careful! Don’t come to my place for the time being.”


  Lin Huiyue repeatedly nodded.

  Ah Song suddenly asked, “You don’t have much money left, right?”


  Lin Huiyue’s face stiffened, knowing that she could not hide it from Ah Song. She nodded.

  “If you don’t have money, you can only pay with your body.”


  When Lin Huiyue heard that, her gaze landed on Ah Song’s face. It was so ordinary that it didn’t match the word “handsome” even after she stared at him for a few more seconds. “We’ll talk about it again.” In the end, she didn’t say anything. She took her things and carefully left through the back door.

  Inside the bar, a scantily clad woman stared at the female teacher, who walked out of the door. Finally, she looked up at Ah Song, who was in a small private room on the second floor.

  After silently memorizing Ah Song’s appearance, Jiaren Wu left the bar.

  Lin Huiyue left the bar and was about to call for a taxi when a red Chevy stopped in front of her. “Beauty, do you want a ride?” The car window rolled down, revealing a face that could be described as charming.

  Stunned, Lin Huiyue looked at this woman a few more times, wondering if she should get into the car.

  Jiaren Wu added, “Life isn’t easy. You have to work part-time even after work.”


  Upon hearing that, Lin Huiyue was slightly moved.

  Thinking of her predicament, she did not hesitate any further. She got into the car and sat in the back. Once she got in, she told Jiaren Wu the address of her house. Lin Huiyue hugged her bag and looked out of the window without saying another word. Jiaren Wu talked to her as she drove. “Do pretty girls come here often?”


  “Yes.” The teacher often came to this place to pick up things.

  Jiaren Wu nodded and tapped her long fingers on the steering wheel. She said, “I heard you calling someone a b*tch just now…”


  “You followed me!”


  Wariness rose in the teacher’s heart.

  Jiaren Wu smiled and said, “If you don’t keep your mouth clean, you’ll get beaten up.”


  After saying that, Jiaren Wu stopped laughing and turned the car around. Under the woman’s astonished gaze, Jiaren Wu stopped the car at the entrance of the Public Security Bureau.

  Lin Huiyue was speechless.

  “You’re a cop?”


  Jiaren Wu shook her head. “No, I’m that b*tch.”


  Lin Huiyue’s expression changed.

  Taking out her handcuffs, she subdued Lin Huiyue with both hands. Then, she dragged her into the police station. “Give her a urine test. I suspect that she’s taking drugs!”


  “I didn’t!”


  No matter how Lin Huiyue argued, she could not stop the police officers from bringing her for a urine test.

  At this moment, Kang Hui walked over and said to Jiaren Wu, “Junior Sister, Teacher is calling for you.”


  Jiaren Wu nodded and went upstairs.

  “Enter.”


  Jiaren Wu opened the door and glanced at the man playing mahjong behind the desk. She said, “Chief Song, it’s me.”


  “When no one is around, call me teacher.”


  “Teacher.”


  “It’s almost time to get off work. We haven’t sat together for a long time. Tell me, what have you been busy with recently?” Song Cheng finished playing the game of mahjong. Seeing Jiaren Wu standing upright, he said, “Sit.”


  Jiaren Wu sat down.

  After hearing Chief Song’s question, Jiaren Wu didn’t hide anything and said honestly, “I’m catching bad guys.”


  “Ha!” Chief Song shook his head and suddenly said, “My wife has found you a few good boys. If you have time…”


  Jiaren Wu thought that Chief Song was looking for her for something serious.

  She stood up and said, “I appreciate her concern, but I don’t have to set up a blind date. I’ve recently met a pretty good partner and am currently wooing him. I have quite a good impression of him, so I won’t make any other plans for now.”


  Song Cheng was stunned. “Oh, how old is he? What does he do?”


  “Twenty-nine years old, a professor at the Medical University.”


  “He’s young and promising.” Song Cheng seemed to have thought of something. His gaze circled Jiaren Wu’s face, and he suddenly asked, “Is he handsome?”


  Jiaren Wu nodded.

  “He’s very attractive?”


  She nodded again.

  “Good-looking people can’t be relied on.” Song Cheng himself looked ordinary. He had been sitting in the office for a long time, and now he still had a bit of a belly. He just couldn’t stand handsome men.

  Upon hearing this, Jiaren Wu smiled and said, “Your wife’s beauty is obvious to all. If these words were to reach her ears…”


  “Cough!” Once Song Cheng coughed, Jiaren Wu immediately settled down.

  “I’m getting off work. I will go now! Teacher, you should rest early too.” After saying that, Jiaren Wu opened the door and turned to leave.

  Song Cheng stared at the open door and thought:?

  ***

  A few days passed in a flash. Qi Bufan had finished dealing with his mother’s funeral and was finally returning to Binjiang City.

  His village was going to have a new construction project soon. All the old houses had to be demolished, and a new building had to be built. Those who did not want the construction to happen were compensated 100,000 yuan by the government. Qi Bufan thought that since his mother had already left, he would have less time to come back to this place, so he chose not to build a new house with the money.

  After settling his family matters, Qi Bufan took the mutt named Old Black to the county school to pick up his daughter, Dai Chukong.

  Chukong was a different name for January. David had once said that Dai Chukong had been born in January. At the time, to name the child, David and Dai Chukong’s mother had thought of many names. The child’s grandfather had said that since the child was born in January, she might as well be called Dai Yiyue.

  However, Dai Chukong’s mother had felt that Yiyue was not pleasant enough. She went through the internet for more information and finally named her “Chukong.”


  Chukong meant the new year and a new day.

  Everything was beautiful.

  The girl had a beautiful name, but unfortunately, she did not have a beautiful childhood.

  Qi Bufan sat in the car, lost in thought.

  At this moment, the bell rang, and the students walked out in twos and threes. Qi Bufan rolled down the window and looked at the school gate.

  After a long time, Dai Chukong finally came out. The last time the two of them met was at the end of last year. In this time they had not seen each other for half a year, Dai Chukong seemed to have grown prettier. Her public high school did not have uniforms. Dai Chukong stood with three or four girls. All the other girls were dressed fashionably. She was the only one wearing a red and white tracksuit and flat shoes. It was a rare sight.

  Qi Bufan looked at her and suddenly realized that he wasn’t qualified to be her father.

  The sound of the car rang twice, attracting the attention of many people, including Dai Chukong.

  The Cayenne was considered a decent car in Binjiang City, but in this county city, it was considered a luxury car. Therefore, these students and the parents who came to pick up the children couldn’t help but take a few more glances.

  Initially, Dai Chukong had thought that the owner of the car was rather impolite. He had deliberately honked his horn to attract attention.

  However, her disdainful gaze suddenly changed when she saw Qi Bufan.

  Joy, surprise, and longing surged in Dai Chukong’s mind.

  She quickly abandoned her schoolmates and ran toward that person with her bag.

  “Big Brother!”


  She leaned against the car door, hugged Qi Bufan’s face, and kissed his forehead.

  Qi Bufan quickly pushed her away and said, “Stop fooling around. You’re already sixteen years old. You’re a big girl now. You can’t just kiss a man.” Then, Qi Bufan looked at Dai Chukong’s pretty face, which was slightly red, and felt a sense of affection. He raised his hand and patted Dai Chukong’s head like a loving father.

  “Chukong has grown taller again.”


  Dai Chukong playfully smiled and asked him, “Why did you suddenly come back?”


  “Your grandmother is gone.”


  Dai Chukong was stunned. “Grandma, she…”?

  Dai Chukong’s school had been doing monthly exams for the past few days, so Qi Bufan had not informed her and asked her to return. Therefore, Dai Chukong did not know about this yet. Grandma was not her biological grandmother, but they had lived together for seven years, and their relationship was deep. However, Dai Chukong knew that the person in front of her cared about Grandma very much.

  After all, she was his biological mother.

  “Big Brother, don’t be sad.”


  Qi Bufan nodded. Seeing her friends walk over, he greeted them. “Hello.”


  “Chukong, is this your brother?”


  Dai Chukong’s friend looked at Qi Bufan and felt her heart beating faster.

  They did not know that Chukong had such a handsome brother.

  Dai Chukong smiled and was about to explain when Qi Bufan said, “I’m her father.”


  Dai Chukong’s smile froze on her face.

  Her friends opened their mouths wide in shock.

  “What the f*ck!” They silently opened their mouths and cursed, expressing their shock and surprise.

  “Uncle, you… I really couldn’t tell that you’re Chukong’s father!”


  “Chukong, why do you call your father your brother?”


  Before Dai Chukong could explain, another girl said, “Uncle is so good-looking. If it were me, I couldn’t bear to call you Dad.”


  Seeing that Dai Chukong seemed unhappy, Qi Bufan did not know what he had said wrong. He carefully said to Dai Chukong, “Dad will bring you to eat, okay?”


  Dai Chukong nodded and said goodbye to her friends before getting into Qi Bufan’s car.

  The two of them found a Chinese restaurant. When Qi Bufan saw that Dai Chukong was not smiling, he pinched her face and said, “Dad has been back after a long time. Can’t you smile at Dad?”


  Dai Chukong gave him a blank look.

  “Why didn’t you tell them that you were only the person who raised me and not my father?” Dai Chukong’s words were filled with dissatisfaction and… indignance.

  However, Qi Bufan said, “I raised you, and I’m your adoptive father. Of course, I’m your father.”


  However, Dai Chukong said, “You can also be an older brother.”


  “I’m your biological father’s brother. You calling me elder brother is messing up the seniority.”


  Dai Chukong fell silent.

  It was impossible to reason with Qi Bufan.

  “I’ve already arranged a transfer for you. Say goodbye to your friends in class tomorrow, and we’ll go to Binjiang City tomorrow night. From now on, we’ll stay there and not come back.” Qi Bufan’s tone was cautious when he said this, afraid that he would make Dai Chukong unhappy.

  It was his fault for not telling Dai Chukong in advance.

  Dai Chukong was stunned for a moment. Then, she softly asked, “Will we live together in the future?”


  “Yeah.”


  Dai Chukong immediately revealed a dazzling smile that was as bright as the stars.