Chapter 6 – The Female Supporting Character in the Confession Book

The movements of Teacher Lin Jianzhang were quick and efficient, and the dishes were served promptly. He filled two bowls of rice and handed one to Wen Xin. Wen Xin thanked him and began eating the dishes with her rice.

Lin Jianzhang had not lied; indeed, the braised fish and chicken stewed with mushrooms in this restaurant were exceptional. 

The braised fish had a rich red sauce with a fresh and spicy taste, and the fish meat was tender on the inside. The chicken stew with mushrooms had tender chicken and mushrooms, with the soup blending both flavors. A spoonful of the broth drizzled over rice tasted absolutely delicious.

Lin Jianzhang had invited Wen Xin to this meal with the intention of having a serious conversation with her. He felt that Wen Xin had been too distant with him. 

He did not expect her to be as enthusiastic as Luo Manzhen, but at least her attitude towards him should have been warmer, right? At least she could have replied to his letters?

But then, several soldiers sat behind them. They were stationed in Pufeng County, and each of them outranked him. With those military officers present, Lin Jianzhang couldn’t bring himself to say what he had planned.

Complaining about being treated coldly would only make him the subject of ridicule.

So, the rest of the meal passed with very little interaction between the two of them. Lin Jianzhang would occasionally make small talk with Wen Xin, and seeing all the delicious food on the table, Wen Xin would occasionally respond.

That was enough to make Lin Jianzhang happy.

After they finished eating, the two of them walked toward the exit. As they passed by the table of soldiers, Wen Xin, almost by instinct, glanced over. The soldier named Old Gu happened to be looking at her too. Wen Xin calmly nodded at him before quickening her pace to follow Lin Jianzhang.

When the sound of leather shoes tapping on the floor faded, Old Gu relaxed his posture a little. One of the soldiers sitting next to him teased him: “What’s this? Not pretending anymore?”

Old Gu shot him a sideways glance. “What nonsense are you talking about? Pretend at what?”

The soldier on Old Gu’s left immediately took over: “If you’re not pretending, then why are you sitting like this? You never sit this straight even when eating with the division chief. Besides, your eyes were almost glued to her. Don’t say I didn’t warn you—she has a partner. You can’t break the rules.”

Old Gu picked up a peanut and tossed it into his mouth. “What do you think, I’m like you?”

At his words, several soldiers burst out laughing. “Hey, do you remember the last time the art troupe came here to perform? Old Zhu got so mesmerized by a female singer that he couldn’t stop staring?”

“How could we forget? He was drinking water at the time, but he forgot to swallow, and it just spilled down his chin.”

“Hahaha.” A group of them laughed heartily.

Old Gu laughed along with the others, but after the laughter subsided, he inadvertently thought of the woman he had just seen. He had lived for twenty-six years and encountered many beautiful women, yet there had never been one who made him see them differently. Now, finally, there was one who caught his attention, but she already had a partner.

Old Gu couldn’t help but feel a bit regretful.

After the meal, Wen Xin returned to her unit, while Lin Jianzhang went home. He had not been home since his return. As soon as he opened the door, a slender, frail figure rushed out and seemed about to throw herself into his arms. Lin Jianzhang’s expression changed, and he stepped aside.

“What are you doing in my house?”

Luo Manzhen, not able to land in Lin Jianzhang’s arms as she had hoped, looked up at him with a very aggrieved expression. “Jianzhang, I was wrong about what happened before. Can you stop being angry with me?”

When Lin Jianzhang stepped aside like that, the joy she had felt from finally seeing him after two months evaporated immediately.

Lin Jianzhang felt a sense of pride when he read the letters Luo Manzhen had written, but hearing her apology in person only made him feel sarcastic.

At that time, he had pleaded with Luo Manzhen not to divorce him, even going as far as to kneel. Yet, she hadn’t looked back. Now that they were divorced, Luo Manzhen suddenly realized she was wrong?

Was she truly regretful, or had she just found that her life without him wasn’t as good as she thought it would be? Lin Jianzhang scrutinized Luo Manzhen. The clothes she wore were still the ones he had bought for her after they got married, and they were already worn out.

Lin Jianzhang then glanced outside. They had two chickens and two ducks in the yard, but they weren’t kept in a pen, so the whole yard was covered with droppings, dirty and smelly.

This reminded Lin Jianzhang of the past. Back then, Luo Manzhen had relied on his love and never did any housework or chores. She never even went to work. Sometimes, when the house was busy and the yard hadn’t been cleaned, Luo Manzhen would hold her nose when walking through the yard.

Now that they were divorced, why was she willing to clean up the yard she had once despised so much?

Lin Jianzhang felt a sense of unspeakable sarcasm in his heart.

Seeing that Lin Jianzhang didn’t respond, Luo Manzhen lifted her head and gave him a faint smile. This was the kind of smile Lin Jianzhang had once loved, and not only him—Sun Haowen had also mentioned more than once during their passionate times that her smile like that was beautiful.

Unfortunately, no matter how beautiful the smile, it couldn’t stop his speed of growing tired of the old and favoring the new.

“Mom and Dad have gone to work, and Grandma went for a walk.” Luo Manzhen spoke to Lin Jianzhang as if she were still his wife, as if they hadn’t divorced.

Lin Jianzhang furrowed his brow deeply. “Luo Manzhen, we’re already divorced. It’s inappropriate for you to say these things. Now, get out of my house. If I come back later and find you here, don’t blame me for being rude.”

After saying that, Lin Jianzhang turned and walked away. At the end of the yard, he found his father, Lin Shuisheng, working.

“Dad, why is Luo Manzhen at our house?” Lin Jianzhang asked.

Lin Shuisheng, happy to see his son back, responded nonchalantly when asked about Luo Manzhen. “I don’t know what’s got into her, coming here every day. We can’t get rid of her. Your grandma likes her, so whenever we say something harsh, she gets upset. We figured, since you’re not home, let her come if she wants.”

Luo Manzhen’s daily visits to her ex-husband’s house had become the subject of gossip in the village. But since the involved parties didn’t mind, Lin Shuisheng and the others thought little of it.

After all, it wasn’t his son’s reputation that was being harmed.

“By the way, did you visit Wen Xin after you came back? She fell into Chan River a couple of months ago, and she’s still not in good health.”

Lin Shuisheng’s words stunned Lin Jianzhang.

Wen Xin fell into Chan River? When they met today, she hadn’t mentioned it.

—-

The next day, Wen Xin was riding her beloved bicycle to work when she encountered Lin Jianzhang waiting in the middle of the narrow path. The path was too narrow for two people to pass side by side, and Wen Xin, confident in her cycling skills, knew she couldn’t get past him. She had no choice but to stop.

Lin Jianzhang looked at her expressionlessly for a while before speaking: “Wen Xin, why didn’t you tell me about falling into the river? Do you still consider me your partner?”

Wen Xin hadn’t expected Lin Jianzhang to ask about this. It was clear he was already very upset, no longer even calling her “Comrade Wen.” 

Wen Xin found it somewhat amusing. “Lin Jianzhang, if you want me to consider you my partner, then why hasn’t your family treated me as such? When I fell into the river, your family didn’t even offer a word of concern. And now, your ex-wife is living in your house every day. What does that say about how your family treats me?”

Wen Xin’s pointed questions left Lin Jianzhang with a grim expression, and the words of rebuttal he had prepared couldn’t come out. 

Both of these issues—his family’s behavior—were undeniably wrong, and he couldn’t find any excuse to defend them.

Wen Xin sneered coldly. “Lin Jianzhang, you’re known as a capable man in this area, becoming an officer at such a young age. But I, Wen Xin, am no less than you. Since your family doesn’t treat me with respect, I won’t beg for it. From now on, whether you divorce or remarry your ex-wife, it has nothing to do with me. From now on, we go our separate ways.”

Just two days ago, Wen Xin had been debating how to handle her relationship with Lin Jianzhang, but today, Lin Jianzhang gave her a reason. 

It was like finding a pillow when you were already asleep. It saved her the trouble of thinking too much. Cutting ties with Lin Jianzhang seemed like a good thing.

“Scram, a good dog doesn’t block the way.” Wen Xin pushed her bike forward, its wheels rolling over Lin Jianzhang’s foot. 

Lin Jianzhang clenched his fist and stubbornly stood his ground, glaring at Wen Xin. 

Wen Xin didn’t even spare him a glance, and she rode off, leaving him behind.

Lin Jianzhang watched her receding figure, his face darkened with clouds of anger. He shouted loudly: “Wen Xin, forget it! I will never break up with you!”