Chapter 13 Affectionate Confession

Lin Anran, hearing the loud knocking at the door, said firmly, “I’m not going out. Knocking won’t do any good. Gao Ershan, can you act like a man?”

Hearing her words, Gao Ershan felt a bit guilty and stopped knocking. He then pulled his mother to the side room. Lin Anran thought to herself that he was probably just saying things casually, so she didn’t say anything further.

Leng Feng, noticing her indifferent expression, became slightly annoyed. “Anran, I’m serious. I don’t care that you’ve been married before. Divorce him, and I’ll marry you immediately. I will never let you be wronged.”

Lin Anran listened to his confession and pondered for a moment, looking at his handsome face. She said, “We’ve only just met. I’m a divorced woman… what will your mother think of me, and I…”

Leng Feng wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her lips. “My mother is very open-minded. As long as I want it, they won’t interfere—even if you’re a divorced woman.”

Lin Anran was speechless at this kiss. She listened to his strong heartbeat and looked into his clear, sincere eyes. She said, “I’ll trust you for now.”

Hearing this, Leng Feng realized she wasn’t someone who easily trusted others. Lin Anran stepped back a couple of paces, sensing his intentions, thinking it would be safer to keep some distance—they were playing with fire by being too close.

—

At this moment, Gao Ershan returned to the side room and plopped onto a wooden stool, looking dejected. Seeing her son like that, the matriarch became furious. “What’s so good about that Lin Anran? Lazy to the bone and can’t even bear children.”

Gao Ershan, hearing the remark about not having children, perked up mentally. Since their marriage, he had never been with Lin Anran. Her not having children was normal; if she did, it would have meant infidelity. Listening to his mother nag about Lin Anran’s faults everywhere, he became irritated.

“Mother, I have things to do, I’ll leave first,” he said, escaping the courtyard.

His mother, seeing him leave, felt angry but glanced at Lin Anran in the main room and sighed, “The child has grown, can’t control him.” Then she left.

Gao Ershan walked out, thinking the store had been closed all morning, and hurried to open it. He greeted people and sold goods. Suddenly, a burly man with a thick beard came in, knocking on the table: “Give me a pack of Red Plum cigarettes.”

Gao Ershan observed him carefully—this was clearly a tough customer. He quickly pulled out a pack of cigarettes and cautiously said, “Brother, here’s the cigarettes you asked for.”

Red Plum cigarettes cost 4 yuan a pack, while a worker’s monthly wage was only 40 yuan. To not even bat an eye at that price, this man had to be a newly rich, powerful type. Gao Ershan, thinking this, realized he couldn’t offend him and tried to figure out how to get him to leave peacefully.

The man then said, “Brother, can you give me a light?” Gao Ershan quickly pulled out a match and lit it for him. The man inhaled sharply, exhaling smoke in circles, scanning around, and asked, “Have you seen a stranger recently? A soldier, injured?”

Gao Ershan, hearing “injured” and “soldier,” shook his head vigorously: “Brother, I grew up on this street. I haven’t seen anyone like that.”

The bearded man looked at him sincerely, saying, “I’m his friend. I’ve been searching for him for days and can’t find him. I’m worried.” He walked two steps out of the store, acting anxious, and said, “Brother, I’m just asking. He’s a buddy of mine; his family is going crazy looking for him. Just asking.” Then he left, scanning the surroundings.

Gao Ershan watched his departing back, like a guardian at the door, puzzled by his strange words. Why not go to the police? Thinking about the injured man, he shivered—luckily, he hadn’t seen him, or he would’ve been in trouble.

Gao Ershan continued diligently managing the store but suddenly remembered Lin Anran, who had suggested divorcing him. He felt a surge of anger.

—

Lin Anran, hearing everyone leave the courtyard, quickly stepped out of the cramped space. As she emerged, she heard the door open. Holding a broom, she swept the leaves on the ground. Thinking Gao Ershan had returned, she ignored it, but then remembered the person in the main room. Alarmed, she looked up.

She saw Chen Yan strutting in, swaying her hips, flipping her hair, and acting flirtatious. Spotting a stool in the courtyard corner, Chen Yan wiped it, dusted her hands, and sat down haughtily, crossing her legs as if she were the mistress of the courtyard. She was annoyed that Lin Anran ignored her.

—

Out of the corner of her eye, Lin Anran looked at her and said coldly, “Gao Ershan’s not home. Go to the store and find him yourself.”

Seeing Chen Yan acting so arrogantly, Lin Anran, who had been sweeping, was ready to slap her. She threw down the broom and planted herself firmly. She was a woman from the 20th century—not a pushover anyone could manipulate.

“Looks like you’re here to provoke me?” she said.

Chen Yan was shocked to see the usually submissive Lin Anran suddenly standing her ground. Surprised, she exclaimed, “Lin Anran can’t even control her own husband. Why are you keeping her around? Why don’t you just divorce her?”

Lin Anran looked at her like a hen pumped full of adrenaline, head high, wings raised—a posture ready to fight. She sneered, “Divorce or not is between me and my husband. What’s it to you?”

As she spoke, she swung the broom, stirring up the remaining leaves on the ground into a cloud of dust, giving the impression she was driving Chen Yan away.

Chen Yan was choked by the dust and coughed twice, pointing at Lin Anran while cursing through her nose: “You shrew! No wonder Gao Ershan doesn’t like you.”

Angered, Lin Anran threw down the broom. “So what if he doesn’t like me? He still hasn’t divorced me.” She narrowed her eyes and added, “Do you have the ability to make him divorce me? If he really did, I’d have to thank you, wouldn’t I?”

Chen Yan, furious, jumped up and stomped her feet. “You… you…”

Lin Anran winked at her provocatively. “You… just wait for good news from me!”

Chen Yan, fuming, stormed around the courtyard. “Alright, Lin Anran, just you wait!”

Lin Anran laughed heartily. “You’re really getting old, huh? You still know you’re no spring chicken… oh wait, maybe I should say, old lady…”

Chen Yan was caught off guard by Lin Anran’s sharp tongue and quick wit, and hurriedly fled. She turned back once and shouted, “Lin Anran, you just wait… you just wait…”

“Take your time, no need to rush,” Lin Anran called after her, amused as she watched Chen Yan flee.

In her rage, Chen Yan didn’t notice the raised threshold and suddenly let out a startled “Ah!”