Chapter 145 Memory

In a rented house in the old Xinghe district, Zhu Fangguo sat alone in the living room drinking from a near empty bottle. On the table was only a plate of peanuts and another bottle of Niulanshan rice wine.

His wounds were all but healed, save for some swelling. Still, the doctors had said not to drink.

It was one in the morning when Zhu Fei awoke to a cramp. “Not now.” She whispered in the dark, thinking that periods were the most inconvenient part of being a woman. Shuffling to the bathroom, she came across her father finishing the rice wine. “What are you doing?” She hissed in the dark. “Quit drinking that stuff, you should be in bed!”

Another cramp rippled through her and she shuffled to the bathroom before he could reply.

She was in the bathroom for a few minutes, coming out after the flush.

Zhu Fangguo was staring blankly at the old fashioned television. He looked up to Zhu Fei's haggard face, and softened, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I’ll be fine."

Zhu Fei sat on the sofa and looked at her father's late night menu. "Peanuts and booze huh? You’re living the dream.”

She stood up and crossed the room to a pint-sized refrigerator. With a strained grunt as another cramp seized her, she withdrew with a plate of ham, garlic eggs, and salted peanuts.

"This is what you outta drink with.” She said, pouring a glass of hot water. “Couldn’t sleep huh? You shouldn’t stay up drinking. It’s bad for your health. You’re just now getting back to normal.”

"Oh, it's all right, I’m fine." Zhu Fangguo said anxiously. "I just wanted a drink. One won’t kill me.”

"Do you miss mom?"

Zhu Fei could see a flash of emotions in her father's eyes. It’d only been three years since she died. Maybe he was used to it during the day, but a man finds his lonliness in the night.

"Your mother?" He asked and let out a humorless laugh, “No, I’d almost forgotten her.”

“Mmhmm.” Zhu Fei uttered. She knew her father still missed his wife. She’d gone and left him alone in this world.

"Dad, you know there’s no pressure on you any more right? I can work now. I sold more than 6,000 yuan of goods today, and I got a 100 Yuan commission. You don’t have to worry about a thing. I can take care of us."

"Fei Fei, don't even speak of it. How could I stay here and burden you? Take away your happiness day by day? Thank you for taking care of me these days, but I am planning to work very soon. You should go back to Su City. I heard your stepfather introduced you to a boy. Maybe it’s time you get married."

Although Zhu Fangguo liked Qin Feng very much, he could see that Qin Feng and Fei Fei weren’t really in love.

"Too bad Dad, I made up my mind to stay with you. I’m not going to leave you. I cut ties with old stepfather. I wont have anything to do with them now."

"You’ll suffer a lot by staying with me." Zhu Fangguo said, "Do you think it’s so easy to live in the Tianhe? You’ll see. This place won’t bring in nearly as much as it costs to keep. You’ll have to spend money everywhere. You can have a rich life in Su City. Stop holding on and go."

"No way."

"Then you’ll suffer in your obstinance." Zhu Fangguo said quietly and drained the bottle. He placed it on the table and began to eat. “Go back to bed daughter, it’s late.”

Zhu Fei picked up her cell phone and saw the WeChat notification. She read the message Jia Dapeng sent to her when she returned her room.

"According to my investigation, Qin Feng has a girlfriend, and you have nothing to do with it. Why are you lying to me?" Jia Dapeng seemed much calmer than before.

"Because I don't like you, I don't want you around." She never replied to Jia Dapeng as a rule of thumb, but this time it felt right.

After putting down the phone, Zhu Fei closed her eyes and imagined the shopping mall from earlier that day. She thought of Qin Feng wearing matching clothes and taking pictures with his girlfriend.

Qin Feng was such a good guy. How could he ever be with her? When she left Li Jianbin, what else did she have? She was just a random person too ordinary to stand out in a crowd.

And Qin Feng was so perfect. His girlfriend looked so beautiful, gentle, temperament. The two of them were just…perfect.