Chapter 39: A Troubled Mind and an Unexpected Proposal

Wang Jian drove aimlessly through the old district, his mind heavy with a single, persistent worry that clouded his mood.

“Damn it, how did I end up with such a mess?!” he swore, oblivious to his usual decorum as he cursed loudly in the solitude of his car. “If I don’t handle this right, I could lose my job. That kid is truly a nuisance.”

At present, he could not conceive of a single solution, short of adopting the child himself. Yet, even if he were willing, would his family ever agree?

Wang Jian drove his car to the riverside, finding a spot to pull over and step out for some fresh air. Still, the moment his troubling thoughts returned, his spirits plummeted further. He pulled a half-empty pack of cigarettes from his pocket, extracted one, and placed it between his lips, only then realizing he had no lighter.

Spotting a small convenience store nearby, Wang Jian stepped inside and purchased another pack of cigarettes along with a lighter. Afterward, he found a public bench, wiped away the accumulated snow, and sat down without a thought for its dampness.

With the lighter, he slowly ignited his cigarette. He took a drag, allowing the nicotine to momentarily numb his frayed nerves.

He smoked, his gaze fixed blankly on the river in the distance.

–”You’re truly too beautiful, my dear.”– A sudden voice emanated from his phone. Wang Jian pulled it out, seeing his girlfriend’s name on the screen. Without a second thought, he answered and brought the device to his ear.

–”Hello, Lan Lan, is everything alright? Why are you calling?”– Wang Jian asked directly.

–”You really don’t know what to say. Can’t I call you even if there’s nothing wrong?”– A voice, tinged with playful shyness, came from the other end. Hearing his girlfriend’s voice, Wang Jian couldn’t help but smile.

–”Lan Lan, what are you up to right now?”–

–”I’m just desperately missing you.”– It was hard to imagine such a ‘corny’ yet sweet confession coming from the beautiful girl on the other end of the line.

Wang Jian’s face immediately flushed. He stammered, unsure how to respond, and a mouthful of smoke he’d just inhaled remained trapped, causing him to burst into a fit of coughs.

–”Honestly, coughing so loudly. Are you secretly smoking again? Didn’t you promise me you’d quit?!”– the girl on the other end said, her voice laced with concern.

–”I wasn’t smoking, I just caught a cold these past few days,”– Wang Jian lied casually, covering his tracks. He then instinctively stubbed out the cigarette in his hand into the snow, extinguishing it, before tossing it into a nearby trash can.

–”Honestly, you’re so careless by yourself, even catching a cold.”– His girlfriend’s chiding voice filled his ear, yet Wang Jian felt no displeasure. Instead, a warmth spread through his heart.

–”Oh, right. I have a question.”–

–”Go ahead and ask.”–

–”Why aren’t you coming back for Lunar New Year this year?”–

Wang Jian paused, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. After a moment of thought, he replied.

–”Because I want to work more overtime, earn more money. That way, in a few years, I can grandly marry you and make you my wife.”– It was a rare occasion for Wang Jian to utter such a ‘corny’ yet heartfelt declaration.

A long silence followed on the other end of the line, broken only by faint, nervous breaths. After a considerable pause, a voice finally emerged.

–”Wang Jian, I’ve been waiting for you to say that for so long. Don’t forget your words. I’ll be waiting for you to marry me.”– As soon as she finished speaking, the call ended abruptly.

Wang Jian was stunned by her response. Had he just successfully proposed?

In truth, Wang Jian had long harbored the desire to propose to his girlfriend. However, he was still quite a ways off from affording a down payment on a marital home, which was why he hadn’t yet considered popping the question. After all, he had only been working officially for a year and had not accumulated significant savings.

He never expected that a simple ‘corny’ pickup line he’d learned online would lead to a successful proposal, catching him completely off guard.

While this turn of events was undoubtedly a good thing for him, as marrying the person he loved was certainly a beautiful prospect.

He still faced a problem, however—and a rather significant one at that.

Wang Jian’s thoughts drifted to Hao Yang, the child who might very well cost him his job. The mere thought of it made him restless and agitated, wishing he could just send the child away immediately.

As his mood grew anxious, Wang Jian yearned for another cigarette. Just as he reached for one from the pack, he recalled his girlfriend’s earlier admonition and, with a sigh of frustration, tossed the cigarette back into the box.

Unable to smoke, Wang Jian found it difficult to calm his mind. He decided to take a walk, hoping it might temporarily soothe his agitated spirits.

With that thought, Wang Jian rose from the public bench and began walking aimlessly along the riverside.

Having worked in this county town for over a year, he had never truly taken the time to explore it. The town was, in fact, even dirtier and more disorganized than he had initially imagined.

Litter lay scattered everywhere, uncleaned. The roadside trash cans overflowed, emitting a foul stench, and in some spots, he could even see what appeared to be excrement—whether human or canine, he couldn’t tell.

Witnessing this, Wang Jian suddenly understood why the county mayor wished to demolish all the old buildings in town and reconstruct them anew.

This old district was predominantly inhabited by the elderly and children; hardly any young people were visible. Wang Jian could understand why the old district lacked a youthful population. Even he wouldn’t want to live in such a dirty and chaotic area; at the very least, he would move to the new district.

Just then, an old man suddenly rounded the street corner ahead, running quickly. His hair, long neglected, covered most of his face like a messy thatch. The old man himself was incredibly unsightly; his face was not only dirty but also marred by several large black pustules, and his mouth was full of yellowed teeth, a sight that made one nauseous.

The old man ran so fast that his trousers nearly slipped down, revealing his long johns beneath. These long johns were stained with yellowish substances, the nature of which was unclear.

Even from a distance, Wang Jian could detect a stench emanating from him, one far worse than that of the overflowing trash cans.

Wang Jian quickly stepped aside. The old man paid him no mind, simply rushing past. It was then that Wang Jian noticed two robust young men chasing after the old man, both clad in identical uniforms. Wang Jian frowned, then positioned himself directly in their path.

Upon seeing a police officer standing before them, both young men felt an immediate sense of unease. They were about to bypass Wang Jian when he called out to them.

–”What are you two doing? Why are you chasing that old man?”– Wang Jian demanded, intentionally raising his voice to better assert his authority over the young men.

Seeing that they had been stopped by a police officer, the two young men naturally halted their pursuit.