Free Web NovelChapter 414: Chapter 414: Yanxi 22
Zheng Xue thought about it and agreed. "You’re right. Song Yuan is getting more and more cunning. He’s killing nine birds with one stone now."
Li Xiuzai let out a low laugh. "Sigh, what can you do? He started his own business back in college. Anyone who’s been in the business world has to be full of cunning. Little Wu and Daozhen are the same way now. Especially Daozhen. You have to be on your guard when you talk to him, or you’ll fall into one of his traps. That’s lawyers for you—they’re too good at finding loopholes."
"That’s why out of all of them, you’re still the easiest on the eyes." Zheng Xue scratched Li Xiuzai under the chin like she was petting a cat. "I never would have thought you’d be the one to land a civil servant position."
Li Xiuzai smiled. "Well, I can still do part-time work, so it doesn’t stop me from making money. Working within the system is pretty good for me. At least things are simpler, and I don’t have to worry about getting laid off after I turn thirty-five."
"Look, Jin Li is about to nod yes! I’m so happy for them." Zheng Xue laughed out loud. "I thought it would take them a lot longer. I can’t believe we’re seeing this so soon."
Li Xiuzai smiled. "I know, right? I’ve been getting ready for our wedding recently, haven’t I? I was thinking we could have a joint ceremony. It would be convenient and meaningful."
When Li Xiuzai mentioned marriage, Zheng Xue wasn’t the least bit shy; she had always been open and confident. Her relationship with Li Xiuzai was a good one. Though it might not have seemed as passionate to others, still waters run deep. They both understood how much they meant to each other.
Watching Song Yuan and Jin Li embrace, Xu Yanxi suddenly sighed. "Song Yuan is already twenty-five. Time flies... in the blink of an eye, I’m thirty-five."
Tan You found this amusing. "Seeing your students about to walk down the aisle... feeling desperate to get married?"
"Not at all, not at all," Xu Yanxi immediately shook her head. "Marriage isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, I’m serious. It was only after I escaped the prison of marriage that I realized how truly free I was."
"Really. When I divorced Jin Taiyuan, besides the heartache, I also felt a strange sense of relief. I didn’t have to deal with his mother pressuring us to have kids, and I didn’t have to worry about his family."
"I didn’t have to keep track of his work or his life. I didn’t have to worry about someone else. I could just live my own life, and it felt so relaxing, so liberating."
"And when I think about it, it feels so ironic. We were together for over a decade, and he still cheated. What’s even real in this world anymore? What’s left to believe in?"
"If you asked me to date or get married now, I wouldn’t want to. I think my life is great as it is. I have money, a career, and free time. It’s the ideal way to live."
Tan You thought about it and agreed. "It’s already incredibly difficult for a person to take good care of themselves in this life. If you feel like there’s nothing in this world worth believing in, then just focus on making money."
"Money, at least, won’t betray you."
Xu Yanxi rested her head on the table. "No matter how hard I work, a civil servant’s salary is only so much. I’d rather focus my efforts on nurturing my students. Being able to grow alongside them... when I think about it, I feel quite honored."
"My job and my career won’t betray me." Xu Yanxi rested her chin on her hand, looking at the lively students before her. Thinking about her future, she felt that even though she was by herself, she wasn’t the least bit lonely.
Even though she had been out late celebrating with her students the night before, Xu Yanxi still drove out to the countryside early the next day. After her dad, Xu Jinwu, retired, he had leased some nearby farmland and started a farm. His monthly income was now much, much higher than when he was a police officer.
When Xu Yanxi arrived at the edge of the field, she saw Xu Jinwu on a tractor, plowing the earth. The old man was wearing a straw hat and work clothes, and he looked a bit younger than she remembered.
When she and Jin Taiyuan divorced, her dad had taken it very hard. It would be an exaggeration to say his hair turned white overnight, but he did get sick because of it, and his health had never been the same since.
Xu Yanxi suspected that he might have secretly blamed her divorce on the unhappiness of his own marriage as a father. But since her dad never said it out loud, Xu Yanxi couldn’t bring herself to ask.
Things had been difficult for her back then, too. After the divorce from Jin Taiyuan, it was like starting over from scratch. Plus, a civil servant’s salary wasn’t high, and Hong Youcheng was giving her trouble. In short, neither her job nor her career was going smoothly.
But things were completely different now. She was doing very well. After leaving behind the people who drained her, Xu Yanxi felt that everything around her was wonderful.
"Dad!" After parking her car at the edge of the field, Xu Yanxi called out loudly.
Hearing her call, Xu Jinwu, who was plowing the field, paused. His eyes suddenly turned red. He used the moment he looked down to hide his emotions, and when he looked up again, his face was lit with a brilliant smile.
"You’re back? I’ve still got a little more work to do. Why don’t you head back first?"
Xu Yanxi also noticed Xu Jinwu’s reddened eyes, but she pretended not to see. "No, I’ll wait for you here. Do you need any help?"
"No need. Just wait for me over there." Xu Jinwu waved his hand. "It’s nothing major. I’ll be done soon."
Xu Yanxi did as he said and waited by the field for about ten minutes. She had dressed more casually for her trip to the countryside, but her love for beauty was bone-deep. She wore exquisite makeup, her long hair cascaded over her shoulders, and she had on a few small pieces of jewelry on her hands and neck.
Just one look at her outfit and Xu Jinwu knew this was his real daughter. The other one, while she would buy such jewelry, almost never wore it. Furthermore, her daily attire was a completely different style from his daughter’s; overall, it was much more minimalist.
Especially her hairstyle. The other one usually wore her hair in a high ponytail or various updos and rarely let it down. The difference between the two was obvious, but Xu Jinwu wouldn’t ask a thing.
Since Xu Jinwu didn’t ask, Xu Yanxi certainly wasn’t going to bring it up. She opened her car door to show it off to him like a treasure. "I bought a new car. Isn’t it pretty?"
Looking at the delicate and cute little car in front of him, and then thinking of the large SUV the other one had loved, Xu Jinwu wanted to sigh. "It’s nice. It suits you."
It was the same face, but because the person was different, she gave off a completely different vibe. After casting a disdainful glance at the milk-tea-colored car, Xu Jinwu still got into the passenger seat. "Why’d you buy another car? Don’t you already have two in your garage?"
Xu Yanxi had a perfectly good reason. "Those are too masculine. I just like this kind of delicate, pretty car. Don’t worry, I have money."
Xu Jinwu couldn’t hold back anymore. "Is that money you earned? You’re just spending it so casually?"
"I’m not spending it casually," Xu Yanxi pouted. "I just bought a car, that’s all. Don’t worry, I’ll work hard."
"That’s for the best." Xu Jinwu huffed. "Work hard. I’m not asking you to make a fortune, but at least don’t just live off your savings until they’re gone."
Then he sighed again. "Forget it. Even if you did nothing from now on, you’d still be able to live comfortably for several lifetimes. I shouldn’t have even said that."
