A Single Father’s Troubles - Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Liar

On an empty asphalt road, a black off-road vehicle roared as it sped along. The night wind howled through the open window, whipping the black hair of the man in the driver’s seat into a chaotic mess.

The phone rang with a sharp dili-dili sound.

“Hey, buddy! Did you pick up our legendary, drop-dead gorgeous, goddess-tier sister-in-law yet?” Shen Zhidong’s jubilant voice crackled through the speakers.

His excitement wasn’t unfounded. When Kuang Ye got a boyfriend four years ago, they were all dying of curiosity, wondering who could possibly tame this “Tyranomon.” Later, they found out it was a guy, which only made them more intrigued.

But Kuang Ye had kept a tight leash on him, not a single one of their childhood friends had ever managed to see the person in the flesh.

After much pestering, Kuang Ye finally relented and planned to bring him out for a formal introduction. Instead, the “little sister-in-law” left a breakup note and vanished.

The group had scoured all of City B, searching for four years without finding so much as a ghost. Everyone was ready to give up.

Fortunately, Heaven does not betray the devoted. It was such a stroke of luck! Yesterday, Kuang Ye had actually run into the person he’d been pining for on the street!

After tracing the address, the group was so excited they wanted to come along to pick him up. They were only stopped after Kuang Ye cursed them out.

Though they weren’t there in person, it didn’t stop them from gossiping on the front lines.

Thus, Shen Zhidong had timed it perfectly to give Kuang Ye a call.

However, after waiting for a long time without a reply, Shen Zhidong grew puzzled and couldn’t help but make a snide remark: “What happened? Did the sister-in-law dump you again?”

He meant it as a joke, but those words completely poked a hornet’s nest.

Kuang Ye’s already sunken face darkened further. He roared into the phone, “You idiot! When you were checking the address, didn’t you think to check the household registration?!”

He took a deep breath, the suppressed violence in his heart nearly exploding. “Lin Tingwan has a wife and a kid!”

“Huh? Isn’t he gay?” Shen Zhidong shrieked. “Did he enter a sham marriage to trick someone into a pregnancy?!”

Under the night sky, Kuang Ye’s handsome face looked exceptionally gloomy.

“He is a complete and utter liar.”

“Don’t let me see him again!”

The next day, Lin Tingwan took a different route to drop off the child. Fortunately, his luck held, and he didn’t run into Kuang Ye. Several more days passed in this state of high alert. He didn’t know if Kuang Ye had lost interest in a married man with a child or if there was another reason, but the man didn’t appear again.

On this day, Lin Tingwan bolstered his courage and took the original route to pick up Guagua. When he didn’t encounter the person he was avoiding, he finally felt relieved and threw himself wholeheartedly into his work.

He had been busy with the new project lately. Although he hadn’t mentioned it to his colleagues, they were all in the same office. Since Pei Shaoyu had called him out for several meetings recently, many people knew he was involved in the Fuchuan project, and rumors began to swirl behind his back.

That morning, just as Lin Tingwan entered the office, a colleague he wasn’t very close with, Zhang Sen, approached with a grin. After some brief, hollow small talk, Zhang Sen began fishing for information about the Fuchuan partnership.

Zhang Sen was a minor “nepo baby”—his grand-uncle was a mid-level executive in the company, and he was skilled at “upward management,” maintaining a good relationship with the department manager. Consequently, even though everyone was technically at the same level, he loved bossing people around. Lin Tingwan, with his mild temper, was the one he ordered around most often.

Since the preliminary preparation meetings hadn’t started yet, Lin Tingwan didn’t know much. To several of Zhang Sen’s questions, he honestly answered that he didn’t know.

After being rebuffed twice, Zhang Sen’s expression soured. “Xiao Lin, I’m just asking about the project. Are you really that unwilling to share?”

The office was quiet, and Zhang Sen hadn’t lowered his volume. As soon as he spoke, several gazes drifted over.

“Brother Zhang, it’s not that I don’t want to tell you, I really just don’t know.”

Lin Tingwan was introverted and hated being the center of attention. Being stared at by everyone made his face flush red and a layer of sweat break out on his forehead.

To Zhang Sen, his introversion and restraint looked exactly like the guilt of someone lying.

“Xiao Lin, we’ve all handled projects and we’re all in the same office. There’s no need to be so secretive, is there?” Zhang Sen gave Lin Tingwan a meaningful look, lecturing him like a seasoned senior. “We are your comrades, your brothers. You shouldn’t treat us as rivals.”

Having dropped that line, Zhang Sen turned and walked away.

Zhang Sen was indeed calculating. Some people already had opinions about a newcomer like Lin Tingwan getting a prime project. By speaking so bluntly and mentioning “comrades” and “rivals,” he instantly pushed Lin Tingwan into the eye of the storm. A few people who weren’t familiar with him began to look at him with suspicious eyes.

However, more people in the office understood Lin Tingwan’s character. Zhou Zhou, who was close to Lin Tingwan and had a fiery temper, saw Zhang Sen setting him up and immediately “whooshed” up from her chair, intending to call Zhang Sen back for an explanation.

But her sleeve was caught. She turned to see Lin Tingwan shaking his head at her.

“Zhouzhou, forget it.”

Zhang Sen was already far away.

Zhou Zhou glared at him, frustrated by his lack of spine. “He’s trampling all over you and you’re still not angry? I truly admire your ‘good temper’!”

“Thank you for standing up for me,” Lin Tingwan gave her a grateful smile. “But let it go. There’s no point in arguing with people.”

Others might think this was just a weak excuse to avoid trouble, but Lin Tingwan truly meant it. He cherished his current peaceful life, hated surprises and conflict, and felt that living a plain, quiet life was just fine.

Zhou Zhou was still fuming, her chest heaving.

Lin Tingwan changed the subject. “Zhouzhou, do you have any reliable real estate agents to recommend?”

“You’re moving?”

“Mhm, I want to find a complex with a playground. Guagua is getting bigger, he needs to go out and play more.”

He had been thinking about moving for days.

Actually, he was very satisfied with his current rental. He had acquaintances, and Guagua was used to living there. But the thought that Kuang Ye knew where he lived made him uneasy.

Although Kuang Ye had always been a very “good” bed partner—very considerate, his possessiveness was simply too much. He remembered once going out to dinner with classmates without telling Kuang Ye. Somehow, Kuang Ye found him, dragged him away, and “taught him a lesson” physically.

Lin Tingwan didn’t know when Kuang Ye might show up at his door again. If he couldn’t afford to provoke him, he could at least hide. Besides, he had always wanted to give Guagua a better environment. He couldn’t afford it before, but now that his job was stable, he could manage if he grit his teeth.

“You really adore your son!” Zhou Zhou sighed. “Moving is one of the most troublesome things in the world.”

But thinking of how much Lin Tingwan doted on his son, Zhou Zhou immediately understood. “Fine, leave it to me. I’ll ask around for you in a bit.”

“Thanks.”

When Lin Tingwan first moved back to City B, he lacked experience and was scammed badly by a shady agent; even now, his heart bled thinking about it.

After work, Lin Tingwan picked up Guagua and went downstairs carrying the fruit and milk he had bought.

“Who is it?”

“Grandma Zhao, it’s Guagua!” Guagua pressed his head against the video doorbell and answered loudly.

“Oh my, my precious little grandson came to play with Grandma today~” The door was pulled open from the inside. Zhao Congfang’s face was covered in smiles. She first kissed Guagua on the cheek before looking up at Lin Tingwan, saying warmly, “Xiao Lin, have you cooked yet? Why don’t you eat with us?”

“I won’t trouble you, Auntie Zhao. I actually have something…”

Bian Wang poked his large head out from a room. Seeing who was at the entryway, his eyes lit up. He jogged over, his voice full of excitement: “Brother Tingwan! What are you doing here?”

“Mom, Mom, tell Dad to make a few extra dishes!”

“Oh, please don’t trouble yourselves,” Lin Tingwan handed the fruit to Bian Wang and turned to Zhao Congfang, saying bashfully, “Actually, Auntie Zhao, I wanted to tell you and Teacher Bian in advance that I plan to move. I won’t be renewing the lease next month.”

“What!” Two cries—one high and one low, rang out in unison.

Bian Wang stared with his beautiful apricot eyes, which were just like his mother’s. For a moment, he couldn’t even speak. It took a long time to find his voice, stuttering, “W-why are you moving all of a sudden? Are you unhappy living here?”

Please tell me that man who showed up the other night didn’t succeed in chasing his ‘wife’ back!

Zhao Congfang also frowned and shouted toward the kitchen, “Old Bian, Old Bian, come out here quickly!”

“What’s wrong? I’m stir-frying right now.”

“Oh, forget your lousy stir-fry! Xiao Lin says he’s moving out!”

A middle-aged man wearing an apron and holding a spatula rushed out of the kitchen. “Xiao Lin, are you having some difficulties? Why are you moving out so suddenly?”

Guagua was sandwiched between the adults. He didn’t know what “moving out” meant, he only knew his father had brought him downstairs to play at the nice Grandpa and Grandma’s house. Seeing Bian Wenmao, Guagua opened his arms for a hug and called out sweetly, “Grandpa Bian.”

He liked Grandpa Bian best because Grandpa Bian could cook lots of yummy food and always let him eat a lot. The kid was young, but his brain was sharp; he knew exactly who was good to him.

Bian Wenmao’s heart melted into syrup. He quickly tossed the spatula aside and wiped his hands to hug him. “Hey, Grandpa’s here.”

Before his hands could reach, Zhao Congfang intercepted. She scooped Guagua up and glared at Bian Wenmao. “What does a big guy like you know about holding kids! I’ll do it!”

She adjusted her hold on Guagua and looked kindly at Lin Tingwan. “Xiao Lin, if there’s a problem, we can lower the rent.”

“Exactly, we can’t bear to let Guagua go.” Bian Wenmao looked longingly at Guagua in his wife’s arms. Seeing no hope for a hug, he settled for second best and held the child’s small hand.

Guagua was a good kid, sensible and polite. Ever since Lin Tingwan moved in and they had Guagua around, the old couple’s lives had become much more flavorful.

“We’re not in a hurry for rent, either. If money is tight, you can pay when things are easier, right, Mom?” Bian Wang added from the side.

“Right, right.”

The three of them went back and forth so much that Lin Tingwan didn’t even have a chance to get a word in. He had to interrupt them: “Teacher Bian, Auntie Zhao, you’ve misunderstood. It’s not about the money.”

“Then why move?”

Bian Wang didn’t say anything, but his eyes hung mournfully on Lin Tingwan like a large dog about to be abandoned.

“Our complex doesn’t have a playground. I’m not comfortable with Guagua playing outside, so I want to find a different house.” Lin Tingwan pursed his lips shyly, feeling like he was being ungrateful.

The Bians’ house was well-renovated and the price was fair. During his most difficult time, this house provided a shelter for him and Guagua. But now, Lin Tingwan felt like a scumbag husband abandoning his “humble wife.”

But besides this, he couldn’t think of any other reason. He couldn’t exactly say he was trying to hide from the child’s father, could he?

When Bian Wang heard the reason, the heart hanging in his chest finally settled back down.

Moving houses is fine, as long as he’s not switching men.

Bian Wang thought for a moment, and his eyes lit up. He turned to Zhao Congfang. “Dad, Mom, doesn’t our place at Luhu have a playground? If Brother Tingwan wants to rent, why don’t we rent that empty apartment to him?”

Bian Wenmao was delighted and was about to speak, but Zhao Congfang tugged at his sleeve.

She frowned, her expression hesitant. The Luhu house was employee housing and came with a school district spot for B-University Affiliated Primary School. Fearing someone might misuse the school spot, they had kept it empty, saving it for Bian Wang’s future children.

Bian Wang knew what she was thinking. “Mom, don’t you trust Brother Tingwan? Guagua is only in the toddler class; he’s still two or three years away from primary school.”

Zhao Congfang and Bian Wenmao looked at each other, their resolve wavering.

They trusted Lin Tingwan’s character. Even if Guagua needed a school spot when he reached primary school age, Lin Tingwan wouldn’t be the type to steal a spot.

Bian Wang added, “And if Brother Tingwan continues to rent from us, you guys can just stop by and see Guagua whenever you go over there for classes. You teach three times a week; you’ll have plenty of chances to see him.”

Zhao Congfang waved her hand. “Fine, we’ll rent it!”

Bian Wang was still a senior in college and hadn’t mentioned having a girlfriend; it was unlikely he’d be having kids in the next two years. Of course, the most critical reason was Bian Wang’s last point. They truly loved Guagua, that considerate little boy.

“See when Xiao Lin is free. You take them both to look at the house and see if Guagua likes it.” Zhao Congfang gave Bian Wang a meaningful look.

Bian Wang returned a “mission accomplished” look.

Lin Tingwan watched the mother and son exchange riddles, his gaze drifting blankly toward Bian Wenmao.

“Teacher Bian, Auntie Zhao, the house at Luhu is too good, I wasn’t considering…”

“Go look at it first before deciding,” Bian Wenmao interrupted with a chuckle. “Eat, eat! Our Guagua is hungry, right?”

“Mhm! My tummy is flat from hunger!” Guagua played along perfectly.

Bian Wang pushed Lin Tingwan by the shoulders and sat him down in a dining chair. “Anyway, tomorrow is a holiday. I’ll take you to see the house first. If you’re not satisfied, I’ll accompany you to look at others, okay?”

“But…” Lin Tingwan looked at the chopsticks stuffed into his hand, feeling like things had gone off track.

He came here to end the lease! How did he end up eating dinner?!

“No ‘buts,’ Guagua is hungry. Dad, fry another egg; Guagua loves that.”

“Right away! Guagua, wait for Grandpa, okay?”

“Okay!”

Back at home, Lin Tingwan—whose belly was now round from eating, lay on the sofa with his son to digest. He looked at the fruit and children’s snacks Bian Wang had carried up, which now filled the coffee table.

Not only were the things he had brought over returned exactly as they were, but Bian Wang had also given him many extra snacks.

Lin Tingwan felt like something was wrong, but he couldn’t put his finger on what it was.

Support A Single Father’s Troubles