"Aren't you planning to go to the capital to study next? What are your plans?"

Once he calmed down, Wang Shuo remembered that Wang Wenfeng was about to go to Beijing again. He looked at Wang Wenfeng with piercing eyes, his gaze carrying an undeniable authority.

Since starting work, Wang Wenfeng had rarely seen his father look at him like that. Seeing it again, he still felt somewhat overwhelmed: "I plan to take this opportunity to separate from her. Comrade Zhan Chunlan is still young, and she has no plans to consider marriage for the time being."

"Does Zhan Chunlan know about these things? Does she have no objections?"

Wang Wenfeng nodded: "I know, she agrees to this, and she's very supportive. She said that saying this also allows her to tell others that I hurt her feelings, and she doesn't want to date for the time being, so she wants to avoid her colleagues and superiors from introducing her to potential partners in the short term."

Wang Shuo frowned: "I don't understand what young people these days are thinking. They are not mature or steady at all, and they just do whatever comes to mind."

Fang Li immediately retorted, "Didn't you just praise me, saying that our son has matured, become more stable, and can stand on his own?"

"What...what nonsense are you talking about?" Wang Shuo was speechless for a moment.

“Young people have their own way of living.” Fang Li disagreed. “When we were young, didn’t our parents say that we were impulsive and did whatever we wanted? If you ask me, it’s that our thinking can’t keep up with theirs.”

Wang Shuo was speechless: "How can these be the same?"

"How is it different?" Fang Li pretended to clear the dishes. "Are you still going to eat? If not, I'll take it away!"

Wang Shuo reluctantly picked up his chopsticks and continued eating: "Eat? Why shouldn't I eat? I'll get so angry I'll be full!"

The next day, Zhan Chunlan arrived at the door with a bag of candy, while Wang Wenfeng was home alone.

As Zhan Chunlan walked over, her face still flushed from the long workout: "These are newly produced fruit-filled candies from the factory. You've worked hard these past few days, so I brought them for you to try."

Wang Wenfeng took the candy and smiled gently: "Thank you, I heard about it. You developed this too, it's amazing!"

Zhan Chunlan smiled and said, "I just put forward an idea; the specific operation was researched and developed by everyone in the technical department."

“I’ll be going to Beijing in a few days,” Wang Wenfeng said earnestly. “Is there anything else I can help you with? While I’m still here, I’ll lend a hand if I can.”

Zhan Chunlan didn't stand on ceremony with him. After thinking seriously for a while, she slowly shook her head: "Thanks to you, I'm doing very well now."

“You’re thinking too highly of everything,” Wang Wenfeng reminded her. “After I leave, when the news of our separation gets out, people might initially criticize me, but as time goes on and I’m no longer in Haicheng, I’ll probably see a lot of people making snide remarks to you.”

Zhan Chunlan didn't take it to heart: "How can I have all the good things? I was already incredibly lucky to be transferred from Jiangcheng to Haicheng, and I owe that luck to you. It's just a few words from people, I can handle it."

Wang Wenfeng nodded approvingly: "Indeed, you have a strong will, know clearly what you want, and dare to think and act. I believe you will not be easily defeated by rumors."

Zhan Chunlan was very happy that someone understood her so well, without offering condescending advice or guidance, but simply believing in the strength of her soul.

Wang Wenfeng: "It's inconvenient for you to live in the dormitory all the time, especially now that you're raising Zhan Xiaoman, which is getting bigger and bigger, and your dormitory is no longer big enough."

Zhan Chunlan frowned slightly; this was indeed a problem, one she hadn't considered before.

Seeing her expression, Wang Wenfeng knew he had hit the nail on the head: "I know a small courtyard. The living space isn't big, but the courtyard is quite large, which is perfect for Zhan Xiaoman's daily activities. It's also near the food factory, only a ten-minute walk away. Do you need it? I know the owner and can help."

"Yes! Of course I want it!" Zhan Chunlan nodded eagerly. "Even without rooms, a small courtyard like this is enough!"

“I knew you’d like it,” Wang Wenfeng said confidently, clearly having guessed that she would agree. “Come with me to take a look later. If you like it, we can decide on the spot. I can even help you move.”

Zhan Chunlan stood up impatiently: "Let's go!"

Half an hour later, the two arrived at the small courtyard.

Zhan Chunlan looked at the well-preserved courtyard in front of her with some surprise: "You said this is a small courtyard?"

There are three rooms in the courtyard: a main house, a kitchen on the right, and a bedroom on the left. The rooms are indeed quite compact, but the courtyard is quite large, about 50 square meters.

Wang Wenfeng explained, "Yes, the house is quite small, not enough for the homeowner's family to live in, and it's also quite far from his workplace, so they moved away."

Zhan Chunlan asked with some doubt: "Judging from what you're saying, the landlord must be well-off. Why would they be willing to rent out their house?"

Wang Wenfeng shook his head helplessly, tapping lightly on the blue bricks of the courtyard wall with his fingers: "These days, who dares to leave their house empty? If someone else takes a liking to it, it might not be yours anymore. You're lucky. Your family used to live here crampedly, and they only recently found a new house and moved in. They don't dare to rent it out casually, for fear of not being able to get it back later."

Zhan Chunlan looked worried and said in a light voice, "Do they mind if I keep a dog? Zhan Xiaoman might cause trouble!"

Wang Wenfeng shook his head, his tone resolute: "I don't mind. As soon as this house became available, I told them about your situation. They all know, so you don't need to worry."

Zhan Chunlan looked around the courtyard, her voice tinged with excitement: "This house is wonderful, thank you for always thinking of me."

"I'm glad you're satisfied," Wang Wenfeng told her, introducing the surrounding environment: "It's close to the police station, so no one who's causing trouble will come here to act tough. It's a relatively safe place, so you can stay here with peace of mind. If you have any problems, you can also contact Ms. Fang. She really likes you."

Zhan Chunlan said embarrassedly, "We've already 'broken up,' so I'd feel awkward going to see her again."

"I have to remind you, if you don't go see her afterwards, she'll be really angry." Wang Wenfeng suddenly stepped forward, raised his hand and lightly tapped her forehead, like an older brother scolding his ignorant younger sister:

“She truly treats you like a daughter. Your second sister is more independent, and all the maternal love she couldn’t give to her has been poured into you, her sweet daughter. If you stop paying attention to her, she’ll be heartbroken.”

Zhan Chunlan's eyelashes trembled slightly: "Is it that serious?"

Wang Wenfeng spoke slowly and deliberately, his tone more certain than ever before: "It's more serious than you think!"

That day, Wang Wenfeng helped Zhan Chunlan move all her things into the yard.

Zhan Chunlan didn't have much stuff, so she borrowed a handcart from the factory and hauled it all over.

Wang Wenfeng also took her to visit a friend of his at the police station, so that they could get to know her and ask them to help her if she needed anything in the future.

At the same time, they were also asked to keep an eye on that yard during their patrols. Although there was a small dog, it was a girl living there after all, and the frequent police patrols provided an extra layer of security.