Chapter 135 A Friend's Misfortune

Qi Sheng bought a house in Linjiang a few years ago so that he would have a place to stay when he occasionally returned to China. Lin Jun parked his car downstairs in the community, planning to rest at his son's house for a while before heading back to his hometown.

Meanwhile, Yao Fangfang heard that Lin Yu had returned and arranged to meet her. Lin Yu was also planning to take this opportunity to formally introduce Jiang Chuan to her, so he prepared to drive Jiang Chuan's car and take him along.

Upon hearing Yao Fangfang's name, Qi Sheng, who was standing beside him, suddenly raised his hand and stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Is this a very common name?"

"It's alright," Lin Yu replied casually without giving it any further thought.

"Did she work at Chenhui before?" Qi Sheng pressed.

Lin Yu was a little surprised, because Chenhui was indeed the first company Yao Fangfang went to after graduation, but she resigned after a short time due to some unexpected events. "How did you know?"

Qi Sheng didn't respond to her question, but instead asked, "Where did you two meet?"

He rarely showed interest in Lin Yu's friends, but this time he was unusually unusual. He grabbed his coat and was about to go out with Lin Yu and Jiang Chuan.

Lin Yu pointed to his uncle, who was resting inside, and looked at Qi Sheng with a "you're so unfilial" expression. "You just leave your dad alone at home like this?"

To her surprise, Qi Sheng wasn't buying it at all, and jokingly said with a smile, "What, why don't you stay here and keep him company? Your boyfriend and I will go over first?"

After saying that, without waiting for Lin Yu's reaction, he left a note for Lin Jun, telling his father to drive the car from the underground garage back home after he woke up. Then, he put his arm around Lin Yu's shoulder and led her out the door without saying another word.

Jiang Chuan smiled, picked up his coat, and followed behind the two, closing the door behind him.

As soon as the car stopped downstairs in the residential area, Lin Yu saw Yao Fangfang standing at the entrance of the building.

Her medium-length hair was casually tied up with an old hair tie, with a few stray strands sticking to her temples, revealing her smooth forehead and dark circles under her eyes. She looked much thinner than she had six months ago.

"Why are you dressed so scantily?" Lin Yu opened the car door and strode over. His fingers had just touched Yao Fangfang's forearm when he paused in surprise. "Your arms are so thin I can barely hold them. Doesn't Zhang Yunzhou feed you?"

Yao Fangfang forced a smile, but her eyes were filled with sadness. She glanced at the two people approaching from behind Lin Yu and nodded politely.

She had spoken with Jiang Chuan on the phone when she escorted Lin Yu's parents before, but this was her first time meeting Qi Sheng. After Lin Yu introduced her boyfriend and brother to her, Yao Fangfang greeted them and then led them to her home.

Pushing open the door, Yao Fangfang stepped aside to make way. "The house hasn't been tidied up much, it's a bit messy. I'm worried about Mingming being home alone, so let's have a simple lunch at home."

It was clearly Yao Fangfang's son, but Lin Yu had only seen him twice when he was born. Now, in the blink of an eye, the child was almost five years old.

Right now, he's squatting on the carpet in the middle of the living room building blocks. He's not afraid of strangers. He holds up a triangular block, glances at them quickly, and then looks down to focus on putting it on top of the half-built castle.

Qi Sheng changed his shoes and walked over, casually leaning against the sofa. He glanced down at Qi Sheng's block castle and said in a calm voice, "Put that long block to the side, otherwise your castle won't last thirty seconds."

Mingming obediently did as instructed, and the castle indeed stood firmly. He looked up, revealing a small face that was a perfect replica of Zhang Yunzhou's. "Thank you, Uncle."

Qi Sheng then walked over, squatted down in front of him, and gently flicked his little head with his finger. "Call me brother!"

Lin Yu, following behind, couldn't help but remind him, "Brother, you're out of the right generation!"

Belatedly realizing what was happening, Qi Sheng choked up, a rare hint of embarrassment showing on his face. He cleared his throat awkwardly, but his words remained defiant. "Well done, Jiang Chuan, my sister's become quite the smooth talker ever since she got together with you."

“Yeah…” Jiang Chuan picked up the takeout from the entryway and went into the kitchen. Hearing this, he added fuel to the fire, “After being with Banban, I feel like I’m getting younger and younger. I get scolded like a grandson every day.”

Lin Yu couldn't help but laugh, walking over to poke his waist. "Attorney Jiang, that's called the guilty party accusing the innocent first. My debating skills have improved by leaps and bounds, isn't that all thanks to your professional training?"

The two were chatting and laughing when they saw Yao Fangfang come out from the inner room. She had changed into loose-fitting home clothes, squatted down next to her son, and felt a thin layer of sweat on the back of his neck. "You took off your sweater."

As she undressed Mingming, she explained gently, "This is your godmother's brother, Uncle Qisheng, and the man at the door is your godmother's boyfriend, Uncle Jiangchuan."

Mingming poked her little head out from under the sweater collar, blinking her curious eyes as she looked at her mother. "What's a boyfriend? Is it like Daddy, someone who eats and sleeps with Mommy?"

Jiang Chuan came out of the kitchen, holding a bottle of children's yogurt he had bought on the way. Hearing this, he couldn't help but laugh, inserted the straw, and handed it to Mingming.

"You're really smart. But your uncle is still in his probationary period, not as good as your dad. Whether he can be officially hired depends on your godmother's approval."

Qi Sheng, listening from the side, frowned and couldn't help but mutter to himself. Was this official appointment process even in accordance with procedure? Such a big matter—shouldn't they have asked for his opinion as the older brother first?

But when he thought about Jiang Chuan's behavior these past few days, he silently swallowed the critical words that were on the tip of his tongue. Well, given his sister's many flaws, he should be thankful that people don't turn around and complain about her.

So he simply pretended to be deaf and dumb, sitting cross-legged on the tatami mat on the floor, keeping Mingming company as he built his large villa. Occasionally, he would offer his own opinions on the architectural design.

Lin Yu, watching from the side, laughed and teased him, saying that he was probably having an occupational hazard and that he shouldn't have such high expectations for children's toys.

Seeing Jiang Chuan busy in the kitchen alone, Yao Fangfang felt a little guilty.

She had only planned to order some takeout, never intending to have Lin Yu's boyfriend come over and cook for everyone. She was about to offer a helping hand when Lin Yu pulled her back with a smile.

"It's okay, let's give him a chance to prove himself."

Lin Yu took her arm and gestured towards the living room. "Look at my brother, how carefree he is." He then led her into the study. "Next time, when the time is right, let's try Zhang Yunzhou's cooking."

Yao Fangfang could only smile and nod.

Lin Yu had already noticed that Yao Fangfang was not in a good mood. Now that there were only the two of them in the room, he reached out and grabbed his friend's slender forearm, asking with concern, "What's wrong, Fangfang? You don't look well."

Yao Fangfang pulled Lin Yu to sit down in the chair in the study. The desk lamp was the same one she had given him as a wedding gift years ago. The bulb was now a bit dim, but Yao Fangfang had never replaced it.

She raised her hand and pressed the switch on the desk lamp repeatedly. After a moment of silence, she spoke in a low voice: "Zhang Yunzhou's father has been placed under investigation."

Lin Yu's eyes widened instantly, his voice filled with shock. "When did this happen?"

“They started interviewing and collecting evidence after the Lunar New Year, and the case was just transferred to the judiciary these past two days. His father has a good attitude in admitting his guilt, and if all goes well, the verdict can be handed down before the National Day holiday.”

"It's been so long, why didn't you tell me?" Then, remembering something, she asked, "Does Chen Guang know about this?"

Lin Yu suddenly recalled the hesitant look on Chen Guang's face whenever he talked about Yao Fangfang in Shanghai. It turned out that everything had been foreshadowed all along. "He's too tight-lipped."

"I know you've been busy lately, so I didn't want to bother you." Lin Yu's aunt had just passed away, and she really couldn't bear to add to her troubles at this time.

Yao Fangfang reached out and patted her arm, comforting her, "Chen Guang does know, but he can't help either. At most, he can have a couple of drinks with Zhang Yunzhou and listen to him vent."

At this point, Yao Fangfang sighed softly, her tone full of helplessness.

"The family's villa and savings have all been frozen, leaving only this old house registered under Zhang Yunzhou's name."

“His father had left some money for Mingming, hoping that the three of us could go abroad temporarily to avoid trouble. But after discussing it with Zhang Yunzhou, we decided not to leave. We will stay here and get through this together.”

"Where is Zhang Yunzhou?" Lin Yu pressed.

“After his father’s accident, he moved to live with my mother-in-law,” Yao Fangfang explained. “My mother-in-law already has a heart condition, and we were both worried about leaving her alone at home at this time.”

She gently picked up the photo frame on the table. Inside were photos of her and Zhang Yunzhou's honeymoon in the Maldives. The photos had been sitting on the table for many years, and the corners were worn.

Looking at it now, the smiles in the photos are still there, but a sense of things having changed has inexplicably arisen.

“He’s been in a bad mood lately, and I’m worried that if we start arguing while he’s at home, it will scare the child.”

At this point, Yao Fangfang sighed again. "You know the situation within the system. Although this matter won't have any direct impact on him, it will be difficult for him to get promoted in the future."

“He’s had a smooth life since he was a child, so this incident has really hit him hard. His friends who used to get along well with him are now avoiding him.”

Lin Yu felt a lump in his throat and reached out to pull her into his arms. "He's just under too much pressure, that's why he's in a bad mood, don't take it to heart."

"Anyone would be in a bad mood if they encountered something like this. You two have been together for so many years, give him some time to adjust, things will get better."

Yao Fangfang gently rested her chin on Lin Yu's shoulder and nodded slightly.

"Should we hire a lawyer? I'll have Jiang Chuan come over and talk to you?" Lin Yu suggested.

"Don't mention this to him." Yao Fangfang quickly shook her head, reached out and pressed Lin Yuxiang's shoulder as he tried to get up, explaining, "The lawyers can't get involved in the initial party review."

“After being transferred to the judiciary these past two days, Chen Guangjia has already found us a lawyer who specializes in defending those who commit crimes related to their official duties. I don’t need to worry about these things; I just need to take care of things at home.”

Mentioning Chen Guang, Lin Yu suddenly remembered something and asked, "Aren't Chen Guang and your husband's families old friends? His father's official rank is not low either. Is there any room for maneuver?"

Yao Fangfang smiled helplessly. "My father-in-law's problem this time is quite serious. It involves misappropriation of public funds and has even alarmed the media. Unfortunately, it just so happens that a supervisory team sent from above has come along, so he just happened to run into the line of fire."

She paused. "The leadership has changed frequently in the past two years, and no one can predict the direction of things from above. It's good enough if you can keep yourself. Chen Guang's father is already doing his best to help us."

"What are your plans for the future? If there's anything I can do to help, just let me know." Lin Yu wasn't really sure what she could do, but she was willing to do everything she could to help Yao Fangfang.

“There is something I really want to ask you.” Yao Fangfang paused. “Before his father’s accident, there were a lot of jewelry and calligraphy and paintings in the family, all registered under Zhang Yunzhou’s name, and they are now kept in his grandfather’s old house.”

“I remember you have an older brother who seems to be an art investor in the US. Could you ask him for help? I just want him to give me an estimate so I have a better idea of ​​what it is.”

Fearing Lin Yu might have concerns, Yao Fangfang quickly added, "Don't worry, these things were all bought through legitimate channels years ago. If his father can make up for some of the money he embezzled by selling these, he might even get a two-year reduction in his sentence."

"Okay, I'll ask him for you first," Lin Yu readily agreed. "I'll send you his WeChat later."

Hearing her say that, Yao Fangfang nodded, a faint smile finally appearing on her lips, and then said, "I passed the PMP exam, so-so."

"That's a good thing." Lin Yu smiled as he took her hand.

Yao Fangfang could only shake her head helplessly. "I've been wanting to go out and find a job, but given the current situation, I don't dare mention it to him, afraid he'll overthink it."

"Why are you overthinking it?" Lin Yu was a little confused.

“You’re overthinking it. I want to divorce him,” Yao Fangfang said softly.

Fate seemed to play a cruel joke; while Zhang Yunzhou hit rock bottom, Yao Fangfang's path became smoother and smoother.

His wife's efforts were like a mirror, reflecting his current wretched state of having nothing, and also stinging his sensitive and fragile self-esteem that he had never shown before.

This made it impossible for him to face his lover with equanimity, and he even misinterpreted Yao Fangfang's original intention to work, stubbornly believing that she was preparing to leave him.

“After his father’s accident, every time I tried to have a proper talk with him, he would avoid me.” It turns out that the rift never disappeared, and the reconciliation on Coral Island was just a temporary illusion.

The child they lost due to studying for exams remained a thorn in their side. These previously hidden barriers seemed to be magnified now that their family was facing misfortune and falling apart.

Yao Fangfang didn't tell Lin Yu that Zhang Yunzhou's presence by her mother-in-law's side these days wasn't entirely for the sake of the elderly woman's health, but rather a form of escapism.

After the family tragedy, he felt from the bottom of his heart that he was no longer worthy of the wife he had gone to great lengths to win over.

He became increasingly afraid to communicate with her, fearing he would hear answers he had anticipated, such as "Let's break up." Avoiding the topic became his only way to maintain the illusion that everything was alright.

At this moment, Zhang Yunzhou had to admit that he had always felt inferior in front of his wife and had never had the confidence to be deeply loved.

All his previous composure was nothing more than a carefully crafted performance. He acted so convincingly that he almost fooled himself in the end.

It wasn't until one time, after drinking too much, that she pulled Chen Guang aside and, in her drunken state, revealed these long-suppressed feelings.

“Yao Fangfang is such a good person, she shouldn’t have to suffer with me. Even if she wants a divorce, there’s nothing wrong with that.”

"It's a pity... I have nothing now, and I can't give her anything. She'll probably have a hard time out there all by herself." Zhang Yunzhou's hand hung limply at his sides, and his shoulders slumped.

"I kept telling myself that I should let her have a better life. It's just a divorce, it won't kill anyone." He gave a bitter smile, tilted his head back, and drank the wine in his glass in one gulp.

"But the thought that there will be other people in her life, even if it's just a thought, makes my heart ache so much that I can't breathe."

Having watched them grow from their youthful days to where they are now, Chen Guang knows better than anyone that Zhang Yunzhou can't let go of this relationship.

On one hand, he feared that Yao Fangfang might one day turn around and leave, while on the other hand, he stubbornly believed that being abandoned was the only outcome he deserved, given his current state of destitution. This contradiction tore at him day and night, leaving him no peace.

But Chen Guang also understood Yao Fangfang well. She may have looked delicate, but she was much more resilient than Zhang Yunzhou. "Don't overthink it. The child is already so big."

He looked directly at his friend and asked earnestly, word by word, "Don't you know what kind of person your wife is?"

“If she were the kind of person who could only share the good times but not the bad, I would be the first to advise you to let go, but she is not.”

"What you need to do now is not to think about how to fulfill her wishes, but to try to cheer up and live up to her unwavering devotion."

However, even the most earnest words seem pale in the face of the harsh reality. Seeing that he was still dejected, Chen Guang simply stopped talking, silently opened a bottle of wine, and pushed it in front of Zhang Yunzhou.

Finally, the two men, both heartbroken in love, sat in this noisy street food stall, drinking an entire case of beer while still feeling sorrowful.