Does anyone still remember that honest man Feng Xing?
Yes, that’s right. He’s the good young man from Beijing’s social security office who doesn’t smoke and drinks a bit of alcohol occasionally, the one Zhuo Feng met during his search for Xiao Xian.
After working conscientiously at the social security office for four years, Feng Xing remained a clerk. However, in those four years, his life has also undergone earth-shattering changes, keeping pace with the urban construction in Beijing. The most significant change being he went from single to married. His salary card also hopped from his own pocket into his wife’s wallet.
His friends all say that Feng Xing is great in all respects except that he’s too afraid of his wife. Just like today is the weekend, originally a few friends had arranged to get together for a few drinks in the evening, and Feng Xing had cheerfully agreed before leaving work. But once his wife called to ask for a pick-up from the airport, he retracted his commitment, arguing that brothers are like sneakers, that you only wear for exercise once or twice a week, whereas a wife is like slippers, which you switch into when you get home after work.
They say when fate arrives, nothing can stop it, and Feng Xing, when he’s had a few drinks, would lean on his best friend Daliang’s shoulder and say, "My woman, she may have a bad temper, but she has a kind heart; and that’s why I love her." You’d think if she had a bad heart, would she spend four years looking for a distant niece?
"It’s supposed to arrive at 9:30, why haven’t they shown up yet?" Feng Xing received a sudden phone call from his wife, and from the sound of her voice, he knew she was happy. Feng Xing had always agreed with Zhuo Feng’s niece coming over, but now that the moment of her getting off the airplane and moving into their home had come, he felt somewhat nervous.
If Zhuo Feng learned about Feng Xing’s thoughts, he wouldn’t be able to avoid being punished to kneel and wash the clothes tonight. A ten-year-old child, one doesn’t know what kind of temperament they might have. If she’s another "Zhuo Feng type," then that would be troublesome. Another matter that gave Feng Xing a headache was that he and Zhuo Feng hadn’t been long out of university. As an outsider, after graduating, he had been admitted to the social security bureau, and while single, he’d lived in the singles’ apartment provided by the bureau. Once he decided to get married, he had hurriedly bought a house.
How much savings can a fresh graduate have? Feng Xing had a bit of a traditional male mindset, and would rather die than take money from Zhuo Feng’s parents. After scraping together what he could and taking out a loan, he spent 600,000 yuan on a two-bedroom, one-living room old apartment in Chaoyang District. The initial idea was, the couple would occupy one room, and when they had children in the future, they would take up another room; it would be just about enough.
But now, with Xiao Xian arriving, one room is taken; and what about when they have their own child in the future? Feng Xing worried and complained inwardly that he wasn’t competent enough. His other friends had already moved into small villas and were driving Mercedes-Benzes.
"Nevermind, let it be, as long as there’s a bowl of rice from me, Feng Xing, I definitely won’t let Zhuo Feng and her niece go hungry. In the worst case, I’ll just quit drinking," Feng Xing thought positively, then eagerly watched the airport’s continually changing airplane landing indicators.
A striking electronic landing message from Guiyang to Beijing popped up, and Feng Xing touched the two beef burgers and milkshake in his hand, thinking his wife would definitely claim she was hungry the moment she saw him, but he was unsure if the young niece was also fond of burgers.
As soon as the gate opened, the passengers poured out of the airplane like a stream, making it bustling and noisy at the airport after nine o’clock.
"Feng Xing, I’m here, come over quickly, I’m exhausted," Zhuo Feng’s shoulders were marked with two red lines, she was stubborn, and by no means would let Xiao Xian help her with the luggage.
Feng Xing stepped forward and took over the luggage bag, wondering why it was so heavy when it was brought over, and still so heavy now. Looking around, he also didn’t see a ten-year-old girl; he genuinely suspected that Zhuo Feng had stuffed her niece in the bag and brought her back.
"Looking for something? My niece will also be your niece, Xiao Xian." Zhuo Feng noticed the burgers and milkshakes in his hand, knowing her man was sweet on her, she felt a wave of pride in her heart, but then seeing his silly expression as he looked around everywhere, she felt embarrassed. Having freed up her hands, she quickly took over Xiao Xian’s small luggage bag, and hung it on her hand, proudly introducing.
"Xiao Xian? Ah, she’s really quite tall." Feng Xing made an off-the-cuff remark, and received an eye roll from Zhuo Feng in return. He could only grin foolishly and offered the two still warm burgers.
"Xiao Xian, this silly goose is your aunt’s husband. I don’t know what evil spirit possessed me in the beginning; I just fancied him," Zhuo Feng said with feigned disdain. Yet, the love brimming on her face and in her eyes betrayed her true feelings. When it came to her marriage with Feng Xing, it was largely due to Xiao Xian that got things moving. Zhuo Feng planned to find an opportunity to talk to Xiao Xian about it when she got older, after all, she was only ten years old now.