The old house exuded a musty odor that was sharp to the senses. The walls and cabinets were covered in posters of gangsters from Hong Kong movies.
On the cabinet, there sat an old portable cassette player, playing Chen Xiaochun's rendition of a popular song.
Looking into the mirror in the kitchen, Lu Fei touched his face and observed his disheveled appearance, resembling a young man with a cunning demeanor. It felt so real to him!
He couldn't believe that just a few glasses of alcohol had transported him back twenty years!
At that time, he was a troublemaker, commonly referred to as a gangster, just like those seen in Hong Kong movies—indulging in eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling. During those years, young students were all crazy about Chen Haonan's brotherhood, loyalty, and charm.
As a young man of that era, Lu Fei was also one of those "250s" (slang for young ruffians). His admiration for these gangsters had reached an intense level, evident from the countless posters plastered all over the room.
In the past few days, he would slap himself in the face repeatedly, causing his face to swell, just to determine which reality was the dream and which was the true one. Moreover, he embarked on an alcohol binge, vomiting bile but still unable to return. This finally convinced him that it was impossible for this to be real.
"It's truly... unbelievable!"
Lu Fei touched his face, unable to express his peculiar expression.
Creak—!
Just as Lu Fei was lost in thought, the door was pushed open. He turned around to see a beautiful girl—she was slightly less than 1.7 meters tall, with delicate features, a genuine beauty with a touch of simplicity that fit this era's atmosphere, giving off a unique flavor.
However, the bruises on her face spoiled the scenery, as if she had been beaten for several days.
As their eyes met, Lu Fei awkwardly smiled. He knew this girl had an intricately tangled relationship with him.
The girl in front of him was Tong Xiaojun, Lu Fei's current wife. Reflecting on their history, he wished he could stab himself, as the person he least deserved was this girl.
When Lu Fei was young and ignorant, he had gotten drunk and forced himself onto Tong Xiaojun. The details were a blur, and even now, he didn't know how he could have done such a thing.
It caused quite a stir, and if it weren't for his parents begging Tong Xiaojun for forgiveness on their knees, Lu Fei would probably be in prison right now.
Since it had become a settled matter, the two hastily got married. It was a pity that Lu Fei was truly despicable; after marriage, he remained idle and continued to hang out with a group of unsavory friends. He even developed a gambling habit and resorted to violence when Tong Xiaojun criticized him.
The bruises on her face were all Lu Fei's doing.
The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Later, Tong Xiaojun could no longer bear it and decided to divorce him, even if it meant losing face. In the early 21st century, for a girl from a rural area, divorce was an unthinkable matter. But Tong Xiaojun resolutely chose to leave—this illustrated just how despicable Lu Fei was back then.
Afterward, Lu Fei learned that Tong Xiaojun became pregnant, and the child was his. However, she had an abortion after their divorce, causing him to regret for many years. Since then, he had been trying various means to make amends, but he never saw her again.
After twenty years of ups and downs, Lu Fei had finally settled down and realized the heinousness of his past actions.
"Um..."
Lu Fei awkwardly scratched his head. If he remembered correctly, this was Tong Xiaojun's final visit to collect her things. They had already obtained a divorce certificate, and she was now pregnant.
童晓君 glanced at him with a cold expression, remaining silent. She then bypassed Lu Fei and opened the cupboard to pack her clothes.
"Can't you stay?," she asked.
Lu Fei paused, tears already welling up in his eyes, and choked out, "I know I'm a jerk, I'm sorry!"
Hearing this, Tong Xiaojun paused in her actions, but only for a second.
It was evident that Tong Xiaojun had long been disillusioned and no longer held any illusions about this man. Deciding to divorce was not a spur-of-the-moment decision; their marriage was a mistake from the very beginning.
Lu Fei saw Tong Xiaojun's silence and pondered for a moment before saying, "I've cut ties with those messed up people, and I've quit gambling. I'll find a job to support this family. Please don't go..."
Upon hearing this, Tong Xiaojun finally stood up and looked at Lu Fei for a moment. It was the first time she saw him cry, but even so, she coldly said, "It's already none of my concern. This is fine. If you're at ease, then I'll be at ease too," and continued packing her belongings.
Knowing that his words couldn't move Tong Xiaojun, Lu Fei approached her from behind and hugged her saying, "I'm sorry, Xiaojun. It's my fault. Give me one more chance, the last chance. I promise I'll give you a perfect home."
"Let go, I'm not your wife anymore. If you continue like this, I'll call the police," Tong Xiaojun struggled to break free, tears welling up in her eyes. "I've given you countless chances, but you never cherished them. I don't want to continue like this anymore. I'm begging you, let me go."
"I won't let go, I won't let go even if I die," Lu Fei said amidst sobs. "I know that once I let go, you'll never come back. It's the last time, forgive me this last time, I beg you."
Tong Xiaojun's resistance ceased as she heard Lu Fei cry. In that brief moment, her heart softened because she was already pregnant. If not for her desolation, how could she end up like this? She hated herself for not being strong enough. Wasn't it enough suffering that this man had caused her?
Lu Fei held Tong Xiaojun and said, "I will make up for my past mistakes. I will make sure you never regret marrying me."
Tong Xiaojun shook her head and said, "I don't regret meeting you, I just feel so regretful. I've tried so hard to make you change, but in the end, you couldn't even give me a satisfactory explanation. Suddenly, I feel so heartbroken."
"Let go, we're truly over. You don't deserve to be a husband."
Tong Xiaojun didn't argue; she spoke in a desolate tone. Slowly, she managed to free herself from Lu Fei's grip and walked away with her suitcase.
"The rent is expiring. If you want to stay, figure out the rent yourself!" Tong Xiaojun looked at this man who had disappointed her to the core with a dim gaze. With red eyes, she left. She wasn't sad; she was resentful.
Lu Fei knew that whatever he said now, she wouldn't listen. The current Tong Xiaojun had already made up her mind to leave him. But how could he allow this tragedy to happen again? Absolutely not!
He remembered correctly that Tong Xiaojun would be returning to her parental home during this time to discuss whether to abort the pregnancy. The result was obvious—Tong Xiaojun wouldn't keep the baby. He wasn't suitable to raise a child, and it was even more impossible for him to ask Lu Fei. He was just too irresponsible.
In the past, it was indeed inappropriate for the child to be born, especially now when Lu Fei had lost everything. He had let down too many people—Tong Xiaojun, his own parents.
However, fate had granted him a second chance. How could he let this tragedy repeat itself? Absolutely not, never again...