Chapter 87: Hedonism

“You’re wronging me there,” Qin Zhen said with a straight face. “It’s only been a little over three months since I transferred. That includes training, starting the job, adapting to the new environment, and getting work underway. I’ve barely had a moment’s rest. Besides, I actually did call you. But you kept rejecting the calls. After that, I stopped trying. I figured I’d wait until my work situation stabilized before getting in touch with you again.”

“You called me?” Chen Feng looked puzzled.

“Yeah. I called a few times, but you never picked up. I figured you probably thought my number was a spam call. As for WeChat and QQ, I stopped using them a long time ago because of my military service, I told you that three years ago. I only re-registered for WeChat and QQ last month, but I hardly ever use them.”

Chen Feng thought back carefully. Three months ago, it seemed he really had rejected a few calls that looked like spam. Or rather, for the past two or three years, because of his dissatisfaction with his work and family life, he had tried his best to cut off contact with the outside world. As long as it wasn’t a number his phone automatically recognized, he would either reject it or ignore it.

As for Qin Zhen not using WeChat and QQ, that was normal too. He had previously served in a special unit with confidentiality regulations.

Chen Feng could understand that.

“Alright. I guess your story checks out,” Chen Feng didn’t press the issue. The truth was likely just as Qin Zhen had said.

Besides, there was no need to be so petty between friends.

“What do you mean, ‘it checks out’? It’s not like you tried to contact me either, right? My job didn’t completely cut me off from the world. I could still contact the outside world every now and then, but you never once called me. And this time, when we ran into each other at the station, I was the one who came over to greet you from far away.”

“Alright, alright. Why are you, a grown man, getting worked up over this? Come on, drink up.”

Chen Feng felt a little embarrassed by his words and quickly changed the subject, starting to talk about their school days.

Sure enough, Qin Zhen’s attention was immediately diverted. School days were a time that was hard for anyone to forget, and for them, it was full of memories.

The two ate, drank, and chatted, occasionally teasing and cursing at each other before bursting into laughter.

They spoke in their hometown dialect, recounting some of their embarrassing stories from back then, not worried about others overhearing, since the people around them probably wouldn’t understand anyway.

Around eight o’clock in the evening, Chen Feng received a call from Xiao Ya. She said she had found a job at a milk tea shop and also asked when he was “coming home.”

Chen Feng wasn’t very satisfied with her, and certainly didn’t feel the same reluctance to part as he did with Sun Xiaorui. He told her he wouldn’t be coming back tonight.

Xiao Ya heard the noisy background on his end and wanted to ask about it, but she was afraid of making Chen Feng unhappy and ultimately didn’t say anything.

In the end, she wasn’t his girlfriend and had no right to ask.

So, although Xiao Ya was a little disappointed to hear that Chen Feng wasn’t coming back tonight, she couldn’t show it. She just obediently told him to be safe outside.

Chen Feng didn’t say much to her, just a couple of “uh-huhs,” and then said, “Let’s leave it at that for now,” before hanging up.

“Is that your mistress?” Qin Zhen asked, squinting.

Chen Feng grunted in affirmation. “I’m not very satisfied with this one. Her intentions are too obvious. The other one I’m quite satisfied with, but her dad is hospitalized back in her hometown, so she’s not in Xiuzhou. When she comes back, I’ll bring her out for you to see.”

“Just keep showing off,” Qin Zhen said with a look of contempt. In truth, as a man, it was impossible to say he wasn’t the least bit envious.

It was just that he had strong principles and couldn’t bring himself to do such a thing.

Of course, the old Chen Feng would never have thought of keeping a mistress either.

It was only after the series of major life changes—the terminal illness, the divorce, winning the lottery—that his mindset had changed.

“You can just think of it as me showing off,” Chen Feng said with a smile. “My outlook on life is different from before. All I want now is to be free and happy.”

After all, his life was short, and he had money. If he didn’t enjoy it well before he died, it would be like he had come into this world for nothing.

“Now that you say that, I have to lecture you. Hedonism is rampant these days, a fine young man like you can’t be corrupted by it,” Qin Zhen said righteously.

Chen Feng rolled his eyes at him, saying dismissively, “Pleasure is a human instinct. Unless you’re a masochist, everyone wants to live well and comfortably, eat good food, and have fun. Aren’t you the same? Even a sage like Confucius said that food and sex are part of human nature, let alone us ordinary people.”

Just as Qin Zhen was about to retort, his phone rang. He picked it up and answered.

“Hello, yeah. I told you I’m at a gathering with a friend, a guy, a very good friend I haven’t seen in two or three years, ran into him at the station by chance today… From back home… What are you coming over for?… Let’s talk about it next time. I’ll introduce you two next time. Let’s leave it at that for now.”

After speaking, Qin Zhen also hung up the phone directly.

Chen Feng teased, “She’s checking up on you. You’re too outstanding now, she has to keep an eye on you all the time, afraid her golden goose will slip away.”

Qin Zhen glared at him, annoyed. “What are you gloating about? At least I have a proper girlfriend who’s so concerned about me. What about you?”

Damn it, that really hit a sore spot.

“Tch! Is she concerned about you? She doesn’t trust you.”

Chen Feng’s words were another direct hit, leaving Qin Zhen looking frustrated.

Just then, his girlfriend called again. Qin Zhen frowned but eventually answered it again.

“…You really want to come over? Fine! Come on over. I’ll send you the location.”

After saying that, Qin Zhen hung up the phone directly again, sent the location, and put his phone back down.

“You see. Besides being a bit pampered, she’s also very clingy. She wishes she could stick to me every minute. Sometimes I really can’t stand it. Of course, maybe it’s like you said before, I’m blessed and don’t know it. I plan to date her for a while longer, and if she’s still like this, I’ll have no choice but to break up with her.”

Hearing this, Chen Feng didn’t tease him anymore. Instead, he worried for him, “You said she’s very clingy and so anxious about you. It won’t be that easy for you to break up with her.”

Qin Zhen smiled optimistically. “There are always more solutions than problems. When the time comes, I’ll find a way to solve it.”

Chen Feng bluntly shook his head. “I think it’ll be difficult.”

Qin Zhen shot him a look. “You really don’t have much faith in us.”

“You’re already complaining about her, aren’t you? How can I have faith?”

Qin Zhen was left speechless and could only pick up his beer to urge him to drink.

Qin Zhen’s girlfriend, Ning Wei, arrived quickly, getting there in about ten minutes. She was indeed quite pretty, fashionably dressed, and in terms of looks, she was no worse than Lin Wan or Wu Mengting. Moreover, her voice was very pleasant, with the naturally soft and sweet accent of Xiuzhou.

Some men with a thing for voices might have been completely captivated just by hearing her speak.

However, Chen Feng was not at all into women who spoke in such a coquettish and affectedly sweet manner; he found it a bit cloying.

On the surface, when Qin Zhen introduced Chen Feng to her, Ning Wei was very polite, her voice soft and her smile friendly. But Chen Feng felt it was a bit fake.

In short, his first impression of her was not very good.