Chapter 24: Adding Fuel to the Fire

Because of that phone call from Wang Yifu, the originally harmonious breakfast came to an abrupt end.

Bai Jing chose to return to the bedroom to catch up on some sleep, while Wang Shanshan opted to stay in the living room to watch television with Cao Kun and vent her frustrations.

"Honestly, I still don't know what happened. It feels like this conflict came out of nowhere. Everything was perfectly fine, and then, suddenly, it turned into this."

On the living room sofa, Wang Shanshan leaned against Cao Kun, her voice choked with sobs, her eyes turning red.

Watching Wang Shanshan’s current state of sorrow, Cao Kun felt nothing but pure delight. In his past life, he had been framed by Wang Shanshan and her parents and sent to prison; he had dreamed of seeing their family ruined. In fact, he had been waiting for this very moment for ten years! Although they were not yet completely ruined, he could already see the hope of it.

Cao Kun pulled out a tissue, handed it to her, and said softly, "Shanshan, don't cry. How about I go and check on your uncle for you?"

Hearing this, Wang Shanshan stopped wiping her tears and shook her head frantically. "No, no. If you go, my dad will definitely know that Mom and I are at your place. If he comes here... you heard what he said on the phone. I’m truly terrified he might hurt my mom. Please, you must not go look for him."

Cao Kun waved his hand dismissively. "Shanshan, don't worry. Your dad has never been here; he wouldn't be able to find this place."

Wang Shanshan paused. That was true. Neither her father nor her mother knew Cao Kun’s address; she was the only one in their family who did.

"Besides," Cao Kun continued, "I’m not exactly weak. Even if he did manage to find us, I won't let him lay a finger on either of you while I'm here." As he spoke, Cao Kun flexed his arm, showing off his bicep. He smiled and added, "Also, Shanshan, he is your father after all. No matter what happened between him and your mother, that is a fact that will never change."

"And think about it—you said you don't even know what happened between them. Have you considered that maybe the fault lies with your mother?"

"What if the problem is on your mother's side, yet you helped your mother hit your father? Have you thought about how disappointed and hurt he must feel?"

At Cao Kun's words, Wang Shanshan’s brows knit together. She stared straight into his eyes and hesitated. "I... I really hadn't considered that it might be my mother's fault."

"Exactly," Cao Kun said. "You don't even know who is at fault yet, so don't be so blindly biased. Your mother dotes on you, but doesn't your father love you too?"

"Your mother is at least with you right now, but what about your father? He’s all alone. Don't you think he’s actually quite pitiful?"

After listening to this, Wang Shanshan could no longer stay calm. Tears welled up again, and she pleaded, "Cao Kun, please, go and check on my dad. I feel so guilty for how I acted last night—I actually hit him. He must be so disappointed in me."

Cao Kun gestured calmly and wiped the tears from her face with care. "Don't worry. I will definitely take good care of your father for you. You just focus on looking after your mother."

"Let’s both do our best to help them reconcile."

Hearing this, Wang Shanshan was deeply moved. Suddenly, she threw her arms around Cao Kun’s neck and pressed her lips to his.

"Mwah!"

After a solid, passionate kiss, she pulled away, shyly saying, "Cao Kun, thank you for helping me. I really wouldn't know what to do without you."

Cao Kun looked at her blankly, then broke into a grin. "With a kiss like that, it’s all worth it. Wait for my good news. I’m off."

With that, Cao Kun left the house in high spirits, as if energized by a stimulant. However, the moment the door clicked shut, the excitement vanished from his face.

In his previous life, if Wang Shanshan had given him a kiss like that, he would have given her his heart. But now, he felt nothing but the urge to laugh. He had already seen exactly what kind of person she was; he would never be fooled by her again. To Wang Shanshan, that kiss meant nothing—it was merely a sweet incentive to keep him acting like her lapdog.

...

One o'clock in the afternoon.

At the Garden Residential Complex, Cao Kun arrived downstairs at Wang Shanshan’s home, carrying two bottles of Moutai and some deli food. He looked up at the building before walking inside.

Not long after, he reached the door and knocked. A few seconds later, the door flew open, and a stream of cursing followed.

"Bai Jing, you son of a—"

Wang Yifu, looking furious enough to kill, froze the moment he saw Cao Kun standing there.

"Xiao Kun? You... why are you here?"

In front of an outsider, Wang Yifu still cared about his image. He hurriedly straightened his clothes and forced a smile. But he would have been better off not smiling at all, as it only made Cao Kun want to laugh.

What a pathetic sight! His face looked like it had been shredded by a cat, with at least twenty or thirty deep claw marks covering his skin.

"Well, Shanshan isn't here right now. You should come back another day," Wang Yifu said, aware of his own disheveled appearance. He started to close the door, but Cao Kun reached out and blocked it.

Meeting Wang Yifu’s confused gaze, Cao Kun smiled and held up the bottles of Moutai and the food. "Uncle Wang, Shanshan sent me to keep you company."

Wang Yifu paused for a heartbeat, then, without another word, let Cao Kun inside.

Looking at the chaotic living room littered with cigarette butts, Cao Kun didn't mind. He cleared a small, clean space on the smashed coffee table, set the items down, and looked at Wang Yifu.

Wang Yifu lit a cigarette, took a deep drag, then pulled two small glasses from a cabinet and sat across from Cao Kun.

"Are Shanshan and her mother at your place?" Wang Yifu asked in a low voice.

"No," Cao Kun said, shaking his head as he poured the liquor. "Shanshan called me, gave me a rough idea of what happened, and asked me to come check on you."

Seeing the sincerity in Cao Kun’s eyes, Wang Yifu’s brow furrowed. "They really aren't at your place?"

"I promise," Cao Kun said earnestly. "Shanshan just called me. I asked her where she was, but she wouldn't say. She only mentioned they were at a friend's place of Auntie Bai’s."

"And don't worry, Uncle. They are doing just fine. I could hear Auntie Bai laughing over the phone, and there was even a man’s voice with her. They sounded like they were having a good time, so you really don't need to worry about them."