Chapter Fifty-Three: Foolish and Innocent

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Last night, they played at the bar until four in the morning. Afterwards, they found an all-night restaurant for a bite to eat, then drove straight to the airport. Because Tank and his companion hadn't sorted out their identities yet, Hong Chen left the car with them so they could drive back to Qing City, while he boarded the 6:15 a.m. flight.

After a three-and-a-half-hour flight, he landed at Qing City Airport, cleared security, got into a taxi, and only then sent a message to Lin Yuxin.

Summoned by Lin Yuxin, Hong Chen abandoned his plan to go to an internet café, picked up his Santana sedan from the pharmacy where it had been parked for a few days, and headed straight to Lin Feng Trading.

At eleven o'clock, the Santana stopped downstairs at the office building. Hong Chen sent Lin Yuxin a message, and before long, she emerged from the building and got into the car.

“I’m giving myself half a day off today too. Let’s go to Happy Park, shall we?” Lin Yuxin had tied her hair into a ponytail. She wore a blazer on top, but had changed into comfortable sweatpants and sneakers. The colors matched well and didn’t look out of place.

Seeing the anticipation in her eyes, Hong Chen naturally didn’t want to spoil her mood and nodded. “Happy Park opened three years ago. I’ve seen plenty of TV ads but never actually been. Since you’re in the mood to play, how could I not risk life and limb to accompany you?”

Lin Yuxin shot him a look. “Risk life and limb? Is it really that terrifying? It’s just Happy Park, not some Valley of Hell.”

Hong Chen replied with mock seriousness, “Don’t you realize how attractive you are? In a crowded public place, escorting you is like inviting danger; there must be hundreds, if not thousands, of men who’d like to kill me. Accompanying you is risking my life indeed.”

He chuckled, pressed the accelerator, swung the car around in a graceful arc, and sped away.

Half an hour later, they parked in the lot. Even on a workday, the flow of people into Happy Park was like a tide. They bought burgers and sodas, eating as they strolled into the park.

Lin Yuxin seemed in high spirits, her eyes lighting up with anticipation as she looked at all the amusements—soaring rides, ground attractions, water adventures. It was the first time Hong Chen had seen her show such unrestrained enthusiasm, so different from her usual calm and composed demeanor that he wondered if she had suddenly changed personalities.

“Come on, buy the tickets,” Lin Yuxin said, handing him a wad of cash—about a thousand yuan. The way she gave him money so naturally, as if she was always responsible for their expenses, made Hong Chen both amused and helpless. He couldn’t decide whether to be glad he played his role as a kept man so thoroughly, or to feel lucky to have such a woman determined to take care of him.

Hong Chen bought a couple’s package for 1,288 yuan, which included eight attractions. They started with the log flume, then bumper cars, then the sky bike...

In just over an hour, they’d tried five rides. Lin Yuxin suggested taking a break and wandering through the snack street, to which Hong Chen had no objection.

As they walked, they reached the middle of the snack street and saw a large crowd gathered at a booth. Drawing closer, they discovered it was a dumpling-eating contest. Entries were limited to ten people; the top three, as well as anyone who could eat more than a jin, would get a free gift. Other contestants would pay the standard fee. The first prize was the right to choose one of ten prizes hanging high above.

Hong Chen glanced at Lin Yuxin and saw her looking up at something. Following her gaze, he realized she was staring at a plush Baymax from “Big Hero Squad.”

“Do you like this silly, chubby thing?” Hong Chen teased. Lin Yuxin withdrew her gaze and shot him a glare. “He’s not silly or chubby—Baymax is pure, brave, and warm.”

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“I’d say you should like that one better. Sleeping alone in that big bed is such a waste—having it next to you every night would be perfect.” Hong Chen pointed his finger. Lin Yuxin looked up and immediately got a black line across her face—he was referring to a hideous but muscular monster plush.

“Or do you still prefer that one?” Without waiting for her to erupt, Hong Chen pointed back to the Baymax. Lin Yuxin snorted, “Obviously.”

Hong Chen grinned. “How about I join the contest and try my luck?”

Lin Yuxin hesitated, glancing at the long table where seven contestants were already seated, five of whom were visibly overweight, their bellies protruding—obvious eating champions.

“Go ahead, just don’t eat so much you can’t walk,” Lin Yuxin said with a sly smile. She thought Hong Chen surely hadn’t been satisfied with just a burger for lunch, but instead of admitting his craving, he found a grand excuse. How slick he had become.

Hong Chen nodded quietly, sat at the table, and waited three more minutes until two more joined. When the list reached ten, a staff member brought out steaming plates of dumplings—eight dumplings per liang, forty per heaping tray.

Hong Chen patted his stomach, a silver needle hidden between his fingers, which he deftly inserted into several acupuncture points.

The contest began. Nine contestants wolfed down dumplings, while Hong Chen took his time, dipping each dumpling in vinegar and chewing thoroughly before swallowing.

After six minutes, the first contestant finished half a jin; staff brought another plate. Soon, six others also reached the half-jin mark. Two others managed just over four liang before stopping, while Hong Chen took about one and a half times longer than the others to finish his half-jin.

The third to stop managed just over six liang. When the seventh contestant stopped, he’d eaten over eight liang. Hong Chen, meanwhile, was at six liang and calmly continued. Among the onlookers, Lin Yuxin was already transfixed.

Two minutes later, the eighth contestant stopped, just two dumplings shy of nine liang, then ran out of the crowd with a hand over his mouth—everyone knew he was about to vomit.

The ninth contestant struggled to finish his eightieth dumpling, reaching a full jin. Whether from overeating or shock, he sat there dazed and motionless. His companion came to check on him, pouring a glass of warm water, but the staff hurriedly stopped him, warning that drinking water now could burst his stomach; only slow digestion would do.

Only Hong Chen remained, drawing everyone’s attention. After he ate eight liang’s worth, Lin Yuxin couldn’t stand it any longer and walked over, frowning and whispering, “Enough, don’t push yourself.”

Hong Chen smiled reassuringly. “No worries, just one more dumpling after this plate, and Baymax is ours.” With that, he put another dumpling in his mouth.

Lin Yuxin watched, frowning, as he finished two trays, then asked for one more dumpling. After eating it, under the somewhat horrified eyes of the crowd, he nonchalantly stood up, walked under the high-hanging Baymax, leaped a meter into the air, and took it down.

“I want this as my prize,” Hong Chen said, beaming at the staff member, who could only nod blankly, looking at him as if he were some kind of monster. It wasn’t that he’d never seen someone eat a jin of dumplings, but Hong Chen’s body type was so average—no sign of a big stomach—and he could still leap so nimbly after eating so much. It was just unnatural.

Hong Chen noticed the many phones recording among the crowd and quickly dragged the still-stunned Lin Yuxin away, squeezing through the throng and disappearing, looking a bit flustered but moving fast.

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Even after Hong Chen and Lin Yuxin had left for quite a while, people still stood there exchanging bewildered glances. The atmosphere grew even stranger.

“For you.” Once they were somewhere quiet, Hong Chen handed the Baymax to Lin Yuxin, then quickly walked behind an artificial hill. He used the silver needle to prick a few spots on his stomach, then bent over and vomited everything up.

He had merely shut down his stomach’s function before, using it as a storage chamber. Now, having restored its function, he had to throw up or truly suffer.

After he finished, Hong Chen wiped his mouth with a wet wipe and turned to find Lin Yuxin silently standing not far behind him. Embarrassed, he scratched his head.

“You still say you weren’t showing off,” Lin Yuxin scolded, her tone tinged with reproach. Hong Chen shrugged lightly. “We’ve been married so long, and I’ve never really given you a proper gift. Since you like this silly Baymax so much, I had to try for it. I can’t sneak into your bed, so let this silly plush be my stand-in. Haha. I’ll go buy some water.”

Without waiting for Lin Yuxin to get angry, he laughed at himself and dashed toward the small shop opposite.

Lin Yuxin watched his strong figure, her gaze growing more complex by the moment. Her arms unconsciously tightened around the plush Baymax.

After that, as they tried other attractions, Lin Yuxin seemed distracted. Hong Chen could clearly sense her spirits had dropped, but said nothing.

Around five o’clock, they walked toward the exit. Lin Yuxin answered a call and immediately fell silent.

The trip home was smooth; half an hour later, the Santana pulled into their complex and parked. As soon as the car stopped, the long-silent Lin Yuxin suddenly said, “Hong Chen, I have something to tell you.”

Hong Chen turned and saw the conflict in her eyes, a little surprised. He smiled lightly. “Go ahead, I’m listening.”

Lin Yuxin fished a bank card from her purse and handed it over. “There’s nine hundred and ninety thousand yuan on this card. Use it to pay off the balance on that VIP card.”

Hong Chen hesitated for a moment, then nodded in silence. Lin Yuxin pursed her lips, then continued, “I... I think tomorrow morning we should go to the Civil Affairs Bureau and file for divorce.”

With that, her gaze dropped, and she said softly, “Hong Chen, I’m sorry.”