After Divorce, My Ex-Wife Became My Creditor - Chapter 45 - An Unhappy Sunday

On Sunday, Han Qian planned to give himself a complete day off to rest. Unfortunately, he was woken up in the morning by the arrival of Li Jiawei and Tu Kun, who brought a hearty breakfast and snacks for the day. Han Qian, still in his pajamas, squatted on the stairs watching the two kids, feeling powerless.

“Aren’t you two supposed to be at tutoring classes? Keep it down! Your sister Wen-Jie is still sleeping, and if you wake her up, she’ll kick you out.”

As he spoke, Li Jiawei retrieved a cup of warm soy milk from under the couch cushion and handed it to Han Qian. Sipping the soy milk, Han Qian descended the stairs and leaned against the couch, staring at Li Jiawei for a while before coming to his senses.

“How did you two get in here?”

“The door wasn’t locked!”

Tu Kun replied with an innocent look. If it weren’t for the keys lying on the table, Han Qian might have been fooled. He nodded and casually remarked, “How did these keys end up here? I need to put them away.”

Tu Kun rushed forward to grab the keys from the table, only to receive a playful flick on her forehead, causing her to glare at Han Qian while clutching her head.

“Uncle, can you stop hitting me?”

Han Qian put away the keys with a serious expression. “No, I can’t.”

With that, he got up and told the kids to study well, as he was going back to sleep for a while.

When Han Qian woke up again, it was already noon. Opening his eyes, he saw three figures lined up on the tatami mat: one adult and two kids. Tu Kun sat cross-legged, looking up and calling out, “Uncle, I’m hungry!”

Li Jiawei chimed in, “Uncle, I brought some dishes.”

Before Wen Nuan could say anything, Han Qian spoke first, “What does my dear niece want to eat?”

Wen Nuan playfully kicked Han Qian’s face with her foot, and Tu Kun seized the opportunity for revenge by jumping on him.

During lunch, Han Qian was cooking while the two girls and one boy stood in a line outside the kitchen. Han Qian’s nose was stuffed with tissue, and he angrily cooked the dishes that Tu Kun had brought: spicy chicken, Mao Xuewang¹, a plate of boiled bok choy, and cucumber with mung bean jelly.

Han Qian poured hot oil over the Mao Xuewang, filling the kitchen with a pungent aroma. Li Jiawei hurried to open the living room windows, Wen Nuan entered the kitchen to set the table, and Tu Kun handed Han Qian a pair of gloves.

“Uncle, it’s hot.”

Li Jiawei busied himself with placing the water he brought on the table. As the four sat down to eat, Wen Nuan placed a piece of ham in Han Qian’s bowl, awkwardly saying, “You should eat more meat.”

Li Jiawei poured a glass of beer and placed it in front of Han Qian, whispering, “Uncle, it’s chilled to cool down the spice.”

Having never served anyone before, Tu Kun pressed down a bowl of rice and placed it in front of Han Qian, softly saying, “Uncle, eat more.”

Han Qian scanned the three with a sullen face and scoffed, “After lunch, Jiawei, you should review your lessons. Tu Kun, finish your homework. Wen Nuan, you…”

“Han Qian, I don’t have any homework.”

“Then clean up the snacks you ate. I only slept for one morning, and you’ve turned the house into a pigsty? Are you rebelling, living in my house, and I have to cook for you after getting beaten up first?”

Snap!

The chopsticks landed on Tu Kun’s hand, and the little girl yelped in pain. Han Qian frowned and said, “I don’t care how you behave at home, but here, you call me uncle, and I have the right to set the rules. No alcohol for minors. There’s yogurt in the fridge!”

Tu Kun was about to explode, ready to argue back, but Li Jiawei quickly stuffed a piece of cold sausage and fish balls into her mouth and said, “Don’t talk. My mom’s not back until tomorrow morning, and your dad’s not coming home tonight either. They won’t allow us to stay home alone overnight. If you want a place to sleep, keep quiet.”

Wow, who knew Jiawei had this ability, managing to keep the unruly Tu Kun in check.

After dinner, Li Jiawei didn’t rush to review his homework. He washed the dishes, wiped the coffee table and floor tiles clean, tidied up the snack wrappers Wen Nuan had left behind, and then went to study. This kid was so considerate. Turning to Tu Kun, she looked like she was being sent to the gallows just by doing her homework, frowning and biting her pen.

Wen Nuan helped Jiawei review his homework for a while, repaying him for tidying up the house. After half an hour, Wen Nuan went back to work, taking one call after another. Han Qian, with nothing to do, stood beside Tu Kun, looking at her clean workbook, and frowned, “Is it hard?”

Tu Kun looked up and nodded vigorously, “It’s too hard.”

Han Qian picked up the paper, glanced at it, and said, “Come on, let me explain. It’s not that difficult.”

Han Qian spent the whole afternoon tutoring Tu Kun. The little girl was smart but just didn’t like studying. In the evening, when Han Qian checked the paper, he found the results were quite good. Tu Kun, feeling liberated, insisted on going out for a nice meal to reward herself, refusing to let Han Qian cook at home.

Tu Kun was sensible, but her sense was a bit off. Wen Nuan, just finished with work, suggested going out for barbecue and offered to treat, with the bonus of having some drinks. The vote was three to one, with Li Jiawei surprisingly being the one against going out.

The evening was a bit chilly. Wen Nuan changed into jeans and knee-high boots, paired with a white T-shirt, and after some thought, added a brown leather jacket. This sudden shift from a demure look to a biker style was something Han Qian found hard to accept.

He quietly reminded her it might get warm, but Wen Nuan shrugged, saying she could leave it in the car. At this point, Tu Kun chimed in, “Wen-Jie’s figure… really straight.”

Wen Nuan turned to glare, sizing up Tu Kun, her lips curling into a cold smile, “Little kid!”

Tu Kun puffed up like a pufferfish, seemingly ready to challenge Wen Nuan. But standing next to Wen Nuan, she had to look up, so she gave up. However, the childish Wen Nuan didn’t relent; she swapped to an identical pair of boots with five-centimeter heels, making Tu Kun appear even shorter.

As they descended the stairs, Han Qian whispered, “Aren’t you being childish, arguing with a kid?”

Wen Nuan tossed her loose hair and replied with a cold frown, “Should I argue with Yan Qingqing instead? If you’re willing, I don’t mind.”

It was unclear whether Han Qian was supposed to be willing to let Wen Nuan suffer or to bring Yan Qingqing into the matter. Wisely, Han Qian chose to keep quiet. Silence seemed like the best option at the moment, but he hadn’t anticipated Yan Qingqing’s call as soon as they stepped out of the elevator.

Worried it might be about the land issue, Han Qian didn’t dare ignore the call. Sitting in the driver’s seat, he took a deep breath and pressed the answer button. Before he could speak, Yan Qingqing’s roar was loud enough for everyone in the car to hear clearly.

“Han Qian, are you looking to get yourself killed? Did answering the phone early interfere with your business with Wen Nuan? It’s not even dark yet.”

Wen Nuan’s face turned dark instantly, and she leaned closer to the phone, teasingly saying, “Qian-Ge, who’s being so rude?”

Han Qian felt a chill run down his spine. On the other end, Yan Qingqing paused for two seconds before snapping, “Who, who, who? You ex-wife, why are you asking? Han Qian, be in my office by seven tomorrow morning.”

Wen Nuan was furious, snatching the phone and shouting back, “Who are you calling names, you vixen?”

“Big baby! I’m calling a big baby!”

Click!

Yan Qingqing hung up the phone and tossed it onto the bed. In front of her were certificates for approved plans and documents allowing construction. She hadn’t expected things to go so smoothly; the government office had surprisingly worked overtime on the weekend to approve her paperwork. Initially, she wanted to share the joy with Han Qian, but now her mood was sour.

Seven o’clock? If I manage to get to the office by ten tomorrow, consider yourself lucky, Han Qian.

At this moment, Wen Nuan insisted Han Qian drive to the hardware store; she wanted to buy an axe and confront Yan Qingqing.

Tu Kun was subdued, no longer daring to provoke Wen Nuan. She sensed the terror of that woman from the phone call.

Han Qian was feeling a headache coming on.

Footnote:

1. Mao Xuewang(毛血旺): A classic spicy and numbing (mala) Sichuan dish. It typically features duck blood curd, tripe, and other assorted ingredients (such as luncheon meat, bean sprouts, and various vegetables) cooked in a rich, fiery broth. Known for its bold and complex flavors.