You helped him have a baby, what do you regret about the divorce? Chapter 067

“Don’t be discouraged. Take your time. You’ll find something eventually.” Liu Jiajia comforted him, but inwardly, she was anxious for him. Having struggled in the city herself, she knew how hard it was to find a job, and the opportunities might be even scarcer now that he was back in his hometown.

“Yeah, thanks,” Lin Gengjin replied. “I’m thinking of trying to shoot some TikTok videos lately, see if it picks up.”

“Shoot TikTok videos?” Liu Jiajia was a little surprised. She knew his videos had good views, but she hadn’t expected him to consider it a serious direction.

“Yeah, I saw your previous videos were pretty good. Maybe you really can make something of it,” she encouraged him.

“Haha, I hope so.” Lin Gengjin sent a smiling emoji. “I gotta try.”

Next, Lin Gengjin sent her his address, a detailed location pin and text description: “Linjiachong Village, Group X, No. X. Just call me when you get to the village entrance, and I’ll come pick you up.”

Liu Jiajia looked at the address—a specific location, no longer a vague area on a map. She felt herself getting closer to that mysterious village, closer to Lin Gengjin, and closer to the girl named Zhang Lihua.

She replied with a “Okay, thanks!” and then ended the conversation.

Putting down her phone, Liu Jiajia’s mood was complex. She had the address, her trip was confirmed, and she was about to embark on this unknown journey. Lin Gengjin still hadn’t found a job, which pained her.

And his plan to shoot TikTok videos seemed to be one of the few passions he had since returning home. She had already seen this passion in his videos, and in those videos, there was another girl.

She clicked on the address Lin Gengjin sent again, zooming in on the map. The screen showed the outline of the village, surrounded by mountains and rivers.

This was a world completely unfamiliar to her. She imagined Lin Gengjin’s life here, imagined him and Zhang Lihua shooting videos together.

She knew her trip had a strong, even somewhat discreditable, purpose. She wasn’t simply visiting a friend; she was more like a detective carrying doubts and unease, going to uncover the truth.

She was afraid the truth would disappoint her, even break her heart. But she was even more afraid that if she didn’t go, she would forever live in speculation and anxiety, ultimately missing everything.

She started applying for leave, giving the reason “returning home to handle urgent matters.” Although her boss was somewhat reluctant, she usually worked hard, so her leave was approved.

Next, she booked a train ticket to Shashi and researched the bus route from Shashi city center to Lin Gengjin’s vicinity. Everything was proceeding in an orderly fashion.

In the days leading up to her departure, Liu Jiajia’s mood was like a roller coaster. At times, she was full of anticipation, imagining meeting Lin Gengjin; at other times, she fell into deep anxiety, worried about seeing something she didn’t want to see.

She even began to envision various possible scenarios and how she should react. If they were just ordinary friends, how could she naturally integrate into their circle? If their relationship was already more than that, how should she conduct herself?

She didn’t tell any friends about her plan, not even her best friend. This private matter was something she wanted to bear silently by herself.

Finally, the day of departure arrived. Liu Jiajia pulled a simple suitcase and boarded the train to Shashi.

The scenery outside the window changed from skyscrapers to fields and mountains. Her heart, too, sank little by little into the unknown as the train moved forward. She didn’t know what awaited her, but she knew she had no turning back.

When the train stopped at Shashi Station, it was already evening. Liu Jiajia followed the crowd out of the station, and a humid, stuffy air rushed over her, carrying the unique scent of the south.

She didn’t linger in the city center but directly followed the researched route to find the bus heading towards Linjiachong Village.

The bus bumped along, passing through the city outskirts and entering increasingly remote roads.

The scenery outside the window completely transformed into rural landscapes: golden rice fields, green vegetable plots, scattered farmhouses, and distant rolling mountains.

The city’s hustle and bustle gradually faded, replaced by the chirping of insects and the occasional barking of dogs.

Liu Jiajia looked out the window, feeling a little lost. This was where Lin Gengjin lived now, completely different from the city life she was familiar with. Could she adapt to it? Or rather, did she need to adapt to it?

The bus finally stopped at a seemingly simple roadside stop. The conductor called out, “Linjia Village entrance, anyone getting off?”

Liu Jiajia stood up and got off the bus, pulling her suitcase. It was completely dark now. There was only a dim yellow streetlamp at the village entrance, barely illuminating a small area. It was pitch black all around and quiet, with only faint human voices coming from afar.

As Lin Gengjin had instructed, she took out her phone, ready to call him.

Liu Jiajia took a deep breath. The humid, stuffy air filled her lungs, carrying the mixed scent of earth and vegetation.

She gripped her phone, her finger finding Lin Gengjin’s name on the screen, and dialed. The phone rang only twice before it was answered, and Lin Gengjin’s voice, tinged with surprise, came through: “Hello?”

“It’s me, Liu Jiajia.” She tried to make her voice sound calm. “I’m at your village entrance.”

There was a moment of silence on the other end, followed by Lin Gengjin’s clearly startled voice: “Ah? You—you’re here?”

His voice held an unprepared慌乱 (panic), as if she had fallen from the sky. “So fast? I thought you’d be here in a few more days.”

“Yeah, the matter wasn’t urgent, so I came early,” she explained, but a strange sense of disappointment welled up in her heart. So, he hadn’t expected her to come so soon, or perhaps he hadn’t expected her to come at all?

“Oh, oh, I see…” Lin Gengjin’s voice still sounded a bit dazed. “You—you wait a moment, I’ll be right there to pick you up. You’re under that streetlamp at the village entrance, right?”

“Yes, right under the streetlamp,” she replied.

“Okay, don’t move, I’ll be there in a minute!” Lin Gengjin said, then hastily hung up.

Liu Jiajia put down her phone and stood under the dim yellow streetlamp. It was pitch black all around. Scattered lights from distant farmhouses twinkled like diamonds on black velvet.

The chirping of insects rose and fell, occasionally interspersed with distant dog barks, breaking the tranquility of the rural night.

She pulled the handle of her suitcase, her gaze fixed on the dark village path. This place was poles apart from the city she lived in. There was no traffic, no neon lights, only the most primitive sounds of nature.

She felt a strong sense of unfamiliarity, as if she were in another world. In this world, there was Lin Gengjin, his new life, and perhaps that girl named Zhang Lihua.