The ex-wife of a former CEO regrets resigning to raise her child and retire from public life.

Chapter 3 The Man Who Wanted to Be a Godfather

Chen Feng stood in the very center of the old house.

First, he took off his coat and put it in the suitcase next to him. Then he took out two masks from the suitcase, put one on himself, and then...

He turned around and walked towards Mengmeng, who was squatting by the door and curiously poking at the cracks in the floor tiles with her finger.

"Mengmeng, come and put this little mask on properly."

Chen Feng's voice came through the fabric, muffled and strained.

Mengmeng obediently put on the elastic band of her mask, which Grandma Liu had specially prepared for her before the trip. It had two pink bunnies printed on it.

She raised her head, looked at the old broom in Chen Feng's hand that was already covered in ruffled bristles, and asked in a childish voice:

"Dad, are we going to fight a war against dust?"

"Yes, a major war."

Chen Feng squatted down.

"But before that, Daddy, can you talk to Mengmeng about something?"

"Of course, Dad. What's up?"

Mengmeng tilted her head and asked curiously.

Upon seeing this, Chen Feng continued.

"Dad has a very, very good friend. We grew up together, and he's coming over to help today."

You can call him Uncle Qiangzi. Uncle Qiangzi is not married yet and doesn't have a cute daughter like Mengmeng to play with.

He will definitely love our adorable child very, very much.

Let's get to know him first, okay? If Mengmeng likes Uncle Qiangzi a lot, can he be Mengmeng's godfather?

He will be extremely happy.

Upon hearing this, Mengmeng suddenly started counting on her fingers, seemingly calculating something, and then she spoke.

"Will Uncle Qiangzi make bunny buns for Mengmeng?"

If possible, Mengmeng wants Uncle Qiangzi to be her godfather, so that the three of them—Mengmeng, her dad, and her godfather—can make lots and lots of little rabbit-shaped buns every day.

Chen Feng chuckled.

"Of course! Your Uncle Qiangzi will definitely make you lots and lots of bunny buns."

"But let's not rush it. Let's spend some time with Mengmeng first before making a decision."

"Okay, Mengmeng knows."

Mengmeng nodded emphatically.

"Then let's continue our battle against the dust."

After Chen Feng finished speaking, he handed a small, damp towel to Mengmeng.

"Dad is in charge of the high places, and you are in charge of wiping the small chairs and stools."

Be careful, if the towel gets dirty, wash it in the bucket of water in the backyard so you don't get your little hands dirty.

Mengmeng took the wet towel as if it were a sacred medal, and nodded emphatically: "Mission accomplished!"

Chen Feng started with the main room on the first floor. As he swept the broom across the roof beams, the dust that had accumulated over the years fell down like a gray snowflake.

As he swept, he carefully avoided the direction of Mengmeng.

Just as he was about to move the heavy solid wood cabinet, a rapid engine roar came from the stone road outside the door.

A pickup truck, modified to look rather wild, slammed on the brakes at the door, as if trying to shake off the dust from the door frame.

"Fengzi! If you don't answer the phone soon, I'm going to call the police and say the head chef of the state banquet has gone missing!"

Before a rough voice could even finish, a man wearing military green overalls and yellow boots jumped out of the car.

He had a clean-shaved buzz cut, a pair of goggles around his neck, and his exposed arms were muscular with a few fine, old scars.

Chen Feng pulled down his handkerchief and looked at the man with a fierce face but bright eyes at the door. A smile finally appeared on his face for the first time since he entered the town.

"Qiangzi, keep your voice down, don't scare the child."

The man was Zhang Qiang, Chen Feng's best friend since childhood.

The two of them climbed over the wall together and got beaten up together, but one of them later went to the capital to get a kitchen knife, while the other stayed in the town and took on renovation work.

Zhang Qiang was about to rush in when he suddenly stopped.

He saw Mengmeng squatting next to the small bamboo chair, holding a wet towel and looking at him with curiosity.

In that instant, this burly man, who could confidently shout at dozens of big men on the construction site, seemed to be frozen in place, his whole body stiffening, and he even held his breath.

"This...this is..." Zhang Qiang stammered, his voice lowered by eight octaves, as if afraid that even a slightly louder breath would blow away the delicate little glutinous rice ball.

"This is my daughter, Mengmeng."

Chen Feng put down the broom, patted the dust off his hands,

"Mengmeng, this is Uncle Qiangzi."

Mengmeng is not good at interacting with strangers, and she often hides behind Chen Feng when she sees strangers.

However, he had a natural affinity for his father's best friend and didn't hesitate to act this way.

Mengmeng stood up, slung the soiled towel behind her back, gave a proper little bow, and flashed a bright, radiant smile.

"Hello, Uncle Qiangzi."

"Oh! Oh! Good! Good boy!"

Zhang Qiang rubbed his hands together, looking flustered. He vigorously wiped his hands on his work pants, wanting to pat Mengmeng's head, but then thought his hands were too rough.

"Fengzi, you're something else! You quietly gave birth to such an adorable little cutie."

After Zhang Qiang finished speaking, perhaps out of shyness, he turned around and began to move things out of the pickup truck bed.

Vacuum cleaner, eco-friendly cleaning agents, and a few folding ladders.

"When I got your call saying you were going back to your old house, I knew you probably didn't even have a decent rag here."

I'm familiar with this job, let me lend a hand.

The three of them busied themselves in the big house.

Once he started working, Zhang Qiang stopped being shy.

He's a very efficient worker; once the vacuum cleaner is turned on, the dust in the room is almost gone in no time.

Chen Feng was responsible for repeatedly wiping the solid wood furniture with cleaning agents.

Mengmeng wasn't idle either; she followed Zhang Qiang around like a shadow.

When Zhang Qiang tried to put something down, she quickly took it from him. When Zhang Qiang moved a stool, she helped him hold it up. During this time, the corners of Zhang Qiang's mouth couldn't help but turn up.

"Uncle Qiangzi, will this vacuum cleaner suck up the big monster?" Mengmeng asked, tilting her head up.

Zhang Qiang laughed heartily, waving his thick arm: "Don't even mention giant monsters, even if aliens came, Uncle would suck them in and make them Mengmeng's toys!"

"That's bullshit," Chen Feng added with a laugh from the side.

After two hours of hard work, the first floor finally revealed its original appearance. Chen Feng wiped his sweat and checked the time.

"Come on, let's go upstairs. Help me build my little nest."

The second floor has excellent natural light; if you open the wooden window, you can see the huge banyan tree at the end of the old street.

Mengmeng's room faces the courtyard, where the afternoon sun shines obliquely on the wooden floor, making the air filled with dancing golden dust.

Zhang Qiang took a roll of pink and white thick floor mat out of the car. He had bought it at a maternity and baby store in town on his way here.

"You said you wanted this on the phone, but I didn't know what color my little girl liked, so I asked the shop assistant to recommend one."

Zhang Qiang squatted on the ground, spreading out a mat in a very casual manner.

Chen Feng pulled out a bag of pink stickers he had brought back from Beijing from his suitcase, along with a starry sky lamp he had prepared especially for his daughter.

"Daddy, can I put the teddy bear next to the window?"

Mengmeng hugged the old rag doll and pointed to the sunniest spot.

"Of course. This will be Mengmeng's territory from now on."

Mengmeng began to seriously arrange her "territory".

She carefully stuck the stickers on the headboard, arranged each doll in a row, and finally placed the starry sky lamp in the center of the desk.

Watching Chen Feng carefully assemble the simple wooden bed for his daughter, repeatedly checking every detail to ensure it was sturdy, Zhang Qiang couldn't help but remark:

"Fengzi, back in school, you were the kind of person who wouldn't even fold your blankets."

I can hardly recognize her now.

"There's nothing I can do. If you had such a cute daughter, you'd probably be even more exaggerated than me," Chen Feng replied without turning his head.

Soon, the room was almost fully furnished.

The once quiet old house has been instantly brought to life by this corner of pink and warm yellow light.

Looking at the newly renovated room, Mengmeng's face turned bright red with excitement.

She suddenly ran up to Zhang Qiang and bowed deeply, saying, "Thank you, Uncle Qiangzi, this place is so beautiful!"

Zhang Qiang was completely smitten.

He scratched his head, looking at Chen Feng with envy in his eyes:

"Fengzi, we're so close now, can you do me a favor?"

"Here you are." Chen Feng knew what Zhang Qiang wanted to say just by looking at his awkward expression.

Chen Feng glanced at Mengmeng, who seemed to know what Chen Feng was about to say, shaking her head as if she was very much looking forward to it.

"I also have something I want to tell you." Chen Feng stood up and dusted off his pants.

"Would you like to be my daughter's godfather?"

"Damn, you really understand me."

I've lived for over thirty years and I've never seen such an adorable child.

That's why they say grandparents and grandchildren have a special bond.

Now I understand why grandparents' generation loves children so much.

Chen Feng laughed in exasperation and didn't argue with him.

"But will Mengmeng agree?" Zhang Qiang looked at Mengmeng expectantly yet nervously.

Mengmeng seemed to have been holding back for so long, and upon hearing this, she jumped and bounced around.

"Yes, yes, Mengmeng is willing. Can Godfather make bunny buns with Mengmeng and Daddy in the future?"

Mengmeng wants to make lots and lots of bunny buns.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Qiang excitedly picked Mengmeng up, lifted her high above his head, and spun her around the room several times.

"Don't even mention bunny buns, kitten buns, puppy buns, any kind of bun, Godfather can accompany the adorable bun."

"And from now on, no one in Qing Shi Town will be allowed to bully our Mengmeng. If anyone bullies Mengmeng, Godfather will tear down their roof beams!"

Mengmeng let out a silvery laugh in mid-air, the most carefree sound Chen Feng had heard since leaving Beijing.

After a busy day, dusk finally settled completely.

One by one, the lights on the old street came on, and the pungent aroma of stir-fried chili peppers from the neighbors' houses began to waft through the air.

Exhausted, Zhang Qiang plopped down on the doorstep, which wasn't completely dry yet.

I lit a cigarette, took a puff, and then saw Mengmeng playing with her doll on the chair, so I quickly put it out.

"Fengzi, what's up tonight? Want to come to my house for dinner? If my mom finds out you're back, she'll definitely kill a chicken."

Chen Feng glanced in the direction of the kitchen. There was a half-collapsed earthen stove and a large iron pot covered in rust.

That was Grandpa's most treasured possession.

"I'm not going. Mengmeng just said she wanted to eat golden yellow rice."

Chen Feng loosened his collar, stretched his aching shoulders, and a glint of anticipation flashed in his eyes.

"We have to eat our first meal at home. Qiangzi, go to the well in the backyard and fetch a bucket of water to wash that pot for me."

Tonight, I'll let you taste the cooking of a 'retired chef'.

Mengmeng cheered and clapped her hands, "Yay! Daddy's going to do a magic trick!"

Zhang Qiang jumped to his feet and ran energetically to the backyard: "Alright! It's all worth it, even with my aching back and legs, just to get a meal from Chef Chen!"