This is exactly what I wanted

At ten in the morning, Chen Hai woke up in bed, only to find Ye Shuang sitting beside him playing on his phone.

"Uh... what time is it now?"

Chen Hai held his head and sat up, asking a question.

"Ten o'clock," Ye Shuang said. "If you're hungry, go downstairs for breakfast. There's a dim sum set."

"Ugh, I drank a bit too much last night. Not feeling great."

"I thought you seemed pretty happy last night, all chummy with that young lady." Ye Shuang shot him a glance and asked directly, "You didn't go all the way the last few times, did you?"

"Hey, come on. Just some light stuff, just for fun."

Ye Shuang didn't bother digging into whether that was true, only saying, "Feng Shan is still pregnant right now. You'd better behave yourself. You want another Zhou Min situation? Want Dad to skin you alive?"

"I'm a normal guy with a bit of money. I can't just rely on my own hand forever, right?" Chen Hai said, then added with a pout, "You're different. Even if Chen Qin's pregnant, you've got Little Yuyou and the others to take care of those problems for you. You really don't get how lucky you are."

"Your wife is pregnant. No matter how much money you have, that's not an excuse..." Ye Shuang started to say he never did those things, but then he recalled the time he used Little Yuyou's slime to heal his injuries, and the words died in his throat. Realizing he had no real ground to judge Chen Hai, he said, "Forget it. Let's go downstairs for breakfast."

Seeing Ye Shuang's reaction, Chen Hai caught on and widened his eyes. "Wait, you actually did it?! You animal! Raised her up and just ate her whole? You didn't even leave your big-titted bestie alone, did you?!"

"Scram!" Ye Shuang kicked Chen Hai in annoyance. "I didn't! Are you eating breakfast or not?!"

"Let me take a shower first."

The two of them went down to the first floor and booked a private room for breakfast. After the server left, Ye Shuang reminded Chen Hai, "Don't go to those KTV places again. Don't stir up trouble."

"I'm hurting, man." Chen Hai sighed. "How about I just keep one on the side? Just for fun, nothing serious."

"No way."

"Then why do you get to? Keeping Little Yuyou at home, you've got it made."

Ye Shuang: "..."

"Different things, and you know the full story," Ye Shuang said.

"Screw you, you hypocrite. I'm getting one too!"

"Then let Dad settle it." That one sentence from Ye Shuang instantly wilted Chen Hai like a frostbitten eggplant. After all, Chen's Father knew about Ye Shuang's situation, but Chen Hai couldn't say the same. The scars from the last whipping hadn't even fully healed.

"I take you out to enjoy yourself, and you go and rat me out," Chen Hai said gloomily.

"I wouldn't call that enjoyment. It was too noisy."

"Fine, fine. I won't go, okay?" Chen Hai said. "But don't tell Dad about last night, or I'll die with regrets."

Ye Shuang stayed silent. Chen Hai sighed and continued, "Anyway, I'm actually thinking about divorce. This life really isn't worth it. Getting married feels worse than not getting married at all."

"She's got such a bad temper, and she's always complaining about this and that. Even a simple roll in the hay requires me to pamper her into a good mood first. Everything's about attitude with her, and she gets violent too."

Ye Shuang, chewing on a chicken foot, said flatly, "Back when you first got together, I didn't see you unhappy. You said you chose her yourself, didn't want the old man's arranged match."

"Damn it, how was I supposed to know married life would turn out like this?! If I'd known, I would've picked the arranged one."

"A man has to take responsibility for his own choices." Ye Shuang glanced at Chen Hai. "No glove, no love."

"Ugh." Chen Hai said, "I seriously want a divorce."

"Feng Shan is still pregnant. Saying something like that makes you a real piece of work," Ye Shuang said. "Say that out loud, and even I'd rip into you."

"I know. I only tell you this because you're my brother. I wouldn't say this to just anyone." Chen Hai poked at his soup dumpling, looking miserable.

"If it's that painful, then why did you take leave to accompany Feng Shan?"

"I actually wanted to go out and have some fun."

"So you just threw your work away?" Ye Shuang gave Chen Hai a disapproving look. "If you really want time off to clear your head, just tell me directly. Using Feng Shan as an excuse when you're already thinking about divorce, don't you think that's low?"

"Well, I had to fend off the old man somehow."

"I can't accept that."

"Okay, it's my fault, alright?" Chen Hai said. "I won't do it again."

Ye Shuang: "..."

"If you really want a divorce, talk it through properly with Feng Shan." Ye Shuang was silent for a moment, then said flatly.

"You're not trying to talk me out of it?" Chen Hai asked.

"Since you're in so much pain, Feng Shan probably isn't doing well either. Rather than torturing each other for a lifetime, it's better to part ways while she's still young," Ye Shuang said. "Give her a decent sum of money as compensation, at least make sure she's secure for the rest of her life."

"Well, that's what I was thinking too."

"But I think Feng Shan does have feelings for you," Ye Shuang said. "I can feel it. Even though she's got a bad temper and gets a bit violent."

"I can't handle it, man." Chen Hai spread his hands.

"Then have a serious talk with Feng Shan. Get everything out in the open. Maybe if you communicate properly, it won't have to end in divorce," Ye Shuang said.

"Man, you were just supporting my divorce, and now you're telling me to talk it out?" Chen Hai said. "If we could communicate, I would've done it long ago. She only ever says 'three, two, one' and then starts swinging. You know I've never hit a woman, so I can only take the beating."

"I'm just saying, if you're both miserable, maybe splitting is better. But there's still a chance between you and Feng Shan."

"There's no chance." Chen Hai said firmly.

"..." At this point, Ye Shuang had nothing more to add. Chen Hai's heart was no longer with Feng Shan. He just urged Chen Hai to finish the food on the table.

But just then, Chen Hai's phone rang. Ye Shuang glanced at it instinctively and saw a girl's avatar. The contact name wasn't Feng Shan.

"From last night?" Ye Shuang asked. "When did you add her?"

"While you stepped out to take that call," Chen Hai said, picking up the phone to reply to the message.

"Brother, I'm so hungry. Haven't had breakfast yet. Can you order me some takeout?" Chen Hai opened the message and a sugary, cooing voice came through the speaker.

"Heh heh heh." Chen Hai burst into laughter at that.

Ye Shuang looked at him. "You're not actually going to drop some cash on this, are you?"

"A hundred or two, that's all."

"She's just scamming you for money."

"I know. But a fake vixen beats a real dragon lady any day. At least it gives positive feedback." Chen Hai's voice dropped as he said, "Honestly, I'm fully aware. This is what I want."

Ye Shuang: "..."