Chapter 435: Chapter 435

But in the end, it was just a fleeting moment. After his emotions subsided, Feng Chengxuan paused and said, "But if we keep dragging this out, without the security of marriage, do you really have confidence?"

Hearing this, Feng Chengjin was stunned for a moment. Then he gave a bitter smile. "No."

If I had confidence, I would have had it eight years ago.

Precisely because he knew lying was wrong, eight years ago, he didn’t have the courage to expose it—and now he had even less...

Feng Chengxuan could see through him, and knew what he was thinking deep down.

Looking at the self-deprecating curl of his lips, Feng Chengxuan understood: Cheng Jin loved Gu Zixuan too deeply—so deeply that he didn’t dare face Gu Zixuan’s rejection, or the possibility that she might not love him.

If it weren’t so, eight years wouldn’t have passed , that incident wouldn’t have been buried for four years now... Feng Chengjin always preferred to let go and try dating someone new, rather than face Gu Zixuan again and accept the truth that she didn’t love him...

Frowning slightly, Feng Chengxuan said, "Maybe it won’t be that bad. After all, you two have a child..."

"What does it matter?" Hearing this, Feng Chengjin shook his head even more self-mockingly. "The child isn’t even three months old yet—no telling if it’ll even be born. Especially since on the other side, there are her parents, her brother. Uncle Gu’s attitude today was firmly set. If it really comes to that, even if she can’t bear to leave, even if she keeps the child, would she be willing to give me up for her father? Would she give up her father for me?"

Feng Chengxuan was left speechless.

In wealthy families, marriage, children, and parents are entirely separate from feelings. If it really falls apart, she could raise the child alone—every bit of education, living expenses, academic support would be covered. Go to court without the protection of marriage, and there’s no way custody goes to you. As far as social connections go, if you’re formidable, they’re no less so. What use is a man like you?

And besides, you’d just be the man who hurt her parents and loved ones. If... Honestly, among daughters in China, how many could be so utterly heartless?

His heart weighed heavy and dense, and understanding Feng Chengjin’s difficult position, Feng Chengxuan felt that same suffocating air blocking his own chest.

So heavy it felt like he couldn’t breathe.

After a long pause, Feng Chengxuan finally fished a box of cigarettes out of his pocket and handed it to Feng Chengjin.

Feng Chengjin was taken aback. "Big brother, you..."

In the Feng family’s upbringing, smoking was not allowed—after all, for a gentleman, smoking is hardly polite, and scattering ash is messy.

Feng Chengxuan gave a bitter smile, took one for himself first, then pulled out a lighter and lit up. "There’s nothing to be done. When you feel wretched inside and no one to talk to, you sometimes fall back on this. What else can you do? Try it. Father doesn’t know—it helps, at least a little..."

Feng Chengjin stared at the box for a long time, then took one out and lit it.

He took a drag, frowned—it was what it was, but truthfully, he never really liked the taste.

But in this moment, it did seem, just as his brother said, to relieve the sorrow a bit...

The faint spark at his fingertips flickered. Staring at the color of the sky, Feng Chengjin realized that from the bright day when he stepped out to the approaching dusk now, Rong City’s weather was acting strangely—though it was in the southern part of China, in previous years it rarely snowed.

This year, tiny snowflakes seemed to fall every now and then for no reason.

Along with the gradually darkening sky.

Feng Chengjin felt a chill in his heart and knew, it was time to go home...