Liu Fen’s smile left Tang Hongen stunned.

His fondness for Liu Fen initially stemmed from her care when he was sick.

His glasses were broken then, and he couldn’t see her.

Even if he could see, truthfully, Liu Fen was quite unremarkable at that time. That incident planted a seed, and through subsequent interactions, as Tang Hongen learned about Liu Fen’s situation and understood her character, that seed of affection began to sprout.

He could say with a clear conscience that his interest in Liu Fen wasn’t based on appearances.

But now, Liu Fen, free from financial worries and urged by Xia Xiaolan to take care of herself, had improved both inside and out. Even Xia Dajun, her former bedmate, was shocked by the extent of her transformation.

Tang Hongen hadn’t particularly noticed until now, firstly because he wasn’t focused on looks, and secondly because Liu Fen’s changes had been gradual and subtle to him. Only at this moment did he realize how beautiful she had become.

He couldn’t help but look her over twice.

From head to toe.

So Ah Fen was this beautiful.

No, she should have always been this beautiful – one look at Xia Xiaolan’s appearance would tell you her mother couldn’t have been plain.

It was just that life had been too harsh, wearing away all her beauty.

Liu Fen’s smile instantly lifted Tang Hongen’s mood.

The lost wallet wasn’t such a big deal – there wasn’t much cash in it, just his work ID… He wouldn’t be responsible for whatever pressure the thief might feel.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have laughed!”

Liu Fen didn’t know what had gotten into her; wasn’t she just rubbing salt in Director Tang’s wound?

Tang Hongen sighed, “Just pay for my cold tea after you’re done laughing. I haven’t been this embarrassed in many years.”

Was this loss a good thing?

Tang Hongen thought it was excellent.

He couldn’t explain why, but he could sense that the distance between him and Liu Fen had suddenly shortened.

Not only did Liu Fen pay for his cold tea, but while exchanging goods, she also picked out a pair of Western-style trousers for Tang Hongen at the stall.

The thief had been ruthless – Tang Hongen’s pocket was torn so badly you could see skin through it. Any deeper, and the wallet theft might have left Tang Hongen injured.

These trousers for Director Tang – who could talk about dignity now?

The trousers were chosen from Chen Xiliang’s wholesale stall. Though someone else was watching the stall, Chen Xiliang’s clothes were better quality than others’. Having sold clothes for so long, Liu Fen could tell Tang Hongen’s size and leg length at a glance. She borrowed needle and thread from the stall, quickly hemmed the trousers, and sent Tang Hongen to try them on.

“Quite cool and comfortable.”

Better than his previous pair of western trousers, which, though well-cut, were quite stuffy.

Tang Hongen was very satisfied with his new trousers.

How could they not be cool? Liu Fen could tell from touching the torn trousers that the fabric was rather thick, probably more suitable for spring and autumn.

Not everyone could easily buy new clothes now; some people wore the same pair of trousers all year round, adding thermal underwear and wool pants in winter, wearing them alone in hot weather. Tang Hongen wasn’t short of money to buy new trousers, but no one paid attention to such details him, not knowing there were thinner fabrics for western trousers in hot weather… It wasn’t just Tang Hongen; most men didn’t know about these things.

This was why among middle-aged widowed people, women might spend the rest of their lives alone, while men usually remarried quickly.

Without a woman’s care, they would live quite roughly!

Yet Tang Hongen had been divorced for over ten years and had never thought about remarrying.

Was it because he was too busy with work to meet someone suitable, or because he couldn’t forget his ex-wife?

Liu Fen had met Ji Ya once. Though bad-tempered, she was extremely beautiful and raised in a wealthy city family. What qualifications did Liu Fen have to be better than Director Tang’s ex-wife?

Though Tang Hongen didn’t show it, he was delighted with his new trousers.

“When I see Little Wang, I’ll pay you back for the trousers.”

Liu Fen nodded absent-mindedly.

Tang Hongen found it strange – she’d been fine just now, why was her mood low again?

Tang Hongen spoke seriously:

“Comrade Liu Fen, do you think I’m foolish? Losing a wallet isn’t something that can be controlled by willpower alone, though I’ll certainly be more careful next time and won’t be so careless.”

This wholesale market should be properly regulated.

Unfortunately, he worked in Pengcheng; interfering in Yangcheng’s affairs would be overstepping.

Today he was robbed at the market; Liu Fen, a single woman who frequently visited this mixed crowd alone – would she be targeted?

Having suddenly realized Liu Fen’s beauty, Tang Hongen began to worry about her safety.

No matter how difficult, he should think of a solution.

While Tang Hongen was lost in thought, Liu Fen was also considering how to speak up.

A blunt rejection wouldn’t work; she had rejected him before, but Tang Hongen hadn’t taken it seriously. She could be more extreme, curse and swear at Tang Hongen, hurt his dignity – would a director still cling to her then?

But Liu Fen had never done that.

Because Tang Hongen was truly a good person.

She couldn’t be yielding to bad people yet ruthless to good ones – how would that make her any different from bad people?

But Director Tang was a good person; he sympathized with her, yet she couldn’t take advantage of that sympathy – Liu Fen couldn’t do such a thing.

“Mr. Tang, you won’t listen when I say we’re not suitable. I don’t know why you fancy me – the gap between us is so large, how could we live together? If I appeared by your side, others would mock you.”

Walking in the shade, Liu Fen suddenly spoke up.

Tang Hongen nodded, “Comrade Liu Fen, I’m not trying to harass you maliciously. I can sense that you don’t dislike me, and to say something shameless, you even admire me. Whether people mock me is my problem to solve. Don’t feel too much pressure – isn’t it nice for us to just interact naturally like this?”

It was nice.

Liu Fen used to be nervous walking with Tang Hongen.

After today’s incident, the distance and barriers between her and Tang Hongen had been broken.

Director Tang was flesh and blood too; the director was his position, his job, not an air he put on in front of her.

When not focusing on this point, Liu Fen discovered that Tang Hongen was just an ordinary person who was sincere in his attitude, spending time and effort trying to get along with her and wanting to be accepted by her.

If he wanted, many women better qualified than Liu Fen would agree.

Yet Tang Hongen had specifically chosen her, showing that in his eyes, she had merits.

Liu Fen walked with her head down.

She couldn’t help feeling pressure.

Life experiences shape everyone’s different personalities.

Her previous life had made Liu Fen dull and insecure, submissive and accepting of mistreatment.

But she couldn’t stay without progress forever.

Yet could this progress catch up to Tang Hongen, and allow her to stand beside him without making him a laughingstock? Liu Fen wasn’t sure.

Tang Hongen was right – she did admire him.

She had always admired him; not daring to have such thoughts before didn’t mean the admiration didn’t exist.

Liu Fen gathered her courage:

“I can’t agree with you now… can you wait for me?”