Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
I was afraid that Wang Xu would come looking for me, and if my parents saw him, it would only upset them. So I discussed with Miao Miao and decided to stay at her place for a day or two. Wang Xu would definitely come to find me, and at Miao Miao's house, I could easily deceive him without my parents noticing.
I told my parents that a friend from out of town was staying at Miao Miao's house, and I was going over to keep her company for a couple of days. They didn't suspect anything and only reminded me to be safe and call home every day.
Miao Miao was more than happy to give me the keys and didn't forget to remind me with concern: "You know the place I’m talking about, it's the apartment complex where Deng Xiaomei used to live. You might feel uncomfortable there, but don’t overthink it; just take it one step at a time, okay?"
I replied with an "mm" as I took the keys, feeling a mess inside. Just as Miao Miao said, that was the apartment complex where Deng Xiaomei had lived. Wang Xu must have visited countless times to have his affair with her. If it weren't for the fact that Miao Miao's complex was so old and lacked surveillance cameras, we might have even found some footage of Wang Xu coming and going.
Life is unpredictable and rarely goes as planned. At least it seems that luck hasn't been on my side; I still can't get out of this marriage, which feels like bad luck.
Sure enough, that afternoon, Wang Xu called me in a panic, asking where I was and why I wasn't home. He heard from my mom that I had moved out and was worried about me.
"I'm staying at Miao Miao's for a couple of days. The renovation upstairs is really noisy, and sometimes I can't sleep during the day, so I moved here."
Standing on the balcony of Miao Miao's living room, I looked at the crowd outside coming in and out, staring for a long time, hoping to see something even though I knew it was impossible.
"Hey, you should have told me you moved out earlier. Where are you now? If you want to sleep well, just come home; it's quiet there and you won't be disturbed. Mom and I can take care of you."
"No need; I'm fine here at Miao Miao's. It's nice here; let's leave it at that."
"Alright then. You need to tell me where Miao Miao lives because I've brought a lot of things for you. Don't eat junk food outside; the food these days is really unsanitary. Just wait; I'll come over right away."
I casually gave him Miao Miao's address, and he clearly paused for a moment. Did he recognize the name of the complex? Was it a place he had frequently visited while betraying me?
Wang Xu's tone became cautious: "What apartment complex did you say?"
I repeated it again.
"Ah, that's where Miao Miao lives..."
"What's wrong? Can't do it?"
"No, no, of course not. Alright, I understand. I'll head over right away. Just wait at home for me. I'll be there soon. Hang up now, and try not to use your phone too much; it's all radiation."
I figured Wang Xu would rush over after hanging up the phone. I tidied myself up a bit and sat in the living room waiting for him. It wasn't more than twenty minutes before I heard a knock on the door. I opened it to find Wang Xu looking around mysteriously.
"What are you looking for?"
"Where's Mu Miaomiao? Not here?"
I let him in and returned to the sofa in the living room while Wang Xu closed the door and walked toward me.
"She's gone to work and hasn't come back."
"Oh, that's fine." Wang Xu sighed in relief and placed his bags on the coffee table. I glanced at what he was carrying with a hint of complaint and sarcasm: "Why do you keep buying so much stuff? Didn't you get fired? How do you still have money to buy these things?"
Upon hearing this, Wang Xu waved his hand excitedly: "I still have savings, so don't worry. I can afford to take care of you with this little money. Just tell me what you want or what you want to eat; I can buy it for you."
It seemed that Wang Xu didn't catch my sarcasm and was quite pleased to show off how capable he was at finding work easily. As he spoke happily, he took an apple out of his pocket and began peeling it slowly.
Once he finished peeling, he cut the apple into small pieces and handed them to me: "Try this; it's really sweet."
I took it and ate it in small bites while stealing glances at his smiling profile, thinking that Wang Xu didn't realize I was waiting for him to ask me something. I could only wait patiently and couldn't reveal myself too soon.
But at this point, Wang Xu was bound to bring it up. Sure enough, after a couple of exchanges, he asked: "Zhuang Jun, have you thought about it? Where are we celebrating the New Year? Are we going back to my mom's hometown or staying home with our family? Have you made up your mind?"
Wang Xu's question almost made me lose my temper and point my finger at him in anger. He presented me with two options related to him and his mother; it was so selfishly obvious that I was quite impressed but had to hold back.
Feigning difficulty, I placed the unfinished apple on the table and sighed: "My parents really don't want me to go there, but it's important to celebrate the New Year with family in a lively way. If there are too few people, it'll feel like last time—lacking that festive spirit. It always feels like something is missing inside."
Wang Xu, upon hearing this, happily replied, "Of course! The New Year is all about having a lively atmosphere. There are only a few of us in the city, so it doesn't feel festive at all. We can go back to my mom's place; there are many relatives and friends in the countryside who all know each other. When we have the New Year's dinner, we gather around several tables, and it's really joyful. It's a comfortable way to celebrate the year."
I silently listened to Wang Xu speak. He probably thought I was tempted by his words and started enthusiastically praising how great the countryside is. He even mentioned that I had been there before and would surely recall the wonderful scenes from that time. He wanted to evoke good memories in me, but honestly, I didn't have any fond recollections of his hometown.
When relatives gather in the countryside, they mostly talk about the harvest and discuss their children. I haven't gotten pregnant in the past three years. When I visited, my mother-in-law had a cold expression and said we weren't planning on having kids for now. Deep down, we all knew what was really going on; it just wasn't happening.
My mother-in-law must have heard gossip from relatives back home. After returning to the city, she sulked for a few days, and her pressure on me became increasingly intense. Perhaps this was the trigger that caused her attitude toward me to take a sharp turn.
"Zhuang Jun, what do you think? You should say something; there's not much time left. If we're going back, we should buy train tickets in advance. Otherwise, if they sell out, we really won't be able to go," Wang Xu urged as he tugged at my sleeve.
I snapped back to reality and forced a smile. "I don't know; I'm still thinking about it."
"Come on, don't overthink it. We're all going home anyway. Besides, you're pregnant now; let your relatives hear the good news and give my mom some face!"
Sure enough! I should have realized that Wang Xu was so eager to take me back because he wanted to announce my pregnancy. After previously losing face with my mother-in-law, now she might want to return home and boast about it.
It seemed like he wanted me to go back just to show off. Well, if his mother couldn't hold her head high in Village because I hadn't gotten pregnant yet, that's not entirely my fault. One thing is one thing; besides, I was indeed waiting for Wang Xu to ask me to go back.
"Well, I'll think about it first. I'll get back to you tomorrow since there's still some time left. Let me consider it; I do want to go back, but there are so many kids in Village—won't they be a bit too much?"
"Of course not," Wang Xu explained. "I will definitely protect you; no one will bother you. I've already talked to my mom about it. When we get there, we'll just tell the relatives and then take you around to see things without anyone bothering you. If you want to sleep, you can sleep; if you want peace and quiet, you'll have it. As for socializing, my mom and I will handle that—you just need to come back with us. The air in the countryside is better too; it's good for your pregnancy."
With Wang Xu saying all this, agreeing now wouldn't seem too abrupt. I pretended to ponder for a moment before gently nodding my head. Wang Xu excitedly shouted, "That's great, dear! You've finally agreed! I've been preparing for our trip home for the New Year these past few days; you just need to rest well. I truly love you, dear!"
Seeing Wang Xu so happy was undoubtedly because I agreed to go back home and give his mother some pride, but I still pretended to ask a few questions that he easily brushed aside.
In the end, I made a face as if I wanted to ask something but couldn't quite articulate it. Wang Xu probably believed I was genuinely struggling with whether or not to go home; he took my hand and wrapped it in his palm.
"Hey, dear, really don't worry—your husband is here! Everything you're concerned about isn't an issue at all; I would never harm you. I'm only thinking of you; I'm worried about you more than anything else! Everything you've thought of, I've considered too—trust me! I'll take good care of you for a lifetime."
Wang Xu's vow felt like a thorn in my ear; it was painful to hear, yet I had to pretend to be moved. When I nodded, Wang Xu beamed with joy.
Feigning fatigue, I pushed him away and said I was feeling sleepy and wanted to rest, urging him to head home first. He happily agreed, saying he would go home to prepare and tell his mother the good news, leaving with a broad smile.
After he left, I sent a WeChat message to Miao Miao, letting her know that everything was settled on my end and asking how things were going on her side. Miao Miao replied with an "ok" gesture, assuring me that everything was ready; they just needed the favorable wind to return. Old Doctor's son had already been found by her and was in the process of arranging work. It wouldn’t be a problem for someone to sneak back with the doctor’s son to discuss this matter.
Miao Miao understood how much parents cared for their children. Even if one couldn't get over their own hurdles, hearing their children speak a few more words was far more effective than a hundred words from outsiders. She mentioned that she had prepared a good job for that son and planned to take him back with fifty thousand to discuss things with the doctor, ensuring all problems would be resolved.
Miao Miao was much more thorough in these matters than I was. I might not have even thought about the doctor's offspring when hearing about him. Having her around made things much easier for me. I asked if she would be coming back tonight, and Miao Miao smiled coyly.
“If nothing is happening on your end, then I won’t come back tonight.”
When I asked why, she replied, “I have an appointment with a beautiful person; I can’t leave.”
Miao Miao's sweetness radiated through the phone. I teased her a bit before hanging up.
Comment 0 Comment Count