"What news?" I pressed on.
"You! I'm starting to regret asking you to look into this," he replied after taking a sip of tea. "After Wan'er accepted your invitation, she seemed quite happy. When I went to see her after work, she brought up that jerk. From her, I learned that he knows your husband."
I fell silent for a moment but stubbornly retorted, "Knowing someone doesn't mean there's suspicion."
He also fell quiet.
We each sipped our tea during the break. He advised me, "Always be cautious of others."
He patted my shoulder and left.
I sat there for a long time, my thoughts swirling chaotically.
Facing my husband at home became unavoidable; I found myself observing him more closely. He seemed to sense something was off as well. A man who rarely worked overtime suddenly began doing so frequently.
That unreliable man was causing me trouble, but I still had my job to focus on. If he didn't repent and continued being untrustworthy, then...
Hmph...
My husband came home late, and over time, without anyone to keep him in check, he started causing a ruckus again.
My father-in-law complained that my rice was too hard, so the next time I made it softer. But then he said it was like porridge.
I scoffed and left the dining table, texting my husband: "Sister is done serving you; do as you please."
Then I went out shopping.
However, even while shopping, my mood remained heavy. I couldn't understand why my father-in-law had such a strong opinion of me. Even more puzzling was why my husband allowed his father to treat me this way.
This clearly wasn't my fault. I could take a step back for the sake of the family, but I couldn't keep retreating.
I was enjoying myself while sipping on lemon tea, which was refreshingly cool and delightful.
Ding ding ding!
I pulled out my phone to see it was a call from my husband.
After hesitating for a moment, I answered the call.
"Where are you?" His voice was calm.
"Outside," I replied lightly.
"When will you be back?"
"Depends on my mood."
"Okay, don't stay out too late." With that, he hung up.
Staring at the disconnected phone, I felt speechless—really, just that?
At that moment, I spotted a familiar figure—my brother.
Seeing him looking so cheerful, I followed closely behind, peeking around.
I noticed him chatting and laughing with a girl. A wave of relief washed over me: my brother was finally going to find someone.
After they finished eating, the girl left.
My brother called out, "Come out!"
I grinned, "How did you know it was me?"
"Only someone blind wouldn't notice," he replied.
He then asked, "What are you doing here?"
I smiled and said, "Just out for a stroll."
He glanced at me, seemingly aware that I was lying but chose not to confront me. Instead, he said, "Let's go; I'll take you to eat something. You were just looking around, right?"
"Yeah," I nodded and followed him.
My brother took me to a restaurant where he ordered several dishes I liked and poured me a drink.
Looking at him filled me with warmth.
No matter what happened, there would always be family supporting me from behind.
"Thanks, bro," I said softly.
"What are you being polite for?" he chuckled. "But why are your eyes puffy? Have you been crying?"
I shook my head. "No, something got in my eye and I rubbed it too hard."
He sighed and patted my head, saying, "Don't try to bear everything alone; you have your brother and parents!"
I pouted playfully, "You're the best, Brother!"
He replied gently, "Silly girl!"
I sniffled, trying to control my emotions.
Noticing this, he quickly changed the subject, "By the way, how's work going lately?"
I nodded, "It's okay."
"If you run into any problems, just let me know. I can help you analyze things."
"Mm." I looked at him gratefully, "Brother, you're really great."
He smiled, "What can I say? You're my sister."
After dinner, he drove me home.
Before I got out of the car, he patted my shoulder and said, "Remember, no matter what happens, don't let yourself be wronged."
"Mm." I nodded vigorously. With my brother's support, I felt ready to face any challenge.
Life must move forward; there will always be a solution.
Getting tangled up in others' attitudes toward me is pointless.
I understand that sometimes being a little confused isn't so bad.
Being too fixated on everything is exhausting.
I took out my laptop and started writing.
The task assigned by the Editor was a long-term one; I had other work as well. I still needed to meet the KPI of twenty articles each month; otherwise, how would I get paid?
On Saturday, I took Lin Wan'er to a nice restaurant with a pleasant atmosphere. We reserved a private room and enjoyed the beautiful view outside. We didn't talk much beyond discussing what we wanted to eat. After having barbecue, I drove her home.
There's no rush for anything, especially in Lin Wan'er's case—any improvement is good enough.
My investigation was progressing slowly, so I decided to visit the Editor's niece to check in on her. After all, she was the Editor's niece, and I often reported my progress to him.
As I visited the Editor's office more frequently, rumors began to circulate?
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