Chapter 5
Edward Quan ·
Tears filled my eyes.
“You—you’re asking what’s wrong? Xu Xingzhi, my love isn't something you can just use like this.”
He drew a deep breath.
“Speak like a normal person.”
52
I clutched my heart.
“You actually called me less than human? You’re insulting me for another woman… I… I… I misjudged you. I married the wrong man. All these years of feelings were wasted on the wrong person…”
He grabbed my wrist and pulled me in front of Bai Shuangshuang. “Tell her. After we broke up, did I ever keep coming back to you?”
Bai Shuangshuang trembled.
“N-no. We never had anything to do with each other.”
He looked at me. “Do you believe me now?”
I gave a bitter laugh.
“I should be grateful. At least you’re still willing to lie to me.”
He took another deep breath, then leaned close to my ear. “Zhou Giajia, enough.”
I stared at him through my tears.
“You’re not blameless, are you? You never cared how I felt. That’s why you let her use you to stir up rumors. You still have feelings for her. I… I… I’ll let you two be together right now!”
“Giajia!”
I bumped into him. While he was startled, I dropped to the floor with a thud.
Just then, my in-laws pushed open the door.
53
“Xu Xingzhi, why did you push Giajia?!”
My mother-in-law swung her handbag at him.
As he was hit, he tried to help me up.
I clutched my stomach. “It hurts~”
He frowned. “Hang on. I'll take you to the hospital.”
“No need,” I said. “Nothing hurts as much as a broken heart, but I won't blame you, honey. Let me go. Go comfort Miss Bai first. Don't let her be upset.”
My mother-in-law walked over and slapped Bai Shuangshuang hard across the face.
I froze.
Watching Bai Shuangshuang get hit made me feel a little… guilty.
I hurriedly said, “Mom, this has nothing to do with her.”
My mother-in-law told Bai Shuangshuang, “If you dare show your face in front of my son and daughter-in-law again, don't blame me for being ruthless.”
Bai Shuangshuang covered her face and ran off.
Xu Xingzhi carried me straight downstairs.
I bit my lip, acting like a little wife full of grievances, and kept saying I was fine, I was fine.
54
In the hospital room, I lay on the bed watching my in-laws lecture Xu Xingzhi.
They were both certain he'd pushed me.
I explained that he hadn't.
They didn't believe me.
After they went outside to ask the doctor about my condition, I looked at Xu Xingzhi and smiled ruefully, rubbing my forehead.
“Why won't they believe me? Honey, you really didn't push me.”
He stared at me darkly without saying a word.
I obediently nestled against him. “Sigh, you're just too kind. Whenever people misunderstand you, you never defend yourself.”
“I'm sorry, honey. You're not angry, are you?”
He said quietly that he wasn't.
Then his long-fingered hand took out his phone, and he went back to work.
I watched him for a while, then my eyelids grew heavy.
I was woken up by a commotion.
My mother-in-law's voice rang out in excitement.
“Giajia's pregnant!”
She immediately pushed Xu Xingzhi aside and hugged me.
“That rotten brat dared to push you just now. From now on, we're not letting him touch you.”
My father-in-law asked beside her, “Giajia, are you feeling unwell anywhere? Do you want anything to eat? Tell me what you want and I'll get it for you.”
I was startled for a moment, then immediately understood.
This was bound to happen sooner or later.
I obediently told them, “Mom, Dad, I don't need anything. As long as you two stay healthy, I'll be satisfied.”
They were instantly moved.
Then I looked at Xu Xingzhi, shy and admiring. “Having you is enough for me, honey. We're going to have a baby.”
He took my hand.
Afterword
1
Xu Xingzhi knew the youngest daughter of the Zhou family was studying abroad.
He was five years older than her.
He'd met her twice.
The first time, she was still a young girl, following her older sister around, bored as she picked at the food at a banquet and occasionally admired the celebrities.
The second time, he was abroad at a gathering with friends.
By then, she was in college and was tucked away in a corner with her boyfriend, kissing him as if they couldn't bear to part.
Seeing her flushed face and dreamy eyes, her whole body pressed against that blond, blue-eyed man, filled him with envy.
If only she would curl up in his arms so obediently.
His work was busy. Not long afterward, he returned home and broke up with his lover, Bai Shuangshuang.
2
He had someone investigate Zhou Giajia.
She changed boyfriends roughly every six months.
She'd dated men from all over the world.
And judging by the look of it, she seemed to be deliberately collecting men from different countries.
She took every relationship very seriously.
She always looked completely devoted, trusting and admiring her boyfriend.
But once they broke up, she was utterly merciless.
The excuse she used most often was:
“I'm sorry, my parents won't accept a foreigner. They insist I marry for an alliance, sniff. My family is drowning in debt. I'm a traditional girl from Country Z. What else can I do?”
3
He looked at her pitiful, fragile face and fell into thought.
He wanted to increase the opportunities for cooperation with the Zhou family.
Then both sets of parents brought up the idea of an alliance marriage.
He didn't like the elder Zhou daughter.
So of course Zhou Giajia was the one sent to the blind date.
She looked at him shyly, like an innocent young woman facing a grown man for the first time.
4
He really didn't say much.
He didn't like to talk.
But he felt that things were going well between him and his new wife.
As expected, she was a woman who fell in love easily.
The way she looked at him made it seem as if he were the only man in the world.
Utterly devoted.
In bed, she was shy and helpless, always looking resigned, willing to endure anything as long as he was happy.
At last, he had what he wanted.
5
He liked seeing her fall apart in his arms, beg him to forgive her, then kiss him with tear-filled eyes and no restraint.
She was a little foolish at times.
And there was no way to believe the things she said.
But he believed she was only confused and didn't know how to express herself, which was why misunderstandings kept arising.
Even though he was always the one being misunderstood in the end.
He didn't mind.
He liked the way she was always nervous on his account.
He liked how seriously she told everyone that he was the person she loved most, and that she'd do anything for him.
So earnest. So strong.
6
But she kept another man behind his back.
She even said she'd visit him when Xu Xingzhi went on a business trip.
He'd almost wanted to kill.
The moment he learned the truth, countless ways to make the adulterous couple die without a place to be buried flashed through his mind.
But he was heartbroken, too.
Wasn't she supposed to love him most?
Why had she betrayed him?
7
Fortunately, she hadn't betrayed him because she truly wanted to.
It was because of Bai Shuangshuang.
After Bai Shuangshuang left him, people made things difficult for her. Some even tried to force her into unspoken rules.
So she'd stirred up a few romantic rumors.
She wanted people to think she was still under his protection.
It was a way to protect herself.
He couldn't be bothered to deal with it.
And then Zhou Giajia believed those rumors.
But he knew her words were half true and half false.
What's more, she refused to admit she'd cheated until the very end.
Even at the edge of the coffin, she still wouldn't cry.
8
He really wanted to lock her up.
So she could see only him every day.
He really wanted to break both her legs.
So she'd have no one to rely on but him.
He really wanted to kill her.
He wanted them to die together.
It would be fine if they died together.
9
After Zhou Giajia became pregnant, Xu Xingzhi spent less time at the office.
The two of them often curled up on the sofa while Xu Xingzhi read to her.
She leaned against his chest and giggled.
Every time his throat went dry from reading, she took a sip of water and fed it to him from her mouth. Then she kissed his eyes, nose, and lips.
She'd say happily, “A kiss from my husband is the best. I love you so much, honey.”
They went to his parents' house for dinner.
As soon as they entered, she hurried to bend down and bring him slippers. Then she knelt on one knee, intending to help him put them on.
She said in a moved little voice, “Honey, you're always the one putting on my shoes at home. I wanted to put yours on for you once, too.”
He was touched.
He even reflected on himself, thinking that perhaps he'd been controlling her too much every day.
Not only had he installed a tracking device.
He monitored her phone.
He'd even installed surveillance cameras in their home.
If she went out without him, he'd have someone secretly follow her.
She loved him so much. How could she possibly want to leave him?
10
But his silly wife…
Sigh.
He'd gotten scolded by his parents again.
She bit her lip, eyes brimming with tears, and looked at him anxiously.
She tried desperately to explain things to them on his behalf.
But his parents wouldn't listen.
After he finished getting lectured by his mother, she rushed in front of him. Her figure was still slender and soft as she shielded him, swearing she would protect him.
He looked at her darkly.
She was so good to him.
How could he divorce her?
How could he let her go out and enjoy herself with other men?
Even if they died, they would die together.
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