Chapter 3
Edward Quan ·
I'd seen it yesterday.
It was new. Eight hundred yuan!
Growing more annoyed, I threw everything back into the wardrobe.
Ning Tianye came in and braced a hand against the door.
"What's wrong?"
Just seeing him irritated me now.
My tone wasn't pleasant.
"My underwear's missing! It's driving me mad!"
His calm expression cracked.
He looked a little unnatural. His ears quietly turned red.
I narrowed my eyes.
"What's that supposed to mean? Did you take it?"
He pushed up his glasses, his voice slightly unsteady.
"I couldn't wear it. What would I take it for?"
"If it's gone, buy another."
My phone immediately chimed with a transfer of fifty-two thousand yuan.
Fair enough.
The old Ning Tianye, that lustful pervert, might genuinely have stolen my lingerie for nefarious purposes.
But now, he didn't even want to touch me.
What would he need it for?
Was he going to give the other woman a piece of used underwear?
I stopped thinking about it, put on a dress and went out.
"I'm seeing Cai Zhaozhao. Don't cook for me."
7
Cai Zhaozhao had a younger puppy at home.
A new one. Extremely attentive.
Every other word was "darling," and he waited on her hand and foot.
I gave a knowing smile.
Then smoothly delivered a familiar line.
"You're the first man Zhaozhao's introduced to me. You must be very special."
"She's always passed through a garden without a leaf clinging to her. But I have a feeling she's really fallen this time."
The young man blossomed under my persuasion and volunteered to make us dessert.
She winked, draped an arm around my shoulders and sighed.
"See? Tempting, isn't it?"
I gave a proud little huff.
Lounging sideways on the sofa, she changed the subject.
"About what you said yesterday. Ning Tianye cheating. The more I think, the less it fits. Do you have proof?"
I deflated.
"No."
That was the worst part.
I couldn't catch him in the act, but I couldn't swallow my suspicions, either.
"Easy."
She snapped her fingers.
"I'll help you test him."
I perked up.
"How?"
Deep down, I didn't really want to believe he'd betray me.
But he was acting so strangely, with no reasonable explanation...
She leaned in mysteriously.
"You cheat, too. See how he reacts."
"If he goes mad and confronts you, that's normal."
"If he turns a blind eye, he's definitely done something wrong. Guilty conscience!"
I rubbed my chin.
"Good idea, but I don't want to cheat on my husband."
"Idiot!"
She smacked my head.
"It's acting! You're an actress, aren't you?"
Without warning, she leaned close and pinched my neck hard.
I yelped and sprang up.
"What are you doing?!"
"Giving you a hickey."
She grinned.
"Authenticity."
I hurried to the mirror.
Sure enough, a perfectly sized red mark had appeared.
She pulled me into her bedroom.
"If we're doing this, we're doing it properly. I've got new clothes I haven't opened. Change. Underwear, too."
Before I'd even faced Ning Tianye, I already felt guilty.
"What if he asks why I've changed?"
She rolled her eyes, deeply disappointed in me.
I stayed until half past eight.
Not one message from him.
Dejected, I opened our chat.
Before, he'd sent what felt like eight hundred messages a day. Every sentence began with "sweetheart."
Now...
Hmph.
Maybe he was out with some vixen.
At nine, his special ringtone finally sounded.
I was about to answer when Cai Zhaozhao slapped my hand.
She switched on the treadmill and turned it up to maximum.
"Run for five minutes. Then answer."
8
I stared at her in disbelief.
But obediently did it.
On his third call, she finally answered for me.
He sounded a little lost.
"Shen Qing, when are you coming home? Shall I pick you up?"
"Mm... n-no need... I'll... I'll be back... soon..."
Three full seconds of silence.
Then his voice seemed to catch.
"W-what are you doing?"
"R-running..."
Even I wanted to laugh at that.
I hurriedly whispered to her, "Turn... turn it off! Too fast!"
The treadmill stopped.
At last, I could rest, gasping for breath.
Ning Tianye still said nothing.
It was so quiet I thought he'd hung up.
Just as I couldn't bear it and was about to explain, he spoke.
"Are you still coming home?"
"Yes."
"All right... I'll wait."
After the call, I felt I'd used up a lifetime's dignity.
Helplessly, I complained, "You lunatic. You've got too many tricks. Nothing will clear my name now."
"What's the worry?"
She pulled me up.
"Worst case, I'll explain. Come on. I'll take you home."
She brought me to my building.
Out of habit, I used the face scanner and fingerprint reader.
The apartment was completely dark.
My heart began to pound.
Hadn't he said he'd wait at home?
Had he lied?
Was he checking where I was while he was still out enjoying himself?