手机屏幕亮起的时候，我正在给一幅儿童插画上色。

屏幕上跳出的，是林辰的名字。

还有一张照片。

照片的背景是一家看起来格调很高的日料店，竹帘隔断，灯光暧昧。

江驰坐在那儿，侧脸的线条依旧锋利得像把裁纸刀。

他对面坐着一个女人，很年轻，妆容精致，正笑着递给他什么东西。

江驰微微低着头，似乎在看。

照片下面，跟着林辰发来的一行字。

“晚晚，我知道你不想看，但我必须让你知道，他根本没去什么邻市的分公司开会。”

我盯着那张照片看了足有三十秒。

然后，我伸出手指，长按，点击删除。

动作流畅，没有一丝犹豫。

我把手机倒扣在桌上，重新拿起压感笔，继续给画面里的小兔子涂上粉色的耳朵。

这要是在一年前，甚至半年前，我绝对做不到这么冷静。

那时候的我，会像被针扎了一样从椅子上弹起来。

心脏会疯狂地擂动，血液冲上头顶，手脚冰凉。

我会死死地攥着手机，把那张照片放大，再放大，试图从那个女人的眉眼里，从江驰的表情里，分析出哪怕一丝一毫的蛛丝马迹。

接着，我会控制不住地给林辰打电话，声音发着抖，问他这是哪里，是什么时候，他们说了什么。

林辰的声音会一如既往地充满担忧和心疼。

“晚晚，你别急，你听我说……”

然后，他会“不经意地”透露出更多细节，比如那个女人是哪个公司的千金，他们家和江驰的公司最近有合作，江驰的妈妈对她很满意。

每一个字，都像一把淬了毒的刀子，精准地扎进我最脆弱的地方。

挂了电话，我会开始疯狂地给江驰打电话。

他十有八九在忙，电话不是被挂断，就是无人接听。

这会让我更加崩溃。

我会把家里能摔的东西都摔了，然后缩在沙发上，一边哭，一边在脑子里上演八百集豪门恩怨、丈夫出轨、小三上位的狗血大戏。

等到深夜，江驰拖着一身疲惫回来。

他甚至来不及换鞋，就会被我劈头盖脸的质问和哭喊淹没。

我把手机摔在他面前，歇斯底里地吼：“她是谁！江驰你告诉我她是谁！”

江驰的脸上，会先是错愕，然后是疲惫，最后，是一种我看不懂的、深不见底的漠然。

他不会解释。

大多数时候，他只会说一句：“你在无理取闹。”

这四个字，是压垮我的最后一根稻草。

我们会爆发最激烈的争吵。

我骂他冷血，骂他骗子，骂他没有心。

他站在玄关的光影里，沉默地听着，像一尊没有生命的雕塑。

最后，他会转身离开，摔门而去。

留下我一个人，在空荡荡的、一片狼藉的房子里，哭到天亮。

第二天，林辰会带着我最爱吃的早饭，准时出现在门口。

他会帮我收拾屋子，然后坐在我身边，轻轻拍着我的背，用那种我从小就熟悉的、温柔得能滴出水的语气说：“晚晚，别哭了，为了那种男人，不值得。”

你看，这就是过去的我。

一个被林辰的消息轻易操控情绪，被江驰的沉默逼到发疯的，可悲又可笑的女人。

但是现在，不一样了。

我给小兔子涂好了耳朵，又给它手里的胡萝卜加上了高光。

画板上的小兔子笑得天真烂漫。

我的心情，也像是被这温暖的颜色熨烫过一样，平静无波。

我甚至还有闲心想，林辰这拍照技术，还是那么烂。

对焦都对不准，画面都虚了。

而且，这偷拍的角度，永远这么猥琐。

不是隔着玻璃，就是躲在柱子后面。

他是不是觉得，这样才更有“证据”的真实感？

真是可笑。

晚上十一点，玄关传来钥匙转动的声音。

我放下画笔，走出书房。

江驰回来了。

他身上带着一股子深夜的寒气，混杂着淡淡的烟草味。

他看起来很累，眉宇间是化不开的疲惫，连领带都扯得有些歪。

他看到我，似乎有些意外。

“怎么还没睡？”

他的声音有些沙哑。

我走过去，很自然地接过他手里的西装外套，挂在衣架上。

“等你。”

我说。

江驰的身体僵了一下。

他站在那里，低头看着我，眼神里带着一丝探究。

我知道他在想什么。

按照以往的剧本，这个时候，我应该是一张“山雨欲来风满楼”的脸。

要么冷着脸不说话，要么眼睛红肿，一看就是哭过了。

他大概已经做好了迎接一场暴风雨的准备。

我没理会他复杂的眼神，径直走进厨房。

“给你煮了点宵夜，海鲜粥，你快去洗个澡，出来就能吃了。”

我的声音很平静，就像在说“今天天气不错”一样。

江驰在门口站了很久。

久到我把粥都盛好了，他才走过来。

他没有去浴室，而是从背后，轻轻地抱住了我。

他的下巴抵在我的肩膀上，带着一点点胡茬的刺感，温热的呼吸喷在我的脖颈。

“怎么了？”他问，声音比刚才更哑了。

我能感觉到他身体的紧绷。

他在害怕。

他在害怕这突如其来的平静，是一个更汹GLISHThe moment the phone screen lit up, I was in the middle of coloring a children's illustration.

The name that popped up on the screen was Lin Chen.

And a photo.

The photo was set in what looked like a highend Japanese restaurant, with bamboo curtain partitions and ambiguous lighting.

Jiang Chi was sitting there, the profile of his face as sharp as a paper cutter.

Across from him sat a woman, very young, with exquisite makeup, smiling as she handed him something.

Jiang Chi’s head was slightly lowered, as if he were looking at it.

Below the photo was a line of text from Lin Chen.

"Wanwan, I know you don't want to see this, but I have to let you know. He didn't go to some branch office meeting in the neighboring city at all."

I stared at that photo for a full thirty seconds.

Then, I reached out my finger, longpressed it, and tapped delete.

The motion was fluid, without a trace of hesitation.

I placed my phone face down on the desk, picked up my stylus again, and continued to paint the little rabbit's ears pink.

If this had been a year ago, or even six months ago, I would never have been able to remain this calm.

The me from back then would have shot up from the chair as if pricked by a needle.

My heart would have pounded wildly, blood rushing to my head, my hands and feet turning icecold.

I would have clutched the phone tightly, zooming in on that photo, again and again, trying to analyze every single clue from the woman's features, from Jiang Chi's expression.

Then, I would have uncontrollably called Lin Chen, my voice trembling, asking him where this was, when it was taken, what they said.

Lin Chen's voice, as always, would have been filled with worry and heartache.

"Wanwan, don't panic, listen to me..."

Then, he would "inadvertently" reveal more details, like which company's heiress that woman was, how her family's company had a recent collaboration with Jiang Chi's, how Jiang Chi's mother was very fond of her.

Every word, like a poisoned blade, would have precisely stabbed into my most vulnerable spots.

After hanging up, I would have started frantically calling Jiang Chi.

Nine times out of ten, he'd be busy, the call either rejected or unanswered.

This would have pushed me further into a breakdown.

I would have smashed everything smashable in the house, then curled up on the sofa, crying while my mind staged eight hundred episodes of a melodramatic saga of wealthy family feuds, a cheating husband, and a mistress taking over.

Late at night, Jiang Chi would return, dragging his exhaustion with him.

He wouldn't even have time to change his shoes before being engulfed by my barrage of questions and wails.

I would have thrown the phone in front of him, screaming hysterically, "Who is she! Jiang Chi, you tell me who she is!"

On Jiang Chi's face, there would first be astonishment, then exhaustion, and finally, a deep, bottomless indifference that I couldn't comprehend.

He wouldn't explain.

Most of the time, he would just say one thing: "You're being unreasonable."

Those three words were the final straw that broke me.

We would erupt into the most intense argument.

I'd curse him for being coldblooded, a liar, heartless.

He would stand in the light and shadow of the entryway, listening in silence, like a lifeless statue.

In the end, he would turn and leave, slamming the door behind him.

Leaving me alone, in the empty, wrecked house, to cry until dawn.

The next day, Lin Chen would show up at my door on time, carrying my favorite breakfast.

He would help me clean up the mess, then sit beside me, gently patting my back, and say in that tone I'd known since childhood, a tone so gentle it could drip water, "Wanwan, don't cry. It's not worth it for a man like that."

You see, that was the old me.

A pitiful and laughable woman whose emotions were easily manipulated by Lin Chen's messages, driven to madness by Jiang Chi's silence.

But now, things are different.

I finished coloring the little rabbit's ears and added a highlight to the carrot in its hand.

The little rabbit on the drawing tablet was smiling with innocent joy.

My mood, as if ironed smooth by these warm colors, was calm and undisturbed.

I even had the leisure to think, Lin Chen's photography skills are still as terrible as ever.

The focus is off, the image is blurry.

And this angle, this peepingtom angle, is always so sleazy.

Either through glass or from behind a pillar.

Does he think that adds a sense of "authenticity" to his "evidence"?

How ridiculous.

At eleven o'clock at night, the sound of a key turning in the lock came from the entryway.

I put down my stylus and walked out of the study.

Jiang Chi was back.

He carried the chill of the late night on him, mixed with a faint scent of tobacco.

He looked exhausted, a weariness etched between his brows that wouldn't fade, his tie pulled askew.

He seemed a bit surprised to see me.

"Why aren't you asleep yet?"

His voice was a little hoarse.

I walked over and naturally took the suit jacket from his hand, hanging it on the coat rack.

"Waiting for you."

I said.

Jiang Chi's body stiffened for a moment.

He stood there, looking down at me, a hint of inquiry in his eyes.

I knew what he was thinking.

According to the old script, at this moment, my face should be a thundercloud, signaling an impending storm.

Either a cold, silent face, or red, swollen eyes, clearly from crying.

He had probably braced himself for a tempest.

I ignored his complicated gaze and went straight to the kitchen.

"I made you some latenight supper. Seafood congee. Go take a shower, it'll be ready when you come out."

My voice was calm, as if I were remarking, "The weather is nice today."

Jiang Chi stood at the doorway for a long time.

So long that I had already ladled the congee into a bowl before he finally walked over.

He didn't go to the bathroom. Instead, he gently wrapped his arms around me from behind.

His chin rested on my shoulder, the slight prickle of his stubble, his warm breath on my neck.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his voice even hoarser than before.

I could feel the tension in his body.

He was scared.

He was scared that this sudden calm was a prelude to an even bigger storm.

I could almost hear his inner monologue: What is she up to this time? Is she going to bring up the divorce again? Or is this some new way to torment me?

I felt a pang of bitterness in my heart, but also a strange sense of relief.

It was my fault. It was my past reactions, again and again, that had conditioned him into this state of constant alert, like a soldier walking through a minefield.

I turned around in his arms, facing him.

I reached out and smoothed the furrow between his brows.

His eyelashes trembled slightly. He was still looking at me with that guarded expression.

"Nothing's wrong," I said softly. "I just suddenly feel... I'm tired."

His eyes flickered.

"Tired of what?"

"Tired of fighting. Tired of doubting. Tired of living like a detective every day." I looked into his eyes, trying to convey my sincerity. "Jiang Chi, I'm really, really tired."

He remained silent, but the grip of his arms around my waist tightened.

I knew he didn't believe me.

Or rather, he didn't dare to believe me.

"Go take a shower," I said, giving him a gentle push. "The water is getting cold. The congee is getting cold."

He stared at me for a few more seconds, then finally turned and walked towards the bathroom.

I listened to the sound of the water running, my heart feeling unprecedentedly calm.

This change in me didn't happen overnight.

It was an accumulation of countless small details, a slow process of overturning and rebuilding.

It probably started about six months ago.

That time, we had another huge fight. The cause was also a photo sent by Lin Chen.

It was Jiang Chi and his female secretary, getting out of a car in a hotel's underground garage.

Lin Chen's accompanying text was particularly inflammatory: "Wanwan, I saw them go in with my own eyes. Room 1808. This woman has been with him for a long time. The whole company knows. You're the only one kept in the dark."

I completely broke down.

I drove my car and sped all the way to that hotel.

I stood at the door of Room 1808, my hands shaking so much I could barely hold my phone.

I wanted to rush in, to catch them in the act, to tear apart their ugly affair.

But my pride, my last shred of dignity, held me back.

I called Jiang Chi, my voice trembling.

"Where are you?" 幸运飞艇168开奖

He was on the other end, his voice laced with exhaustion. "In a meeting. What's up?"

"A meeting? Jiang Chi, you're still lying to me! You're at the Hilton, Room 1808! Who are you with!" I screamed into the phone.

There was a sudden silence on the other end.

After a long while, his voice came through, colder than ice. "Shen Wan, are you crazy? You're tracking me?"

"Yes! I am crazy! I was driven crazy by you!"

I hung up and squatted in the hotel corridor, crying my heart out like a fool.

About ten minutes later, the door to Room 1808 opened.

Jiang Chi stood there, his face pale. Behind him were several middleaged men in suits, all looking at me with strange expressions.

And his female secretary, standing at the very back, her eyes red, looking terrified.

It wasn't a tryst.

It was a real, genuine meeting.

They had been negotiating a very important contract. The other party had specifically chosen this place.

My sudden appearance, my breakdown, had completely ruined the atmosphere.

That day, Jiang Chi didn't get angry at me.

He just looked at me with an unprecedented level of disappointment and exhaustion.

He settled the clients, then drove me home in silence.

The whole way, not a single word was exchanged. The air in the car was so heavy it was hard to breathe.

That night, for the first time, he didn't sleep in the master bedroom. He went to the guest room.

I lay on the huge bed, feeling the coldness of the other half, and for the first time, I began to reflect.

What had I become?

A shrew, a madwoman, a joke.

The next day, Lin Chen called, his voice full of "concern."

"Wanwan, are you okay? I heard you went to the hotel. Did you catch him? Don't be sad, for that kind of渣男..."

I interrupted him for the first time.

"Lin Chen, it was a meeting." My voice was hoarse.

Lin Chen was stunned for a moment, then immediately said, "A meeting? How is that possible! Wanwan, you mustn't be fooled by him! What kind of meeting happens in a hotel room? He's just making excuses!"

In the past, I would have believed him without a doubt.

But at that moment, faced with the image of Jiang Chi's disappointed eyes, I felt a flicker of doubt for the first time.

Since when did Lin Chen become the arbiter of my marriage?

Since when did his every word become the gospel truth to me?

I started to recall.

Lin Chen, my childhood friend. He grew up with me.

He was two years older than me. When we were kids, he was my protector.

He would beat up the boys who bullied me. He would give me his own pocket money to buy candy. He would carry me on his back when I fell and scraped my knee.

Everyone said Lin Chen liked me.

I knew it too.

But I only ever saw him as a brother.

Later, I met Jiang Chi.

At a university art exhibition.

He was a guest investor, standing in front of my clumsy student work, looking at it for a long time.

He was so different from the boys around me. He was mature, reserved, with a sense of distance that was fatally attractive.

I fell for him, hard.

I pursued him.

It was a difficult process. Jiang Chi was like a block of ice.

But I was like a moth to a flame. I spent all my courage and passion.

Finally, he agreed.

When we got married, Lin Chen got terribly drunk.

He held my hand, his eyes red, and said, "Wanwan, he's not a good person. He's from a different world. He won't make you happy. If he ever mistreats you, you must tell me. I will always be here."

I thought it was just the drunken words of a disappointed friend.

But he took it seriously.

After the marriage, Jiang Chi was always busy.

He was busy with meetings, business trips, social events. The time he spent at home was pitifully small.

And I, who had just graduated and hadn't found my footing, was left alone in this huge, empty house.

The loneliness and insecurity were like vines, wrapping tightly around my heart.

It was then that Lin Chen began to frequently appear in my life.

He would send me photos of Jiang Chi attending banquets with other women.

He would tell me he "overheard" Jiang Chi on the phone, his tone gentle, talking to someone else.

He would "coincidentally" see Jiang Chi's car parked outside a highend apartment building where a certain female celebrity lived.

At first, I didn't believe him.

I argued with him, telling him not to make things up, that Jiang Chi wasn't that kind of person.

Lin Chen would look hurt. "Wanwan, I'm doing this for your own good. I can't bear to see you being deceived."

Then, I would go and question Jiang Chi.

And Jiang Chi's reaction always seemed to "confirm" Lin Chen's words.

He never explained.

He would just frown and say, "It's work," or "Don't overthink it."

His coldness and my insecurity, fanned by Lin Chen's "evidence," created a vicious cycle.

Our fights became more and more frequent, more and more intense.

And every time we fought, Lin Chen would be there, offering his comfort and support.

He became my emotional support, the only person I could confide in.

I trusted him, relied on him, and gradually, in my heart, Jiang Chi became a cold, heartless, cheating scumbag.

And I, was the poor, abandoned wife.

That hotel incident was a turning point.

It made me realize, for the first time, that I might have been wrong all along.

I started to deliberately distance myself from Lin Chen.

I no longer answered his calls every time, no longer replied to his messages immediately.

When he sent me those "evidences" again, I would force myself to calm down and think.

I started to observe Jiang Chi.

Not with the eyes of a detective trying to find clues of his affair, but with the eyes of a wife.

I discovered many things I had previously ignored.

For example, I'm allergic to mangoes. The fruit platter at home never has mangoes. The desserts he occasionally buys for me are never mangoflavored.

Once, my mother sent over a box of expensive mangoes. I forgot to tell the housekeeper, who cut them up and put them on the table.

That night, Jiang Chi came home and saw them. His face changed instantly. He threw the entire plate into the trash can without a word.

He turned to me, his tone stern, a first for him. "Who bought these? Didn't I say no mangoes are allowed in this house?"

At that time, I was still in the "fighting" stage with him. I thought he was just finding fault and had a big fight with him.

Now that I think about it, he was just nervous about my allergy.

Another example, I have dysmenorrhea.

Every month, on those few days, my desk drawer would mysteriously have an extra box of brown sugar ginger tea and a heated patch.

I used to think it was the housekeeper who prepared them.

Until one day, I came home early and saw Jiang Chi, this CEO who manages a company of thousands, standing in front of the supermarket shelf, carefully comparing the ingredients of several brands of brown sugar ginger tea.

He looked so focused, as if he were reviewing a billiondollar contract.

He put a box in the cart, thought for a moment, then put it back, picking up another one.

I hid behind the shelf, my nose suddenly stinging.

And my father, who loves to play chess.

A while ago, he was swindled out of 50,000 yuan by a "chess friend" for a supposedly antique chess set.

My parents didn't dare to tell me, afraid I would worry.

It was Jiang Chi who found out.

He didn't say anything to me. He just quietly found someone to get the money back.

I only found out later when my mom accidentally let it slip on the phone.

She said, "Wanwan, Jiang Chi is a good man. He's filial. He even told us not to tell you, afraid you'd get upset with your dad."

Hanging up the phone, I sat in a daze for a long time.

The Jiang Chi my mother described, the Jiang Chi who carefully selected ginger tea, the Jiang Chi who threw away the mangoes in a fit of anger, seemed like a complete stranger.

He was so different from the cold, selfish man in Lin Chen's descriptions and my own imagination.

The most profound incident was last month.

It was our third wedding anniversary.

Lin Chen sent me a message, saying he saw Jiang Chi at a jewelry store with a woman, trying on diamond rings.

He even sent a short video.

In the video, Jiang Chi was indeed helping a woman put on a ring. The woman's face was not visible, only her slender hand.

Lin Chen's voiceover was full of sarcasm: "Look, Wanwan, he's so attentive. He's never been this patient with you, has he? He's probably preparing a surprise for his new love."

My heart, which had finally calmed down, was once again thrown into turmoil.

Old habits die hard. My first reaction was still anger and suspicion.

I almost smashed my phone.

But I held back.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to look at the video again.

That woman's hand... why did it look so familiar?

That night, Jiang Chi came back very late.

He didn't bring any gifts, not even a "happy anniversary." He just looked at me with his usual exhaustion and said, "I have an early meeting tomorrow," then went to the guest room.

My heart sank to the bottom.

It seemed Lin Chen was right again.

I lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

The next morning, when I woke up, Jiang Chi had already left.

There was a small, exquisitely wrapped box on the bedside table.

My heart pounded. I opened it.

Inside lay a ring.

A ruby ring, in a vintage style, beautifully crafted.

It wasn't the diamond ring from the video.

But what truly shocked me was that this ring was identical to the one my late grandmother used to wear.

That ring was my mother's dowry. Later, my family's business failed, and my mother had to sell it to pay off debts. It had always been a great regret for her.

I had only mentioned this to Jiang Chi once, long ago, when we were dating.

I didn't expect him to remember.

There was a card under the box.

Jiang Chi's handwriting was just like him, sharp and strong.

"The diamond ring didn't suit you. This one does. Happy Anniversary."

The diamond ring didn't suit me.

So, the woman trying on the ring in the video... was a model from the jewelry store? He was asking her to try it on to see the effect?

And he remembered a casual remark I made years ago, and spent so much effort to find or custommake an identical ruby ring, just to fulfill my mother's regret.

At that moment, I held the ring, and tears streamed down my face.

I finally understood.

Jiang Chi's love was not in sweet words.

It was in the mangoes he threw away, in the brown sugar ginger tea he carefully selected, in the 50,000 yuan he quietly recovered, in this ruby ring that carried memories and thoughts.

His love was silent, deep, and clumsy.

He didn't know how to express it. He was used to doing, not saying.

And I, blinded by my own insecurity and Lin Chen's instigation, had never once tried to understand him.

I had turned his silent protection into cold indifference, his clumsy care into evidence of his guilt.

How foolish I had been.

The sound of the bathroom door opening pulled me back from my memories.

Jiang Chi walked out, wrapped in a bathrobe. His hair was still wet, water droplets trickling down his neck, sliding into the robe.

He looked much more relaxed after the shower.

He saw me standing there, staring at him blankly, and raised an eyebrow.

"What are you thinking about? So engrossed."

I walked over, took the towel from his hand, and started to dry his hair.

His body stiffened again.

"I can do it myself."

"Don't move," I said, my voice gentle but firm.

He really didn't move. He just stood there, letting me clumsily rub his hair.

Through the towel, I could feel the heat from his scalp.

"Jiang Chi," I called his name softly.

"Hmm?"

"The congee is really getting cold."

He let out a low chuckle. The vibration traveled from his chest to my hand.

"Alright."

He sat down at the dining table. The warm yellow light of the lamp softened the sharp lines of his face.

He picked up the spoon and took a sip of the congee.

"It's good," he said, his head lowered.

I sat across from him, watching him eat.

He ate very quietly, but very quickly. It was clear he was really hungry.

My heart ached.

He was always so busy, so tired. Did he even have time for regular meals?

The photo Lin Chen sent flashed through my mind again.

The Japanese restaurant, the woman.

I used to think it was a date.

But now, I was almost certain it was just another business dinner.

That woman was probably a client, or a partner. The thing she was handing him was probably a document.

It was Lin Chen who, with his malicious cropping and suggestive text, had twisted a normal work engagement into an ambiguous affair.

He had been doing this for three years.

For three years, he had been like a phantom, hovering over my marriage, constantly injecting poison, watching with satisfaction as I quarreled with Jiang Chi, as we drifted further and further apart.

Why?

Because he "loved" me?

Is this love?

This is possession. This is destruction.

He couldn't have me, so he wanted to destroy my happiness.

He wanted to prove that his prediction was right, that Jiang Chi was not a good person, that I would not be happy.

He was waiting. Waiting for the day I got divorced, so he could appear as my savior, to pick up the pieces.

How terrifying.

How utterly selfish.

And I had been his most powerful weapon for three years.

"What's on your mind?" Jiang Chi's voice interrupted my thoughts.

He had finished the congee, the bowl empty.

He was looking at me, his eyes dark and deep, like the night sky outside the window.

I shook my head, a smile on my face. "I'm thinking, you eat so fast. Are you always this hungry at work?"

He was taken aback, probably not expecting me to ask this.

He averted his gaze, looking at the empty bowl. "It's alright."

"Jiang Chi," I called him again.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry."

He looked up at me, a flicker of confusion in his eyes.

"For what?"

"For everything before," I said, my voice getting a little choked up. "For the hotel incident, for all the fights, for not trusting you."

The air seemed to freeze.

Jiang Chi just stared at me, his expression unreadable.

I knew he was wary. He probably thought this was another one of my "tricks," a prelude to a bigger fight.

My heart ached with a dull pain.

Look at what I've done to him. I've made the person who loves me the most so cautious, so full of apprehension.

I stood up, walked around the table to him, and knelt down beside his chair.

I rested my head on his lap.

His body was rigid, every muscle tensed.

"Shen Wan, what are you trying to do?" His voice was low and strained.

I didn't answer. I just reached out and wrapped my arms around his waist.

I could feel his strong heartbeat through the thin fabric of his bathrobe. Thump, thump, thump. It was fast and chaotic.

"Jiang Chi," I murmured, my face buried in his lap. "I know you went to a Japanese restaurant tonight."

His body went completely still.

It was as if someone had pressed the pause button.

I continued, "You were with a woman. She was handing you something."

The silence in the room was deafening.

I could almost imagine the storm brewing in his mind.

He must be thinking, here we go again. The calm was just a pretense. The real drama is about to start.

He probably thought I was about to jump up, show him the "evidence," and start screaming and questioning him.

I tightened my grip around his waist.

"The project with the Sakura Group, is it going well?" I asked softly.

His whole body jolted.

He slowly, incredulously, lowered his head to look at me.

"How... how did you know?"

"I saw the proposal you left in the study last week," I lied without blinking. I couldn't tell him about Lin Chen. Not now. "The woman you met tonight, is she from Sakura? Ms. Tanaka?"

Jiang Chi was completely stunned.

He stared at me as if I were a ghost.

After a long, long time, he finally found his voice. "Yes."

"Did you get the contract?" I asked.

"...Yes," he replied, his voice still tinged with disbelief.

"That's great." I finally looked up, a genuine smile on my face. "You've been working on this for so long. You must be exhausted. You should have told me earlier, I could have celebrated with you."

Jiang Chi didn't speak.

He just looked at me, his eyes filled with a storm of emotions I couldn't decipher.

There was shock, confusion, doubt, and... a glimmer of something fragile, like hope.

He slowly raised his hand, as if wanting to touch my face, but hesitated in midair.

"You... you don't suspect anything?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

"Suspect what?" I pretended to be puzzled. "Suspect you of having a business dinner? Mr. Jiang, you're a CEO. Isn't it normal for you to have business dinners with female clients?"

I deliberately used a teasing tone.

His hand finally landed on my cheek.

His palm was warm, but his fingertips were trembling slightly.

"But in the past, you..."

"The past is the past," I interrupted him, my voice firm. "The person in the past was a fool. She's dead. The one in front of you now is a new Shen Wan."

I looked into his eyes, word by word, I said, "A Shen Wan who believes you."

His eyes suddenly turned red.

A single tear escaped from the corner of his eye, rolling down his cheek and onto my hand.

It was scalding hot.

In the three years we had been married, no matter how fiercely we fought, no matter how much I hurt him with my words, I had never seen him cry.

He was always strong, silent, impregnable.

But at this moment, this man, who could face a corporate crisis without batting an eye, was crying because of my simple words, "I believe you." 幸运飞艇开奖直播

My heart felt as if it were being squeezed by a giant hand. I was suffocating with pain.

"Don't cry," I panicked, wiping his tears with my hand. "Why are you crying? It's a happy occasion, you just signed a big contract."

He didn't speak. He just pulled me up from the floor and into his arms, holding me so tightly it felt like he wanted to merge me into his bones.

I could hear his suppressed sobs, his shoulders trembling.

I hugged him back, patting his back gently, just like he had done for me so many times in my imagination.

"It's okay, it's okay," I whispered in his ear. "I'm here. I'll always be here from now on."

We held each other for a long time.

Until his emotions gradually calmed down.

He let go of me slightly, his eyes still red, and looked at me. "Why? Why the sudden change?"

He still couldn't believe it. He needed a reason.

I thought for a moment.

I couldn't tell him about my rebirthlike epiphany. He would think I was crazy.

So, I chose a simpler, more direct way.

I pointed to his heart.

"Because I used this to feel," I said. "I stopped listening to others, stopped looking at those deliberately misleading photos. I started to feel you, with my heart."

"I felt your concern for me, your protection of my family, your silent contributions to this home."

"Jiang Chi," I looked at him, my eyes clear and bright. "I was wrong. I'm sorry. Can you give me a chance to start over?"

He looked at me deeply, as if trying to see into the depths of my soul.

Finally, he nodded, his voice hoarse. "Okay."

That night, for the first time in a long time, he slept in the master bedroom.

He held me in his arms all night, as if I were a precious treasure he had lost and found again.

I slept soundly, more soundly than ever before.

The next few days were peaceful and sweet, like a dream.

Jiang Chi started to come home earlier.

Sometimes, he would even come home for lunch.

He would talk to me more. He would tell me about interesting things at work, about a difficult client, about a stupid subordinate.

He was still not good with words, but he was trying.

He was trying to open up his world to me.

And I, I would listen quietly, and from time to time, I would cook some of his favorite dishes.

We were like an ordinary couple, living a simple, warm life.

This kind of life made me feel at ease, and at the same time, it made me feel a deep sense of guilt.

This was the happiness I should have had long ago.

It was all because of my foolishness and Lin Chen's manipulation that it was delayed for three years.

Speaking of Lin Chen.

He didn't give up.

Seeing that his photo trick didn't work, he started calling me.

The first time he called, I was pruning the plants in the garden. Jiang Chi had bought me a lot of flowers and plants, saying they could lift my mood.

"Wanwan, are you okay? He didn't do anything to you, did he? You haven't been answering my calls, I'm so worried." Lin Chen's voice was full of anxiety.

I calmly trimmed a dead leaf. "I'm fine. What's up?"

My indifference clearly surprised him.

"You... you didn't fight with him?"

"Why should I fight with him?" I asked back. "He signed a big contract for the company. I should be happy for him."

There was a moment of silence on the other end.

"Wanwan," Lin Chen's tone became serious. "You're being naive again. Business is business, private life is private life. Don't let his achievements at work blind you. That woman is definitely not just a client!"

"Oh? How are you so sure?" I asked with interest.

"I... I saw it with my own eyes! Their expressions were so intimate! It's definitely not a normal working relationship!" he said, his tone firm.

"Intimate? How intimate? Did they hold hands? Did they kiss? Or did they go to a hotel?" I asked one question after another.

Lin Chen was stumped. "...No, but their vibe was just not right!"

"Vibe?" I chuckled softly. "Lin Chen, you're not a god. How can you determine their relationship based on some 'vibe'? Besides, you were taking photos from so far away. Can you even see their expressions clearly?"

"I... Wanwan, why are you speaking up for him? Did he brainwash you?" Lin Chen's voice became agitated.

"He didn't brainwash me. I just learned to think for myself," I said calmly. "Lin Chen, we've known each other for so many years. I've always trusted you. But I'm starting to wonder, why are you so obsessed with my marriage? Why do you always appear when I'm at my most vulnerable? Why is your 'evidence' always so timely, so ambiguous, so perfectly designed to stir up trouble?"

My series of questions left him speechless.

"I... I'm just worried about you! I don't want to see you get hurt!" he stammered after a long pause.

"If you're really worried about me, you should hope for my happiness, not constantly try to prove that I'm unhappy," I said, my voice turning cold. "Lin Chen, I'm his wife. I will trust my husband. From now on, please don't send me these things again. And don't say these things to me. I don't want to hear them."

After that, I hung up the phone.

I knew my words were harsh. They probably hurt his "glass heart."

But I didn't care.

Some tumors have to be cut out with a sharp knife.

I thought he would back off after this.

I underestimated his persistence.

A week later, he made his big move.

That day, Jiang Chi was on a business trip to another city. He would be back the next day.

I was at home alone, working on my illustrations.

Around nine o'clock in the evening, the doorbell rang.

I thought it was a delivery. I looked at the monitor.

It was Lin Chen.

His face was pale, his expression anxious. He kept pressing the doorbell.

I frowned, not wanting to open the door.

He started banging on the door.

"Wanwan! Open the door! It's urgent! Something has happened to Jiang Chi!"

My heart skipped a beat.

Could it be that something had really happened to Jiang Chi?

Despite my distrust of Lin Chen, my concern for Jiang Chi overwhelmed everything else.

I opened the door.

Lin Chen rushed in, grabbing my arm.

"Wanwan, hurry! Come with me! Jiang Chi is not on a business trip at all! He's here, in this city, with that woman!"

His eyes were bloodshot, his expression frantic, as if he had just witnessed a shocking scene.

I pulled my arm back, taking a step away from him.

"What are you talking about?"

"I have proof!" He took out his phone and showed me a photo.

It was a photo of a car. Jiang Chi's car.

It was parked in the underground garage of a familiar building.

The "Dynasty Clubhouse," a highend private club in the city.

"I just saw his car here! He lied to you, saying he was on a business trip, but he's actually here, fooling around with that woman!" Lin Chen said, his voice filled with righteous indignation. "Wanwan, you can't be fooled by him anymore! Come with me, we'll go up and catch them in the act! You have to see his true colors for yourself!"

He reached out to grab me again, trying to pull me out.

I stood my ground, not moving an inch.

I looked at him, then at the photo on his phone.

My mind was surprisingly clear.

"This photo, when did you take it?" I asked.

"Just now! Less than ten minutes ago!"

"So, you've been staking out here?" I looked at him, a hint of ridicule in my eyes.

Lin Chen's face stiffened. "I... I was just passing by and happened to see it!"

"Passing by? Lin Chen, this is the northern part of the city. Your home is in the south, your company is in the city center. You 'passed by' here at nine o'clock at night? Are you sleepwalking?"

My words were sharp and direct.

Lin Chen's face turned pale, then red.

"That's not the point! The point is that Jiang Chi is lying to you! He's with another woman!" he said, raising his voice, as if to cover up his panic.

"Oh?" I crossed my arms. "So what if his car is here? Does that mean he's here too? Can't he lend his car to someone else?"

"How is that possible! His car... he never lends it to anyone!"

"How do you know he never lends it?" I retorted. "Are you a parasite in his body?"

"Shen Wan!" Lin Chen was completely flustered and exasperated. "Why are you still defending him at a time like this! I'm doing this for your own good!"

"For my own good?" I sneered. "For my own good is to barge into my house in the middle of the night, trying to drag me to a clubhouse to 'catch an adulterer'? Lin Chen, do you think I'm a fool, or do you think you're a genius director?"

I took a step forward, my eyes fixed on him.

"Let me guess your script. You drag me to the Dynasty Clubhouse, probably to a specific room. Then, you'll 'happen to' find Jiang Chi and a woman inside. Maybe they're just talking, maybe they're having a drink. But with your commentary and the ambiguous environment, it will look like a scene of adultery to me, a wife who has been 'deceived'."

"Then, I will have a breakdown, have a huge fight with Jiang Chi, and our relationship, which has just started to mend, will be completely shattered. And you, you will be my 'savior' again, comforting me, supporting me, and waiting for me to fall into your arms. Am I right?"

Every word I said made Lin Chen's face turn a shade paler.

By the time I finished, his face was as white as a sheet of paper.

He looked at me in disbelief, as if he were seeing me for the first time.

"You... you..." He was speechless.

"I what?" I smiled, but there was no warmth in my eyes. "Surprised that I'm not playing along with your script anymore? Lin Chen, I've been your puppet for three years. That's enough."

I pointed to the door.

"Get out."

My voice was cold, without a trace of emotion.

"Wanwan, you've misunderstood me! I really..." He still tried to argue.

"I said, get out!" I suddenly raised my voice, my eyes filled with an anger that had been suppressed for a long time. "Don't you understand human language? Or do I need to call security?"

He was frightened by my sudden outburst.

He looked at me, his lips trembling, a mixture of grievance, unwillingness, and malice in his eyes.

"Shen Wan, you'll regret this," he said, his voice venomous. "You'll regret choosing to believe that hypocrite. You'll come crying to me one day!"

"I won't," I said, word by word. "Even if I have to live on the streets, even if I have to beg for a living, I will never look for you again. Lin Chen, from this moment on, you and I are strangers."

I slammed the door in his face.

The loud bang echoed in the empty living room.

My body slid down the door, and I sat on the cold floor.

My strength seemed to have been drained in that final confrontation.

But my heart felt an unprecedented sense of relief.

It was over.

The nightmare that had entangled me for three years was finally over.

I sat on the floor for a long time.

Then, I took out my phone and called Jiang Chi.

The call connected quickly.

"Hello?" His voice was clear, not at all like someone who had been drinking or was in a noisy environment.

"Where are you?" I asked, my voice still a little shaky.

"At the hotel. I just finished a video conference. I was about to call you. Did you miss me?" His tone was light, with a hint of teasing.

My nose stung, and tears welled up in my eyes.

"Jiang Chi," I called his name, my voice choked with sobs.

"What's wrong?" He immediately became nervous. "Did something happen? Wanwan, don't cry, talk to me."

"Your car," I said, "is it at the Dynasty Clubhouse?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end.

"Yes," he said. "My assistant, Xiao Wang, his wife is giving birth tonight. His own car broke down. I lent him mine. He said he was going to the clubhouse to pick up a document for me first. How did you know?"

"I..." I didn't know how to explain.

"Did Lin Chen look for you?" Jiang Chi's voice suddenly turned cold.

I was stunned. "You... you knew?"

"I had security installed at the door," he said, his voice low. "I saw everything."

My heart pounded.

He knew. He knew everything Lin Chen had done. He knew Lin Chen had come to find me.

"Why... why didn't you tell me?"

"I wanted you to see it for yourself," he said, his voice filled with a deep exhaustion. "Wanwan, I can explain once, twice. But if you don't trust me from the bottom of your heart, any explanation is useless. It will only become a new point of contention."

"I was waiting. Waiting for the day you would be willing to trust me, even without any evidence."

His words were like a hammer, striking my heart heavily.

So, he had been enduring all this time.

He had been enduring my unreasonable quarrels, my groundless suspicions, and Lin Chen's constant provocations.

He was just waiting.

Waiting for me to wake up.

Tears streamed down my face uncontrollably.

"I'm sorry... Jiang Chi, I'm so sorry..." I could only repeat these words, crying like a child.

"Don't cry," he said softly on the other end. "It's not your fault. It's my fault for not being good enough, for not giving you enough security."

"I'm booking a flight back now. I'll be home in three hours. Wait for me."

After hanging up the phone, I sat on the floor, crying and laughing at the same time.

I felt like I had shed all the grievances and pain of the past three years.

I looked around this house.

This home that Jiang Chi had built for us with his own hands.

There were my illustrations on the wall, the flowers and plants he bought in the corner, and the faint scent of him in the air.

This was our home.

A home that had almost been destroyed by my foolishness.

But now, it was fine.

We had weathered the storm.

A thought suddenly, and intensely, popped into my mind.

I wanted to solidify this home.

I wanted to have a bond with this man that no one could ever break.

I wanted to create a new life with him, a life that belonged only to us.

Three hours later, Jiang Chi rushed back, his body still carrying the chill of the night flight.

He saw me sitting at the door, and his eyes were full of heartache.

He strode over, pulled me up from the floor, and held me tightly in his arms.

"I'm back."

His voice was hoarse, but it was the most beautiful sound in the world.

I buried my face in his chest, taking in his familiar scent, my heart finally settling down completely.

I didn't cry, I didn't complain.

I just looked up at him, my eyes clear and firm.

I stood on my tiptoes and kissed him on the lips.

He was stunned for a moment, then responded with a passionate, almost frantic kiss.

This was our first kiss after our reconciliation.

It was full of longing, regret, and the joy of finding what was lost.

After a long time, he let go of me, his forehead resting against mine, both of us panting.

His eyes were dark and fiery, as if they could burn me to ashes.

"Wanwan..."

I put a finger to his lips, stopping him from speaking.

I looked into his eyes, and with the most serious and devout tone in my life, I said,

"Jiang Chi, let's have a baby."