Two-Faced Husband, Have Some Decency!

Timidly, she placed her hands on the table. He reached for them, and began to stroke. Yearning gripped her.

”Grandfather and Grandmother Qi will be easier to deal with than my parents. If we manage to convince them, my parents will cease to be a problem,” he declared as he caressed her hand.

Once she understood his motive, the nervousness she felt vanished. Relief washed over her, born from the shelter found beneath his wings. All her problems, all her insecurities, all her worries vanished merely by being beside him.

…

…

Upon finishing the steamboat, Song Yu told him that she felt glutted. In response, they both descended the flights of stairs through the mall, completely ignoring the elevator. The walk to the car park helped ease the indigestion.

Song Yu had merely glanced at the wares as they had walked through the mall. She had no intention of making a purchase, but all the intention to spend as much time as she was able to with Qi Chengzhi.

As they had passed by a designer outlet, Qi Chengzhi had caught sight of Jian Yi handing his sister a knee-length, white cashmere coat.

The article of clothing had looked uncannily similar to a piece Song Yu owned.

Squinting, he had gripped Song Yu’s hand tightly.

”What is it?” Song Yu had asked curiously, sensing his distress.

”Nothing,” Qi Chengzhi had replied. Turning towards her and blocking her line of sight, he had simply continued gripping her hand and leading her away.

…

…

Qi Chengyue donned the white coat over her pink dress. It complemented her chestnut brown tresses and fair complexion well. She looked young and radiant, almost resembling the cover girl of a popular pop magazine.

”Do I look pretty?” Qi Chengyue gave a twirl before facing Jian Yi, who was perched on a sofa. Her broad smile revealed her two dimples.

Jian Yi watched, bewildered for a moment. The white coat was something he had picked up whilst lackadaisically going through the store.

Song Yu owned a similarly designed coat. The two coats were distinct close-up, but from afar they looked identical.

Jian Yi was immediately drawn to it. He had taken it off the rack and handed it to Qi Chongyue without a second thought.

For a split second he had seen Song Yu, but the emergence of the dimples caused the illusion to vanish.

Disappointed, he hesitantly replied, ”Very nice.”

Qi Chengyue was delighted. She thought him to be bewildered by her beauty and decided to purchase the coat.

…

…

That night, Jian Yi went to Song Yu’s house.

He knew that she would not want to see him, but he just could not help it. He was unable to accept the moment of intimacy that he had witnessed.

Didn’t she like him?

He knew that she had liked him, so, how could she just turn to another without a second thought?

Filled with longing, he stood at her front door. He stayed there for a moment before mustering up the courage to knock.

He knocked until his knuckles were red, but no one answered.

He turned around, ready to leave, when he heard the door clicked open.

”Young man, are you looking for Song Yu?” Aunt Zhang asked.

”Is she not in?” Jian Yi asked.

”Don’t you know she moved to her boyfriend’s house?” Aunt Zhang replied.

After she uttered those words, Jian Yi’s expression shifted from one of civility to anger. Aunt Zhang, terrified by the alteration, made to shut the door.

”When did she move out?” demanded Jian Yi, closing in. He tried to control his anger by clenching his fists.

”Yesterday! She has a rather handsome boyfriend, all tall and elegant. And, according to my husband, the car he drives costs a few million dollars. You’re looking–” before Aunt Zhang could finish, Jian Yi stormed away, his eyes bulging.

Aunt Zhang patted her chest, feeling shocked. ”Who was that man? He’s quite scary.”

Jian Yi dashed to his car. Feeling winded, he felt a deep pain in his chest. However, the agony that seeped deep into the marrow of his bones was not one caused by running.

This excruciating pain was ten times worse than anything that could be caused by that.

Opening the glove compartment, Jian Yi took out the pack of cigarettes he had bought from the convenience store.

Recalling the way Qi Chengzhi had appeared when he smoked, he had bought the pack, along with a lighter, without any further consideration.

He removed the plastic seal and took a stick. The foreignness of the action caused him to fumble as he tried to light the cigarette. After a few tries, the stick was lit.