Everyone around me thought I should be with Liam. My friends said: "He's liked you for so many years, everyone can see it. Oh come on, don't be so picky." My parents said: "You two grew up together, we know him inside and out. Anyway, he's the only son-in-law we'll ever acknowledge!" Even when strangers posted my picture on the university confession page trying to find me, countless enthusiastic people would step up to tell them: "She has a boyfriend! He's liked her for years, they're getting married right after graduation!" "If those two don't make it, I'll never believe in true love again!" But... I felt absolutely nothing for him. At our wedding, looking at everyone's smiling faces, I only felt profound alienation. He held my hand, his eyes red, swearing: "Wife, I promise to love you for the rest of my life!" But in the third year of our marriage, he cheated. 1 While slacking off at work, I scrolled past an anonymous post made by my husband. 【I'm a scumbag, go ahead and curse me.】 【In the eyes of outsiders, my wife and I are childhood sweethearts, perfectly matched, approved by both sets of parents, and blessed by our friends. In reality, it rotted away a long time ago.】 【We've been married for three years, and I realized the person I truly love is still my ex-girlfriend. Not ending up with her is the biggest regret of my life.】 The internet exploded. 【What did your wife do wrong? If you're so madly in love with your ex, why did you marry your wife in the first place?】 【Seems devoted, actually a hypocrite.】 Liam was still deeply reminiscing. 【We had a three-month 'end of the world' romance.】 【Every day we were together, we lived it as if it were our last.】 【We played video games together, experimented with cooking together, and went crazy under the open sky. She is my soulmate, my brother-in-arms, my lover, the other half of my life.】 【We agreed that after those three months, she would go abroad to study, and I would continue with my life.】 【When we broke up, we promised to hike the Appalachian Trail together. We got lost in the rocky terrain, suffered from hypothermia, and had no cell service. At that moment, we both felt that even dying together there wouldn't be so bad.】 【When we finally made it down, we both cried. I knew neither of us was willing to let go.】 The comments below were already a bloodbath of curses. 【Stupid scumbag, bless your daddy!】 【Why didn't you two mutts freeze to death up there?】 Liam replied: 【She returned to the States today. She messaged me saying she still can't forget me and wants to be together. I'm going to pursue my own happiness.】 【Everyone, wish me luck.】 The netizens lost their minds. 【Algorithm, do your thing! Push this post to the wife!】 【The scumbag's IP is in Florida, the algorithm pushed it to me in New York. Back! Back! Push it back!】 ... There really is no limit to how disgusting people can be in this world. I frowned as I read it. It was exactly time to clock out. A girl in my office, Mia, asked me: "Nora, want to leave together? My boyfriend is driving over to pick me up, we can give you a ride." Another colleague, Sarah, interrupted her with a laugh. "Why are you worrying about her? Nora's husband dotes on her so much, he's definitely coming to pick her up soon." Mia suddenly realized. "How could I forget? Nora's husband is the model husband." They didn't wait for my answer, chatting and laughing as they left. "Wait..." I sighed and looked down at my phone. On the screen, the WeChat message I sent Liam two hours ago was still hanging empty in the chat box. "Hubby, it's raining today. Can you come pick me up?" No reply. He was always like this. He never checked his phone while working. People around me always advised me: Liam is such a good man, he doesn't smoke or drink, what more are you looking for? The rain outside grew heavier. I dashed into the subway braving the downpour, soaking wet. The people around me moved away with a look of disgust, annoyed that I was dripping water on them. I apologized repeatedly. Just then, my phone pinged. The post I was reading earlier had updated. 【Picked her up.】 It was a picture of two tightly clasped hands. I immediately noticed a familiar scar at the base of the man's thumb, exactly the same as Liam's. I froze, instinctively calling Liam, but he declined the call. "Busy." The more I looked, the more familiar it seemed. Looking at the anonymous avatar again, it was a stylized version of the crest of a top-3 university in the country. Liam had only gotten in because of lowered requirements for ROTC students, and his alma mater was always his biggest point of pride. Same IP, same watch, same university, same sudden "business." Are there really that many coincidences in this world? I felt cold all over. The AC in the subway was freezing, so cold that every bone in my body wanted to curl up. Holding onto the last shred of possibility, I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and sent him a message. "Hubby, my stomach really hurts. Can you come pick me up?" This time, Liam replied very quickly. "The company suddenly sent me on a three-day business trip. Be sensible and manage on your own." I suddenly lost all desire to communicate with him. A while later, my phone rang. It was my best friend, Chloe. "I heard from Liam that you're not feeling well. What's wrong?" "My stomach hurts." "Get off at the next stop, I'm driving over to pick you up right now." Chloe was fast. Before long, I was sitting in the passenger seat of her new car. The warmth of the heated seats perfectly soothed my physical discomfort. I was just about to tell her about the post I saw today and my suspicions, when I heard Chloe sigh with emotion. "This is why I say Liam really loves you. Look, he's out of town on a business trip, but the moment he heard you weren't feeling well, he called me immediately, going out of his way to have me take care of you." "What kind of good karma did you accumulate to meet a good husband like Liam!" The words I wanted to say got stuck in my throat. The familiar suffocating feeling surged up again. It had always been like this. From my classmates and friends, to my colleagues after I started working, Liam was the perfect boyfriend in everyone's eyes. My friends would say: "Liam is so good to you, stop causing trouble!" "I think you two are a perfect match." Liam's friends would say: "He's liked you for so many years." "We helped him along the way, finally waiting for the day he confessed. Did you really feel nothing?" The most suffocating were probably my parents. "You two have known each other since you were kids, we know his roots. Anyway, we only acknowledge him as our son-in-law!" Everyone around me said Liam was great, a perfect, good husband. What kind of good karma did I have to find such a good man? But... is that really true? 2 After getting home, I felt chills running down my spine. I probably caught a cold. I casually picked up my tablet nearby, only to see 99+ unread messages in a group chat. Clicking into it, I found it was a group created by Liam. It was mostly filled with my friends, but I had never seen this group before. He was asking urgently in the chat: "Emergency! If any of you are free, could you please go pick up Nora? I'm on a business trip and can't make it back. I'll treat you to dinner when I return." Below, my friends erupted in praise. "When it comes to loving his wife, Liam is the man!" "I'm impressed, I'm truly impressed. After all these years, ten dogs would have died from choking on your PDA." At this moment, Chloe had also arrived home and reported in the group. "Reporting to Liam, I have safely delivered Nora home." Liam quickly replied with a "fist and palm salute" emoji. "Thanks for being a true friend, Chloe. I'll treat you to dinner when I get back." Looking at the group's creation date, it was actually six years ago. My chest felt incredibly tight. No wonder back then, no matter what I wanted, Liam always seemed to know immediately and deliver it. We always "happened" to bump into each other at various gatherings, and our friends always "happened" to cheer us on at the exact right moments. My chest felt blocked, yet I couldn't say anything. Say he shouldn't have added my friends? Say he shouldn't have gone through the trouble of finding out what I liked? ... None of that felt right to say. After getting together with him, this feeling always stuck in my throat, yet I could never articulate it. I casually picked up the tablet, opened Spotify on it, planning to play some music to change my mood. I accidentally clicked into his following list and found he only had one mutual follower. Curious, I clicked on it, only to find he and this person had been mutually following each other for 1,835 days. A string in my heart began to pull taut. The person was Liam's senior from college, Elena. It seemed she went abroad after graduation, and they hadn't contacted each other for a few years. But half a year ago, they started talking again. They said good morning and good night to each other every day, and their "recently listened together" history was densely packed. Liam never liked replying to my messages while at work, saying it affected his productivity. But he and Elena chatted from morning till night. Complaining about stupid colleagues who only knew how to pass the buck, complaining about incompetent bosses who only knew how to kiss up to leadership. They had so much to talk about. He would even be reluctant to say goodbye when going into a meeting. "I have to go to a meeting, need to hand in my phone. I'll contact you as soon as I'm out!" ... Just yesterday's chat log. Elena: "I'm returning to the States tomorrow. We haven't seen each other in three years, I'm suddenly a bit scared." Liam: "Scared of what?" Elena: "Scared I'm not as pretty as I used to be. What if you don't like me anymore?" Liam: "You are always the most beautiful in my heart." Elena: "Everyone knows how much you dote on your wife, I heard about it even across the ocean. Model husband. emoji covering mouth laughing" Liam: "I'm only with her because she's suitable." A moment later, he sent another message. "If you hadn't insisted on going abroad back then..." Elena: "Well, I'm coming back now, aren't I? Have you thought about how you're going to welcome me?" Liam: "Tomorrow, I'll bring your favorite Gloriosa lilies to pick you up." "Wait for me." I instinctively opened that post. Sure enough, it was updated again. They were eating at a notoriously hard-to-book Michelin-starred restaurant in the city. In the corner of the photo was the silhouette of flame-like Gloriosa lilies. I suddenly remembered that last month was our wedding anniversary, and I had gone to great lengths to book that restaurant. I heard that restaurant was incredibly photogenic. I borrowed a Polaroid camera, bought lots of film, and spent two hours doing my makeup beforehand, planning to take beautiful photos. But Liam, complaining it was a waste of money, frowned and told me to cancel it. "We're already married, why waste money on this?" "We still need to have kids, pay for their education, buy a house in a good school district, and provide for our parents' retirement. Which of those doesn't require money? How can you still be as immature as when you were single?" It felt like someone had poured a bucket of cold water over me. But... I was using my own salary, wasn't I? I dejectedly prepared to cancel it, but Liam suddenly remembered something. "Give me your phone." I was a bit confused, but I handed him my phone anyway. "I have a friend who's planning to propose. You can push this reservation back a month, right?" I nodded, not thinking deeply about how he knew that Michelin reservation could be postponed. Then I watched helplessly as he changed the date to today. "Little Liu is going to propose to his girlfriend, let's not let it go to waste," he said, smiling playfully as he reached out and hugged me. "I'll tell him later, he'll definitely thank you, sis." "I'll cook you a meal you like tonight. Why waste money going out?" "Watch your husband show off his skills!" Later that day, I was washing dishes and cleaning a greasy kitchen until midnight. When I complained to my friends later, they actually thought it was my fault. "I don't think Liam is wrong, he's thinking about your future." "That meal is so expensive. Now that you're married, you're a unit, of course you have to consider his thoughts. Didn't he end up cooking for you anyway?" "Don't be ungrateful. Finding a good husband like Liam is good karma from your past life!" But before I got married, I could go out and have a nice meal with friends for holidays. How come after getting married, I suddenly didn't deserve anything? I looked at that photo, laughing so hard tears streamed down my face. So changing the date was all for today. She deserves the best. While I only deserve greasy dishes. 3 Unable to swallow this anger, I hailed a cab and went straight to that Michelin-starred restaurant. But when I arrived, the table was already empty, with only waiters clearing the dishes. I stared blankly at that table, feeling as if I had thrown a punch with all my might, only to hit thin air. Perhaps because I looked so lost, the manager came over and asked politely: "Miss, do you need any assistance?" I shook my head, turned around, and went home exhausted. The dizziness I had been forcefully suppressing surged up. When I pushed open the door, I felt my whole body go weak. But I didn't expect someone to be home. Liam was back? Hearing the sound of the door opening, he turned to look at me, his face full of displeasure. "Where did you go this late?" I stood blankly at the door, wondering if I was dreaming. Shouldn't he be out on a date with Elena? "What are you spacing out for?" Liam frowned and walked over, but when he saw my face clearly, he froze for a second. The next moment, his hand was on my forehead. "Why is your face so red? Do you have a fever?" My brain was a bit slow to process. "Weren't you on a business trip?" Liam answered nonchalantly, "The other side canceled at the last minute." I tried to lift my foot to change my shoes, but my legs suddenly gave out, and I stumbled, almost falling. Liam was quick to catch me. Then, I felt my body lift—he actually scooped me up into a princess carry? "You're too tired tonight, go rest in bed first. I'll find you some medicine." No, he's acting too unusual tonight. He hadn't treated me like this in a long time since we got married. My mind was a mess. Did I really misunderstand him? It wasn't until the unfamiliar scent of body wash on him hit my nose that I regained a shred of clarity. Immediately after, I saw a bright red lipstick mark on the back collar of his shirt. Like a triumphant declaration of war. "Your shirt..." I suddenly spoke. I felt Liam's body, pressed tightly against mine, noticeably stiffen. "What's wrong with my shirt?" "There's a lipstick mark." I stared intently at his face, wanting to see what excuse he could come up with this time. Liam froze for a second, then laughed. "I got rear-ended on the way to the airport. The company sent a seven-seater, and a female colleague in the back wasn't wearing her seatbelt and crashed into me." He answered very naturally, the excuse perfectly flawless. I was certain that even if I went to his company to ask, this incident would absolutely be verified. Liam never told lies that could be exposed. He was always meticulous. He became a department head just three years after graduation. He covered all his bases with everyone, otherwise he wouldn't have made everyone around me unable to say a single bad thing about him. But when he directed this meticulousness at me, the "bad" person automatically became me. 4 I went home holding onto my last shred of hope. "Liam cheated." My dad's first reaction wasn't to speak up for me, but to scold me. "What crazy fit are you throwing now? What exactly are you dissatisfied with regarding Liam? You've been married for three years, why are you still so immature!" My mom was also frowning beside him. "You can't just say things like that. It's always better to stick with your first spouse. Besides, Liam is so good to you. He usually does the cooking at home, what more are you dissatisfied with?" "Let me tell you, you need to read less of that nonsense online. They say the divorce rate for your generation is over fifty percent! Everyone is an only child, everyone is selfish, and no one is willing to compromise. Even teeth can bite the tongue sometimes. Who else but Liam would tolerate you so much?" But his so-called tolerance doesn't make me happy! Before I could even say another word, I was drowned in a tidal wave of accusations from my parents. I took a deep breath. It had always been like this since I was a child. My dad would always say that parents are never wrong, that parents are the most hateful yet most lovable people. While constantly making decisions "for my own good"—insisting I return to them after graduation to do a job I didn't like, insisting I marry someone they thought was good, insisting I do the right thing at the right time. But, following the script to marry and have kids, living a predictable life until you die with your kids crying by your bed—is that really the "right" thing? I could never hold back my tears in front of my parents. My voice choked up. "I saw a red lipstick mark on Liam's white shirt." "He took the Michelin restaurant reservation I made for our wedding anniversary and used it to have dinner with his senior, and lied to me saying he gave it to a colleague to propose." "I wanted to go out for a meal, but he said eating out was a waste of money and would only cook at home." The more I spoke, the more disorganized it became. This was my old problem. I could never hit the main point, only list things flatly, hoping the listener would realize along with me what was wrong. Before I could finish, my dad slammed his hand heavily on the table. "When are you going to fix this habit of wasting money?! Liam is being frugal for your future, and you come back crying and demanding a divorce!" "You say he cheated, based on a single lipstick mark? What if someone accidentally brushed against him?" "So he treated someone to a meal, is that some fundamental mistake?" "Are you throwing a tantrum and not giving him a chance to explain again?" "I'm putting this out there right now: I will never acknowledge any other son-in-law besides Liam! If you dare divorce him, get the hell out of this house!" I finally couldn't take it anymore. I grabbed my bag and stormed out. But I had barely reached the ground floor when my phone rang. It was my mom. Her voice was distorted with panic. "Nora, come back quickly!!! Your dad had a heart attack because you made him so mad!!! Hurry up and call 911!!!" In that moment, I felt cold from head to toe. I practically turned around like a madwoman and took the elevator up. I saw my dad clutching his chest, unable to breathe, slumped on the floor, while my mom supported him, completely at a loss for what to do. "Quick, find his medicine!!!" 5 I sat with my mom outside the operating room. The red "In Surgery" light was cold and indifferent. My mom turned to look at me. My dad was always the one making the decisions at home, and she was used to not having to worry about anything. Now, she was completely lost. "Did you call Liam?" I had just followed the nurses running up and down, registering and paying fees, and I realized I hadn't thought of calling Liam the entire time. Even though he was the most considerate, perfect husband in everyone's eyes, when I needed help the most, I instinctively avoided him. "Call him, tell him to come." "There's no need, I can handle this myself." I instinctively refused. My mom reached up and rubbed her face. "Nora, did your dad and I raise you to be too independent?" "You can do everything yourself. Liam is a man too. By doing this, you make him feel completely unneeded. Since he can't find that feeling with you, he'll naturally look for it elsewhere." She looked at me seriously. This was indeed the rule she had lived by with my dad all these years. That sense of powerlessness surged up again. But Mom, people are different. Many of the unwritten rules from their generation are useless now. In their era, they said men work outside and women manage the home. The man earned the money, the woman was a full-time mother, and together they supported the family. It's not like now, where both men and women have jobs, but the man goes home, kicks his feet up like a king, and says that since ancient times men work outside and women manage the home, so grown men shouldn't do chores. Just because Liam was willing to do a little housework, he was praised to the high heavens. But I don't care about that bowl of noodles he makes. I clearly have the means to go out and eat a $30 crab roe noodle soup. I don't need a carelessly thrown-together fried egg and chili noodle soup, only to be left to wash the dishes and clean up a messy kitchen by myself afterward. I often doubted who was the real child of my parents—me or Liam? Why did they always defend him unconditionally? But my dad was still in the operating room, and I didn't want to argue with my mom at a time like this. I called Liam and briefly explained the situation. "I'll be right there." Seeing I had hung up, my mom was very satisfied. "Your uncle even had an illegitimate child back then, but aren't he and your aunt still living a good life now?" "Listen to your mom. A second marriage is never the same. No matter what, it's impossible to find someone as considerate as your first husband. You'll have a very hard time finding anyone better than Liam later on." "Do you have any substantial proof of his infidelity? No, right?" "If you two really get divorced, you won't get a single penny! You've been married to him for three years. Are you just going to hand him over to some cheap woman outside?" "Furthermore, if I were you, I would forgive him. Now that you have dirt on him, you can control him even better." I felt cold all over listening to her. I had never imagined my mom thought this way.
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