Jiang Xiao was probably the unluckiest—not even out of the hospital yet, she was back in again. Her asthma had flared up, worse than expected, and this time she needed to stay for two days of observation.
She really hated the smell of disinfectant in the hospital, so she begged Cheng Yuan to let her be discharged.
The hospital director had some connection with the Cheng family and had watched Cheng Yuan grow up. Out of respect for him, he didn't insist on keeping her, but gave her plenty of medicine to take home.
Before they left, he called Cheng Yuan to his office and gave him some detailed instructions.
Jiang Xiao didn't go, and she didn't know what was said. But when Cheng Yuan came out, his expression was darker than before.
She was always good at reading the room. Seeing his furrowed brows, she automatically kept her distance and tried to be invisible. Once in the car, she obediently leaned against the door, not moving, not speaking.
Her phone rang, but she didn't answer—just hung up.
That, however, displeased Cheng Yuan. As soon as the car stopped at Shengshi Haoting, he grabbed Jiang Xiao's wrist and pulled her into his arms.
"What did you say to the director?"
Jiang Xiao was confused. "I—I didn't say anything."
"Didn't you say you don't want to have my child?" Cheng Yuan demanded coldly. "Dare you say you didn't?"
She had said it.
The director had reminded her to take care of her health so she could have a child in the future.
She casually mentioned that they weren't planning to have children.
Actually, that wasn't something Jiang Xiao had first said. It was during a drunken night when Cheng Yuan had said it. He said he would never love her, and would never give her a child.
If she wanted a child, she could go have one with someone else.
Even knowing it was drunk talk, Jiang Xiao had been heartbroken for a long time.
"I didn't say that," Jiang Xiao said. "You must have misheard."
"It better be that way." Cheng Yuan's eyes seemed to shoot flames, his jaw tight. "Jiang Xiao, our prenuptial agreement states that you must listen to me in everything, including having children. So it's not about whether you want them—it's about whether I want you to have them."
"Don't get things backwards."
He was always rough. Jiang Xiao felt like her wrist was about to break. Enduring the pain, she replied, "You don't have to remind me every time. I know what the agreement says. Don't worry, I'll follow it."
He was used to her submissive side, not her sharp tongue. Cheng Yuan clicked his tongue against his teeth. "Since we're on this topic, let me repeat myself: don't even think about having a child. I won't give you one."
"..."
He was so domineering—wouldn't give her love, wouldn't give her a child. The pain in her heart was unbearable. Jiang Xiao couldn't help asking, looking up, "Cheng Yuan, what do I mean to you?"
"Whatever you think you are." Cheng Yuan said.
What she thought...
"A tool to warm your bed?" Jiang Xiao didn't want to demean herself, but that was the truth. Aside from that one thing, he never paid her any attention.
"Warm my bed?" Cheng Yuan scoffed. "With your skills, you've got a long way to go."
Her skills were bad, so who was good?
Jiang Xiao thought of the models he'd been rumored with. Her smile was uglier than her tears. "If that's the case, maybe we should separate."
She had thought those words would be hard to say, but when they came out, it wasn't that difficult.
"What did you say?"
"Since you don't like me anyway, we might as well split."
"Split?" Cheng Yuan laughed, his voice vicious. "Dream on!"
"Jiang Xiao, you were the one who came after me first. If you want to leave, you have to ask for my permission."
"You don't love me—why won't you let me go?" Jiang Xiao asked, her eyes red.
"Let you go?" Cheng Yuan's Adam's apple moved slowly. "So you can go find some other man? Don't even think about it!"
"I don't have another man." Jiang Xiao had a purity in love; she wouldn't just be with any man. "Cheng Yuan, don't slander me."
"Am I slandering you, or are you just not admitting it?" Cheng Yuan gripped her shoulders, almost crushing them. "You really think I don't know what you've been doing?"
A ringtone came from Jiang Xiao's phone. The caller ID showed: Chang Sai.
Chang Sai was her college classmate. They had lost contact for years, but reconnected at last month's alumni reunion. Occasionally they chatted about old times.
He always initiated the conversations; Jiang Xiao never reached out to him.
Jiang Xiao reached for her phone, but Cheng Yuan grabbed it first, pressing answer. A man's deep, pleasant voice came through.
"Xiao Xiao, I remember you like A Yuan's songs. He's coming to Jingbei for a concert next week. Want to go together?"
Cheng Yuan repeated, "Xiao Xiao—what a sweet name."
"Who... who's speaking?"
"Me. Jiang Xiao's husband."
Before Chang Sai could say anything, Cheng Yuan hung up.
Jiang Xiao explained, "He's just a classmate. There's nothing between us. Don't misunderstand."
"Just a classmate?" Cheng Yuan's fingers landed on her slender neck. "Do classmates call each other so intimately? Xiao Xiao?"