Cheng Yuan thought he could accept her leaving, but he couldn't. He missed her terribly every day.
She appeared in his dreams.
He wanted to comfort her, wipe her tears, hear her call him "husband."
Xiao Xiao, where are you?
Come back, okay?
Cheng Yuan collapsed onto the sofa. As his hand fell, it was accidentally cut by a knife on the coffee table. Blood dripped from the cut, instantly staining his fingers red.
He seemed not to notice, staring blankly as the blood flowed.
Lin Xu was the first to realize something was wrong. He looked down and exclaimed in shock, "A Yuan, what are you doing?"
They thought Cheng Yuan was trying to kill himself in front of them. They rushed forward and grabbed his hand. "We know you miss Jiang Xiao, but you can't kill yourself over this. Besides, she's just a woman you got tired of. Is it worth it?"
Lin Xu spoke without thinking, until he felt the sting on his cheek. He covered his face and said, "Why did you hit me?"
"Jiang Xiao is not a woman I got tired of. I love her." Cheng Yuan's eyes blazed with anger. "I won't allow any of you to speak ill of her. I've warned you before, but you didn't listen."
"..."
In the past, they had said even worse things—that Jiang Xiao was shameless, calculating, and vicious—whatever was most hurtful.
Back then, Cheng Yuan would just laugh it off and never said anything.
"Why do you think we said those things? It's because you allowed it," Xu Cong said. "Don't forget, you said worse things to Jiang Xiao's face. You told her to get lost and never appear again. What? Found your conscience? Regretting it?"
Cheng Yuan couldn't recall some things, but prompted by Xu Cong, he actually remembered.
It was the second year of their marriage, on their anniversary. Jiang Xiao had prepared early, asking him to watch a movie. He stood her up to meet another woman.
Jiang Xiao somehow found out and barged into the private room, demanding, "Which one do you want? Her or me?"
He was drunk and didn't really hear what she said—or maybe he did but simply didn't care.
He said lightly, "Her."
Jiang Xiao bit her lip and asked again, "And what about me?"
He raised his eyelids and said coldly, "Get lost wherever you came from."
Jiang Xiao threw a glass of wine in his face. His authority challenged, he couldn't let it slide.
That day, he deliberately came home very late. Seeing Jiang Xiao already asleep, he woke her up roughly and tangled with her against her will.
She cried out in pain, and he sneered, "This is punishment for disobeying."
Later, unable to bear it, she begged him to stop, crying, "I'll be good from now on."
Drunk, he didn't stop. He took her again and again.
She cried so much her pillow was soaked, but in the end, all she got from him was a cold, "Jiang Xiao, if you provoke me again, I'll make your life hell."
For a long time after that, Jiang Xiao was very quiet. She did her chores but made no sound, like a lifeless porcelain doll.
He thought, at least she'd cooperate.
Afterward, he wanted to shower, carrying her with him. She resisted but eventually submitted.
He grabbed her chin and asked, "Will you be good from now on?"
With red eyes, she replied, "...I'll be good."
She was indeed very good. She never dared to ask about his whereabouts again. Even when he missed her birthday, she showed no anger.
When he came home, she would help him with his washing water and gently ask, "Tired?"
He tossed his tie onto the sofa and lifted her up. "Never say 'tired' to a man."
They entangled on the sofa all night. She wanted to go to the bedroom, but he didn't allow it. "I like excitement."
"What? You don't want to?"
She shook her head. "No. Whatever makes you happy."
During that time, he was indeed in a good mood.
Later, a scandal broke out, claiming he had a rendezvous with a female model. He didn't rush to take down the trending topic, wanting to see Jiang Xiao's reaction. As expected, she didn't question him at all. She just took good care of him.
She let him do whatever he wanted, even when exhausted, never complaining.
No, she did complain once.
She asked, "Do you love me?"
He pinched her waist, lowered his head, and bit her lower lip. "Isn't this love?"
"Not like this." Jiang Xiao, with tears in her eyes, asked, "Do you love me?"
"Troublesome." He silenced her with a kiss, never saying whether he loved her or not.
Jiang Xiao was smart. She never asked such questions again. People in their circle said he married a vase, but they never knew how captivating that vase could be when filled with water.
He once thought the vase would belong to him forever.
Lin Xu pushed Xu Cong, clearing his throat to remind him not to talk nonsense.