I stare at the chat interface, scrolling up through the messages. It’s not funny—it’s fascinating, almost absurd, how consistent the content has been.
He asks: “Want a divorce?”
I reply: “No.”
He asks: “Why not?”
I reply: “The kids.”
Every day, the same questions—seven hundred and sixty times, not even pausing for Spring Festival.
I know it’s Meiling sending these, not Chen Ming. He dotes on her so much that she can pick up his phone, browse through his messages, and reply as she pleases.
Honestly, I’m not just jealous as a wife—any woman in the world would envy being spoiled like that, wouldn’t she?
But today, the message is different. It must be from him this time.
“Are you coming home?” I ask.
He replies: “Yeah, I’m coming back.”
I type: “Good, congratulations on coming home.”
Inside, I feel nothing—just a stagnant pool of resignation. Actually, giving up on someone is easy. It’s as simple as letting out a long sigh and moving on with life.
Then I add: “By the way, buy me a bag to calm my nerves. I can’t risk my life for nothing. Get me that limited-edition Hermès bag. If you don’t, I’ll make a scene at your company.”
He’s not afraid of me dying, but he’s terrified of me causing a public disturbance.
The bag costs 120,000 yuan. I didn’t dare ask for more—my life is only worth that much to him. If I asked for more, he’d ignore me completely.
That evening, after picking up the kids—my son Xiao Jie and daughter Xiao Mei—I look at them and feel a surge of strength. They are my reason for enduring all this hardship for over two years. No matter how hard things get, as long as I have them, I can keep going.
There’s a knock at the door. It’s the bag, delivered right to my doorstep. Things are so convenient these days—just a phone call, and luxury arrives at your door.
Without hesitation, I call a secondhand shop. The bag, still fresh and “hot,” fetches 118,000 yuan. I deposit the money directly into my mother’s account.
I don’t ask why he hasn’t come home yet. Complaining would be ungrateful. It would show disrespect for the money.
After playing with the kids for a while, my daughter asks: “Is Daddy coming home tonight?”
I say: “Daddy is very busy. All the money we spend is earned by Daddy working hard.
So we have to let him stay out at night, let him miss your childhood.
But I promise, Mommy will always be with you. Always.”
Before bed, I send him a message: “Good night, my dear Chen Ming.”
No matter whose bed you’re in, I hope you have a good rest. The whole family depends on you for our food, fun, and luxuries.
A video arrives from Chen Ming’s phone. In it, he lies with his eyes closed, cheeks flushed, cradled in a woman’s arms. The woman’s face isn’t shown, but I know it’s Meiling. Everyone calls her Mei, but I still call her Meiling.
The first time I found out about Chen Ming’s affair was when she sent me a video of them kissing.
To this day, I don’t understand how someone can record a video while kissing—doesn’t it ruin the mood? Doesn’t it distract from the moment?
I have to admit, she’s beautiful—long legs, a high nose bridge, a delicate chin, big eyes, and pouty lips. She looks more perfect than the dolls I played with as a child.
The first time I met her, her eyes were full of hostility. That’s when I knew she and Chen Ming must have already crossed the line. Only then would she dare to challenge me openly.
I once asked Chen Ming if he could fire her. He looked at me as if I were crazy. “What are you thinking? She hasn’t done anything wrong. I’d fire you before I’d fire her.”
Maybe Meiling realized I couldn’t tolerate her, so she started provoking me openly. That very night, she sent me a photo of her and Chen Ming holding hands. He didn’t come home that night.
After that, she sent me photos almost every day. Chen Ming spent far more time with her than with me, his wife.
When I tried the usual tactics—crying, making a scene, threatening to kill myself—Chen Ming looked at me with disgust, his eyes like knives, shredding every last bit of my self-respect.
“Take a good look at yourself in the mirror. What do you even look like?”
What I look like now is all because of you.
Chapter 02
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