【Night Rain】(5-7, Part 1) Author: lumps

Author: lumps
Word Count: 16335

(V)

Daylight turned to darkness, dampness to sunshine.

I was awakened by the urge to urinate, staggering to my feet from the sofa, almost tripping over the coffee table.

Last night, I fled in panic on a dark road, collapsing onto the sofa as soon as I entered the house, feeling as if
I were a seasick person on a rapidly spinning carousel. And now, I have finally become a half-dry, wet piece of clothing,
shivering and drying in my own home, stiff and numb.

Leaning against the bathroom wall, everything that happened last night is very blurry, as if it never really existed.
The feeling of being stabbed in the heart has never chased after me again. But it wasn't until I washed my hands after urinating and smelled the distinctive sandalwood scent of female
vaginal fluid it dawned on me—and I could no longer pretend. Looking down at the red
stains of virgin blood on my penis, I sadly squatted down in the toilet.

Time seemed to pass by unnoticed. I returned to the sofa and sat down, staring blankly. Several work calls came in
, from the factory, but I was distracted, thinking about other things, my mind racing with

questions —

I only met Luo Mengjie in my senior year of college, and I couldn't be sure if she had ever been in a relationship before me
. A girl as beautiful as her would have countless suitors. Could she
have been taken advantage of during that time? But every time I tried to hold her hand, it was a struggle, and every time I asked for a kiss
, she refused. That was another matter entirely. I prefer to believe that she was still pure back then.

So when did she lose her virginity? I couldn't help but recall that night two years ago, when Mengjie came home
unusually late, and the image of her sobbing by the bedside was still vivid in my mind. Could it be that she was raped by some
thug ?

"No, no, things aren't that simple." Recalling the girl's painful expression on her first night, I was
absolutely certain of a conjecture—even during the second or third time of sex, women don't easily enter
a state of sexual arousal, unlike Mengjie. The thought that a man had repeatedly
penetrated , and perhaps even ejaculated his milky semen into her body, tore at my heart.

Who was that man? Could it be her male colleague? Or perhaps her boss? I knew them both; they were all
nice people. Although they had gone out together before, there had never been the slightest trace of anything between them. I
could n't make heads or tails of it.

Could it be Liu Neng?

Liu Neng had known Meng Jie longer than I had. But the school circle was small, and I had never heard
of any rumors between Liu Neng and Meng Jie. I vaguely remembered that in our junior year, Liu Neng mentioned a
very pretty girl from the next class, and he was definitely talking about Meng Jie.

I couldn't help but think of the scene from a few weeks ago when my wife secretly called him behind my back.
What did she do for those four hours that night? And why did she hide it from me? This time, Liu Neng went around to the hot springs with Mengjie.
Did have some kind of plan for her? Would they have sex? The more I suspected, the stronger this fear became, making me
unable to resist calling Mengjie.

"..." After several calls, she finally answered, but I hesitated, unsure of what to say.

"Linda?" Mengjie called my name in confusion when I didn't speak. Her beautiful voice
was somewhat like Yang Mi's, which I always admired, but now I felt a mix of emotions.

"Linda, what's wrong?"

It was truly difficult to describe my feelings at that moment. The heartache and fear of losing Mengjie,
the anger , the humiliation of being fooled, and the heartbreak of being betrayed made me almost scream. If someone
were sitting next to me, they would surely be surprised by the violent heaving of my chest.

After a long, long time, probably after Mengjie called me several times, I finally calmed down: "I just wanted to ask you... was it fun
over there ?" I suppressed my grief and anger.

"Oh, that's fun! It's really fun. There are over forty kinds of hot springs, all of which are very comfortable. There are also massages and stuff.
I'm planning to try them tomorrow."

"So, are you still alone?" I pressed. "Have you gotten to know all the people at Liu Neng's workplace
?"

"Uh, I... um, uh... I guess I've gotten to know them!" My wife paused noticeably,
not directly answering my first question.

"Liu Neng left after dropping you off yesterday morning?" I felt a utter
despair , and I was increasingly certain she was about to lie again.

"...Yes. He said he had to leave after dropping me off. Honey... why do you keep asking him what he did?" Sure enough,
her tone was somewhat guilty.

I chatted with my wife for a few more minutes, but it didn't touch on that topic.

After hanging up the phone, I was even more enraged and couldn't control myself. I punched the wall hard, and the four knuckles of my right hand immediately
went numb and swollen. I bit my hand, a strong premonition in my heart that Liu Neng was definitely with Meng Jie at that moment, perhaps
already having an affair with her several times at the hot spring resort.

I couldn't bear it for another second. After changing into clean clothes, ignoring
my body that hadn't eaten or drunk anything all day, I rushed downstairs anxiously, turned on the navigation, and drove at high speed towards the Longquan Hot Spring Resort. It seemed
that even arriving a second earlier would save more of my wife's chastity.

The Longquan Hot Spring Resort was about a two-hour drive from the city, surrounded by small, flat hills.

The mountain forest was densely vegetated, with verdant fir trees, colorful flowers and grasses, and various other trees whose names I couldn't identify
. The lush greenery and melodious birdsong made it seem like a high-end health resort, secluded from the hustle and bustle of the city.

After exiting the main road and driving for a while, about one or two kilometers from Longquan, some private cars began to park diagonally on the narrow road, which was only two and a half lanes wide
. The further in we went, the more congested it became, and we had to
give way to the cars coming out from behind.

Because the highway is situated at a higher elevation than Longquan Villa, this slow-moving path offers a panoramic view of the
entire —a structure resembling a Chinese palace, with verdant artificial hills, rising steam, and shirtless tourists
enjoying themselves in various sizes of springs and ponds. For most people, the approaching wait should be one of blissful anticipation. But
I felt unusually depressed and restless; my foot, resting on the accelerator, trembled impatiently, as if Liu Neng
were groping my sexy and beautiful wife not far ahead.

Grabbing the newly purchased ticket, I finally rushed into the villa. In my haste,
I even tripped on the moss-covered stone steps at the entrance. To all the tourists in the resort, I was definitely a complete oddball.
They were all dressed only in swim trunks or swimsuits, carrying towels or something similar. I, on the other hand, wore a white
shirt dress pants, and leather boots, running fully clothed through the vast square and charming Suzhou-style courtyards, searching for
something.

The resort was so large, and there were so many guests, that I searched for a long time without finding anything. During my wanderings, I
occasionally daring young women, wearing revealing swimsuits that were only an inch longer than a regular bikini,
flaunting their sexy bodies. Their fair, youthful, and alluring figures exuded feminine allure (either in
the pool or on the armchairs nearby). They were always surrounded by various male customers, who eagerly circled
their slender, fair, and beautiful bodies, their eyes feasting on their ample breasts while they groped
and flirted with them.

Inevitably influenced by them, I even imagined my wife wearing a sexy, revealing bikini,
her soft, fragrant body shyly embraced by Liu Neng, her body being groped and touched between
her legs only fueled my anxiety and fueled my anger.

Just when I was at my wit's end, fortune smiled upon me, and I finally
found . I spotted her fair, bright eyes from afar. Just as I feared, she was only
wearing a blue bra strap, her back almost completely naked. Her firm, full buttocks couldn't be concealed by her small
panties , and her shapely, sexy legs were on full display. And
the burly man next to her, wearing only swim trunks, was none other than Liu Neng.

I suddenly slapped Liu Neng on the shoulder, and as he turned and saw my surprised look, I punched him
hard in the face. My wife, standing beside me, was stunned by my sudden outburst; her
face turned pale, and she couldn't utter a word.

But my second punch missed immediately. Liu Neng's short hair was wet and impossible to grip. He was
muscular , and his broad waist easily dodged to the side. In the struggle, he nimbly grabbed my wrist, gripping it like
iron clamps, causing sharp pain. My other hand was pinned down by his outstretched arm, rendering me unable to attack.

"Linda, what are you doing?!" Liu Neng's cheek, already red and swollen from the punch, was startled.
The beautiful stared at me in surprise, as if I were the one who had been wrongly

accused. I was even more furious. A crowd of onlookers gathered around; how could I possibly confront this
beast about cheating on me with my wife?! Enraged, I pushed against his waist and shoved him hard. Leather shoes are always
more slip-resistant than slippers, and despite his much larger frame, he tumbled into the nearby hot spring pool with me.

Caught off guard, he choked on several mouthfuls of hot water, and I seized the opportunity to shove his head down, raining down
punches . Whistles and screams erupted from the surrounding crowd; the scene was chaotic.

When things calmed down, we were already at the Longquan Security Office. I was soaking wet,
water dripping from my hair, several buttons ripped off my shirt—a truly disheveled state. Several young men who looked like staff members
blocked the entrance, preventing me from leaving. At that moment, I had no idea where Liu Neng was, nor
could I find .

After quite a while, a man in his thirties, who seemed to be in charge, walked over to me,
dragged a chair over, and plopped down opposite me.

"Young man, don't be so impulsive. Why can't you talk things out?" he said.

I politely declined the cigarette he offered and smiled apologetically at him.

Regardless of whether I was listening, he continued, "You started a fight and assaulted someone on our property, seriously disrupting our
normal operations. We were planning to call the police, but that gentleman, the one you hit—you
really should thank him—repeatedly told us not to."

"Since he's a friend, then we shouldn't resort to violence so easily." He paused, frowning, and continued
.

"Where is he?" I asked.

"What? You still want to hit him?"

I shook my head.

"He left after getting bandaged up at the infirmary."

"And the woman he was with?" At this moment, I was more concerned about where Mengjie was, and why she
wasn't with me.

"Oh, she stayed with him until his wound was treated, then left with that gentleman."

After leaving Longquan Villa, I wanted to call my wife immediately to ask where she was, but when I reached into my pocket, I
realized my phone was wet. I could only fumble for my car keys and get in.

If my outburst just now was a complete emotional outburst,
an release then now, calmer, I sincerely regret it. I don't
regret hitting Liu Neng, but rather that I didn't have any substantial evidence.

After all, the person who did it has no reason; they'll have a million reasons to prove that the whole thing is
my fault. No matter how you look at it, I only beat up Liu Neng out of a hidden suspicion. On
the surface , he was just using a company vacation spot to treat my wife.

Furthermore, considering the year-end loan pressure, if Liu Neng held a grudge, he wouldn't help me; instead
, he'd secretly sabotage me. He had a thousand ways to make sure the next loan wasn't approved. This whole mess
turned bright future into a bleak one, making me even more depressed and upset.

And where was my Mengjie at that moment?

I went home and slept until the next day. In the morning, I went out and bought a cheap new phone, then contacted the operator
to restore my old number before returning home. The house was empty, and I couldn't get through to my wife on the phone
.

Just as I was worried about our marriage, I was also worried about the factory's production, and I couldn't sit still any longer. According to my work
schedule , I had to be back at the factory by yesterday afternoon at the latest, and another day was about to pass.
After much deliberation, I left a note on the coffee table and drove to the factory again.

When I returned home, it was already night. I pushed open the door, hoping that Mengjie would be home, but the house was still
empty and dark. I collapsed on the sofa, and the thought that my wife was definitely still with Liu Neng made my heart
ache like it was being torn apart. She must have spent the night at his house last night, right? In my imagination, my wife's alluring body straddled Liu
Neng's muscular lap, his legs spread wide, fondling her breasts as they heaved.

Right now, I simply didn't have the courage to call Liu Neng. Just as I was at my wit's end, the phone rang.

"Hello... is this Xiao Lin?"

I looked at the caller ID in surprise; it was Mengjie's mother calling.

"Hello...Ms. Luo!" Although her surname wasn't Luo, I was used to calling her that.

"Hey, how are you and Jiejie doing lately?" she asked.

"Yeah, pretty good!" I said.

"I've heard you two sometimes argue. Xiaolin, we entrusted Jiejie to you because we believed you would
treat her well." Her tone was gentle, but slightly reproachful.

I didn't explain, just remained silent, waiting for her to continue her tirade.

"Xiaolin, did you hit someone outside yesterday? Do you have this tendency at home too?

Xiaolin, Mengjie's father and I are very worried about this."

"No, no, Mom. Really, I love her too much! What happened yesterday wasn't her fault, I did
get into a conflict with someone." I hurriedly explained.

"Xiaolin, you can't just think about yourself like before now that you're married. The social environment is so complicated now,
if something happens, it will be irresponsible to Mengjie in the end." She never stops talking about it.

"Yes, you're right, I will never be so reckless again. I promise you." I said.

"Has Mengjie gone home?" she asked next, but her tone was strange.

I had no choice but to tell my mother-in-law that I hadn't been able to contact my wife for a day and a night, but to my surprise, she laughed smugly
on the other end of . She said, "Jiejie is a little scared now. She's afraid you'll
be violent towards her when she gets home."

"This...this...how could that be?!" I cried out anxiously.

"She told me about what happened yesterday. She said a male classmate from university asked her out during the National Day holiday,
and you actually rushed over and beat him up. Apparently, she only agreed to go after you repeatedly urged her. Have you been under too much pressure
lately ?" My mother-in-law already looked down on me, and now she definitely saw me as a freak even more.

"..." I was speechless.

"Even after marriage, legitimate friendships are still necessary. Look at Mengjie's father and me; we each
have a wide circle of friends. Couples need to learn to respect and understand each other..." She continued rambling on on the other end of the phone
, but I only cared about one thing: where was Mengjie now?

Legitimate friendships?! The more I listened, the more indignant and impatient I became. Your slutty daughter has been fucked by
someone else and lied to me for two years, and now you're blaming me?! Arguing with her now was pointless. I controlled
my emotions and asked, "Ms. Luo, do you know where Mengjie is?"

"She's downstairs. She was afraid of you, so she asked me to call you first. Xiaolin, you
promised 'd treat Mengjie well. I hope you'll keep your promise," she said.

"Okay, I'll go down and get her now," I said dejectedly. "

Just stay home and wait. I'll call her and have her come up," she said, hanging up the phone.

Ten minutes later, Luo Mengjie returned, dragging a large suitcase I'd never seen before. Ignoring me, she walked into the living room
with a stern face. I noticed she was still wearing the same outfit she'd worn the day before—a light black top
and a princess-style dress patched in gray wool starting an inch above the waist. This perfectly showcased Mengjie's slender and sexy
waist, while the long pleated skirt accentuated her innocence. Her long, bare legs, as white as
snow, were gracefully treading on a pair of low-heeled shoes.

I noticed that her black stockings were nowhere to be seen; her bare feet were exposed, which further
fueled my suspicions.

"Where did you spend the night last night?" I asked.

She didn't answer, taking the dirty clothes out of the box one by one. I watched her hands, trying to find
the trace of the stocking.

"Mengjie, let me tell you, you've lied to me too many times. I can forgive you for anything, but you can't
hide anything from me. We're husband and wife," I said.

"You still know we're husband and wife?!" Mengjie shouted back, "Were you crazy yesterday?
Why did you hit Liu Neng? Do you even have a thought about the loan?"

"He deserved it!" I said angrily, "Who told him to seduce you? People like that deserve to be beaten to death!"

"Seduce me? Which eye of yours saw him seduce me?" she said.

"You swore you wouldn't go to the hot springs, but you were playing around with me there. You two were dressed
so scantily, pressed together. And the way he looked at you was so lecherous, didn't you notice at all?
Do you really think I'm stupid?"

Mengjie stopped talking, just glared at me angrily.

"Mengjie, tell me honestly, have you slept with him?" I roared desperately.

After a moment of silence, she slowly said, "Linda, I really didn't expect you to think of me like that."

"How dare you say that! I trusted you so much, but you lied to me," I said.

"I didn't lie to you!" she stubbornly insisted.

"Alright, since we've come this far, I'll ask you: what
happened that night when you secretly answered Liu Neng's call? Why did you lie to me and say you had dinner with your colleagues?"

"You…" Meng Jie stammered, wanting to say I was spying on her, but she didn't say it aloud.

"What do you mean, 'I'?! You weren't a virgin two years ago! You think I didn't know? You
slept with other people before I was with you!" I became somewhat hysterical.

"You're lying!!" She clasped her pale hands to her chest, as if gathering the strength for this sentence.

"A virgin's first time isn't like that at all!" Admittedly, my roar was even louder; I was no longer
caring about anything else.

An indescribable shadow fell over my wife's brow.

"And Mengjie, I'm asking you this seriously this time, don't lie to me anymore. How many times have you
slept ?" I gritted my teeth and asked contemptuously.

Hearing this, Mengjie's eyes suddenly reddened, tears welled up, and her shoulders trembled,
looking pitiful. We remained silent for a while, then she suddenly turned and went into the bathroom, seemingly
ignoring my question, and focused on tidying up the dirty clothes waiting to be washed.

This was tantamount to tacit admission.

"Was it Liu Neng?" I had sat down on the sofa, but my mind and body remained unsettled, so I
walked back to the bathroom door and asked Mengjie.

She still didn't answer.

But I truly love her; I can't help but forgive her, even now. Even if she's not pure, even if she has
a more tainted past, I'm still her home. I originally thought things would calm down as my emotions subsided.
Perhaps out of remorse, Mengjie would have been more mindful of boundaries in their future married life. However,
unexpectedly , things took a sudden 180-degree turn.

About twenty minutes later, as I lay on the sofa, the initial turmoil began to subside.
Just as I was considering how to handle the situation, Mengjie suddenly rushed out of the bathroom,
carrying a card onto the coffee table in front of me.

My cheeks immediately burned—it was Freckles' business card! How could I have forgotten to throw it away?

Tears streamed down Mengjie's face as she pointed to a faint lipstick stain on her collar. My
mind went completely blank; I was stunned, speechless. She leaned closer,
unbuttoned , and flipped my neck. There was still a lip print there?! My God! My mind went blank, and I felt
my cheeks burning. My wife slapped me hard.

(VI)

My wife hadn't been home for over two weeks, and the house remained a mess, just as it had
been on . In the half-open drawer of the bedroom, rumpled underwear was crumpled into a messy ball, and a flesh-colored stocking
hung forlornly outside.

Every night, I thought, she definitely won't forgive me.

During this time, I had many ambiguous dreams, most of them unrelated, vague and obscure. Some images were clear
, always rainy, and I watched her and him frolicking on the beach from afar, watching their smiles; others
were naked, obscene, she was in the car, in the kitchen, on the stairs, in every unreal place,
with him. And at those times, I always felt a burning sensation in my chest, as if I were tightly bound to something, being cleaved and torn apart.

During the day, I went to Mengjie's workplace to look for her, but she avoided me, her phone number was blocked, her attitude was resolute. In the meantime
, I called my mother-in-law a few times, pretending everything was fine, chatting about the weather, and subtly learned that she
hadn't moved back to her parents' house.

Where had she moved to during these days of running away from home?

I awkwardly rubbed my hands, pacing back and forth in the air-conditioned lobby of her company, waiting for an
opening that I myself had no idea how to begin. When her familiar colleagues greeted me, I awkwardly smiled and exchanged pleasantries,
but my unease remained hidden deep inside. It wasn't good to let outsiders discuss matters between husband and wife.

The worst thing was being alone, sitting alone in the dark of night in that apartment. So
I often drank beer to relieve my boredom, but as the alcohol went down, I became enraged, and the pent-up emotions erupted.

"Fuck you! You fucking bitch! Liar!" I cursed, waving my drunken fists at the air
. My anger pounded against the wall, making a loud "bang, bang" sound.

"If it weren't for you, would I have even bothered to go find a prostitute to test my virginity? You've already been deflowered, and you
still pretend to be innocent with me, saying, 'You're my first man,' how dare you say that!" I was truly frustrated, and I threw the soda can
in my hand violently, instantly filling the black wall with the smell of alcohol and foam.

"You son of a bitch, you're really not coming back, and you blame me for going to a prostitute?! You really think you're some kind of chaste saint
?! If I hadn't gone to verify, I might have been fooled by you for life! Virgin?! Pah!" I
hysterically cursed at her.

Coming from a humble background, I've always been an outcast, always relying on my strong will to move forward. In university, I envied my classmates
' couples, enduring loneliness through my studies, burying myself in my studies for four years. I only met Mengjie near graduation, and
I simply couldn't believe my luck. The more I felt this way, the less I could accept her impurity. If it weren't for
my suspicions and my concern, I wouldn't have had time to love her enough, so why would I have gone to a prostitute?

Now that I've paid such a high price to confirm her impurity, what am I supposed to do next? Caught in
a morbid turmoil, making one mistake after another, all I wanted to know was this one question—who was Mengjie's first
man? Was it Liu Neng? He had long coveted my wife; it wasn't a secret back in school. My chest
tightened , my heart clenching. Had my wife's flower-like, soft, young body been vilely penetrated by Liu Neng first?

For days, he would casually touch Mengjie's body. His furtive,
hidden, and coy lust gave me a sense of proud pleasure. So what if he liked her so much? So
what if he came from a wealthy family? So what if he was a bank manager? Mengjie was still my wife. The more he lusted after and tormented her,
the more I felt a sense of compensation. For a time, I willingly succumbed to his sweet talk and deception, letting go of my suspicions and
reservations . I naively immersed myself in this dangerous relationship, believing everything was under control, even unwilling to
sever ties, allowing Mengjie to be with him, allowing them to be alone together.

It was the situation of needing Liu Neng for a loan, coupled with an unspeakable inferiority complex, that
ultimately the pacification. It's all my fault; this sense of pride has now turned into a bitter pill to swallow.

But upon closer examination of Liu Neng's demeanor at the banquet, something felt off. After not seeing her for years, his gaze towards her
was still fervent and filled with desire; only a goddess he had never possessed could ignite such burning
longing. In contrast, Meng Jie showed no embarrassment whatsoever; she appeared completely at ease.

Who else could it be but Liu Neng? I tossed and turned my thoughts about the other male
playmates , making wild guesses amidst the fog of clues, some real and some not.

I must admit, no matter how heartbroken or conflicted I am, the past cannot be changed
. My wife has given her virginity to another man. Her young body had already been touched and cultivated by
someone else . I silently murmured, conflicted, that no one has the right to condemn her past, no one can deprive her of
the right to engage in a relationship before marriage.

But what about after marriage?! Shouldn't she remain faithful?! I angrily tore at my hair, slapped myself
several times, hysterical, my heart breaking.

Even if the past is gone, even if I laugh it off, how many times has Liu Neng slept with Meng Jie behind my back during this time
?! Even if the pre-marital issues were a mess, too muddled to verify,
there were at least six or seven suspicious points in time , not including this trip to the hot springs! Mengjie, always shy and conservative around men, actually
stripped down to such a naked state in front of Liu Neng, her snow-white, tender skin only covered by a sexy bikini swimsuit slightly looser than a ribbon
!

Thinking of this, Liu Neng's face involuntarily reappeared in my hazy mind—and the muscular physique he displayed when we were struggling in the hot springs
. Compared to when we were on the same school basketball team, he's actually become even stronger over the years.
It would make his tall and strong figure even more imposing, and Mengjie would probably like it even more! But I dare not think about it, I
dare not think about Liu Neng's muscular body. I can
picture him pressing down on his wife's beautiful buttocks, tightly wrapping his arms around her slender waist, and thrusting hard.

The bed in the bedroom was very sturdy, made with traditional old-fashioned furniture techniques.
I still . Mengjie laughed and asked me, "It's just a bed, why are you so fussy?" I
teased her lewdly, "We use this bed every day. How can it not be sturdy and break?"

Mengjie had once entertained Liu Neng alone at home. They were alone in a room, and I was almost
certain that she had been ravaged, defiled, and possessed by Liu Neng on our bed.

My knees felt weak as I walked into the dark bedroom. It was completely silent. My hands trembled as I shook the
creaking bed frame, and a chill ran from my head to my feet. The warmth from the alcohol had completely vanished, and I could almost smell
the filthy sheets. I trembled, all my strength drained from my body. All I could hear was the man's low, hoarse
sobs, yet my penis was as hard as a flint, like a freak.

The next day, I finished my factory work early and went to Mengjie's workplace. I wore inconspicuous
clothes, light-colored sunglasses, and a new hat, and waited in the coffee shop across from the building.

I carried a short iron stick, vaguely hoping to bump into Liu Neng and her, but I didn't know what would happen even if I succeeded
. Yet, this single thought of revenge burned intensely within me.

After waiting for a long time, lost in thought, I finally caught sight of my long-lost wife through the window. Across the two-
lane road, under a lush locust tree, she stood there, her alluring figure encased in
a thin knitted blouse, her shapely, snow-white legs beneath a short, knee-length OL skirt, a picture of exquisite beauty.

Her relaxed expression suggested she hadn't made an appointment, and Liu Neng, whom I had expected, hadn't shown up, which secretly relieved
me . Watching her repeatedly try to flag down a taxi, her fair hand gently smoothing her wind-blown hair,
a powerful emotion surged within me. All the suspicion, resentment, and pain that had accumulated in my chest these past few days were instantly washed away. I
knew more clearly than ever before that I loved her.

I'd come to collect a debt, but at that moment, all I wanted to do was rush over and hug her tightly.

As I shakily stood up, accidentally spilling half a pot of tea on the table, I
caught a glimpse of a black sedan slowly pulling up in the opposite lane. She honked, and my wife stopped trying to flag
down a taxi, instead smiling and waving at the person inside. My blood rushed to my head. I peered through the coffee
shop who else could it be but Liu Neng?!

I cursed inwardly, "Adulterous couple!" I had to hurry and stop them, or Mengjie would definitely get in his
car and drive off. But what happened next caught me completely off guard: Liu Neng seemed to genuinely want to invite
her into the car, but his wife waved him off. Liu Neng opened the driver's side door, got out, and shouted something at her over the roof
before finally getting back in and slowly driving away.

To my even greater surprise, Meng Jie then walked straight across the street towards the cafe. I
was startled and quickly lowered my head, hiding behind my hat and sunglasses. Why was I hiding? I wondered
to . Her familiar voice rang out from the cafe: "Two people." Then she followed the waiter to choose a seat.

I couldn't turn around, so I quickly pretended to be a stranger gazing out the window in a daze. At that moment, her gaze
roamed over me, the sensation scraping my scalp, making my chest tighten, my breathing become labored, and
I could clearly hear myself swallowing. Every hair on my body stood on end.

"I'll take the booth by the window!" she politely declined the waiter's suggestion, choosing
the seat behind me instead. This meant I was sitting back-to-back with her, thankfully the sofa back was high. I thought to myself
, "Two of them?"

Sure enough, a moment later Liu Neng also opened the door. My face, turned away from the window, caught him passing by without me
noticing.

"Oh dear, I was planning to take you out for dinner, but look at me, I didn't call you beforehand and now I've been so
abrupt ." Liu Neng spoke first. "But I only found out you were free this evening around 4 pm. I've been so busy lately."

"Thank you, no need to trouble yourself," Meng Jie replied, her tone surprisingly cold.

"Why are you being so polite with me?" Liu Neng said, "I know a really good Sichuan restaurant on Huaiqing
Road. A colleague recommended it, saying it's excellent..."

"What would you like to drink?" Meng Jie interrupted him, gesturing for a waiter.

"What's there to drink! No! Come on, come on! It's dinnertime, let's eat and chat." Liu Neng seemed to
be in high spirits , stood up, and tried to pull his wife up.

There was a silence behind me for three or four seconds, then I heard Liu Neng sit down again. Perhaps because his wife had shown displeasure
, Liu Neng immediately changed his tune, "Then please give me a coffee, an Americano, something to perk me up, no sugar!"

he told the waiter.

"Why did you choose this place?" Liu Neng asked again, his tone relaxed and humorous, as if the awkwardness from before had vanished.

"It's right across from my company, I come here often, and it's less crowded now," Meng Jie said, her tone less cold
due to Liu Neng's changed attitude.

Having just recovered from my shock and nervousness, I finally felt a sliver of relief. Firstly, I was glad I got this
seat ; it was such a coincidence that I could eavesdrop on their conversation. Secondly, the tone of their conversation didn't seem
as sordid as I'd imagined. Could it all just be a misunderstanding again? I calmly suppressed my secret delight and listened intently.

Then, silence fell behind me. For several minutes, they didn't speak, each tapping their teacups with their teaspoons in the quiet café
, lost in their own thoughts.

"I'm sorry, Xiao Luo," Liu Neng spoke first, his tone unusually
awkward and hesitant, a departure from his usual humor.

His wife didn't reply, which was tacit acceptance. This made my heart tighten. Had
something ?!

"I was drunk that day, so..." Liu Neng's voice wasn't loud. I strained my ears, trying to catch
every word. He was drunk? So what?!

"I know that!" my wife interrupted urgently.

"But I really... really felt sorry for you..." Liu Neng added, but seeing his wife fall silent again, he
didn't continue. After a long while, I heard my wife say something softly, but I couldn't make out what it was.

"Actually, what I wanted to say today was that I'm planning to move out soon," my wife said. Sure enough, she was still living with someone else.
In Liu Neng's house, the fleeting sense of relief and joy vanished quickly, leaving him feeling extremely distressed.

"No, it's fine for you to stay with me!" Liu Neng was even more anxious than I was; I could tell from his tone.

"But this... this isn't good either!" Mengjie repeated this twice, the first time with hesitation and shame,
the second time with determination. Hearing this, I felt a mix of emotions, pondering the deeper meaning. Combining
their previous dialogue, although I was somewhat prepared, I couldn't help but let tears well up in my eyes.

"Have you and Lao Lin made up? Are you planning to move back?" Liu Neng pressed.

"No, not yet. I don't know how to face him," his wife said sadly.

"Mengjie, uh, Xiaoluo, don't rush to move out! You can stay here with me for now, it's really not bad
. I promise you, what happened that night when I was drunk will never happen again." Liu Neng's tone was a mix of
urgency and pleading.

"Brother Liu, don't be like this, I...I still..." Suddenly, Mengjie let out a soft moan, seemingly
struggling to break free from something. The soft, clattering sounds suggested that Liu Neng was tightly gripping her hand across the coffee table.

I could easily imagine what had happened after drinking! I almost grabbed an iron rod and went to fight him. But
Liu Neng probably realized his loss of control and immediately let go. He composed himself and regained
some composure.

"I'm sorry..."

"...It's alright..." Faced with Liu Neng's outrageous behavior, Meng Jie easily expressed her forgiveness.

"Xiao Luo, actually, men, especially businessmen, inevitably socialize a bit. It's not
strange , don't take it too hard. Lao Lin is no exception either; many times he can't refuse. You can't be too
heartbroken." Liu Neng actually used me to change the subject! What I didn't expect was that Meng Jie had actually told him about this.

"Life goes on. As long as this marriage continues, you'll still have to live with him. Some
grudges have to be overcome." Liu Neng spoke up for me, which I hadn't anticipated.

"As long as you're willing to forgive him," Liu Neng said.

"But I... I also wronged him in some ways. And he... already knows." The wife's
voice was very soft and weak, but after much hesitation, she finally said it; it was no longer a one-sided forgiveness.

"What is it?" Liu Neng was very curious; he probably already guessed
what it . Hearing him ask a question he already knew the answer to, I cursed his ancestors for eighteen generations in my heart.

"You'd better not ask." But whether it was because she had been holding back for too long, desperately wanting to confide in someone, or for some other
reason , her words didn't sound particularly firm.

The astute Liu Neng naturally saw through her thoughts and continued to comfort her, saying, "Some things,
if kept inside, will only cause more pain. It's better to speak them out." Hiding behind them, I strained my ears even more, because from their conversation, it was clear that the man
who caused her to lose her virginity wasn't Liu Neng. So who could it be?

"Liu Neng, I'm already married, and I've... I've had sexual relations. Why would you... do that to me
?" Meng Jie's voice was barely audible, pitiful and filled with guilt.

"Xiao Luo, what era are we living in? I don't think a woman's past can represent anything. Mengjie,
life is only once, it's short and fleeting. It belongs to you, not others. Feelings are
your own , and you can't care about other people's gossip. Don't you think it's
narrow-minded to still be fixated on past cultural concepts?" Liu Neng's next words made me tremble slightly.

Wasn't the prostitution incident a betrayal and
hurt ? Even if I hadn't gone to a prostitute, my conservative views would have seeped into my words and actions,
hurting her in an invisible way. That's why Mengjie is so cautious and treads on thin ice in this regard.

"Besides, those rules and regulations are inherently ugly and unfair. They only highlight male selfishness
and amount to nothing." As I was still processing these conflicting emotions, he continued, "The past is the past.
I... just want to live in the present with you."

"But... that happened after I got together with him." Mengjie covered her face and sobbed softly, leaving
Liu Neng and me speechless, equally shocked. He, in particular, didn't know how to comfort her.

"You cheated on me?" After she stopped crying, Liu Neng asked tentatively, genuinely as curious as I was.

"I really don't want to talk about it anymore," his wife said. I couldn't see anything; whether she shook her head
or nodded, I had no way of knowing. The amount of information I received today was too overwhelming, involving not only Liu Neng but also others.

"Last time Old Lin hit you, I hope you can forgive him," his wife said.

"Why bring that up? If it weren't for me, you two wouldn't have argued. Sigh, it's all my fault, why did I secretly go to the hot spring to find you
later ? It's all my fault!" Liu Neng sighed, "I'm strong, those punches of his are long
gone."

Hearing this, I couldn't help but touch the iron rod in my pocket. It's okay, I'll make sure you're okay.

"Are you really moving out? Where else can you go if you don't come home?" Liu Neng asked hesitantly. "How about
staying , until you decide where to go?"

His wife ignored him and asked instead, "Brother Liu, are you really not blaming Lao Lin anymore?"

"Blame him? Of course I'm blaming him! How can I not?! That bastard has a wife as beautiful as you at home, yet he still runs off and cheats on
you . He's utterly despicable!" Liu Neng deliberately emphasized his words, though there was a hint of humor in them.

But Meng Jie didn't catch the joke. Instead, the word "cheating" stirred up her feelings of grievance and sadness, and she was about to cry again
.

"Stop, stop, stop!! Don't cry, don't cry! It was my fault, I was just joking! I was a little resentful, but
since you don't want me to blame him, I'll let him off the hook. I won't blame him anymore, I really won't blame him." Liu Neng was quite good at
reading people's expressions.

"Really?" Meng Jie asked.

"Really!" Liu Neng replied.

Seeing that she was still sullen after a while, he added, "I know you're still worried about the
loan , and I'll still do my best to handle it. Really, Mengjie, even if I don't want to deal with Lin, I have to deal with you.

Don't sign any more loan agreements with him next time; it's making it hard for me to be ruthless."

Then they just chatted about trivial things. Liu Neng, experienced and smooth, steered the conversation around,
finally shaking off the awkwardness. The atmosphere between them gradually became cheerful. What I remember is that the wife mentioned
wanting a child. They didn't leave the coffee shop until after dinner time, and the black car disappeared from sight.
Afterwards, I got up and left.

I carefully processed the unexpected information of the day; there was so much information, some of which
differed . Some mysteries were solved, while others new ones appeared. Although the situation was better than expected—
they weren't exactly seeing each other naked every day—

I could sense that Mengjie's resolve to move out wasn't firm. Letting them continue living together like this would definitely
lead to something irreversible. Furthermore, I had an indescribable worry and feeling. Mengjie
's affection for Liu Neng was hard to define, but it was undeniable, and I was truly afraid that her heart would be stolen away. I decided to go
directly to Liu Neng tomorrow and bring Mengjie home.

(Grade 7, First Semester)

Without mentioning the incident at the hot spring resort that day, Liu Neng smiled and welcomed me inside. At the entrance, several
Chinese-style lacquered wooden chairs surrounded a coffee table. Looking inside, there was a large, flat office desk with a
large transparent glass panel on it, displaying some photos and other things. On top of that was a black laptop and several thick stacks of
documents . Behind an elegant brown leather chair was a row of bookshelves against the wall. This was Liu Neng's private office.

"I was just looking for you, Linda," he said, gesturing for me to sit on the bench and bringing me a paper cup to
pour water. I took the opportunity to quickly calm my racing heart and silently repeated the purpose of my visit several times.

For some reason, ever since I stepped into the towering bank building, I've felt incredibly awkward
and uneasy. The chilling air conditioning made me shrink back. Every time I came here to apply for loans, I was always looking up
at and small, forcing a smile and acting subserviently. Actually, their positions weren't even as high as Liu Neng's; at least,
they didn't have their own offices.

"Oh, thank you," I said wistfully as he handed me a paper cup of warm water
. Who would have thought that I had already prepared myself for an argument with Liu Neng, even a fight?

"It must be about Luo Mengjie, that's why you came to see me," Liu Neng said, noticing I'd been sipping from the paper cup
in silence for a while. I nodded, offering an awkward smile to meet his gaze,
my bottom shifting half an inch off the chair.

Liu Neng probably hadn't expected me to be so reserved; surprise flashed across his eyes. But he immediately understood
—weren't all those asking him for favors like this? He'd seen it far too many times. A
barely perceptible sneer appeared on his lips. Liu Neng touched his cheek where I'd punched him, staring at me, making me
feel uncomfortable.

"Xiao Luo came to me one night, saying you bullied her and kicked her out of the house. She had nowhere
to go so late, so I let her stay at my place." Liu Neng's expression was even more ambiguous as he said this. I suspected
Mengjie had already told him the whole story, and I felt a surge of frustration.

For a long time, I didn't know what to say; I was both anxious and angry. I was annoyed by Liu Neng's enigmatic
smile, yet I couldn't pinpoint any fault on him. Liu Neng's involvement had indeed triggered a man's instinctive
jealousy and suspicion, but this time it was completely different from the hot spring incident; it was entirely a dispute between my wife and me.

"Originally, I didn't want to tell you now. Look at you, getting impatient, aren't you? Such a beautiful
wife, so many men… want to cherish her, and you, Linda, are still rushing out the door. Looks like I'll have to
keep you hanging for a few more days before you realize how much you care." Liu Neng glanced at me sideways, then got up from his chair, fumbled around
his desk for a while, and then strolled back.

"Smoking?" He'd gone to get cigarettes. I nodded.

"Brother, although it's not my place to say this, you really shouldn't have done this." He didn't explicitly say what he meant or where I'd
gone wrong , but I knew perfectly well.

"How did Mengjie end up at your house?" I exhaled a puff of smoke. He'd already briefly explained the situation, but I
still asked, actually wanting him to explain why he hadn't been discreet, trying to regain some of the initiative in the conversation.

"Oh, don't misunderstand. Linda, you're always too sensitive. The hot spring incident was also a misunderstanding. You're
just like you were in school, always jumping to conclusions before I can even explain." Liu Neng quickly added.

Okay, then I'll give him plenty of time to explain this time, let's see how he makes up his story. I stared at Liu Neng with a hint of resentment
, slowly inhaling a puff of smoke without exhaling. Finally, anger dissipated the tightness pressing on my chest
.

"That time at the hot spring, I only arrived at the resort a little earlier than you. I was away on business for those few days, and
that day I happened to be passing by the resort, so I thought I'd go in to see
how Xiao Luo was doing with my colleagues' families, whether they got along well. After all, I invited her, and I wanted to see how she was having fun. That's all! It wasn't at all
like what you imagine... disgusting." He spoke with righteous indignation and earnestness, but I didn't believe
a word he said.

"Okay, I was too impulsive that day and misunderstood my old classmate. But who wouldn't be furious to see their wife dressed so
scantily and pressed against another man? Sigh, I'm really sorry!" I sighed
inwardly. There was no way to verify it; I could only let him make it up. Unconsciously, my tone and words became
a little .

"It's okay, it's okay. I understand, I understand." Liu Neng was also very tactful. He smiled to hide his
embarrassment and couldn't explain why my wife would wear that revealing swimsuit and let him hug her slender waist.

"Let's not talk about that time at the hot spring. Have you been sharing a room with her these past few days?" My tone was gloomy
, and I even wanted to replace "share" with "sleep with."

"No! No! You're still misunderstanding me. What kind of person do you think I am?" Liu Neng hurriedly
explained . I was even less convinced, and under my suspicious gaze, his face slowly flushed red.

"Of course, except for the first night! It was so late that day, she came to me crying so late! But afterwards, I
stayed in hotels. You can check if you don't believe me! Linda, you really are thinking about that again.

No matter how beautiful Luo Mengjie is, she's still your wife. How could I dare to act improperly?!"

Liu Neng's impassioned defense left me speechless. It turned out that Liu Neng was
more seriously injured than I had imagined at the hot spring resort. He now... According to him, his wife Mengjie, feeling guilty, went home with him to take care of him for a few days.

Then, upon returning home and discovering his affair, she stormed out. Alone at night, dragging her suitcase
, unsure where to go, she naturally went to Liu Neng's house. And what followed was predictable: although, according to
Liu Neng, he only stayed the first night, and afterwards he stayed at a hotel, leaving his
house empty for Mengjie.

Looking at Liu Neng's feigned anger, I wasn't easily convinced, carefully considering
the conversation I'd overheard at the coffee shop yesterday. Judging from Meng Jie's tone, it certainly seemed like she didn't live with him; otherwise,
why would Liu Neng specifically wait for her after work to ambush her? It seemed that what Liu Neng was saying now wasn't entirely
a lie to deceive me. But he had also mentioned doing things to wrong my wife while drunk. What happened then?

"I'm sorry." After much deliberation, I finally bowed my head and apologized to Liu Neng, feeling somewhat guilty and bitter.

From the moment I walked into the bank, I had a vague understanding that besides my wife's chastity, there was a
more important loan to deal with. The end of the year is fast approaching. If the cash flow breaks down, not only
will I be unable to explain to Mengjie and her family, but all my hard-earned dreams and sweat will be shattered instantly.

Seeing that I was lost in thought, Liu Neng leaned over the coffee table and slapped my shoulder hard, saying, "Alright
, alright, I've already said I understand."

"I can take you to find Mengjie, but you have to promise me first that you won't bully her anymore. And
if she still doesn't want to go back with you—I mean, hypothetically—don't force her. You know how it is with feelings;
forcing them isn't good." Liu Neng glanced down at his watch.

"But it's inconvenient for her to stay with you, isn't it? It's making you stay in a hotel every day..." I nodded and
said .

"It's alright, it's alright! Staying in a hotel for a few days is fine too. Besides, I also hope you two make up soon so I can come over to your place again
for a free meal and try Mengjie's cooking!" Liu Neng said, implying he still wanted to
shamelessly continue bothering our house.

Okay, since the conflict was superficially resolved, and old classmates are old classmates after all, we chatted about
other things, each with our own thoughts, until it was almost time to leave work. Then we drove directly to his hotel. Liu Neng showed me
his recent toiletries to prove he wasn't lying, and we stayed at the hotel until it got dark. Estimating that Mengjie
should gone home by then, Liu Neng and I drove back. Speaking of which, Liu Neng's house wasn't too far from mine,
about a ten-minute drive. It was a small high-rise in a beautiful neighborhood. He casually
explained to my envious expression as he turned the steering wheel, "It's rented."

At the door, seemingly to further prove his honesty, Liu Neng deliberately took out his key, inserted it into the lock, and turned it several times,
but could open the door. "See, it's locked from the inside. See, Brother Liu wasn't lying to you, was he?" Liu Neng's face was full of
smug smiles.

As he rang the doorbell, I deliberately hid in a blind spot inside the door, worried that if Meng Jie saw me, she wouldn't
open the door, which would be a real problem. Liu Neng naturally understood this and chuckled.

A little while later, Mengjie opened the door. She lazily said through the iron gate, "Hey, what
brings you here? Something wrong?" Hiding nearby, I saw Liu Neng's profile suddenly become mesmerized; his eyes shone
as if he'd seen something beautiful.

"Yeah, I need to talk to you," Liu Neng licked his lips and swallowed.

"Oh, then sit down for a bit. I'll go change." Mengjie gently opened the iron gate from the inside and
went inside. I heard the sound of slippers quickly disappearing into the distance, and couldn't help but wonder what Liu Neng's eyes had just been gazing at
.

"Come on, let's go inside together," Liu Neng whispered to me. I thought for a moment and then agreed.

The room was brightly lit and completely lacked traditional solid wood furniture, instead being filled with various modern
Western-style decorations. The materials used were mostly cotton or plastic, and there was also a lot of glass.
Under the crystal waterfall chandelier in the living room was a uniquely designed coffee table and a round rug. At first glance, light green and
white were the main colors of the room, quite girlish and fresh; I thought Mengjie would definitely like it.

"There's nothing I can do, the landlord just likes decorating like this," Liu Neng shrugged, sitting on the sofa. "I'm just
happy to have a bed to sleep in."

I smiled noncommittally. While Mengjie was changing clothes, she had nothing else to do, so she continued to curiously
look around, pacing around the room. I looked up and noticed a gap in the corner of the wall, seemingly where a camera
device might be installed. "What's that?" I pointed to the small hole in the ceiling.

"Oh, it looks like a ceiling-mounted camera. The landlord installed it for security, but it seems to be broken.

I'm not really sure," Liu Neng said, reaching out to turn on the television in the living room.

"Are you sure it's broken?" I couldn't help but wonder if someone might be using such a device to spy on Meng Jie. Did

Liu Neng really not know? I looked at Liu Neng with a hint of suspicion.

"Probably. I was afraid of exposing my privacy, so I turned off the power later." He frowned, seemingly knowing
what I was thinking.

"Linda, you're being too sensitive," he tapped, and I fell silent.

It was more than ten minutes later when Mengjie reappeared after changing her clothes. Her pair of fair and slender legs
were exposed like jade shoots, soft and delicate like porcelain, leaving me stunned. This suddenly reminded me of the dazed look on Liu Neng's face earlier
, and my chest tightened with bitterness and jealousy. What exactly did he see? Was it his wife's even more exposed spring scenery? Just how revealing was
she dressed? It took her so long to change into this simple sheer dress.

Mengjie's bright smile and crescent-shaped lips
froze . Her surprised gaze began to flicker, and her firm, sexy breasts trembled slightly with each breath.

She was restraining herself, but finally calmed down. Mengjie glanced at me coldly and then looked away, as if to make it seem as if
my arrival was something she had expected. At the same time, I noticed that Liu Neng looked at her and
slowly nodded with a complicated expression.

"Sit down, it must be tiring for you two to just stand there!" Liu Neng started the conversation. The

silent Mengjie and I each found a seat, but still didn't say anything.
After , she, too, didn't know what to say. Some words had been bottled up inside her for too long, and
she could no longer say them, whether there were outsiders present or not. So we both awkwardly avoided each other's
eyes . I was afraid of being seen as guilty, and she seemed to be hiding something from me, so we both kept our heads down, lost in our own thoughts.

In that brief moment of peeking, I noticed that behind the glass of the coffee table, my wife's delicate,
fair, and sexy feet were wearing a pair of oversized men's slippers—undoubtedly Liu Neng's. Because of
the unexpected nature of my visit, her unabashed acceptance of wearing Liu Neng's shoes only made me more unafraid, and it saddened me even more.
The sadness that had been slightly diluted by the joy of our reunion surged back into my heart.

Couples who have been together for a long time often develop a tacit understanding, but sometimes this unspoken connection can feel ironic. Almost at the
same moment I was feeling conflicted, my wife noticed too. Her beautiful legs awkwardly shrank back into the shadows, and
her pretty face flushed red.

Liu Neng quickly chimed in, but his words were bland and meaningless, making the atmosphere increasingly strange and
awkward . Then, he dramatically shook his pocket and stood up: "Oh dear, oh dear, we're out of cigarettes. Oh well, I
'll be going now. Couples always need to resolve their issues, so let's have a good talk!" Before leaving, he patted my
shoulder and smiled meaningfully. I understood that he wouldn't be coming home tonight.

As dusk settled outside, the streetlights twinkled softly. There was still plenty of time to talk things out. "Let's pack up and go home
!" I said gently. Finally, only my wife and I were left in the living room, but I still felt incredibly awkward .
After all, we were at someone else's house—Liu Neng's house.

My wife seemed oblivious, her hands constantly kneading and rubbing together. Her slender fingers were like delicate white lotus roots, but
I, turned away, didn't notice anything amiss. I assumed the silence behind me was normal, simply due to
awkwardness could
talk about it when we got home!

She remained silent behind me. I paced impatiently and with a keen interest, carefully surveying the living room. I noticed a small, elegant bronze cart carrying a bottle of expensive foreign liquor on a cabinet that clashed terribly with
the fairytale-like decor.
Oh, this must be Liu Neng's.

"You cooked here? For him?" I pushed open the kitchen door, a side-opening floor-to-ceiling glass door.
The inside was impeccably clean. I knew my wife's cooking skills, and a slightly sour thought crept in; it would be even more convenient for Liu Neng to freeload
here . I turned on the kitchen light, about to sneak in for a closer look, when I suddenly heard
my wife speak from the living room.

"Go back by yourself. I'm not going with you." Her tone was soft, but decisive.

I turned to look at her in surprise and distress; her delicate, white toes peeked out from the front of her oversized slippers, a
sight that stung my heart.

(To be continued)

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