Zhou Huainan's Canary

1

Zhou Huainan's canary was throwing another tantrum.

He handed me the divorce papers: "Just sign it. Make it look real, keep the little girl happy."

I clutched the hem of my dress, nodding silently.

I signed my name quietly.

As I was leaving, I heard his friends joking:

"Sister-in-law is so obedient! I bet if you told her to get the marriage license, she wouldn't say a word, right?"

Zhou Huainan happily lit a cigarette: "Want to make a bet?"

They bet that a month from now, at the Civil Affairs Bureau, I'd be crying my eyes out but still obediently listening.

Trading my marriage certificate for a divorce certificate.

I held my phone, staying silent.

I just replied to the message that had just come in:

【Just marry me, won't you?】

"Fine."

【?】

The reply came almost instantly.

I turned off my phone.

The laughter and chatter inside continued.

"Alright then! If sister-in-law is really that obedient, I'll buy everyone drinks next month!"

"Three months," Zhou Huainan said.

"Deal, deal, deal!"

A chorus of laughter.

I rushed out frantically.

Not until I stepped out of the office building, with sharp sunlight stabbing into my eyes, did tears begin to fall.

Zhou Huainan had fallen for a young woman who hadn't even graduated yet.

He bought her a house in Haicheng, filled with luxury goods.

But the girl wouldn't let him kiss her or hold her.

Living in a 360-square-meter luxury flat, wearing haute couture worth millions,

she held her chin high and said: "I won't be someone's mistress!"

Zhou Huainan found this utterly amusing.

This was already the third time he was putting on an act for her.

The first time, he showed off our love.

I didn't know about Song Zhi's existence then.

I happily hugged him and took many photos.

When I saw him post a grid of nine photos, I was surprised and delighted.

But no matter how many times I scrolled, I could never find that social media post.

Later I learned he had set it to "visible only to Song Zhi."

The second time, he argued with me.

He left me on the street.

Took a photo of me crying alone and sent it to Song Zhi.

【See? There's nothing I can do. She can't live without me.】

The third time, he wanted to divorce me.

My phone buzzed. I took it out.

【Really?】

【You mean it?】

【Qiao Wangshu.】

I wiped away my tears and smiled.

"Really."

2

In the afternoon, Zhou Huainan took me to the Civil Affairs Bureau as promised.

He was in a great mood the whole way.

Constantly asking about our third anniversary and where I wanted to go celebrate.

Zhou Huainan and I had grown up together. This was the third year of our marriage.

"How about Prague?"

"You've been wanting to go to Prague Square to feed the pigeons since you were seven."

He got out of the car, opened my door, and unbuckled my seatbelt for me.

"Tsk, why have you been crying?"

He frowned, thumb brushing the corner of my eye: "I told you it's just for show. I'm just curious how long it'll take this little bird to bow her head."

As he spoke, something fell from his pocket.

A box of condoms.

Zhou Huainan coughed lightly, rubbing his nose.

He didn't explain anything.

He took me into the Civil Affairs Bureau.

Everything went smoothly.

I have aphasia.

I often can't speak when facing strangers.

But I can nod or shake my head.

"Are you divorcing voluntarily?"

"Yes."

I nodded.

"Do you confirm that your relationship has broken down?"

"Yes."

I nodded.

"There's a one-month cooling-off period. Come back after a month."

Zhou Huainan took the receipt.

Before even leaving the Civil Affairs Bureau, he took a photo and lowered his head to send a message.

My notification came in at the same time.

Just like before, from Song Zhi.

The photo of the receipt Zhou Huainan sent her, with an added message:

"Satisfied? Clean yourself for me tonight!"

I tapped her profile, blocked her.

As soon as I finished, a flight confirmation text came in.

At the same time on WeChat:

【Tickets purchased, one month later.】

【See you in Paris.】

3

I dreamed about Zhou Huainan again that night.

When Zhou Huainan was little, he was very sweet with his words.

"Qiaoqiao meimei, your eyes are so beautiful. Can I look at them when I talk to you?"

"Qiaoqiao meimei, you play piano so beautifully. Can I come listen to your performance every day?"

"Qiaoqiao meimei, I like you the most! When I grow up, I want to marry you!"

I liked Zhou Huainan too.

We had to sit together at school.

After school, we had to play together.

Even when my parents died in a car accident, I was in his family's car.

Playing rock-paper-scissors with him.

But the two cars were too close.

I watched with my own eyes as the large truck crossed right in front of us.

Boom—

My father, my mother, my older brother, even the little puppy I had raised since childhood, all struggled in the sea of fire.

For a long time, my voice couldn't make a sound.

I needed Zhou Huainan with me to fall asleep.

Zhou Huainan was very patient back then.

He practiced speaking with me.

Told me stories all night long.

Anyone who dared laugh at me for being "mute," he'd punch them.

Marrying him felt like the most natural thing in the world.

The day after I received my university graduation certificate, he was leaning by my bedside early in the morning:

"Qiaoqiao, let's get a certificate again, okay?"

That same day, we became husband and wife.

In my dream, the room was filled with fiery red roses, covering our new home.

He knelt on the bed, kissing me gently.

He said, Qiaoqiao, let's be this happy for our whole lives.

But when I opened my eyes, the whole world was black.

I pulled out my phone. Song Zhi had sent another message.

A photo.

On a messy bed, a scarlet stain.

Suddenly I felt nauseous.

I rushed into the bathroom and retched.

But only brought up physiological tears.

Finally, I sat hugging my knees on the cold floor.

I don't know what I touched on my phone, but in the silent night, a low male voice suddenly rang out:

"Qiao Wangshu?"

My heart jumped.

I picked up my phone.

"Fu... Shixiu?"

4

Fu Shixiu was my fellow patient from the support group.

After three years of hospital intervention, my aphasia had improved significantly.

I only lost my voice when feeling down or nervous.

During the two years I was married to Zhou Huainan, I was almost completely cured.

I was happy and had free time.

I had joined a peer support group for fellow patients.

The person I was paired with to support was Fu Shixiu.

Actually, for two whole years, I thought he was a girl.

Pink rabbit avatar, WeChat name "Angel."

At first, "she" almost completely ignored me.

But fellow patients understand each other.

People troubled by aphasia for years usually have severe psychological trauma.

They might not be able to speak.

But they need someone to be with them.

I relentlessly shared my daily life with "her."

From text, to voice.

From photos, to videos.

By the end, we seemed like old friends who had known each other for years.

So when I first talked with him on the phone and discovered "she" was male, I was so shocked I almost had an attack right there.

"I'm... sorry."

I held the phone, "Did I disturb... your rest..."

"No," Fu Shixiu said, "It's nine PM here."

He spoke so fluently.

This was only the second time I had talked with him.

After discovering he was male, I deliberately kept my distance.

That day was actually purely coincidental.

I hadn't contacted him for almost a month.

Just as Zhou Huainan handed me the divorce papers, he asked what I was doing.

My mind went blank at the words "divorce papers."

I only replied: 【Divorcing.】

After signing, I hid outside Zhou Huainan's office, trembling all over.

【Fu Shixiu, I seem to be about to lose my home.】

No father, no mother, no brother, no my cute little puppy.

Even Zhou Huainan was gone.

What should I do?

I didn't expect him to suddenly say:

【Then just marry me, won't you?】

The teasing laughter in the room grew louder one by one.

"Don't joke around. Without Brother Nan, Qiao Wangshu can't even speak properly. How could she actually get a divorce certificate?"

"Right, if you really make her get divorced, I'm afraid she'll cry the Civil Affairs Bureau down!"

"Is that so?"

Zhou Huainan scoffed.

He threw his lighter on the coffee table: "Even if she cries like a dog, she'll only be Zhou Huainan's dog."

"If I want her to go east, she'll crawl east!"

I stared dazedly at the now-strange man through the door crack.

【Fine.】

5

Fu Shixiu sent me a checklist.

Things that must be done within a month.

Things like getting a visa, finding a lawyer, naturally went without saying.

But inside was actually a dense list of must-eat restaurants.

【Chinese food abroad isn't good.】

【Really.】

I happily accepted.

Following his list, I ate at one restaurant after another.

Living alone didn't seem so hard.

Every day, eating, shopping, and packing luggage.

On the day I moved out of the marital home, Zhou Huainan suddenly sent me a message.

【Not even calling me? Don't you miss me?】

He had taken Song Zhi on a trip.

Saying he wanted to show the girl the world.

【Naughty.】

He sent again.

Then followed with a photo.

【This place is nice. For our third anniversary, should I bring you here too?】

I really wanted to block him like I did with Song Zhi.

But thinking I still needed to go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get the divorce certificate, I decided against it.

For the next half month, I sold off my small jewelry pieces and handbags.

I went to the hospital for a check-up.

Confirmed I wasn't pregnant.

Finally, I organized all the assets Zhou Huainan had entrusted to me for safekeeping over the years.

The night before going to the Civil Affairs Bureau, Zhou Huainan returned.

He called me.

"Qiaoqiao, you moved out?"

6

Accustomed to my silence on the phone, he laughed to himself.

"Qiaoqiao, you're too cute."

"I told you it's just an act."

"Fine," he was in a good mood,

"Might as well go all the way with the act. Tomorrow you come with me to the Civil Affairs Bureau and get the divorce certificate?"

I held my phone.

"Qiaoqiao, don't worry, it's just..."

"Okay," I said.

"Ooooh~~"

A chorus of cheers came from his end.

I hung up.

I sent him the time via WeChat.

The next day, I got up very early.

Zhou Huainan arrived late.

Probably deliberately done by Song Zhi, he had a bite mark on his lips, neither deep nor shallow.

He acted like it wasn't there.

I acted like I didn't see it.

The procedure went even more smoothly than last time.

It took no more than five minutes in total.

"Qiaoqiao, I'll give you a surprise tomorrow."

Zhou Huainan lightly kicked my calf.

I put away the divorce certificate: "Zhou Huainan, are you free tonight?"

I looked at him: "There's something I want to talk to you about."

Zhou Huainan froze.

Since getting married, I had always called him "husband."

The next moment, he curved those peach-blossom eyes of his, flicking the red book in his hand:

"Alright."

7

No matter what Zhou Huainan was like this past year.

I didn't want to deny the Zhou Huainan of the past.

I was grateful for his companionship over so many years, thankful for his care for me.

So actually, I never thought of leaving without saying goodbye.

But it rained that night.

Thunder and lightning.

I was afraid of such nights.

That car accident had happened on just such a stormy night.

I endured the trembling in my body, waiting for Zhou Huainan.

I was even a little worried that when Zhou Huainan appeared, out of years of habit,

I might shatter the psychological defenses I had built up over this past month and throw myself into his arms crying.

But he didn't come.

He made a phone call to me.

When the call connected, the other end was chaotic.

"What redemption! Bullshit!"

"I was so annoyed by her those years! If my mom hadn't forced me, I couldn't have been bothered with her!"

"Marriage? Guess why we married so early?"

"It was because she wouldn't let me touch her!"

"I was just curious, doesn't she lose her voice when she gets emotional? What about in bed then? Can she make sounds then, hahaha."

Rumble—

It was as if something, on such a thunderstorm night, was being torn to pieces again.

I wanted to hide.

I didn't want anyone to see my pathetic state.

But where could I hide?

No matter where, everywhere was rain, everywhere was lightning.

Everywhere was laughter.

Fu Shixiu's call came in at that moment.

"Qiao Wangshu?"

His voice was always so calm.

Making those chaotic sounds seem to instantly fade away.

"Are you crying?"

I wanted to say no.

But I couldn't make a sound.

Tears seemed to agree with his words, breaking through the dam and gushing out.

"Wait."

He was still so calm, "I'll come pick you up."

8

The Zhou family's second son was single again.

A group of young masters organized a "singles party," drinking themselves into oblivion at a KTV.

A whole row of them passed out.

I don't know what time it was when someone fumbled for their phone.

"Holy shit! Big news!"

With that shout, several woke up.

"That golden and precious CEO from the Fu family actually appeared in Haicheng!"

"He flew back overnight on a private jet!"

One mumbled, waving his hand:

"Impossible. Didn't he say he was recovering from illness abroad? Haven't seen the guy in ten years."

"Really! It's already trending!"

The phone was passed around.

The cold room became lively again.

"It's really him! And he's even holding a girl! Said he flew back overnight to take a girl abroad!"

"Whoa, no time for PR, how urgent must it be?"

"Let me see, let me see!"

"Tsk, this girl... why does she look a bit familiar..."

"Brother Nan, Brother Nan!"

Someone pushed Zhou Huainan, "Look at this girl in Fu Shixiu's arms, doesn't she look like... sister-in-law?"

Zhou Huainan had actually been awake for a while.

But he didn't like watching the Fu family's drama.

"How could that be your sister-in-law."

He unhappily took the phone, "Your sister-in-law doesn't even dare leave Haicheng, let alone go abroad..."

But just one glance at the photo, and he froze.

Heavy rain at the airport.

Under a black umbrella, the man stood tall, his face cold.

Shielding the girl in his arms completely.

But he was too familiar with Qiao Wangshu.

Her figure, her hair color...

Impossible.

Zhou Huainan slapped down his phone.

How could Qiaoqiao know someone like Fu Shixiu?

Tonight she had even invited him to her apartment.

Probably because she hadn't seen him for a month, she was dying to see him.

Zhou Huainan took a cigarette from his case.

Lit it.

Took out his own phone.

Found Qiao Wangshu's number, about to dial.

Glanced at the time on his phone.

Three AM.

Never mind, at this hour, she was sleeping.

But then.

No matter what time it was, Qiaoqiao would always answer his calls.

Zhou Huainan turned his phone back on.

Dialed.

"Sorry, the number you have dialed is not in service."

9

After that car accident, I never left Haicheng.

All forms of transportation made me afraid.

Going to a completely strange place would make me even more anxious.

I sat beside Fu Shixiu, nervously wringing my hands.

He was so tall.

Even sitting in the back seat, he was still a head taller than me.

He looked very serious.

When the driver spoke to him, he dismissed him with just a word or two.

He seemed to be some kind of celebrity.

Just now at Haicheng Airport, reporters had surrounded us completely.

Shouting "Mr. Fu" one after another.

Was I... being impulsive?

The name "Fu Shixiu" was something I only learned after our first phone call.

Paris was a place I never would have dared to think about before.

The person beside me suddenly moved.

Took something from his pocket and handed it to me.

"Want some?"

A piece of candy.

The paper bag had a pink rabbit printed on it.

My memory was immediately pulled back two years, when I relentlessly tried to talk to "her."

"Meimei, do you like candy?"

"I recently ate a kind of candy that's really delicious!"

"It's so chewy and soft, with the fresh fragrance of peaches!"

"If you want some, give me your address, and I'll mail you a jar?"

"She" replied with an English address.

That was the first time "she" had acknowledged me.

The sense of unfamiliarity suddenly dissipated.

I had searched for this rabbit candy for a long time.

I found it based on his WeChat avatar.

I just wanted to cheer up this reclusive "meimei."

"Shall I unwrap it for you?"

He didn't seem so hard to approach.

His voice was gentle, his eyes flashing with soft light.

Before I could nod, he had already skillfully unwrapped the candy paper.

I took the candy and put it in my mouth.

The familiar taste spread from the tip of my tongue.

All the pores in my body relaxed.

10

I actually managed to settle down in a completely strange place.

Fu Shixiu arranged for me to stay in his apartment.

But he seemed very busy and rarely came home.

The first week after getting over jet lag, he came to talk to me once.

"Wangshu, what kind of work do you want to do?"

This question left me stunned.

Zhou Huainan didn't allow me to work.

"You get nervous and can't speak clearly, what kind of work can you do?"

"Be good, just stay home and grow flowers, tend to grass. Would you really miss that little bit?"

But Fu Shixiu held his coffee:

"Your language studies haven't started yet, but there are quite a few Chinese people in Paris."

I wrung my palms:

"I... can I?"

Fu Shixiu raised an eyebrow: "How will you know if you don't try?"

And then I really found a job.

Teaching Chinese to a child of Chinese descent.

It was just an ordinary "tutoring job," but I was happy for the first time in a long time.

So happy that I wanted to share with my few friends that I didn't seem so useless after all.

Just as I logged into WeChat, messages came flooding in like snowflakes.

【Qiaoqiao, where did you go? Young Master Zhou is going crazy looking for you!】

11

Zhou Huainan was looking for me?

The night I left with Fu Shixiu, I wasn't in the best state.

So he handled all the follow-up matters for me.

All the asset documents that were supposed to be returned to Zhou Huainan were sent to the Zhou family's old residence.

The property that needed handling was entrusted to the lawyer I had found earlier.

The follow-up matters of the divorce were naturally left to the lawyer as well.

Other things, like the phone card, Fu Shixiu canceled directly.

If Zhou Huainan had any business, he should look for the lawyer, not me.

I was deleting those messages one by one when a voice call came in.

My hand was too fast and I accidentally answered.

"Qiao Wangshu! What the hell are you doing?!"

Zhou Huainan's voice burst out:

"Your phone was stolen, right?"

"Don't you know to buy a new one after it's stolen?"

"After buying a new one, don't you know to call me?"

"Didn't you have my number memorized backwards?!"

I held my phone quietly.

"And where did you go?"

"Why did you send those things to the old residence?"

"Don't you want to celebrate our third anniversary anymore?"

"Zhou Huainan." I actually managed to say his name very easily:

"We're already divorced."

Before he could say another word, I hung up.

【Qiaoqiao, how many times do I have to tell you it's just an act, just an act, didn't you understand?】

【What's your new phone number? Send it to me.】

【Add me back on WeChat too. Don't you want to keep in touch with me?】

Messages popped out one after another.

I tapped his profile, blocked him.

Then found Zhou Huainan's friends in my contacts.

Blocked them all.

12

A new environment really does make it easier to let things go.

On the way home, I bought a small cake.

Fu Shixiu and I had been chatting for over two years. After getting past the initial awkwardness, I was familiar with him.

For example, knowing his preferences.

Lately he didn't seem so busy, coming back to the apartment more frequently.

Carrying the cake, I thought to myself.

He should be coming home today.

But I didn't expect him to come back so early.

I had just taken out my key when the door opened.

Fu Shixiu was wearing a dazzlingly white shirt, with a fluffy little animal in his arms.

"Puppy!"

I was so delighted I forgot what I was holding and reached out to take the puppy.

"Is he yours? I never heard you mention him."

"Or is he a friend's?"

"He's so cute!"

"He's for you." Fu Shixiu closed the door.

I froze for a moment.

Mine?

I asked without thinking: "I... can I?"

Zhou Huainan never agreed to let me have pets.

He said the house would be full of fur and have a strange smell.

But Fu Shixiu said:

"Why not?"

It was as if a small firework went off in my heart.

I was going to have my own puppy again!

"I... brought you a small cake."

I handed the cake to Fu Shixiu and went to the sofa to play with the puppy.

My first puppy was a birthday gift from my parents.

My brother had helped them choose him personally.

Those days, I never knew what worry was.

So I always felt.

Seeing a puppy, all worries would disappear.

I looked up, and it seemed I wasn't the only one in a good mood.

Fu Shixiu sat beside me, the corners of his mouth slightly raised.

Quietly eating the small cake, bite by bite.

"Meimei, you got cream on you."

I stood up, about to grab a tissue when I suddenly realized...

I was too relaxed and called the wrong name.

"Meimei?"

Fu Shixiu's voice came closer.

His breath came closer too.

Too close, the puppy "awooed" and ran away.

I looked up slightly to see a superior face.

And the elastic texture of his hand under mine.

For a moment, all I could hear was the sound of my heartbeat.

Wanting to back away a bit, Fu Shixiu held the back of my head, kissing me without refusal.

"Qiaoqiao, did you forget something?"

My heart was about to explode.

My face was so hot my mind felt dizzy.

But he kissed me again.

This time very lightly, very gently.

His voice was low and hoarse:

"When are we going to register?"

"Today, or tomorrow?"

13

I don't know what happened.

I was kissed into a daze, thinking it was already late today.

Then let's make it tomorrow.

The next day, Fu Shixiu really took me to the city hall.

According to him, an old gentleman who was the mayor of Paris said a bunch of things, and I followed along nodding.

He waved his hand grandly and issued us our marriage certificate.

I was a bit nervous, but more than that, I was excited.

Fellow patients understand each other.

I always felt that Fu Shixiu would not be a wrong choice.

The only thing that upset me was that Zhou Huainan somehow found my Paris phone number.

He even used a French number to call me.

"You really went to Paris!"

As soon as the call connected, he recognized my voice:

"Qiaoqiao, learned to throw tantrums, have you?"

"It's been a month, haven't you had enough?"

I took a deep breath before suppressing the rising emotions:

"Zhou Huainan, stop disturbing my life."

"Your life? What kind of life could you possibly have?!"

"Don't think I don't know, you went to Paris to find that 'Angel,' right?"

"A little sister who eats candy every day, and you go burden her, have you no shame?"

I never kept anything from Zhou Huainan before—what I did, who my friends were.

"These... have nothing to do with you."

"I'm fucking your husband, if not me then who?!"

"I advise you to come back immediately! Or else..."

I hung up directly.

He sent me a text message:

【Not replying, huh? Fine! You're capable!】

【If you have the ability, keep clinging to a little sister for your whole life!】

14

I never thought Zhou Huainan could be such a terrible person.

But on second thought.

He could cheat during marriage and brazenly ask me for a "fake" divorce.

What kind of good person could he be?

I was blinded by childhood affection and lost my mind.

That night, many friends sent me messages.

Most of them were screenshots of Zhou Huainan's social media, plus a line:

【What's going on between you and Young Master Zhou?】

Zhou Huainan had posted an intimate photo with Song Zhi on his social media.

It was his public acknowledgment of his relationship with Song Zhi.

I didn't feel like explaining so much.

I directly posted a photo of my divorce certificate on my social media.

My university roommate group chat exploded.

"Holy shit, Qiaoqiao, you finally came to your senses!"

"I always felt something was off with that Zhou guy. He never took you to meet his friends, and I never saw him post you on his social media!"

"That's right, and he always talked about Qiaoqiao's 'aphasia' all the time."

"Qiaoqiao spoke fine with us, but as soon as he mentioned it, Qiaoqiao would get nervous and really couldn't speak."

So everything had signs all along.

A few days later, the group chat exploded again.

"Is he sick or something?"

Zhou Huainan sent the same content to each of them.

A photo of a diamond ring.

A screenshot of his chat with Song Zhi:

【Three days from now, I'll give you a surprise.】

【Are you free?】

Then a message to be relayed to me:

"Tell Qiao Wangshu, three days from now is my mother's birthday banquet."

"If she doesn't come back, I'll have my mother change her daughter-in-law!"

I really thought he was sick.

"Ignore him."

But actually, I did need to go back.

That night, Fu Shixiu came home with two suitcases.

"We're going back to China."

I stared blankly, not understanding.

"The marriage certificate needs to be authenticated in China."

He was organizing documents: "And I want to take you back to meet my family and friends."

"I..."

I subconsciously wanted to ask.

I... can I?

Just as my roommates said, Zhou Huainan never took me to public occasions.

He was afraid I couldn't speak.

He was afraid I'd stutter.

Embarrassing.

"Qiaoqiao." Fu Shixiu suddenly stopped what he was doing.

Turned around.

Held my face with one hand, his black pupils looking steadily at me:

"Qiao Wangshu, nothing is impossible."

A warm, tingling sensation slowly flowed from my heart throughout my body.

So this was what a positive relationship felt like.

15

Fu Shixiu said he needed to go to Haicheng first to handle some matters.

Perfect, I also wanted to meet with my lawyer.

So we set Haicheng as our first stop back in China.

Unlike the pouring rain when we left, the sun was shining when we got off the plane.

Fu Shixiu was very low-key.

He wore sunglasses the whole way, holding my hand as we walked to the VIP通道.

After all these days, I of course knew who he was.

The battle for the Fu family's sovereignty twelve years ago had been "serialized" in headlines for months.

No one expected that the final winner would be a young junior who hadn't even graduated from university.

Even less expected was that after Fu Shixiu took over the Fu family, he would be so decisive, with brilliant strategies.

In just two years, he doubled the already massive Fu family fortune.

I had also heard of him.

But I was young then, plus he had been absent from China for many years, I hadn't remembered his name.

Fortunately, we didn't run into reporters this time.

Fu Shixiu and I arrived at the hotel smoothly.

He went to the company, I slept in at the hotel, and only went to the law firm after waking up.

"Miss Qiao, your assets are being processed gradually according to your requirements."

"These are a few documents that need your signature, please take a look."

"These are the original contracts for properties already sold, you can take them with you."

"The processing of your personal assets is going very smoothly, it's just..."

The lawyer looked a bit troubled: "Miss Qiao, you have several properties that are marital property with Mr. Zhou."

"According to the divorce agreement, it's half each."

"But Mr. Zhou... refuses to cooperate."

"He said you two..."

The lawyer coughed lightly, "aren't divorced."

I frowned.

"So if you could see..."

I nodded: "I'm sorry, I'll handle the communication."

I took out my phone.

After asking my roommates to block Zhou Huainan, he had created various alternate accounts.

Adding me in different ways every day.

I accepted one of them.

"Are you free tonight? Come out and meet."

Zhou Huainan didn't reply quickly.

He was "typing" for a long time.

"Ooooh~~~ willing to come back to China?"

16

"What a pity."

"Tonight this young master is going shopping with Zhizhi, no time."

I looked at the message on my phone.

Almost laughed angrily.

He refused to cooperate with the asset division, but it wasn't like there was no way.

Just apply to the court for compulsory execution.

But I hadn't planned to stay in China long this time, I wanted things to be simple.

Probably seeing that I didn't reply, he sent another message.

"If you want reconciliation, it's not impossible."

"Tomorrow is my mother's birthday banquet, come apologize."

Plus a hotel location.

He really was sick.

I blocked him again.

Just then Fu Shixiu sent me a message:

【I had someone send you several dresses, choose one.】

【Tomorrow I'll take you to meet a few friends first.】

I was going to meet Fu Shixiu's friends.

My heart beat a few times faster.

I immediately threw aside the unpleasantness Zhou Huainan had brought.

I took a taxi back to the hotel.

17

Fu Shixiu didn't just have someone send "several" dresses.

Several full racks of clothes, plus matching shoes, jewelry, and makeup artists.

Filled a whole room.

Seeing how serious he was, I didn't dare to be careless.

I tried on outfit after outfit, choosing for almost the whole night.

In the end, I chose an outfit that looked well-behaved and understated.

Fortunately, Fu Shixiu didn't come back.

He hadn't been back to China in ten years, and rarely went to the Haicheng branch in person.

One could imagine how busy he was.

The next day, I slept for half the day.

It was already afternoon when I woke up.

After changing clothes and putting on makeup, Fu Shixiu's message came.

【I sent a driver to pick you up.】

When I got in the car, an unknown number called.

My intuition told me it was Zhou Huainan again, so I hung up immediately.

He called again, I hung up again.

Finally blocked him again.

But I didn't expect that when the driver stopped, I actually saw Zhou Huainan.

He was standing at the hotel entrance, making call after call.

Finally, he smashed his phone angrily.

I looked up at the hotel name, and it was actually the one Zhou Huainan had sent me yesterday.

Fu Shixiu's call came in at the right time.

"Are you here?"

"Shall I come down to get you?"

His voice always calmed people down.

I glanced at Zhou Huainan with his dark face: "No need, I'll come up myself."

Probably hearing the voice.

Zhou Huainan also looked over.

For a moment, it was hard to describe the expression on his face.

It seemed like surprise, like ecstasy, mixed with a few hints of suppressed anger.

He kicked the phone he had smashed to pieces.

With red eyes: "Qiao..."

But only that one word.

He pressed his lips together and turned away: "Let's go."

With a bit of pride: "I knew you'd come."

He turned first.

This hotel seemed to have been booked out.

I suddenly realized what Fu Shixiu meant by "meet a few friends"—what kind of friends.

Seeing I wasn't following, Zhou Huainan deliberately slowed his steps.

"Fine, I'll apologize first, okay?"

He lowered his voice: "You just don't like Song Zhi, right?"

"I won't associate with her anymore, okay?"

"You're too petty, the girl didn't do anything to you."

I took a deep breath, suppressing my emotions.

Going up to the second floor, I saw several familiar faces.

"Ooooh, sister-in-law finally came back?"

"It still has to be Young Master Zhou, a perfectly obedient girl, learning to be a runaway canary, isn't that ridiculous?"

"Brother Nan, with so many people today, you brought her too, aren't you afraid..."

"That's right, there are important people here today!"

Zhou Huainan glared at them: "Get lost."

He walked closer to me:

"Considerate of you, you even knew to dress up before coming."

"Later, just follow behind me. No matter what happens, don't speak, just smile, understand?"

"Come." He reached out his hand, "I'll hold your hand."

I stopped in my tracks, speechless.

"Zhou Huainan."

I said coldly: "I'm not here for you."

Zhou Huainan chuckled:

"Come on, at this point, what are you pretending for?"

"If not for me, then for whom?"

The inner hall door opened.

I saw Fu Shixiu at a glance.

It wasn't his event, but he sat in the main seat.

On his left and right were Zhou Huainan's mother and Zhou Huainan's older brother who ran the company.

Others either stood or sat, some drinking quietly, some whispering.

But they strangely formed a semicircle with Fu Shixiu at the center.

"See? The one in the middle, my mom worked hard to invite him."

"His wife is coming later too."

"You behave yourself. If you embarrass the Zhou family, my mother and my brother won't let you off!"

Zhou Huainan said as he reached for my hand.

I violently shook him off.

"Qiao Wangshu!"

My voice wasn't small.

Many people looked over.

Fu Shixiu also looked over, his eyes slightly darkening.

"Huainan, what's all this commotion?"

Zhou Huainan's mother called Zhou Huainan, but her disapproving stare was fixed on me.

Zhou Huainan's brother frowned at me, then smiled at Fu Shixiu:

"Mrs. Fu should have arrived? Should I go down to greet her?"

Someone whispered.

Zhou Huainan scolded me in a low voice:

"I told you not to cause trouble, are you satisfied now?"

"This is the first time you're meeting so many Zhou family relatives, and this is the impression you give them?"

Yes.

Three years of marriage, this was the first time I had met the entire Zhou family.

"Wangshu." Fu Shixiu suddenly called me.

"Come over."

He had left an empty seat between him and Zhou's mother.

Zhou Huainan froze.

Zhou's mother and Zhou Huainan's brother also froze.

I stepped over.

"Let me introduce."

Fu Shixiu's voice wasn't loud, but enough for everyone present to hear.

"Qiao Wangshu."

He kissed the back of my hand, then looked back at everyone, "My wife."

18

The banquet hall was deathly silent.

Everyone seemed to forget even to breathe.

Only Fu Shixiu, worthy of someone who had seen big scenes.

"Wangshu, do you have anything you want to say?"

All eyes were on me.

Cold sweat broke out on my back.

I clenched my palms, my heart beating in waves.

Fu Shixiu squeezed my hand, looking into my eyes, nodding lightly at me.

"Nothing is impossible."

I took a deep breath.

"Auntie."

I said to Zhou's mother: "I..."

I clenched my fists: "Zhou Huainan and I have long been divorced."

"I don't know why he didn't tell you."

Then to Zhou Huainan:

"Zhou Huainan, I never believed... that marriage and divorce could be 'acting'."

"There's no possibility between us anymore."

Finally to everyone:

"I am already Fu Shixiu's legal wife."

"From now on, I have no relationship with the Zhou family."

Zhou Huainan watched Fu Shixiu and my intertwined hands, taking two steps back in disbelief.

Fu Shixiu also stood up.

Took a napkin from the table, slowly wiping the hand Zhou Huainan had just grabbed.

"My wife prefers quiet."

"I'm protective of my own."

"After today, I don't want to see anyone harassing my wife in any form."

"Mrs. Zhou, have I made myself clear?"

Zhou's mother stared blankly, nodding repeatedly.

"My apologies for the disturbance."

Fu Shixiu put down the napkin and took my hand to leave.

It wasn't until we reached the elevator that my heartbeat seemed to recover.

My legs felt weak, and I was about to fall when Fu Shixiu caught my waist, pinning me against the inner wall.

"You went to such great lengths..." I gasped softly, "just to stop Zhou Huainan from coming to find me?"

Fu Shixiu held my face:

"You look very beautiful today."

I didn't know if he meant I was dressed beautifully or spoke beautifully.

He leaned down to kiss me.

"Qiaoqiao, Qiaoqiao!"

Zhou Huainan was shouting outside the elevator.

Unfortunately, we had been talking and hadn't pressed the floor button.

The elevator had actually opened for him.

Fu Shixiu pressed me into his arms, turning back coldly:

"Something you need?"

The elevator wall reflected my thoroughly kissed red face, and outside the elevator, Zhou Huainan's stunned, almost desperate expression.

I quickly pressed the first basement floor.

Before the elevator doors closed, Fu Shixiu maliciously.

Pinched my chin, and in front of Zhou Huainan,

kissed me even more forcefully.

19

It's said that Zhou Huainan was locked up by the Zhou family.

They took his phone, computer, and cut off all communication devices.

He had to swear he wouldn't trouble me anymore before they would let him out.

I went back to the capital with Fu Shixiu.

Originally planning to notarize the marriage certificate, Fu Shixiu found it troublesome and simply went to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get a new one.

I also met his friends and family.

Just as in the rumors.

He was the eldest grandson, but his mother died early, and his father died of sudden cardiac arrest when he was eighteen.

His several uncles had no chance of winning now and treated me politely.

His friends were also refined and courteous.

Only one, probably his best friend.

Made fun of him in front of me for "losing his virginity at an old age."

No.

He was over thirty, still a virgin?

But then, it had been half a month since we got our certificate, and he really hadn't touched me.

Was it that he couldn't...

Or was he worried I'd discover he couldn't?

So that night, the atmosphere was quite strange when we went to sleep.

For a moment I wanted to touch him, for a moment I thought it was better to avoid him.

What if it wasn't that he couldn't, but that he wouldn't...

Cough.

Probably not.

I could still feel it when he kissed me.

President Fu was busy with ten thousand things a day, and was rarely easily approached.

Perhaps, it was normal?

Even if it wasn't normal, we already had the certificate, I wouldn't dislike him for it.

"What are you thinking about?"

Fu Shixiu suddenly turned over and pulled me into his arms.

I shook my head repeatedly.

He lowered his head and captured my lips.

He had been kissing me more frequently and for longer periods lately.

"I just wanted to give you more time to accept me."

The temperature under the covers was rising.

In the darkness, Fu Shixiu's breathing was slightly ragged, his voice hoarse.

"I..."

My heart "thumped, thumped, thumped," cutting off my voice.

But I thought of the puppy sleeping peacefully at the foot of the bed.

When we returned to China, Fu Shixiu hadn't forgotten to bring him along.

I thought of the lavender-colored bed linens in the room.

I thought of the tulips filling the courtyard outside.

Over all these years, he remembered every word I had said to him.

"I like you too, Fu Shixiu."

I said softly.

I lifted my face to press my lips against his.

Fu Shixiu's whole body froze, then immediately took the lead.

What naturally followed was...

The spring days grew long, the nights short, we never slept.

20

But some things don't always go smoothly.

Too many people participated in that birthday banquet, and some rumors still spread.

Under every interview video of Fu Shixiu, there were some ambiguous comments.

"Tsk, tsk, a domineering CEO who looks decent on the surface but is utterly heartless, even his wife..."

"Upstairs, he's married? What happened to his wife?"

"Stay low-key to stay safe. Keyword: stolen bride."

Fu Shixiu didn't care.

The more such comments were suppressed, the more fiercely they spread.

But I felt like I had a fishbone stuck in my throat.

This day Fu Shixiu was working overtime again.

Three more days and we would return to France.

I was packing when suddenly heard a commotion outside the courtyard.

"Yes, my wife and I were childhood sweethearts, over twenty years of feelings, how could they just disappear?"

"Look at this photo."

"Yes, the one Fu Shixiu was photographed with at the airport, the one that was completely deleted the next day."

"Does my wife look conscious to you?"

"Three years ago, Fu Shixiu disguised himself as a little girl to deceive my wife! He clearly has special preferences, he's a pervert!"

There was a buzzing in my ears.

My blood rushed upward.

It was Zhou Huainan, of course.

He had brought a group of livestreaming influencers to the door of my home with Fu Shixiu.

"The Fu family is lawless, please everyone bear witness for me! Today I must see my wife!"

I grabbed the printed materials I had prepared and rushed downstairs.

Completely forgetting that I had sent all the servants out shopping.

Only I was home.

Completely forgetting that after the car accident, the numerous interviews had caused secondary trauma.

Facing the cameras, I couldn't say a word.

So when you want to protect something, a person's strength can be so great.

I directly opened the main door.

"Qiaoqiao..." Zhou Huainan's face lit up with surprise.

Before he could say a third word, I stepped forward and slapped him.

"Zhou Huainan! Go look at yourself in the mirror! Who gave you the confidence that I wouldn't leave you?!"

Another slap.

"And who gave you the courage to slander others and spread rumors?!"

Another slap.

I threw the printed chat records onto him.

"Take a good look! Stop tarnishing the word 'childhood sweethearts'!"

Finally, I threw a player into his arms.

Inside was playing the recording of that phone call he gave me the night I left.

"What redemption! Bullshit!"

"I was so annoyed by her those years! If my mom hadn't forced me, I couldn't have been bothered with her!"

"Marriage? Guess why..."

Zhou Huainan's face turned deathly pale.

He quickly pressed pause.

21

But the trouble he caused wasn't so easily paused.

The livestream was cut off, and all clips were deleted completely.

What circulated around were the various chat record screenshots that Song Zhi had sent me that year of her and Zhou Huainan.

The internet was amazed by the bizarre nature of the two.

Soon, the previously hidden Song Zhi was completely exposed.

Some even dug up that she was living in a luxury apartment Zhou Huainan had given her, wearing luxury goods he had bought.

Pretending to be a rich girl.

Seducing other second-generation heirs.

Fu Shixiu was originally a business-is-business person who hadn't deliberately targeted the Zhou family.

But after this disturbance, he cut off all cooperation between the Fu family and the Zhou family.

A few days later, Zhou's mother called me.

"We didn't watch Huainan closely enough, I'm sorry, Qiaoqiao, but can you consider so many years..."

"Auntie."

I interrupted her: "You did take care of me for many years, that's true."

"But these years, I also listened to you and gradually handed over all my parents' business to the Zhou family."

"I have never owed you anything."

Fu Shixiu and I proceeded as planned.

Preparing to return to France.

The day we left, it was drizzling.

At security, there was suddenly a commotion.

Zhou Huainan appeared from somewhere again.

Covered in mud and rain.

In a sorry state.

"Qiaoqiao, Qiaoqiao."

He grabbed my suitcase.

The ground was too slippery, and he fell directly in front of me.

"Qiaoqiao, please don't go, okay?"

22

Fu Shixiu's face showed great disgust.

But he only glanced at his watch and gave a signal to the people around him.

Those who had taken out their phones to take photos and enjoy the drama were immediately cleared away.

Zhou Huainan tightly clutched my suitcase.

"Qiaoqiao, listen to me."

"There are too many misunderstandings between us!"

"That phone call, Song Zhi made it to you, not me... I didn't know at all!"

"I was drunk and bragging then! I was never annoyed by you!"

"I married you because I really like you..."

"Those things I said to Song Zhi, I was confused at the moment, it was... yes, she was skilled! She seduced me!"

"I didn't really want to divorce you either."

"Didn't I say I'd give you a surprise? I planned to propose to you again the next day."

"Qiaoqiao, everything was a series of unfortunate coincidences!"

"That night, I also planned to go to the apartment to find you..."

"It was that idiot Chen Jiang who insisted on dragging me out for a drink!"

"Yes, it was all someone else's fault."

I looked down at his tears: "The condoms were put in your pocket by someone else."

"The bed was pushed by someone else."

"All those demeaning, humiliating things you said about me, it was a ghost that possessed you, making them come out of your mouth."

I was actually able to speak such a long paragraph without pauses.

"Zhou Huainan, you just thought I couldn't leave you."

"So you looked down on me, ignored me, despised me."

"Mocking me, suppressing me became the only way you could find a sense of existence in your failed life, didn't it?"

The Zhou family had two sons.

The eldest took over the entire family business.

The second was careless, playing his way through life.

Not that he was unwilling, but that he was incapable.

The only thing worth boasting about in his life was once accompanying a girl.

Making her wholeheartedly rely on him, trust him.

"Let go."

"Don't let our childhood friendship end too ugly."

Zhou Huainan's hand suddenly jerked.

He let go.

"Qiaoqiao! Give me another chance! This time I'll definitely..."

As he spoke, he reached for my hand.

I quickly moved away:

"So disgusting."

Zhou Huainan's words stopped abruptly.

I pulled my suitcase and turned to leave.

Fu Shixiu was just ahead, and I took his arm.

Behind me, there was suddenly a sound of crying and howling.

23

Later, for a very long time, I never saw Zhou Huainan again.

I only occasionally heard bits of news about Song Zhi and him from my roommates.

Song Zhi's situation got serious.

Several second-generation heirs, including Zhou Huainan, sued her together.

She was expelled from school and didn't get her graduation certificate.

As for whether the lawsuit was ultimately sentenced, I don't know.

Zhou Huainan was kicked out of the Zhou family.

Probably to curry favor with Fu Shixiu, or maybe Zhou's mother's business wasn't going well and she took her anger out on him.

They cut off all his cards and reclaimed all property under his name.

Made him go out and work for himself.

It's said that the second young master who once didn't bat an eye at million-dollar haute couture now hesitates to buy a bottle of wine.

Some also said they had encountered Zhou Huainan and Song Zhi fighting on the street.

Two equally destitute people, even if they fought until their heads were bloody, no one paid attention.

My "work" went very smoothly.

My student went from one to two, two to four.

Soon I had a whole class of children.

My language studies were also going quite well.

Though I often got dizzy trying to deal with its 15 tenses, at least I could communicate daily.

Our first Spring Festival in France, Fu Shixiu took me skiing.

When speeding down from the Alps, I screamed at the top of my lungs.

At night, we lay in a valley hotel counting stars.

Every star was someone who had loved us.

"Fu Shixiu, aren't you going to tell me the story of 'Angel' yet?"

That night, Fu Shixiu took me back to China.

Back to the capital.

Back to that old house that hadn't been opened for many years.

There was a room inside, filled with paintings of pink rabbits.

24

Fu Shixiu had a younger sister.

Ten years younger than him, she loved rabbits most.

As she grew older, she loved pink rabbits most.

She often said she had come from the rabbit planet to save the world.

But she didn't seem so lucky.

Her mother passed away giving birth to her.

At eight, her father passed away.

She watched her brother navigate and contend with the covetous uncles.

Exhausted.

She had come to save the world, so she, certainly, couldn't be her brother's burden.

So when the family servants abused her, she didn't make a sound.

When she was mocked and bullied by classmates for her aphasia, she only smiled at Fu Shixiu.

The one with aphasia was never Fu Shixiu.

It was her.

To hide her condition, she often wrote notes to Fu Shixiu.

"Brother, school is still more fun. I won't come home this summer vacation. You must take good care of yourself!"

"Brother, I made another new friend today. Another happy day!"

"Brother, I learned to make small cakes, they're in the fridge. Remember to eat them!"

But the last note she left Fu Shixiu was:

"Brother, Earth is too bitter. I'm going back to the rabbit planet! Don't worry, I'll come back to see you often (#^.^#)"

Fu Shixiu was too busy.

School, the company, everywhere was a battlefield.

But when the war ended,

all that awaited him was a cold corpse at the bottom of the lake.

Actually, she had thought of saving herself.

She had joined many support groups.

Depression support groups, aphasia support groups.

Many people had added her.

But people who could barely take care of themselves, how could they help others?

Most would disappear after chatting for two or three days.

Until many, many years later, I clicked on her pink rabbit avatar and sent a friend request.

"Meimei, add me."

"Meimei, are you busy?"

"Meimei, it's another sunny day! How lucky would I be to have your friend request?"

Fu Shixiu said I was too noisy.

He guarded his sister's WeChat year after year.

Fantasizing that maybe one day, she could really come back?

But his sister never came.

Instead, a chatty "older sister" arrived.

He accepted the friend request.

Watching her day after day, tirelessly sharing her life.

Then he thought, if she had appeared ten years ago, would his sister have had a different outcome?

Even later, he thought, was she, perhaps, the gift his sister had sent him?

He was too lonely.

Far from his homeland, day after day redeeming his guilt toward his sister.

The voice in his phone was the only color in his life.

Unfortunately, she was someone else's wife.

"Now, you are my wife."

Fu Shixiu looked at the brightest star beside the moon, "Do you think, is it really true, that she sent you to me?"

"Has she forgiven me?"

"She never blamed you."

I kissed away the tears from the corners of his eyes: "She was an angel who came to save the world."

"She saved you, and she saved me too."

Fu Shixiu held me tightly.

"Qiaoqiao, I love you."

I love you so very much.

The greatest regret in life is loving someone who wasn't worthy of that love.

The greatest fortune in life is that I love you, and you,

happened to fall into my hands.