"I'm sorry to bother you," Long Chen said softly.
He didn't know where to go next, as he knew few people.
Perhaps Zhao Churan would make a good confidant.
"It's no bother at all, don't be polite, here, help me carry this, my hand is sore."
Zhao Churan handed Long Chen the bag filled with fruit.
Long Chen didn't refuse and helped her carry it.
As they walked side by side, they were unaware that Li Yuechan, who had just come out, saw everything.
Li Yuechan clenched her jade fists, her face pale.
"No wonder you agreed so easily to the divorce this time; you've found someone else already. Since that's the case, I will not let you off easily, you scum."
Li Yuechan gritted her teeth, tears welling up in her eyes.
…
Following Zhao Churan, Long Chen soon entered her home.
After sitting down, Zhao Churan poured Long Chen a glass of water and asked with a smile, "Tell me, what's bothering you? Maybe I can help."
"I can't say," Long Chen said with a bitter smile.
"Is there something you can't tell? Could it be your wife cheating on you?" guessed Zhao Churan.
"It's not that," Long Chen said. "Got any alcohol? Maybe with a bit to drink, I can talk about it."
"Sure, one moment."
Zhao Churan stood up to get the alcohol, also grabbing many snacks to accompany the drinks.
After a few glasses, Long Chen, who didn't handle his alcohol well, had a faint red flush on his face.
"Slow down on the drinking. You'll pass out before you even get to talk," Zhao Churan said softly.
"It's fine." After another glass, Long Chen finally opened up to Zhao Churan.
He told her all about his sufferings in the Li Family throughout the year.
Of course, Long Chen didn't mention the awakening of his talent.
That was his secret, one he wouldn't share with anyone, no matter how drunk he got.
At that moment, Long Chen was simply venting the most troubling matters in his heart to Zhao Churan.
"I guessed it would be suffocating for you to be a live-in son-in-law, but I didn't think it would be this bad. If the whole Li family looks down on you, why not just get a divorce? What era are we in? Are you worried about not finding a wife? If you really can't find one, I'll be your wife," Zhao Churan said half-jokingly, her lively eyes half-closed, her pretty face flushed, obviously tipsy.
"But every time I think about truly leaving Li Yuechan, my heart becomes a mess, and I feel an uncontrollable sense of loss."
Long Chen continued to drink glass after glass, indulging in something he normally wouldn't touch.
"It seems like you've fallen in love with her. But she's just your nominal wife, she doesn't care about you. If she did, how could she not even hold your hand once in over a year? That's absurd."
"I know she doesn't love me. It's me who's being pathetic for falling for her first. This marriage was arranged by our grandfathers, and mine told me on his deathbed never to leave the Li Family, no matter what happens," Long Chen sighed deeply.
At that moment, he was very confused.
"Don't they know about your medical skills, which are earth-shattering?"
"They don't know, I've never mentioned it," Long Chen said.
"Why not just come clean? That way, the Li Family wouldn't see you as a worthless person anymore, maybe..."
"It would backfire. With my mother-in-law and father-in-law's temper, they'd treat me like a money-making machine, making me even more miserable."
"You don't want to divorce, and you can't tell the truth, so what will you do?" Zhao Churan furrowed her brows.
"I don't know."
"""Let's do this: pretend nothing happened tomorrow and take it slow. Maybe one day you can move your wife."""
"Now she's the one not giving me time. She wants me to go file for divorce first thing in the morning."
"Why don't you just not go? Finish your drink and rest here. Close your eyes to it all and get some good sleep."
"That might work," Long Chen said, smiling.
"Of course, it will. Come on, let's drink. Rock, paper, scissors—whoever loses drinks."
"Bring it on."
The two drank without reservations, and after having a bit too much, Zhao Churan confided many of her troubles to Long Chen.
Their relationship, bolstered by this drinking session, quickly grew closer as they laughed and chatted, arm in arm.
Two hours later, both of them were passed out on the sofa, draped over each other in sleep.
The next morning, Long Chen opened his eyes and the first thing he saw was Zhao Churan nestled in his arms, still fast asleep, a face of flawless beauty.
Long Chen started, hastily checked his clothing, and after finding no signs they'd been removed, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, gently extracting Zhao Churan's arm from around his neck, he quietly got up, washed up, and seeing that Zhao Churan was still asleep, he covered her with a blanket before leaving Zhao Churan's place.
What he didn't know was that Zhao Churan had actually woken up earlier than him, and knew very well all that Long Chen had done upon waking.
Hugging the blanket tighter around herself, Zhao Churan squinted and smiled, "To have such a good man for myself would be wonderful."
On the other hand, Long Chen looked at the time, nine o'clock in the morning.
If everything went as expected, he thought Li Yuechan would already be at the civil affairs bureau by now.
Just as Long Chen was hesitating whether to call Li Yuechan or not, his phone rang.
It was Li Yuechan calling, and he immediately answered.
"So what happened? Did you have such a great night with another woman that you lost your way home?"
Li Yuechan's voice was very cold.
Long Chen shivered, scanned the area with his eyes, and saw Li Yuechan gazing at him from a distance, standing at the gate of the Li Family villa.
"Yuechan, it's not what you think, I..."
"Come here and talk."
Li Yuechan hung up the phone.
Long Chen hadn't expected that Li Yuechan would know about what happened at Zhao Churan's house last night.
He guessed that Li Yuechan must have seen him go home with Zhao Churan yesterday.
This misunderstanding had gotten quite out of hand, but no matter what, he had to confront it.
Long Chen quickly made his way to where Li Yuechan was.
Li Yuechan raised her hand and slapped Long Chen across the face, "You bastard, why would you cheat?"
"I didn't cheat."
"You're still lying." Li Yuechan's eyes reddened, tears slipping down her cheeks, "I saw you with a girl yesterday, why would you do this to me?"
Seeing Li Yuechan's vehement reaction, and despite the slap, Long Chen felt not anger but joy, "Are you jealous?"
"Jealous... why would I be jealous? I could kill you!"
Li Yuechan raised her hand again.
But this time, Long Chen caught it.
"Li Yuechan, having been married for over a year, it's ironic that the first time I hold your hand, it's to stop you from hitting me. Don't you think that's a great irony?"
Long Chen fixed his gaze on Li Yuechan.
Li Yuechan trembled, and then spoke bravely though evidently feeling guilty, "I told you when we got married, we couldn't be husband and wife in the true sense. No holding hands, no hugging. We agreed to divorce when the time was right—you agreed to it too."
"Yes, I agreed," Long Chen replied, "but unfortunately, I couldn't help falling for you."
"Long Chen, why are you so hypocritical? If you were really moved by me, why would you spend the night with another woman? Don't you find yourself ridiculous?"
Li Yuechan forcefully shook off Long Chen's hand, her anger flaring up inside her, burning brighter and fiercer.