The winter in Beicheng was particularly cold this year. It was only early November, and the gray sky had already started to snow lightly.
Perfect, she thought. No need for perfect weather to meet her ex-boyfriend.
Zhong Xiran stepped out of the car, holding an A4-sized cardboard box in one hand, slammed the car door, and entered the private room at the end of Ting Club.
She pushed the door open, and Huo Xin was already there.
He seemed just like the way she remembered him, wearing a loose white sweater. The warm light in the room illuminated him, making him appear particularly gentle.
— It was hard to imagine that such a gentle person would do something so heartless.
Huo Xin stood up, his gaze paused on her for a moment. "Long time no see."
Zhong Xiran walked over.
Huo Xin's voice was hoarse. "What would you like to drink? I—"
His words were interrupted by Zhong Xiran.
"I'm here to return these things."
The cardboard box was placed on the table, neither too heavy nor too light.
He had left so suddenly back then that even the things that needed to be returned weren't properly settled.
Huo Xin's gaze fell on the yellow box, which probably contained the gifts he had given her back then.
"I can explain about what happened back then…"
"No need." Zhong Xiran raised her eyes, looking directly at him. "I'm married now."
Their eyes met. The gentle look in Huo Xin's eyes flashed with a hint of coldness.
"So what?"
His tone was dismissive, as if this fact didn't matter at all.
Zhong Xiran said calmly, "I came here today to make things clear with you. I hope you won't disturb me anymore, or my husband will be unhappy."
After a few seconds of silence, Huo Xin's voice was very soft. "Does he treat you well?"
"My husband treats me very well."
"Is that so?" Huo Xin's gaze seemed to see through her.
Zhong Xiran didn't want to argue further. She turned and walked out.
But her wrist was suddenly grabbed by the man.
"But you don't love him."
Huo Xin stepped in front of her, his voice hoarse. "Xi Xi, we were together for so long. You can't fool me."
Zhong Xiran froze for a moment.
Huo Xin was Zhong Xiran's first love. They had been together for four years during university.
Unfortunately, after graduation, her family didn't approve.
At that time, Huo Xin was just a penniless student, while her family had already chosen her marriage partner—the heir of the Qi Group, Qi Sinian.
Zhong Xiran had truly liked Huo Xin. She loved him so much that she was willing to break off ties with her family and elope with him.
On the day of their elopement, Zhong Xiran waited at the airport from morning until night, but he didn't come.
Not only did he not come, but there wasn't even a word from him, and his phone was unreachable.
By nightfall, it started snowing. She stood helplessly at the entrance of the Beicheng terminal, shivering, when Qi Sinian appeared.
"He went to the US."
"Ten million and you. He chose ten million."
Not long after that, the Zhong family's real estate business suffered a financial crisis, and only with Qi Sinian's investment could they barely survive.
Naturally, she married Qi Sinian.
Four years passed. Huo Xin succeeded in business in the US and returned to the country with his billion-dollar company, asking her to meet three days ago.
She knew she shouldn't have come.
When they got married, Qi Sinian told her that he wouldn't pursue the past, but from then on, she belonged to him. This was the condition for helping the Zhong family.
But for some reason, she could never let go of the sudden, unannounced departure back then.
It felt like watching a movie that was abruptly interrupted before the ending, always lingering in her mind.
Maybe women are like that, they're oddly obsessed with a proper farewell.
This time, she brought everything he had given her and returned it, in an attempt to clear things between them.
She didn't expect him to say such things.
Zhong Xiran coldly shook off his hand. "Love or not, he's still my husband. Besides, I came to see you openly."
Huo Xin stared at her, not letting go of any subtle expression.
"If you're truly so open, would you dare tell Qi Sinian about meeting me?"
Zhong Xiran didn't answer.
She abruptly opened the door to the room and walked out without a glance back.
The red dot of the surveillance camera in the corner of the corridor flashed.
The snow outside grew heavier.
Back in the car, Zhong Xiran received a call from her father.
"Xi Xi, when will Sinian come back from his business trip? You should bring him home for a meal. How long has it been since you both had a meal together?"
"Two days later." Zhong Xiran started the car, her voice calm. "I'll ask him when he's free."
Her father continued talking: "Xi Xi, you need to care more about Sinian. Don't let him always be on business trips. Having a child early is the right thing to do."
These few sentences had been repeated for four years, and Zhong Xiran had long become numb to them. She answered briefly and hung up the phone.
Whether or not they would have children was up to Qi Sinian.
It was already late, and the snow was getting heavier.
Zhong Xiran suddenly remembered the day four years ago when Qi Sinian took her home from the airport. It was also a snowy day.
Arriving at their home in Emerald Bay, she pushed open the door, and the house was pitch black.
But a faint smell of tobacco lingered in the air.
Zhong Xiran was startled and quickly looked up.
In the dimness, there was a hint of crimson light, flickering on and off.
The lights in the room came on at that moment.
Qi Sinian stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, dressed in a navy blue suit, wearing a pair of gold-rimmed glasses. Two buttons of his shirt collar were loosely undone, and there was a thick layer of ash on the cigarette in his hand.
He looked at her. "You seem surprised. Did you do something to wrong me?"
His voice was cold, and Zhong Xiran couldn't tell if he was joking.
Her heart skipped a beat. She opened her mouth: "No, I thought there was no one at home. Your assistant said you would be back the day after tomorrow."
"It was supposed to be that way." Qi Sinian walked a few steps, bent over to stub out his cigarette on the coffee table, sat on the sofa, leaned back, and looked at her. "Come here."
He didn't explain why he suddenly came back, and she didn't ask, nor did she have the right to.
In this marriage, her purpose was to please him, pretending to be obedient in front of him, so that the Zhong family could continue to live with dignity.
She put down the car keys and was about to take off her shoes when she heard his cold voice.
"Dress."
She bit her lip, putting on her high heels and walking beside the sofa.
He reached out and pulled her into his arms, making her sit on his lap.
The strong smell of tobacco on him was overwhelming, as if he had smoked countless cigarettes.
She subconsciously glanced at the ashtray on the coffee table. The cigarette butts were scattered in a mess, at least a dozen.
"Are you... in a bad mood?"
She had never seen Qi Sinian smoke this much.
Qi Sinian didn't answer, and Zhong Xiran instantly regretted crossing the line.
Qi Sinian reached out and gently lifted her chin.
His wife was indeed beautiful enough, with a typical exotic look, her skin pale and translucent like high-quality jade, her eyes seductive like a little fox, effortlessly captivating anyone who looked at her.
He asked, "Where did you go?"
Zhong Xiran's heart pounded: "I met an old classmate."
Qi Sinian: "Male or female?"
Zhong Xiran steadied her heart: "Of course, it was a female."
They had been married for four years. Although Zhong Xiran didn't know Qi Sinian well, she knew he had a strong possessiveness. She couldn't tell him that she had met Huo Xin.
Qi Sinian's voice was very indifferent: "Is that so?"
He smiled ambiguously, his hand resting on her waist, pulling her up and making her kneel on the sofa. He pushed aside her long hair at the back of her neck, his fingertips touching her skin, cold to the touch.
Zhong Xiran had one request: turn off the light.
She knew Qi Sinian didn't love her.
She was very clear about this.
Because every time like this, she felt a sense of humiliation.
Fortunately, he still liked her body.
Maybe because he was in a bad mood, he was especially rough with her today.
After it was over, Qi Sinian turned on the floor lamp beside the sofa, casually threw a burgundy thin blanket over her, and got up to leave.
He was neatly dressed, with only the suit jacket missing compared to earlier.
Zhong Xiran, however, was left completely naked, weakly lying on the sofa. Her bony shoulders were exposed to the air, her smooth legs hanging limply in the air.
She was almost falling apart, her body covered in sweat, feeling weak and uncomfortable.
There was a time when she wasn't feeling well, but she had to endure it.
She turned her head, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw the mess on the floor.
They would never have children, because Qi Sinian was always well-prepared.
She thought, maybe that was his greatest strength—responsible.
At least, he didn't make her take medication.
After Qi Sinian finished his shower and came out, he turned on the crystal chandelier in the living room.
Zhong Xiran was still lying on the sofa.
He glanced at her and spoke indifferently: "Aren't you going to take a shower?"
Zhong Xiran had to get up, wrapped in the blanket.
This man was so cruel, he couldn't even bear to let her lie down a little longer.
She walked toward the bathroom, her posture a bit awkward.
Qi Sinian suddenly realized something, and as she passed by him, he reached out and embraced her soft waist.
His long, narrow eyes looked at her, his gaze lowered: "Did I hurt you?"
Zhong Xiran bit her lip. Wasn't that obvious? Was he blind?
But she could only endure the humiliation: "It's fine."
Qi Sinian suddenly picked her up in his arms.
Zhong Xiran froze for a moment.
Qi Sinian's voice was indifferent: "I'll carry you to take a shower."