“Ruoxi…” Yang Wenfu knelt on one knee before his wife. Gazing at the beautiful and captivating woman in front of him, he was reminded of the scene when he had proposed to her all those years ago. He was deeply moved, emotions flooding his heart all at once. He looked at his wife’s face, her exquisitely beautiful cheeks, as coldly enchanting and moving as the first time they met. He slowly began to speak, his voice firm and resonant: “Ruoxi… Thank you for bursting into my onceεΉ³ζ·‘ε¦ζ°΄ (dull as plain water) life back then. And even more, thank you for never leaving since that day.”
Liu Ruoxi looked down at her husband, who was kneeling before her on one knee, impeccably dressed in a suit and holding a bouquet of flowers. Her lips pressed together slightly, but she still did not say anything more.
Her expression remained unmoved, even when suddenly confronted with what would be a “pleasant surprise” for most people.
Yang Wenfu gazed at his wife with deep affection in his eyes. Seeing theζ·‘ηΆ (indifferent; aloof) look on her face, he did not feel discouraged and continued speaking on his own: “I still remember the first time we met. I was a poor boy, working as a waiter in a hotel, enduring everyone’s disdain. The first time I saw you, you were dazzlingly brilliant, like a fairy who had descended to the mortal world. This dumbstruck fool was so captivated he dropped a tray, earning a scolding from the manager. It was you, Ruoxi, who got me out of that predicament.”
As Yang Wenfu spoke, his eyes gradually welled up with tears. A grown man, a father of two children, he began to choke up like a child: “After that, Ruoxi, you were like a beam of light shining into my numb and dark world. Really, what merit did I have to be worthy of you? That poor boy probably didn’t even dare to dream that he could become your husband…” Listening to her husband’s rambling, Liu Ruoxi felt as if she had been transported back more than a decade to the moment they first met. Her heart gradually began to stir with ripples of emotion… “In this lifetime, the greatest favor heaven has bestowed upon me was bringing you, Ruoxi, to my side. I am so grateful, so fortunate, to have you for the rest of my life.”
“Ruoxi, thank you for never leaving me all these years. Although we, husband and wife, have had our conflicts and stumbles along the way, we walked this path together, and before I knew it, I became the father of two children, and you, Ruoxi, became the mother of two. Looking back now, it still feels vaguely like I am that poor boy who had nothing. Ruoxi, it was you who brought all of this into my life…” Yang Wenfu had actually prepared his speech in advance, but in this moment, overcome with deep emotion, he seemed to forget those eloquent, heartfelt words. Instead, he rambled on about their past togetherβfrom meeting, getting acquainted, understanding each other, falling in love… all the way to the present day.
Hearing her husband recount their shared history, Liu Ruoxi looked at the man before her, her husband. Her heart, calm for many years, began to ripple with emotion. Without her realizing it, the gaze she directed at the man before her softened with a touch of tenderness.
Since ancient times,ε₯θ·― (smooth moves; well-practiced routines) win hearts, but only sincerity is the most moving!
… Yang Haoran, peeking from the corner of the door, was utterly astonished. His dad’s move was so slick. If his father had usedηθ¨θθ― (sweet nothings; honeyed words), given Mom’s personality, she might have remained unmoved. But using theseεε°ζζΈ£ (down-to-earth and cheesy) wordsζ°ζ°ε―ΉηδΈθ― (hit exactly the right spot).
No wonder Dad managed to win Mom over, he mused inwardly. Compared to his father, he was still too green.
Yang Mengyao covered her mouth in surprise, her beautiful eyes wide and round. She couldn’t believe her father was capable of saying such cheesy, corny things.
… “Ruoxi, I’m sorry! All these years, it has been my fault. Please forgive me!” Having said what was in his heart, Yang Wenfu extended the bouquet of flowers toward his wife.
The earlier coldness had long vanished from Liu Ruoxi’s face. Looking at her husband’s sincere apology, the previous indifference was gone, replaced by a rare hint of softness. Her jade-like hand reached out toward the flowers.
Yang Wenfu watched with anticipation, as nervous as he had been when he first met his wife.
Just at that moment, an ill-timed WeChat call ringtone sounded.
Liu Ruoxi’s brows furrowed slightly. Under Yang Wenfu’s disappointed gaze, she took her phone out of her bag.
On the screen, the caller’s ID was noted as “Haoran 2″βtheir son’s call. Liu Ruoxi was about to answer when she noticed the number “2” following the name. Her gaze suddenly froze, and her slender, jade-like finger, poised to press the answer button, halted mid-air, as if some indescribable, strange force was stopping her.
Haoran 2βthis was the contact name on her WeChatεθΊ« (secondary/alternate account); that is, the small account she had created. It was the WeChat account on which she addressed her son Haoran as “Master.” On this WeChat account, Haoran was unaware of her true identity.
In Yang Wenfu’s view, the moment his wife saw the phone screen, her face changed slightly, but then she recovered and hung up the call with an indifferent expression.
He found it a bit strange but didn’t dwell on it, continuing to offer the bouquet in his hand to his wife.
However, after the earlier call, Liu Ruoxi, looking at her husband kneeling on one knee and holding the flowers, now had a more complicated look in her eyes. The jade hand she intended to extend seemed restrained by something, remaining motionless for a long time.
That phone call was like a bucket of cold water poured over her. It reminded her of that wicked game that had bound her. Could she still be the same as before?
Seeing his wife’s hesitant expression, Yang Wenfu couldn’t help but grow anxious. Clearly, he had seen that Ruoxi was about to forgive him. It was all because of that damned phone call, causing an unexpected complication.
Just then, the harsh ringtone sounded again, like a malicious ghost clinging to the bone, persistent and unrelenting.
Liu Ruoxi picked up the phone again. Seeing it was still “Haoran 2,” she pondered, and her gaze at the phone screen gradually turned cold.
What a coincidence? Two calls in a row, both at such critical moments. Liu Ruoxi did not believe this was mere coincidence.
Does our son… know it’s me?
Or is it really just a coincidence?
She hung up the call again, but the phone immediately rang once more. She hung up, it rang again… “Ruoxi, whose call is it? It must be something important. It’s fine if you answer it first.”
His wife’s unusual reaction made Yang Wenfu more attentive. Whose call was it? “It’s a call from the company. It’s nothing,” Liu Ruoxi said lightly, then hung up the call again.
Looking at his wife’s expression and recalling her earlier change in demeanor, Yang Wenfu gradually grew suspicious. He said, “Ruoxi, if it’s the company, there must be something urgent. You should answer it.”
He didn’t notice that his voice had unconsciously grown louder.
“No need. Whatever it is can be handled tomorrow,” Liu Ruoxi saidε·ζ·‘ε° (coolly), refusing once again. She could not answer this call. Whether their son knew it was her or not, once she picked up, the thin veil between mother and son would be torn apart.
“It’s fine, answer it first, Ruoxi. Hear what it’s about?” Seeing his wife refuse again, Yang Wenfu’s suspicion grew heavier and heavier. Could it be…?
“I said it’s not necessary.” Her husband’s urging agitated Liu Ruoxi’s already stirred heart, making herεΏη¦ζδΉ± (distressed and confused). She spoke coldly.
She muted the phone and put it back in her bag. However, this act of concealment clearly provoked Yang Wenfu. His face suddenly darkened. What husband wouldn’t have doubts upon seeing his wife acting evasively and reacting strangely? Especially since they had been in a cold war for many years.
Having an affair?
The two words immediately surfaced in his mind. Perhaps because he was aware of his own infidelity, he had become sensitive in this regard. His wife’s reactions seemed to be corroborating this suspicion step by step.
If it was a call from the company, why wouldn’t she dare to answer it?
If it was a call from the company, why was she being so evasive?
It seemed that all these unreasonable actions found an answer when viewed through the lens of an affair. The human heart is prone to suspicion, especially toward those one cares about most. Moreover, the two had long been in a cold war, living separate lives without any marital intimacy for years. If his wife had found someone else, he would have no way of knowing, just as she had been completely unaware of his own affair.
The more Yang Wenfu thought about it, the darker his expression became. Looking at his wife’s face, which had turned cold again, he could finally no longer contain himself. He stood up.
“Ruoxi… are you seeing someone else?” After Yang Wenfu spoke, he stared intently at his wife’s face. Seeing her expression change dramatically, his heart filled with bitterness.
To Liu Ruoxi, her husband’s extremely offensive words were like a thunderclap. Her face also darkened, and she said coldly, “Did you say all that today just to ask this question?”