Loved, then broken.
I once truly thought I would love someone forever.
But now, it's been proven that was nothing more than a joke.
—Tô Tử Quân.
Tô Tử Quân lay on the bed, gazing up at the ceiling. She felt like she was cursed to death. No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't understand why she had married Tô Diệc Mân, that damn man. She sat up, feeling aggrieved, then remembered what Lý Giai Tinh had said today: "Actually, you shouldn't be so pessimistic. Marrying Tô Diệc Mân still has its advantages. For example, when naming your children, you won't have to argue about whether to use the father's or mother's surname anymore."
Tô Tử Quân thought, if Lý Giai Tinh knew her childhood wish was to stay far away from Tô Diệc Mân, she definitely wouldn't have been able to utter those words.
It was truly frustrating; why did everything have to involve her?
She remembered when she had just returned to the country, Tô Diệc Mân announced she was his fiancée, and everyone in their circle looked at her as if the two of them "had long been having an affair." It was no wonder people thought that way, even Tô Tử Quân herself couldn't fathom why Tô Diệc Mân had impulsively chosen to marry her. Moreover, in the seventeen years Tô Tử Quân and Tô Diệc Mân had known each other, every meeting seemed to be a case of "enemies meeting too late." Most importantly, Tô Diệc Mân and Tưởng Nhã Đình were clearly close, and even the media often wrote about the ambiguity between them. Just when everyone thought Viễn Thần Group and Tưởng Thị Group would form a marriage alliance, Tô Diệc Mân swiftly called his non-biological younger sister back from America and quickly married her.
Tô Tử Quân remembered that in the months after their marriage, she often attended parties with Tô Diệc Mân where his "bad friends" were present. Those people would see Tô Diệc Mân and smile extremely slyly, yet still speak with feigned concern. "'This 'maiden training' plan is truly secretive, isn't it! Why didn't I realize you were such a farsighted person before, huh?'" Tô Tử Quân, of course, understood the implication of their words. It would have been better if she hadn't understood, because then she could have pretended to be foolish. But she did understand, and she couldn't show the chill she felt inside, so she could only stand there and smile. Yet Tô Diệc Mân even leaned down and whispered in her ear: "You look really goofy when you smile."
Tô Tử Quân felt that no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't understand why Tô Diệc Mân wanted to marry her instead of that sweet and coquettish Tưởng Nhã Đình. Although she wasn't overly sensitive, she knew that Tô Diệc Mân and Tưởng Nhã Đình had always been in contact, both before and after their marriage. However, later, Tô Tử Quân finally understood. Viễn Thần was currently in a very sensitive period. Foreign companies were eyeing it like a tiger stalking its prey, while domestic companies wanted to reap the benefits of others' struggles. It could be said that Viễn Thần was in an extremely precarious time, and without a doubt, the position of "Madam Tô" stood at the forefront of this storm.
Having understood, Tô Tử Quân, on the contrary, felt much more at ease. She, of course, knew very well that Tô Diệc Mân had hated her since childhood. From the day she entered the Tô family, Tô Diệc Mân had never thought much of her. Although Tô Diệc Mân didn't play tricks on her like other boys, the way he looked at her with an unspoken authority, a silent displeasure, completely led Tô Tử Quân to conclude that she should stay as far away from this person as possible.
Su Ziqun was winding some yarn by hand. This was her latest hobby; she wanted to knit a beautiful scarf. However, reality proved that there was indeed a gap between thought and reality, and this gap was not a small one. She suddenly grew annoyed and threw the ball of yarn away.
Su Yimin pushed open the door to her room, just in time to catch the thrown ball of yarn. He then looked up at her sulking face. "Well, your way of greeting is certainly unique."
Greeting?
Su Ziqun remembered the Japanese women on TV who would respectfully offer their husbands' shoes and take their coats when they came home. Just thinking about it made her shiver slightly.
She glanced at him. "Busy, are we?"
He was loosening his tie, but at her words, he paused, looking at her with a half-joking, half-serious expression. "Are you blaming me for not coming home earlier?"
It was truly impossible to communicate with this man. She lightly kicked his back. "That's right, you go shower first!"
He gave her a few suspicious glances, finally managing to take off his tie. She grew tired of his gaze, then leaned in and sniffed him. "Such a faint smell of alcohol, did you shower outside?"
"Just a necessary banquet to secure that piece of land," he said indifferently.
She hadn't intended to dwell on the matter, but seeing him proactively explain, she, on the contrary, smiled. She didn't care whether he drank or not; nine out of ten times he came home late, it was because he'd been drinking. Why bother explaining now? It seemed today wasn't so simple. "Oh, in that case, I'd like to know which restaurant provides both dinner and bathing services for its guests?"
"Today, a waiter spilled wine on my clothes, so I showered before coming home. What are you implying?"
"I just want to know which restaurant offers such comprehensive service. Next time, Jiajing and I will have to go check it out. What did you think I was implying?"
"I thought you ate too much today." He glanced at her face, then ignored her.
She hated this attitude of his the most, as if he were lofty and distant, and too lazy to argue with her. She hadn't done anything wrong, nor was she one of his subordinates at the company. Did he really need to put on this bossy demeanor?
"Oh? Is that so?" She pretended not to notice the sarcasm in his words.
"Have you really never noticed that when you've eaten too much or are too hungry, you scowl at everyone you see?"
"I truly haven't noticed that. But, I sincerely thank you for wasting your precious time observing me so meticulously."
"No need to be polite."
By now, Su Ziqun was genuinely amused. Seeing his sulking face, she felt it was a triumph. Although she didn't quite understand it, outside, he always maintained an indifferent, unruffled demeanor, never getting angry, as if he were perpetually elegant and polite. Once, she had complimented him, saying he was so good at pretending, and asked why he didn't just pretend at home too. He had looked at her, then smiled and replied, "It's enough to pretend outside. If I pretend at home too, I'll forget who I really am."
But at that moment, Su Yimin raised his head, looking at her still-smiling face. Before she could react, he rolled over onto the bed and pinned her down.
"Had enough laughing?" he asked, each word distinct, his eyes fixed on her face.
This man allowed no one to challenge him. Now, she slightly regretted provoking him in her momentary amusement. "I haven't showered yet."
He chuckled. “I remember you always showered as soon as you got home. Even if you wanted to shower again to be extra clean and make me happy, it’s better not to today. Don’t worry, I’ve noted your good intentions.”
She bit her lip. Just as she was about to reach out and push him away, he seized both her hands, his smile growing even more irritating. “Has no one ever told you that a woman struggling in bed is the most alluring?”
“Pervert,” she said angrily.
He kissed her earlobe, then gently bit her delicate ear cartilage, whispering: “It would be truly perverse if I *didn’t* continue. What wolf would ignore a sleeping lamb beside it and not eat?”
As soon as he finished speaking, he truly began the process of “eating the lamb.” She was wearing a nightgown, simply because it was more convenient, but taking it off like this was even more so. At this moment, she thought indignantly, *In the future, if I wear pajamas, they must be pajama pants, and they must have the most difficult buttons to unfasten.* Thinking this, she suddenly felt a surge of defiant satisfaction.
Seeing that she was no longer struggling, his mood improved, and he continued to kiss her.
She looked at the man on top of her. By what right? By what right did he get to do whatever he pleased? When he hated her, he spoke to her coldly. He didn’t want the sweet girl he loved to face these complicated matters, so he dragged her back. He had ruined her life; by what right did he still want to enjoy these things?
Especially when she saw him sprawled on top of her, panting with satisfaction, she felt a surge of irritation unlike any she had ever experienced. She placed her hand on his back, then bit hard into his left shoulder. One bite wasn’t enough, especially when his indifferent expression completely enraged her. She followed the previous bite mark and bit down hard again. She felt as if she had used every ounce of strength in her body, as if she truly wanted to bite off a piece of his flesh. The thought made her feel slightly nauseous. She released him, only to taste blood in her mouth.
His forehead was slick with sweat, whether from the recent fire of passion or from pain, she couldn’t tell. But what was certain was that he was now completely sober.
She felt a pang of regret, just staring blankly at him. He wrapped a towel around himself – she didn’t know when it had gotten there – and stood up, taking a few steps. She felt a little afraid, and sure enough, he turned to look at her. The spot where she had bitten him on his shoulder was still bleeding, as if proclaiming her recent cruel act. She also felt a little guilty.
Su Ziqun had always felt she didn’t understand Su Yimin at all. Sure enough, Su Yimin spoke. “It seems the saying that watching TV dramas influences women’s daily behavior isn’t an exaggeration at all. Zhao Min bit Zhang Wuji to make him remember her forever, so may I ask, my dear wife, why did you bite your humble husband?”
Su Ziqun reined in her earlier guilt, but she didn’t confront him directly. She hastily put on some clothes and walked up to him. “Let me take care of it for you!”
Su Yimin moved away, not wanting to acknowledge her.
“I’m not Zhao Min; I won’t do anything to your wound to make it fester.”
“One can never be too careful when it comes to people,” he said meaningfully.
*Thinking ill of a good person*, Su Ziqun thought angrily, and casually picked up something, throwing it at Su Yimin as he walked away. As a result, Su Yimin hadn’t even reacted, but she let out a small yelp instead. She hadn’t expected to grab an alarm clock, and it happened to hit Su Yimin’s left shoulder precisely. Su Yimin stopped, sucked in a sharp breath, then turned around. “I just hope you take care of yourself first.”
His voice carried a hint of resentment, his teeth slightly gritted.
Standing in front of the mirror, To Tu Quan was startled by her own appearance. Her mouth was smeared with blood; at first glance, she looked like the female ghosts often seen in movies, and what's more, a blood-sucking kind. She quickly rinsed her mouth. After one rinse, it still didn't feel right, so she rinsed five more times before she was more satisfied. She opened her mouth; her teeth were sparkling white, without any stains. Only then did she smile at herself in the mirror. No, that's not right, it was truly difficult for To Diec Man to maintain his composure after seeing her demonic appearance.
She left the bathroom and returned to the room. By then, To Diec Man was back in bed. He wasn't wearing a shirt; it wasn't clear what he had used for a makeshift treatment on his shoulder. From a distance, she could only see a white circle blending into his not-so-fair skin. She felt a little guilty and didn't know how to start a conversation. The only thing she understood was that both of them were now wide awake. Looking at the clock on the floor, she wanted to check the time, but after a glance at him, her movements stopped. Then she obediently walked over.
Both of them had a habit of turning off their phones after going to bed. Although this habit was set by To Diec Man, at least To Tu Quan was used to it by now.
To Diec Man looked up, seeing her walk over step by step. He didn't say anything or make any move.
She thought he would definitely be very angry, but he didn't say anything. She hadn't anticipated this situation, so she felt a little uneasy.
"You still have to go to work tomorrow, so get some rest!" She forced a smile and pulled back the blanket.
His movements were quick and urgent. As soon as he pulled, she was already in his arms. Then his face moved close to hers. "Tell me, how are you going to compensate me?"
She panicked, but didn't dare to actually push him and touch his wound. "Compensate for what?"
"Hmm, playing innocent, are we? I demand double compensation for my losses." His voice was low, and then he kissed her again.
By then, To Tu Quan understood. He had accurately predicted that she would feel guilty and would willingly make him happy. Although she really didn't want to admit it, the truth was, in these small details, he actually understood her quite well.
She cooperated by wrapping her arms around his neck, trying her best to make him feel satisfied.
The consequence of the broken clock was that both of them slept until eleven o'clock before waking up. To Tu Quan still instinctively reached for the clock, but as soon as her hand stretched out, she realized that the clock had kicked the bucket. After they got married, she discovered that when it came to sleeping, To Diec Man had no self-discipline whatsoever. The most typical example was that if the alarm didn't ring, he wouldn't get up. Even if he was already awake, he still had to wait for the alarm to ring before getting out of bed. Truly a strange creature.
To Diec Man opened his eyes, then squinted, suddenly looking at her with a hint of interest. "Suddenly, I really want to know how you spend your afternoons alone."
To Tu Quan was turning on her phone, then she checked a message and typed out a reply, letter by letter. Only when she heard his words did she look over at him. "Who told you I had to stay put in this empty room?"
He chuckled softly but said nothing, still watching her send messages. Her fingers continuously tapped the keyboard, making soft, rhythmic sounds, and he found the sound quite pleasant.
"You're still not up?" She glanced at him. "A boss like you being late will affect your employees' morale."
"I'm deeply touched that you care so much about my company." He started getting dressed, but his movements were clearly not as agile as usual. She kept watching his movements, wanting to go over, but in the end, she remained seated.
After Su Yimin left, Su Ziqun reconsidered her actions; indeed, they were quite unkind. She hadn't even let Su Yimin eat breakfast before he went back to the company. But she consoled herself, he probably wasn't the type to neglect himself.
Most importantly, Su Ziqun felt she was also a victim. Looking at the blue and purple bruises on her body, she was in trouble.
She had an appointment to go shopping with Li Jiajing, who smiled faintly when she saw her. "You always badmouth your husband, but behind his back, you two are actually getting along wonderfully, aren't you!"
Su Ziqun looked at her, puzzled, then checked herself, but found nothing unusual.
"No need to look anymore." Li Jiajing was amused by her appearance. "It's because you're dressed too conservatively, so different from your usual style of dress."
Su Ziqun let out a sigh of relief. "What did you just say?"
Li Jiajing shook her head. "Actually, Su Yimin is a really good person. For the past two years, he's been strong, incredibly dashing, handsome and generous. I really don't understand why he always gets on your nerves. But then again, everyone has their pros and cons. Is there some other reason you don't like him?"
"What do you mean?"
Li Jiajing sighed. "I ran into Zhao Zihua a while ago."
Li Jiajing observed her expression and finally sighed again. "Now that you and Su Yimin are married, whatever happened with Zhao Zihua is in the past."
"What did he say?"
"He wants to see you."
Su Ziqun's hand paused on a light blue outfit. "Wrap this up for me." After a moment, she said to Li Jiajing: "Give him my number. We should probably meet."
Li Jiajing was about to say something else when Su Ziqun waved her hand. "Honestly, I really admire you. No matter how important the woman in Lin Ze's heart is, at least in this life, he will always be yours alone. At least you can be sure he'll never abandon you, you can always trust him. But me, who can I trust?"
Li Jiajing took her hand. "People are all greedy, always relentlessly pursuing what doesn't belong to them." The stability Su Ziqun admired was precisely what Li Jiajing had always tried to avoid. Li Jiajing always thought that she would be insignificant her entire life because of the woman in Lin Ze's heart.
Su Ziqun stared at her. "Back then, I was very sad, but I was sad for myself. Even now, believe it or not, Zhao Zihua is definitely looking for me because he needs a favor, and absolutely not because he misses that old relationship like you think."
Li Jiajing whirled around to look at her.
Su Ziqun shook her head. "From the moment he told me to marry Su Yimin, that man died in my heart. I did everything for him, not because I loved him too much, but simply because I felt a sense of responsibility towards that relationship, not for him as a person."
Li Jiajing suddenly remembered a famous saying: *I don't love you, I merely fell in love with love itself.*
Turning back, Su Ziqun had already returned to normal.