Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night. I didn't sleep a wink the entire night. Perhaps the pressure was truly overwhelming. By five in the morning, I finally dozed off in a haze. When I woke up, it was already eight o'clock.
I recalled the past when my wife would prepare breakfast for me every morning. Those days were simple yet fulfilling. But now, I feel like a lost soul, unsure of what I'm doing. Indeed, it's time I ask myself: what should I be doing?
Suddenly, I remembered the days before I married Lu Wan. Back then, my daily routine was to hang out with Zhao Hu. We were as close as brothers. Now, in this state of emptiness, I felt the need to seek comfort from Zhao Hu. So, I dialed his number.
To my surprise, I called twice, but he didn't answer. I knew Zhao Hu had a habit of staying up late, but I didn't think he'd be so deep in sleep that he wouldn't wake up to a call. Feeling disheartened, I was about to put my phone down when suddenly, Zhao Hu called back.
Over the phone, Zhao Hu was panting heavily, and occasionally, I could hear a woman's moans in the background. Even a fool would know what Zhao Hu was up to. What puzzled me was how he could be in such high spirits at this hour.
Zhao Hu got straight to the point: "Why are you calling me so early in the morning?" His tone sounded somewhat impatient.
I chuckled and said, "You've got quite the energy, doing that kind of thing in broad daylight."
As soon as I finished speaking, Zhao Hu retorted, "This mess is all your fault! I can't even rest now!"
Hearing this, I immediately understood—he was with Fang Min. I thought to myself, "Zhao Hu truly is a master of the game. In such a short time, he's already won over Fang Min."
Back when I was pursuing Lu Wan, I had to put in immense effort, yet I still couldn't get her into bed. It wasn't until our wedding night that she gave me her first time. Now, looking back, it all seems like a joke.
It seems women prefer directness. Once you've won them over, everything else falls into place.
Frowning, I said to Zhao Hu, "Are you free? Let's grab a meal."
Zhao Hu's heavy breathing continued, and it was clear his movements were speeding up. He didn't respond immediately. After a while, perhaps having finished, he panted and said, "Why would you have time to treat me to a meal?"
I thought for a moment and replied, "I'm bored. Mostly, I want to ask Fang Min about something."
Zhao Hu, being sharp, immediately guessed I was inquiring about my wife. He sighed and said, "Zhao Jian, I already know about your wife's change of heart. The old has to go for the new to come. Look at me—I've been with so many women, and after breakups, I still live a carefree life."
At that moment, he suddenly stopped talking. I immediately knew Fang Min had silenced him.
Fang Min was actually quite a beautiful girl. I just couldn't understand why she'd be interested in someone like Zhao Hu. Is it true that the more a man plays around, the more women love him?
I pondered for a moment and then said, "Zhao Hu, I want to know what's really going on with my wife. If she's truly changed her heart, who has she fallen for?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Hu exploded in anger. "Zhao Jian, stop being so stubborn! When a woman changes her heart, she just does. There's no reasoning with it. I suggest you let it go and find someone else. Life will still be blissful. Maybe by then, Lu Wan will come back to her senses, and your chance will return."
Hearing this, I felt even more heartbroken because I knew I wasn't the kind of person to be so callous.
Seeing my silence, Zhao Hu continued, "Alright, Fang Min is here. Let her talk to you."
At that moment, I pinned my last hope on Fang Min, hoping she'd tell me the truth.
As soon as Fang Min took the phone, I asked, "Fang Min, tell me, has my wife been unfaithful?"
I had hoped she'd reveal the truth, but instead, Fang Min said, "Zhao Jian, what are you thinking? You know what kind of person your wife is. How could she do something to betray you?"
I was stunned, realizing things weren't as simple as I had imagined.
Fang Min continued, "Lu Wan and I grew up together. I know her better than anyone. There's no way she'd cheat on you. On the other hand, I heard that last night, Lu Wan caught you in bed with someone else."
Fang Min had gotten the news so quickly. I immediately understood that my wife must have spoken to Lu Wan that night. Given how close Zhao Hu and Fang Min were, he must know something, or else he wouldn't have said what he did.
In truth, last night's incident was a setup by Gu Xiaofei. I couldn't figure out why she'd do such a thing. If she could hand me over to someone else, it was clear she had no feelings for me. I knew well that women couldn't tolerate such things.
Moreover, I was also bothered by the fact that she had gone to a hotel with that school heartthrob. I hadn't expected her to have such a chaotic personal life.
Faced with Fang Min's accusations, I wanted to explain, but upon further thought, it seemed pointless, so I didn't bother.
I thought for a moment and asked, "What else did Lu Wan say yesterday?"
Fang Min replied, "Lu Wan cried her heart out yesterday, saying she never expected you to be like this. She felt she had misjudged you."
Hearing this, I felt like I could kill someone.
Given Lu Wan's attitude toward me yesterday, she seemed truly heartless. I found it hard to believe she'd be so upset. I was certain Fang Min was lying.
At that point, I concluded that Fang Min was completely on my wife's side. There was no way I'd get any useful information from her. It seemed women truly had the upper hand in this society.
I tentatively asked Fang Min, "What else did my wife say?"
Fang Min replied, "Lu Wan said she wants a divorce. She can't accept the reality of you having another woman."
Hearing this accusation, I could only laugh bitterly.
It seemed like a meticulously planned scheme, and no matter how I looked at it, I was at a disadvantage.
After hanging up, my mood worsened.
Back when I married Lu Wan, I always thought single people were pitiful. Little did I know I'd become one of them.
Now, all I needed was to go wild, to drown out my troubles.
So, I went downstairs, intending to find a bar to drown my sorrows in alcohol.
But just as I stepped out, I was startled by the sound of a car horn.
I turned around and saw a red Mazda sports car parked not far away. While the car wasn't overly expensive, it was practical and had a beautiful design.
The horn had come from that Mazda.
My gaze fixed on the car, and I wondered who could be looking for me.
Soon, the car door opened, and a tall woman stepped out. She was wearing sunglasses, so I couldn't see her face clearly. But I could sense she was smiling at me.
I looked around, but there was no one else nearby. So, I asked, "Miss, do you know me?"
As soon as I finished speaking, the woman removed her sunglasses.
When I saw her face, I was stunned.
It was none other than Shen Minhong, the woman I had almost spent the night with yesterday.
I had thought she'd hate me by now, but I never expected her to show up here.
For some reason, her appearance filled me with excitement.
Perhaps it was because I was at my most vulnerable, in need of comfort.
So, I stood there, speechless, my emotions indescribable.
Seeing my silence, Shen Minhong smiled and said, "What, not welcoming me?"
I smiled but still didn't speak.
In truth, my thoughts were complex.
Since my wife had already misunderstood me, I didn't care anymore. I might as well truly cheat. I wanted my wife to know that a good man wasn't to be trifled with.
More importantly, Zhao Hu had once told me that women love bad boys. If I acted a little bad, perhaps my wife would change her opinion of me and see me as capable.
So, without hesitation, I got into Shen Minhong's car.
As Shen Minhong drove her Mazda down the road, I could smell the faint fragrance emanating from her.
I didn't know what expensive perfume it was, but it made my imagination run wild.
I was far from calm.
I asked Shen Minhong, "Where are we going?"
She smiled and said, "To eat, of course. Aren't you hungry?"
Only then did I remember that since last night's big meal, I hadn't eaten properly.
With a beautiful woman by my side today, my appetite was sure to improve.
At the very least, I could forget all the messy things weighing on my mind.