January 21, 1990.

While making her bed in the morning, Lu Zhixia discovered a savings book hidden in her pillow with a balance of over 50,000 yuan.

Her husband, Song Weidong, earned only 280 yuan a month. She knew his payslips very well, and this amount of money was highly suspicious.

Even if he were secretly hiding money, it would be impossible for him to have this much, unless he had other unknown sources of income.

Feeling confused and uneasy, she went out for a walk to clear her head, only to unexpectedly witness her husband's betrayal.

She could see her husband, Song Weidong, at a glance through the glass window of the state-run restaurant across the street.

Lu Zhixia froze instantly, her heart clenched, and then she watched as Song Weidong turned his head and kissed the woman next to him on the cheek.

At that moment, she was struck dumb, frozen in place. Only when the bicycle bell beside her rang urgently did she dazedly take two steps back.

For the past twenty years of her marriage, her life has consisted only of poverty and toil.

Her mother-in-law was paralyzed in bed and needed her meticulous care for everything, from eating and drinking to toileting.

Her newborn son was crying for milk, and her underage sister-in-law also needed her care.

In the past, she felt that her husband was considerate and handed over his entire salary. Although life was hard, it was also quite warm.

But the scene before her eyes ruthlessly shattered her illusions, making her realize how foolish her past efforts had been.

She strode towards the restaurant entrance, and as she got closer, she saw her son sitting opposite her.

It was his son's 20th birthday. Through the window, the hotel was spacious and bright, with wooden tables and chairs arranged neatly and the tables laden with sumptuous dishes.

My neighbor once said that a meal here costs the equivalent of a year's worth of groceries for an average family.

Normally, she would haggle with the vendor even when buying a few scallions, while her husband would lavishly spend money here with other women.

The woman was Chen Jianing, their junior high school classmate. She had big wavy hair, exquisite makeup, and was wearing a fashionable fur coat.

Looking at herself, she saw that her cotton-padded coat was made in the first year of her marriage and had been worn for more than ten years. It was old and ill-fitting, with holes in the cuffs, which she had patched up and continued to wear.

The sweater was a hand-me-down from my sister-in-law, who no longer wanted it.

The shoes had been worn for several years, the soles were worn out, snow water seeped in, her feet were freezing and aching, and her hands were covered with chilblains, which were itchy and painful. But none of this could compare to the excruciating pain in her heart at that moment.

Walking to the window, Lu Zhixia saw Chen Jianing and Song Weidong behaving intimately, while their son fiddled with a camera, seemingly oblivious to their affectionate interaction, as if they were the real family of three.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a pair of brand-new sneakers in the trash can, and her heart was pierced once again.

She had saved up to buy these shoes for her son, but he complained that they were fake and refused to wear them out. It turned out he wanted to throw them away.

She walked to the restaurant entrance and was about to go in when a waiter politely stopped her. "Ma'am, do you have a reservation? Today is the eve of the Lunar New Year, and we are fully booked. We are not accepting new guests. We are very sorry, but we can give you a discount coupon, which will give you a free vegetarian dish on your next visit."

"I need to go in and find someone."

"Please tell me which table you are at, and I will call someone over to pick you up."

The waiter was very respectful, but judging from Lu Zhixia's simple attire, she didn't seem like someone who was there to dine.

"Table number 9's surname is Gu, and she's with me."

A deep voice came from behind. Lu Zhixia turned around and saw a man in a military overcoat with a prominent scar on his right cheek.

"thank you."

"You're welcome. Go inside and find the person you're looking for."

Gu Lingxiao said in a low voice, seeing Lu Zhixia's anxious expression, he decided to help. After confirming, the waiter gestured for them to leave.

Lu Zhixia nodded slightly to the man and strode inside.

Before she could even get close, she heard her son excitedly say, "Dad! I wish Aunt Ning could be my mom! Then I could show her off to my classmates and say I have a beautiful and capable mom!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Zhixia felt dizzy and her heart ached. She walked straight towards them.

The three men were astonished to see her. "What are you doing here? This isn't a place for you, go back right now!"

Song Weidong realized what was happening, told her to leave, and even went over and pushed her.

Lu Zhixia forcefully pushed his hand away and angrily questioned, "What do you mean I shouldn't have come? You brought your son to dinner with another woman, aren't you going to explain yourself?"

"Lu Zhixia! I'll say it again, you go back right now, or I won't forgive you!"

Song Weidong was both worried about being seen by acquaintances and filled with guilt.

"Xiaxia, you must have misunderstood. We're just having a meal. Don't act like crazy women. It's undignified!" Chen Jianing chimed in from the side.

"You're shameless! I saw everything that just happened, and you're still so brazen about cheating!"

Lu Zhixia felt an unbearable pain in her chest and could only cover it with her hand. "We were just having a meal, is this considered cheating?"

Chen Jianing crossed her arms and looked disdainful. "If Dong-ge and I had any feelings for each other, we would have gotten married long ago. What chance would you have?"

"Exactly! Don't you even think about how good I am to you?"

Song Weidong continued to shamelessly argue, "Even if I'm wrong, it's because you're unreasonable! Look at your slovenly appearance, you're not like a woman at all!"

Lu Zhixia took out her bankbook and unfolded it in front of them. "How do you explain the money on this? Look at the chilblains on my hands from washing your mother's clothes in winter, and the clothes your sister doesn't want that I'm wearing. Is this what you call being good to me?"

"In all these years of marriage, have you ever bought me a single piece of clothing? Your monthly salary is 280 yuan. After deducting 80 yuan for household expenses, the rest is spent on your mother, yourself, your son, or your sister. When has it ever been spent on me?"

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