Chapter 11 Dead Mouse in Life

"When were you not serious?"

He Xiaolan and Hua Hudie's unanimous opinion represents their deep understanding of Qin Tiantian's views on love.

"What does being serious mean? It's about whether I value this relationship. I value every relationship I have and I'm serious and responsible. Is that wrong?"

A man who says he's responsible is a good man, but a woman who says she's responsible is an insult to the man. Qin Tiantian once broke up with her boyfriend because she was the first to pull out a condom when they checked into a hotel room. The man, with a stiff upper lip, put on his pants and left. Afterward, he sent Qin Tiantian a WeChat message saying he felt insulted.

His self-esteem is worth eighty-nine dollars and nine cents, not including any discount.

"How long do you plan to talk for?"

In today's relationships, you must assess their value and then consider how much you need to invest. Two months is flirting, six months is dating, and a year or more is considered love. Time is exchanged for secrets, and secrets determine the lifespan of love.

I thought the lifespan of this love was only half a year, but when Qin Tiantian said the word "love", it became a big deal. They had to date an excellent man for at least a year. Qin Tiantian had to have a new bag for a new piece of clothing, and the man around her had to be changed at any time.

When He Xiaolan first met Qin Tiantian, she had some complaints about her views on love. After all, Ms. Zhang Xinrong had always taught He Xiaolan to be reserved, especially when it came to relationships between men and women. Ms. Zhang Xinrong's theory was that the later one spoke, the more respect would be received. He Xiaolan disagreed, "Then what about you and me? Dad, who spoke first and who pursued who?"

When she asked this question, He Xiaolan was getting married to Wang Qingwei the next day. She had to get up at 3 a.m. to put on makeup, even if she didn't get any sleep. Ms. Zhang Xinrong was still struggling with the wedding character she couldn't stick on the wall. "Why are you mentioning it on such a good day? It's so unlucky."

"Tell me, didn't you tell me that men should take the initiative in a relationship? Was it you who took the initiative when you two ended up like this?"

"Stop talking nonsense. It must have been He Guoqiang who chased me. I looked down on him from the beginning, but I couldn't resist his relentless pursuit of me. Later, I felt that I was not young anymore, so I agreed. Actually, I regretted it a little after we got engaged. I wanted to cancel the engagement, but your grandfather had already bought me a bicycle with the betrothal money and paid for the wedding banquet, so we just got married like that."

So Qin Tiantian was right. Relationships are fixed, and have nothing to do with being active or passive. The terrible cafeteria food and annoying roommates at university fueled He Xiaolan and Qin Tiantian's relationship during their freshman year. After Qin Tiantian's sixth breakup, He Xiaolan couldn't contain her feelings any longer. She invited Qin Tiantian to eat beef noodles at the school gate and, while doing so, asked her what was really going on. If you like someone, do you confess your feelings yourself, or wait for them to propose?

Qin Tiantian felt that it was all based on lust, and now it was too late to be humble. If you like someone, just tell him/her honestly. If he/she is willing, then be together. If not, then quickly find someone else. Two-legged frogs are hard to find, but two-legged men are everywhere. However, at that time, He Xiaolan liked a three-legged man, the vice president of the student union who broke his leg and was on crutches. He Xiaolan worked as a nanny for him for a month, helping him with meals and accompanying him to checkups. Qin Tiantian took his words to heart, but she didn't dare to say it out loud. In the end, He Xiaolan's love was rewarded with a certificate, and the student union enthusiastically praised her kindness.

Because of Ms. Zhang Xinrong's teaching on "restraint", He Xiaolan missed her first and only chance of love. When He Xiaolan and Wang Qingwei met for the first time on a blind date, He Xiaolan was satisfied with Wang Qingwei. She thought that he was tall, honest in his words and deeds, and a normal person.

He Xiaolan didn't have high requirements for men; as long as they were normal, it would be fine. Wang Qingwei was ordinary, so ordinary that he was normal, which completely met her requirements. After Qin Tiantian listened to her story about their meeting, especially when she heard that Wang Qingwei took the initiative to pay for the meal, took He Xiaolan to the Italian Daoxiang Village in the embassy district for coffee and enjoy the night view, and finally packed desserts for her to bring back, she immediately decided that this was a good blind date and that they could continue the relationship.

To avoid repeating the same mistake she made in college, Qin Tiantian saw that He Xiaolan refused to arrange a second meeting with Wang Qingwei. She was so anxious she scratched her head and said, "What are you dithering about? Who says they can win the lottery if they're a second late?"

Wang Qingwei heard He Xiaolan rambling about dinner. He closed his computer in surprise and pulled He Xiaolan, who was pretending to mop the floor, over to him. "So it was Qin Tiantian who sent the message asking me to go to the movies?"

"Hmm...right, it was me who sent it, I forgot...I'm just anxious to see you for the second time."

"You have no idea how happy I was at that time. I even printed out the message you sent me and put it in my diary."

"Hey, hey, hey, which notebook is it in?"

"Hmm... I forgot..."

Let's not take it personally, just consider it age and memory loss. Yueyue's video call arrived just in time, interrupting the reminiscing. Yueyue showed the couple her report card and red flower. The school was having an open day on Friday, and parents were invited to bring a dish and dine with their children.

"Mom, can you come? Nini's mom said she wants to make a cake. Mom, can you make a cake?"

He Xiaolan quickly said, "Let's order a cake for home tomorrow. Mom can't make it, but she's good with her phone and can afford it." She could only pretend not to hear the question of whether she could go on Friday. Selective deafness can sometimes be very useful.

After hanging up the phone, He Xiaolan calculated her schedule. She had two meetings on Friday morning. If she could finish them early, she would definitely be able to attend the event.

It was He Xiaolan's habit to prepare a plan B. She immediately sent a message to Ms. Zhang Xinrong, telling her that she should be able to attend Yueyue's school activities on Friday. She didn't have to worry about it anymore and could just cook for Yueyue and supervise her homework for the next few days.

Ms. Zhang Xinrong replied "Got it" instantly. This old lady isn't reserved at all these days; she even replied to WeChat messages instantly. All that's left is to prepare the food and get her daughter to hold her head high in school. It's all up to her.

He Xiaolan curled up on the sofa, scrolling through various shopping apps, hoping to find the ingredients she wanted that would make her a hit that day. She also needed to coordinate her outfit, looking relaxed yet refined. She'd better carry a real bag; it would be so embarrassing if others saw it was fake.

He Xiaolan was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't notice Wang Qingwei hunched over her feet like a bear, still reeking of alcohol and acting rather ambiguously. I'd forgotten which WeChat public account had pushed the message: "Beware of the Main Cause of Divorce among Middle-Aged Couples—Sexless Marriage." He Xiaolan's inner ringing alarm suddenly rang, and she was ready to act when Wang Qingwei suddenly spoke.

"You met with Song Xiaoxiao tonight. Didn't she tell you that she and Qian Helin went to the Civil Affairs Bureau to file for divorce?"

Gossip is the foundation of marriage. A kiss is not as important as a secret family affair. He Xiaolan and Wang Qingwei sat cross-legged and analyzed the situation for two hours. He Xiaolan carefully recalled the whole party, while Wang Qingwei also pondered what was different about Qian Helin, trying to find the main reason for the breakdown of their relationship.

Qian Helin and Hua Hudie's marriage was a real-life rendition of the happy couples depicted in television dramas. To others, their separation seemed inevitable. Hua Hudie was Qian Helin's high school senior. They met at an alumni reunion and, impressed by their compatibility, similar family backgrounds, and the fact that they were both from Beijing, quickly became romantically involved.

What He Xiaolan envied most about Hua Hudie was her grand wedding. From her limited cinematic experience, the splendor of the wedding was comparable to the party in "The Great Gatsby." However, the splendor was only fleeting. He Xiaolan had considered divorcing Wang Qingwei and Qin Tiantian, and had imagined a quick marriage and divorce, but she had never imagined Hua Hudie and Qian Helin getting divorced. After all, how could two people who didn't have to worry about money end up in such a mess?

"I heard Lao Wang tell me, what's going on between you and Qian Helin?"

He Xiaolan hadn't received a reply to her WeChat message for a long time. It was almost midnight, and she'd probably gone to bed long ago. Just as she was carefully dressing up and applying the third layer of essence on her face, Hua Hudie replied.

"I'm very tired. I can't go on any longer."

Life is for others to see, but life is for yourself. A beautiful life with flowers and flowers is just an illusion that you are willing to show. The dirty water in the vase can only be smelled when you pour it out.

He Xiaolan attends class reunions every year when she returns to her hometown during the Spring Festival. When she was in school, she was not the best student in the class, nor the prettiest, but now that she has bought a house and a car in Beijing, she has straightened her back all of a sudden.

What is said at the class reunion is a mixture of true and false, with only about 30% of it being true. A mortgaged house in the suburbs is said to be a suburban house bought with full payment, and the annual salary must be at least doubled. Needless to say, the children's studies must be like they have just graduated from kindergarten and can speak English like American kids, and can recite Tang and Song poems fluently without any ambiguity.

"Is it tiring to pretend like this?" Wang Qingwei once asked He Xiaolan when he couldn't sleep one night. He Xiaolan pretended to be asleep and didn't say anything. Ms. Zhang Xinrong always told He Xiaolan to fight for her reputation, even if it meant not making money. This became her motto.

He Xiaolan had always been aware of her inferiority complex. When He Guoqiang was stirring up trouble in that tiny county town, her little bit of pride had long since been crushed to dust and blown away by the wind. He Xiaolan had always been reluctant to mention He Guoqiang to others. No matter how she decorated her beautiful life cake, there would always be a stinking dead rat hidden within the sweet cake base.