Marriage and perseverance

The early morning sun filtered through the gaps in the curtains, casting dappled shadows on the crib's wooden rails. Wen Qing was kneeling on the floor, intently adjusting the cradle's angle, his eyes carefully checking the two little ones' sleeping positions, fearing the pillow would press against their noses. Xiao Feng came from the kitchen, carrying a warmed bottle of milk. Her sleepy face carried the languor of a freshly woken child, her hair still slightly curled.

"Oscar needs a diaper change." Xiaofeng's voice was as light as a feather, and her fingertips gently touched her little son's rosy cheek. The touch was so soft it made one's heart tremble, and her movements were as gentle as a pianist checking his voice. Wenqing immediately understood and unfolded a new diaper to pad Oscar's waist. Then, pinching the waist patch with his fingertips, he gently tore it apart. With his left hand, he steadily lifted his chubby legs, and with his right hand, he swiftly removed the dirty diaper. The whole process was as precise as a surgeon performing an operation. Oscar suddenly kicked his legs playfully, and the sole of his foot brushed against Wenqing's wrist. He couldn't help but smile and lowered his head, gently rubbing his chin against the pink little feet, making the little guy giggle.

The afternoon thunderstorm arrived unexpectedly. A loud rumble outside the window plunged the room into darkness. Startled by the thunder, Lucas and Oscar both burst into tears. Xiaofeng quickly picked up the crying Oscar and patted him gently. Wenqing carefully held Lucas in one arm, patting his back with her other hand, humming a tuneless nursery rhyme as they paced back and forth across the room. Lightning suddenly split the darkness, illuminating their intertwined figures—Xiaofeng's gentle soothing voice, Wenqing's clumsy patience. In the flickering light, they resembled a flowing painting, a painting of delicate yet rich happiness.

As night fell, the two, exhausted but content, sat side by side in front of the crib. Moonlight streamed in through the window lattice, spreading a silvery veil across the floor. Wenqing was feeding Lucas with a bottle, the little one adorably adorable as he clung to the pacifier. Xiaofeng's fingers gently traced circles on Oscar's chest, eliciting a series of giggles. The even rise and fall of their two little breaths, blending with the fading rain outside, formed the most beautiful melody of the moment.

On June 30, 2015, Mr. Zhou Shijie passed away. Rao Xiaofeng received a call from her lawyer, inviting her to a video conference regarding the estate distribution. Jiang Wenqing specially arranged for the group's lawyer, Xiaolin, to accompany her.

During the video conference, the lawyer of the Zhou Family Trust Fund solemnly read out the will of Mr. Zhou Shijie: the will was made on June 27, 2012, and the conditions for activation are that Zhou Yang and Xiaofeng get married, or either of them gets married, before February 10, 2029; the inheritance distribution ratio is 30% for Zhou Xiao, 30% for Zhou Yong, 20% for Zhou Yang, and 20% for Rao Xiaofeng.

In addition, the meeting also presented a notarized will from Zhou Yong: since the will was made before Rao Xiaofeng and Jiang Wenqing registered their marriage, the notarized will was Xiaofeng's pre-marital property; at the same time, Rao Xiaofeng had equal signing rights for the 30% share inherited by Zhou Yong.

After the video conference, Wenqing patiently explained the contents of the will to her. Xiaofeng suddenly understood what Uncle Zhou had said: "As long as I am here, all the problems you worry about are not problems."

——It turns out that this promise has long been hidden in the folds of time, heavy and carrying the silent protection of the elders.

On the evening of November 6, 2015, a warm yellow light streamed down the bedroom mattress as Lucas and Oscar flopped about on the bed. Lucas, the older brother, stared at his younger brother. Suddenly, he rolled over, propped up his little head, and looked at Oscar, his eyes saying, "See, it's that simple." Oscar, however, looked away in disdain, his chubby feet kicking the sheets. Suddenly, he clenched his fists, frowned, and let out a fart, making Wenqing and Xiaofeng laugh. The air was filled with the aroma of milk and subtle joy.

After the two little ones fell asleep, Wenqing went to clean up the living room, which was littered with bottles and diapers like a battlefield. Xiaofeng's phone popped up a new email notification. She opened her computer and the screen lit up—the sender's address was unfamiliar, and the scheduled time was 8:00 PM.

The title of the email is "To Xiaofeng".

Xiaofeng:

When you read these words, I should be in another world, watching you silently.

Today is the babies' six-month anniversary. The house should be filled with laughter, but I can only tell you the truth hidden by kindness - I said I don't like you, but it's because I love you too much.

I'm sorry I lied to you.

Remember that time we almost crashed into a bicycle? When I held you, your falling hair brushed against my palm. At that moment, fate quietly laid the groundwork.

You're my brother's girlfriend. My parents said love is about fulfillment. I really want to fulfill your wish.

I used to feel at ease watching you and your brother smile so sweetly. But when the heart examination report slammed down on the table like a verdict, I realized that I didn't even have the qualifications to help you.

I forced myself to let you go and threw myself into basketball, even if it hurt to lift my hands. The result? I had to give up basketball too.

I can't accept this. Why has fate been so cruel to me? I don't know who to tell these words to. I suppress my emotions again and again, but finally, they cross the line. I was the one in the early morning of that day. When I left, I used the light from my phone to see your face clearly, and only then did I realize that I had become your first man.

When I was beaten by my brother and my whole body was in pain, I felt strangely sweet in my heart.

This secret is like my love for you—everyone in the family knows it, except you.

On the day we took our family photo, you asked me if I preferred a boy or a girl. What I didn't say was: These two babies are ours, and I like them both.

If you like, come to the grave and tell me if the babies look like me.

Goodbye,my fancy!Goodbye,my lover!I want to go where,disappear without a trace……

Wen Fengbie

The email page stung Xiaofeng's eyes. Like a porcelain statue suddenly shattered, she slumped in her swivel chair, her spine pressed against the metal backrest, and she let out a thin, almost inaudible whine. With trembling fingers, she pressed the screen off and slapped herself. The searing pain jolted her awake, and she hurriedly turned the screen back on—the email was still there, the words like a red-hot iron, burning her retina.

Love, crossing the line, our child… Every word became a miniature bomb, exploding from temple to toe. For the first time, she desperately wished she could lose her sense of pain, but her nerves were terribly alert, even the punctuation marks were screaming.

There was no sobbing, no whimpering, tears just "click, click" on the keyboard, leaving a small wet mark.

No wonder… No wonder Wenqing was always silent during that time, no wonder her mother always looked at her with complicated eyes, no wonder the whole family always beat around the bush when talking about Wenfeng…

She slapped herself hard a few more times, her cheeks instantly red. "Rao Xiaofeng, you're so stupid... You can't even tell who you're having sex with..." Her voice was hoarse.

What now?

With trembling hands, she dialed Zhou Yong's number. He smiled easily on the other end: "Xiaofeng? You knew I was leaving get off work, so you came to check on me?"

"Uncle Zhou." These three words were squeezed out of his throat, so unfamiliar that it didn't sound like his own voice.

"What's wrong?" Zhou Yong's tone immediately dropped. "Why does your voice sound like that?"

"I...I'll send you an email. Is it convenient for you to read it now?"

"That's convenient. Do you want to hang up?"

“No…”

…

"Xiaofeng, I know this is difficult, but calm down first." Zhou Yong's voice was anxious at first, but he calmed down as he spoke. "Don't panic, Uncle Zhou will be there soon. Remember, don't let Wenqing and the others know you saw this, okay?"

Xiaofeng stared at her shattered reflection on the screen, and suddenly realized: in this game of ethics, she had always been just a chess piece being manipulated. The cruelest thing was that the chess piece finally realized that she was just the most insignificant piece on the board, and even her right to cry was determined by others.

Zhou Yong dialed the long-forgotten number without hesitation. No need for extraneous greetings; the other party knew that Zhou Yong hadn't contacted him in so many years, and today must be a big deal.

When the four words "Xiao Feng is not good" came out of Zhou Yong's throat, he seemed to hear the crisp sound of a shattered soul from the other end of the phone, like a delicate porcelain suddenly falling to the ground.

After the Canberra address was sent, the other party only said "Electronic travel authorization, approved in as fast as 24 hours" and hung up the phone, the urgency in his tone could not be hidden.