Chapter 3: The Real Lady Stays in the Guest Room
"Madam, your things..." Aunt Zhang's voice interrupted my thoughts.
Lu Zhenzhu looked down at the pillow in her arms, on which were embroidered the initials of her and Gu Huai's names - she had sewn it herself when she got married, but now it had to be moved into the guest room, making her feel like an unnecessary guest.
As night fell, low laughter came from the master bedroom.
Lu Zhenzhu lay on the bed in the guest room, staring at the water stains on the ceiling, remembering what Gu Huai once said, "I will see you every day when I wake up in the future."
Now his partner has changed, and she has even been deprived of the right to sleep in the master bedroom.
The phone vibrated on the bedside table. It was Jiang Sesu's new circle of friends: "Finally lived in the floor-to-ceiling window room of my dreams~"
In the accompanying picture, she is leaning on Gu Huai's shoulder, and the curtains behind her are the off-white color chosen by Lu Zhenzhu.
Lu Zhenzhu stared at the photo of the room she had carefully decorated, her nails digging deep into her palms - it turned out that some warmth had never belonged to her.
It was drizzling outside the window, and cold wind was leaking in through the window lattices of the guest room.
Gu Huai coughed downstairs, and her hand that lifted the quilt stopped in mid-air - in the past, when he coughed, she would boil pear water and bring it to him.
She subconsciously wanted to get the medicine, but when she stood up, she suddenly remembered: it was no longer her who should take care of him.
Tears suddenly fell without warning and hit the pillow.
She finally understood that some disappointments are cumulative, just like the floor-to-ceiling windows in the master bedroom, no matter how bright they are, cannot illuminate the darkness in the guest room.
And it’s time for her to wake up from this dream called “marriage”.
Before Gu Huai went out, Lu Zhenzhu heard him whisper to Jiang Sesur at the entrance: "There is stewed bird's nest in the refrigerator, remember to heat it up and eat it."
She pushed the door open and left, clutching the law firm's business card. The spring sunshine fell on her shoulders, but there was no warmth at all.
Three hours later, she returned home clutching the draft divorce agreement. When she opened the door, she saw Jiang Sesu sitting in front of the dressing table with her legs crossed, playing with the sandalwood comb in her hand - three of the teeth had been broken.
The image of her mother combing her hair with her own hands before she died suddenly flashed before her eyes.
That was the only relic left by my mother.
"Who told you to touch my things?!" Lu Zhenzhu's voice was trembling.
Jiang Sesu touched up her lipstick in front of the mirror and said nonchalantly: "Anyway, you are going to move to the guest room, so I will help you clean up these old things."
She fiddled with the broken comb with her fingertips. "Besides, Gu Huai said I have the final say in this house from now on."
The moment the blood rushed to his head, Lu Zhenzhu raised his hand and hit him.
Jiang Sesur's cheeks flushed instantly. She was stunned for two seconds, then suddenly rushed over screaming.
Lu Zhenzhu instinctively stepped back, but saw Gu Huai appear at the door.
Jiang Sesu in front of him immediately stumbled and fell, his fingertips hooked on Lu Zhenzhu's cuffs, his acting was realistic: "Ahuai, she hit me..."
"She was the one who broke my comb first! It belonged to my mother..." Lu Zhenzhu was interrupted by Gu Huai before she could even finish her words.
"Have you had enough of the trouble?" He frowned and looked at Lu Zhenzhu, his eyes sweeping over the broken comb on the ground. He said in a light tone, "It's just a comb, is it necessary to hit me?"
He bent down to help Jiang Sesur up and straightened her messy hair. "Go and rest on the sofa. I'll ask someone to get you an ice pack."
"That's my mother's relic." Lu Zhenzhu heard her own voice, as if it came from far away.
Gu Huai paused, but didn't turn around. He just picked up the cigarette box from the coffee table and said, "Ask Aunt Zhang to buy a new one tomorrow."
Amid the sound of a lit match, he finally turned to look at her: "Don't be so willful all the time. Sese is not in good health."
Are you willful?
Lu Zhenzhu stared at the fire between his fingers and suddenly smiled.
Gu Huai wanted to say something, but Jiang Sese grabbed his sleeve and said, "I cut my hand..." He immediately turned around to get the medicine box, his footsteps sounding anxious.
The scent of sandalwood mixed with the smell of cigarette ash penetrated her nostrils, and she remembered what her mother said, "When the comb breaks, the fate is over." It was really true.
When her fingertips touched the cold sheets, she suddenly remembered the tone of Gu Huai when he said, "My wife is afraid of the cold." It turns out that gentleness can also be a double-edged sword.
At three o'clock in the morning, late at night, Lu Zhenzhu heard a noise and opened the door to see Gu Huai standing at the door of the guest room, holding the blanket she often used.
"The guest room is cold. Bring you a blanket."
His voice was a little hoarse.
When Gu Huai pushed open the door, Lu Zhenzhu was wiping the broken comb in the moonlight.
He smelled of women's perfume and his tie hung loosely around his neck, as if he had just come back from a night out.
"Are you still awake?" He reached out to touch her hair, but she avoided him without hesitation.
Gu Huai's hand paused.
Lu Zhenzhu looked up at him, with an ugly smile on her lips: "Why? Are you here to vent your anger for Jiang Sesur? After all, I beat her."
Gu Huai raised his eyebrows and suddenly chuckled. He pinched her chin with his fingertips and lifted it up, forcing her to look up at him: "Your temper hasn't subsided yet? Let me coax you."
Before she could struggle, he pressed her against the bed and kissed her.
His fingertips pinched the flesh on her waist with such force that it seemed like punishment, but when she bit his lower lip, he suddenly softened his movements.
He whispered in her ear: "I asked someone to repair the comb urgently, and it will be available tomorrow-"
Lu Zhenzhu stopped pushing.
But the next second, she heard Gu Huai's hurtful words.
"Zhenzhu," he murmured, holding her lips, "stop making trouble, go apologize to Sese."
Tears fell unexpectedly, and Lu Zhenzhu tasted the salty taste.
She remembered that he had coaxed her in the same way when they were newly married, saying "My bride must be the most obedient", but now the definition of obedient is that she must endure all grievances and fulfill another woman's tears.
"Her eyes are swollen from crying." Gu Huai's tongue brushed across her tear marks, but his hand reached into her pajamas and pinched her lower back. "You don't want to embarrass me, right?"
Lu Zhenzhu stared at the shadow cast by his eyelashes.
She opened her mouth, but instead of responding, she bit the tip of his tongue fiercely. The moment the bloody taste exploded in her mouth, she heard him groan, but he didn't push her away.
"Does it hurt?" she gasped, digging her nails into the back of his neck.
Gu Huai licked the corner of his lips that was oozing blood, and suddenly smiled. He pinched her chin with his fingertips and shook it left and right, as if teasing a grumpy cat.
"Be good," he pulled her hand and pressed it against his heart, "Apologize, and then I'll sleep with you tonight."
The moon outside the window was half covered by clouds. Lu Zhenzhu looked at the interest in his eyes and suddenly found it ridiculous.
It turns out that his coaxing was always charity with conditions.
She loosened her grip, letting his tie slip from her fingers, and whispered, "Okay."
Gu Huai seemed satisfied. He lowered his head and placed a kiss on her forehead. When he stood up, he took the broken comb from the bedside table and said, "Aunt Zhang will make bird's nest tomorrow. Don't get angry over such trivial matters."
"Go to sleep." Gu Huai patted her back gently, like coaxing a wounded child.
Lu Zhenzhu buried her face in his chest and heard his heartbeat mixed with the vibration of his cell phone in the distance.
When Jiang Sesu's message pop-up window lit up, Lu Zhenzhu felt his body suddenly tense.
"Ahuai, my stomach hurts..." The voice was filled with suppressed crying, which was particularly clear in the silent night.
Gu Huai's fingers stayed in her hair for a long time without moving.
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