Chapter 14
Once upon a time, Chen's mother was chatting with Tang Chengting, wanting to praise her daughter. She racked her brains and finally found a point to praise - perfect execution. Tang Chengting was a little confused. He and Chen Huanong were husband and wife, not superiors and subordinates. This advantage did not seem to be anything special. After the two of them got along together, Tang Chengting gradually understood the benefits of Chen Huanong's trait. They were both typical representatives of the argumentative school, self-centered, with perfect verbal skills, and neither of them was willing to admit defeat. It stands to reason that getting along with each other should be particularly twisted. In fact, they were unexpectedly harmonious, which must be attributed to Chen Huanong's execution. The real impact of this execution on life is that if there is a conflict between the two, as long as Tang Chengting can convince Chen Huanong with reason and argument, then Chen Huanong will immediately make corresponding adjustments and ensure that the same problem will not occur again.
In this way, Tang Chengting felt that his married life was very comfortable.
In order to let Tang Chengting experience this comfort more deeply, when Tang Chengting returned home the next night, all of Chen Huanong's personal belongings had disappeared.
Chen Huanong wore delicate makeup, and her long, straight black hair was changed into honey tea brown curls. Her one-shoulder long dress just exposed her ankles. She stood barefoot on the floor and looked around the bedroom.
"What are you doing?"
"One last check to see if there's anything I've missed."
One asked knowingly but still asked, the other answered fluently. This tacit understanding was like an invisible sharp blade at the moment, but no one knew whose heart was being cut by each blade.
Chen Huanong turned around and met Tang Chengting's eyes. Just like countless nights before, she said with a smile that was three parts and tenderness that was four parts, "You're back. Wash your hands and have dinner."
"All the fruits in the refrigerator must be eaten within a week. I have prepared the juice for the morning and put a small note on the third layer."
"Your clothes and ties are all matched for the week, arranged from left to right, and your shoes are arranged from top to bottom."
"The washing machine is disinfected once a week, and the bed sheets are changed every two weeks. The replacement sheets are on the top of the wardrobe."
"The plants on the balcony are watered at different intervals, and I've posted notes..."
She rambled on and on, like an old woman giving her unreasonable son instructions before going on a long journey. In fact, there was no need to do this at all. Tang Chengting lived a good life before he lived with her. She really didn't know why she was so worried.
"Will you sleep over there tonight?"
"Well, I've moved all the toiletries over. It's getting late, I should go." Chen Huanong was changing her shoes at the entrance. The shoes had a strap design, which was a bit troublesome. The more anxious she was, the harder it was to put them on. She didn't want Tang Chengting to see this embarrassing scene, so she wanted to throw away her shoes and walk out barefoot.
At the moment she was frustrated, Tang Chengting squatted in front of her and held her anxious little hand with a warm hand, "Chen Huanong, if you have any emotions, tell me. Don't be hard on the shoes, and don't be hard on yourself." As he spoke, the man who had been cold from beginning to end had already skillfully put on the straps.
Chen Huanong was furious. This man had always been like this, perched high on a pedestal, looking down on everyone around him. He'd said, "You have emotions to share with me," but didn't he know who was causing these emotions? Didn't he know why he was so upset with the shoes? Didn't he know why she was so upset with him? How could he, such a smart person, not know? He just pretended not to know, to be unaware of her grievances, her fears, her disappointments.
Chen Huanong slowly stood up, suppressing all his emotions, releasing his aura bit by bit, staring into Tang Chengting's eyes, unwilling to miss any subtle expression on his face, "Tang Chengting, you're really going to lose me with this attitude."
"As I wish."
In the first week after the Tangs' separation, the little devil unexpectedly became the first to learn the truth. Chen Huanong was thankful she'd mailed her seatbelt, but even so, she was startled by Chi Buyu's sudden braking. But her scolding remained unaffected. "Did you pay a lot of money to get your driver's license? I'm reporting your coach. You're a deadly killer on the road."
"You were kicked out? You're a lawyer, aren't you? I've been nagging me every day since high school, saying that relationships are the most fragile thing ever. If you're thinking about that, you should just read more books and newspapers, have fewer children, and raise more pigs. Getting rich is the way to go. Now you're telling me from your own experience that you were kicked out because of such an unreliable relationship?"
"Please be careful with your words. I came out on my own."
"What's the difference? They're about to separate, and you're still clinging on. What are you trying to achieve?"
"Chi Buyu, you've crossed the line."
Chi Buyu was very angry, but he didn't dare to do anything more. Others thought that he was causing trouble for Chen Huanong. In fact, Chen Huanong always suppressed him on matters of principle. When Chen Huanong was about to get married, he tried to stop her, but was completely blocked by Chen Huanong's words, "If you insist on making me make a choice, then the relationship between you and me can only end here. Ayu, you are doing well now and don't need my support anymore." On the issue of Tang Chengting, he felt that his sister, who had been smart all her life, was like being bewitched and could never figure things out. In order to instigate their divorce in recent years, he had put in a lot of effort, introducing young talents to Chen Huanong from time to time, and whenever he saw Tang Chengting, he would say a few sour words, of course, he kept this a secret from Chen Huanong.
Everyone knows that Chen Huanong protects his wife.
Tang Chengting was still working overtime in the office when he received a call from his mother. Fortunately, his mother knew the door lock code. After hanging up the phone, he remembered that Chen Huanong was not at home. He opened WeChat, found the familiar profile picture, clicked it, and was stunned for a few minutes before sending a message.
He had no intention of letting Tang's mother know the outcome so early, but her sudden visit forced him to face the problem head-on. Tang's mother was such a meticulous person that she had already guessed the outcome the moment she discovered that Chen Huanong's things were missing from her home.
"We are preparing for divorce and are currently separated."
"Why? Why do you suddenly want a divorce?"
Why? Why suddenly get a divorce when everything was fine? Zhang Xingyan asked, Chen Huanong asked, the mediator asked, the judge asked. This question had been asked so many times, so many times that Tang Chengting was no longer willing to answer. If everything was fine, then why did it come to this? Isn't the decision to divorce based on the inability of two people to live happily together? The answer was so obvious, so why did everyone keep asking it? This was his marriage, why did he have to explain it to everyone again and again?
"Tang Chengting, you just informed me as a matter of routine when you got married, and you're doing the same now that you're getting divorced. If I hadn't come, I don't know how long you would have kept it a secret. Are you really that careless about marriage?"
"What does it mean to not be hasty? Does it mean I won't be hasty if I discuss it with you? But I've always made decisions on my own since I was little. When I needed your help, you were never there. Now that I'm used to making decisions on my own, you want me to discuss it with you. How could anything in the world be so easy to do?"
Disputes between parents and children always end with the more loving party falling silent. Looking at Tang Chengting, on the brink of anger, Tang's mother slowly realized that Tang Chengting hadn't shown any emotion towards her in the past five years, causing her to almost forget her son's difficult nature. If Chen Huanong were here, how would she comfort Tang Chengting's outburst? At this moment, Tang's mother instinctively thought of her daughter-in-law who had been "kicked out of the house."
"She wasn't kicked out of the house. I told her I was moving out, and she packed her things and went to live in the outer ring. She packed so many things in just one day, and I didn't even have time to stop her. She has never been so active in packing even when she was on a business trip." Speaking of this, Tang Chengting was also very upset. The reason for his upset was unclear, but the moment he returned home at night and saw that Chen Huanong's things were gone, he inexplicably felt a surge of anger.
Tang's mother had only met Chen Huanong twice before their marriage and didn't know much about him. It wasn't until New Year's Eve 2014, near the end of the Spring Festival Gala, that Tang Chengting informed her, using the tone he'd use today when discussing divorce, "I'm getting married." Tang's mother was completely bewildered. "Who are you marrying? Who would want to marry you? Why haven't I heard you've got a partner?" "Oh no, why am I only hearing about you getting married now?"
Tang's mother expected a chaotic and chaotic time, but the woman didn't make any requests. They were traveling to get married, saving a lot of hassle by not having a wedding. After registering at the Civil Affairs Bureau, the two of them flew directly to Europe, suitcases in tow. Two weeks later, Chen Huanong arrived bearing gifts. That was probably their first official meeting. Tang Chengting had piled up so much work during his honeymoon that upon returning, he worked overtime in the study. Tang's mother and Chen Huanong were left alone in the kitchen, with her cooking and her helping out, which wasn't awkward at all. Chen Huanong had always known how to please people, and after cooking a meal, Tang's mother's concerns were largely dispelled. Perhaps this girl could get along with Tang Chengting, perhaps this girl could tolerate him. And so it turned out. Despite their bumps in the road during the past five years, Tang's mother could clearly see that her son had quietly changed. Tang Chengting, who had always been so stubborn, had been gradually softened by Chen Huanong, lowering his guard.
"I don't know what intractable conflict there is between you and Huahua that has led you to the point of divorce. I asked you to discuss it with me not to interfere with you, but to give you some advice as someone who has been through it. Marriage is different from love. It's just about the daily necessities of life, trivial and boring. But when you reach my age, you will understand that an ordinary life itself is extremely difficult. I am getting older, and the only thing I am worried about is you. I am particularly relieved that Huahua has been by your side for the past five years. I believe she will take good care of you. After I am gone, you will not be alone. This is my last hope."
Tang Chengting's father passed away very early, and Tang's mother was overwhelmed by having to juggle two roles. Compared to the role of a mother, she took on more of the responsibilities of a father. She had to work and support the family. During the years when Tang Chengting needed his mother's company, she was helplessly absent from that position. When Tang Chengting first blamed her, she felt extremely aggrieved. Raising a child alone for twenty years, the hardships involved could not be explained in a few words. Tang Chengting regretted it after he finished speaking. He had no intention of blaming Tang's mother. The words he said were like spilled water. The two people obviously cared about each other, but inevitably developed a feeling of grievance. No one was wrong, and no one could resolve it.
In the past few years, Chen Huanong has been mediating between mother and son. Chen Huanong would go shopping with Tang's mother, help her choose clothes and jewelry, and listen to her talk about family matters, just like a mother and daughter. Tang's mother said, Huahua, you don't have to go to this extent. I am already very relieved that you and Chengting are together. Chen Huanong took her arm and acted coquettishly, "Mom, don't you dislike playing with me? I'm so cute, but you don't like me. I'm so sad." Tang's mother couldn't do anything with her because she was actually happy in her heart. The child love she lacked from Tang Chengting was inexplicably satisfied by Chen Huanong.
"I like Huahua very much. Besides her lively and cheerful personality, more importantly, she likes you. It's actually very selfish to say this, but only by handing you over to someone like her can you have a normal life. Tang Chengting, I don't have many expectations for you in this life. I don't ask you to become successful or rich. As long as you can live a peaceful and happy life, that's enough." Tang's mother thought about it and still wanted to ask, "Will you be happy if you divorce Huahua?"
Tang Chengting was silent for a rare time. It had been more than a week since Chen Huanong left. Was he happy? Every day when he returned home, he faced a pitch-black living room, an empty kitchen, a silent bedroom, and among the countless lights in the city, none of them was left for him. The girl in the office asked Director Tang, "How have you been eating in the cafeteria recently? Is Sister Chen too busy to prepare lunch for you?" When Zhang Xingyan dragged him to play cards until the early hours of the morning, no one called Zhang Xingyan to threaten him, saying, "If you don't let my husband come back, we'll have a good talk when we meet in court." No one asked about his food, clothing, and daily life, no one asked about his comings and goings, no one asked about his joys and sorrows. Was he happy this week?
It wasn't until Tang's mother asked this question that Tang Chengting suddenly understood Chen Huanong's cunning and cruelty. Staying in this house was a torment for anyone. This place they once called home held all the experiences of their lives over the past five years. The pink apron in the kitchen was a constant reminder that a nagging hostess once stood here; the empty dressing table in the bedroom was a constant reminder that a narcissistic girl once sat here; even the program list on the living room TV reminded him that a young girl who watched TV dramas once lived here. Chen Huanong left decisively, but her lingering aura trapped him.
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