Chapter 6 Ah Rong will one day see your true colors...
The three of them stayed together and finally made it to dawn. The noise outside finally subsided, and Zhang Ma mustered up her courage to go out. She returned with breakfast in no time.
"There are people selling breakfast outside?" Shen Rong asked in surprise.
Zhang Ma: "Hey, who cares about war or not? Ordinary people still live their lives as usual. For families like ours, if we stop working, we stop eating. Every family has a large family waiting to make a living."
Shen Rong smiled awkwardly. That's true. It's just like in later generations. Unless the sky falls, cattle and horses have to go to work.
"These are shrimp wontons, please eat them while they're hot, madam."
My wife used to like Western-style breakfasts, sandwiches and the like, but in Zhang Ma's opinion, they were all cold and raw, nothing compared to these warm and comforting foods.
Fortunately, my wife's tastes have changed recently.
Just as Zhang Ma put the breakfast on the table, the doorbell rang. She called Gui Chun to open the door.
"The milkman must have arrived."
A short while later, Guichun came in carrying a bottle of fresh milk and a newspaper.
Just as Zhang Ma had said, the front page headline of the newspaper was about last night's battle.
It turned out to be a fierce battle between two groups, which was eventually suppressed by the government forces. The defeated side had already fled the city overnight.
Shen Rong suddenly lost her appetite. This was the capital of a country, the seat of the central government, and even here was not peaceful. Not to mention outside, there were countless warlords, large and small, who could fight each other for territory at any time. How were ordinary people supposed to live?
"Madam, please eat some more. You don't look too well. Go upstairs and take a nap later."
She had overheard some of what her husband and wife said yesterday. If her wife was really pregnant, she was very precious and her body shouldn't be treated so carelessly.
She especially wanted to make sure they had enough to eat; she was going to go to the market herself to buy a fat hen and then a fish.
Shen Rong shook her head; she really couldn't eat anymore, but she forced herself to drink a glass of milk.
After Shen Rong went upstairs, Zhang Ma prepared to go out. She estimated that her husband would come over and was going to cook some big dishes. Gui Chun originally wanted to go with her.
But thinking that his wife was not the same as before, he was worried about leaving her at home alone, so he asked Guichun to stay and look after the house.
After the lady of the house fell asleep, Guichun finished her work and went to water the flowers in the yard. The doorbell rang, and she thought it was Zhang Ma returning, so she opened the door without looking carefully.
To everyone's surprise, Kang Wenbai arrived, carrying a lot of things. He kept walking inside, and Gui Chun couldn't stop him.
"Where is she?" he asked, looking up at the building.
Gui Chun: "Madam is not feeling well and needs to rest. Mr. Kang, please come another day."
Hearing that she wasn't feeling well, Kang Wenbai panicked. Could it be that her illness hadn't improved since they returned from the hospital that day?
"I'll go check on her."
He was about to go upstairs when Gui Chun stopped him, saying, "Mr. Kang, this is not appropriate. Our wife is asleep."
Kang Wenbai was somewhat displeased. Why didn't this maid know how to read the room? She had stopped him several times. Didn't she know about his relationship with Shen Rong?
"Get out of my way. I'm just going to check on her. If something happens to her, can you take responsibility?" Kang Wenbai stared at her sternly.
Gui Chun was so frightened that she took a step back, feeling very embarrassed.
She thought to herself, "Mr. Kang is supposed to be a scholar, how can he be so rude? How can he barge into someone else's bedroom? Besides, she had already angered his wife by calling his brother last time. She dared not let him go this time, what if his wife got angry and kicked her out?"
Where could she find such a good job? The employer was friendly, the pay was good, and there was little to do. Thinking this, she felt a surge of courage and glared at Kang Wenbai with her hands on her hips.
Kang Wenbai was furious and looked like he was about to hit someone, but Gui Chun closed her eyes!
"Mr. Kang, this is my home. Are you going to beat up my family here? If you want to act tough, go back to your own home!"
Shen Rong appeared at the top of the stairs, looking at him with a cold gaze.
Kang Wenbai awkwardly lowered his hand: "I was just trying to scare her, how could I really hit her?"
"I heard you were sick. Are you feeling better? The city was in turmoil all night yesterday. Were you frightened?" He smiled gently, putting on a considerate appearance.
Shen Rong, who was going downstairs, remained unmoved and even seemed a little impatient.
He couldn't bring himself to say more heartfelt words.
"What are you doing here?" Shen Rong asked coldly.
Wasn't what I said that day clear enough? Why are you still bothering me? She frowned deeply.
Shen Rong's indifference hurt Kang Wenbai, who had a heart full of tenderness, and his eyes revealed endless disappointment.
"I've thought about what you said that day over and over again for days, but I still don't believe it. You must have some kind of hardship. Is someone threatening you? Is it Lu Lin or your family? I clearly felt love, yet you say you don't love me. That's impossible!"
Shen Rong looked up and sighed. Fortunately, Gui Chun had already left, otherwise how could others continue her shameless act after hearing her?
It seems all my words were wasted that day. Why do some people like to make things up? Even though I told the truth, he still thinks I have my reasons.
Does loving him and being with him regardless of everything mean there are no hardships involved, that it's the pursuit of freedom, and that it's the embodiment of happiness?
But you didn't give her happiness either. Not only did her quality of life decline, but in the end, you gave your love to someone else. You're just playing the love transfer game.
"If you're here to say this, then leave. I've already said what I wanted to say that day, and my attitude won't change. If you keep bothering me, it will only cause me endless trouble and make everyone lose face. It's not a good look."
Kang Wenbai, unable to bear the blow, took a few steps back, his face pale, and leaned against the wall, clutching his chest.
"How could this happen? We clearly agreed..." His glasses fogged up, and he cried, murmuring sadly, "Am I just a pastime for you to relieve your loneliness?"
Shen Rong was somewhat taken aback and almost choked. She put down her water glass and said, "If it's easier for you to accept this way of thinking, you can think of it that way."
"Mr. Kang..."
Kang Wenbai said angrily, "Wenbai, why do you call me Mr. Kang? You've always called me Wenbai."
Shen Rong agreed: "Wenbai, perhaps what you think of as love is just an illusion. We may just be close friends who get along well in some ways. You don't need to imagine it as love to make up for the hurt you suffered in your last relationship."
"That's not how it is. How could you think that? You think I'm fickle. No wonder..." He seemed to understand something. "Don't worry, I'll prove it to you."
Shen Rong sighed, realizing she shouldn't have said so much; it seemed she had messed things up again.
The doorbell rang again, and Kang Wenbai immediately turned around to wipe his glasses, composed himself.
"It must be Wu Yong and Miss Hu. We arranged to visit you together. Miss Hu just said she forgot something important, so they went back to get it."
Another guest has arrived.
Gui Chun went to open the door. Since the visitor was a guest, Shen Rong went to the door to greet him.
A man and a woman walked in hand in hand. The man was a bit older, while the woman was in her prime, dressed elegantly and fashionably, with the most trendy hairstyle of the moment.
Wu Yong is a good friend of Kang Wenbai and now works at a magazine. Miss Hu is his girlfriend.
"Ah Rong." Miss Hu greeted her warmly with a Western-style cheek kiss.
Shen Rong was somewhat bewildered, and could only keep laughing.
"Arong, you've taken good care of yourself these days. It seems that escaping from the cage really makes you look different."
Kang Wenbai looked embarrassed. Before he could even tell his friends what had happened in the past few days, they thought Shen Rong had already gotten a divorce.
"Peifang, you're being too enthusiastic and you've frightened Ms. Shen. She's not fully recovered yet."
Hu Peifang took Shen Rong's arm, and the two walked into the house.
She leaned closer and whispered, "I brought champagne. We're going to celebrate your newfound freedom and the happiness that awaits you."
She said the last sentence while looking at Kang Wenbai teasingly.
Shen Rong froze on one side, afraid of being exposed in front of the original owner's friends, and dared not say much, so she could only smile.
The four sat down in the living room, and Hu Peifang personally opened the champagne and instructed Guichun to bring over four wine glasses.
Wu Yong started a conversation with Shen Rong: "I see that the outside is very well managed. Ms. Shen has some talent in the arts."
Shen Rong paused for a moment, then realized that she was referring to the small garden. She hadn't had time to look at the flowers lately: "It's all thanks to Gui Chun. She's been taking care of it all along."
As soon as Guichun arrived, she heard her wife praising her, with a shy smile.
"I was just doing what my wife told me to do." But he was secretly overjoyed.
After putting down her things, she left quickly. Hu Peifang held Shen Rong's hand and said, "Why are they still calling you 'Madam'? They should be calling you 'Miss'."
Shen Rong lowered her eyes, looking at the carpet beneath her feet: "It's just a title."
Wu Yong patted Hu Peifang's arm, telling her not to talk about these things, lest it upset Shen Rong.
Hu Peifang remembered her important business: she had come today to act as matchmaker for Kang Wenbai.
"When are you two getting married? I think going to a church would be nice, a pure Western-style wedding. The First Floor recently got a new batch of wedding dresses, I'll go with you to try them on another day."
She looked on with envy: "I really envy you for being able to have a romantic wedding with the person you love. I'd like to wear it too, but unfortunately..." She glared at Wu Yong as she said this.
Kang Wenbai was afraid that Shen Rong would mention not getting a divorce in front of his two friends, which would make him lose face, so he quickly changed the subject.
"Brother Wu Yong, has your wife back home still agreed to the divorce?"
Wu Yong had an arranged marriage wife back in his hometown, who was three years older than him and had been taking care of his parents in the countryside. After he met Hu Peifang, he sent a letter back home to discuss divorce, but it seems that they have not been able to reach an agreement.
Wu Yong looked embarrassed, and Hu Peifang sighed, "That person was so insistent on not agreeing that he was willing to die, but Old Wu was too soft-hearted."
Her bright red nail polished fingers poked his forehead: "Why are you so heartless to me? I must have owed you something in my past life. What a nemesis! But..."
She then changed the subject: "Marriage is just a formality. As long as he and his heart are by my side, that's enough."
She has always touted herself as a modern woman who is not bound by these conventions. For example, many people say behind her back that she is shameless for pestering Wu Yong, but she doesn't care and never takes it to heart.
Life is your own, let them say what they want! Times have changed, the old ways don't work anymore.
"You seem to be recovering well. There's a ball tomorrow, let's go together."
She chuckled and teased Shen Rong, "You haven't been to the ball for a month, and everyone's been asking about it, saying that without the ball queen, dancing isn't fun at all!"
"Now that you're free, before you're tied down by marriage again, you should definitely enjoy yourself to the fullest, just in case you meet someone even better..."
She rolled her eyes at Kang Wenbai and joked, "Just dump Wenbai."
Kang Wenbai just gave an awkward smile, and Wu Yong laughed too, patting his friend's shoulder and shaking his head helplessly. His girlfriend just loved to tell jokes.
The door was suddenly pushed open from the outside, and a tall figure appeared in the doorway.
The laughter stopped abruptly, and everyone turned to look.
Lu Lin was surprised to have guests at home and said apologetically, "It seems I've come at an inopportune time. Have I disturbed you?"
Shen Rong stood up in surprise: "You're back?"
Zhang Ma and Gui Chun came in carrying vegetable baskets. As they passed through the living room, they saw wine glasses and their expressions changed slightly. They said with a hint of reproach, "Madam, you can't drink alcohol these days!"
The atmosphere was a little awkward, so Wu Yong tried to smooth things over by saying, "It was indeed our oversight. Mrs. Lu shouldn't have been drinking alcohol after recovering from a serious illness, but thankfully she didn't touch a drop."
Lu Lin's sudden appearance made his friend look uneasy, while Shen Rong was overjoyed. Wu Yong understood immediately. He quickly changed his address to Shen Rong and moved his wine glass away.
This scene explained the strange feeling he had just had. He gave Hu Peifang a look, and the two of them stood up.
"We've been bothering you for a long time. We still have some things to take care of, so we'll take our leave now."
"You can continue your conversation. I just came back to pick up some things."
Lu Lin took out a cigarette and was about to light it when Shen Rong gave him a look, so he put it back.
"No, maybe next time." They exchanged some polite words with Shen Rong and then left with Kang Wenbai.
Kang Wenbai was unwilling to give up and gritted his teeth, but this was someone else's house, and he couldn't just stay there and refuse to leave.
After seeing the guests off, Shen Rong asked him, "What did you come back for?"
Lu Lin looked up at her; that was just an excuse. He really hadn't expected her to have guests.
Now it seems like he's the one who drove all these guests away.
"I'm here to tell you that several parts of the hospital were bombed yesterday, and things are in chaos there right now. You should go for a check-up in a few days."
Shen Rong smiled and nodded, carefully examining him: "You're not injured, are you?"
Lu Lin, with an unlit cigarette between his teeth, stared at her expressionlessly for a moment before standing up and saying, "I'm leaving."
"Aren't you staying for dinner?" She noticed that Aunt Zhang had bought a lot of groceries.
If she stays for a meal today, she can stay overnight tomorrow. In the end, her life will be saved.
Perhaps her gaze was too intense, which frightened Lu Lin so much that he left without saying a word.
At the street corner, Kang Wenbai stared intently at the approaching person; he had specifically waited for Lu Lin there.
Lu Lin also saw him, stopped in his tracks, and looked up to scan him.
Kang Wenbai looked away guiltily, still feeling a little scared.
Lu Lin was a soldier, and he had just come from the battlefield. Not only did he smell of gunpowder, but his gaze just now also carried a sharp killing intent.
"You... don't think you can threaten me just because you have some power. I will not compromise, nor will I give up on Arong. I will win her back."
Lu Lin lowered his head, lit a cigarette, and slowly exhaled the smoke, causing Kang Wenbai to cough a few times from the smoke.
Do you think she's like a completely different person?
Kang Wenbai thought he was mocking and ridiculing him, and his forehead veins throbbed with anger.
"One day, Arong will see your true colors and get tired of you. I will prove to her that I am the one who can give her happiness, and she will come back to me!"
Someone was professing their love to his wife in front of him. Lu Lin remained silent, coldly exhaling the half-smoked cigarette from his mouth and crushing it with his foot.
Kang Wenbai felt this was a blatant threat, so he took a few steps back, turned around, and ran away.
Lu Lin flicked his collar, turned around, and got into the car.
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