Challenges and Growth
On the evening of June 27, 2016, Jiang Wenqing drove to Xiaofeng's house. Seeing the lights on and the car door unlocked, he quickly pushed it open and walked in. The scene before him made his fingertips tremble—Xiaofeng was huddled on the sofa, propping up her head and mumbling something in a voice so soft it sounded like a dream; Zhou Yang was quietly packing her suitcase nearby.
"Brother Zhou Yang, you go back first." Xiaofeng helped Zhou Yang stand up with his arm.
Wenqing's gaze followed Zhou Yang until he disappeared into the hallway, then he turned and followed Xiaofeng upstairs. His hand, suspended above the sleeping children's cheeks, curled into a fist, his nails digging deep into his palm, leaving several red marks.
"The house is kept very clean, thank you, Wenqing." There was a hint of alienation in Xiaofeng's voice.
"What is your relationship with Zhou Yang now?" Wen Qing's voice was as deep as if it was soaked in water.
"He's my brother, always has been."
"Don't lie to yourself." Wen Qing pulled the note from his wallet and slammed it on the table, his tone suddenly rising. "You went to South Africa to compete in order to get him a birthday present. What about me? This is all you have. You owe me."
Xiaofeng felt her legs go weak. She propped herself up on the dining chair and sat down. She kneaded the note repeatedly with her fingertips, and finally clenched it tightly in her palm: "I owe you this. Come tomorrow and I'll pay you back."
On June 28, 2016, Xiaofeng sent Lucas and Oscar to the orphanage and went to Ninghai Comprehensive Shopping Center alone.
She walked into the familiar clothing store, and the clerk recognized her immediately: "Hello, Mrs. Jiang! What occasion do you need this time? We always have Mr. Jiang's size on hand."
"Let me take a look first."
Xiaofeng's fingertips skimmed over rows of crisp shirt collars, stopping suddenly in front of a gray plaid jacket. Her hand trembled slightly as she flipped open the collar tag, and the five-digit price tag made her palms sweat. The figure of a salesperson suddenly appeared in the dressing mirror. She hurriedly hung the clothes back in their place. The slight clink of the metal hooks was like a tiny needle, making her turn and flee the clothing store.
She entered another perfume shop, and the clerk greeted her enthusiastically: "Mrs. Jiang, do you need men's perfume?"
"Well, yes."
"Mr. Jiang has been using this 'Jealousy' recently, and it suits him very well."
"No, thank you."
Xiaofeng almost ran away and went straight home.
As soon as Jiang Wenqing entered the door, Xiaofeng stuffed the gift box into his hands.
"Don't you really want to see me?" Wen Qing didn't answer, staring at her with a serious look.
"I don't want to waste your time. I know you're busy."
"Are you still afraid that I'll waste your time?" Wen Qing suddenly forced a wry smile, with a hint of self-mockery.
Xiao Feng took a half step back to the living room and said in a distant tone: "Nothing else, let's just leave it at that."
Wenqing, however, showed no intention of leaving. He walked straight into the living room and unwrapped the package. Inside was the coffee cup with Xiaofeng's name printed on it. "You should know that this isn't the gift I want most."
"I can't give it to you." Xiaofeng turned his head away.
"So this is the return of the item to its original owner?" Wen Qing's fingertips stroked the rim of the cup, and the porcelain surface was cold and prickly to the touch.
"Wen Feng said that our couple cups were used the wrong way. I should use yours and you should use mine."
"Wen Feng said..." Wen Qing's voice was filled with incredible dull pain.
"Yes, Wenfeng said that." Xiaofeng suddenly looked up at him, her voice rising. "Does it make you feel bad? Wenqing, there are so many things standing between us—Uncle Zhou's invitation, Brother Zhou Yang's withdrawal, Sister Mickey's explanation... and now Wenfeng and the child are involved. Do you think we can continue?"
Jiang Wenqing, always eloquent in the business world, now felt like a robot with its plug pulled, all its programs frozen. His Adam's apple rolled several times before he managed a hoarse voice: "I always thought I was confident, but with you, I'm always afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing. And the result..." He gave a wry laugh. "The more afraid I am, the more mistakes I make. I love you, but I'm afraid of hurting you, so I tried desperately to suppress it. Faced with an increasingly strong desire, I chose to escape, leaving you to bear it all alone."
"Unconsciously, we've become accustomed to this roundabout way of communicating." Xiaofeng shook her head slightly. "We don't dare to face conflicts directly because there was a lack of trust from the beginning."
"I want to make amends. Tell me, what can I do?" Wen Qing's voice was filled with pleading.
"Let's get a divorce."
Wen Qing felt something in his chest suddenly collapse, shattering completely: "Is this really necessary?"
"Wenqing, I love you." Xiaofeng's voice was filled with tears. "But the gap between us made this relationship shaky from the beginning. It started at the best time, so let it end at the most decent time, okay?"
"Okay." Wen Qing clenched the cup in his hand, his knuckles turning white. "I'll accept this gift. It's like... you're still with me. Can I leave my cup at home?"
"I'll keep it well."
"Can I come see the baby?"
"Of course." Xiao Feng finally broke down and burst into tears, "You are their uncle..."
On July 1, 2016, Xiaofeng sent Lucas and Oscar to the orphanage and went to the law firm at the agreed time.
"This is Mr. Jiang Wenqing's agreement on the distribution of divorce property." Lawyer Kobayashi said, pushing the document in front of Xiaofeng.
Xiaofeng pushed the documents back again, saying firmly, "I don't really understand the technical terms, and I don't quite understand these documents. What I mean is, I don't want anything."
"Ms. Rao, I must remind you that this is your legal right. Do you need the assistance of a lawyer?"
Xiao Feng waved his hand: "No need."
"Let me emphasize again, Mr. Jiang's worth..."
Xiao Feng quickly interrupted: "He earned it all through his own hard work. He deserves it. It has nothing to do with me. My thoughts are very clear - I don't want anything."
"I understand." Xiao Lin pushed his glasses and took out another document. "Here is another notarized document from Mr. Jiang Wenfeng."
Xiaofeng was startled, sat up straight, and stared at the document.
Xiao Lin understood and immediately unfolded the document, pointing to the contents and explaining, "The biological father of Jiang Zhengli and Jiang Zhenghan is Mr. Jiang Wenfeng. Their living expenses will be paid from the family trust until they turn 25; your living expenses will be paid for life. All three of you have legal inheritance rights."
Xiaofeng sat in the chair, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably. She closed her eyes, tears welling up in her eyes, and a question kept circling in her mind: "Who should I hate?"
After signing the agreement and receiving the divorce certificate, Xiaofeng felt as if all her strength had been drained away. Instinctively, she rushed home and collapsed on the living room floor. Sunlight slanted in through the gaps in the curtains, swirling dust in the beam. The green radish, neglected for so long, had mostly withered, its leaves curled and brown. Xiaofeng looked at it, tears streaming down her face, her heart aching.
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