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墨書 Inktalez
Standing at the entrance of the flower shop, Xinchuan held a bouquet of red roses, lingering without leaving.
It seemed like he was waiting for someone.
I watched him, my gaze fixed on the flowers in his hands, and my eyes began to sting again.
At that moment, my phone in my pocket suddenly buzzed restlessly.
It was a call from Chen Feiyang.
I answered the phone and heard his anxious voice: "Jiang An, do you have time right now? I need your help!"
"What’s wrong? Take your time," I asked him.
Chen Feiyang explained, "Here’s the thing. I’m on a business trip today, and I just checked the surveillance at home. It seems my cat ate something bad and has already thrown up several times! I'm rushing back, but its condition doesn’t look good; it’s been lying on the floor motionless for a few minutes! I'm really worried! So… could you please go to my house and check on it? Take it to the vet?"
"But I…"
"I know this is sudden, but I really don’t know anyone else here. After thinking it over, you’re the only one I can ask!"
"What about Qiqi? Why don’t you ask her?"
"She’s with me right now. We’re in a neighboring city, and it’ll take at least an hour to get back."
Chen Feiyang's tone was urgent over the phone; I could tell how worried he was.
Although I didn’t have any pets myself, I completely understood him.
Some people treat their pets as if they were their own children. When something happens to a child, parents are bound to be frantic.
Remembering how Chen Feiyang had helped me last time and considering that this involved a small life, I didn’t hesitate and immediately replied, "Alright, I’ll head over now."
"Really? Thank you so much! I'll send you my address and the door lock code! I'll hurry back as soon as I can!"
"It's nothing. Don't rush; I'll go check it out first. Drive safely."
"Okay!"
As soon as the call ended, I received the address and code from Chen Feiyang.
The situation was urgent, and I couldn't continue tracking Xinchuan, so I had to head to Chen Feiyang's house first.
Just as I was about to leave, I saw a florist's employee come out with another bouquet of flowers and hand it to Xinchuan.
I quickly stopped in my tracks, wanting to take a closer look.
But Xinchuan had already taken the flowers and was striding away in another direction.
On my way to Chen Feiyang's house, my mind was a jumble, fixated on the two bouquets in Xinchuan's hands.
Why did he buy two?
Who was he planning to give them to?
I hadn't seen clearly what the second bouquet was; I only remembered it wasn't as bright as red roses.
It was a lighter color...
Could it be lilies or champagne roses?
That kind of elegant and noble style would indeed suit Zhang Yunxin well.
But if that bouquet was for Zhang Yunxin, then who were the red roses for?
I think I’ve figured out the answer.
But that answer makes me feel sick.
Fifteen minutes later, I arrived at Chen Feiyang's house.
As soon as I opened the door, I saw the cat lying motionless on the floor, surrounded by a mess of vomit.
I immediately rushed the cat to the nearest veterinary clinic.
After an examination, the doctor said the cat might have eaten something contaminated and needed an immediate stomach wash; there was still a chance it could be saved.
I had never owned a cat and didn’t understand some of the medical terms the doctor used, but I nodded vigorously in agreement.
"Okay, okay, whatever it takes, please save it!"
For some reason, as I said this to the doctor, I suddenly felt a strange sense of familiarity.
It was as if… I had experienced a similar scene before.
But I couldn’t recall when.
Perhaps I had just watched too much television, I guessed.
Just as the doctor took the cat away, Chen Feiyang rushed into the clinic.
Despite it being a freezing winter day, he was drenched in sweat, clearly having run all the way after parking his car.
"Is Doubao okay?!" he asked anxiously as soon as he opened his mouth.
I paused for a moment before realizing that "Doubao" must be the cat's name, and quickly relayed everything the doctor had just told me.
"Don't worry, the doctor said it was timely enough, and everything should be fine."
"Thank you... I appreciate it!"
Chen Feiyang leaned against the wall, gasping for breath. Hearing that the cat would be okay, he finally had a moment to wipe the sweat from his brow.
I glanced behind him and asked, "Where's Qiqi? Why isn't she with you?"
"Oh, she wasn't feeling well today, so I left her at the subway station to head back on her own."
"Alright then."
I felt a bit disappointed. I had hoped to vent about what happened today with my best friend.
Checking the time, I stood up and said to Chen Feiyang, "Since you're here, I'll be on my way. I have some things to take care of at home."
"Are you in such a hurry? I was hoping to treat you to some late-night snacks," Chen Feiyang said, glancing worriedly inside. "I really owe you one today. Otherwise, I wouldn't know what to do."
"It's nothing, really. No need to be so polite," I waved my hand and forced a smile. "Besides, I still need your help with my divorce."
"Speaking of which, you mentioned last time that you had a way to get evidence of Xinchuan's infidelity. Any progress?"
"Not yet. But it's coming soon."
Thinking about the two bouquets of flowers Xinchuan bought today made me unconsciously lower my gaze.
Chen Feiyang noticed my change in expression and didn't ask any further questions.
After saying goodbye to him, I drove myself home.
On the way home, I checked Xinchuan's dashcam again.
As expected, he was also on his way back.
Upon arriving home, the lights inside were on.
A bouquet of red roses lay quietly on the sofa, strikingly eye-catching like the thorns on its stems.
I didn’t see Xinchuan, but I heard some clattering noises coming from the storage room.
I changed my shoes and walked in quietly.
"What are you looking for?"
"!!!"
My sudden appearance startled Xinchuan.
He was standing on a chair, rummaging through something in the cabinet. Hearing my voice made him nearly fall off the chair.
With a tense expression, he shoved what he had in his hands back into the cabinet, jumped down from the chair, and spoke to me, "Anan, where did you go tonight? I've been waiting for you."
"I went to the nursing home." I turned around nonchalantly and headed back to the living room.
Xinchuan closed the storage room door and followed me. "How is Mom doing?"
"She's doing well. Didn't Zhang Yunxin tell you during dinner?"
"Anan..."
I didn't hide the fact that I saw Xinchuan and Zhang Yunxin having dinner together today.
When I asked him this, Xinchuan clearly seemed taken aback, his expression awkward.
I didn't give him any room to ease the tension and continued to question him, "Why did Zhang Yunxin go to the sanatorium? What do you two want to do to My Mom?"
"Anan, you're misunderstanding. It's not what you think!"
"Then what is it? Explain it to me!"
"I..."
Xinchuan always said I misunderstood him, but every time I asked for an explanation, he couldn't find the words.
I scoffed lightly, "Xinchuan, I warn you. If you dare to harm My Mom, I swear I won't let you go even if it costs me my life!"
"Anan, please don't say that."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Can we sit down and talk calmly?"
"Fine." I replied without hesitation. "I never said I was unwilling to talk to you, but have you thought about what excuse you'll use to deceive me?"
As I spoke, I settled into a single armchair, keeping my distance from him and that glaring bouquet of roses.
Hearing my words, Xinchuan let out a heavy sigh.
He picked up the bouquet and held it out to me with both hands, kneeling beside me on one knee.
"Anan, please listen to me. I know you're very angry right now and have many misunderstandings about me. I promise you that I will explain everything you want to know in detail. But... please give me some time, okay?"
"Look, this is your favorite flower. I specially bought it for you. Also, you’ve always said you wanted to go on vacation with me to the beach, so I’ve submitted a leave request at work. Once my vacation is approved, I’ll take you to Sanya or Bali... wherever you want to go."
Xinchuan spoke gently and carefully, his tone filled with warmth. His eyes, full of affection, gazed at me eagerly, like a spring that could easily pull me in.
I had to admit, he had an exceptionally handsome face.
Over the years, whenever he made me angry, I could never bring myself to yell at him just by looking at that face.
I once joked that he was like a male fox spirit.
Charming enough to steal one's heart without consequence.
Well.
I never expected that a joke from back then would turn into reality now.
Now, he truly wanted to take my life.
"Xinchuan, don’t you think what you’re saying is ridiculous?"
I looked coldly at the man kneeling before me, my voice devoid of any emotion.
Though I loved him deeply, my mind was still intact.
The current situation was that he and his white moonlight were conspiring against me, trying to poison me, and even after I discovered it, he refused to admit it.
What was this nonsense about "I can explain, but it will take some time"?
Not even a three-year-old in kindergarten would believe such lies.
Did he really think he could brush this off with a bouquet of flowers and a trip?
God knows, if I really went to Bali with him, would he just push me into the sea to drown!
Seeing that I wasn't buying into his act at all, Xinchuan frowned bitterly.
He opened his mouth, hesitated, and ended up saying nothing.
I couldn't stand his personality the most.
He couldn't even muster up the courage to say a few words.
Sometimes, things that could be clarified in just a few sentences had to be bottled up inside him, as if that would make him seem more mature.
Fine.
Since he refused to say anything, I would just ask myself.
"You couldn't explain the medicine and the clothes before, so surely you can explain this flower?"
"Flower?" Xinchuan still didn't understand what I was talking about.
I asked him directly, "Where did the other bouquet go?"
"Anan..."
"Stop stalling. Just answer my question."
Clearly, Xinchuan was surprised that I knew he had bought another bouquet.
But he was smart; after thinking for a moment, he figured it out.
"Anan, were you following me?"
"I just happened to go to Fountain Square to buy something." I wasn't telling the truth.
Xinchuan had probably already seen through my lie, but he didn't call me out on it; after all, he was the one in the wrong.
He was silent for a moment before answering my earlier question, "That bouquet was just for a friend. Don't misunderstand."
"What friend?" I pressed on relentlessly. "A college classmate? Or your first love?"
"Anan, there’s nothing between Zhang Yunxin and me! That bouquet wasn’t for her, and the medicine from last time wasn’t meant to hurt you! We've been together for seven years; please believe me this once, okay?"
Under my aggressive questioning, Xinchuan finally grew anxious.
He tossed the flowers aside and grabbed my hand, his tightly knitted brows almost twisted into a knot.
Seeing the sincerity in his eyes, my heart, which I thought had gone completely numb, felt a pang of bitterness.
I quickly shook off his hand and scrambled to get away from him.
"Fine, then tell me, who did you buy that bouquet for?"
"A colleague you don’t know. She was sick, so I went to visit her at the hospital."
This time, Xinchuan didn’t hesitate.
But his sudden straightforwardness contrasted sharply with his earlier reluctance, making it even more suspicious.
I wanted to continue pressing him for answers, but he didn’t give me a chance to speak.
Before I knew it, I was pulled into a warm embrace that felt impossible to escape. I heard Xinchuan's hoarse voice, tinged with a hint of choking emotion, whispering in my ear: "Anan, I know everything that's happened recently has led you to misunderstand a lot. But please trust me this time. I will find a way to sort everything out as soon as possible and explain everything you want to know. Everything I'm doing is for our future, so we can be okay..."
"Enough!"
I used all my strength to finally push Xinchuan away.
He hadn’t finished speaking when he stumbled a few steps, nearly falling to the ground.
He looked up at me, his bloodshot eyes filled with grievance and helplessness.
I simply turned my head away, refusing to look at him any longer, and pointed towards the door, sternly shouting, "Get out! I don’t want to see you right now!"
"…"
Hearing me drive him away once more, Xinchuan stood frozen for a few seconds before finally picking up his coat and leaving the house.
As he walked away, I caught a glimpse of his dejected figure, and an indescribable ache welled up in my heart.
That night, I wrapped myself in the blanket and cried bitterly.
I cried for my sorrowful marriage.
More so for my wavering willpower.
Yes.
I must admit.
Tonight, facing Xinchuan, I almost softened my heart more than once.
When I was enveloped in his familiar embrace, listening to his earnest pleas for me to believe in him just this once, I found myself on the verge of nodding several times…
His blind and fervent love clashed fiercely with the little rationality I had left in my mind.
In the end, we both suffered.
The next day at noon.
I woke up to the sound of my phone ringing, my eyes swollen like two walnuts.
Still groggy, I answered the call. The delivery person informed me that my meal had been left at the door and wished me a pleasant meal.
I was confused.
When did I order takeout?
Had I sleepwalked?
Rubbing my eyes, I struggled to get out of bed, curious about what delicious food I might have bought for myself in my dreams.
Opening the door, I found a bowl of my favorite wontons neatly placed at my doorstep.
I sat on the sofa, staring at this bowl of wontons that seemed to have fallen from the sky.
After a long pause, it finally hit me.
This must have been ordered by Xinchuan.
When Xinchuan was on business trips, he always worried that I would stay up late working and wouldn’t wake up in time for lunch, leading to stomach aches. So he would always time it perfectly to order takeout for me. And every time, I would complain about him over the phone while shoving the steaming lunch into my mouth, then curl up with my warm stomach to catch some more sleep...
These trivial little things seemed insignificant at the time.
But now, thinking back on them felt like sharp needles pricking the softest parts of my heart.
It made me shed a few more tears against my will.
I hesitated as I opened the takeout box.
I thought to myself: This takeout was made by the restaurant and delivered by the rider, so it definitely didn't go through Xinchuan's hands. It shouldn't be poisoned.
With that reassurance, I began to eat heartily.
After finishing my meal, I sat on the sofa and caught a glimpse of the bouquet of red roses quietly lying in the corner.
Suddenly, I remembered what Xinchuan had said yesterday.
He mentioned that he bought another bouquet to take to the hospital for a visit.
I quickly grabbed my phone and pulled up last night's dashcam video, eager to see if he really went to the hospital.
However...
It was better not to look.
Once I did, I nearly scared myself half to death!
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