3

Back home, I opened the voice recorder and played it.

Ethan Jiang called that girl.

"Wait for me at the community gate later."

"Heavens! Right now."

He turned on the speakerphone, and I heard the girl's joyful exclamation.

Ethan Jiang chuckled, "No rush.

It'll still be a while before I arrive."

"Didn't you say we wouldn't meet today? Why are you suddenly coming?"

"Didn't I mention our anniversary? I thought about it and couldn't bear to let you spend it alone."

The girl said excitedly, "Then wait a moment.

I'll get up and get ready right away!"

"Mm.

It's about to rain.

Remember to bring an umbrella."

Soon, there was a sound of knocking on the car window.

"You're so beautiful.

I want to postpone going out for a bit."

Ethan Jiang said.

"Oh, isn't it like this every day."

the girl said shyly.

"Bang-."

The sound of the car door locking.

...

About an hour later, Ethan Jiang's voice sounded again."Sit in the back."

"Alright, I'm still not worthy of sitting in the passenger seat."

the girl's voice sounded a bit aggrieved.

Ethan Jiang said, "Serena has friends in the traffic police department.

If you don't want to be discovered, be honest."

"Tsk, Se-Serena!"

"...

Summer."

Ethan Jiang enunciated her name word by word, his tone a bit cold.

"I was wrong...

I shouldn't have been sarcastic.

Punish me."

she apologized, sounding pitiful.

"Then take it off now."

His tone was a bit unsteady.

Afterwards, the sound of a lighter clicked, seemingly Ethan Jiang lighting a cigarette.

"Wh-what."

Summer seemed a bit caught off guard.

"Hm? Didn't you say you wanted me to punish you?"

"Just now, didn't we just finish?"

"We haven't tried in the car yet..."

...

In the heat of the moment, Summer asked, "Do you love me?"

"At times like this, every man will say he loves you."

Then a muffled groan was heard.

"I love you too."

she said with a sob in her voice.

I sat in the living room, listening to this recording over and over again.

The voice recorder had long run out of battery, but I still mechanically pressed the recorder's switch.

Click, clack, click, clack...

until late into the night.

I took a week off from the company and went back to my hometown.

"Divorce? What are you thinking."

Before I could finish, my mom exclaimed.

"Weren't you always against me marrying Ethan Jiang?"

"That was before! Now look at your age.

Who else would accept you if you leave him? Your brother has a project recently that relies on him.

Don't cause trouble at this critical moment!"

"Mom, he cheated.

He found an intern to be his mistress."

"Aren't all men like that? He's just under a lot of pressure.

Don't think too much.

Hurry up and have a child to secure your position as Mrs.

Jiang.

Don't let the woman outside beat you to it.

By then, even if you cry, it'll be useless."

I looked at my brother beside me, "You think so too?"

"Sis, I already told Yueyue that I'd bring her back this New Year...

Just turn a blind eye.

Anyway, Brother-in-law hasn't mentioned divorce to you either."

I looked at this younger brother whom I had doted on since childhood, unable to speak.

My mom was exasperated.

"I'm such a smart person.

How did I give birth to such a muddleheaded daughter like you?"

"When Ethan Jiang was penniless, you insisted on following him to Beijing.

Now that he's successful, you want a divorce?"

"You think you're still like a first marriage? You've even had a dead child in your belly! For someone like you, can you find someone as rich as Ethan Jiang in a second marriage?"

"He doesn't despise you now.

He's already giving you a lot of face.

Don't be ungrateful and turn against him.

If you dare to divorce him, I'll break your legs!"

In the end, my mom threw the things I brought back out the door.

"You're already married, yet you keep coming back to your maiden home.

What kind of behavior is this!"

"Hurry back and coax Ethan Jiang! Quickly give birth to a son and see who can snatch your position away!"

I dragged my suitcase and carried a bag of fruit, walking on the street.

The sun was scorching, but I felt cold.

Ethan Jiang sent me a message asking why I wasn't at home.

I didn't reply.

Soon, his call came through.

"Serena, why didn't you reply to my message?"

"I went to my mom's place.

Didn't see the message."

"Did something happen at home?"

"No, just a bit tired from work.

Wanted to come back and stay for a couple of days."

He heard that my voice was off and asked with concern, "Did your mom say something to you again?"

"...

Mm, said a few things."

"Come home.

I'll pick you up at the station."

Ethan Jiang said decisively. "In the evening, let's go eat at that seafood restaurant on Youth Road."

That restaurant was one I had been wanting to go to for a long time, but never had the chance.

"Don't take your mom's words to heart.

You still have me.

The two of us living a good life together is more important than anything else."

How familiar.

He had said this to me during our most difficult times too.

I didn't reply to him, tears silently falling.

"Silly, are you crying? I'll buy you a ticket right now.

Come home quickly."

"Okay."