The next day, Li Cheng was already dressed and ready to head to work, while Xiotan still lay in bed, her body curled up beneath the covers. He walked over to her, bending down to plant a soft kiss on her forehead, his fingers gently brushing through her hair.
"Tan, I'll be back soon," he whispered, his voice tender but carrying a hint of concern.
As he left the room, the door clicking shut behind him, Xiotan slowly opened her eyes. The sadness that lingered there was palpable, a heavy weight pressing down on her chest. She sighed deeply, her eyes closing again as if willing herself to escape the pain.
---
**A Few Hours Later**
It was already noon, and Xiotan was taking a slow, aimless walk in the yard, the sunlight filtering through the leaves of the trees, casting dappled shadows on the ground. Her steps were measured, as if each one required conscious effort.
Jinxin approached her, her expression a mix of concern and curiosity. "Xiotan, what's wrong? You've been acting strange ever since we came back from the mall yesterday. Is everything okay?" She matched her pace to Xiotan's, walking alongside her.
"Even your husband asked me last night if something happened at the mall because he was worried about how you were acting. I told him everything was fine because I genuinely didn't know if anything was wrong. Come on, talk to me. I'm Jinxin—maybe I can help." Her voice was gentle, coaxing, but Xiotan remained silent, her eyes focused on the path ahead.
"Xiotaaan, come on, what the hell is wrong?" Jinxin asked again, her voice tinged with desperation. Suddenly, Xiotan stopped walking, her body trembling as tears began to spill down her cheeks.
Jinxin quickly moved to comfort her, her arms wrapping around Xiotan protectively. "Don't cry, please. Who made you cry? Tell me, and I'll deal with them." But Xiotan only pressed her palms to her face, her sobs growing louder.
"I'm so hurt, Jinxin, just so hurt," Xiotan choked out between sobs. "I didn't want to let it hurt me this much, and I didn't want to tell you, but I can't… I just can't. He betrayed my trust, Jinxin—my pride, my feelings… everything. He's a cheat, a despicable liar… a dirty liar," she cursed, her voice filled with anguish.
Jinxin held her tighter, rubbing her back soothingly. "Calm down, baby, just calm down. Don't cry. Tell me what happened."
Through her tears, Xiotan recounted what she had overheard at the mall, her voice breaking as she relived the moment. Jinxin listened, her own shock evident as she struggled to find the right words.
"Oh boy, that's bad," Jinxin finally said, her voice heavy with disbelief. "But you still have to calm down. It might not be true. You know how some girls are—they might have just made that up to make you jealous or create trouble between you and your husband."
"THAT'S A LIE!" Xiotan's voice rang out with a sharpness that startled Jinxin. "When he came home yesterday, he reeked of a woman's perfume. It disgusted me so much. Just thinking about it hurts," she said, her voice softening into a whisper as she sank onto a nearby bench under the shade of an apple tree.
Jinxin sat beside her, her hand resting on Xiotan's shoulder. "But you still need to be sure, Xiotan. Why don't you confront him? Ask him about it face-to-face. I'm sure he'll tell you the truth. You need to know for certain before accusing him. He was genuinely worried about you yesterday—if he didn't care, he wouldn't have asked about what happened at the mall."
"That's impossible, Jinxin," Xiotan replied, her voice hollow. "I can't ask him that kind of question. I'll just let everything be the way it was before. He married me because he needed a 'house warmer,' someone to use whenever he felt bored or needed to satisfy his needs. That's all I am to him. I shouldn't expect more… not at all," she said, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.
"Don't think that way, Xiotan. You might be mistaken—" Jinxin began, but Xiotan cut her off.
"No, Jin, I'm not. Let's not deceive ourselves. Everyone knows what I am, so I won't lie to myself. He'll never treat me like his wife," she said, her voice breaking as fresh tears welled up in her eyes.
Jinxin pulled her into a warm hug, her heart aching for her friend. "You can do this, Xiotan. You're stronger than you think. You just have to live your life and make the most of the chance you have. You have to be a strong princess, dear," she whispered, her words filled with encouragement as she gently patted Xiotan's shoulder, trying to instill the strength that Xiotan needed so desperately.