“Xiao Chenghe, so you finally decided to come back?”
Jiang Xiuyun’s face was cold as she watched him push his bicycle into the courtyard.
Xiao Chenghe’s heart skipped a beat. What was going on with his wife?
“Xiuyun, what’s wrong? I had to go on a three-day business trip. It was arranged by the company.”
“If you’re upset about something, don’t keep it bottled up. You can hit me or scold me, that’s fine. Just don’t hurt yourself or the baby.”
He still wore that same image of the perfect, patient husband, willing to take any blame.
“Xiao Chenghe, spare me the pretty words. I’m asking you—where did the money in this household go?”
That question made him secretly breathe a sigh of relief. He had thought Jiang Xiuyun had discovered something.
So it was just about money.
“Wife, isn’t all the money with you?” Xiao Chenghe stepped forward with a grin. His wife had a bankbook, and he knew very well there wasn’t much left in it.
“Stop fooling around. I’m talking about something serious!” Jiang Xiuyun’s tone turned sharper. “I’m about to give birth. Are you, a grown man, planning to let your wife pay for childbirth on her own?”
“Wife… why are you saying it like that?” Xiao Chenghe was momentarily stunned.
Since their marriage, Jiang Xiuyun had always upheld their original agreement about finances. That was precisely why he had been able to live so comfortably all these years.
Who would have thought his wife was so naïve… and with her own salary, she had never truly questioned anything. Thinking about it, Xiao Chenghe even felt a sense of achievement for managing things this way.
At that moment, Jiang Zhiyuan spoke up from the side, “Xiuyun, how can you talk to Chenghe like that? He’s your husband. No matter how angry you are, you shouldn’t speak without thinking. Chenghe, she’s just upset. You don’t know—her stomach hurt badly today.”
Jiang Zhiyuan continued, “Your mother and I were just talking earlier. With twins, childbirth won’t be as simple as usual. Everything needs to be prepared in advance.”
“Then when Xiuyun checked the bankbook, there were only a few dozen yuan left. So we asked her—after all these years, with both of your salaries, how is there only this little money? You two have been spending too freely. Xiuyun hasn’t been managing things well.”
Jiang Xiuyun wiped her tears as she spoke, her voice trembling, “Yes, Chenghe… when Mom calculated it for me today, I suddenly realized something.”
“You earn over 100 yuan a month. I only make a fraction of that. Even if we spent 30 or 40 yuan a month, we’d still be living very comfortably… and we could easily save 100 yuan every month.”
“It’s been eight years since we got married. Where’s the money? Where has all your salary gone?”
Her eyes reddened instantly, and tears streamed down her face.
Xiao Chenghe was alarmed. Jiang Xiuyun had always been strong-willed—he had never seen her cry like this.
More importantly, she was heavily pregnant and about to give birth. If anything went wrong now, all his plans would fall apart.
He hurried forward, gently patting her back. “Wife, don’t cry. We can talk this out.”
Jiang Xiuyun lowered her eyes, hiding the emotions within them. Leaning against him, she spoke in a broken voice between sobs.
“If you truly want to live with me, then why is it that in other households, the woman manages the money… but in ours, your salary has never been handed over?”
“After all these years, no matter how we calculate it, we should have saved around 10,000 yuan.”
“But now, when I’m about to give birth, you’ve never once mentioned taking that money out. What exactly are you trying to do?”
“Do you still treat me as an outsider? Or… have you spent all that money on some other woman?”
That last sentence hit like a bomb. Xiao Chenghe’s face instantly turned pale.
“Wife, how can you think that of me?” he said hurriedly. “All these years, I’ve come straight home after work. When have you ever seen me fooling around outside?”
“Of course I see you as my wife… as the mother of my child.”
Inside, however, Xiao Chenghe was growing anxious. He could clearly tell—his wife was pressing him about his salary.
The truth was, apart from the portion he had secretly kept, most of his money had already been spent.
All these years, Jiang Xiuyun had never questioned him about it. He had taken it for granted that he could keep control of his earnings.
He hadn’t expected her to suddenly bring it up now.
A sense of unease crept into his heart.
Recently, as a manager at the Sugar, Tobacco, and Food Company, he was at a critical point for promotion.
This was a rare opportunity. That was also why, no matter how much Xu Caifeng made trouble, he had never given in.
At such a crucial moment, any personal scandal could ruin everything.
Family stability was absolutely essential.
If any issues about his personal conduct surfaced, he could forget about ever getting promoted.
Just then, Jiang Xiuyun suddenly broke into a smile through her tears. Wiping her face, she said, “See, Mom? I told you Chenghe isn’t that kind of person. You insisted he was hiding something because he wouldn’t give me the money.”
Jiang’s mother smiled warmly. “Oh, I was just teasing you. Of course I know what kind of person my son-in-law is. He’s devoted to you wholeheartedly. I trust his character.”
Hearing his mother-in-law’s words, Xiao Chenghe finally relaxed. It seemed this matter had passed.
“Wife, you’re already about to become a mother, yet you’re still this playful?” he said with a chuckle. “You even teased me like that. Look at you, crying like a mess—you scared me just now.”
“I’ve been saving the money. It’s all for our children and for our future. Do you think I’d be unwilling to give it to you?”
“As long as you ask, I’ll give you everything. I’d even give you my life.”
He was completely confident that even after saying this, his wife would never actually ask him for the money.
Jiang Xiuyun smiled gently and extended her hand. “Chenghe, hearing you say that puts me at ease. Then give me the bankbook you’ve been saving.”
“I’ve calculated it—it should be around 9,600 yuan by now.”
“You hardly spend your salary. Most of our household expenses come from my earnings. Even if spending was a bit higher, your 30 or 40 yuan a month would still be enough, and saving 100 yuan monthly wouldn’t be a problem.”
She looked at him with a calm smile, her hand still outstretched.
Xiao Chenghe’s expression changed slightly.
Forcing a smile, he said, “Wife… I wouldn’t carry the bankbook with me. It’s definitely at home.”
“By the way… what do you need the money for right now?”
His smile was starting to falter.
He hadn’t expected Jiang Xiuyun to actually ask for the bankbook.