He had broken his vow and drunk alcohol.
It was evident he was even slightly intoxicated.
But would Wen Tingyan ever shout like this?
The Wen Tingyan in Jian Zhi’s memory: during high school, he was an aloof academic genius—not only serious while solving problems, but even on the sports field, when girls who liked him offered him water, he would never acknowledge them.
Later, as her husband, Wen Tingyan became even more refined and polite, his emotions so stable they seemed devoid of fluctuation. He never laughed, never got angry, always maintaining a detached demeanor—so detached that on the rare occasions she brushed against his fingers, she felt his body temperature was cold.
In the video, the camera swept across everyone’s faces. She saw a slightly tipsy Wen Tingyan, his eyes sparkling, raising his glass to the camera with a loud laugh: “Welcome home, Cheng Cheng.”
So, he could laugh after all.
He had moments of passion too.
He would even use a girl’s pet name.
Just not for her. He wouldn’t smile at her, wouldn’t show her passion, and certainly wouldn’t call her by a pet name.
“Madam, are you getting up now?” Aunt Chen’s voice came from outside the door.
Jian Zhi’s daily life was very routine. Seeing she hadn’t stirred yet, Aunt Chen worried she might need help—after all, it was true that Madam had leg problems.
Jian Zhi set her phone aside. “Yes, I’m coming out,” she said, her voice unexpectedly hoarse and choked.
For breakfast, Aunt Chen had made Xiao Long Bao. Jian Zhi ate one and couldn’t manage any more.
“Madam, what would you like for lunch and dinner?” Aunt Chen handed her a glass of milk.
“Anything is fine, just…” She had intended to say, as usual, “Whatever Sir prefers,” but after uttering the first word, she swallowed the rest.
Aunt Chen understood, though, since this was their daily exchange, and quickly informed her, “Sir said he won’t be back for meals today—he has business engagements.”
Jian Zhi nodded.
Of course he wouldn’t be back for meals. She had already seen on Little Red Book that Luo Yucheng had listed who would treat her to meals over the next week and what she wanted to eat: “The feelings from our student days are the most sincere. I’m such a little cutie with so many brothers doting on me!”
During the day, Jian Zhi usually studied English for two hours, followed by several hours of art theory.
If she didn’t keep herself occupied, how would she pass the long hours? Spend her entire life waiting for someone to come home?
She had waited before…
The taste of waiting was too bitter.
But today her plans were different from before.
Her offer was likely from the final round of admissions, so she needed to confirm it promptly.
Thus, her first task today was to pay the confirmation fee to the school. When her phone showed the bank card deduction notification, she let out a sigh of relief.
She was one day closer to leaving Wen Tingyan.
In the evening, she changed clothes and prepared to go out.
Aunt Chen was surprised. “Madam, where are you going?”
Without Wen Tingyan accompanying her, Jian Zhi almost never went out.
“Oh, a university classmate is performing in town and invited me to meet up,” she said. In truth, she planned to stay at a hotel near the test center.
She had an IELTS exam tomorrow morning, and she was afraid of being late due to traffic if she tried to rush there in the morning.
Her last IELTS attempt was a few months ago; she hadn’t achieved her desired score then. But the deadline for submitting her study abroad application had arrived, so she went ahead and applied, not expecting to be accepted. Hence, she had scheduled another test for tomorrow.
Fortunately, the school allowed her to submit her English scores later.
“But…” Aunt Chen glanced at her leg. “Shall I go with you?”
“No need, it’s a girls’ night. Having an extra person would be inconvenient.” Jian Zhi showed no change in expression.
“Then I’ll report to Mr. Wen.” Aunt Chen was truly afraid something might happen to her and didn’t dare take the responsibility.
“No need. Let him focus on his social engagements without disturbing him. I’ll call him after my gathering with the girls and have him pick me up.” Jian Zhi took her bag and went out.
Considering her difficulty walking, Wen Tingyan had bought their marital home as a Large Flat. Jian Zhi simply took the elevator downstairs when going out.
As soon as she stepped into the sunlight, she instinctively lowered her head, hunched her shoulders, put on her hat, and turned up her collar.
Since becoming lame, the confident and vibrant Jian Zhi from the stage had disappeared.
Lame Jian Zhi had lost the courage to appear in public.
Aunt Chen always said she should go out with Mr. Wen whenever possible.
Wen Tingyan always said she’d better stay home if he couldn’t accompany her.
But neither of them knew.
What she feared most was going out with Wen Tingyan – even more than going out alone.
Because everyone who saw them had the same look in their eyes: Why would such an outstanding man marry a cripple?
She hailed a taxi heading toward the hotel.
In the car, she silently watched the street scenes outside the window when she suddenly spotted Wen Tingyan’s car parked in a roadside space.
“Wait, please stop here,” she hurriedly told the driver.
Wen Tingyan’s car was parked in front of a restaurant.
According to Luo Yucheng’s social media post, yesterday was hosted by one of Wen Tingyan’s childhood friends, and today was Wen Tingyan’s turn.
Almost as if possessed, she got out of the car.
At the restaurant, Jian Zhi directly said, “Someone has already arrived – Mr. Wen,” while providing the last digits of Wen Tingyan’s phone number.
The server led Jian Zhi to a private room entrance. “This is the one.”
“Thank you.” Jian Zhi thanked the server.
Truthfully, Jian Zhi didn’t know why she had come either. At home, she’d felt wave after wave of impulse, but now that she was actually here, she didn’t even have the courage to push the door open.
Lively conversation spilled out from inside.
“Can’t stay out too late today, and no drinking either. Got drunk last night and the tigress at home showed her claws.”
This was one of Wen Tingyan’s childhood friends.
“Are you still my brother? You used to say sisters come first no matter what! Now you’re henpecked? Our Brother Yan is much more loyal.”
This was Luo Yucheng, her voice sweet and delicate.
So this was Luo Yucheng’s personality.
So this was the type of girl Wen Tingyan liked.
Unfortunately, she really wasn’t like that – couldn’t even pretend to be.
Inside, Wen Tingyan’s friend continued, “How can A Yan be compared? Would Jian Zhi dare say half a word to him?”
“Oh, that reminds me,” Luo Yucheng’s voice chimed in again, “A Yan, I heard your wife is crippled? How come?”
No one answered Luo Yucheng’s why.
But Jian Zhi’s heart clenched.
Wen Tingyan’s childhood friends then started talking freely inside.
“Seriously, A Yan, we all think you deserve better. Look at you – wealthy, handsome, talented – you could marry anyone. Why marry a cripple?”
“Honestly, A Yan, you’re the most outstanding among us. Now that you’ve married Jian Zhi, whether it’s meetings, social events, press conferences – any occasion requiring a wife – you can’t bring her along. Don’t you think that’s a raw deal?”
So that’s how it was…
Wen Tingyan always said she didn’t need to be involved in his affairs, that she just needed to obediently wait at home for him to earn money and provide for her.
Her maternal family praised such a Wen Tingyan to the skies, everyone said she was fortunate, but it turned out it was because he felt she couldn’t be taken out in public…
From the private room came Wen Tingyan’s bitter laugh, “After all, she’s been good to me. I owe her.”
“You owe her? You’ve given her so much money, that should clear the debt!”
“Exactly, you should have just paid her off back then. Was it necessary to sacrifice your lifelong happiness?”
“I’m telling you, you should really think it over. Even if you invited a Bodhisattva home and made offerings every day, you could at least make wishes on the first and fifteenth of the month praying for wealth. What use is having someone like her at home?”
“Right, what can she even do for you? Can’t handle social engagements, and at home you probably worry she’ll spill things just serving tea and water, right? A Yan, have some water… Like this, like this, is this how it is?”
Roaring laughter erupted from the private room, mixed with Luo Yucheng’s hysterical laughter, “A Yan, does your wife really walk like that?”
Jian Zhi, who had been listening with her ear pressed against the door, felt all the blood in her body rush to her head. Fury and humiliation made her lose her balance.
She pushed the private room door open.
The scene inside was one of uproarious laughter.
One of Wen Tingyan’s childhood friends, called Awen, was holding a cup of water while exaggeratedly hobbling around, putting on a shrill voice saying, “A Yan, A Yan, A Yan, have some water, A Yan, ah—I fell down, A Yan give me a hug—”
She looked at Wen Tingyan, hoping her husband, the person she loved most in the world, would show some stance at this moment.