I remained indifferent as Jiang Jun abandoned me once again, summoned away by his “White Moonlight,” Mianmian. I didn’t know what “major crisis” she was facing, but I bet it was nothing more than the classic act of throwing a tantrum and threatening self-harm.
After Jiang Jun left, I walked out of the room. I didn’t turn on the lights. Using only the dim glow from the hallway, I poured myself a glass of red wine at the dining room bar. I had only recently graduated from university; learning to drink was a new development for me. The wine was bitter, and I didn’t particularly enjoy it, but they say alcohol can drown one’s sorrows. That alone made it feel like a good thing.
I raised the glass to my lips, about to take a sip, when a faint sound came from the living room sofa. I turned my head. Once my eyes adjusted to the light, I saw Jiang Shitian sitting there, also holding a wine glass.
He was watching me in total silence.
In that instant, I felt as though I had nowhere to hide. Sensing my awkwardness, Jiang Shitian swirled the wine in his glass and spoke in a slow, deliberate tone. “Why drink alone in such a gloomy mood?”
His voice was deep and resonant. Though he was asking a question, his tone was one of absolute certainty. His words made my heart feel more bitter than the wine ever could.
“Where is Jiang Jun?” Jiang Shitian asked. “Why did you let him go?”
I looked toward the door and gave a wry smile. “You should understand better than anyone—some things are beyond my control.”
Jiang Shitian smiled. He patted the seat beside him, signaling for me to come over. Once I sat down, he leaned back against the sofa. “You need to learn how to manage your own family,” he said, his voice tinged with a hint of reflection.
I lowered my head and smiled without a word. After that, we didn’t speak again. We just sat there in silence, each lost in our own thoughts. He asked no more questions, and I offered nothing more. Thus, the day passed.
The following day, Jiang Shitian gathered all the servants of the Jiang household to meet me. They stood in two neat, orderly rows.
Jiang Shitian pointed to a man in his sixties at the head of the left row. “This is Uncle Zhong, the House Manager. He handles all the external affairs of the Jiang estate.” Uncle Zhong was a man of few smiles, but he bowed to me with humble politeness.
Then, Jiang Shitian pointed to a woman in her fifties at the head of the right row. Before he could introduce her, she stepped forward warmly. “Young Mistress, my name is Zhang Lan. I am the Domestic Manager. If there are any internal household matters in the future, you can leave them to me.”
Jiang Shitian added, “Lan-yi and Uncle Zhong are veterans of this house. They’ve worked here for decades.”
I nodded to Zhang Lan in greeting. This move by Jiang Shitian was effectively a public confirmation of my status in the Jiang family. He had drastically increased my “presence” in the household. From that moment on, I was no longer a ghost in the manor. I might not have Jiang Jun’s heart, but I had Jiang Shitian’s backing. The servants began to treat me with genuine respect.
Jiang Jun didn’t return until dinner time. This time, he looked somewhat guilt-ridden. Ever since our heart-to-heart talk that night, he had become much kinder toward me.
“I’m sorry,” Jiang Jun said, looking down at his chopsticks. “Mianmian was feeling despondent. I talked her through it, and she’s better now.”
I smiled, making sure I looked as harmless as possible. Emulating the “understanding wife” persona, I said, “It’s fine. You should spend more time with her. Honestly, you could have stayed to have this meal with her too.”
Jiang Jun snapped his head up, looking at me in confusion. I maintained a gentle smile as I met his gaze. I knew his heart must be in turmoil. Seeing the kaleidoscope of emotions on his face told me everything.
Sure enough, he finally asked, “You really don’t mind? Strictly speaking, we are still in our honeymoon phase. As they say… ‘a moment of a spring night is worth a thousand pieces of gold.'”
I smiled again, even more brilliantly this time, though my facial muscles felt stiff from the effort. “Happiness can’t be forced,” I said. “I never asked for your love; I only asked for dignity.”
With that, I stood up. My implication was clear: he hadn’t even given me the most basic level of dignity. He had slapped my face time and time again. I couldn’t keep up the act any longer. I was exhausted.
As I left the living room, I crossed paths with Jiang Shitian again. Perhaps because my expression was so bleak, I caught his attention as we passed. He slowed his pace, his eyes following me. I kept my head down, not greeting him.
Feeling his gaze lingering on my back, I suddenly turned and gave him a forced smile. It was likely a smile that looked sadder than a crying face.
The next day, Jiang Jun approached me. He proactively asked if I wanted to go somewhere for a honeymoon. I looked at him searchingly; I knew this couldn’t have been his idea.
“Why bother forcing yourself?” I asked.
“It’s no trouble,” Jiang Jun said hurriedly. He lowered his head and continued, “Between the wedding day and last night, I was called away by Mianmian both times. I owe you an apology.”
I watched him quietly. “Going on a honeymoon isn’t your true intention. Perhaps you want to compensate me, but it really isn’t necessary.”
I lowered my eyes, staring at the tip of my own nose.
Jiang Jun grew frantic. “No, Zhou Li, listen to me. Dad insisted that we go. He said it would help restore the family’s face and reputation.”
My heart stung. As expected.
Even though I had anticipated this, hearing him say it out loud still hurt. Even now, he was a stranger to me, yet legally, he was my husband. I closed my eyes painfully and took a deep breath. It felt as if I were inhaling nothing but irony.
I forced myself to calm down. I opened my eyes and looked at Jiang Jun rationally. “Fine, I’ll go. This is my duty, since I am your wife.”
My words were also a reminder to him: we were in a marriage of name, and our two families were bound by interest.
Jiang Jun was delighted that I agreed. The servants quickly packed our luggage. From the departure to boarding the Jiang family’s private jet, everything was handled by the staff. I didn’t have to lift a finger. Looking at the luxury around me, I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with emotion.
On the plane, I said to Jiang Jun, “You know, when I married into your family, I didn’t even have to pack. On the day I graduated, my stepmother, Cai Fengqin, told me to take my bags straight from the dorm to the Jiang house. She said my things were already packed anyway, so it was easier that way.”
I leaned back into the plush airplane seat and sighed wistfully. “Actually, my whole life has felt like I was just a guest in the Zhou house. I never had much to my name. Ultimately, it was just because there was never a place for me to stand in that family.”
Jiang Jun seemed to realize something. ” I’ve heard that your stepmother is incredibly shrewd. She runs all the Zhou family’s business affairs. This marriage was her idea too. I thought you had agreed to it and were happy about it. I didn’t realize she was so intent on getting rid of you.”
The atmosphere became heavy. I closed my eyes, ending the conversation.
When the plane landed, I wanted to go out and get some fresh air. To my surprise, the people waiting to pick us up included not only the Jiang family’s overseas staff but also Jiang Jun’s White Moonlight—Mianmian.