The sound sounded soft, but it was more like the cold wind of autumn and winter, making me feel cold to the bone.
"Don't you think that title sounds hypocritical coming from you?" I said coldly, suppressing my anger. "Just call me by my name, or I'll feel offensive and hang up on you."
After a few seconds of pause, she responded: "I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I..."
"Bai Ying, if you're calling just to talk nonsense, then there's no need for us to waste our time." I almost wanted to end this boring conversation.
"Don't hang up, please don't hang up. I finally mustered the courage to call you. Please don't do this to me." Bai Ying's voice choked slightly on the line. "Zuo Jing, give me a moment. Let's talk it over, okay?"
A faint sob, a subtle cry. If it were before, I would have felt heartbroken, but not now. For the past few years, Bai Ying was nominally my wife, but her acting was far superior to that of the more famous actresses. She calmly played the role of a good wife in front of me, while secretly committing adultery with Old Hao. Could a woman like this truly repent? Or was her crying just another pretense?
"You say." I'm not naive enough to think Bai Ying has suddenly come to her senses, and I certainly won't forgive her easily. A year in prison had woken me up. I didn't really understand Bai Ying, so I mistrusted her. The hatred she once harbored was now completely ruthless. There was no need to rant and rave about it. Could this woman be awakened by scolding? It would be better to save my energy.
"Last night... you called me, but I was in the shower and didn't see you. I didn't mean to." Bai Ying's tone was a little down. "I've been hiding from people this past year. I really wanted to see you, but I was afraid you'd be angry. I've been keeping in touch with Mom, asking her about you. I saw your recent Moments post, and it seemed like you and Wang Shiyun were very close, so I couldn't help but want to call you..."
"Bai Ying, don't bring up Wang Shiyun. Even if I'm close to her, so what?" I said coldly. "For such a shameful thing you did, do you still have the right to blame me?"
"No, no, Zuo Jing, I don't mean to blame you. I know I don't have the qualifications." Bai Ying quickly explained, "I just feel a little uncomfortable. After all, we are still husband and wife..."
"Husband and wife? Are we still husband and wife?!" I sneered, "When you and Old Dog Hao made love, did you treat me as your husband? Yes, you did treat me as your husband, so that you could add more fun to your incestuous relationship with your daughter-in-law..."
"Please stop talking. I know it was my fault before. It was all my fault. I won't do it again. I haven't seen him for a year. We're done. Seriously, I'll never see him again in my life!"
Bai Ying's words were so forceful, yet I scoffed. She's just a stubborn old fool, still spouting lies.
"Bai Ying, you really take me for a fool and think I will believe everything you say. Broken up? How could you and him break up!" My heart ached. Even now, Bai Ying was still lying to me. With those two little bastards around, could she break up with Hao Laogou? She couldn't! Just treat it as a momentary confusion and let the matter of the child go. But it's been six years, these six whole years. When did she ever think of breaking up? If I hadn't caught her checking into a hotel with Hao Laogou, if I hadn't stabbed Hao Laogou and ended up in jail, this whore would definitely continue to make me a cuckold and raise a child for the Hao family!
"Sakyo, believe me, it really is broken. I really know I was wrong..."
"Trust you? Just because you're going back to the Hao family?" I sneered, but hatred was deep in my heart.
"How do you know?" Bai Ying was slightly startled, then she started to argue, "Listen to me, Mom called and said Xiaotian was sick and wanted me to help take care of him..."
"She told you to go, and you went. Do you have any brains?" I was furious. "You listened to her so much. Did she also tell you to have sex with Hao Laogou?"
There was a moment of silence, perhaps because it hit home, and Bai Ying was speechless. Although Li Xuanshi was unworthy of being my mother, she was definitely aware of Bai Ying's affair with Hao Laogou, and even helped cover it up with no regard for her son's position. But I still felt bad that Bai Ying was putting the blame on her.
But I was ultimately wrong. Bai Ying's silence wasn't just for her own sake; I had misjudged Li Xuanshi. Even after pondering it over and over again in prison, I still underestimated human nature. The human heart is unpredictable, its sinister and wickedness far beyond imagination. While Bai Ying's various acts of depravity were certainly due to her own depravity, they were undoubtedly enabled and abetted by Li Xuanshi.
As the Prisoner Project progressed, I drew closer to the truth. It wasn't until Li Xuanshi's diary was exposed that I finally understood everything. The angry retort I'd made to Bai Ying had revealed the truth. That brutal revelation was the final straw that broke the camel's back, leaving me unable to escape. But that's another story.
I'd imagined every possibility of reconnecting with Bai Ying, whether it was a phone call or a face-to-face meeting. I'd thought we'd finally resolved the past, but Li Xuanshi's call had forced Hao Xiaogou to come between us again. Li Xuanshi was truly audacious in her fights, and Bai Ying truly audacious in her response. One of them wanted "mother-son reconciliation," the other "husband-wife reunion." These two women are truly hopeless!
"Zuo Jing, I know you're angry. You can scold me all you want, but I just hope you can give me a chance." Bai Ying was silent for a moment before speaking first, "I know you still have me in your heart, otherwise you wouldn't have called me last night..."
"You're being sentimental. I just made a mistake."
"You called me on purpose. The accidental contact was just your excuse. It proves that I'm still in your heart." Bai Ying didn't believe it. "Your phone was broken at that time, and Mom gave you a new one. You still have my number saved, and you haven't blocked me on your WeChat Moments. So you still love me, you just don't dare to admit it..."
"Sakuya, we've been married for almost ten years. I know you still have feelings for me. You definitely still love me..." She seemed lost in her own fantasy. "You just resent me for doing something wrong to you. It hurt your dignity as a man... So even if you still love me and want to forgive me, you're still holding back. That's why you won't admit it."
"It's okay. I can wait. Once you've calmed down, we can start over. Let the past... let it be."
I really wonder if she is suffering from dementia. Let the past be the past?!
"Are you done?" I asked, suppressing my anger.
"I'm done...ah, not yet..." Bai Ying said, "Well, you go first. I'll listen to you."
"I realized I made a mistake," I sighed. "Why would I bother arguing with you? What a waste of time."
"W-What do you mean…"
"I just accidentally called you last night, but it's not exactly a mistake. I was planning to call you anyway, and since you called, I might as well explain it." I paused. "Let's find a time to leave."
"Divorce, divorce?! No, no, you're lying to me." Bai Ying's voice suddenly rose several pitches. "Zuo Jing, you're trying to scare me, right? I know I was wrong, and you must be angry, so you're threatening me with divorce. I admit defeat, okay?"
Boring, really boring... When we were in love, she seemed to be like this, nagging me until I had no choice but to give in, and then she would smile. Isn't it ridiculous to do this again now?
"As husband and wife, you should save some face for each other." I sighed. "After the divorce, whether you and Hao Jianghua end or continue your relationship, it has nothing to do with me, and you are not the daughter-in-law of the Zuo family. Although you may be more willing to be the daughter-in-law of the Hao family, it doesn't matter. Anyway, our fate is over."
"No, I don't want this to end. When we got married, you said you'd treat me well. Zuo Jing, do you remember? How did you promise to my parents in front of them? You said you'd treat me well forever and never leave me!"
I still remember the promise we made back then, and it's etched in my heart. From Changsha to Beijing, even after graduating from Peking University, I was still considered a stranger. Bai Ying, with her family's influence, naturally married down. So, for the past ten years, I've always loved and doted on her, even when she lacked family care. I tolerated it, but she still didn't appreciate it.
"I've broken my promise." I tried my best in the ten years of marriage, and it's not my fault that we can't go on.
"We separated before the Hangzhou hotel incident. Later, we signed a new agreement through our lawyer, and I also promised your parents not to tell them about it." I continued, "We'll get a divorce after your one-year prison term is up. Even if you regret it now, I can file for divorce in court based on the agreement."
The call continued, but Bai Ying remained silent. After half a minute of silence, she asked, "Are you serious?"
"Yes," I said honestly.
"So...where's the child?"
"What do you mean?" I frowned. Could it be that she was still thinking of asking me to raise a bastard? Even if I really was weak-spermia and my family was extinct, there was no way I was using it to make up the numbers.
"If we really get a divorce, we'll still have to discuss child custody. Even if you file for divorce, the judge will ask about the child: will he stay with you or me? How will education and visitation be arranged? None of that is in our agreement. It's just a separation agreement, not a divorce agreement. There's also the matter of property management... It's hard to explain over the phone. Can we discuss it in person?"
Bai Ying's words make sense, and this is indeed a problem that needs to be solved, but my determination to divorce will not change.
Of the three people who have hurt me the most, Hao Laogou bears the brunt of the blame. He's ungrateful, kidnapping my biological mother, seizing my property in Zuojing, and even seduce my wife, fathering a bastard. Hao Laogou is a mortal villain, and my hatred for him is intense and pure. The Hao family is also my biggest target. As for Li Xuanshi and Bai Ying, their betrayal and harm to me was actually even worse than Hao Laogou's. Hao Laogou is ultimately an outsider, and while Li Xuanshi and Bai Ying aren't particularly evil, their actions are even more unforgivable, as they should have had responsibilities and ethical obligations to me.
I can't actually sever my blood relationship with Li Xuanshi, and the law wouldn't recognize it, but I can certainly remove Bai Ying's identity as my wife. Only by removing this emotional connection can I take revenge on her. I made a promise to my father-in-law, but that doesn't mean I will tolerate Bai Ying's "acquittal."
"Okay, let's talk about it when we meet." I agreed.
Meeting Bai Ying was inevitable, sooner or later, and it wouldn't be just once. Now that things were said and divorce was on the table, I still found it a little strange.
I'm truly baffled by Bai Ying's reaction to the child. Could it be that she truly didn't know the child was hers and Hao Laogou's illegitimate child? To say she didn't know is unbelievable. Calculating the dates, Bai Ying did have sex with me before she became pregnant, but the DNA paternity test report has proven the child couldn't be mine. This also means she had sex with someone else before, and that person was Hao Laogou. I'm almost certain of this. As for why almost? If Bai Ying had no doubts at all, firmly believing the child was mine and not Hao Laogou's, then there are only two possibilities.
The first possibility is that Hao Laogou secretly raped Bai Ying, and she was unaware of the affair, so she became pregnant and thought the child was mine. Indeed, the two children look like their mother, and it's hard to connect them with the ugly Hao Laogou, so she never suspected anything. If this is the case, then it means that Hao Laogou deliberately planned it, and his intention to conceal it makes his ill intentions towards the Zuo family and me even more obvious.
The second possibility is that the child is mine. Although the DNA paternity test conclusion is very clear, there are also many cases where DNA testing agencies make wrong conclusions. I have only done it at one agency, and I cannot rule out the possibility of a wrong conclusion. I secretly feel a little regretful. Even if the probability is infinitely close to zero, it is better to find a way to repeat the test.
Whether it's to explore the truth or to verify it, I have to contact Bai Ying. Considering my father-in-law and mother-in-law, I'd better put Bai Ying's ranking aside for now.
The call was interrupted. Bai Ying stared at the phone screen, stunned. She'd been wrong. She'd thought Zuo Jing's call last night was about reconciliation, that he still had feelings for her. She'd thought time would wash away the past. She'd showered herself repeatedly last night, thinking it would wash away the grime of the past. The call just now had woken her. All of this was just wishful thinking.
A tear welled up in her eyes, a choked sigh forming at the corners of her mouth. Before making the call, Bai Ying had looked countless times at the photo of her husband stored on her phone, recalling the sweet words they'd exchanged before mustering the courage to make the call. A wave of remorse washed over her. She regretted making the call, but even more so, she regretted all the trouble she'd had with Hao Jianghua. Their marriage, which should have been happy, was about to end. Of course, she'd agreed to the separation based on her mother-in-law's advice. It was a strategy, a way to give her and Zuo Jing a cooling-off period, a way to stall things out. Once the incident had subsided and Zuo Jing's anger had subsided, she could offer a sincere apology, even if it meant kneeling down to beg for forgiveness. With her mother-in-law's help in mediating, there was always room for improvement.
At this moment, a white and tender little hand touched the corner of her eye, wiping away a tear that had not yet fallen. It was her daughter Jingjing. Her son Xiangxiang also came over, gently held her hand, and said nothing.
Although five-and-a-half-year-olds don't understand adult matters, that doesn't mean they don't feel. "Where's Dad this year?" Mom, however, often cries and hides away from everyone. Children are sensitive; they understand tears and crying; they at least mean unhappiness.
"Don't cry." The childish voices of her children seemed to give Bai Ying some hope.
"Don't cry, Mommy." Bai Ying forced a smile. "We're not going to kindergarten today... Daddy will come see us later."
Dad?! The two children couldn't help but get excited. People's memories usually start from the age of four or five, and the image of their father is always in their minds. Although they haven't seen him for a year, they are eager to see their father again.
Her children were her last resort. If even they couldn't win back her husband's heart, then she'd completely lost Zuo Jing. Bai Ying pinched her thigh, letting the pain soothe her turbulent emotions. Zuo Jing, please forgive me. Although my body betrayed you, my heart loves you.
For ten years, Bai Ying remained oblivious, especially during her time with Hao Jianghua. She practically forgot about Zuo Jing, unless Hao Jianghua specifically brought him up. Thinking of how she'd immersed herself in the sexual pleasures Hao Jianghua had given her, from initial disgust and resentment, then fear of being exposed, to later numbness and deception, and finally, addiction, to active cooperation, it all felt like a nightmare. She wished it was a nightmare, now she'd woken up, but it wasn't a nightmare; it was real. Those things had happened!
Zuo Jing, please give me one more chance. I really don't want a divorce... Even if there's only the slightest possibility, I won't give up! Even if it takes everything, I'll keep you... even if it means resorting to extreme means!
At this point, I had no idea what Bai Ying was thinking. I simply assumed she was still spouting lies, trying to beg for forgiveness with words. After sending a text message on WeChat, I soon received Bai Ying's current address. There was no voicemail. We'd already said a lot, so I'd better wait until we met in person to discuss the rest.
Wang Tian went to see He Kun. Although he was certain he was my father-in-law's man, it wouldn't affect the implementation of the Prisoner Project. I had no intention of keeping anything I could entrust to him secret from my father-in-law, not even the DNA paternity test documents. Although I had promised not to tell my father-in-law about Bai Ying and Hao Laogou's scandal, since my father-in-law had guessed 60% to 70% of it, the child's secret, which he had "passively" learned, had nothing to do with me. I could use this opportunity to test his bottom line. Regardless of whether the child's surname was Zuo or Hao, at least half of his blood was from the Bai family, so my father-in-law's attitude was crucial.
What really constrained me in the Bai family was never their power or status, but my father-in-law's feelings for me. What was difficult to understand was that between Bai Ying and me, and between the Bai family and Bai Ying, my father-in-law and I both had a choice. We each took a step back and reached a preliminary consensus, but this consensus did not include children.
I took a taxi to the residential complex where Bai Ying lived, a dilapidated one. Even the property management company had gone out of business, leaving only the old man who ran the security office. I walked into the seven-story residential building. The buildings in front and behind were all small, dilapidated buildings. Walking in the corridor, I could vaguely smell the smell of food wafting from somewhere. Well, it was almost noon, and it was also mealtime, so the smell was getting stronger and stronger. Hunan cuisine is inseparable from chili peppers, so there was still a spicy smell.
I went up to the third floor and pressed the doorbell. The door opened from the inside and a familiar figure stood in front of me. She was my wife Bai Ying.
"Come in." Her voice was very soft, and her eyes seemed to be evasive, not daring to look at me. Her eyes were a little red, obviously she had been crying.
She was still the same beautiful young woman in her home clothes, but she looked a little different. In the past, she knew how to dress up, never like now, without makeup. Her fair skin was good, and she looked good without makeup, but she certainly didn't wear any makeup at all. Her hair looked carefree and slightly messy, and she didn't have the goddess-like pride of Gushe Qunfang.
Entering the apartment, I imagined many things, but I still felt a certain emotion. A small one-bedroom, one-living room apartment, including the kitchen and bathroom, only measures a maximum of 40 to 50 square meters. And with three people sharing this kind of space, it's half the size of the two-bedroom, one-living room I rent. As the eldest daughter of a minister, I find it hard to imagine her renting here.
"Xiangxiang, Jingjing, Daddy is here." Accompanied by Bai Ying's call, the two children ran out of the room.
My brow furrowed slightly. Bai Ying's words were actually making me feel annoyed. The thought of the DNA paternity test's conclusions completely extinguished my passion for Xiangxiang and Jingjing. Even though I'd felt a pang of sympathy for them in the past few years, the mere thought of the fact that they were bastards of the Hao family made me suppress my anger for the time being. That was a sign of my own restraint.
Perhaps sensing my indifference, the children did not show any sign of being closer, and the scene Bai Ying imagined of her husband and children warmly hugging each other did not occur.
"Let's go back to our rooms and play." Bai Ying, having clearly noticed my low spirits, told the children to go back to their rooms. We were the only two left in the living room.
Bai Ying poured me some warm tea without leaves. "Sorry, I didn't buy any tea leaves... I'll get you some apples." With that, she headed for the kitchen. Before I could even open my mouth, I gave up on the idea. After all, we're husband and wife, so there's no need to be confrontational. After we get divorced and deal with the Hao family, we can slowly settle things.
Due to space constraints, the kitchen has a floor-to-ceiling glass partition. From my perspective, I can see her clearly as she carefully washes apples in the sink, washing each one cleanly.
I suddenly had a strange feeling: the person before me had transformed into my mother-in-law, just like the one I'd seen washing dishes in Beijing. Thinking of my mother-in-law, the woman who cherished me, I couldn't help but sigh. Fortunately, I hadn't really taken that step in Beijing. Otherwise, she'd be stuck between me and Bai Ying. How would she cope in the future? Would the Bai family be on my side or against me? Honestly, I had no idea.
I was thinking about this when Bai Ying came out with apples. I thought I would just eat them with the skin on, but she picked up an apple and started peeling it.
"Don't bother," I said as calmly as possible.
"I remember you didn't like eating the skin." Bai Ying glanced at me and smiled bitterly. "I've been married to you for ten years, and I don't think I've ever peeled fruit for you. Come to think of it, I'm really an incompetent wife."
Where she's incompetent is peeling fruit. We both know each other, so there's no need to argue. Speaking of peeling fruit, she can handle a scalpel, but she rarely touches a fruit knife. I'm the one who peels the fruit at home. That she can peel apples now is truly beyond my expectation. Perhaps she's grown, but the change is coming too late.
"Why don't you rent a bigger house?" I changed the subject. "You can always go back to those two apartments in Changsha."
"I'm too embarrassed to live in the Zuo family's house anymore. As for the apartment Hao... gave me, I definitely won't live there anymore. Zuo Jing, believe me, I really know I was wrong..." Seeing that I had no intention of responding, Bai Ying didn't argue anymore and continued, "There's a kindergarten nearby. Xiangxiang and Jingjing go to school there. I found a part-time job at the supermarket next door, so it's convenient for me to pick them up every day. Actually, renting here is enough, and the rent is cheap."
"I've been to Beijing and met my parents-in-law. If they knew you were living in a place like this, they'd probably be terrified and sleepless," I mused. "This neighborhood doesn't even have a property management company, and there's only one old man. It's not safe for the three of you living here. It's best to move somewhere else."
"Okay, I'll listen to you. You have the final say." Bai Ying looked at the man of the house with the expression of a good wife.
Alas, if I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have done it in the first place. What's the point of you doing this now, Bai Ying? What's done is done. For the sake of the Bai family, I didn't say anything more unpleasant.
"I came here because I wanted us to have a breakup. If you're willing to divorce, I'll give you the house and the car, and I'll also give you another 10 million. The commercial insurance and financial management will also be transferred to you." Considering Bai Ying's immoral behavior, it's not too much to ask her to leave the house, but as a husband and wife, I can't fulfill the promise I made, so I'll just treat it as a discount. That way, even if we get divorced, I'll have an explanation to the Bai family.
"I don't want money, and I don't want a divorce. I only want you, Zuo Jing. Please, can we start over?" Bai Ying begged. "We can go back to Beijing, or wherever you want. We'll never go back to Haojiagou again. We can live together as a family of four..."
A family of four? What a fool's dream! Even if Xiangxiang and Jingjing were my children, it wouldn't change the fact that she had destroyed that family with her own hands.
"I can't go back, Bai Ying. I have no home anymore. Ever since she married into the Hao family, and ever since you got involved with Old Dog Hao, the Zuo family, my Zuo Jing family, is finished." I looked at her. "You actually know this, otherwise you wouldn't have hidden away for a year."
"I'm sorry, I don't want to..." Bai Ying's eyes welled with tears, and she was silent for a moment. "Our wedding anniversary is in two months. Can we wait until after our anniversary to get a divorce? I want to be your wife for another year, is that okay?"
Two months... I estimated that as long as she agrees to a divorce, I can afford to wait this long.
"Then I'll go first." I stood up and was about to leave, but she stopped me.
"Wait, let's have lunch first." Bai Ying insisted, "I've never cooked a decent meal for you before. Give me a chance to cook."
I looked at her in surprise: "When did you learn to cook?"
"I've been learning this for a year. I really want to learn how to be a good wife." She glanced at me, and I saw the pain in her eyes. But who could I blame?
"Forget it, let's go out to eat." I could see that she was not in a good condition to cook.
The corners of Bai Ying's mouth twitched slightly, showing some reluctance.
"There's still two months left, there will be a chance." I sighed, "Let's take the kids out to eat."
We found a Beijing cuisine restaurant nearby. Bai Ying is not used to spicy food, so the food here is not authentic, but it is acceptable.
After half an hour of dining and paying the bill, Bai Ying asked me if I could give her another chance. I frowned, and just when I thought she was going to make a fuss, she suddenly made a move.
She hurried a few steps and stood in front of me. Under my suspicious gaze, she knelt directly on the ground.
"Bai Ying, what are you doing!" I was immediately surprised. Her kneeling was really unexpected.
It was the peak lunchtime, and many customers were coming and going. I was immediately attracted by her. A beautiful young woman like Bai Ying is easy to attract people's attention with her appearance, especially when she knelt down to me in public.
I felt the gazes of everyone around me fixed on me, all with deep ill intent. Bai Ying's move had caught me completely off guard. Not only was I left to dodge, let alone be scolded, but some were already pointing and speculating about the storyline. Some, more curious, even pulled out their phones, taking photos or livestreaming the entire situation. It was like putting me on the spot.
"Hubby, please don't be angry, okay? I know I was wrong." Bai Ying looked at me with a face full of aggrieved feelings. "Let's not get divorced, okay? Xiangxiang and Jingjing are still so young, how could you bear to..."
My face turned livid, and I gritted my teeth in silence. Any excuses were futile at this point. Bai Ying's kneeling had already earned her the sympathy of the crowd. If I had been hasty to refute her and responded rudely, the situation would only have worsened. A beautiful woman with such a pitiful expression—in the eyes of the onlookers, simply standing before her was a blasphemy, a crime.
"No way, she's so beautiful, and this man still wants a divorce?"
"He has two children who look just like his mother. How could he have the heart to do that?"
"She must have a mistress outside, so she wants a divorce. Don't you men all like younger women?"
"What do you mean by 'we men'? He's the only one. He's a scumbag, a loser, at first glance."
"You abandoned your wife and children. Your wife is so beautiful, your children are so adorable, and you still want a divorce. What's going on?"
"If you can't control your crotch, men are just animals that think with their lower body."
The onlookers were talking about it and sharing their thoughts with each other. They really enjoyed the excitement.
Social demise! I clenched my fists. This had been part of my plan for dealing with the women around Hao Jianghua, but Bai Ying had beaten me to it. Whether she did it intentionally or not, I was already on the receiving end of public opinion. Any words I said would likely be interpreted as a cover-up for a scumbag.
Only Bai Ying could explain it clearly. Suppressing my displeasure, I took two steps forward.
"Hey, is he going to hit someone? Look, his fists are clenched so tightly..."
"Brother, please calm down. Beating your wife is not honorable."
"Sisters, hurry up and share this on your Moments, resist the scumbag, and defend women's rights..."
Listening to the noisy sound, I could only loosen my fists powerlessly and had to step forward to support Bai Ying.
"Hubby, please forgive me, I don't want a divorce." Bai Ying looked pitiful, tears in her eyes. Whether it was true or false, I really couldn't see through a woman's heart.
"Get up first," I said sullenly. Whatever resentment I might have towards Bai Ying, this wasn't the right occasion. More importantly, things couldn't be allowed to escalate. She was clearly the daughter of the Bai family, yet she hadn't considered the repercussions of her and Hao Jianghua's scandal being exposed. I, on the other hand, had to be cautious. I couldn't ignore the kindness my father-in-law and mother-in-law had shown me.
I can bear the bad reputation, but not the Bai family. I can't sit idly by and watch Bai Xingjian and Tong Jiahui being smeared because of what happened between Bai Ying and me. In their position, reputation is too important.
"Husband, promise me that you won't divorce me, okay? I know I did something wrong, and I won't get up unless you forgive me." Bai Ying insisted on kneeling on the ground, and it seemed that she was ready to use "public opinion" to control me.
I stared at Bai Ying, her tears streaming down her face, and the resentment in my heart finally subsided. I honestly couldn't tell if she was deliberately trying to pit me against public opinion. She must truly be regretful. She'd stopped interacting with the Hao family for a year, and rented a place to raise the children on her own. That at least showed she had it in her heart. This sudden kneeling might just be a whimpering attempt to make amends, a plea for forgiveness, but it certainly made me feel awkward.
"I can give you a chance, but it's just a chance." I looked at Bai Ying. "This is my bottom line. If you agree, stand up. If you don't agree, kneel until dark. I won't back down even a step."
Bai Ying wanted to fight for it, but seeing my sharp and determined gaze, she stood up and said, "A chance is better than no chance at all."
"Oh, let's go, there's nothing more to watch." Seeing Bai Ying holding my arm, the curious onlookers seemed to be bored and soon dispersed.
After returning to our residence and arranging for the children to take a nap, Bai Ying and I sat in the living room.
"Did you deliberately use them to force me to kneel down just now?" I looked at Bai Ying.
Bai Ying's lips moved: "I really have no other choice. I can't think of anything else to do except beg on my knees."
"I told you I'd give you one chance." I poked my heart with my finger. "Before it completely gives up, you have one last chance to gamble."
"Gambling?" Bai Ying was stunned. "Gambling on what?"
"I'm betting on whether you can convince me to change my mind. I'm betting on whether I'll be soft-hearted and not have the heart to do it to you. This gamble only has two possible outcomes, so it's fair."
"What kind of gambling is this?"
"But if you don't gamble, you won't even have your last chance." I sighed softly. "We still have two months. You can think carefully about what you can and should do. Maybe it will affect my decision."
"Then in these two months, we are still husband and wife. You can't hide from me or avoid me on purpose." Bai Ying thought about it, otherwise there would be no possibility of this gamble being realized.
"Of course." I replied. I didn't even intend to avoid Old Dog Hao, so how could I avoid her?
"You just said before you completely gave up..." Bai Ying pointed at my heart, "So you still love me in your heart."
"Love, but hate more." This is the result of my rational consideration. I have analyzed my inner heart many times from the perspectives of Xueren Jing, Shengmu Jing, and Dark Jing. It is undeniable that if there was no love in my heart, the hatred for Bai Ying and Li Xuanshi would not be so strong. Love is no longer inclusive and cannot tolerate their betrayal, but the hatred is pure and fierce.
Bai Ying's face turned pale, and she apologized again, which made me feel a little nauseous.
"If all you know how to do is apologize, then you're doomed." Despite the lingering ties and weaknesses of the past, I still didn't think she could shake me. "When I was in jail, besides hiding for a year, what else did you do? All you know how to do is apologize and ask for my forgiveness. What's your basis?"
"Don't think you've done anything remarkable. A year of remorse? Bullshit! You've completely wasted your time." I stared at Bai Ying coldly. "When I was in prison, I knew exactly what I wanted, what I did, and what I wanted. And you? You say you're done, but you're really just hiding to protect yourself. Old Dog Hao continues to be an official and play with women, and the women around him are all flocking to him. So what have you done? You didn't even give me an explanation, yet you dare to apologize to me and hope for my forgiveness. Where does your confidence come from?"
Bai Ying was speechless, she really couldn't respond.
"Look at it another way. If you were able to avoid him for a year and truly wanted to break up with him and were able to do so, then why couldn't you do so before? If you couldn't break up with him before, how can you convince me to completely cut ties with him?" I continued to slap Bai Ying in the face. "You say you love me, but in reality, you only love yourself. Forgiveness? Pardon? You only want what I want from you, but never consider what I want. What do you give me? Yeah, you don't even want to give me an explanation. It's really hard for you to make compensation. Just like your kneeling just now, you were just negotiating terms with me in exchange for what you wanted, wasn't it?"
Bai Ying said nothing, but just lowered her head even lower.
"It's really boring to talk about this. It's two months long anyway. It's up to you to decide." I stood up and said, "Before I leave, I have a few questions. If you can answer them all without lying, perhaps you'll understand where the problem lies."
"You ask." Bai Ying squeezed out two words from between her teeth, as if it took her a lot of effort.
"How long have you been together with Hao Jianghua? How many times have you done it? How many positions have you tried? How long does it take each time? How many times has he ejaculated inside you? Is there any part of your body that he hasn't touched? Do you feel more comfortable having sex with me or with him? What do you scream when you have sex with him? Does being fucked by him as your daughter-in-law increase your sexual desire..."
"Let me ask you these questions first. Don't forget the premise: you can't lie, you can only tell the truth. Can you answer all of them?"
Bai Ying opened her mouth to speak, but suddenly covered her mouth and nose and burst into tears. There was no sound, but the tears were flowing. I walked out of the room and went downstairs, not looking at her again.
I asked her a series of questions, some of which she remembered clearly, others she didn't. She couldn't answer the ones she didn't remember, and she couldn't speak the ones she did remember. She could have continued to tell lies, but when I set the premise that she could only speak the truth, she had to face the true voice in her heart, so she cried, and she could only cry.
The greatest despair isn't despair itself, but the pain of giving someone hope, a feeling she can't offer. Doesn't she know how long she's been with Hao Jianghua? She knows, but can she tell the truth to my face?
"I'm sorry, husband. I've been with him for six years and have made love countless times in all positions and postures. He ejaculates inside me every time and he plays with my whole body. Having sex with him is much more comfortable than with you. Every time I feel so good that I call him Daddy Hao. I like father-in-law and daughter-in-law having sex the most because it makes my sexual desire even higher."
Even if Bai Ying knew the answer, she couldn't say it out loud. Perhaps only then did she realize that the gaps in my heart that hadn't been sealed had already been completely blocked by her, and no light could ever shine through.
Tears began to flow from her tear glands and could no longer be stopped. Sorrow filled her blood and cells.
"I'm sorry, Zuo Jing, I'm sorry..." Bai Ying kept murmuring in the room.
Perhaps it was at this moment that she truly realized her own filthiness, and that apology was her true regret.
The answer behind this series of questions is that there is no solution. Even if there is no solution, she still has the equation to solve, but from a practical point of view, she cannot solve this problem.
Alas, as I walked out of the community, I couldn't help but sigh. It seemed that I had thrown out a lot of problems, but when they were summed up, there were only two words: honesty.
Honesty is the basis of gambling. If Bai Ying can't even do this, then there is no chance to talk about. But it is indeed very difficult to be honest. It means tearing open her wounds, letting the blood flow, and exposing all the ugliness and filth. Does she have the courage?
I spent an entire year in the world, tearing open my wounds, facing the desires, filth, abnormal love, perversion, and weakness in my heart... Then I licked the wounds alone, calmed them, numbed them, and then sewed them up and bandaged them. It was under such circumstances that I was able to have enough perseverance and determination to formulate and carry out the Prisoner Project.
Li Xuanshi. I thought of this woman. From her seemingly foolish decision to let Bai Ying come back to take care of Hao Xiaotian, after careful consideration, I finally understood her hidden intentions.
"What a shame, Bai Ying's card is useless."