Appearing on a Marriage Show Before Getting Divorced - Chapter 41

Zhengzhi tilted her head, looking at her Mamma-Youran, who was absent-mindedly checking her watch while reading a bedtime story. “Mamma-Youran, you already read the part where the little fox goes to the crane’s house for dinner.”

“Oh, right, right.” Ruan Youran let out a yawn. “Are you sleepy yet?”

Zhengzhi’s eyes were as bright as 200-watt lightbulbs. She looked at Ruan Youran and shook her head seriously.

Youran desperately wanted to stuff this little brat under the covers and make her sleep—right now! But she had to be patient with a child. Moreover, she had missed three years of Zhengzhi’s life; she couldn’t afford to be impatient. Youran flipped through the books. “Then what do you want to read?”

As she flipped, she couldn’t help but marvel at how diverse children’s books were these days.

Zhengzhi glanced at the stack of books with disdain. “I don’t read those anymore.” She pointed to a shelf nearby. “Over there.”

Youran looked up and froze. On the shelf sat a pinyin-annotated version of the Four Great Classical Novels.

This…

Youran swallowed hard and asked tentatively, “Did we buy the wrong books? Do you want to swap them for the picture-book versions?”

Zhengzhi shook her head. “I asked Mamma to buy those. Picture books are for tricking little babies.”

Ruan Youran: “…”

Seeing her mother’s stunned expression, Zhengzhi shook her head. “You can go. I don’t need you to stay with me. I’ll sleep by myself.”

Youran felt a bit awkward. Zhengzhi tucked herself in obediently, closed her eyes, and muttered softly, “As long as you don’t send me back to Grandma’s house again later.”

Ruan Youran: “…”

This kid has truly become a little fox.

Being caught in her private schemes made Youran a bit embarrassed, but that tiny bit of embarrassment was quickly suppressed by the fire burning in her heart. She kissed Zhengzhi, stroked her hair, and turned off the light. She performed these actions slowly.

But the moment the door closed, Youran rushed into the bathroom at triple speed. She had big things to do. This was the first time in ages that the two of them would be intimate. She was determined not to let this time be as sad as the last.

The only fly in the ointment was that some neighbors across the way were throwing a barbecue party; the sound of a crowd singing and chatting was a bit of a disturbance.

After showering, Youran made herself smell wonderful, meticulously applying lotion from head to toe. She even put on the light pink lace nightgown Chu Nian had bought her for her 25th birthday and sprayed perfume on her wrists and neck. Youran stood at the door, took a deep breath, and prepared to enter.

The room was pitch black, filled only with Chu Nian’s fragrance.

The corners of Youran’s mouth curled up. They were an old married couple; did she not know her wife? Was she pretending to sleep?

She didn’t turn on the main light, but walked straight to the bedside and switched on the small nightlight. She looked at Chu Nian, who was facing away from her, wrapped tightly in the quilt. She let out a mock sigh. “Asleep, I see.”

No response.

Youran suppressed a laugh. She’s quite good at holding out. She flipped her hair, letting her scent fill the air. Then, she slid under the covers. After waiting a few seconds while humming a little tune in her head, she reached out to pull Chu Nian’s quilt back.

Chu Nian hadn’t slept at all. Ever since Youran said she would “come back and sleep with her” after coaxing the child, her heart had been a mess—alternating between nerves, shyness, and anticipation. It felt as if she were back in their youth, experiencing the nervous innocence of their first time again.

When Youran’s scent enveloped her, Chu Nian remained motionless, curled into a ball, silently listening to her own heartbeat.

Still pretending to sleep? Youran didn’t expose her. If Chu Nian wanted to play a game, she was happy to play along. She pulled Chu Nian into her arms inch by inch, holding her tightly, forcefully, leaving no gap between them.

Chu Nian’s eyes grew red. This protective, nurturing way of being held to sleep was her favorite in the past. Back then, Youran used to sweat easily in the summer and didn’t like being hugged, but Chu Nian would rarely act spoiled, and Youran—surprised and delighted—would then hold her to sleep every night, even after a long bout of passion.

Gradually, Youran had realized that Chu Nian lacked security. Since she was very young, she had slept alone in a bed, and no matter how it stormed or how dark it got, no one had ever come to hold her.

“Still acting?” Youran brushed Chu Nian’s hair aside and breathed into her ear. Chu Nian’s body trembled.

Youran smiled. Her hand went to unbutton Chu Nian’s clothes. Chu Nian’s body stiffened, and she caught Youran’s hand. Even though the light was dim, Youran could see the awkwardness in Chu Nian’s eyes. She smiled. “What, do you intend to never let me see you again for the rest of your life?”

Chu Nian pursed her lips and let go.

As Youran unbuttoned the clothes, her heart pained for her. As soon as the collar was open, she saw the scar. Once fully revealed, the scar looked relatively fresh and hadn’t healed perfectly. On anyone else, it might have been different, but Chu Nian was so pale that the scar looked jarringly bright—like a twisted centipede resting on a piece of exquisite jade.

And there was the scar on her lower abdomen from the C-section. Once a perfect body, now scarred inside and out.

Seeing Youran staring fixedly at her scars, Chu Nian bowed her head and bit her lip, reaching out to cover herself. Youran was faster; she leaned down and kissed the scar.

Once, and then again. So light, so gentle, yet accompanied by warm tears.

Chu Nian’s body shook. She closed her eyes, and her own tears began to fall. There was no one else in this world who could love her as unconditionally as Ruan Youran. After hurting her so many times, how was she lucky enough to still have her?

Outside, the neighbors were playing music. For some reason, instead of a happy party song, they played the slightly tragic Wishing Upon a Star.

—I must control myself, won’t let anyone see me cry… Pretending to be indifferent to you, unwilling to remember you…

The taste of tears filled the darkness, now dissolved by tender kisses. Those hands and that heart were no longer a roar of anger, but a display of endless tenderness and reluctance.

Chu Nian held Youran, feeling her warmth. In this moment, she could only offer her entire self.

—Blaming myself for having no courage, my heart aches until I can’t breathe… Can’t find the traces you left behind, watching you with my own eyes… But I am powerless, letting you vanish at the end of the world…

Youran’s tears also fell as she kissed Chu Nian. If she could, she wished everything would stop at this very moment. In the end, with their hair and bodies tangled, Youran whispered into her ear, “Nian Nian, don’t leave me.”

Chu Nian’s tears fell as her body shivered. She was afraid. But she was not as afraid as Ruan Youran was. If the day really came when she left, her own pain would end. But what about Youran?

Chu Nian’s heart was now full of courage. She wanted to live. No matter how long it took, she would spend the rest of her life loving Ruan Youran.

The next morning, Zhengzhi pressed the time-announcement button on her alarm clock.

—The current time is 9:00 AM.

It was time to eat. Zhengzhi waddled to the bedroom door, intending to knock, but she heard a series of strange sounds from inside. She listened for a while, and her little face changed color. With a furrowed brow and a heavy heart, she went to the kitchen.

There were leftovers in the fridge. Zhengzhi wanted to use the microwave, but it was too high, and the buttons were confusing; her mother had never taught her out of fear she would burn herself. Left with no choice, she took a plate of leftover pasta, poured a glass of milk, and ate silently in the living room.

Fortunately, her two grandmothers arrived shortly after. Ruan Qiu came in as loud as ever, opening her arms wide. “Oh, my precious granddaughter! Are you happy to see Grandma?”

Zhengzhi was not happy. Her “steamed bun” face puckered, her mouth pouted, and she kept eating with her head down.

Chu Qing gave Ruan Qiu a nudge. “Stop it, the child is unhappy.” She looked at Zhengzhi’s meal and moved it aside. “Why are you eating cold leftovers?”

Ruan Qiu’s eyes narrowed. “Who dares to give my granddaughter leftovers? Where are those two unreliable mothers of yours?”

At the mention of her mothers, Zhengzhi looked even more aggrieved, her eyes filling with tears. Chu Qing and Ruan Qiu were taken aback and fell silent. They both knew about Zhengzhi’s performance at the kindergarten interview—Ruan Qiu had even watched the recording and laughed until she cried, praising her granddaughter’s acting talent. They assumed Zhengzhi was still upset about the fight with Youran or the fever.

Chu Qing went to the kitchen to prepare a fresh breakfast. Ruan Qiu poked Zhengzhi’s cheek. “Where are your mothers? Did they go out?”

Zhengzhi kept her head down. “Still in the bedroom.”

Still sleeping at this hour? Well, Nian Nian did need her rest. Everyone was working hard—not just Youran. Ruan Qiu hoped they could avoid a transplant, but every specialist they visited said it was impossible. Chu Qing, being the decisive one, had already started hunting for a heart donor. In a few days, both grandmothers had grown thin from the stress.

Ruan Youran and Chu Nian finally walked out of the bedroom holding hands. Their hair was a bit messy, and they wore no makeup, but they looked well-rested and radiant. Especially Youran, who walked with a refreshed air, while Chu Nian followed with her head down, letting her be led.

“What are you two doing? Waking up so late and letting my granddaughter go hungry.” Ruan Qiu looked at them and thought to herself, Wait, looking like that… they didn’t, did they? Can Nian Nian’s body handle it?

Youran looked toward the kitchen. “Mom, make extra! Nian Nian and I haven’t eaten either.”

Chu Nian gave Youran a soft nudge and went into the kitchen to help. Chu Qing looked at the blushing Nian Nian and smiled softly. “Are you alright?”

Chu Nian: “…”

If her mother had said that at any other time, she wouldn’t have overthought it. But now… she saw the “all-knowing” look in Chu Qing’s eyes. She immediately looked away. “Mom, Youran has had too much ‘heating’ food lately. Don’t make the noodles spicy.”

Chu Qing laughed. The couple had finally stopped fighting.

In the living room, Zhengzhi remained silent. When she had something on her mind, she was exactly like Chu Nian—she bottled it up.

Youran sat down, her eyes fixed on Chu Nian in the kitchen, her lips curling upward. Chu Nian was wearing jeans and a white shirt with her hair down—looking radiant even without makeup. Chu Nian used to dress like this in university, walking across campus with a book while students gaped at her beauty. Back then, Youran was so proud that such a woman belonged to her.

After the “battle” last night, Youran wasn’t tired; she was invigorated. Seeing Chu Nian’s healthy flush, she had pestered her this morning to “wear that outfit from university.” Chu Nian had looked at her like she was crazy. “Stop it, it’s 8:00 AM. The child is waiting for food.”

But Youran didn’t care. She hugged her from behind. “If you don’t change, I’ll make sure this breakfast never gets finished, believe me.” Chu Nian tried to push her away, but Youran whispered, “Last night wasn’t enough for me…”

Chu Nian’s face had turned red as fire, and she pushed Youran away. But Youran was persistent, and when Youran set her mind on something, she got it. Chu Nian had found the outfit. When she put it on, standing in the morning light, she looked like she was carved from jade.

Youran had hugged her. “You’re so beautiful.” “Not like I used to be,” Chu Nian whispered. Youran smiled. “Actually, don’t you think you were too perfect and cold before? Now with the scars, it adds a kind of sexy, alluring feeling… it’s more tempting than before.” Chu Nian looked into her eyes. “You don’t believe me?” Youran had swept her up in her arms. “Then I’ll just have to show you with my actions.” “What are you doing? Zhengzhi will wake up soon!” “Didn’t you worry about her not being independent? This is her training.”

Recalling this, Youran smiled to herself. Ruan Qiu, annoyed, reached out and pinched Youran’s face. “I asked you to watch the child, and you’re sitting there grinning like a frog! What are you laughing at?”

Youran winced and looked at Zhengzhi. Zhengzhi was indeed acting strange. Her gaze toward Youran was flickering… or was it fear?

Youran hurried to hug her. “Baby, what’s wrong?”

Chu Qing and Chu Nian came over from the kitchen. The whole family surrounded the child. Zhengzhi kept her head down, clearly burdened by something. Chu Nian sat on the rug and pulled the girl into her arms, kissing her cheek. “Zhengzhi, tell Mamma what happened.”

Zhengzhi remained silent, stealing a glance at Youran.

Chu Nian asked tentatively, “Did you wet the bed?” “No!” Zhengzhi’s face turned red. “I’m a big baby, I don’t wet the bed!”

Everyone laughed, glad the “big baby” was finally talking. But what was making her so afraid?

Chu Qing looked at the couple seriously. “Did you two forget to be careful and let the child see something?”

Chu Nian avoided her mother’s eyes, but Youran protested, “Impossible! I swear on my mom’s character, we didn’t do ‘anything’ this morning!” Ruan Qiu: “You brat, why are you swearing on my character?!”

Zhengzhi looked up and touched Chu Nian’s face, asking piteously, “Mamma, does it hurt?”

Chu Nian: “…” Everyone was confused.

Zhengzhi shot Youran a look and whispered, “Big bully!”

Ruan Youran: “???”

With her grandmothers there, Zhengzhi’s courage grew. She suddenly burst into tears, snuggling into Chu Nian’s arms. “Mamma-Youran is a big bully! I heard her hitting Mamma! Mamma was making ‘ahhh ahhh’ sounds and gasping for air! Mamma-Youran is a bad person, bullying Mamma! I heard it for over an hour after I woke up! Waaaah…”

Ruan Youran: “…………………………”

Dammit.