Su Jue’s heart clenched. He clumsily patted Deng Jing on the back. “Don’t cry, don’t cry.”
But Deng Jing only cried louder, fueled by the wine tonight, as if she wanted to vent all the grievances and resentment she had bottled up inside.
Su Jue’s nose stung. He tightened his embrace and stroked her back over and over again.
When Deng Jing had cried herself out, Su Jue held her close and whispered in her ear, “Little Jing, I swear, I’ll take good care of myself. What happened last time won’t happen again.”
Deng Jing’s body stiffened slightly in his arms.
Su Jue said, “Give me a little more time. Once this project is done, I’ll never leave you and the child again.”
Deng Jing sniffled, stubbornly saying, “I’ll give you two more years. If you don’t come back by then, we’ll get a divorce.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them, afraid that Su Jue would push himself too hard for the sake of his work.
“Forget it,” she said. “There’s no point rushing work anyway. And if you don’t come back, I can’t get a divorce on my own.”
Su Jue was silent. He could only hold her tighter.
He had made promises so many times before that even he dared not offer another guarantee.
They held each other for a while. Deng Jing, finally coming out of her emotional outburst, suddenly felt a little embarrassed. She pushed him away. “I’ve gotten your clothes all dirty.”
Su Jue shook his head slightly. “It’s okay. I’ll just change.”
He paused. “Little Jing, you don’t need to be so formal with me.”
Deng Jing bit her lip. “We’ve been married for so many years, but the days we’ve spent together are far fewer than the days we’ve been apart. Isn’t it normal to feel a little distant?”
Su Jue was at a loss for words. “Later, after I come back, we’ll live like Xiao Lang and his wife do.”
Intimately, stickily close.
Deng Jing knew that her personality was different from Zhilan’s, and Su Jue was different from Xiao Lang. Their relationship didn’t have to mirror that of the other couple exactly.
But still…
Deng Jing pushed Su Jue again. “My face feels uncomfortable. Go get me a wet towel.”
“Okay.” Without another word, Su Jue got up and left.
When he returned, he not only brought a wet towel but also a glass of warm water.
Deng Jing took the water, lowering her eyes. “My legs are sore. Give me a massage.”
Su Jue hesitated for a moment before grasping her calf and kneading it. “Is this all right? I’m not very good at this. I’ll ask Zhilan to teach me another day.”
Deng Jing considered herself a “strong-willed” person.
Her strength lay in believing she could handle everything in life herself. She didn’t like bothering others, nor did she need help or care from anyone.
She also disliked showing off or standing out, and she never leveraged anyone else’s influence.
Her in-laws were well-off, and Su Jue earned a high salary, but she never mentioned it to her colleagues or friends.
That night at the guesthouse, Deng Jing had spoken her true feelings to Lin Zhilan.
She didn’t deny her deep love for Su Jue, but on the other hand, she still resented him.
Lin Zhilan had asked her if she’d ever thought about separating from Su Jue.
Deng Jing said no.
Even now, when Su Jue had aged and his health was failing, Deng Jing still loved him.
Like Lin Zhilan and the others, Deng Jing had more or less guessed the nature of Su Jue’s work.
She was proud of Su Jue on one hand, but on the other, she felt she wasn’t selfless enough.
These two states tormented her, making her feel uneasy.
They couldn’t solve the problems with Su Lang’s work, but Lin Zhilan had told Deng Jing that she was too considerate and that she ought to “demand” more.
Watching Su Jue massage her legs, Deng Jing wondered if this counted as “demanding” a bit more.
She pulled her leg back and asked Su Jue, “What are you smiling at?”
Su Jue just smiled faintly without answering. As long as Deng Jing asked him to do things for her, that made him happy.
Lin Zhilan, having drunk some wine, fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow.
When Su Lang came back from washing up, he found Su Li sitting behind his mom, playing with something.
Su Lang walked over and saw Su Li had messed up his mom’s hair—here a braid, there a tangle.
He quickly scooped Su Li up from the bed.
Su Li was lifted into the air, his limbs dangling limply, his expression innocent.
Su Lang glared at the little brat. “What are you doing messing with Mom’s hair?”
Su Li said matter-of-factly, “Making braids.”
Su Lang took a deep breath. “Watch out—Mom might make braids out of you one day.”
“Ha!” Su Li laughed, thinking it was fun.
Su Lang didn’t bother arguing. He laid Su Li down on his little bed.
Su Li twisted like an eel, trying to sit up again.
Su Lang covered him with the blanket. “Go to sleep, quick.”
“Sigh,” Su Li let out a long, adult-like sigh. “Every day boring.”
Su Lang ignored him and went to clean up the mess his son had made.
Lin Zhilan’s hair was long and thick, but it was soft and easy to manage.
Su Li had somehow tied many stubborn knots in it.
Su Lang carefully untangled each knot and combed it smooth before finishing.
Throughout the whole process, Lin Zhilan didn’t wake up once.
The warm glow of the lamp fell on her face, softening her features.
Her long lashes cast a small, fan-shaped shadow under her eyes, like butterfly wings.
Su Lang couldn’t resist and planted a kiss on his wife’s cheek.
“Me too!” Su Li, somehow out of bed again, knelt on his little bed and peered through the railings.
Su Lang, startled, said crossly, “You want what?”
Su Li gave a shy grin. “I want a kiss too.”
Su Lang kissed him perfunctorily on the cheek. “There, now go to sleep.”
Su Li whined, rubbed his chubby hand over the spot where he’d been kissed, and said, “I want Mommy’s kiss!”
Su Lang silently chanted “He’s my own” three times, then carried Su Li over to Lin Zhilan’s side.
Su Li leaned over and gave Lin Zhilan a loud smooch on the cheek.
“Happy now? Can you go to sleep?” Su Lang stared at him expressionlessly.
Su Li blinked. “Okay!”
Su Lang put him back in his little bed and wrapped him up in the blanket like a little dumpling.
Then he went to the door and turned off the light.
Finally, peace.
Su Lang returned to bed and pulled Lin Zhilan closer.
In her sleep, Lin Zhilan unconsciously snuggled against him and put an arm around his waist.
Su Lang was content with his wife’s unspoken dependence. But just as the corners of his mouth began to turn up, a mischievous voice came from the little bed.
“Daddy!”
Su Lang didn’t answer.
“Daddy!” Su Li called again, louder this time.
Su Lang massaged his forehead. “What now?”
Su Li said, “Pee!”
This kid really was a handful.
Su Lang gently moved his wife’s head off his shoulder, turned on the light, and carried Su Li outside to pee.
The exhausted father finally got his son taken care of—peeing, washing hands, and carrying him back.
The cold wind outside had perked Su Li up even more.
