Overdo

Susu harbored no reservations, simply saying, "It's been a long time, Mr. Zhuang." She then introduced Weiyi, "This is my former colleague, Mr. Zhuang." Having grown up with a Western education, Weiyi was naturally poised and gracious. Out of respect for her sister-in-law, she had always been courteous to her friends. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Susu and Weiyi left the park and returned home.

When Murong Qingyi returned from Ten Thousand Mountains, the family had already finished dinner. He instructed the servant, "Have the kitchen bring the meal to my room." As he spoke, he went upstairs. Susu was gazing out the window, lost in thought, and didn't notice his entrance. Tiptoeing up behind her, he was about to embrace her when he noticed tear stains at the corners of her eyes, as if she had been crying. He froze in surprise. Seeing him, Susu seemed startled and quickly stood up. He asked, "What's wrong? You were fine earlier."

Her heart ached intensely, but she forced a calm tone and said, "It's nothing. The weather is just hot, and I'm feeling a bit unwell from the summer heat." He noticed the sorrow and confusion in her eyes. When she saw him looking at her, she lowered her head, as if instinctively avoiding something. He pressed, "What exactly is the matter?" She managed a faint smile and repeated, "It's nothing, really nothing."

After finishing his meal, he went downstairs and happened to meet Weiyi carrying a cat out of the small parlor. He asked, "Weiyi, was your third sister-in-law at home all day today?" Weiyi replied, "In the afternoon, I went with her to try on clothes, and we also took a stroll in the park." Murong Qingyi asked, "Did you two go out alone, without any other friends?" Weiyi said, "Just the two of us." Then she added casually, "We ran into one of Third Sister-in-Law's former colleagues in the park. We exchanged a few words and then came home. We didn't go anywhere else."

Murong Qingyi asked, "A former colleague?" Weiyi, unaware of the underlying tensions, said, "I think his surname is Zhuang. According to Third Sister-in-Law, he used to be a colleague in the Dance Troupe." This sentence struck a raw nerve in him, an uncontrollable wound. So that's it, he thought to himself, so that's it.

She hadn't forgotten him. The moment she encountered him, she became so distressed—she truly hadn't forgotten. He had taken her by force, but in the end, he couldn't win her heart. She shed tears in secret and forced smiles, all for the sake of another man.

As Weiyi walked farther away, the faint meow of the cat in her arms sounded like a feather lightly brushing against the turmoil in his heart. He paced back and forth in the hallway, consumed by resentment—she remembered someone else, her tears were for someone else. What infuriated him even more was his own preoccupation; he was so jealous... She had given her heart to another, yet he cared and harbored such envy.

The house was spacious, and as night fell, it grew even quieter. Susu listened to the ticking of the antique clock, which reminded her of the Cold Leak described in books—drip by drip, chilling one to the core. Wearing soft satin slippers, she moved silently. Just as she reached the study door, which was slightly ajar, she overheard Murong Qingyi on the phone: "You go ahead first, I'll be right there." His tone was exceedingly gentle. Startled, she quickly retreated two steps and slowly made her way back to the room. A short while later, he indeed came in to change clothes. She had no intention of asking, but a faint glimmer of hope remained. "It's so late, are you still going out?"

He said, "I have official business." Then he added, "You go to sleep first. I won't be back tonight."She lowered her head. With just a light, casual remark, he had explained everything. Whether he returned or not, his heart was already gone—what difference did it make? She had always known happiness would never belong to her; she simply didn’t have that kind of luck. Heaven had merely toyed with her, letting her believe she had once possessed it, only to cruelly snatch everything away in an instant. He had given her the greatest happiness, then effortlessly destroyed it. Physical betrayal was only the beginning of the heart’s betrayal. To him, she was perhaps nothing more than a humble object—liked for her beauty, collected, grown tired of, and discarded. The days ahead would stretch into an endless expanse of darkness, a darkness forever yearning for a glimmer of light but never reaching it.

On the bedside table lay the discarded fan, its soft tassels draped over the pillow. The pillowcase was embroidered with Suzhou Embroidery of Twin Lotus flowers—pink blossoms with petals tenderly embracing the lotus heart, a symbol of perfect harmony for a hundred years. A hundred years—such a distant, unattainable luxury. "Fickle hearts change so easily"—though it wasn’t yet autumn, the once pure white fan had already faded and aged.

A beam of light swept past the window. She pressed her forehead against the window frame, the cold ironwork imprinting on her skin—it was his car turning away and leaving.

Huo Zongqi rushed to Duan Mountain as soon as he put down the phone. Lei Shaogong was off duty, and Cong Shaoxian was on watch. Seeing him standing under the corridor, Huo Zongqi asked, "Have they all arrived?" Cong Shaoxian nodded, and Huo Zongqi stepped inside. Murong Qingyi was seated there, a Western jigsaw puzzle spread before him, but he merely scooped up a handful of pieces and tossed them down with a clatter, only to grab another handful. Across from him sat Li Zheyan and Qin Liangxi. When Murong Qingyi noticed Huo Zongqi enter, he stood up and said, "Let’s go to the Card Room." They were old card partners, well-acquainted with each other’s styles. After several rounds, however, Murong Qingyi had lost the most. Li Zheyan, on a winning streak, laughed and said, "Third Young Master, it seems you won’t be able to turn your luck around today." Murong Qingyi replied, "It’s only three o’clock—don’t speak so definitively." Huo Zongqi chuckled, "When love is going well, Third Young Master, don’t expect to dominate the gambling table too. Leave some victories for the rest of us." Murong Qingyi retorted, "You all just love to talk. What success am I having?"

Qin Liangxi let out a hearty laugh and said, "Miss Yuan is quite beautiful, isn’t she?" Murong Qingyi shot back, "The more you explain, the more suspicious it sounds. I’m not falling for your tricks." But Huo Zongqi added, "Still, today’s situation is strange. Yesterday, the two of you left together in the same car, yet on such a fine day as this, you’re here playing cards with us. Could it be that Miss Yuan didn’t meet your expectations last night? No wonder you seem a bit out of sorts—and here I thought it was because you were losing."

Hearing Huo Zongqi’s suggestive remarks, Murong Qingyi couldn’t help but laugh. "Nonsense!" he exclaimed. Li Zheyan and Qin Liangxi could no longer contain themselves and burst into laughter.

Meanwhile, Weiyi happened to recall something and asked, "What has Third Brother been busy with lately? He used to seize every chance to come home, but I haven’t seen much of him recently."

Susu forced a smile and said, "He’s probably just busy."

Weiyi remarked, "Third Sister-in-law, you’ve been looking quite pale lately. You should have a doctor take a look." A faint blush touched Susu’s cheeks as she replied, "There’s no need. It’s just the hot weather—I haven’t had much appetite."

Just then, Jin Rui walked over and said, "Fourth Sister, you haven’t heard yet, have you? You’re about to become an aunt."Weiyi exclaimed, "Oh!" and said with a laugh, "How could you keep such a thing from me?" Susu lowered her head. Weiyi asked, "What about Third Brother? He’ll be overjoyed when he hears. Third Sister-in-law, what did he say?"

Susu replied softly, "Of course he was happy." It was rare for him to come home for dinner, so she had told him. At first, he had indeed been very pleased. But when she lowered her head, the smile on his face vanished in an instant, and he asked her, "Why aren’t you smiling? Aren’t you happy?" She had no choice but to force a smile and say, "Of course I’m happy." Yet even she could hear the dryness in her tone, the lack of sincerity. His voice grew low, "I understand."

She didn’t know what he understood, nor could she grasp the meaning behind his words. He turned away coldly, and she stared at him in alarm and urgency. The moment he showed displeasure, she instinctively wanted to retreat. She didn’t understand—what had she done wrong this time? She had been trying so hard, striving to be a good wife to him, but in just a few months, her efforts had already ended in utter failure. He was growing tired of her, and this weariness filled her with despair and panic. She endured it as best she could, never questioning his whereabouts. He came home less and less, and even when he did, he never spoke to her with any warmth. She had nothing—nothing but him—and now, he no longer wanted her.

Murong Qingyi hadn’t planned on returning, but after dinner, he received a call from Weiyi: "Third Brother, no matter how busy you are, you must come home. Third Sister-in-law isn’t feeling well today—she didn’t even eat." He thought he could remain indifferent, but in the end, he felt restless inside. Avoiding her seemed like a way to forget, but once he came to his senses, her image still lingered in his thoughts.

He didn’t arrive home until after midnight. Susu was already asleep. It was rare for her to sleep so soundly that she didn’t even stir when he entered the room. A dim nightlight glowed in the bedroom, casting shadows across her face. Even in her dreams, she was frowning. He stood there, watching her from a distance. Her unhappiness was because of him. In truth, he had long known that she hadn’t wanted to marry him—it was merely out of resignation and a sense of duty. So, from time to time, she would drift into melancholy reverie. She didn’t care about him, not in the slightest. He had deliberately tested her by giving her the cold shoulder, yet he hadn’t heard a single word of complaint from her—she didn’t love him, so his indifference meant nothing to her. His heart ached with a numbness he had never known. He had never felt so powerless. She didn’t want his love, so she didn’t care about him.

Even when she became pregnant, she only showed a faint trace of worry. Her lack of happiness drove him mad. Every night, thoughts like venomous snakes gnawed at his heart. She simply didn’t love him. He loved her so deeply, yet she felt nothing for him. He had lost everything, utterly defeated, and could only cling to his pride as a last resort. He thought he could easily ignore her, but the moment he returned home and saw her face, his self-deception shattered into pieces.