Xu Miyu braked at the intersection. She had been smoothly following the traffic flow, with all the cars ahead passing through the crossing without issue. But just as it was her turn, the light abruptly turned red.
It felt like some kind of metaphor.
Xu Miyu gripped the steering wheel, watching the red light countdown.
Earlier in the café, she had accused Lu Zhenzhen of bluffing, but wasn't she doing the same thing?
Talking as if she really had Nie Yucheng figured out.
A sudden blare of horns from behind startled her awake like a siren.
Snapping back to reality, she saw the red light countdown had long ended, and the green light was now blinking cheerfully. The road ahead was clear and unobstructed. Yet it seemed to have nothing to do with her.
As she stepped on the accelerator, Xu Miyu caught a glimpse of what looked like a chocolate shop by the roadside. It had been so long since she last ate chocolate. Back when she was single and feeling sad or helpless, she would secretly buy a small piece to eat. It was like an energy bar that could quickly restore her strength to face life's challenges.
Remembering how dopamine could make people happy, she made a U-turn at the next intersection, parked by the roadside, went into the shop, and bought fifteen to twenty pieces of dark chocolate to bring home.
Sitting on the living room carpet, nibbling on the chocolate piece by piece, she told herself that all her sorrow and pain would soon be counteracted by this dark, bitter thing—this black stuff was an eraser for unhappiness.
Thinking this way, she indeed seemed to feel less pain.
In the afternoon, Xu Miyu received another call from Jiao Xiumei.
Jiao Xiumei repeated the same old tune, urging her to quickly secure control over Nie Yucheng, "So you can buy your brother a house! You two are the same age—you've been married for six years, but your brother still doesn't know what a woman tastes like. Isn't he pitiful?"
Xu Miyu had had enough. She bluntly told Jiao Xiumei, "Listen up, Ms. Jiao Xiumei, I can't deal with your precious son right now. Your son-in-law is having an affair!"
She thought her mother, upon hearing this bombshell, would at least stand on her side. Even if she couldn't come in person to defend her, she would surely scold the outrageous son-in-law.
But Jiao Xiumei said, "An affair? That's perfect! Now Nie Yucheng has a weakness in your hands. Seize this chance and pressure him into buying your brother a house!"
Xu Miyu was utterly shocked. She raised her voice and asked Jiao Xiumei, "All you ever think about is Xu Mibao. Have you ever considered me?"
Unfortunately, Jiao Xiumei wasn't having any of it. She retorted even louder, "Little Spare, I worked hard to raise you. How much extra did the family have to pay in fines because of you when you were little? Even then, I didn't abandon you, sell you, or starve you to death. And you ask if I've ever considered you? I should have strangled you back then to save the family some money and rice! Oh, speaking of rice, your brother is waiting hungry for me to cook. I won't say more. Think carefully about what I just told you. Don't be foolish. I'll wait for your news..."
Before she could finish her last sentence, Xu Miyu ended the call.
She thought she shouldn't have answered Jiao Xiumei's call in the first place. Her mother had only made her mood exponentially worse.
She tore open the chocolate wrapper and ate it fiercely, bite by bite.
In the evening, Nie Yucheng returned home.
When he came back, Xu Miyu was curled up on the carpet, asleep. Beside her lay a scattering of chocolate wrappers.The tinfoil had been torn into tiny pieces by her, with a small pile faintly pieced together into the shape of a heart. It looked just like her shattered heart.
Nie Yucheng felt an overwhelming surge of heartache and tenderness.
He tiptoed to the sofa, crouched down, and bent over.
Gently, and with great care, he lifted Xu Miyu into his arms.
He carried her toward the bedroom.
As they passed through the hallway, Xu Miyu woke up. Nie Yucheng lowered his head and met her gaze.
Her eyes were dark and bright, staring fixedly at him. They were calm, yet filled with hidden pain.
His heart contracted sharply. At this moment, he clearly realized that no matter how tender the temptations outside were, no matter how comforting they felt, he still loved the woman in his arms.
She looked at him with her dark, bright eyes, and when she spoke, her voice was faintly hoarse.
She said, "Put me down."
Then she added, "Let's talk, Yucheng."
The two of them sat side by side on the living room sofa.
It was too quiet. Xu Miyu turned on the television, tuning to any channel as long as it made some noise, so the atmosphere wouldn't feel so stiff and awkward.
The channel she randomly selected was a shopping network. After the host finished selling a pot, a phone, and a limited-edition jewelry set—originally priced at 88,888 but now only 998—with exaggerated enthusiasm, Xu Miyu and Nie Yucheng still hadn't spoken.
They were both intently watching the TV shopping program.
The next product appeared: chocolate.
Xu Miyu finally found an opportunity to break the silence. She handed Nie Yucheng a piece of the dark chocolate she had bought during the day.
Nie Yucheng took the chocolate, turned to look at her, and hesitated slightly.
He never ate snacks or things like that.
"Eat it. It's dark chocolate. It contains dopamine, which can make you happy."
Hearing this, Nie Yucheng peeled off the gold foil wrapper, took a bite, and immediately frowned.
"It's bitter."
Xu Miyu looked at him and finally smiled faintly. "Such a grown man, still afraid of bitterness. Only after bitterness comes sweetness."
After she said this, both of them froze for a moment.
Shared, sweet memories surfaced in the space between their gazes.
It was not long after they got married. Nie Yucheng had returned from a business trip with a cold and a sore throat but refused to take medicine.
When Xu Miyu asked him why he wouldn't take it, he frowned and said, "It's bitter."
Xu Miyu burst out laughing, her eyes curving into crescents, and coaxed him, "Such a grown man, still afraid of bitterness. Only after bitterness comes sweetness."
Just looking at her smiling eyes, he already felt sweetness welling up in his heart. After obediently taking the medicine, he suddenly pulled her into his arms and kissed her.
There was still a faint aftertaste of the bitter medicine in his mouth, but it was quickly overwhelmed by the sweetness of that kiss.
After a brief moment of daze, Nie Yucheng felt a surge of emotion. Unable to help himself, he leaned toward Xu Miyu, intending to kiss her lips.
Just as the sweet kiss after bitterness was about to transcend time and reappear, Xu Miyu slightly turned her head away. Nie Yucheng's lips landed on her cheek.
A tear was sliding down her cheek and fell into Nie Yucheng's mouth—bitter and astringent.
Nie Yucheng straightened up, frustrated and dejected.
Xu Miyu raised her hand to wipe away the tear, along with the trace of Nie Yucheng's kiss there. When she looked at Nie Yucheng again, she gave him a determined smile.
Then she asked him, "There's something I've always wanted to ask you. Back then, what was it about me that you liked?"
Nie Yucheng looked into her moist, bright eyes—so pure, so clear, just like when they first met.It was a university mixer held within the same city. He was a top student from a prestigious university—academically excellent and handsome—drawing much attention at the event.
In contrast, she was a struggling student from a third-rate college next door, dragged along by her college friend Li Qiaoqi just to make up the numbers.
At the mixer, he grew somewhat annoyed as people kept crowding around to talk to him. So he deliberately slipped away to a secluded corner in the shade, hoping for some quiet.
Unexpectedly, someone was already there in the shade. When they came face to face, he saw it was a girl.
But she seemed even more uneasy than he was. Even though he was the one who arrived later, she acted as if she had intruded into someone else’s space, filled with self-blame and guilt.
She apologized while offering him a charming smile. When she smiled, her eyes curved into crescents, the corners of her lips lifting into a lovely angle, revealing neat, white teeth—an indescribably sweet and beautiful sight. It was the kind of smile that could capture hearts, making you want to cherish her for no reason at all.
She immediately stood up to leave, intending to leave the quiet space for him alone. Yet, breaking his usual habit of keeping a distance from girls, he actually spoke up to stop her.
“You don’t have to go. It’s fine if we both stay here.”
So she stayed, but she seemed even more uneasy than before.
To ease her own discomfort, she took the initiative to chat with him.
He noticed that every word she spoke seemed to hit exactly what he enjoyed hearing—flattering, gentle, and quite amusing. She was a girl who cared deeply about others’ feelings.
Originally, he had only planned to sit quietly there for a little while, but unexpectedly, he ended up staying for a long time.
As they were about to part, the girl took a chocolate candy from her pocket and handed it to him, saying, “Did you come here to hide because you were upset? Here, eat this, and you’ll feel happier. I originally saved it to boost my own courage, but now I’ll give it to you!”
Later, lying on his dormitory bed, he ate that chocolate candy. It was very sweet, just like her crescent-eyed smile.
He regretted not insisting on asking for her name or contact information before they parted.
When he asked her name at the mixer, she always evaded the question, unwilling to say.
But fortunately, with enough determination, everything leaves traces.
He asked around, through layers and layers of intermediaries, until he finally reached the classmate named Li Qiaoqi who had brought her to the mixer that day.
Then, through Li Qiaoqi, he finally found her.
At first, whenever he asked her out for a meal, she always had some reason or another to decline.
Initially, he thought the girl probably wasn’t interested in him. In that case, he saw no point in pestering her, so he gave up.
But the more he thought about it, the more unwilling he became. Even if she wasn’t interested, she should at least give him a clear answer face to face.
So he went to her school and insisted on meeting her.
Throughout their meeting, she kept her head down, her face flushed.
If she said she wasn’t interested in him while looking so shy, he wouldn’t believe it even if he were beaten to death.
So why was she avoiding him?
Gradually, he began to understand.
The girl felt insecure about her family background and was ashamed in front of him.
So he encouraged her to talk about what kind of family she came from.
Hesitantly, she told him it was a rural family that heavily favored sons over daughters.She said she had two older sisters, and her parents risked violating birth control policies just to have a son. Fortunately, the third pregnancy finally produced a boy, but it was twins—a boy and a girl. Her parents considered the girl superfluous, so they called her "Little Surplus." From childhood, she had little presence at home. She longed for attention, but causing trouble wasn’t an option—that would only earn her resentment and a beating. She could only rely on being sensible, smiling, and trying hard to please others. Even so, she remained largely overlooked in her family. She said how much she wished for her family’s attention and affirmation.
She also mentioned that their family followed the genealogy for naming; children of her generation used the character "Mi." Since her parents usually called her "Little Surplus," when registering her household, her name was directly recorded as Xu Miyu.
So whenever someone asked her name, she was always reluctant to answer. Because her name constantly reminded her that she was superfluous.
After she finished speaking, his pity for her surged overwhelmingly.
No wonder she had hesitated to tell him her name. For her, it was a reminder of being unwanted.
No wonder she always considered others’ feelings first when speaking, always saying things people liked to hear. Because if she didn’t, her presence at home might diminish even further, with even less attention paid to her.
Learning about her family background made him want to be with her even more.
He helped her change her name to Xu Miyu. From then on, she was no longer superfluous—she was his "cautious words and sweet talk."
So, looking back, how did he come to like her back then?
Perhaps his initial fondness and love stemmed precisely from that pity for her family circumstances.
"I liked you back then because you were pure, good-tempered, always smiling and making people happy wherever you went. No one could stay angry with you," Nie Yucheng said, looking into Xu Miyu’s eyes as he answered her question. "After learning about your family situation, I felt even more heartbroken for you." I wanted to give you a sense of belonging, help you change, alter your family’s attitude toward you, and provide you with a good life and happiness."
At this point, Nie Yucheng’s voice grew hoarse, choked with emotion.
It was clearly his own choice from the start—he had chosen to face her family together with her.
But he broke his promise; he grew tired and weary, couldn’t take it anymore, and sought solace elsewhere. He felt his life was truly ironic—initially, it was precisely because of her family that he had pitied and loved her more, yet now he had betrayed her out of disdain for that same family.
As his voice choked up, Xu Miyu spoke with a smile.
She smiled gratefully, her eyes reddening with emotion.
"Yes, because of you, I truly lived a few years of happiness and a good life. During these years, my family started to take me seriously. When I spoke to them, I could stand taller. My parents and siblings, who used to overlook me, began praising and affirming me from time to time. All of this is thanks to you, Yucheng. Thank you, and I’m sorry for all your efforts."
Hearing these words that sounded like a farewell, Nie Yucheng felt a sharp pain in his heart. Unable to control himself, he pulled Xu Miyu into his embrace. He didn’t let her see that he was crying, but his heavy nasal tone betrayed him.He held her tightly, his voice choked with emotion as he whispered, "Miyu, I was foolish. Please forgive me this time. I want to build a proper life with you. I can't bear the thought of never tasting your cooking again, of returning exhausted from work to an empty house without you, with no one to give me massages anymore!"
Nie Yucheng's voice grew thick with nasal congestion, turning hoarse: "I was wrong—I can't live without you! Without you managing the household, caring for my daily needs, finding ways to cheer me up, keeping track of my parents' health, and always considering their well-being, how bleak, dull, and chaotic would my life become?"
He sniffled hard, struggling to contain his sobs: "The moment I imagine that future, my heart feels hollow. You've been so good to me, taken such devoted care of me, but because these acts were so routine, I started taking them for granted. Their value gradually faded from my awareness, and I began fixating only on what I'd done for your family. Yet the thought of losing these seemingly ordinary daily comforts made me realize how precious they truly are! This home wasn't sustained by my efforts alone—you contributed far more, but we both treated it as a given. Miyu, give me another chance. I was wrong, and I still love you deeply! This time I won't be weak anymore, I won't seek escape through infidelity. From now on, I'll face your family's matters together with you, alright?"
Xu Miyu rested her chin on Nie Yucheng's shoulder. Tears streamed down her cheeks like twin rivers. This was the first time Nie Yucheng had ever acknowledged her contributions and value to their home.
Under normal circumstances, this recognition would have brought her comfort and satisfaction, but now it only deepened her anguish and resentment.
Did it really require an affair to earn this belated understanding?
Her heart trembled with each sob, yet she replied in a calm voice: "Let me think about it."
Xu Miyu tried earnestly to reconnect with Nie Yucheng as they once were—just the two of them, with no third person between them; she struggled to restore their marriage to its original state, erasing the stain of his infidelity.
But deep down, Xu Miyu knew nothing could ever be the same. What had happened could not be undone.
During these days of attempting reconciliation, whenever Nie Yucheng returned late, Xu Miyu would uncontrollably succumb to suspicion and doubt.
When Nie Yucheng tried to embrace or kiss her, she always found excuses to evade him. In her heart, she felt he was tainted.
They conversed cautiously as before, both treading carefully to avoid touching each other's vulnerabilities and sensitive topics.
Nie Yucheng carefully avoided any criticism of Jiao Xiumei. Xu Miyu suppressed all her burning curiosity, restraining herself from asking: How did it start with her? How long had it been going on?
But these unasked questions didn't vanish like dust in the wind. They transformed into sharp thorns, rising between Xu Miyu and Nie Yucheng. Whenever they tried to draw closer, these thorns pierced them until they bled.
Until one evening, when Nie Yucheng informed Xu Miyu he was working overtime and would return late. Then Xu Miyu received a photo message from Lu Zhenzhen—a picture containing both Lu Zhenzhen and Nie Yucheng.
Xu Miyu finally broke.
The next day, she shut off the home's power supply and told Nie Yucheng: "There's a blackout. Maybe we should stay at a hotel tonight—we can't shower or use the bathroom at home."
Nie Yucheng agreed, "Alright, whatever you say."Before heading out, he carried a bag and told Xu Miyu that the items inside were specially bought for her after work, hoping to cheer her up, and he would give them to her once they reached the hotel.
Downstairs, Xu Miyu said, "I'll drive." Then she drove Nie Yucheng directly to the Sway Hotel.
She walked to the front desk and told the receptionist, "Please check me into room 1314. I reserved it over the phone earlier."
Nie Yucheng stood by in stunned silence, watching her handle everything.
After receiving the key card, Xu Miyu smiled at Nie Yucheng and said, "Let's go."
Her expression was calm as she led the way to the elevator area.
But in reality, she was distracted, nearly bumping into several people along the way.
By the time they reached the elevator area, she almost stepped on the foot of someone who had just stepped out of the elevator.
Nie Yucheng quickly wrapped his arms around her from behind, pulling her away from the person. He held her without letting go and apologized on her behalf. She kept her head down, grinding her teeth silently.
She was afraid that if she spoke, she would lose the courage to say what she needed to later.
She had to solidify her resolve now, making it unshakable and irreversible.
Ji Feng, accompanied by his assistant Xue Rui, had just stepped out of the elevator when he nearly had his foot stepped on by a careless woman.
Although someone had pulled her aside in time and he wasn’t actually stepped on, his good mood was already ruined.
Lately, it seemed he kept running into the kind of women who annoyed him, as if he were cursed.
Taking a closer look, he almost let out a cold laugh.
It was truly bizarre—this careless woman turned out to be the very one he had encountered before, the one who disgusted him.
Now she stood with the husband she had cheated on, the man holding her while apologizing to him. She kept her head down, looking like a timid, bashful wife.
He gave them a cold glance, said nothing, and walked away with Xue Rui.
His assistant muttered under his breath, "Mr. Ji, did you notice? That was actually that woman! It seems she’s forgiven her cheating husband. But she doesn’t look very happy."
Hearing this, Ji Feng couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh.
He spoke, his tone dripping with undisguised contempt.
"If she can forgive cheating, she’s willingly sinking into that filth. If she’s unhappy, she brought it on herself."
After saying this, he shot a cold glance at his assistant.
The assistant immediately realized he had spoken out of turn again and quickly fell silent, hurrying to keep up with his boss’s pace.
He knew his perfectionist boss was skilled at spotting others’ flaws, always armed with sarcasm and disdain, with little tolerance for many things. And what he despised most were messy emotional entanglements in relationships, especially cases where one partner cheated and the other refused to divorce—he would thoroughly scorn and mock such situations whenever he encountered them.
Xu Miyu swiped the key card to open room 1314.
After inserting the power card and turning on the lights, she entered the room. Seeing the large bed, her heart ached. She turned to face Nie Yucheng, who looked worried, confused, and guilty, too afraid to ask questions lightly.
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