Nuptial Chamber Next Door

“ How is Yu Yin?”

Maybe the question was too unexpected. Ye Zhengchen was silent for some time, then looked closely at me.

I jumped in again, “ I heard you guys got married. Congratulations!”

Ye Zhengchen froze for a moment, then spoke clearly, “I did not marry her. At that time, the situation was such that I had no choice..”

‘I did not marry her’, these words echoed in my head over and over again.

If only I had heard this sentence three years ago, things may have been different…

Unfortunately, at that time , there was nothing he could tell me. He could only watch as my heart broke when one lie after another was exposed.

Now he was telling me the truth, but how could I answer ?

We had gone so much ahead now. How could we go back to the past now?

We could only blame our own fates that we had met the wrong people at the wrong time.

I had no regrets anymore. It was all in the past. All I wanted now was that Zhong Tim would not suffer in the interrogation room.

As for anything else, I dared not think about it.

The pretty waitress knocked at the door and came in with a spicy chicken dish and two bowls. She placed them on the table.

We kept looking silently at her

She glanced at us and then went out.

“ Girl, I missed you terribly in the last three years!”

In one sentence, he had brought back the feeling of intense longing I used to feel for him.

I smiled, but it felt fake.

“ What is it that you want to ask me?”

I breathed in deeply and said, “ Even if your marriage with Yu Yin is fake, isn’t it true that you shared the same bed with her for the last three years?”

Before I had finished my sentence, Ye Zhengchen slammed his cup down on the table, causing the hot tea to spill on his hand

“ Who told you this ? Yu Yin?” He clenched his hand in a fist and barked out angrily, “ You even believed such absurd stuff?”

I looked at my cup, the tea in it was trembling

“Why would you prefer to believe whatever she says, but decide not to trust me?”

He sounded gloomy and upset now.

“ It’s not that I believe her and not you”, I sighed “ In this world, I don’t believe anyone…”

This was the lesson he had taught me, one that I was never going to forget.

He looked out of the window, taking a moment to calm down.

“ I was only working with her. There was nothing else between us but work.”

I didn’t say anything. Instead, I stared at the diamond ring on my finger.

He looked down and followed my gaze to look at the ring as well

The ice blue light refracted from the diamond. I did not understand how a piece of coal could turn to something so beautiful.

Right! This was because it had gone through millions of cuts and millions of polishing.

Now it represented eternal commitment.

He took the watch from the table and put it in his pocket.

After eating a tasteless lunch, Ye Zhengchen dropped me back to my residence. He didn’t speak at all on the way. When I got off the car, I told him, “ I will go back to the Nanjing. Let me know if there is any news about Zhong Tim.”

Suddenly, he grabbed my hand. His grip was so strong that the ring cut into my finger causing me pain. I clenched my mouth

I didn’t pull out my hand but he released me. “ Don’t worry. I will find a way to get your fiancé off.”

“Thank you !”

********** **********

Back in the hotel room, I lay down on the bed and gazed at the ceiling

Was it true that the relationship between Yu Yin and him was only work-related?

I remember, when I had just come back from Japan, I saw some photos of Qin Xue on a social media website. All my friends from the apartment were in those photos, playing and frolicking about. I became quite emotional while seeing this

Brother Feng and Mrs Feng looked so loving, the two looked quite blissful.

Ling Ling also had a man with her. She was laughing, her cheeks blushing, while the man bowed down to remove leaves from her hair..

Qin Xue also had a boyfriend. He was very handsome and looked a bit like Ye Zhengchen from some angles.

When I moved to the next photo, I saw Ye Zhengchen… A wave of distress rose in my heart but in the very next moment, I saw Yu Yin and all my feelings disappeared.

I numbly pressed the button to see the next picture and the next one..

My hands froze

On the screen, there was a beautiful photo of Yu Yin’s residence. It was a warmly decorated home with flowers everywhere.

Colorful candles were lit and placed on a strawberry cake. Everyone was gathered round the table , probably to sing ‘Happy Birthday’. Ye Zhengchen was slightly bent, whispering something to Yu Yin.

Yu Yin was holding a large bouquet of roses.

There was a slight trace of an evil smile on Ye Zhengchen’s face.

I forgot how long I kept staring at the photo. I even forgot to blink, causing my eyes to water.

Qin Xue was online. I messaged her : How are you ?

Qin Xue:  Haven’t seen you for a long time

Me : Just saw the photo of your boyfriend. He is really handsome!

Qin Xue : Fortunately, he is also studying medicine

My hand was on the keyboard. My brain was completely blank. I realised I had already typed the follwong line : How is Ye Zhengchen?

I wanted to recall it, but it was already too late.

She told me that not long after I left, Ye Zengchen had moved in with another woma called Yu Yin. She was the woman in the photo. She was beautiful and had a noble temperament. This time, Ye Zhengchen seemed to have really fallen in love with her.

She also told me that they were often seen together in the campus, in the supermarket and in the library. She had also heard that they had married.

Looking at the computer screen, my whole body felt drained of any energy. I wanted to cry but there were no tears…

That night, I had a terrible dream. I dreamt that I had returned to my apartment in Osaka. I leaned against the wall separating my apartment from ye Zhengchen’s. From the other side of the wall, I could hear Yu Yin moaning and screaming.

Every time she called his name, “ Chen..”, I would use my nails to draw a tally mark on the wall. Over and over, I would do this till my hands were bloody and my nails were ripped…

When I woke up the next day, I immediately dialled Ling ling.

After my repeated questioning, Ling Ling told me , “ What Qin Xue said was true. He has a girlfriend.. the two of them have been living together for a long time.”

“ Oh”. I didnt know what to say.

Ling Ling went on to give me a lot of advice, but I didn’t hear a word.

I hung up the phone and walked out of the door.

In the deep winter, I sat under the old elm tree in the garden outside. I was only wearing a thin sweater, but I didnt feel the cold

People kept looking at me, probably thinking I was crazy.

Even I felt that I had gone mad. Why else would I still continue to harbour illusions about Ye Zhengchen?

I had been fooled so many times , but I still thought that his feelings for me were true. I still believed that after three years, his commitment to me would become real.

…… …

My heart was completely frozen when a warm coat was placed on me. Someone came and sat next to me

“ Uncle told me you had gone to work early this morning but the people at the hospital told me that they hadn’t seen you all day…. I guessed you were here.”

I wanted to speak but my lips were numb

“ You still come here when you are in a bad mood?”

His large palm held my hands and rubbed them gently.

“ It’s for that man, right?”

I shook my head

“ He isn’t worth it.”

He continued to rub my hand. “ It’s still not too late now.”

“ Love is an illusion. Unforgettable love is a lie.”

“Infatuation, passion burning like a hot fire, all of this is fleeting.”

I was amazed.

“ There is only one thing that is true and lasting…affection.”

I nodded. The respect and affection between my parents was true and everlasting.

“ Love is not maintained by romance and passion..”Zhong Tim patted my shoulders, “ our parents genuinely care for each other. This is what will last.”

His arms made me feel comfortable, not like someone else’s arms which made me feel so much volatile emotion.

…… …

In time, I had seen many couples face life and death, or genuine grief of having lost a loved one and frankly, I agreed with what Zhong Tim said.

The real family was one that depended on each other.

Passionate love could only be maintained in the human body for one year. After a year, the passion was no longer hot. But the love within a family would only become stronger.

I thought this was why Yu Yin was willing to indulge ye Zhengchen. There was no passion between them, but they had love and respect for each other.

Two years later, one morning, with not a hint of romance, Zhong Tim suddenly took my hand and simply said, “ Let’s get married.”

I smiled at the man in front of me.

When he held my hand, my heart did not beat rapidly. But I knew of his dedication and loyalty and I could not bear to refuse him.

I asked him, “ Don’t you need a ring before you propose to me?”

He immediately took out a ring from his pocket and put it on my finger.

“ I have been prepared for a long time…”

I knew that my heart was dead; that I would never be tempted by another man. But that was first love! My feelings for Zhong Tim were pure and uncomplicated.

I thought that these feelings would gradually trickle down and heal my heart.

I never thought that Ye Zhengchen would come back, and that when he held my hand, the old wounds would come to the surface again…