A Peach Wood Comb

As soon as Zhou Yuqian left, Lai Hui regretted her sharp words, knowing it would make her days harder if she offended him. After finishing her chores, she quickly brewed a pot of Longjing tea and brought it to his study. She didn’t expect this pot of tea to touch Zhou Yuqian deeply, leaving him staring at the closed door long after the tea had cooled. People are strange creatures; getting clothes, newspapers, coffee, breakfast, and tea were all things Lai Hui used to do frequently, but he never felt moved, only thinking that since he paid, he deserved these amenities. Since deciding to divorce Li Yueqin and moving to Nanling, Lai Hui’s meticulous attention to these small matters made him start to reflect. Comparing, Li Yueqin, before marrying him, was a star, used to the most luxurious lifestyle; if she cooked a meal, she would expect praise for a long time before feeling satisfied, so despite only entering the kitchen two or three times a year, her kitchenware had to be the top tier, as if to justify her ‘hard work’. However, Lai Hui, perhaps due to her humble origins, only cared about the food being good, not about the pomp or the need for fancy tableware. This was not entirely true, as Li Yueqin wasn’t born into luxury either. Maybe it was a personality difference; Lai Hui, though vain, wearing CHANEL and TIFFANY outside, could also be content at home, reading or doing chores. Li Yueqin, on the other hand, was too lazy to even cut her own nails, always going to the salon when they grew long. Reflecting on their failed marriage, he realized it was because both were too competitive. Before marriage, Li Yueqin had painted a beautiful picture of their future life together: “I’ll give you a home, cook for you, wash your clothes, and raise our children.” And he had promised, “I will cherish you and our child.” The reality was, after marriage, Li Yueqin did wash his clothes and cook, but only for a month. He couldn’t stand her laziness, thinking she was a fraud, and would scold her, but she always had excuses to counter him, leading to inevitable conflicts over time. A sudden thought struck him: perhaps he had never truly experienced marital life. If Ru Lai and Xie Jiayi got married, she would definitely cook and do laundry for him with all her heart. That would be true marriage, wouldn’t it? This thought made him very uncomfortable, even somewhat jealous! Because Ru Lai did all these for him only for money! Why couldn’t he have someone who would genuinely cook for him?