She was always wasting her life.
Her trembling hands reached the window frame, her near-transparent face entering the sunlight, her colorless lips moving with indistinct moans…
“Save me… Someone save me… Save me.”
The light streaming through the window completely surrounded her, and she simply covered her face, weeping silently.
The maid said the phone was for the master, who wanted to speak with her. In other words, her husband, who was almost a stranger yet should have been the closest, wanted to talk to her?
She nervously picked up the receiver, barely whispering “Hello” before falling silent, like a schoolchild waiting to be scolded by a strict teacher.
Fortunately, the man on the other end was well aware and did not expect a precise response. Knowing she had answered, he issued his instructions (no communication needed, as he already knew she had no understanding of such):
“Susu, this is Tang Hua. I hope what I’m about to say won’t trouble you. This should have been discussed face-to-face, but I believe meeting would make you uncomfortable, so I’m not doing that.” After a pause, Tang Hua, ensuring her full attention, spoke word by word: “I want a divorce. The lawyer Wang will explain the details. But first: First, you don’t need to leave where you’re currently living. Second, besides the 7 million your parents left you, I’ll transfer 300,000 to your account monthly for your expenses, accumulating to 1 million, which I’ll put in fixed deposits or investment funds, with monthly financial reports. You can also see Xuexiao once a month, if you wish. If you have any questions, speak with Lawyer Wang. Okay?” Finally, he finished his decision, asking with little room for consultation.
Seven years of marriage had never truly communicated with her. She would always respond with panicked eyes, hastily shifting her gaze elsewhere, let alone provide her own opinion. She could say nothing, would say nothing.
As expected, she gave no response. He raised a self-mocking smile. What was he expecting? That beautiful, otherworldly woman would always be a wooden doll, unchanging, never understanding him. She would only fear him, avoiding him like a criminal.
“Well, goodbye. I know you don’t want to see me, so I won’t come to Taichung.”
The phone disconnected.
Not particularly emotional, not necessarily misunderstanding what divorce meant. Xiao Susu simply hung up the phone, without any “once upon a sea” feelings, unable to generate too much grief. Moreover, she perhaps did not love Tang Hua.
The marriage had been based on her parents’ guarantee that he would love her, which she had accepted. In reality, it was her parents’ overestimation, her cognitive error, and his being used to complete a marriage. Using a young man infatuated to the point of confusion to take on a protective task. What he received was not a wife, but a large girl in swaddling clothes.
It was not surprising that two people who should not have been together became resentful spouses. She had not thought about it before, did not need to think. Now truly alone, with no one to rely on, the road ahead seemed so long.
Dad… Mom…
How much she missed them. Six years of grief was a pain that could not be removed. No one could save her, no one…
Outside the gate, a commotion gradually became clear, as if Driver Huang was arguing with someone. She lifted her head from her palm, her low spirits making her want to retreat into her room. Any external disturbance meant nothing to her except for disrupting her peace.
Housekeeper Chen quickly approached, putting down the juice and reporting:
“Madam, there’s a very aggressive charity worker outside who insists we donate money right now. He’s been arguing for quite a while. Should we ask the boss about this? These donation collectors are even more intimidating than thugs these days.” She clearly indicated that no one could handle this uninvited guest.
“He… will get angry,” she said softly.
“Yes, the boss hates being disturbed at work. If only our Ah Zhi were here, we wouldn’t be afraid of any argument!” She sighed.
Just as she was sighing, the half-closed living room door was suddenly pushed open violently, slamming against the wall and bouncing back, nearly hitting the intruder’s face. Fortunately, the person was prepared, stopping the door’s rebound with a delicate jade-like arm. Before the door-slamming sound could dominate, a loud, resonant voice filled every corner of the living room.
“Hey! Blocking me is useless! I’ve come three times, and not getting donations seems unreasonable. I told you I’m the boss’s wife’s friend—” She paused, seeing the pale, fragile beauty, and her voice added a hint of surprise: “Xiao Susu! You haven’t changed at all, still so pale and petite. And you really live in Taichung!”
Taking two or three large steps to the beautiful woman, she introduced herself:
“I’m Du Feifan, your classmate from five-year specialized school.”
“I… remember you.” Du Feifan was her classmate, also a campus celebrity back then – sociable, capable, with excellent grades, a versatile talent. Her only flaw was never focusing on one thing. So during her five years of student life, she didn’t have many remarkable achievements. Xiao Susu was actually surprised she could leave such a deep impression, as she often took leave and had little interaction with classmates.
“Madam, she…” Driver Huang, out of breath, pointed at the intruder, unable to complete a sentence.
“She’s my classmate, don’t worry,” she said.
“But she’s determined to raise funds. The boss won’t be happy. She has an agenda,” he insisted, determined to protect the madam’s safety and prevent anyone with ulterior motives from entering this small castle.
“Don’t worry, if I want donations, I’ll go to Taipei to ask Mr. Tang. I won’t target my classmate. Today, I’m just meeting an old friend. Is that okay?” Du Feifan’s gaze had long been fixed on the beautiful woman in plain clothes.
Xiao Susu felt uncomfortable being stared at, lowering her stunning face, feeling awkward and shy about interacting with outsiders. Passively waiting for others to speak, being a good listener was her only expertise.
She had always enjoyed her parents’ meticulous care, never thinking about whether life outside might be better, or whether being close to classmates would be interesting. She was content and satisfied, dependent on her parents. But Du Feifan’s vibrant personality first sparked a sense of envy in her heart.
She had never seen anyone so active that both classmates and teachers admired her, seemingly being the first to handle and coordinate any big or small matters in class. She was popular, and everyone liked her, but she wasn’t the typical smiley, well-behaved girl. Sometimes she could be quite sharp and caustic, her face often cold and almost smiling. So everyone liked her, but no one dared to joke with her too freely.
She wasn’t a pushover; she was smart, calm, and passionate about her work. Strange, yet commanding respect.
Therefore, throughout her student years, Du Feifan was the only one who left a deep impression on her. In her heart, she secretly thought of Du Feifan as a “heroine” – like those legendary figures from ancient times who fought injustice but never made a fuss, doing good deeds without seeking publicity.
Suddenly, Du Feifan’s eyes met her gaze, which she couldn’t dodge in time. She was startled, quickly lowering her eyes and nervously wringing her hands.
Du Feifan looked at her, feeling her meddlesome urge rising again. God knows when she would ever cure this habit.
“Let’s chat,” she suggested.
“Ah?”
“When talking to someone, the first thing is to look them in the eye, to make them feel respected.”
The startled doe-like eyes glanced up briefly, then dropped again.
