It was already dark. The streetlights outside the humble little house cast a flickering glow on Zhuang Nainai’s face. It was as though it was reflecting her inner turmoil.
He… was sick?
A gush of worry suddenly swept over her.
She stood rooted to the spot, gazing into the distance. She realized as she thought about him that all that was left in her heart was pain.
She pursed her lips, then lowered her head. She brushed past Butler Li, then opened the door with her key. She said monotonously, “Uncle Li, I’m no longer Mrs. Si.”
She was no longer Mrs. Si. She had already broken up with him. So what right did she have to visit him when he was sick?
Since they had ended their relationship, she had to break everything off cleanly.
Upon seeing how unsettled Zhuang Nainai was, Uncle Li could not help but say anxiously, “But Sir…”
“His matters have nothing to do with me,” Zhuang Nainai said resolutely, then walked into her room. She closed the door, causing Uncle Li to hold back the words on the tip of his tongue.
Uncle Li stared at the door, his mouth ajar. Then, he snapped it shut.
Zhuang Nainai closed the door and walked into the kitchen. She took out the leftovers from yesterday and heated them up. She cooked some noodles and had only taken a few bites when she heard the engine of a car starting up outside. Then, she stopped eating for a moment.
When she was sure that Uncle Li had left, she lowered her eyes. But as she stared at the remaining amount of noodles in her bowl, she suddenly lost her appetite. She paused, stood up, and poured the noodles down the sink. Then, she washed her bowl and walked into her room. Without taking off her clothes, she lay down on her bed and closed her eyes.
She had spent the day cleaning in the office. After she had gotten off work, she had traveled to see her two babies. She was exhausted.
But her mind was strangely awake, like it had been the past couple of days. She closed her eyes and lay down for half an hour, but she could not seem to fall sleep.
She sat up, picked up her sleeping pills, swallowed two of them, then lay down.
Two hours later, she sat up. She put on her shoes and picked up a bag, then ran out.
She flagged down a cab outside her house.
The driver asked, “Lady, where to?”
After Zhuang Nainai heard this, she paused. It took a few seconds before she recited the name of the district where the Si residence was located.
The cab began moving. She turned her head and suddenly felt a little sleepy.
She only had to close her eyes for his handsome face to appear in her mind’s eye. The face in her mind’s eye would suddenly flush, as though it was flooded with blood, then suddenly turn ghastly pale. She couldn’t stop worrying about him.
He had always been healthy, rarely falling sick. But this time, for Uncle Li to come running to look for her, he must have really fallen very ill…
In the end, she couldn’t rest assured. She had to see him.
The cab cruised along on the streets. It was early in the morning. There were very few cars on the road, so they soon reached the residential area.
Zhuang Nainai stood outside the Si residence. She looked up at the big iron gates, thinking about the last time she had been here and when the housekeeper had refused to let her in. Her hand, which was about to knock on the door, faltered in mid-air.
She had said she wouldn’t come again, but why was she here?!
She pursed her lips, then lowered her head. She sighed deeply. She lifted her head, staring at the big iron gates, then turned around. As she was about to leave, a buzzing sound came from the gates.
