5: Chapter 5 A Belated Married Life

Zhang Huaijing had two sets of memories in his mind, and for a moment, he couldn't process it.

"Oh, how annoying! Can't you even remember something so important? I'm reporting to Huxia University tomorrow! You promised me you'd drive me there yourself." Her voice was sweet and delicate, yet tinged with a clever playfulness.

"I..." He wanted to say that it was at least a four or five-hour drive, so she could just take a bus or train herself.

"What 'I'? How did my dad entrust you with this? And what kind of solemn promises did you make?" Jian Yun interrupted him, looking puffed up with anger. "Pick me up at eight tomorrow morning! Don't you dare be late! Hmph!"

She hung up the phone right there.

Jian Yun was the daughter of his former leader, Secretary Jian Weiguo, from his second marriage. Years ago, his first wife had taken their son to the United States, becoming a naturalized American citizen, and rarely returned to the country even once a decade. His second wife had passed away early, leaving behind this only daughter.

When Secretary Jian Weiguo served as the Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Committee, Zhang Huaijing had been his Secretary, continuing until he became the Provincial Party Secretary—a total of eight years. He had witnessed Jian Yun grow from a little girl into a stunning young woman.

During her school years, Zhang Huaijing had picked her up and dropped her off countless times. Whenever anything happened, he was the one who stepped in to handle it; even when she suddenly had her first period, he was the one who went to buy sanitary pads for her.

For a time, Jian Yun was extremely dependent on him, until she started boarding in high school and grew older, which was when she deliberately distanced herself a bit.

At noon, Zhang Huaijing returned to Jiayu Mansion.

Wang Shuting was moving out, busy clearing away her things. She was working happily, drenched in fragrant sweat, her face flushed and charming.

She was the type of woman who wasn't exactly beautiful, but she had fair skin, good temperament, a great sense of style, and knew how to dress, making her appear crisp and refreshing, with quite a bit of charm.

Seeing Zhang Huaijing walk in, her flushed little face bloomed like a flower. "Huaijing, why are you back? Have you eaten?"

"No. How about you?"

"Me? Neither. There's steak and such in the fridge; I'll cook for you."

Zhang Huaijing smiled and asked, "Do you know how to cook?"

"Pan-searing a steak, I'll learn on the spot."

What neither of them expected was that the first time Wang Shuting cooked for Zhang Huaijing would be on the eve of their divorce.

What surprised Zhang Huaijing even more was that the steak she seared and the salad she tossed were quite tasty. He gave her a thumbs-up. "Shuting, you really can grace the parlor and handle the kitchen."

Wang Shuting, usually such a sharp and decisive woman, suddenly broke down. Her beautiful, large eyes welled up with tears, and she choked out, "Huaijing, in all these years, this is the first time you've complimented me."

"Is that so? That's not enough to make you cry, is it?" Zhang Huaijing gently handed her a tissue, appearing both gentlemanly and concerned. "I remember you having the temperament of Feng Yutou, not the tearful nature of Lin Daiyu."

Wang Shuting laughed through her tears, wiped them away with the tissue, and sighed, "Huaijing, you've changed. You've changed so much that I almost don't recognize you."

She had originally thought that since she had tried to poison him—and failed—he would hate her even more. Who knew that not only did he not mind, but he seemed like a completely different person: gentle, refined, and tender, no longer holding that deep-seated hatred and disgust for her from the past.

"I do have to change. In the past, I wronged you; whether you scold me or hate me, it's all in the past now. Let's part on good terms and look forward."

Wang Shuting gave a crisp nod, stood up, brought over a bottle of red wine, and said, "Want a drink?"

"Sure!" Zhang Huaijing said, taking the wine bottle and the opener from her hands. He opened it skillfully and poured two glasses.

"I'm really quite happy today. Come, let's celebrate our happy breakup!" Wang Shuting raised her glass first.

Zhang Huaijing gently clinked his glass against hers. "Cheers!"

He actually drank the entire half-glass of red wine in one go.

"You actually finished it?" Wang Shuting looked at him in surprise; she had only taken a small sip.

"At home, there's no need to put on airs," Zhang Huaijing said with a smile. "Leaders often drink red wine at many events, imitating foreigners to appear high-class, holding the glass and swirling it around, posturing—they can't even finish one glass all night. In reality, Chinese culture lacks the soil for red wine; it's still Baijiu that reigns supreme."

"You're right. Drinking red wine domestically isn't really about the wine, but about face and etiquette. So, I'll finish mine in one gulp too." After Wang Shuting finished speaking, she drank the wine in her glass dry.

An hour later, the two of them had finished two bottles of red wine.

Zhang Huaijing remained lighthearted and calm, but Wang Shuting was already flushed, seven or eight parts drunk.

"You've had too much; go lie down for a while. I'm going to take a shower; I worked up a sweat on the way back." After saying this, Zhang Huaijing took his pajamas and went into the shared bathroom.

Just as he had taken off his shirt, a knock sounded at the door, followed immediately by Wang Shuting's voice: "Huaijing, open the door."

"What's wrong?"

"Just open it."

He opened the door, shirtless.

Wang Shuting stood at the doorway, gazing at him with tenderness like water, gently biting her bright red lips that she had just touched up. "I want to... shower with you."

Zhang Huaijing looked at the stunning woman, his heart fluttering, unsure whether to refuse or accept.

Wang Shuting didn't give him time to think; she pushed herself inside, closed the door, locked it, and her eyes, flowing with passion, locked tightly onto him.

Their breathing suddenly became rapid.

Suddenly, Wang Shuting coquettishly exclaimed, "Huaijing!" and threw herself into his arms with abandon, followed immediately by her bright red lips covering his mouth.

After all, they were husband and wife, and he was, after all, a man. Zhang Huaijing could no longer restrain himself; he opened his arms and wrapped them tightly around her graceful body...

The two hadn't shared a bed in over three years, let alone taken a shower together.

Therefore, they were a bit reserved at first, but it was precisely because of this unfamiliarity that there was even more freshness and passion...

That afternoon, the couple did nothing else; the room was filled with spring, rippling over and over again, as if they wanted to make up for everything they had missed over the past few years.

They hadn't expected that on the eve of their divorce, they would reignite their passion and battle until they were exhausted.

By six o'clock, they were finally exhausted and fell asleep in each other's arms.

After nine in the evening, the two woke up one after the other.

Wang Shuting, soft in his arms, feeling charming and satisfied, stared at him for a while before suddenly saying, "Huaijing, I don't really want to divorce you anymore."

"Why?"

"My love for you never actually died, and now, you've made it burn again from the ashes."

Zhang Huaijing gently stroked her long hair, and after a long while, he said, "Let's just leave it. A moment of passion ultimately cannot replace a long marriage, nor can it cover up the conflicts between us. Besides, a leopard cannot change its spots, and I am moving far away to Haizhou; aren't you worried I'll cheat again? I'm afraid you'll get hurt again. Haven't you always wanted to go to the United States? Just go once we're divorced."

He was so gentle, considerate, and reasonable that Wang Shuting felt as if she were in a dream.

She sighed sorrowfully, curled up in his arms like a kitten, and gently rubbed her cheek against his chest. "I understand. Let's do it next week; we'll go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get the papers."

Zhang Huaijing affectionately kissed her cheek and said, "Shuting, when you're gentle, you're truly quite lethal."

She only showed her gentle and obedient side when they were intimate; in daily life, she was a bad-tempered, overly assertive, domineering CEO.

"By the way, we didn't use protection; you won't get pregnant, will you?" Zhang Huaijing suddenly asked.

"It won't happen. Today is supposed to be the safe period, right? For all those years before, you always drove without a license, and I never got pregnant. The doctor said I have a condition that makes it hard to conceive; it's very difficult. Sigh, I once hoped so much to have a child with you, but it never came to pass. Once I go to the United States in a while, that wish will be gone for good."

"We're getting divorced anyway; why would we need a child?"

"That's right, we're about to drift apart like clouds and wind, drifting far, far away." Wang Shuting sighed softly, unsure if she felt joy or sorrow.