"What's wrong? You're listless without your sweetheart?" Xiao Yan teased.
"Oh, I don't care about him at all!" Lian Qing forced a smile and put on a disdainful look.
The Angel of Matter (20)
gold
Qiu Ping watched Gu Peng eat the pork kidney slices stained red with chili peppers and asked, "You're not from Sichuan, are you?" The hot pot broth they ordered was a half-and-half pot; the spicy broth was a deep, vibrant red, with a thick layer of dried chili peppers inside, which Gu Peng and Xiao Yan were enjoying immensely. The other three only dared to eat the clear broth.
"No, I'm from Zhejiang." Gu Peng picked up a duck intestine and dipped it in the pot, saying, "I eat spicy food with her every day, and now I really feel like it's tasteless if it's not spicy."
"I'm sorry to have you guys have hot pot with me today," Xiaoyan said with a charming smile.
"It's delicious!" Lianqing's bowl was already piled high with food, and she was still frantically scooping things out of the pot. "You guys are so clumsy. You take a piece, let it cool for ages, eat it, then take another piece. It's such a waste of time. Look, if you take a bigger piece at once, it's much faster to eat."
"No wonder I didn't get to eat much; it all went into your bowl," Qiu Ping said jokingly.
Xiao Yan's phone, which was on the table, beeped – it was a text message signal. Xiao Yan glanced at it, smiled faintly, then looked at Hu Ni and gave her a knowing smile. Hu Ni knew Xiao Yan must have received some funny text message; she always sent Hu Ni funny ones. Sure enough, Hu Ni's phone also beeped with a text message notification.
Hu Ni looked at the text message Xiao Yan had sent: "A woman's declaration: To mess with a sixty-year-old man's heart, to drain a fifty-year-old man's money, to break a forty-year-old man's wife and children, to break a thirty-year-old man's back, and to completely ruin a twenty-year-old man." Xiao Yan leaned close to Hu Ni's ear and said, "It should be 'stuffing money into the pockets of twenty-year-old men.'" Then she lowered her head to drink her porridge, smiling faintly, looking very elegant. Hu Ni smiled and put her phone away.
Lianqing persisted, insisting on snatching the phone to see what fun things it contained. Hu Ni dodged, saying, "Who's ever heard of someone forcing their way to see what other people's things are? No way, let's go eat."
Lianqing's curiosity grew even stronger, and she insisted on watching. Hu Ni was determined not to let her little cousin watch these "not-so-healthy" jokes, so she held her bag tightly in her hand and steadily started eating.
Gu Peng also began to protest: "Hey! I said, if there's anything fun, we should all share it. You're making everyone so eager to try it."
Xiao Yan picked up a piece of seaweed from the pot and said quietly, "What's so interesting about women's private conversations?" Then she gave Hu Ni a knowing smile.
“Stingy! That’s just how women are, they keep everything to themselves,” Gu Peng said. “I know you guys are watching dirty jokes.”
Xiao Yan just kept eating her food, smiling faintly without saying a word. Hu Ni glanced at Qiu Ping, and when their eyes met, they smiled at each other.
"Let me tell you a joke," Gu Peng said, putting down his chopsticks and wiping his mouth with a damp towel. "There was a mouse who couldn't find a wife. Finally, a bat agreed to marry him, and the little mouse was overjoyed. The other mice said to him, 'What's there to be happy about? Such an ugly wife!' The little mouse replied, 'You don't know anything! She's a flight attendant, after all!'" The table erupted in laughter, with Lian Qing laughing especially loudly. She then said, "Hey, why didn't I think of taking the flight attendant exam?"
The group of people at the table had just calmed down when she made them laugh again with one sentence. Hu Ni, with a mouthful of eight-treasure tea in her mouth, dared not laugh too hard for fear of spitting out the water.
Lianqing still looked enlightened: "Really? How come I never thought of taking the flight attendant exam?" In her eyes, being a flight attendant was definitely a prestigious and impressive profession. Lianqing was excited and decided to keep an eye out for flight attendant recruitment information.
"What's so great about flight attendants? They're just service workers, only they serve on airplanes," Xiao Yan said dismissively.
Lianqing immediately felt that this made sense; after all, Sister Xiaoyan was Sister Xiaoyan.
Hu Ni got up to go to the restroom, and Xiao Yan followed closely behind. She was wearing a well-fitting cheongsam today, and Hu Ni noticed that she had pulled her shawl down to cover her lower abdomen. "What, showing your 'true colors' again?" Hu Ni teased with a smile.
"How much better can yours be?" Xiao Yan said with a smile, touching Hu Ni's lower abdomen.
Xiao Yan touched up her lipstick in front of the bathroom mirror, mumbling as she did so, "I have some news for you."
"What?"
"Gu Peng's wife has agreed to a divorce."
"Really!" Hu Ni was happy for Xiao Yan, but also felt a little disheartened for Gu Peng's wife and children. Xiao Yan continued to calmly fiddle with her face.
"The price isn't low."
"How many?"
"We negotiated the price for a long time, and finally got it down to one million."
Hu Ni gasped, "So much?"
"Yes, nowadays, no one's brain is useless; they're all as clever as monkeys."
"Is it alright to take this money...?"
"If I had trouble getting this money, would I still be with him?" Xiaoyan put the powder compact into her bag, turned around, and leaned against the dark green marble countertop. Adjusting her shawl, she said softly, "A woman should have a stable home. If Gu Peng doesn't get a divorce, I won't waste any more time with him. It's not that I don't have other options, it's just that I like him. Luckily, he's getting a divorce now." Xiaoyan smiled smugly. "How are you? Is he alright?"
Hu Ni smiled and nodded: "That's great. We'll go back to his home for the Spring Festival, then go to Shanghai to get our marriage certificate, and we'll get married when we get back."
"That's good. Whether a woman and a man are together or not, it's all the same. But marriage makes all the difference. If I hadn't married Zhang Yong, I probably would have nothing now!"
"Do you feel happy?" Xiao Yan leaned forward and asked.
Hu Ni smiled and said, "And you?"
“I don’t really feel anything anymore, and to be honest, I’m still a little hesitant because I don’t need a man right now. I’m doing just fine without one, but… I’m starting to really want a child.” Xiaoyan became excited: “When do you want to have a child? I’ve realized that my maternal instincts have fully awakened, and I really want a child.”
Hu Ni fell silent, the pain in her heart slowly returning. Xiao Yan's words echoed in her ears like a dream: "Now that I have a child, I'll raise him with peace of mind. I hope to achieve everything I never had in my life through him, and I must make sure he goes to university..."
"Cousin! Sister Xiaoyan! You're talking here, we've been waiting for you!" Lianqing pushed open the door and quickly locked herself in a small room.
Hu Ni and Xiao Yan checked themselves in the mirror. They were still pretty, especially Xiao Yan, but they looked different from a few years ago. The two women walked outside hand in hand in silence.
The Butterfly Broken (Part 1)
gold
Hu Ni, Lian Qing, and Qiu Ping went to a supermarket not far from their neighborhood to buy things. Their cart was full of items, almost all of them food. Most of them were colorful snacks from Lian Qing, and there were also many vegetables. It was a rare Sunday, so they planned to cook at home.
Lianqing kept filling the cart with snacks. Coming to Shenzhen was a wise choice; it had made a huge difference, especially in terms of snacks. Back home, there were never so many snacks to eat; her mother was incredibly stingy with every penny. Now, even if she didn't work, it didn't matter; she didn't have to buy anything herself. This cart full of snacks must have cost over two hundred yuan, but she didn't have to pay for any of it. Just as Lianqing was feeling smug, she heard Hu Ni speak: "Lianqing, you pay for what you pick out." Hu Ni said this while casually looking at the dazzling array of goods on the shelves. As Lianqing's older cousin, how could she not know what Lianqing was thinking? The gap between her and Qiuping was already huge enough; she already felt inferior enough. If Lianqing continued to be so inconsiderate, she would really lose face. Lianqing isn't just staying at home for a day or two now; she might be staying for a long time. We can't let Lianqing develop the lazy habit of relying on Qiuping for everything. If Huni's income were high, then we could let Lianqing do as she pleases, but Huni's salary is only enough for a basic living. We can't let Lianqing be so "luxurious."
Lianqing immediately pouted and became unhappy. She had been in a bad mood lately, and even her cousin had been bothering her.
Qiu Ping, pushing the cart, said, "Let her choose what she wants. It's nice to eat snacks and watch TV together in the evening. We don't even have time to buy snacks during the week." Qiu Ping didn't care about any of this. He accepted everything about Hu Ni as a matter of course, not to mention Lian Qing, who was like a cheerful little ray of sunshine.
Seeing Lianqing's displeasure, Hu Ni stopped talking. She recalled her own feelings when she lived with her uncle, a sense of helplessness as a dependent. Suddenly, she feared Lianqing might feel the same way and regretted her earlier words, but the words were already out in the open. She walked over to Lianqing and casually took her arm. Lianqing, quick to forgive, immediately smiled and said, "That's right, it's not like I'm eating alone."
"Want some sunflower seeds?" Hu Ni asked in a somewhat ingratiating manner.
"Yes—!" Lianqing drawled.
The phone rang sharply, and Lianqing answered it quickly, looking quite pleased. She always hoped the call was for her, even though the chances were slim.
"Cousin, this is for you." Lianqing handed over the microphone: "It's Sister Xiaoyan."
An hour later, Hu Ni and Xiao Yan were sweating profusely in the equipment room of a fitness center.
Xiao Yan wiped her sweat, looked ahead, burned off her energy on the treadmill, and then said calmly, "Gu Peng and I are finished."
"What? He can't leave again?" Hu Ni asked, panting, slowing down.
"No, now he doesn't want to stay with his wife anymore. Besides, they've already gone through the paperwork." Xiaoyan turned off the treadmill and said, "Let's go to the sauna."
Hu Ni leaned against the wooden wall, feeling drowsy, watching Xiao Yan energetically adding water with a ladle.
"Speak, what happened to you?"
"It's not that we did anything wrong, it's that he did something wrong."
"...He fell in love with someone else."
"Perhaps that would be better... He's finished; his company is under investigation."
"What happened?"
"I'm not entirely clear on the inside story either, and I don't think even Gu Peng is fully aware of it right now. His trading company has always been operating on the fringes of legality, and this time someone must have been secretly targeting him, definitely. His company has already been shut down."
"So you broke up?"
"What else can I do? Do you expect me to support him?" Xiao Yan said disdainfully.
"...So he agreed?"
"He had no choice but to agree." Xiao Yan said coldly, "Love is absolutely based on many specific conditions: money, strength, appearance. A person is lovable because he has these conditions. Think about it, would you fall in love with an uneducated farmer? Would you fall in love with an ugly guy? Would you fall in love with someone who has no money or is even penniless? Impossible."
"So... is he still contacting you?"
“They’ve been searching for me like crazy all day, but what good will it do them? I definitely won’t let myself soften. The thought of marrying someone with no money is terrifying and disgusting. I don’t even turn my phone on anymore.”
"No wonder, I tried calling you several times but couldn't get through."
"Sigh! His life is really bad!" Xiao Yan sighed, then lazily got up and added another ladle of water.
Hu Ni looked at her friend's retreating figure, speechless.
The Butterfly Broken (Part Two)
gold
Hu Ni put Qiu Ping's change of clothes and some daily necessities into her bag, feeling a pang of sadness at their impending separation. Qiu Ping was going on another business trip, for a short time, only a week.
Qiu Ping looked up from his computer and called out, "Hu Ni!" The gentle light from the desk lamp made his face look exceptionally smooth.
Hu Ni stopped her moving hands, raised her misty eyes, and asked him with a hint of infatuation, "What?"
"It's nothing, I just wanted to call you." He smiled gently, looking especially warm and friendly in his cotton pajamas.
Hu Ni put down what she was holding, slowly walked over, wrapped her arms around his neck, rested her head on his neck, and stroked it, asking, "How much longer?"
"It'll be quick. If you're tired, go to sleep first."
"I'm waiting for you."
They shared a light kiss and parted ways. Hu Ni continued packing her luggage, while Qiu Ping continued the work he had brought home.
The luggage was packed quickly, but Qiu Ping continued. Hu Ni went to the living room, turned on the TV, and searched for a channel that she could never find a tune in to.
There were always plenty of snacks on the coffee table, within easy reach. Hu Ni ate while watching TV, her mind calm and serene.
The door was opened with a loud bang, and Lian Qing walked in like a gust of wind, slamming the door shut. Instead of curling up on the sofa to eat and watch TV as usual, she lowered her head and walked into her room.
"Lianqing!" Hu Ni called out to her instinctively.
"What!" Lian Qing went into her room without turning her head.
Instinctively sensing something was wrong, Hu Ni followed, feeling like a teacher or parent—a very unlikable role. But she had to ask.
"What's wrong?" Hu Ni asked Lian Qing, who was changing clothes. Lian Qing took off her loose-fitting black and red checkered trousers and tight red sweater, and removed her bra, revealing an exceptionally sexy and alluring body. Soon, this beautiful body was covered by a large nightgown.
Lianqing looked up and asked, "What's wrong?" Her face was expressionless.
"Are you alright?" Hu Ni asked tentatively, trying to find some clue on her cousin's face.
"Look at you, what could possibly be wrong with me?"
"Shall we go out and watch TV?"
"No, I've been out all day, I just want to go to sleep after I take a shower."
Hu Ni left the room and sat on the sofa watching TV and eating snacks, waiting for Qiu Ping to stretch and come out to tell her that he had finished his work. It had been so long since she had read her own book; she had no interest, too many trivial things on her mind.
The sound of the showerhead spraying water in the bathroom was especially clear at night. Lianqing stood below and couldn't help but cry. She had to admit that she had been played, played by that despicable Gao Xiaohai. She now hated Gao Xiaohai to the core, and therefore she also hated the body that Gao Xiaohai had possessed. How could she have been so despicable? With tears streaming down her face, she slapped herself.
She used to say nonchalantly, "If you break up, don't hate the other person, because hate, like love, requires emotional investment." She told this to one of her best friends when her friend was heartbroken; she had actually seen this quote elsewhere. But now, she hates Gao Xiaohai so much she wants to tear a piece of his flesh off.
She clenched her small fists, lowered her head, and thought only of how to strike back at Gao Xiaohai and his clay-like girlfriend.