"You shouldn't have too much contact with other women!"
Qiao Anchen nodded without much thought.
"good."
He pinched Chu Yi's cheek and coaxed in a soft voice, "I promise you, go take a bath."
Some people say that hot water can wash away sadness. I think that although there is no scientific basis for this, it seems to make some sense.
Recalling the heart-wrenching pain she had felt before, apart from a lingering unease, almost everything else seemed to have vanished.
The two lay in bed, she nestled in Qiao Anchen's arms, reaching out to hug him, probably still a little scared.
They embraced quietly, a rare and precious peace after the rupture had been repaired.
Chu Yi suddenly remembered what Qiao Anchen had said.
"By the way, aren't there any other ways to save families who are victims of domestic violence?"
"If I don't resist, I'll be beaten to death like before, but if I resist, I'll lose my life. Why is that?"
"I feel so sorry for them."
Once the woman's jealousy subsided, reason returned. Chu Yi thought of Bai Lan, who was so young. High school should have been the best time of her life, but it was wasted because of her family's misfortune, leaving her with a shadow that she could never erase for the rest of her life.
“This is just an isolated case; not all families experiencing domestic violence end up like this.” Qiao Anchen looked at her helplessly.
The atmosphere became somewhat heavy.
Although there is no such thing as true empathy in this world, when we learn of someone else's suffering, we can always feel a bit of it, accompanied by sighs and sadness.
Especially for someone like Chu Yi, who has a rich imagination and a strong sense of immersion.
She frowned, looking as if she was about to cry.
Chu Yi was thinking about the person she had met today. She was wearing a simple white dress, very thin, with a gentle and beautiful face, and she looked like the kind of girl who spoke softly.
Little did I expect that my life would be so full of twists and turns.
The frail shoulders endured the torment of fate far too early.
Women are always both emotional and rational; they switch between dislike and like too quickly, and these feelings can coexist.
Although Chu Yi still disliked her getting close to Qiao Anchen, it didn't stop her from feeling sympathy for her.
"In fact, there are many ways to resolve this issue through legal means. You can collect evidence and file for divorce in court, and claim compensation according to law. If it is a vicious person who is persistent and harassing you, calling the police or moving out of your original residence are more effective methods."
Qiao Anchen patted her head and comforted her, "Tragedies are only seen because they are rare. The world is not all like that."
"Don't be sad."
"Would you treat her well just because you feel sorry for her?" Chu Yi asked, tilting her head up in his arms. Qiao Anchen didn't know how the topic had turned to this again, and he had a bit of a headache.
"Chu Yi, if I had to pity everyone, I would have been exhausted long ago."
"So you mean you only sympathize with her, right?" Chu Yi immediately straightened her face, as if facing a formidable enemy.
"No," Qiao Anchen rubbed his temples and explained helplessly.
"What I mean is, if she hadn't called me, I probably wouldn't have even thought about it."
"snort."
Although she didn't know if he was telling the truth or not, Chu Yi couldn't hide the tiny thrill in her heart.
Marriage is bound to encounter various troubles and trials, but that's okay. As long as you try to solve them and communicate, they will all pass.
After all, it's everyone's first marriage, and no one has had it easier than anyone else.
Author's Note: Please read with a calm mind and don't be rude. If you really can't help it, that's fine too—giving me two or zero stars is okay, just please don't give me a negative score! As always, even if a deal falls through, let's maintain good relations!
71. Chapter 71
It turns out that getting caught in the rain really can cause a cold. Chu Yi wasn't even better yet, and instead, she infected Qiao Anchen as well.
The reason is as follows.
Chu Yi has been lukewarm towards Qiao Anchen these past few days. Although things seem harmonious on the surface, her occasional sarcastic remarks are a given. Qiao Anchen hasn't felt any warmth from his wife in a long time.
He felt as if he had returned to those Cold War days.
As the saying goes, it's easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality. Having gotten used to the warmth of hot soup late at night, it's really quite uncomfortable to suddenly return to the cold Arctic.
So Qiao Anchen wanted to enhance their marital relationship through some intimate activities.
Chu Yi caught a cold. Although she was much better than a couple of days ago, her voice still sounded a bit nasal.
When Qiao Anchen tried to kiss her that evening, she flinched and reminded him, "I have a cold."
Completely absorbed in other thoughts, Qiao Anchen paid no attention to her words. He pried open her lips and probed inside, his tongue slowly sucking and entwining with hers.
Later, Chu Yi broke out in a sweat, and by the next morning, her cold was mostly gone. However, Qiao Anchen started to have a sore throat when she got off work.
Instead of appeasing his wife, he ended up losing himself in the process.
That's probably what's being described about someone like Qiao Anchen.
Perhaps feeling guilty, Qiao Anchen didn't dare tell Chu Yi that he had boiled a kettle of water, hoping to tough it out on his own. However, when he woke up in the morning, his throat felt even worse, and his voice was hoarse.
Qiao Anchen and Bai Lan had not been in contact since that meal, but she suddenly called him this morning.
Her supervisor at work talked to her about transferring her to another position and asked for her opinion.
Bai Lan had no clue, so she wanted to ask him.
Qiao Anchen was quite impressed with this girl back then because she remained calm and composed throughout the entire case. Despite the fear in her eyes, she forced herself not to collapse.
He only felt regret and pity at the time, and his attitude towards her was kinder than towards others.
So when she was desperate after she got out, she asked him for help. Qiao Anchen thought for a moment and remembered this person, and helped her within his power.
The job he introduced her to was an offline sales assistant for a clothing brand. The boss was his college classmate. Because she had no education or work experience, she started from the very basics.
It's probably because Bai Lan has been performing well lately that they want to transfer her to the sales department, moving her from the store to the office, which is a kind of promotion.
Qiao Anchen gave her a brief analysis, but ultimately told her to decide for herself.
Just before hanging up, Bai Lan asked a question cautiously.
Do you have a cold?
“It’s just a minor issue, nothing to worry about,” Qiao Anchen replied casually.
He didn't take it to heart, but he didn't expect that Qiao Anchen would see Bai Lan at the door when he got off work. He didn't know how long she had been waiting, but as soon as she saw him come out, she ran over from the side.
"I just happened to be passing by, so I bought some medicine on the way." Bai Lan handed him a white bag, her eyes showing a hint of unease, but her face was filled with gratitude and flattery, much like how she always looked when she saw him.
Qiao Anchen had never thought much about it before, but at this moment, a strange feeling suddenly welled up in his heart.
This strange feeling seemed to have been subtly present ever since that meal.
"No need," Qiao Anchen paused, then calmly declined.
"My wife has already bought the medicine for me, thank you."
Bai Lan's expression seemed to dim for a moment, but she quickly recovered, withdrew her hand, and smiled at him.
"Oh, I see. Then I'll keep it for myself for later use."
"Mm." Qiao Anchen nodded and took a step to leave, but suddenly remembered something and turned back to look at her.
"By the way, you'd better not come to see me so often next time."
"What's wrong..." Bai Lan's smile had completely crumbled, and her dark eyes looked at him, brimming with tears.
"It's not a good thing." Qiao Anchen's flat and straightforward answer was as if he were telling her that the weather was nice today.
Bai Lan's teeth chattered slightly, and she had to bite down hard to regain her voice.
"I'm really grateful to you..."
"It's okay, you already treated me to a meal last time."
"I appreciate your kind gesture."
"It's just a small favor, don't feel guilty."
Qiao Anchen recalled that phone call; the old man's voice was so sincere it was almost trembling, as if he would burst into tears if he didn't go.
Immediately, the image of her holding his hand, her face haggard, her voice trembling as she cried and begged him to save her daughter flashed into his mind.
After the case was over, Qiao Anchen actually went to see her. He parked his car quietly on the side of the street and saw her selling some handmade items by herself, with no one paying attention to her.
Qiao Anchen then asked a child to secretly slip several hundred yuan into a pair of cloth shoes sold at the stall.
When I returned, I was found out by the senior colleagues from that time and given a lecture.
"If you had to sympathize with everyone, everyone would have been exhausted long ago."
Qiao Anchen hadn't learned the phrase yet, but as he saw it more and more, he gradually got used to it.
But now, the memories in my heart have been stirred up again, and no matter how many times I said I would refuse, I still couldn't resist the earnest request in my ear.
Oh well, it's just satisfying an elder's obsession, it's not a big deal.
Qiao Anchen finally agreed.
After listening, Bai Lan pursed her lips and remained silent, only looking at him with sorrowful eyes. Qiao Anchen took it as if he had already made things clear, nodded to her, and turned to leave.
Suddenly, a timid voice came from behind.
"Can I still contact you if I have any problems in the future?"
Qiao Anchen paused, hesitated for a moment, and replied, "Actually, I can't offer much help in other areas. As for your father's case, I think I've already explained it to you quite well."
"To avoid causing my wife to misunderstand, unless there are special circumstances, we don't really need to contact each other anymore."
Silence lingered for a long time. Bai Lan lowered her head, her eyes gradually reddening. She took a deep breath and held back her tears. When she looked at Qiao Anchen again, she still managed a gentle and quiet smile.
"I understand. Thank you for your help during this time." She said softly, then bent down and bowed deeply to him.
"You're welcome." Qiao Anchen paused, then said, "Auntie's cooking is delicious."
Actually, you've only taken a few bites.
Bai Lan silently said this in her heart, but still smiled at him.