I stumbled back to the room and closed the door. My mind was in a mess, my heart was in a mess, I patted my chest and kept telling myself that it was an accident, it was an accident, a coincidence, just a coincidence. However, I still felt terribly uncomfortable and could not deceive myself.
My cell phone rang. It was Yang Mi calling. I picked up the phone and hung up the call. Then another funny text message came. For a moment, I felt it was extremely ironic that someone was joking with me at this time. I simply replied to him: What do you mean
I got a reply within a few seconds: If you are unhappy, I will not be happy either. In order to be happy, I have to make you happy first.
If it were him, this would really be a touching love talk, but I was not in the mood. Lying down, holding my head with my hands, staring at the ceiling in a daze, I remembered what happened in my senior year of high school. My mother made a big fuss at home and ran to Chongqing to find my father because of a mysterious phone call. But who was that woman? I searched for the memory of this woman in my mind over and over again, but could not find her. I thought the family crisis was over, but I didn't expect that my father would have such a thing.
Only eyes are true. The man in the photo is clearly my father.
Cao Lingxi, Cao Lingxi, you shameless woman!
I clenched my fists and said, Zhao Xinyue, you are not a qualified husband or a qualified father! I was about to open the door to confront my father, but I heard my mother's voice, "Hey, what's the wind blowing today? It blew you back."
"There's not much work at the company." His father answered absentmindedly. His mother had her hair permed today, and her dress was new and very attractive, but he didn't notice it at all, or maybe he didn't have the heart to look at it.
I looked at my father in the darkness at the corner of the stairs, feeling heartbroken for my mother and filled with hatred.
"Oh, Qinqin, here it is." My mother smiled when she saw me.
I quickly put away the expression on my face and smiled, "Mom, is your hair newly done?"
My mother nodded and looked at me with inquiring eyes, like a young girl. I comforted her, "Beautiful." My mother went into the house with satisfaction.
My father was actually texting there. I knew he had muted his phone. An old man actually had the leisure to do this. The anger and hatred in the darkness rose up little by little, occupying most of my chest. I felt like I was about to explode. I hurried over and sat down next to my father, staring at him coldly. He obviously understood something, closed his phone, and asked me with a smile, "Qinqin, do you have something to tell me?"
I continued to look at him, expressionless.
"What's going on?"
I turned my face away and glared at him with my eyes slanted.
"Quilt," mother called from upstairs.
I suppressed my anger and slowly went upstairs to find my mother. Later I thought about it and was really scared. If I couldn't hold back and told my mother about it, the damage I caused to my mother might be irreparable. My mother asked me to bring home the boy I was dating recently, and I told her that I didn't have a date recently.
"Where is that young man named Yang?" My mother looked at me and smiled. She was in a particularly good mood today.
“We’re not a good fit.”
"No wonder you looked unhappy today. It's okay. You have to choose your boyfriend carefully. Mom will help you choose."
I responded to her softly, but my heart was pounding, afraid that she would notice something was wrong.
From then on, I began to pay special attention to my father's behavior. Sometimes, he would obviously come back from dinner and socialize, and change his clothes, and go out with a bright and energetic face. I didn't expect that an old heart could have such a warm moment. I underestimated him too much. No matter how old my heart is, it has not grown a callus. I began to worry endlessly again, afraid that this family would break up one day. I couldn't tell my mother about it, and I was depressed alone.
Yang Mi still insisted on dating me. He asked me why my attitude suddenly changed. I just told him that we were not suitable. As for why, he did not ask clearly. He has never been a silly boy, but I could see the painful and innocent expression on his face.
I spread my hands helplessly, my facial muscles were stiff and I couldn't move them. "I'm sorry—"
Yang Mi waved his hand and looked at me with pleading eyes, asking me to listen to him. "Qinqin, I know I have never entered your heart, but I always thought that we still have hope."
"Don't come to me again." I said to him coldly, without any mercy or sympathy. Because of Cao Lingxi, I included him in the count!
The light in his eyes dimmed and he left in a daze.
The mother didn't know.
I paid more and more attention to my father's behavior. In fact, my mother was really good at dressing herself up at that time. She often put on exquisite makeup, wore high-end dresses with very narrow waists, and wore three-inch high heels to make her slightly swollen legs slimmer. Jiang Xiaorong was still a beautiful woman, but my father could not see it. They occasionally had friction, which often ended with my father's sneer or disdainful look.
My heart is scattered, how can I quarrel
Two months later, another group of people came from the head office, including Li Shuming. This time it was a real inspection. Our department's risk control loopholes were huge, and the bank's leaders immediately ordered rectification! Zhang stood in the leader's office for an hour, and when he came back, his face was livid. Everyone quieted down, lowered their heads, and dared not make a sound. If you are not careful, you will stir up a hornet's nest.
Finally, Director Zhang called me to the office. She was upset with her boss and wanted to find someone to vent her anger on. I was unlucky and was criticized. When I came back, someone whispered to me, "Don't mind it, it's menopause."
I heard that I would continue to conduct an in-depth investigation tomorrow, so I had to stay overtime to catch up. When I saw that the work was still not finished by ten o'clock, I simply turned up the music on my computer to the maximum. Rod Stewart was singing in a hoarse voice.
Why do I do, just as you say
Why must I just, give you your way
Why do I sigh, why don't I try to forget
I also stood up and shook my head to the rhythm to vent. Suddenly I heard someone clapping and was stunned. There were still people there so late at night! I turned off the computer embarrassedly and turned back. Li Shuming, with a happy face, leaned against the door of the office and smiled at me. He was wearing a cotton shirt that seemed to have been exposed to the sun, casual trousers, and a jacket casually draped over his shoulders. His hair was neat and his expression was calm.
I called my leader very embarrassedly and lowered my head. "The best way to work is to combine work and rest." He nodded to me with an approving look.
I was so embarrassed that I stuck out my tongue at him.
"Overtime?" Li Shuming put one hand in his trouser pocket and stood there, with no intention of coming in.
"Yes. Are you busy too?"
"Let's prepare for tomorrow's meeting. We really didn't mean to cause chaos for everyone. It's a shame." He grinned and smiled slightly.
Somehow, I suddenly felt relieved and didn't feel that they were causing me trouble by coming down to check.
"Come back early." Li Shuming took off his coat, waved his hand, and left.
When I was packing up to leave, I found that the light in Li Shuming's office was still on, and the door was not closed tightly, revealing a gap, so I could see him working at his desk. I walked past the door quietly, not wanting to disturb him, because I was particularly embarrassed today and had no plan on how to please the superiors.
"be safe."
What a perceptive man.
The bank leaders treated the people from the head office with great hospitality and arranged many activities as usual. On this day, the department leader assigned me tasks, but I really had no intention of dealing with them, so I hurriedly took a two-hour sick leave in the afternoon and went home.
Zhang Yaoyao called and asked me to go to Suhe for a drink in the evening. I asked her who else was with her, and Yaoyao laughed, "Luo Zhikun and two buddies."
"No."
"What's going on?" Yaoyao was very puzzled. Finally, the secret was exposed.
I refused to go. People related to Cao Lingxi had already been blacklisted.
When I got home that day, I felt that the atmosphere was not right. My mother was in her room, talking on the phone in a low voice. I knocked on the door but no one answered. I pushed it open, but it was locked. My father did not come back all night. He only sent a message to me very late at night, saying that he was drinking with clients tonight and would not be back. I hung up the phone, feeling very sad, for my mother, for this family that would be torn apart at any time. I couldn't help but think back to the photos I saw at Yang Mi's aunt's place that night, that place full of ambiguity, and I felt like there was a thorn in my heart.
"Qianqian, who's calling?" Mother opened the bedroom door and stuck her head out to ask.
"Dad has an appointment tonight, so he won't be back. Go to bed early, Mom." I turned around to look at my mother. She was dressed elegantly, with two large sparkling diamond pendants hanging on her ears. She looked neatly groomed and didn't seem sleepy at all. Somehow, there was a hint of coldness flashing in her eyes.
I heard the doorbell ring in the middle of the night. I was half asleep and it seemed someone was looking for my mother. She went out and I suddenly lost all my sleepiness. Could it be that my mother...
No, no, no! I quickly got out of bed and went to the bedroom. My mother had really gone out. Strange!
I didn't sleep a wink that night. (To be continued)