1

"Mr. Zhang, didn't you mention last time that the overseas branch of the company needs someone to go over there as CEO? I've made up my mind."

The boss was overjoyed to hear that I was willing to leave home and go abroad.

"Great! That place is just getting started and needs talented people like you to manage it. Rest assured, we won't shortchange you on salary and benefits. But weren't you about to get married?"

Jing said I should quit and become a housewife, and loving him dearly, I was already writing my resignation letter.

"I'm not getting married. A woman should have her own career."

I tried hard to control my emotions.

Hurriedly hung up the phone.

I stared at the trash can, at the used, foul-smelling little umbrella inside, feeling indescribable.

Just a few days ago, I was discussing wedding details with my best friend.

My best friend told me to gather all the things that witnessed our love over the years.

So, as I rummaged through everything, I found evidence of my fiancé's passionate affair with another woman in the trash can.

Seven years, yet Jing cheated right before the wedding?

In recent years, he has indeed grown cold towards me, frequently using work as an excuse, and his calls were always furtive.

I kept reassuring myself that Jing was just a workaholic dedicated to his career.

I was the one buying him birthday and anniversary gifts, but he always told me to be practical and not indulge in these superficial ceremonies.

He said anniversaries were just a commercial trick to get people to spend money and told me not to waste money.

I thought he was just a straight-laced guy, not good at romance.

His watch had been worn for ten years, so shabby yet he wouldn't wear the new one I bought him.

He said the new watch was uncomfortable and felt strange on his wrist.

Hmm, a sentimental man must be deep and emotional.

My one-sided stubbornness kept our relationship going for this long.

I once thought we would break up sooner or later.

But just recently, Jing suddenly proposed to me, dispelling all my doubts about him.

Now, staring at the evidence in the trash, memories flooded my mind of the teasing from his brothers during the proposal.

"Didn't you say you were waiting for your first love? Why are you suddenly getting married?"

Jing was embarrassed then: "What nonsense, that was so many years ago."

"Oh, isn't that watch Jiang Shixuan gave you before she went abroad? Almost ten years, and you're still wearing it?"

His friends were all teasing, and I even joined to defend him.

"My Jing is frugal and family-oriented. My husband only has me in his heart, okay?"

Amidst the ruckus, I didn't notice Jing's awkward smile and guilty demeanor.

Could it be that his first love has returned?

I took a picture of the evidence with my phone, wanting to send it to him, but realized he hadn't responded to my messages in a long time, with just a "working overtime" from ten days ago.

After that, questions about when he'd be back, what dress to wear to the wedding, when to take wedding photos—all my one-sided questioning.

Checked his social media; the latest update was from yesterday.

A photo of blooming purple lilacs, with hands tightly clasping, accompanied by a caption.

[Dreams come true]

People in the comments were congratulating him on his marriage.

At the time, I also thought the post expressed his feelings about our marriage.

Now I suddenly remember, the flower language of purple lilacs is—first love.

I shook my head weakly and retracted my edited message.

He had always been honest, reserved, and serious, often oblivious to romance.

Now it seems, all his romantic gestures were directed at another woman.

Three days from now is our wedding day, I kept trying to control my increasingly frantic heart, trying to stay rational.

There's no need to punish myself for someone else's mistake.

I booked a flight for the day of the wedding, and one of his good friends called on video.

"Xu Ya, Jing has had too much to drink and is going wild, you should come quickly."

In the video, Jing was rolling around drunkenly, clinging to a woman's long legs, still shouting: "Shixuan, don't leave again..."

I couldn't hear anything after that, and as I tried to see the woman's face, someone else blocked the camera and hung up the call.

I changed clothes to go out, seeing the couple's outfit I bought three years ago, still fresh and new.

Yeah, he never wore it since I bought it.

Said it was too childish, didn't suit him.

Thinking back, we had hardly used any couple's items together.

Unyielding in spirit, I really wanted to see what Jing's so-called first love looked like, so I dressed up carefully.

The laughter from the private room was audible even from the doorway.

My entrance made the room instantly silent, the strange atmosphere was unexpected.

Two of his brothers pointed at each other: "I told you, don't tell Xu Ya, what's wrong with you! It's all your fault!"

"I was just joking around, it's nothing serious."

"Sis-in-law, you're here. Jing drank too much over here."

Indeed, drunk out of his mind, he lay on a woman's slender, silk-clad legs, greedily burying his head in her thighs, refusing to let go.

The woman lightly rested her arms on Jing's face, smiling calmly at me: "You must be Jing's fiancée. I just got back from abroad, and everyone was welcoming me. Jing got too excited and had too much to drink. Please, don't be mad, sis-in-law!"