Chapter 3: So It Was Her

The next morning, Lin Shu rose early to prepare breakfast, concerned that Tang Yichen might be suffering from a hangover. She made porridge to soothe his stomach.

Tang Yichen, dressed in a white tracksuit, looked almost like a university student. With a frown, he descended the stairs and entered the dining room.

"You're awake. Come have breakfast," Lin Shu said.

Tang Yichen sat down. Lin Shu knew he was never in a good mood upon waking, always serious and frowning. Seeing him drink the porridge without saying anything, she quietly sat down opposite him and began her own meal.

The porridge Lin Shu made was soft and thick, comforting Tang Yichen's unsettled stomach. After the indulgence of the previous night, he had awoken feeling uneasy, but now he felt considerably better.

Ding—a message alert.

"Chen, I don't believe you're married. You're just trying to make me angry, aren't you? I'll be waiting for you at the airport."

Tang Yichen glanced at the message and set his phone aside, uninterested. He had received a friend request on WeChat earlier that morning from Wen Qing, but he hadn’t accepted. He had erased all contact with her three years ago when she left for abroad, trying to clear her from his mind.

Ding—another message.

"Chen, I had no choice back then. I have never forgotten you."

"Chen, I’ll be waiting for you at the airport. If you don’t come, I won’t leave."

As Tang Yichen stared at his phone, frustration bubbled inside him.

"I won’t be going to Grandpa's today; I'll visit another day. I'll call and explain—I have something I need to attend to," he said to Lin Shu.

"Alright, you take care," Lin Shu replied softly, her voice gentle.

Tang Yichen glanced up at his wife of nearly three years. The girl who once arrived from the countryside, frail and undernourished, had grown into a poised and graceful woman. She was no longer the awkward young girl she used to be. Lin Shu was undeniably a good wife—quiet, patient, never demanding, and always considerate of his family. She had seamlessly blended into his world, and even his closest friends admired her. More than that, their physical chemistry was undeniable, an addiction he couldn't quite resist.

Yet, he wasn’t sure what kind of feelings he had for her. Perhaps it was just habit—the comfort of knowing someone was always there, waiting for him to return.

Wen Qing had been his first love. They had met in university, where she was the star of the dance department, and he was the top student in finance. Despite many admirers, Tang Yichen had always kept his distance, intimidating others with his cold demeanor. Wen Qing had pursued him relentlessly until she broke through his icy exterior. Although he remained quiet and reserved, their relationship had been steady. She was the one who brought joy and energy to his life, dancing around him, chatting endlessly while he listened in silence. He had planned to marry her after graduation. On the eve of his proposal, with a grand surprise ready, he received a message from her:

"Chen, I'm sorry. I've been given the chance to study in Paris, and I leave tomorrow. I can't walk into a marriage right after graduation—I want to chase my dreams. Will you wait for me for three years?"

Tang Yichen didn’t respond, but he waited. Yet three years later, Wen Qing still didn’t return. She had chosen her dream over him again, accepting a lead role in the dance troupe. Without a word of goodbye, they had simply stopped communicating.

That night, Tang Yichen didn’t come home. Lin Shu, worried by his urgency earlier that day, called his assistant.

"Assistant Li, is Yichen with you?"

"No, Madam. Mr. Tang isn’t with me today, and there were no work-related tasks scheduled. Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Madam. Goodbye."

After hanging up, Lin Shu felt her stomach churn with anxiety. She quickly poured herself a glass of water to calm down.

The entire night, she tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. By morning, Tang Yichen still hadn’t returned. Lin Shu rose early, preparing breakfast as usual—porridge and a fried egg. She turned on the TV absentmindedly, and the entertainment news blared from the screen.

"Renowned dancer Wen Qing has returned to the country. JK Group's CEO was spotted at the airport, sparking rumors of rekindled romance…"

Clang! Lin Shu dropped her chopsticks, her body going cold.

So it was her—Tang Yichen’s first love, the woman who still held his heart. He had rushed to the airport and spent the night with her.

Lin Shu couldn’t think any further. Mechanically finishing her porridge, she left the bowl in the kitchen, unwashed, and sat on the couch, lost in thought.

Maybe it was time to leave. But why did she find it so hard to let go? Her hands instinctively moved to her abdomen.

"Baby, it looks like we may have to leave your father. I can’t tell him about you, but I promise I’ll love you enough for the both of us."

Lin Shu spent the entire day without eating, anxiously waiting for Tang Yichen to come home. For the first time in years, she found herself hoping he would return early, though she feared his arrival might bring the dreaded conversation about divorce. Or worse, maybe he wouldn’t come home at all—maybe he was still with Wen Qing.

By the time he returned in the evening, the house was eerily quiet. Lin Shu didn’t greet him at the door as usual, and there was no dinner waiting on the table. The sudden silence was unsettling. Just as he thought she might be upstairs, he spotted her asleep on the couch.

Hearing the sound of his footsteps, Lin Shu slowly woke up, blinking in surprise at the sight of him standing over her. She sat up, unsure how long he had been there.

"You’re back?" Lin Shu hadn’t expected him to return, especially after the news had broken.

"Where else would I be?" Tang Yichen's tone was harsh, his expression dark. Her question seemed to irritate him.

"I didn’t mean it like that. I just thought...you might have had something else to do," Lin Shu murmured, her voice trailing off. Of course, she couldn’t say what she was truly thinking—that he had spent the night with his first love, that the whole world had seen the news of their supposed reunion.

"Have you eaten? I must’ve fallen asleep and forgot to make dinner," Lin Shu said, suddenly remembering his sensitive stomach.

"No." Tang Yichen’s curt reply came through gritted teeth as he headed straight for the dining table.

Lin Shu watched him, confused and a little helpless at his inexplicable moodiness, as if he were a child throwing a tantrum. Sighing softly, she said, "Shall I make some noodles for us?"

"Fine," came his terse response.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***