Silence hung between them.
Du Ruoxin stared directly at him, her large, round, dark eyes seeming to ask, "Speak! Since you heard my question, heard my cry."
"Answer me, what do you want me to do to move your heart, to fall in love with me?"
"Rong Jingyang, don't pretend you didn't hear me!"
One second, two seconds, three seconds... Just as Du Ruoxin was overwhelmed with sadness, the man moved.
He strode with his long legs, a triumphant smile on his face, clearly enjoying her infatuation and obsession with him.
"Get ready, and accompany me to the company." Rong Jingyang lowered his head slightly, his magnetic, husky voice echoing in her ear.
Du Ruoxin's heart pounded, his breath tickling her ear, melting her restless heart.
She had no resistance to Rong Jingyang.
Not only did this man possess a devilishly handsome face that could captivate anyone at first glance, but his voice was also exceptionally pleasant.
With just a word or a gentle look from him, all her unhappiness could vanish in an instant.
Perhaps, this was the humility of loving someone to the extreme?
"Okay," she softly replied.
Rong Jingyang walked to the bedside table, picked up his watch, and put it on. "I'll wait for you in the car," he said.
Du Ruoxin stared blankly at the man's retreating back, cursing her own weakness as she listlessly put on her clothes.
Alas!
Whenever she faced Rong Jingyang, all her anger and emotions felt like a powerful punch held back, only to land on cotton, unable to stir even a ripple.
There was nothing she could do.
She was utterly helpless against Rong Jingyang.
She had tried everything: shouting, being unreasonable, throwing tantrums, begging... but Rong Jingyang simply didn't care, didn't respond.
With heavy steps, Du Ruoxin got into the car.
Having not slept well all night and caught a chill, her throat was sore and her head felt swollen.
Damn, she had caught a cold.
She should have taken medicine before leaving.
"Last night..." Rong Jingyang began, but was interrupted by a ringing phone.
He had to pause their conversation to answer.
Thus began a busy day of work.
Du Ruoxin sat beside him, quietly listening to Rong Jingyang discuss business with the person on the other end of the line, and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.
When she woke again, she was still in the car, but it was already afternoon.
Moreover, her body was burning hot, and her head felt dizzy and uncomfortable.
"Ugh—"
Just as she was about to speak, her inflamed throat pained her so much she doubted existence.
Du Ruoxin sat up and looked out the window.
Rong Jingyang's special assistant, Rong Cheng, immediately walked over and respectfully called out, "Madam, you're awake?"
Du Ruoxin looked around, unable to find her husband. "Where is Rong Jingyang?"
"Master Rong is in a business meeting. Madam, would you like to go find Master Rong, or return to the villa to rest?"
When the car arrived at the company, Rong Jingyang saw that Du Ruoxin was sleeping soundly and didn't disturb her, leaving alone.
He instructed Rong Cheng to look after her and bring her to him when she woke up.
Rong Cheng got into the driver's seat, started the engine, and pressed the accelerator.
Du Ruoxin's thoughts seemed to freeze. Her head throbbed, making her want to roll around on the spot—to find... him.
However, her body wouldn't allow it.
The high fever, dizziness, headache, and general discomfort made Du Ruoxin incredibly fragile.
"A pharmacy," she said, her voice thick with a nasal tone.
"Hm?" Rong Cheng was a little surprised. Madam wasn't going to find Master Rong?
But looking in the rearview mirror, he saw Du Ruoxin's flushed face and rapid breathing; she seemed to be ill.
"Yes." Rong Cheng accelerated.
Du Ruoxin leaned back weakly in the seat, took out her phone, opened WeChat, and sent a message to Rong Jingyang: [Honey, I have a cold, I feel so unwell.]
A moment later, Rong Jingyang replied: [I'll have Rong Cheng take you to the hospital.]
Her heart immediately turned colder than icicles in a blizzard.
"My husband is you."
"It's you."
Not Rong Cheng!
Rong Jingyang, why don't you understand me? Why can't you care about me?
Du Ruoxin clutched her phone tightly, almost crushing the screen.
Suddenly, her fingertip accidentally touched the screen, bringing up the "Discover" interface.
Du Ruoxin saw that a friend had updated their status on "Moments." No, to be precise, it was the woman Rong Jingyang liked who had posted on Moments.
She tapped it.
"With you, life is always sunny."
Below the text was a photo of the woman leaning sweetly on the man's shoulder, basking in the sunlight. The sight shocked Du Ruoxin to her core.
That was her husband, Rong Jingyang!
Didn't he say he was in a business meeting?
Why was he out on a golf date with that woman, Ai Wei?
No wonder he refused to come back, no wonder he ignored her; he was with his mistress.
But, Rong Jingyang, do you even remember you are married? Do you even know that I am your legitimate wife?
"Wuwu..."
Du Ruoxin clutched her chest, unable to bear the heart-wrenching pain any longer, and sobbed softly.
Rong Cheng, looking in the rearview mirror, saw his Madam hunched over, trembling all over. He was startled. "Madam, are you alright?"
She was crying?
What happened?
Du Ruoxin bit her lip, preventing any sound from escaping her throat.
Crying in front of Rong Cheng was tantamount to telling Rong Jingyang that she had lost.
No.
Du Ruoxin abruptly held back her tears. "Stop the car!"
Rong Cheng dared not stop. He knew Madam was not right. "We haven't reached the pharmacy yet, it's just two blocks ahead..."
"Stop the car!" Du Ruoxin suddenly hit the window and door excitedly. "I want to get out."
Rong Cheng had no choice but to pull over. He watched her stumble away, disappearing into the crowd.
"Madam—" he quickly followed.
Du Ruoxin ran fast, the pain in her heart like a knife, making it impossible to breathe.
Why.
Why was she so accommodating to him, so eager to please him, loved him so much, yet could never win his heart?
Rong Jingyang, must I tear my heart out for you to feel even a little bit?
"Honey, I'm so tired, carry me."
On the side of the street, a woman in high heels pouted and acted spoiled towards a man.
The man chuckled and knelt down, lifting the woman onto his back.
Seeing this scene, Du Ruoxin felt as if she had been struck. Tears streamed down her cheeks like a torrential morning rain.
She also wanted her husband to hold her when she was tired, to care about her when she was in pain, to be able to act spoiled towards Rong Jingyang.
She wasn't made of iron, she wasn't a robot.
Her heart was also made of flesh; it got tired, it hurt, it felt miserable.
Du Ruoxin felt dazed, as if she couldn't stand on her own feet, about to collapse.
All her past endurance, all her self-deception, seemed to slap her hard in this moment.
"Du Ruoxin..."
"What are you doing, clinging to a man who will never warm you?"
"He doesn't love you, he doesn't care about you."
"He's flirting and entangled with other women."
"You are so pathetic..."
"What are you doing this for?"
Crash—
The defense line she had held for seven years seemed to loosen. The cruelty of reality made Du Ruoxin unable to support herself any longer, and she collapsed onto the ground.
"Madam!" Rong Cheng quickly helped her up.
Du Ruoxin's tear-streaked, pale face shocked Rong Cheng.
What was wrong with Madam?
In his impression, Madam was carefree, optimistic, and lively, like a ball of fire. How could she be crying so miserably?
So... fragile.
So heartbreaking.
"What happened? I'll take you to the hospital..."
Du Ruoxin suddenly pushed Rong Cheng away and fiercely wiped away her tears.
Crying was useless.
To Rong Jingyang, her tears were worth nothing.
Therefore, she would not cry!
She wanted—
Divorce!