Chapter 3

It wasn’t until I was discharged that Zhang Ling contacted me again.

Just like before, as long as I didn’t call her first, she could act as if I didn’t exist forever.

This relationship had only ever been me trying.

And she was fighting for another man, even giving up the job she loved just to take care of Xu Cheng with total devotion.

The attending doctor looked at me in surprise. “You didn’t know Dr. Zhang’s mother was sick and that she took annual leave to go home and take care of her?”

Then he shook his head and patted my shoulder. “Couples don’t stay mad forever. As the man, you should understand her more.”

I let out a self-mocking laugh. To take care of Xu Cheng, she had even used her dead mother as an excuse. What a great love story.

When we got married, I asked her to take a few days off for our honeymoon, but Zhang Ling turned me down with a righteous expression. “Zhao Yan, my patients need me. I can’t abandon them for pleasure.”

Back then, I was ashamed of my own selfish desire.

In Zhang Ling’s eyes, probably only Xu Cheng could outrank her work and become number one, while I would always just be the backup.

After I took the divorce papers home, I unexpectedly saw Zhang Ling.

She rushed to the entrance with a bright smile on her face.

She had an apron on, and a spatula in her hand.

Looking at Zhang Ling, who had never before lifted a finger in the kitchen for me, my once-cold heart started pounding again.

The smell of food drifting from the kitchen made me feel warm all over. She had even remembered when I was supposed to be discharged.

I tightened my grip on my luggage, and at that moment, I was only glad I hadn’t taken out the divorce papers.

Otherwise this little crybaby would have seen them and started another scene.

I was drowning in guilt and didn’t notice at all that Zhang Ling’s smile had frozen at the corners of her mouth.

“Ling, I brought back the soy sauce. It suddenly started pouring outside, and I got soaked.”

A burst of thunder sounded, jolting me awake.

I turned stiffly and saw Xu Cheng wearing my clothes, looking perfectly at ease.

The heart that had just warmed up instantly fell into an ice pit.

Xu Cheng froze when he saw me at the door, then quickly recovered, put on a smile, and patted my shoulder. “You’re discharged? Better early than late. We made dinner, just in time to celebrate your discharge.”

He was so calm it was as if he were the man of the house.

I turned to look at Zhang Ling, and she looked embarrassed, constantly switching the spatula between her left and right hands.

“Today is Xu Cheng’s birthday, and he’s all alone right now. Since you’re just getting discharged, it works out perfectly. Double happiness, right?”

The air was thick with the smell of burning food.

Zhang Ling and Xu Cheng seemed to have a lot of unspoken understanding as they both rushed into the kitchen.

On the square dining table, two sets of bowls and chopsticks were neatly placed side by side.

A strangely shaped cake stood out especially clearly. It was made by Zhang Ling herself.

We had been together for four years, and she had never put this much effort into preparing my birthday before.

Two good things at once, huh. Heh, heh, heh.

I tightened my grip on my luggage and couldn’t help letting out a cold laugh.

They probably wished I’d die in the hospital so I wouldn’t ruin their fun.

Xu Cheng took out another set of bowls and chopsticks and placed them directly across from us, then called out to me provocatively, “Sit down. Don’t be so stiff. The soup’ll be ready soon.”

I dropped my luggage and threw a punch straight at Xu Cheng.

When Zhang Ling heard the noise, she rushed out and immediately stood between us.

“What are you doing? Xavier has mild depression. How can you push him like that?”

Looking at Zhang Ling standing against me, my heart hurt so badly it felt like it was being torn apart.

For another man, she treated me like an enemy.

“This is our home. You brought another man back here to fool around, and you think you’re in the right?”