Seven photographs, and in each one, there’s a girl.
The first four are pictures of her with Henry Preston under the cherry blossom tree, in front of The Temple of Fate, on The Love Lock Bridge, and by the Ferris wheel, both dressed in couple outfits, smiling sweetly.
The next two are filled with sorrow, selfies taken while crying, with blood on her wrist.
The last one is the most horrifying; it’s a corpse, seemingly drowned, all wet and entangled with water plants, the skin pale from soaking.
It took several minutes to regain my senses, my voice trembling a little, "Mom, who is she?"
"Have you seen soone who looks like her?" my mother-in-law softly asked another question instead.
I nodded, yes, Azure Vaughn looks just like her.
My mother-in-law put away the photos and sighed, "Zoe, her na was Winter Tate, a girl Henry once liked."
"Mom, please explain, what’s this got to do with ?" I was already a bit anxious.
Through my mother-in-law’s narrative, I learned that there was much about Henry that I thought I knew, only to realize there were things I had no idea about.
That period happened to be close to graduation; I and Crystal Dawson along with a few others had gone out for internships. It was the only ti I was apart from Henry for so long, in another city, and could only rack my brain for topics to chat about online each day.
I rember very clearly that during that ti, Henry’s eternally unchanged WeChat Monts background picture was replaced with a pink cartoon peach image.
I was anxious for quite a while, fearing he might be having spring feelings.
Actually, my instincts back then were not wrong; it was during that ti Henry t Winter Tate, the first girl who made him truly understand what liking soone ant.
Unlike before when it was just playing around, he seriously dated Winter, but the matter faced opposition from his family.
At that ti, Grandpa Preston was gravely ill, and wanting to see Henry married, carefully selected a suitable candidate, eventually deeming appropriate.
When I learned I was to marry Henry, I agreed without a second thought, which also intensified the Preston Family’s opposition to Winter.
"Mom, why didn’t you tell back then?" I asked.
"We were resolute against Henry and Winter being together back then. We thought since they hadn’t been together long, as long as he agreed to marry you, their relationship would just end. Who would’ve thought that child... sigh." My mother-in-law had a trace of guilt and regret in her eyes.
I finally understood why, on our wedding night, Henry said so many cruel things to , each one like a knife piercing my heart.
And those words, telling to regret marrying him and suffer for a lifeti.
It turned out the girl he liked had drowned herself on the day of our wedding.
"Zoe," my mother-in-law’s face was slightly pale, "I know it wasn’t right to keep this from you, you should have had the right to know, but we were too hasty back then, and by the ti she drowned, you and Henry had already completed your wedding, it was too late."
"Mom." My heart had already turned cold, the smile on my face sowhat tragic, "I got it."
After saying this, I stood up to get my coat, "Please arrange soone to take back. I need so ti to cool off."
My mother-in-law helplessly sighed, "Zoe, I’m telling you this because I hope you’ll reconsider Henry, all those mistakes were due to and your dad acting too harshly back then, and Henry is also a victim."
"Hmm." I didn’t want to say much and nodded perfunctorily.
Soon, my mother-in-law had soone send back to City A, on the way, my mind was uneasy, filled with thoughts of the past.
It turned out my mother-in-law knew how Henry felt about all along, yet wouldn’t tell the truth, letting think I wasn’t good enough.
It turned out Henry had soone he liked, Winter Tate was the true white moonlight, and Azure was just a substitute.
It turned out I really seed like a joke, utterly unaware of why Henry kept hurting .
It turned out, in this story, I was not even the second female lead.
I rolled down the car window, the cold wind rushing inside, blowing on my face, dispersing the tears that had just fallen.
The driver asked, "Young mistress, aren’t you cold? You might catch a cold with this wind."
"Not cold." I was already so cold my temples ached, but still stubbornly responded.
Or perhaps I should let the cold wind blow away my foolishness and ignorance.
By the ti I got ho, the sky was pitch dark, and my parents were surprised to see return so quickly.
But they imdiately guessed that I was in a bad mood, surely sothing had happened at my in-laws’.
"Zoe, what’s wrong? Your eyes are so red?" My mom asked worriedly.
"It’s nothing, my in-laws just advised against divorcing Henry, I got a little upset and shed a few tears." I was much calr, even managed to squeeze out a slight smile.
My dad said angrily, "They have the audacity? Why didn’t they discipline that scoundrel son of theirs sooner?"
My mom chid in, "Exactly."
"Mom, Dad, don’t worry, I’ll go to Uncle’s after the New Year, first try a two-year separation, then directly divorce." I replied.
"You’ve decided?" My mom probed.
"Yes, I’ve decided." I no longer want to play the role of a supporting actress; this marriage is burdened with a life, and it shouldn’t continue.
My dad nodded gratefully, "Alright, we respect your choice."
"Well, now that you’re back, let’s make dumplings together, we’ll keep you busy, so you won’t think too much." My mom pulled into the kitchen, assigning so tasks.
I accepted them all, working diligently as an assistant, preparing a sumptuous New Year’s Eve dinner before midnight.
This was the first New Year’s Eve dinner in the five years since getting married without Henry.
There would never be another; I must start getting used to it from today.
The family of three’s New Year’s Eve dinner was also warm and harmonious. My mom suddenly lanted not having had another child, saying it would’ve been livelier.
My dad also agreed, advising , "Zoe, after you divorce Henry, find a good man, listen to your dad, have more kids, so it will be lively during New Year."
"Just for liveliness during New Year, I should have more kids?" I had a couple of drinks, my face feeling warm.
"Absolutely, having kids is to make the festive season lively, what else are you having a bunch of troublemakers for?" My dad expressed his view straightforwardly.
My mom and I exchanged a glance, my mom scolded playfully, "You n have it easy saying that, if you’re that capable, give birth yourself, going through labor is like passing through the gates of hell, I wouldn’t want my daughter to suffer through that twice!"
My dad, hearing this, seed to agree, "Really? When you were born, you hemorrhaged, scared to death. Back then, I even thought you were here to take my life, wished I could put you back!"
"Why say sothing so inauspicious during New Year? Spit, spit, spit!" My mom hastily said, tapping my dad’s mouth with chopsticks.
Realizing his mistake, my dad also gave three "spits," and I laughed heartily at this old couple’s antics, just as I heard the sound of fireworks outside. Turning to look out the window, the night sky was filled with splendid fireworks, truly beautiful.
It’s a new year again, and as I watched the fireworks silently, I prayed in my heart for a fresh start in life.
Reviews
All reviews (0)