In Lin Jing’s view, the three sons of the Sun family each had their own merits.

The eldest son carried himself with an air of righteousness, speaking forcefully and powerfully. He embodied both the loyalty of a people’s police officer and the humor of a common citizen. After buying fruit from a roadside stall, he could tell the vendor to run quickly because the city management would arrive in five minutes. When the city management drove over, he’d be standing there peeling oranges from his bag. He was also the most smooth-sailing and least worrisome son for his parents. Externally, he was worthy of the country and people; internally, he was worthy of his siblings. Whether as a son, a brother, a husband, or a father… he was beyond reproach.

Sun Jinghui had the best appearance and was the most prone to romantic entanglements, but deep down he always minded not being biological, so he was more obedient and filial than the other siblings. She had been with Sun Jinghui for twelve years before officially meeting the Sun family parents, and she was the only girlfriend he ever brought home. He valued sibling bonds the most deeply—if he had ten yuan in his pocket and a sibling came to borrow money, he’d lend out nine. He also envied Sun Jingcheng the most; even when he couldn’t fill his own stomach, he’d give money for Jingcheng to go out and have fun. Put nicely, he most valued sibling affection. Put harshly, he loved playing the big shot.

Sun Jingcheng was the most calm and composed, the most childlike in nature, and the most willfully reckless. Sun Mother called him “dog-face” behind his back—his expression changed quickly and he forgot just as fast. She called him calm and composed because of his inner concept of wealth and class divisions. In college he wore the eldest and second brother’s hand-me-downs; when well-off he didn’t waste money on material things. He spent large sums on intangible things instead—traveling everywhere, recording albums, taking a year’s earnings to help a school in Guizhou build a sports field… If you asked him why, he’d say he’d promised it during his teaching stint there. Sun Mother asked why he didn’t use the money to help impoverished schools in the province and earn a good reputation. He reasoned: I’ll do that when I become a tycoon.

In contrast was his wife Zhou Yu’s personality. She could only be described as clever—inscrutable. The sisters-in-law got along quite well; clever people found it easy to deal with each other. Including the eldest sister-in-law Xu Weihua, they were all ordinary people—neither greatly good nor greatly evil, just possessing a bit of cleverness.

She had long passed the age of evaluating people by good and evil. In Sun Jingfei’s words, too much good becomes evil. Sun Jingfei’s temperament was similar to Sun Jingcheng’s, but she was far more sophisticated, worldly, and efficient than him.

Among these siblings’ marriages, she most envied the eldest couple. The eldest brother was upright and steadfast, clean in male-female relationships, and considerate toward his wife. The eldest sister-in-law’s family had many issues and they’d contributed plenty of money, but he never complained. Although the eldest brother was busy with work and inevitably neglected the family, how could anyone have everything go their way? Next was Sun Jingfei. She had the most say in her in-laws’ household because her earning ability was strongest. The fourth couple was most ordinary—Sun Jingcheng was too willfully self-centered, unable to achieve great things in his career or be considerate of his partner in marriage. If they hadn’t acquired property in earlier years, given his temperament, their finances would be the worst now.

Returning her thoughts to herself—how was she any better than them? In earlier years following Sun Jinghui selling clothing at wholesale markets, getting up at three or four in the morning, the first pot of gold they earned was completely lost by Sun Jinghui gambling. Afterward, discovering he’d been set up, he went door to door with a knife to collect the debt, ultimately getting beaten badly and the police were called. The eldest brother suppressed the matter and didn’t dare tell Sun Father and Sun Mother.

At their worst, the two of them ate only one-yuan sesame cakes with vegetarian chicken for every meal, continuing for two months straight. After that, she felt nauseous at the sight of vegetarian chicken. He boasted to his parents that he was doing very well. The eldest brother privately slipped him money, but he’d rather die than accept it, and even borrowed money to give the eldest brother for his child’s full-month celebration.

Later they proved worthy of their efforts. The two rallied and sold clothing again. Fortune turned, and they gradually made their wealth this way—their true first pot of gold. It was also in the twelfth year of their relationship that Sun Jinghui drove his newly bought car to take her home to the Sun family, properly meeting the parents. The next day they registered their marriage, ate a simple meal at home, and that counted as getting married. Later they switched to the restaurant business, completely leaving the clothing industry.

Their wedding ceremony was held seven years ago, eight years after registering their marriage, when their eldest son was six. It was an extremely grand and glorious wedding. But this wedding was triggered by a sordid incident.

A month before the wedding, Sun Jinghui caught her and her lover at a hotel.

After Sun Jinghui became wealthy, the shop also hired fitting models—all pretty young girls in their teens. Sun Jinghui occasionally had flings, and as long as there were no emotional entanglements, she turned a blind eye. Men and women—it was just that sort of thing. When she first got together with Sun Jinghui, in today’s terms she’d been the mistress.

She knew all the tricks women used. Being in the clothing business herself, with Sun Jinghui’s good taste and appearance, plus his naturally flirtatious nature, he didn’t even need to beckon—the young girls threw themselves at him one after another. As long as a young girl left the shop every six months, she understood what was happening. Anyone who had relations with him, Sun Jinghui would pay their salary the next day and send them away.

She understood in her heart that Sun Jinghui sought novelty. How the two of them had gotten to where they were, they both knew in their hearts. Over the years she was tired too, couldn’t control him, and only firmly held the financial power. Their relationship was too complex—not just the bond between husband and wife, but more from their shared hardships, having seen each other’s most wretched and miserable states.

Later when Sun Jinghui transitioned to the restaurant business, gradually closing the clothing business, she slowly had more free time. While helping manage the restaurant, she began paying attention to maintenance—both her face and figure. Later she learned to swim, and gradually got involved with her instructor. She couldn’t really call it liking him, much less revenge. She could only say she was too empty and lonely, and someone took advantage of her vulnerability.

When Sun Jinghui cornered her, she felt no panic, only relief. Sun Jinghui nearly strangled her to death, but she had no emotional fluctuation. Afterward Sun Jinghui broke down crying, frantically slapping his face, and only then did she start breaking down. The two sat on the hotel floor all night, crying with their arms around each other, making love frantically, until they were completely exhausted. Sun Jinghui said: “Let’s live our lives properly.”

After that they held the wedding ceremony, then had a second child. When the younger son entered kindergarten, Sun Jinghui leased two floors for her and found a team to help her establish the medical aesthetics center. And from that night onward, neither of them had any more flings. These matters, aside from those involved, no one else knew.

After finishing their coffee, they went to the hotel. Lin Jing asked him what they were doing at the hotel. His eyes focused on driving, his hand roaming at the root of her thigh. Lin Jing slapped his hand, cursing him as a scoundrel.

He gave a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Didn’t you ask me what we’re doing at the hotel?”

“Get lost.” Lin Jing cursed at him.

When they opened the hotel room door, the whole room was filled with colorful balloons, red wine, cake, and various other things scattered on the floor. Only the floor-to-ceiling window had “27th Anniversary” stuck on it. Sun Jinghui took off his coat and threw it on the floor, rolled up his sleeves and sat down to continue inflating balloons. “I was just setting up this evening when Dad called, asking for a chef to go to the house.”

“Your style should be to ask someone for help, shouldn’t it?” Lin Jing also took off her coat and hung it properly.

“Asking someone would lack sincerity.” Sun Jinghui lit a cigarette and held it in his hand, inflating balloons while talking.

Lin Jing also sat cross-legged, unwrapping the large bouquet of roses. “We’re an old married couple, still doing all this flashy stuff…”

“That’s being insincere.” Sun Jinghui called her out.

“Consider it one decent thing you’ve done.” Lin Jing laughed.

“That’s harsh—I haven’t done decent things before?”

“Don’t remember.”

“Does doing you count as a decent thing?”

Lin Jing kicked him. “Less talking, more doing.”

Sun Jinghui took a drag of his cigarette, then held it to her lips. Lin Jing took a drag and gossiped, “Why did Dad suddenly call asking for a chef?”

“Probably the third and fourth got into it.”

“How do you know?”

“Zhou Yu’s finger got burned, Mom’s hand got cut too, and those siblings aren’t speaking to each other.” Sun Jinghui said: “Obviously the third didn’t help, the fourth felt bad his wife burned her hand, so the siblings had a falling out.”

“No wonder the third toasted Zhou Yu.” Lin Jing suddenly understood.

Sun Jinghui flicked his ash and said nothing more.

Lin Jing got him an ashtray. “If you burn the carpet you’ll have to pay for it.”

“I’ll pay! I’m not short of money.” Sun Jinghui said.

“Look at that nouveau riche attitude of yours.” Lin Jing scooped up a piece of cake with her finger. “Tastes pretty good.” Then she scooped up another piece to feed him.

“The fourth can show concern for people now—I thought their marriage was ordinary.”

“They’re doing just fine.”

The two weren’t doing fine!

At this moment they were on the road home again, in the car as usual, listening to a radio program. The content happened to be about divorce, and Zhou Yu casually said: “Let’s schedule a time to register first. We can divorce after the one-month cooling-off period passes. Scheduling early won’t delay things.” Her tone was as casual as saying: “The weather’s nice today, let’s go pay respects to our ancestors, to avoid the Qingming Festival crowds.”

Sun Jingcheng instinctively replied, “Are you in a hurry?” Then he took out his phone and sent voice messages to the eldest: [What’s the civil affairs bureau mean? What’s this divorce “cooling-off period”?]

[Are you mocking me for being impulsive?]

He sent… sent… sent six voice messages in succession.

Sun Jingyue replied: “Did you take the wrong medicine? Careful or I’ll handcuff you!”

Sun Jingcheng was like a prairie dog: “Go ahead and cuff me!”

Sun Jingyue was also annoyed and too lazy to deal with him.

Zhou Yu buried her head in her phone.

Finding it boring, he pulled over to the side and went across the street to queue for candied hawthorn. Zhou Yu put down her phone and stared directly across the street. When he finished buying and returned to the car, he handed it to her. “It’s almost out of season.” Out of season, winter would be over.

Arriving at the new district, Sun Jingcheng changed clothes to go to the sports center—someone had asked him to play tennis. He invited Zhou Yu along; she shook her head, saying she was busy with other things.

When he finished playing and was heading back, he thought of an outdoor brand—their mountaineering equipment was good. Last time after climbing the mountain, they’d agreed to climb again before school started. On the way back he selected several mountaineering outfits, mountaineering shoes, and professional backpacks. Entering the door while changing shoes, he called out, “Wife.”

“Mm.” Zhou Yu responded from the kitchen counter.

“Don’t you wear size 8 shoes?”

“Yes.”

“Your feet are really big.” Sun Jingcheng said as he walked over, seeing Zhou Yu’s injured finger wrapped in plastic wrap, making shrimp dumpling filling one by one.

“Go wash your hands first.” Zhou Yu said without looking up.

Sun Jingcheng silently went to wash his hands, then came back to stand by the pot waiting for the water to boil to cook the dumplings. Zhou Yu instructed him, “Slide them in along the edge of the pot, don’t throw them in like tossing stones.”

…

Sun Jingcheng was speechless.

Zhou Yu glanced at him but said nothing.

Sun Jingcheng stood there for quite a while before asking her, “Does your hand hurt?”

Zhou Yu shook her head.

He asked again: “Did you make these especially for me?”

“Didn’t you say yesterday you wanted to eat them?”

Sun Jingcheng had nothing more to say, holding the strainer and moving it in circles in the pot.

…

“You can only gently push the dumplings, they’ll break apart if you stir clockwise.” Zhou Yu said patiently.

Sun Jingcheng put down the strainer, covered the pot, and looked at her. “Wife, let me learn to cook too!”

“No need. You’re a noble man.”

Sun Jingcheng laughed heartily.

While eating dumplings, he showed Zhou Yu his phone, letting her see the mountaineering equipment in the shopping cart. Zhou Yu looked and thought it too expensive—not worth it for occasional wear.

“From now on during holidays we’ll leave the province, go to the mountains in Sichuan and Tibet. On weekends we’ll stay in the province.” Sun Jingcheng planned.

“You help me choose. I don’t understand these things.” Zhou Yu returned his phone.

Sun Jingcheng put down his chopsticks, and only continued eating after selecting and paying. Zhou Yu brewed a cup of tea and sipped it slowly. After he finished eating, she began talking about what happened today. She didn’t use words like reckless, brainless, or self-righteous—she only said the pain from burning her hand was insignificant, not worth them quarreling over as siblings.

“Some words seem light, but actually carry heavy weight. You siblings are used to fighting and bickering—you’re accustomed to it—but quarreling bitterly will hurt your relationship. You won’t notice temporarily, but when you realize it someday, it’ll be too late.” Zhou Yu said slowly: “You quarreling over this matter will also affect the relationship between us as mother-in-law, daughter-in-law, and sisters-in-law. Mom won’t dare ask me to help cook next time, and my position will be very awkward.”

“Some things are like this—we think we’re fighting injustice, that it’s for others’ good, but in the end it’s just wishful thinking.” Zhou Yu stopped there and said no more.

Sun Jingcheng didn’t make a sound either. After eating, he went to wash the dishes, returned to the bathroom to wash up, came out and sat at the vanity to do a hand mask. When all the routines were finished, he went over and sprawled on top of Zhou Yu who was reading in bed.

Zhou Yu put down her book and touched his hair, saying it was really coarse, like a hedgehog. Sun Jingcheng seized the opportunity, quietly lifting the blanket wanting to sneak into her covers unnoticed, but she saw through him at a glance and forcefully pushed him down.

“Really stingy.”

“You’re generous.” Zhou Yu replied.

“Teacher Zhou, I want to move the piano over here.”

“Move it then.”

“After you start school we’ll live here, I’ll take you to school in the morning.”

“I don’t want to get up early.” Zhou Yu refused.

“I know a shortcut, from here to your school is just ten minutes.”

“Why don’t you move back there?” Zhou Yu looked at him.

“It’s not for myself.” Sun Jingcheng explained, “It’s quiet here so you can sleep well—over there you keep tossing and turning at night.”

“We’ll see.”

“If we live here, I’ll move the piano. If we live in the marital home, I won’t move it.” Sun Jingcheng discussed with her.

“We’ll see.” Zhou Yu turned off the light. She understood Sun Jingcheng—taking her for three to five days was no problem, but given more time he’d get annoyed.

Sun Jingcheng stared wide-eyed, unable to sleep. Zhou Yu’s words carried too much information, especially that line “quarreling bitterly will hurt your relationship—you won’t notice temporarily, but when you realize it someday, it’ll be too late.”

When he and Zhou Yu divorced, it had started with trivial matters causing arguments. The more they argued, the more they felt the other’s personality was flawed, seeing only faults. To avoid harsh words that would make them hateful to each other, he proposed divorce, and Zhou Yu immediately agreed.

He found her injured hand and kissed it, saying from the bottom of his heart: “Wife, thank you.” For making shrimp dumplings especially for him, for him putting her in an awkward position, for not blaming him.

He wasn’t one to be stingy with expressing emotions, but tonight somehow, some words just couldn’t come out. Yet he was inexplicably certain that Zhou Yu understood all those complex, intertwined, indescribable subtle emotions. Otherwise, when he sprawled on top of her, she wouldn’t have gently stroked his hair.