"What?

"

The woman was on the phone. She had her natural black hair in a messy bun, the woman wearing a bathrobe.

In the place where she is in Country M, it is already morning compared to the time in Country C that it is almost midnight.

The woman stood up from her white leather couch, her left hand on her hip as she was talking to the person on the phone.

"Mama… you didn't tell me that 1xiǎo dìdì has a girlfriend! After what happened to that Ruo Xi, now he is living with this new girl?

"

"Ru Shi, dear,

" Cai Li's voice resounded on the phone, Ru Shi, listening to her mother.

"Please don't say the name of that woman. It annoys the hell out of my ears.

"

"Alright, alright,

" Ru Shi said with a sigh, looking out the window that overlooked the skyscrapers in Country M.

"Well? Tell me about this girl?

"

"It would be such a difficult topic to talk about this time of night. Why are you suddenly calling this midnight? Don't you want your mother to sleep?

"

With Ru Shi rolling her eyes at what she said, she sat back down on the leather couch and replied to what she said.

"Mother, you're so contradicting. You told me I can call you any time. Since I've not been calling for how many weeks already due to work, now that I'm calling you, you're scolding me.

"

When Cai Li heard this, she let out a soft giggle, Ru Shi, arching a brow at her even though her mother won't see her.

"Anyway, I will tell you about your brother's new girl once you come home. Your flight back in Country C will be soon, yes?

"

"Mm,

" Ru Shi nodded, looking at the clock of her hotel room.

"In three hours.

"

"Alright,

" Cai Li replied,

"I will be waiting for your arrival, then. And we'll talk about it.

"

With them being quiet for a while, Cai Li asked her a question that made Ru Shi hesitant, only Cai Li hearing a sigh from her.

"How's your husband—Ling Chia Hao?

"

Ru Shi didn't answer her mother for a while. With her husband being asked, she just nodded even though her mother won't see, answering her question briefly.

"He's alright. Busy with the business.

"

"I see,

" Cai Li said, her tone getting serious.

"If you want, we can talk about your marriage once you get home, Ru Shi.

"

With this heard, somehow, Ru Shi's eyes started pooling tears. As she forced herself not to cry, she just replied to what her mother had said, actually feeling comfort in what she said because to Ru Shi, her best friend is her mother.

She could comfortably tell her anything without her mother judging her.

"Yes, please,

" Ru Shi replied, feeling a painful lump in her throat.

"I… Chia Hao is a good man, mama. It's just that I feel too bad because he's stuck with a woman like me. A woman who's still stuck in the past. A woman who's—

"

"Ru Shi, dear…

"

With Cai Li interrupting her, she already knew that her daughter is about to cry.

"You have a flight coming soon. You will talk to me later, yes? Save your energy and sleep throughout your flight. I will personally come to pick you up at the airport, yes?

"

"Yes, mama… yes.

"

"Good girl,

" Cai Li said, a sad smile appearing on her face.

"You will have a vacation here for a week—we'll talk about what you want to talk about—spend time with me and your little brother, yes?

"

"Please, mama,

" Ru Shi replied, letting out a soft chuckle as she liked the idea.

"I miss you and little brother so much. With you telling me about a new girl, too, oh… I'm so curious.

"

With both of them laughing in the call, it made Ru Shi feel slightly better, Cai Li, already telling her to prepare.

"Now, let me sleep, dear. You have to prepare for your flight. Make sure you don't forget anything.

"

"Yes, mama. Good night. Sorry for calling so late—being emotional this time of day.

"

"No need for apologies, dear,

" Cai Li said,

"Mama is here—always.

"

With that, the call already ended. The moment Ru Shi put her phone down on the couch for a while as she blankly stared out the window of her hotel, she let out a sigh, closing her eyes for a while.

Chia Hao—Ru Shi's husband that was set up to her by their father—he's indeed a great man, a very doting husband to his wife. He's exceptionally handsome, too, and very gentle compared to other men that she had met.

Anyone who would have Chia Hao would be a lucky woman indeed… however, for some reason, Ru Shi couldn't bring herself to love him.

Yes, she appreciated him—she admired how Chia Hao is doing his duties as his husband and has indeed learned to love her.

Although for Ru Shi, she couldn't seem to reciprocate the love because of the past that kept haunting her—the past that she had with her first and last love.

With her opening her eyes, her eyebrows knitted in worry, wondering if she's hurting Chia Hao with how nonchalant her responses are when it comes to him.

Even after their marriage, both of them never touched each other—Chia Hao respecting that she doesn't want to be touched…

Nor even kissed.

Three years already passed since their marriage, yet Chia Hao still treated her well, always being a kind and a gentle man that he is.

Ru Shi felt suffocated—she knew that she didn't deserve this if her heart still couldn't let go of the other.

She wanted to ask for a divorce—she wanted to give Chia Hao freedom and give him what he deserves—true love.

However, with her father deciding most of their life decisions, Ru Shi knew that she just wouldn't stand a chance.

She wanted to rebel, yes… but she'd rather have this life than give more stress to her mother, Cai Li, who is already stressed with what Pan An's doing in his life, who is also saddened by the fact of the older brother away.

With her older brother gone, with his little brother doing as he pleases, Ru Shi thought how difficult must it be to be the middle child—being forced to do things in favor of their father just because the two could not do what he wants.