The Secret of Second Marriage

I always felt that this was meticulously designed.

With my keen intuition at its core, I looked at my husband and said, "Why is it that whenever something happens in your family, I'm always the one who has to sacrifice?"

My husband paused for a moment, then said, "Honey, don't be angry. We're discussing it right now. As your daughter-in-law, you should at least go to the hospital to see Dad, right?"

Only then did I realize that this was a trap.

The car drove to the hospital.

I texted my best friend Juan to ask her to pick up my daughter.

My best friend Juan's daughter and my daughter are classmates and good friends.

She readily agreed and asked me, "How are things between you and your husband lately? Has your relationship improved?"

I said, "No, Juan, I can't go back to him."

Their youthful love eventually led to a point where they grew to loathe each other.

My husband's car quickly stopped in front of the city hospital.

After we got out of the car, he tried to take my hand, but I coldly shook him off.

He glanced at me, a little displeased: "Honey, what's wrong with you lately? Everyone envies your husband's success in his career and the kids' obedience and good grades. What else are you dissatisfied with?"

I felt both angry and amused when I heard that.

He was having an affair and then tried to glorify himself.

I said, "So what? I sacrificed my career to be a full-time housewife for seven years, doing laundry, cooking, and taking care of the children so you wouldn't have to worry about anything. Didn't I contribute to your promotion and raise?"

My husband was speechless after being confronted.

He said, "Have you recently met some bad friends who are brainwashing you and trying to ruin our marriage? Weren't we doing just fine before?"

I ignored him.

I suddenly realized that the deepest disappointment I can feel in someone is when I no longer want to talk to them.

My husband and I were having a cold war, one of us going first and the other going to the hospital's inpatient department.

VIP special care ward.

My husband and I had just entered the ward when we saw a fashionable woman in her early twenties.

She wore heavy makeup and a designer down jacket, and gently tossed her long hair with her beautifully manicured hands.

When she saw my husband and me arrive, she looked at my husband with curiosity.

I know this young woman is my sister-in-law—Tian Lili.

She saw my husband and winked at him: "Brother, Qiangzi and I don't want to stay in the countryside forever. We want to buy an apartment in Beijing. Could you lend us some money?"

"My sister-in-law manages all my money."

My husband said modestly.

He knew the other party had big ambitions; the down payment for any apartment in Beijing would easily exceed one million yuan.

"Brother, you are the head of this family. My sister-in-law stays at home all day and doesn't work, so she still has to listen to you."

Tian Lili kept glancing at me, her tone full of "provocation".

I smelled a very strong perfume scent.

Tian Lili was indeed quite beautiful in that small county town, but in a big city like Beijing, there are urban beauties everywhere.

She seemed a bit vulgar.

My husband clearly didn't want to talk about this.

My father-in-law coughed, and looked a little unhappy.

Even though he's so sick, his youngest daughter-in-law is still thinking about buying a house.

The husband walked over and sat down next to his father, his voice low and gentle: "Today, our family is here to discuss the matter of Dad being sick and hospitalized and needing someone to take care of him."

My husband's younger brother said nonchalantly, "Brother, is this even a question? I see that my sister-in-law is just sitting at home doing nothing all day, so let her take care of Mom."

I firmly refused: "I've found a job and need to go to work. Your wife is idle now, so why don't you let her take care of her father?"

Xue Qiang was wearing a leather jacket, a large gold chain, and driving a BMW worth hundreds of thousands of yuan.

Back in his hometown, he was a hoodlum; he lost money opening an internet cafe and then a barbecue restaurant.

If you make friends with a bunch of frivolous people, and they spend all their time drinking and playing cards.

He said in a sleazy tone, "My wife has never even set foot in the kitchen. She can't even take care of herself, how can she take care of an elderly person? Sister-in-law, everyone knows you're very capable. You're good at everything—laundry, cooking, cleaning. If all else fails, we can hire a caregiver."

My husband said, "Then let's hire a caregiver, I'll pay for it."

My mother-in-law had long disliked me, so she stirred things up by saying, "Eldest son, your parents raised you all these years so that you would have someone to rely on in your old age."

Hiring a caregiver is easy, but Mom isn't comfortable with it. Tell me, what do you think we should do about Dad's care?

Besides, how can your wife be a wife like that? She only wants an easy life, spending money on everything, hiring someone is one thing, but she doesn't put in any effort herself?

The younger brother-in-law said something even harsher: "Brother, we've discussed it, and no one can take better care of Dad than our own family. We all agree that my sister-in-law should quit her job and stay home to take care of him. How old are the old folks? How many more years do they have left to live?"

If we don't take care of them now, when will we?

I was quite unsettled when I heard that.

What was the old woman's purpose? It's already quite obvious.

She wants me to quit my job and take care of the old man.

The room reeked of alcohol disinfectant, and I finally realized that this was a trap set for me alone.

The old woman favored her youngest son and daughter-in-law, and couldn't bear to see them suffer.

The eldest son is busy with work and career all day and cannot take time off often.

I am the easiest to bully, and only you, who sacrificed me, can make their whole family happy.

My father-in-law glanced at me but didn't say anything.

He probably also thinks I'm a reliable person.

My husband pulled me to the door of the ward to discuss it.

He grabbed my wrist and said softly, "Wife, the only person I trust in this world is you. I only feel at ease when you take care of my father. Please help me this once."

Please, I'm begging you. Just take good care of my dad until he recovers and is discharged from the hospital.

"If you help me get through this, I will love you for the rest of my life, Xiaoman."

They spoke sweet nothings so earnestly.

I almost fell in love.

Back then, he begged me to quit my job and return to the family, to be a full-time housewife who did laundry, cooked, and took care of the children, and he did so with great affection.

I softened.

I don't think he would betray me.

I took a gamble for love, but in the end, I lost miserably.

If I hadn't discovered his infidelity beforehand, I might have foolishly sacrificed myself this time, quitting my job to take care of my sick father-in-law.

But I won't be that foolish.

Tears streamed down my face.

I wiped away my tears and said, "Let's talk in the ward."

My husband thought I had agreed and was very happy.

He took me back to the ward.

My father-in-law had surgery and was hospitalized, so family members need to stay with him at night.

When we went in, the nurses had finished their rounds, and they were discussing the night shift arrangements.

My brother-in-law and his wife are going to see a movie on a date tonight.

My husband is always reliable, so he suggested that he take the night shift tonight.

The old lady immediately said coldly, "Eldest son, you have to go to work tomorrow, and your wife is free. Is she coming to work the night shift tonight? If you don't get enough rest, it will affect your work, and your boss will criticize you. Go back quickly and call Xiaoman."

The anger in my heart finally exploded, and I demanded, "Why? Why does it have to be me giving up my job? Why can't you hire a caregiver? Don't you have a son and daughter-in-law? Why aren't they working the night shift?"

The old woman was so angry that she kept crying; she started crying after only a few words.

She's a total green tea b*tch.

I think I understand now.

She forced her son to bully me.

Just like when Xue Fan first took me home, she didn't give me a dowry, didn't buy me a house, and didn't give me the three gold pieces (a traditional Chinese wedding gift). She thought I would just compromise.

I won't do it this time.