The Secret of Second Marriage

I got into President Jiang's car.

President Jiang was wearing a dark blue suit, beige trousers, and shiny leather shoes; his handsome expression made him particularly charming.

He took me to a Western restaurant for dinner.

The restaurant is decorated in a distinctly Western style, with sofa seating, purple curtains, and crystal chandeliers overhead, creating a strong sense of privacy.

He ordered lobster, salmon, pasta, and seafood porridge from the waiter.

I said, "Mr. Jiang, no need. I'm not very hungry, just a steak will do."

"Man, I know you mean well, but you don't need to save me money. Actually, things like lobster and salmon aren't anything special. You'll get tired of them after eating them a few times."

Simple, home-style dishes are still the most to my liking.

President Jiang glanced at me, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

The dishes are all served.

He was very gentlemanly; he would proactively put meat on my plate during meals.

I suddenly looked up into his eyes and felt that the days I spent with President Jiang were like a beautiful dream, but unreal.

What secret is he hiding?

I felt there was something in his eyes that I couldn't understand.

Seeing that I wasn't eating properly, he reached out and patted my head, then suddenly said seriously, "Man, eat well. It's going to get colder in the next few days, so eat well, dress warmly, and take good care of yourself. I'll worry if you get sick."

"Um"

I think what he said went beyond the bounds of friendship.

I'm eating Australian lobster. I heard it costs several thousand dollars a piece. If it were before, my husband would never have been willing to let me eat it.

I remember when I was pregnant, I wanted to eat cherries, but my husband thought they were too expensive and wouldn't buy them for me...

My in-laws also said to me, "Who is so precious when pregnant that they eat such expensive fruit like cherries? It's still my son's money that's being spent. You don't know how to save money at all. Our family can't afford to support a daughter-in-law like this."

I felt like I was committing a terrible sin by eating cherries, so I didn't eat a single cherry during my entire pregnancy.

Looking back now, I realize I was too young and timid. If I had my current temper, I would have confronted them long ago.

I suddenly realized how stifling my previous married life was.

My husband says he loves me, but he always makes me sacrifice for him. What kind of love is that? It's practically a masochist.

After dinner, I suggested giving President Jiang a birthday present. He had helped me so much, so it was only right that I give him a gift.

I asked him, "Mr. Jiang, what kind of gift would you like? I'll give it to you."

He said, "Man, come with me to pray to Buddha."

I said, "President Jiang, haven't you always believed in science?"

Mr. Jiang said, "I believe in science when it comes to studies and career. But I believe in fate when it comes to love. I hope all the gods and Buddhas in heaven will bless you and me!"

I was moved at that moment, and I believe that every woman would be moved if she met someone like President Jiang.

I accompanied President Jiang to a very popular temple near Beijing.

A cold winter.

The mountains were shrouded in mist.

It's very quiet in the mountains.

President Jiang said, "I've heard this temple is very efficacious. Man, if you ever encounter something you can't get what you want, you can pray from the foot of the mountain to the top."

Does President Jiang have some unfulfilled wish?

He took my hand and led me to the temple on the mountain to burn incense and pray to the Bodhisattva.

I made a vow before the Bodhisattva: first, that I could get a smooth divorce and escape my terrible in-laws; second, that my daughter could grow up healthy and happy; and third, that Mr. Jiang and I would have a happy ending.

But when I made the first two wishes, the incense in front of the Bodhisattva burned perfectly, but when I made the last wish, one of the sticks of incense suddenly broke.

I was startled, as if I had some kind of telepathic connection. Perhaps I really couldn't make it to the end with a man as outstanding as President Jiang.

I felt a little down on the way down the mountain.

President Jiang asked me, "Man, what's wrong?"

I smiled and said, "It's nothing."

Mr. Jiang has helped me a lot. I took him to the mall and bought him a very expensive suit and tie. I also wanted to give him a watch as a gift.

Just as I was about to swipe my card, I suddenly discovered that the money in my WeChat account had also been frozen by the court.

I consulted my lawyer, Mr. Xu, who said angrily, "I have never seen such a shameless man who actually applied to the court to freeze his wife's account."

It's possible that because we froze your husband's account during the divorce proceedings, he and his mistress are now freezing your account in return.

Don't worry, I'll check what's going on and contact you later.

Because the money in my card has been frozen.

Therefore, I cannot make the payment.

Mr. Jiang very gentlemanly paid the bill for me and then took me to pick out a few new clothes.

He bought my daughter several pieces of clothing and shoes, all brand-name and quite expensive.

I said, feeling rather embarrassed, "Mr. Jiang, I'm sorry to have troubled you with spending money again today."

"I never expected your husband to be so cruel. Even if he doesn't care about you, he should at least care about the children. He doesn't deserve to be a man for making things so difficult for his wife."

After Mr. Jiang finished speaking, he transferred 5 yuan to me via mobile phone.

I didn't accept the 5 yuan that was in my WeChat account because I was afraid that accepting it would lead to some funds being frozen.

I said, "Mr. Jiang, don't worry. The court only froze my bank card and WeChat account, but I still have friends and my daughter's bank card. I've saved quite a bit of New Year's money over the years."

Having money but being unable to use it—only now have I truly understood the cruelty of my husband and his mistress.

I felt a little embarrassed, but I still took Mr. Jiang shopping. After looking around, I bought two potted plants for him. They were very large pots. One of them was called "Dragon Scale Spring Rain," and it was a very big plant. It looked high-end and imposing. It was shade-tolerant, cold-resistant, and drought-resistant.

There is also a plant called the Heart-shaped Ficus, whose leaves are heart-shaped, giving it a gentle and delicate feel. It likes bright, indirect light and slightly humid air, and can be placed on the balcony.

President Jiang said he liked it very much.

The two potted plants probably cost more than 500 yuan.

I paid in cash.

Mr. Jiang and I drove back to his home, which is located in a high-end residential complex next to the company, with dedicated property management and a private butler.

Mr. Jiang carried the potted plant upstairs in a trolley. It was my first time visiting Mr. Jiang's home, and I found it to be very large, bright, and luxuriously decorated.

It features a variety of expensive sofas, a television, and a fully equipped kitchen and bathroom.

The most striking feature is a huge bookshelf filled with books. The room is very clean and tidy, with a black carpet and sofa, and white curtains.

He poured me a glass of water, then turned on the TV, told me to sit for a while, and then turned on his computer to get back to work.

I wasn't idle either; I helped him arrange those two potted plants. One was placed next to the TV in the living room, and the other was placed on the balcony. The green plants made the whole space look lazy and refreshing.

The first time I visited President Jiang's home, I helped him clean. I happened to see a photo album in the cabinet and couldn't help but open it. It contained photos of his college classmates, as well as several group photos of him with someone else. It looked like a girl, but strangely, all the photos of that girl had been cropped out, leaving only his own photos.

Who exactly is that girl? Is she his first love or his ex-girlfriend?

I felt a little uneasy.

After Mr. Jiang finished his work, I said goodbye to him.

He suddenly hugged me tightly, and said in a gentle, magnetic voice, "Don't leave tonight, stay with me, okay?"

"General Jiang"

I gently hugged him.

I know he is outstanding and I believe he will find someone better. I am just a fleeting passerby in his life.

His head rested on my shoulder, and he held me tightly. I could feel the aura and charm of an adult...

A few minutes passed, but it felt like an eternity to each other.

I gently pushed him away: "Mr. Jiang, let's just be friends."

My husband and I are not divorced yet, and I don't want him to become a third party and suffer the stigma.

He lowered his head, a man in his thirties, looking like a child who had done something wrong, with tears streaming down his face, and said: "Man, do you believe in love at first sight? Don't you have any feelings for me at all?"

I've been going crazy thinking about you these past few days, don't you miss me too? Stay with me tonight, okay?

Just as I was hesitating, his phone rang.

Mr. Jiang was holding me while answering the phone. We were very close, close enough that I could hear his breathing and the voice coming from the other end of the line.

This call was made by my husband.

President Jiang's tone was very unpleasant, and his attitude was very cold.

There was a hint of disdain in his deep eyes, as if he looked down on men like my husband.

My husband said on the phone, "Mr. Jiang, please stop harassing my wife."

Regardless of your relationship with my wife, and regardless of whether you two got together while working together, stay away from my wife.

If you continue like this... I'll ruin your reputation... You don't want people in the business world to know that you, President Jiang, are having an affair with someone else's wife, do you?"

"Go ahead and try, I'm not afraid. This isn't your private property."

She's not an object; she's a living, breathing person who needs affection and respect. A man like you doesn't deserve her at all. She has the right to divorce you and start a new family.

She's such a good woman; she shouldn't waste her whole life on a scumbag like you.

"Hey Jiang, don't push your luck. You talk a good game, but you still seduce other people's wives and cuckold them."

Jiang Man is my wife, she's mine, and I won't let her go to another man even if I ruin her. You just wait and see!

My husband said angrily.

"Fine, I'll wait and see. I own my own company, I have clients, I have connections, what am I afraid of? The woman I set my sights on, I'll take full responsibility for. You, who cheated on me and acted recklessly, almost drove your wife to her death, you're scum!"

President Jiang hung up the phone with a cold laugh.