Chapter 1

Chapter 1

My husband, Lu Mingyu, was a man with a very strong appetite.

It had been especially obvious lately.

Not only did he want it every day, he also dragged it out for ages each time.

I thought the pressure from switching to a new hospital had been getting to him and that he needed emotional comfort, so I did my best to satisfy him.

But what he said tonight…

For a man who had never been fond of sweet talk, it was a little out of character.

In the darkness, I turned to look at the man I had been married to for six years.

There was no denying that Lu Mingyu was blessed with a handsome face.

Deep, defined features. A striking jawline. A cool, heroic air in his brows and eyes. It was no wonder the young nurses at the hospital blushed whenever they saw him.

At that moment, his breathing was even and steady. He was already fast asleep.

I stared for a few seconds, then reached out and picked up his phone.

Lu Mingyu was a plastic surgeon.

Three months ago, he had left a public hospital for a private cosmetic surgery clinic, and his WeChat was filled almost entirely with female clients.

The glow of the screen reflected on my face.

I scrolled through the chats one by one.

An avatar named “Xiaoying” caught my attention.

In the chat window, there was only one message, sent a little after eleven tonight:

[Good night-night.]

The message was marked unread.

Clearly, it was a reply.

Everything before it had been deleted.

I tapped into her Moments. It was all promotions and case studies from the cosmetic surgery clinic Lu Mingyu had just joined, with no other information.

The next day, I got up at 5:45 as usual.

First, I made the Western-style breakfast Lu Mingyu and our daughter Ningning liked. Then I prepared a diabetic-friendly breakfast for my mother-in-law. After that, I took Ningning to school, and once I got home, I pushed my mother-in-law’s wheelchair downstairs for a walk.

This was my fixed routine every morning.

In the elevator, we ran into two elderly neighbor ladies.

They sighed with admiration.

“Ningning’s mom is such a virtuous and hardworking daughter-in-law. Who in our community doesn’t envy you, Sister Guan? You’re so lucky!”

“She has such a good temper too. She speaks gently to everyone and gets along with everybody. In all these years, I’ve never once seen her lose her temper.”

I smiled modestly. “You’re too kind.”

My mother-in-law beamed as she held my hand, her tone both moved and proud.

“This daughter-in-law of mine is closer to me than my own son. Last time I had a heart attack, if she hadn’t gone out of her way to learn first aid beforehand, this old life of mine would have been gone! But she’s too honest for her own good. If anyone in the neighborhood ever bullies her, you all have to help look out for her!”

“Of course, of course!”

That afternoon, after driving to the hospital to pick up my mother-in-law’s medicine, I went to that cosmetic surgery clinic.

It was my first time there.

In the luxurious, imposing lobby, a consultant came over to receive me.

I took out my phone and showed her the WeChat ID for “Xiaoying” that I had photographed yesterday. With a smile, I asked, “Hello. A friend recommended this doctor to me. Could you help me see which doctor at your hospital this is?”

The consultant glanced at it, and her smile instantly widened.

“What a coincidence. She’s right over there.”

I looked in the direction the consultant was pointing.

A woman in an elegant skirt suit was chatting and laughing with someone.

From a distance, she looked young and beautiful, with fair, firm skin. Every movement carried an air of confidence and ease.

The consultant’s proud voice sounded beside my ear.

“Your friend made a great recommendation. That’s our Director Xia. She looks young, doesn’t she? You’d never guess she’s already fifty!”

I froze, then looked at the consultant with wide eyes.

“Fifty?”