Chapter 5

Jiang Ke was really straightforward. She laid out her terms directly with me.

“I won’t ruin your marriage, and you can’t interfere too much in my private life. We each get what we want. You give me twenty thousand yuan a month, and I’ll spend time with you four times a month.”

I pulled her delicate shoulder close, gently brushing her with my stubble.

Then, I pressed her beneath me.

“Why are you so good with words? But let me tell you, while you’re with me, you can only have me as your man.”

She dodged the tickling, giggling.

I took the opportunity to go for it again.

With all that money on the table, I’d be a fool not to take it.

That thrill of repeatedly stepping on the edge of morality.

That dangerous, exhilarating urge to cheat.

It made me want to break free and shout.

It made me fall deeper, unable to extricate myself.

To keep in touch with Jiang Ke, I bought a new phone, registered a new account, and only contacted her.

When Meng Xin checked my phone, I really wasn’t worried at all.

That phone was cleaner than a senior citizen’s.

Who would have thought that last night, that meddlesome woman Lin Yuanyuan happened to see me having dinner with Jiang Ke.

Meng Xin, not thinking things through, came straight to test me.

So annoying.

Can’t we just have a peaceful life?

Have I not given her money? Or love?

Although Meng Xin isn’t as lively as she was back in college, a wife is a wife. No matter how much I play around, I’ve never thought about divorcing her.

Thinking about all this, I could only take out my new phone.

On my new account, I re-added those few idiots.

Then I set up a group chat, and started a WeChat video call.

“Yo, isn’t this Gu Ming? Where’d you get this new account?”

That was Wang Yang, Lin Yuanyuan’s husband and my good brother.

“Hey, Brother Ming, wasn’t what I just said flawless? When are you going to treat grandpa to a meal to thank me?”

That was Jiang Tao, the big goof.

“Eat shit, you bastard.”

Jiang Tao was stunned, eyes wide: “Screw you, who the hell are you cursing at?”

I was really frustrated.

“Use your brain. Jiang Ke spends four days a month with me, so that’s one day a week, right? Yesterday was Sunday. Can’t you figure out I might’ve been with Jiang Ke yesterday?”

I spoke smoothly, and my brothers, worried about privacy, all moved to different spots.

Jiang Tao’s face changed instantly.

“Come on, man, why are you yelling? At least clue me in if you’re going to lie. I’m not a worm in your stomach.”

I didn’t want to hear him talk at all.

“When I go see Jiang Ke, my excuse is always going fishing with you. Either keep quiet, or don’t say stuff like ‘haven’t seen me in ages.’ Are you doing this on purpose?”

Jiang Tao was pissed, wanting to argue, but Wang Yang cut him off.

He stepped in to mediate.

“Ming, don’t get mad. Your sister-in-law doesn’t have any evidence yet, it’s just a word. It’s not a big deal. There’s a new COACH bag out, four or five thousand yuan. Buy it to smooth things over, and it’ll be fine.”

I remembered the original reason-it was all because his wife Lin Yuanyuan couldn’t keep her mouth shut, always meddling, which made Meng Xin suspicious and check my phone.

I was fuming.

“Just shut up. Spend more time teaching your wife. She does nothing all day but meddle in other people’s business. Why doesn’t she go work at the Women’s Federation Office? What’s she doing with social media?”