Chapter Twenty-Two: A-Yan, Save Me

"The two of us are going on a honeymoon?" I asked, unable to believe it.

Mother Zhou replied, "I've noticed you two seem to have been arguing lately. I've arranged this honeymoon for you to help nurture your relationship."

I wasn't keen on the idea. "Mom, he's so busy; when would he even have time for a honeymoon? Let's just forget it."

Zhou Chenyan suddenly spoke up. "It's fine."

I glared at him.

Mother Zhou looked very pleased. "You'll leave this noon. You'll arrive in time to see the night view, and I've already booked the room for you."

With things having reached this point, I had no reason to refuse, but the mere thought of going away with Zhou Chenyan filled me with resistance.

"Are A-Yan and Sister Yanyan going on a trip?" Zhou Zhizi appeared suddenly, as if she had been lurking in the shadows listening for some time.

Mother Zhou's smile faded slightly. "Yes. Your father is busy with company business and won't be home for a few days. Your brother and sister-in-law are going on their honeymoon, so it will just be you and me at home. Thankfully, I have your company; otherwise, I’d be quite bored."

I almost laughed out loud. Mother Zhou understood Zhou Zhizi too well; she knew exactly what she was going to say before she even opened her mouth, and she didn't give her a chance to say it.

Zhou Zhizi looked at Zhou Chenyan with longing eyes. He frowned, deep in thought, and didn't say a word. Zhou Zhizi lowered her head in disappointment. "Then... I hope A-Yan and Sister Yanyan have a happy honeymoon."

I waited for a moment, but Zhou Chenyan remained silent. The last glimmer of hope in my heart vanished. Without Zhou Zhizi's interference, this honeymoon was inevitable.

Sitting on the plane, Zhou Chenyan was right beside me, but neither of us spoke. There was zero communication. He wore a sour expression, clearly unhappy. This was to be expected, after all—I was never the person he wanted to go on a honeymoon with.

I gazed at the blue sky and white clouds outside, my mind drifting back to our actual honeymoon after we were married. Back then, I was full of sweetness and anticipation. Zhou Chenyan treated me quite well, gentle and patient, leading me to believe for a time that he was a man without a temper.

Until, during that honeymoon, he suddenly left.

I was abandoned in the hotel alone. His phone wouldn't connect, and he couldn't be found. I was on the verge of calling the police when I received a call from Zhou Zhizi. Through her sobbing, she said, "A-Yan, I didn't mean to make you come back to keep me company. I just wasn't used to it... you have Sister Yanyan now, so I went to get a drink..."

"Are you saying that now that you have Sister Yanyan, you don't care about me anymore?"

"Silly, what are you saying?" Zhou Chenyan’s voice was filled with a tenderness and sincerity I had never heard before. "She is my wife, but one can have more than one wife, and you are unique."

I felt as if I had been struck by lightning. That night became the longest of my life. I stared into the darkness until dawn, packed my bags, and boarded a plane home.

Zhou Chenyan called me, asking why I hadn't waited for him at the hotel, his tone tinged with a faint, superficial concern. But the surging love I felt for him felt like a balloon that had suddenly been punctured, leaking away bit by bit. That was our first fight.

When we landed, we went to the hotel. From the moment we left the Zhou residence until we entered the hotel, we walked side by side like strangers, with enough space between us to fit another person. I didn't speak, and neither did he, causing the hotel receptionist to look at us with strange expressions.

"Hurry up, please," Zhou Chenyan said impatiently.

After checking in, we entered our room. It was decorated romantically with roses, candlelight, and an oversized double bed. I stood at the door. "I'm going to book another room."

Zhou Chenyan had already walked inside, removed his jacket, and loosened his tie, tossing them onto the sofa. He glanced at me expressionlessly. "As you wish."

He didn't stop me, which gave me a sense of relief. I went back to the front desk, only to be told that because it was peak tourist season, the hotel was fully booked. Just as I was considering finding another hotel elsewhere, my mother-in-law called.

"You should have arrived at the hotel, right? How is the room decorated? Do you like it? Show me quickly."

Her words were filled with concern, but it was clearly surveillance. I had to go back, crestfallen. After showing Mother Zhou the room, I sat on the sofa. Hearing the sound of water from the bathroom, I felt distracted. There was no way I was going to sleep in the same bed as him tonight. The sofa looked decent—large and soft—so sleeping on it for a night shouldn't be a problem. I planned to just fall asleep and get through the night, then find another hotel tomorrow.

But tonight was destined not to be peaceful. Soon, there was a knock at the door. A waiter brought in an exquisite meal, lit the candles, poured red wine, and dimmed the lights, turning the room into a hazy, ambiguous shade of amber. The atmosphere was set.

When Zhou Chenyan came out and saw this, he paused, then sat down at the dining table with an indifferent expression. I didn't move.

He urged me, "Sit." I remained frozen in place.

"If you've already figured out how to handle Mom, you can turn around and leave right now."

I stood there, feeling thoroughly annoyed. Just then, a message popped up on my phone from my mother-in-law: *Seize the opportunity. I hope you'll have good news to share when you return.*

Good news? I was stunned for a moment before realizing what Mother Zhou meant, and a cold sweat broke out on my back. She was anxious for a grandchild! The idea of me bearing Zhou Chenyan’s child was pure fantasy.

Unless I had lost my mind.

But things had reached this point, and I couldn't just leave. I didn't want to get into another argument with Zhou Chenyan, so I silently went over and sat down. This candlelight dinner tasted like nothing to me, though Zhou Chenyan had an excellent appetite. Perhaps it was my imagination, but he seemed to be in a good mood. Under the dim light, his usually stern face appeared somewhat softened.

We once had happy times. When he pursued me, he was gentle, polite, and patient, like a gentleman who made my heart race. After we married, he accommodated me in everything.

The initial change started with a bowl of seafood porridge. When Zhou Zhizi visited our new home for the first time, I made her seafood porridge. She had an allergic reaction and fainted. That was the first time I saw Zhou Chenyan’s expression change; the look he gave me was icy cold.

The first thing Zhou Zhizi said when she woke up was, "Don't blame Sister Yanyan; it wasn't intentional. It's my own problem..."

From that point on, Zhou Chenyan was convinced I had done it on purpose. No matter how I explained, he wouldn't believe me, and he even stayed at the hospital to care for her for a full month without coming home. Since then, Zhou Zhizi and I had been like fire and water.

After dinner, Zhou Chenyan said coolly, "Go take a shower."

I was stunned. "What?"

"Go take a shower," he repeated patiently. "Before we left, Mom gave me a task, and I intend to carry it out seriously."

A task? I thought of that text message. Did he mean having a baby? Was he insane, or was I?

He looked at me, seemingly in high spirits. "You asked for a divorce because you felt I was neglecting you. Once we have a child, you won't feel that way anymore."

I stared at him in disbelief. His face was still as handsome as ever, but the words he spoke made my skin crawl.

"I have no intention of completing this 'task'."

His expression darkened. "Have you thought this through? Mu Yan, this is a chance I'm giving you. Once we have a child, we can live properly. Don't let your imagination run wild, and I won't neglect you again..."

"Why do you think I would be willing to have a child for you?" It was so absurd that I wanted to laugh. I couldn't help but ask, "What do you consider having a child to be? A bargaining chip to stabilize a marriage, or a tether to keep me locked in?"

"You..."

His phone rang, abruptly cutting him off. His phone was high quality, and the voice on the other end came through clearly: "A-Yan, save me..."

Zhou Chenyan’s expression shifted instantly. He said soothingly, "Don't cry, I'm coming right back."