Chapter 261 – A Strong Woman II
The phone screen kept blinking. Jiang Ruolan only looked at the number she was already familiar with, she did not answer or hung up the phone.
When the ringtone stopped ringing, the screen went dark again.
Every marriage should have a sense of all love and affection. Being together didn't mean that you will never be separated. It was rare for a marriage to last long, especially for a marriage that initially begins without love.
In fact, this ending was already in anticipation. This marriage lasted only because of her obsession and because she wanted something that was not hers.
Separated by the unconnected phone, Jiang Ruolan couldn't see Xian Zihao's expression, but she was sure it was relaxed. Maybe he will feel a little remorse for letting this relationship linger one day.
This so-called love, until the end, you will never know how fragile it was.
Unlike H City, F City was not as bustling as during the day, nor it was bright with lights at night.
At this time, the residential area looked quiet and almost deserted. Jiang Ruolan switched off her cell phone, took out the small sim card, and broke it. Then she threw it into the trash can.
A bird landed on the concrete windowsill next to her window. It stretched its neck and screamed twice. It was unknown whether it was calling its lost companion or not.
Perhaps one day, this bird will also be like her. Life in this world was like glass. How many glasses need to be shattered before one finally finds his happiness? Jiang Ruolan will always remember the figure in the blue pool of the Clubhouse. She will remember Xian Zihao's words to her while he was hugging her in their house, Greenville Residence.
Jiang Ruolan will also remember the words Xian Zihao said to her when he held her hand. She will always remember everything he did for her. But will Xian Zihao remember her one day?
Perhaps, at some point in a certain year, Xian Zihao will remember that he once married Jiang Ruolan and all the promises he once made to her. But as time goes on, he will slowly forget about her.
Jiang Ruolan went back into the kitchen to heat up the milk. She looked at the flickering blue flames under the hot milk pot while lost in her thought once again.
***
The next morning, Jiang Ruolan was awakened by a knock on the door. She blurrily got up from the bed and opened the door. Sister Qiao was waiting for her at the door.
"Ruolan, aren't you saying that you are looking for a job? Aren't you a journalist and editor in the Commerce Department? I have a job vacancy for you, but not in that department but in another department. They are really in a hurry to recruit people. It is a vacancy in the entertainment journalist division. Do you want to try it? Since we are old friends, they will probably give you a chance on my behalf." As soon as Sister Qiao entered the door, she nagged her, "By the way, I heard that you broke up with that Han guy?"
Jiang Ruolan and Han Xuegang have been exemplary couples at the university for two years. They were both famous among various aunties nearby. However, when Jiang Ruolan heard his name from Sister Qiao, she felt it was a lifetime ago.
Seeing Jiang Ruolan nod, Sister Qiao immediately pulled her to a couch and sat next to each other. "I have a 25-year-old nephew. He is only a few months older than you. He works in a chemical plant in F City and has a good family situation, has two houses with a monthly salary of more than 5,000 yuan, he can even get accommodating his wife and children very well. He has reached the age of marriage, but in the unit, the one where he stays, there are all the men by his side, and he does not have the opportunity to come in contact with some suitable girls."
Jiang Ruolan laughed as she did not expect Sister Qiao would be her matchmaker.
In the blink of an eye, it was as if her life had returned to the past and nothing had changed. Just like Yi Meixiu had said, how could she, Jiang Ruolan, have a relationship with a CEO?
There was nothing outstanding about her. There was no CEO. No one would believe it when they heard this. At this moment, even Jiang Ruolan could not believe it herself. Perhaps all of this was really just a dream that she finally woke up from.
In the end, Jiang Ruolan didn't agree to meet Sister Qiao's good nephew. It wasn't because she was afraid of infidelity, but because she didn't have any strength left right now.
Jiang Ruolan didn't want to have the slightest hope that it would eventually shatter. At least if she didn't have a single shred of hope, she wouldn't lose her soul and let herself become as sloppy and tragic like this again.
How long would it take for her to forget everything?
***
That night, Yi Meixiu came to Jiang Ruolan's house with a laptop. She handed the laptop to her and said that she had bought a new laptop at home. She had only been using it for two years.
Yi Meixiu remembered that Jiang Ruolan had just returned to F City and she was afraid that she (Jiang Ruolan) might get bored. So she gave the laptop to her. Yi Meixiu even generously helped Jiang Ruolan get a wireless internet card. She quickly ran upstairs to try and use it.
Jiang Ruolan smiled and when she turned on the laptop, Yi Meixiu suddenly ran over and grabbed the mouse, opened the web. "Ruolan, I often visit gossip forums that most people can't find, and these forums often discuss the affairs of certain political figures and rich traders, which ordinary journalists and netizens can't find about. There is a lot of hot news here."
"Last night, I visit this forum and found out about a certain CEO from a listed company didn't show up at his wedding ceremony two days ago. The bride found him at The Emperor's Garden hotel and the spectators also saw the bride run off for no specific reasons. The members of this group are all trying to find the cause of what has happened. I'm about to die from laughter. Look at their comments."
When Jiang Ruolan saw the news, she was calm and laughed like an outsider. Today's society was an online era. Being searched by humans was very normal, but the media had already suppressed this incident, yet it could still leak in a small forum.
As Yi Meixiu said, many people were trying to find the cause, and many of them posted ridiculous speculation. The informant was still cautious. He feared that one day his identity would be known, so when he posted this news, he did not mention the names of the CEO and the bride involved. No one knows their true identity.
There were several versions of this news.
Ancient version: "This CEO was actually an embodiment of justice. He was once framed by the Ling Group's vice president and the media caught him red-handed with a woman. In order to take revenge on these evildoers, this CEO used that woman, and put on an emotional show that lasted more than half a year."
The wanted edition: "A particular CEO is a kind-hearted, middle-aged man. A certain woman was trying to cheat his money and use their marriage to rip off all his wealth. On the wedding day, the CEO found out the truth. That woman tried to escape. The CEO's relatives chased her all the way to the hotel, but she eventually managed to escape. That woman is still on the run."
The current edition: "The CEO and a woman from the second generation have deep feelings. They had a relationship five years ago but broke up due to a misunderstanding. During that time, the CEO met a beautiful and pure woman. Both of them fell in love and decided to get married, but this former CEO's lover suddenly returns with an illegitimate daughter. The CEO found out that he actually had a daughter. He felt guilty and finally decided to take responsibility when his former lover threatened to cut her wrist on his wedding day. The former CEO's lover forced him to give up the marriage, but the CEO tried to stop her, and at that moment, the bride went to the hotel and caught them red-handed."
The most important question: "Where did the bride and groom go?"
Ridiculous version: "Actually, the bride and groom are long-lost siblings."
Jiang Ruolan: "…."
There was a lot of ridiculous speculation. Jiang Ruolan did not read it to the end. There were also people trying to use this news to create a manga.