Chapter 10: The Nominal Wife
1008 Words
As the time of the dinner passed, the atmosphere was still noisy, and the sound of gorgeous wine glasses clinking and conversation filled the entire hall, but Su Qian's mood became heavier. She should have enjoyed this banquet with Li Tingchuan, but she could not fit in, as if the whole world was incompatible with her.
She knew that she was just an accessory in Li Tingchuan's life, and even in these social occasions, her existence seemed so insignificant. His eyes never stayed on her for too long, and she could only wait silently in the corner for the end of the banquet.
She didn't know why she was so confused and painful, perhaps because she knew that this marriage was a transaction - she became Li Tingchuan's nominal wife, and he just met his family's expectations and fulfilled his responsibilities. There seemed to be no connection between the two except for responsibility and contract.
When she lowered her head to drink the wine and felt a little tipsy, Li Tingchuan suddenly appeared in front of her. She looked up at him, and an inexplicable emotion rose in her heart. Li Tingchuan's eyes were still cold, but at least, he seemed to care about her when he stood in front of her.
"I'll take you to meet some friends." Li Tingchuan's voice was emotionless and still calm.
Su Qian nodded gently and followed him silently. His steps were steady and fast, and every step was firm and powerful, as if everything around him had nothing to do with him. And she was still the one who would be forgotten at any time.
Several business people had been waiting on the side. When they saw Li Tingchuan appear, they all stood up and smiled respectfully. Su Qian just bowed slightly and politely returned the greeting, trying not to make herself look so abrupt.
"This is Mr. Li's wife, Su Qian." Li Tingchuan introduced slowly, his tone still without any emotion.
Su Qian was stunned for a moment. Although she knew that the existence of this marriage was only in name, when she heard Li Tingchuan's simple and indifferent introduction, she still felt an indescribable loss in her heart. The word "wife" seemed to have nothing to do with her. She was just a person arranged in his life, acting as an accessory to a family.
She smiled slightly, nodded gently, and tried to be calm. However, the loneliness in her heart became stronger and stronger. Although those business friends were polite on the surface, she knew that they didn't really care about her existence. In this circle, Li Tingchuan was the focus, and she was just his supporting role.
Whenever she thought of the starting point of this marriage, she couldn't help but feel a sense of emptiness in her heart. She didn't belong to this world, and it could even be said that she had never really belonged to any place. Her life was just a trajectory arranged by others, and she herself was just a chess piece in it.
All this seemed to have nothing to do with love. She didn't have the opportunity to experience the kind of love that accelerated her heartbeat, or the deep affection of mutual dependence. She just silently endured the loneliness and emptiness in her heart on countless nights.
"You don't seem to like such occasions?" Li Tingchuan on the side suddenly spoke, breaking her meditation.
Su Qian came back to her senses and saw that he was looking at her indifferently. She was shocked, nodded slightly, and answered in a low voice: "I am not very used to it."
Li Tingchuan raised his eyebrows slightly, as if he was not surprised by her answer. "It is not easy to adapt to this kind of life." He said indifferently, "Since you married me, you should understand that nominal wife is not a simple title."
Su Qian looked up, and her heart was slightly shaken. She knew that what he said was true, but this cold reminder still made her feel cold in her heart. Li Tingchuan never gave her any warmth. Every word and every look of his was distant, so that she could never get close to him.
"I know." Her tone was calm. Although she was a little shaken in her heart, she still tried to stay calm.
At this time, several business people began to discuss cooperation projects with Li Tingchuan, and Su Qian was naturally excluded from the topic. She stood aside, her eyes drifted out the window, feeling the cold wind gently brushing her cheeks. She didn't want to listen to those business discussions. She hoped to have a moment of peace, even if it was just a few minutes.
Suddenly, her phone vibrated. She looked down and saw a message from Lu Chenyi: "If you don't mind, we can have a drink together tonight."
Su Qian was shocked when she saw this message. She replied without thinking: "I'm fine, thank you." But she didn't know why she replied so quickly, even with a hint of reluctance.
However, the moment she sent the reply, she realized that she didn't want to be just a nominal wife. She longed for more things - care, warmth, even a short-term dependence.
Li Tingchuan seemed to notice her absent-mindedness. He suddenly turned around and stared at her sharply, "What are you thinking about?"
She was startled and raised her head, trying to pretend not to care, "Nothing."
Li Tingchuan frowned slightly, "Since you are my wife, you shouldn't be uneasy." After he said this, he turned and left, leaving her with a lonely back.
She watched him disappear in the crowd, but she felt a little lost and tired. This marriage never gave her a real sense of belonging, but made her more and more lost in the relationship between herself and Li Tingchuan. She could only desperately look for a sense of her own existence in this nominal marriage.
However, she knew that all this might be in vain.
- Writer
