Chapter 1 A Loveless Marriage
After a few days on a business trip, Hudson returned home early. Opening the door, he was greeted by a deathly silence. It was the weekend. Was his wife, Cynthia, still working overtime? Hudson couldn't recall how many times they had been in a cold war. In the two - year - long marriage, they had never experienced the tender affection of true understanding.
The door to the master bedroom was ajar. Cynthia was taking a nap. Her sleeping posture was far from elegant, sprawled out carelessly, dressed in nothing but a thong and a bra. She was a seductive and charming woman, one who could drive men wild. However, Hudson felt that he had never truly penetrated her inner world. Even though he had possessed her body, it seemed he had never truly won her heart.
Hudson had made numerous attempts to accept her, love her, and take care of her, exerting great efforts. But without exception, all his efforts ended up being in vain. Gazing at the beauty on the bed, Hudson found it increasingly difficult to contain his desires. He sat on the edge of the bed, engaged in a fierce internal struggle. Should he force himself on her? After all, they were lawfully wedded, and he had the right.
"Hudson, I'll never love you! Give up!" Cynthia suddenly murmured in her sleep. Hudson's heart turned to ice.
After murmuring in her sleep, Cynthia woke up, her eyes still heavy with sleep. Suddenly, she hugged Hudson's waist tightly. "You're here."
Hudson was overjoyed. "I just got back from a business trip. I was afraid of waking you, so..."
"Ah! It's you?" Cynthia's expression was one of both surprise and disdain.
"What, did you mistake me for someone else?" Hudson's mood plummeted like a roller - coaster that had just soared into the sky only to plummet back to the bottom.
"So what if I did? So what if I didn't?" Cynthia was fully awake now, sneering coldly.
"Are you planning to bring your lover into our home?" Hudson was extremely angry.
"Hudson, don't slander me! Even if I did bring my lover home, what business is it of yours?" Cynthia retorted brazenly.
Slap. Hudson slapped Cynthia across the face.
"How dare you hit me?" Cynthia burst into sobs.
Hudson turned around and left, slamming the door behind him with a loud bang.
...
Back at the Yunchuan Tourism Development Company, Hudson numbed himself with work. By the time he finished the speech draft required by President Sun, it was already eleven o'clock at night. He had no intention of going home. That place could hardly be called a "home" anymore.
He decided to relax by watching some online adult videos, only to be shocked by a familiar figure. It was Cynthia! The beauty mark at the corner of her mouth was unmistakable. Clearly, this was a ** video taken in a hotel. Due to the angle, the face of the man couldn't be seen clearly. It seemed Cynthia had indeed been unfaithful. This marriage had been a mistake from the very beginning. After two years of a loveless union, it was finally coming to an end.
There was a reception room upstairs, equipped with a sofa and air - conditioner, suitable for rest. As an office clerk, Hudson naturally had the key to the reception room. With a heavy heart, he didn't notice the faint rustling sounds inside. The moment he opened the door, he regretted it deeply, for he saw President Sun Jinshan of the company, who was in the process of fastening his belt.
Sun Jinshan was in his fifties, with only a few sparse hairs on his head and a protruding belly that made him look like a pregnant woman. He couldn't even see his own genitals when he looked down. Sun Jinshan said with a hint of guilt, "I've been swamped with work these days and haven't been in the right state."
The woman was Qin Meili, Hudson's immediate superior and the office director. True to her name, Qin Meili was stunningly beautiful, the kind of woman men coveted and women envied. She had put on her pants, but her top was still off, revealing her voluptuous breasts.
"Jinshan, you were pretty good tonight. Try to last more than three minutes next time." As Qin Meili looked up, she suddenly noticed that the door was open and Hudson was standing right there.
"Ah!" Qin Meili let out a terrified scream.
Sun Jinshan noticed Hudson, who looked extremely awkward.
"I, I..." Hudson stammered. "I came here to rest. I didn't expect..."
Sun Jinshan, who had seen the world, remained calm and composed. "Oh, it's Xiao Li. Aren't we going to report to the group headquarters tomorrow? Director Qin and I were just discussing work."
Qin Meili, now fully dressed, said angrily, "Hudson, this is a reception room, not a lounge! Who allowed you to barge in at night?"
Hudson swallowed his anger and said, "Director Qin, I'm sorry. I've been working on materials until now. I planned to spend the night here instead of going home. I didn't expect you two... discussing work here."
Qin Meili fumed, "Get out! I don't want to see you ever again! You're such a bad omen!"
Hudson slunk away. After all, when under someone else's roof, one had to bow one's head. The tourism development company was a state - owned enterprise with excellent salary and benefits. Many people were eager to get in. Hudson, who was in desperate need of money, naturally didn't want to lose his job.
Walking on the deserted street, a gust of night wind blew, and Hudson's mind seemed to clear a bit. He deeply regretted not noticing the unusual noises in the reception room earlier. He could have taken a video of Sun Jinshan and Qin Meili's affair and used it to blackmail them. Now, it was too late.
Sun Jinshan was the top - dog of the tourism development company, ruling the roost with an iron fist. Moreover, he was a notorious womanizer, having had his way with most of the beautiful women in the company. Sun Jinshan had a nickname, "Sun Simiao."
Sun Jinshan had studied medicine in the past and considered himself quite skilled. Flattering subordinates complimented him as the modern - day Sun Simiao, and he happily accepted it. Little did he know that "Sun Simiao" sounded the same as "Sun Four - Seconds" in the local dialect. From Qin Meili, Hudson knew this other meaning of the nickname. If Sun Jinshan knew about this, he'd probably curse out the subordinate who gave him the nickname. What a case of flattery backfiring.
Hudson walked aimlessly on the street, unsure whether to go home that night. Passing by the Drunken Night Bar, he suddenly had an urge to drink himself into oblivion, to mourn his failed life.
A drunken girl was sprawled out in front of the bar. Two thuggish - looking tattooed youths were about to "pick her up." One carried the girl on his back while the other held her legs. Hudson suddenly felt that the girl looked familiar. Looking closer, he realized it was Wang Keyun, Cynthia's younger sister.
Unlike Cynthia, Wang Keyun treated Hudson like a real brother, and Hudson naturally regarded her as his own sister.
"Keyun!" Hudson shouted.
The two men glared at Hudson menacingly, their warning clear. But Hudson wasn't one to be easily intimidated. Wang Keyun was dead drunk.
"Let her go!" Hudson barked.
"She's my girl! Mind your own business!" The tattooed man, unwilling to let his prize slip away, didn't put Wang Keyun down and instead threatened Hudson.
Hudson sneered, "She's my sister! Let her go, or I'll call the police!"
The tattooed man cursed, "You trying to steal her? I'll kill you!" But as soon as he finished speaking, he put Wang Keyun down and signaled his companion to flee. A row of SWAT officers on night patrol had appeared ahead.
Back at home. Cynthia wasn't there. Where could she have gone at this late hour? Off to have an affair with another man?
Wang Keyun, who was unconscious, couldn't hold her liquor and vomited in the living room, soiling her clothes. The pungent smell of alcohol filled the room. It was unacceptable to let her sleep in dirty clothes, but there was no one else at home. Should he undress her?