"What's going on? Your wife's working overtime again, leaving you all alone in the empty house?" Liu Li looked at me with a half-smile, a hint of worldly wisdom on her lips.
I lowered my head, shoved my phone into my pocket, and for a long moment, I was speechless. Yes, Tang Jia was working overtime in the Western restaurant, just a few meters away from me. I suddenly realized that Tang Jia had become accustomed to lying to me. She kept telling me lies, and I couldn't tell which was true and which was false.
"Masked wife," those four words suddenly popped into my mind. The wife who had once stood by me through thick and thin and shared my love was drifting away, perhaps never to return to the way we were before.
Seeing I remained silent, Liu Li stopped prodding me and simply sipped her wine. A woman as astute as Liu Li might have already seen something was going on in my expression. A cowardly man married a beautiful, wealthy woman. Perhaps at first, during the honeymoon period, they'd accommodate each other, but over time, the disparity would become apparent in the details of life. It would be a miracle if there weren't conflicts.
After finishing my meal, I called the waiter for the bill. The bill was a staggering 3,800 yuan—almost my entire month's salary—and it was so painful that my lips twitched. Fortunately, I'd saved some pocket money over the years, so I pulled out my bank card and paid.
After I paid the bill, Liu Li went to the bathroom. I sat for a moment, glancing at Tang Jia. She was still toasting with the two men, a bright smile on her face. The sweeter Tang Jia's smile, the more uncomfortable I felt. Finally, I couldn't help but head for the bathroom.
The bathroom entrance passed by Tang Jia's table. I strode over, keeping my eyes focused, but observing her reaction from the corner of my eye. Tang Jia's attention was focused on the middle-aged man sitting across from her, and she didn't even notice me, which made me feel disappointed again.
I relieved myself in the bathroom, and when I came out to wash my hands, I saw Liu Li coming out as well. She had already washed her hands and was touching up her makeup in the mirror. She caught sight of me in the mirror, flashed a toothy smile, and while applying her lipstick, she said, "You're so reluctant to leave me, you even have to follow me to the bathroom."
"Yes, yes. I can't bear to leave you for even a minute," I said with a forced smile, a smile that was bitter.
Liu Li finished her makeup, put her makeup case back into her purse, turned to me, and said, "Thank you for dinner. I feel a little bad that you spent money on it. How about I treat you to a bar? I'll treat you this time."
"That... that's not right. How can I let you pay for me?" I said, a little embarrassed. I had a purpose in treating her. By spending her money, she'd be repaying my favor. Wouldn't the meal have been in vain?
Liu Li said generously, "It's okay. It's rude not to reciprocate. Friends should always exchange courtesy. Besides, it's only eight o'clock. Your wife's working overtime and isn't home, so what's the point of you staying home alone? Let's go. Shenzhen's nightlife is just beginning."
I thought about it and it made sense. Going home so early would mean I'd be alone in an empty house, no matter how nice it was, with no warmth. I really didn't know how to spend all that time. Tang Jia, you can go out and have a good time, so why can't I?
Following Liu Li out of the bathroom, we passed Tang Jia's table again, this time face to face. When her eyes fell on me, her smile froze, and she looked very surprised.
Since Tang Jia had seen me, I simply walked over, forcing a smile that looked uglier than tears, and greeted her. "Mr. Tang, so you're working overtime at the Western restaurant. Your company's treatment is really good. You can even eat while working overtime. The company benefits are truly enviable."
"You... why are you here?" Tang Jia's expression was utterly bewildered. She couldn't understand why I was there.
I sneered, "If you can come, why can't I?"
"Oh, I came here after overtime to have dinner with my colleagues. I called you to tell you." A flash of panic flashed across Tang Jia's eyes, but she quickly composed herself.
I nodded and asked, "You told me, and I want to know when you'll be done with your overtime. You have time to come out for dinner and chat with others, but don't you have time to come home for dinner and chat with me?"
"Who is this gentleman..." The middle-aged man sitting across from Tang Jia looked at me and asked Tang Jia. His expression was clearly a bit arrogant, and his words were a bit condescending.
Tang Jia quickly introduced them, "This is my husband, Fang Wen. Fang Wen, let me introduce you. This is our branch manager, Zhao Qiming. The one next to you is our sales manager, Guo Cheng. This beautiful woman is Xiaoyue, our office colleague. We're all colleagues, just out for a meal after overtime."
I took a closer look at the three of them, a forced smile on my face. I especially noticed the hostility in the eyes of the branch manager, Zhao Qiming. I cursed inwardly, "You son of a bitch! After work, you don't go home to be with your wife, but you drag my wife along for a meal like that! You're just having a casual meal and you're going to such an expensive place to show off your wealth, right?"
"Okay, take your time eating. I'm leaving now." I suppressed my anger, put on a fake smile, nodded to the three of them, and strode off.
During this entire time, Liu Li remained silent, simply watching them silently. Seeing me stride away, she didn't stop and quickly caught up.
After leaving the restaurant, Liu Li looked at me with a sullen expression, remaining silent. She tactfully remained silent, silently opening the car door and getting in. She waited for me to get into the passenger seat, then pulled out a bottle of mineral water, handed it to me, and opened one herself, taking a sip.
"That beautiful woman just now must be your wife, right? She's so beautiful," Liu Li complimented Tang Jia, but at this moment, such a remark seemed sinister and like adding fuel to the fire.
I opened the bottle and took a long sip, staring straight ahead. "Yes, she just went out to dinner with her colleagues after working overtime. She's a financial manager now, a powerful position, so their boss had to give her some respect."
"Forget it. I don't want to meddle in your family affairs, nor do I have any interest in doing so. Every family has its own problems, and everyone understands that. Let's go. If you're feeling down, go to the slow-rock bar and blow off some steam. It's not a big deal once you figure it out." Liu Li put the mineral water in the car drawer, started the car, and drove off. I was in a terrible mood. Tang Jia had become accustomed to lying to me. How many secrets had this woman hidden from me? The thought of her infidelity made my heart bleed like needles.
On the surface, although Tang Jia didn't appear to have any connection with that wealthy man, my man's intuition told me that their relationship was special. Whether he looked at Tang Jia or she looked at him, there was admiration in their eyes, and this admiration must be hiding a secret.
But damn, Tang Jia is my wife. How could he do this?
Liu Li took me to a slow-rock bar called Barbara. The music was incredibly blasting. As soon as I entered, I heard the DJ blaring out his music. A group of young men and women swayed to the beat of the music. Sexy women in sexy outfits wandered through the slow-rock bar. It felt like I had been transported to another world.
A long-legged waitress led us to a booth. After we sat down, Liu Li ordered a set menu, which included a bottle of red wine, a dozen beers, a fruit plate, and some snacks.
The set arrived quickly. Liu Li opened a can of beer, filled two glasses, and handed me one. She shouted in my ear, "When you're out having fun, just relax. The point is to have fun. Don't dwell on unhappy things. It's useless to dwell on them. You can figure it out later."
Liu Li was right. Life is short, so we should enjoy it while we can. The more we dwell on unhappy things, the more unhappy we become. It's better to just let go and have fun.
I raised my glass, clinked it with Liu Li's, and said loudly, "Okay, let's drink. We won't leave until we're drunk."
With that, I downed my glass in one gulp. Liu Li, not to be outdone, downed hers in one gulp.
And so we drank heartily, bobbing our heads to the music, having a blast. When two provocatively dressed dancers leapt onto the stage and began leading the dance, their bold moves instantly ignited the excitement of the slow-rock bar. Groups of handsome men and beautiful women rushed onto the dance floor and began dancing wildly.
Liu Li immediately became excited, grabbing my hand and running onto the dance floor. We danced wildly, our movements becoming increasingly dramatic, our eyes becoming increasingly alluring. From time to time, she would snake her way up to me, teasing me briefly before quickly slinking away.
My passion was ignited, and I imitated Liu Li's bold movements, occasionally edging closer to take advantage. Liu Li didn't object, but instead laughed and cooperated perfectly. At this moment, Liu Li was no longer the domineering director, but a voluptuous young woman, a simple woman seeking passion and excitement. Her captivating gaze captivated me.
On the dance floor, men and women began embracing and dancing, their movements becoming increasingly exaggerated. Several couples engaged in passionate kisses, oblivious to the crowd, causing the others to scream in delight.
I looked at Liu Li, eager to pull her into my arms and kiss her passionately, oblivious to the others. Liu Li looked back at me, her eyes hinting at me to be braver, more daring.
I strode towards Liu Li, wrapped my arms around her slender waist, and was about to press my lips against hers when I felt the phone in my pocket vibrate. Who the hell was calling at this critical moment? I didn't want to answer. Just as I hugged Liu Li again, ready to kiss her, the phone started vibrating again, insistently.
I pulled my phone out of my pocket and checked the caller ID. It read "Wife."