The sound of the rain had faded, leaving behind the faint hum of the city outside. In Chen Rong's office, the air felt still and heavy. Mei sat upright in her chair, her hands resting in her lap, fingers absently brushing the bracelet on her wrist.
"That's it? That's why you think your husband is having an affair?" Chen Rong's tone was gentle but edged with disbelief.
Mei's lips parted slightly, her voice small, almost defensive. "But something is clearly off. Why would he meet someone at a jewelry store?"
"A jewelry store?" Chen Rong tilted her head, folding her arms. "Mmm... well, maybe he met a colleague there before the business dinner and chose a present for you."
Mei looked up sharply, her eyes searching her friend's face for conviction. "Well… yes… maybe he did, but…" Her words trailed off, and the unspoken lingered in the air like dust in sunlight.
Chen Rong sighed softly. "You're being too paranoid. You've been that way since you were young."
"Am I?" Mei asked quietly, almost as though she were testing the question on her tongue.
Chen Rong nodded, smiling faintly. "Listen, Mei. Lawyers are busy people." The smile faded into something gentler but firm. "Could you not come to my office for something as trivial as this?"
The words stung, though Chen Rong hadn't meant them cruelly. Mei's eyes flickered away, down toward the floor, as if she were ashamed to be sitting there. The hum of the air conditioner filled the silence between them.
After a moment, Chen Rong added, softer now, "I'm not saying it's nothing, but sometimes love changes shape. It doesn't mean it disappears."
Mei stared at her own reflection in the glass window beside them. The city lights blinked faintly below. Her voice, when it came, was almost a whisper. "He acts cold to my child, I think."
Chen Rong blinked. "Hmm?"
"It's hard to describe it," Mei said, looking down at her hands again. "But… he seems uninterested in our child. He seems indifferent to him."
Her tone carried no bitterness but only confusion.
Chen Rong leaned forward slightly. "Indifferent to his own son?"
Mei nodded. "I'm thinking maybe he didn't want children."
"That's impossible," Chen Rong said immediately. "You told me he was overjoyed when you got pregnant."
Mei smiled faintly, but it didn't reach her eyes. "He was. Or he looked like he was. He even picked the name Li Jun."
Her expression softened for the first time. "Jun was so small when he was born. Hao held him and cried, you know? I'd never seen him cry before. He said Jun's hands were like butterfly wings."
Her voice wavered, but she pressed on. "He used to take pictures of him every day. He'd wake up early just to hold him before work. But lately…"
She hesitated, remembering the scene from that very morning. Jun had toddled into the living room, wearing his mismatched socks, hair sticking up in all directions. "Baba, look! I drew you a car!" he had said proudly, holding up a crooked drawing with both hands.
Li Hao had barely glanced up from his phone. "Good job," he'd murmured, without even smiling, then turned back to his messages.
Mei had laughed awkwardly, trying to fill the silence. "He really worked hard on it. He was waiting for you all morning."
"Mm," Li Hao had replied, standing up and slipping on his watch.
Now, sitting in the office, Mei could still see her son's confused little face when his father walked away.
"Maybe he's just tired," Chen Rong offered softly. "Work stress changes people."
"But, what if he's cheating on me?" Mei's voice was quiet but suddenly sharp, trembling at the edges.
Chen Rong's eyes widened.
"I can't tolerate that," Mei whispered, the words coming out before she could stop them.
"Mei," Chen Rong said carefully, watching the flicker of something fierce in her friend's eyes. "Don't worry. He's not the type to do something like that."
Mei didn't respond. She was no longer looking at her. Her gaze had gone distant again, somewhere deep inside her memories.
She remembered the first year of their marriage, how Li Hao used to surprise her at the café where she worked, leaving tiny folded notes in her bag. You look beautiful when you're tired, one had said once. Another: Don't forget to eat lunch, silly. She had laughed back then, blushing as her coworkers teased her.
She remembered anniversaries where he'd bring flowers, not expensive ones, just simple lilies, because he said they reminded him of her quietness. He'd cup her face and tell her, "You're my only one, Mei. Forever."
And she had believed it with every piece of her soul.
But now, when she thought of those same words, they felt brittle—like glass cracking under the faintest pressure.
"Maybe you're right," Mei said finally, forcing a small smile. "Maybe I'm overreacting."
Chen Rong relaxed slightly, though she still looked worried. "Good. Just don't let imagination poison what's still good, okay?"
Mei nodded, but her eyes didn't hold the same certainty.
When she left the office, the hallway outside was quiet except for the faint hum of trafic lights. She walked slowly, her hand brushing against the cold wall as she passed. She told herself that everything was fine, that maybe Li Hao was planning a surprise, or simply too tired to care about small things.
But deep down, there was that seed of unease, planted somewhere too deep to pull out.
Outside, the city night had fallen. Cars rushed past in streaks of red and white. Mei stood by the curb, staring at the lights until they blurred.
Her phone buzzed. It was the daycare center.
"Mrs. Li, just letting you know Jun's waiting to be picked up."
"Oh," she said quickly. "Yes, I'm on my way."
When she arrived, Jun was playing with blocks in the corner, his little shoes scattered on the floor. The moment he saw her, his face lit up. "Mama!"
Mei smiled, crouching down to hug him. His warmth, his tiny arms around her neck, felt like the only thing real in her day.
"Did you have fun today?" she asked.
He nodded eagerly. "Teacher said I can draw better than Ming!"
She laughed softly, brushing his hair aside. "I bet you did."
As they walked home, Jun chattered endlessly about his friends and the snacks he had shared. Mei tried to listen, but her mind kept drifting. When they passed a jewelry shop, her eyes involuntarily moved to the window display. It displayed rings, necklaces, silver watches.
One of the pieces which was a bracelet with a small heart charm caught the light. For a moment, she thought of the message again. Can I wait for you at this store?
Her chest tightened.