Chapter 1 — Blindly Dutiful

Both my husband, Mingxuan, and I were only children. Before we got married, we made a mutual agreement: there would be no traditional roles of a bride joining a groom or vice versa; we would simply marry and build our life together. I asked for no betrothal gifts, and he demanded no dowry. Furthermore, we strictly agreed to alternate our New Year visits, spending each Lunar New Year with a different set of parents. Yet, for three consecutive years of marriage, I had never once spent the New Year at my own parents' home. In the first year, according to our alternating schedule, we were supposed to visit my family first. However, my mother-in-law suddenly suffered from severe vomiting and diarrhea, leaving her bedridden. Figuring it mattered little which family we visited first, I willingly suggested staying at the house of the family for the holiday. By the second year, just as we were nearing my hometown, my mother-in-law called us in tears, claiming she could barely breathe and coercing us to turn around immediately. As the elderly often say, sudden illnesses cannot be ignored, and not daring to take any risks, we had to make a U-turn midway and return to his home. But even patience has its limits, and misfortune should never happen more than three times. Thus, this year, as my mother-in-law smiled and saw us off into the car, I softly said, Mother, even if you were to die at home this time, I would not turn back.

The hand my mother-in-law had been slipping into her coat pocket suddenly froze, an awkward expression washing over her face. Niannian, I know you felt wronged about not being able to spend the New Year with your parents over the past two years, but it is not as though I deliberately fell sick. She sighed, her words laden with unspoken implications. You know very well that every daughter-in-law spends the holidays with her husband's parents. Some women are married for fifty or sixty years and still have to follow the tradition of waiting until the third day of the New Year before visiting their natal homes. Yet I have never held you back, and I truly wanted you to go home and visit. Even though I felt lonely inside, I never forced the two of you to stay. Why must you assume that I am deliberately making things difficult for you?

By the time I finished dealing with office work, it was already the twenty-ninth day of the lunar month. Looking at the darkening sky, I had no patience left to bicker with her. Every single year, right before the holiday, sleeping pills mysteriously appear in your bedroom, followed precisely by a sudden onset of illness. Whether it is intentional or not, you know the truth in your heart. I simply do not have the time to argue with you. With that, I lifted the suitcase by my feet and walked straight toward the door. Mingxuan furrowed his brow, hurried after me, and grabbed my wrist tightly. Niannian, can you please stop making a scene? Mother does not sleep well, and she is getting older; taking the wrong dosage is entirely normal. Besides, since she has already explained herself, it is undoubtedly just a misunderstanding. It is the New Year, let us not ruin the harmony.

Afterward, he turned back and offered a reassuring smile to his mother, his tone clearly coaxing. Mother, please do not take it to heart. Niannian is just a bit hot-tempered because she misses her family so much. Once we return from her parents' house, I will make sure she apologizes to you properly. No need, no need at all. My mother-in-law immediately waved her hand, putting on an air of utmost understanding. The two of you should be on your way; do not let this delay your journey. I am fine, just a little heartbroken. I raised a son for twenty years, only for him to ultimately matter less than a single word from another man's wife. Her voice grew progressively softer, choked with heavy sobs that only made Mingxuan's gaze toward me grow increasingly resentful. This familiar theatrical performance grew more nauseating the more I watched it. On ordinary days, I understood how difficult it was for my mother-in-law to raise her son alone, and I appreciated Mingxuan's filial piety. But today, I truly had no time to sit through their mother-son melodrama. My father's illness had worsened significantly, and the doctor had warned that this might be the last Lunar New Year I would ever get to spend with him. I flung his hand away, pushed the door open, and stepped right out. The biting winter wind whipped swirling snowflakes against my body; I wrapped my scarf tightly around my neck but did not halt my stride. Behind me, Mingxuan let out a low curse, hesitated for a few seconds, and then quickly hurried after me. He snatched the suitcase from my hand and shoved it into the trunk. The car slowly pulled out of the residential complex, and the atmosphere inside grew oppressively heavy. One of Mingxuan's hands gripped the steering wheel while the other endlessly tapped away at his phone, clearly trying to figure out how to comfort his mother. I closed my eyes and feigned sleep, hoping to avoid a pointless argument with him.

The moment our car merged onto the highway, Mingxuan's phone suddenly rang. Without even opening my eyes, I thought with cold detachment about what excuse she would use this year. Mingxuan answered almost instantly, his voice softening. Mother, are you still feeling unwell? We have already hit the highway, and we will come back to stay with you by the third day of the New Year. The voice coming from the other end of the line was laced with weeping. Mingxuan, I did not mean to rush you... Just now, I remembered that next year is your zodiac year of birth, so I went out to buy you red underwear and red socks. I never expected a car to run a red light and suddenly plow right into me. Her voice trembled violently, as if she were in excruciating pain. My leg hurts terribly, and I am still sitting by the side of the road. The driver wants to take me to the hospital, but I wanted to let you know first... If you are busy, you do not need to turn back, I can manage on my own. What?! Mingxuan's complexion instantly turned pale, and his grip on the steering wheel tightened abruptly. While anxiously glancing left and right for the nearest service area, he repeatedly asked, Mother, how are you? Is it serious? Which hospital are you at? I am turning the car around right now! No, no, no! My mother-in-law hurriedly protested, though her voice carried a trace of subtle grievance. The two of you must hurry on your way, Niannian is still waiting to go back to her parents' home. I am just... just a little scared, it is so lonely lying in the hospital all by myself.

We are not going anywhere else! Mingxuan could no longer drive; he abruptly swerved the vehicle and parked on the emergency lane. His gaze toward me was filled with impatience and reproach, yet he forced his voice to remain calm. Niannian! My mother has been in a car accident, let us go back to check on her first and visit your parents next year, alright? Seeing that I remained entirely unresponsive, he raised three fingers. I swear, this year is truly an exceptional circumstance. Next year, I will definitely go home with you, okay? I opened my eyes and said calmly, If she had genuinely been hit that seriously, the very first thing she would have done was call an ambulance, not call you to complain and play the victim. Mingxuan, can you please wake up? Mingxuan's voice suddenly spiked, filled with rage. How can you be so cold-blooded? That is my mother! The woman who gave birth to and raised me! She is in pain and crying, yet you claim she is just playing the victim? To Niannian, where has your conscience gone?

Seeing that I remained completely unmoved, he clenched his teeth, aggressively turned the steering wheel, and attempted to execute an illegal U-turn in the opposite direction. My pupils instantly constricted as I reached out and grabbed his arm with all my might. The grievances I had suppressed for so long finally erupted. Mingxuan, my father has been diagnosed with terminal cancer! The doctor said this might be his last New Year! I have to go home! Mingxuan's movements froze abruptly, and he stared at me in absolute disbelief. What did you say? How did Father contract such a disease? Why did you not tell me sooner? Hearing his interrogation, my eyes instantly grew red. I sent you the medical diagnosis last week! But what about you? You were busy picking out holiday outfits with your mother and taking her to the beauty salon, you did not even bother to glance at it once! Mingxuan's face instantly drained of color, and he frantically whipped out his phone to search. On the screen, the photo of the medical report sat silently within our chat history, accompanied by his casual, perfunctory reply from underneath: Understood, you have worked hard, wife. His lips trembled, but not a single word came out.

My mother-in-law on the other line continued her relentless crying. Mingxuan, why are you not saying anything? Is Niannian acting up again? I know you cherish your wife, but I truly cannot take much more of this. Mingxuan seemed jolted back to reality by those words. He quickly switched his screen back to the active call. The internal struggle in his eyes was swiftly replaced by grim determination. Niannian, I know you are heartbroken, but your father's illness is not a matter of a day or two, he will certainly be fine in the short term. My mother has genuinely been hit by a car, if anything happens to her, I will never find peace for the rest of my life! And what about my father's life? Is his life worthless? I gritted my teeth as hot tears streamed uncontrollably down my face. Mingxuan, let me ask you this: for the past three years, I yielded to you twice. This year, I simply want to spend my father's final New Year by his side—am I in the wrong? You are not wrong, but my mother needs me more! He slammed his foot down on the accelerator, and the car sped furiously against traffic back toward the city. You are coming back with me today, whether you like it or not, or else you can walk the rest of the way to your parents' house yourself!

The moment those words dropped, my heart shattered into a million pieces. Looking at the ruthless profile of the man beside me, I realized that this three-year marriage had been a complete joke from the very beginning. It was not that he did not know his mother faked her illnesses two years ago; nor could he fail to recognize that this year was another sham. Given how cowardly and obsessed with self-preservation his mother was—she would rush to the hospital over a mere scratch—had she truly been struck by a car, she would have dialed 911 long ago and desperately forced him to return. But Mingxuan simply did not care. He was forcing me to compromise yet again, making me choose between myself and his mother. I let out a long breath and reached for the car door handle. Stop the car. The freezing wind instantly rushed into the speeding vehicle, and pelting snowflakes stung my face painfully. Mingxuan's pupils contracted violently as he barked in a stern voice, To Niannian, have you lost your mind?! Close the door right now! I ignored him, my gaze fixed on him with a chilling calmness. Mingxuan, let us get a divorce. From this day forward, whether your mother lives or dies has nothing to do with me. Today, I am going home to be with my father, and absolutely no one can stop me!

Mingxuan froze for a fraction of a second, his expression turning ashen. To Niannian, do not push me! I grabbed my purse and placed one foot right on the edge of the open car door. If you still possess a shred of conscience, stop the car so we can part ways amicably. If you do not, even if I turn into a ghost, I will never forgive you. Seeing that I was truly prepared to follow through, Mingxuan panicked completely. He slammed on the brakes recklessly, throwing caution to the wind. Stop making a scene! What is wrong with following me back this year? After all, it is not the first time. Like everyone else, can you not just wait until the third day of the New Year to visit your parents?! Before he could even finish his sentence, I jumped out of the car without the slightest hesitation and slammed the door shut behind me. Seeing my resolute back, a flash of genuine panic crossed Mingxuan's eyes. He rolled down the passenger window, as if wanting to say something, but the shrill urges of his mother echoing from his phone cut him off. He gritted his teeth, hardened his heart one last time, and slammed his foot on the accelerator. The car vanished like a black streak into the vast, swirling snowstorm.

I walked forward along the edge of the emergency lane, refusing to look back at the vehicle retreating in the opposite direction. Only my silent tears tracked down my cheeks. Ultimately, three years of affection could not conquer his blind, misguided filial piety toward his mother. The snow fell heavier and heavier from the sky before being whipped away by fierce gusts of wind. I wrapped my coat tightly around my body, stumbling forward step by step. My ride-hailing app kept searching for drivers, but no one was willing to accept a fare in this weather. Fortunately, I was not too far from the nearest service station. Before freezing completely, I finally found a kind-hearted driver who agreed to let me hitch a ride. When we arrived at my destination, despite her repeatedly waving her hands in refusal, I shoved a thousand-yuan bill onto her seat.