Sunlight shines through the half-open curtains and dappled into the cozy living room. Li Qing sat quietly on the sofa, gently flipped through the photo album in his hand, page by page, reminiscing about the sweetness of yesterday. Listening to the hustle and bustle outside the window, there was silence in my heart. Since her husband Zhang Qiang's job was transferred, she has been away for many years, and only she and her children are left at home, and the emptiness has become more and more intense.
"Mom, when is Daddy coming back?" Xiaobao sat on the ground and played, looking up at Li Qing from time to time.
Li Qing smiled, although his heart was a little sour: "Dad is very busy with work, but he will definitely come back to see us as soon as possible." ”
Xiaobao nodded in satisfaction, and returned to his toy world with concentration.
Every evening, Li Qing would always go for a walk in the nearby park, and the soft afterglow illuminated her calm face. On this day, a figure caught her attention in particular. In the distance, a man stands gracefully under a willow tree, his eyes seemingly searching for something.
Li Qing looked at it intently, wasn't that Chen Gang? Her college classmate, a former crush. He seemed to recognize her, too, and the two approached each other without saying a word.
"Li Qing, is that you? What a coincidence, after so many years, you are still so quiet and elegant. Chen Gang smiled, his eyes flashing with a familiar light.
"Chen Gang, I didn't expect to meet you here, why do you still look like a teenager?" Li Qing's words were a little surprised, but also a little happy.
The two chatted as they walked, and the topic naturally turned to their respective lives. "What about Zhang Qiang? I heard that you are married, how is he? Chen Gang asked curiously.
At the mention of Zhang Qiang, Li Qing's eyes dimmed a little, "He is very busy with work, and he travels in other places all the year round, and his son and I are at home." ”
Chen Gang sighed softly: "Actually, I'm the same, I have achieved a little success in my career, but my family life is blank. In life, there are always gains and losses. ”
The two chatted and chatted, and seemed to have regained their former tacit understanding. Time slipped away silently, and as the sun set, the hustle and bustle of the park slowly receded, and suddenly, they realized that the buildings around them were empty.
"It's not early, I should go back and cook for Xiaobao." Li Qing looked at his watch and said with a slight panic.
"Oh, by the way, this is my business card, we can get together when we have time." Chen Gang quickly took out his business card and handed it to Li Qing, with a hint of expectation in his eyes.
Li Qing took the business card and nodded lightly: "Okay, we'll get together again when we have time." ”
Back home, Li Qing's heart couldn't be calm for a long time, and that youthful emotion seemed to be quietly sprouting in the bottom of his heart. The business card in Li Qing's palm seemed to still have Chen Gang's body temperature, and in the lonely night, she looked at the small piece of paper many times, and Chen Gang's sincere words echoed in her mind. "If you need help, you can always come to me."
She picked up her phone, hesitated, and didn't dial the number. Li Qing knew in his heart that the relationship between himself and Chen Gang should not be just a simple reunion.
A few days later, Li Qing, who was picking out his son's clothes in the mall, looked up by chance, and in the crowd in the distance, he seemed to see Chen Gang's figure again. Their gaze was as if two meteors were passing by. Li Qing was a little flustered in her heart, and she wasn't sure if she should come forward to say hello.
However, Chen Gang had already walked towards her. "Li Qing, you're here too. Look like you're picking out clothes for your baby? Chen Gang greeted with a smile.
"Ah, yes, Xiaobao grows too fast, and his clothes are small." Li Qing responded, trying to make herself look natural.
Chen Gang helped her choose a few clothes. "How's this blue one? It should be perfect for the little ones. ”
"Thank you, you have such a good eye." Li Qing took the clothes, but his heart was mixed.
Then, the two went to the coffee shop, found a corner and sat down, and began to talk about their recent situation. Chen Gang shared his business success, while Li Qing talked lightly about family life.
"Actually, I also envy you for having a home of your own, I have never met the right person." Chen Gang said deeply, his eyes revealing a little loneliness.
Li Qing felt sour in his heart, "It's hard to meet the right person, and married life doesn't want to be as simple as China." ”
The two talked eloquently, and before they knew it, it was dusk. Chen Gang looked at him firmly and said, "Li Qing, I have never forgotten our time in college, and I hope we can become friends again." ”
Li Qing pursed her lips, and ripples began to ripple in her heart. "I ...... I'm also glad to be friends with you. ”
In the days that followed, Li Qing and Chen Gang gradually increased their contact, text messages, phone calls, and even met from time to time. Whenever Li Qing felt lonely or needed help, Chen Gang was always able to show up in time to comfort and support her.
Every time Zhang Qiang comes home, he can clearly feel that his wife is absent-minded. One day at dinner, he tried to ask, "Qingqing, what's going on?" Is there something going on in your heart? ”
Li Qing smiled reluctantly, "It's nothing, maybe I'm a little tired these days." ”
Zhang Qiang looked at his wife and felt an indescribable feeling in his heart. He knew that there was less and less communication between the two, and his absence made this home less and less like a home. But what could he do? Isn't the pressure of work and the demands of reality for the sake of this family?
Until one day, Zhang Qiang inadvertently caught a glimpse of the message prompt on his wife's mobile phone - the name of "Chen Gang" came into view, and his heart sank suddenly. He seemed to suddenly understand something, but he couldn't do anything about it.
Li Qing struggled between a stable family life and a renewed passion, she knew that she should not deviate, but the emptiness in her heart and the emotions that gradually heated up were like a fire, slowly burning her reason. Zhang Qiang looked at the happy family photos in the digital photo frame in the living room, and his heart swelled with an unprecedented anxiety. He noticed the changes in Li Qing these days, and although he tried his best to pretend that nothing happened, his heart was like a taut string, which could break at any time. He was determined to make a change and win back his wife's heart.
"Qingqing, I have already talked to the company, and I will try to minimize business trips in the future and accompany you and Xiaobao more." Zhang Qiang looked at Li Qing expectantly at dinner and explained his decision.
Li Qing was stunned, she didn't expect Zhang Qiang to make such a sacrifice. "You... Is it really decided? ”
"Yes, I don't want to make you feel lonely anymore." Zhang Qiang replied firmly.
Li Qing felt a warmth in his heart, but he also struggled a little; Chen Gang's emotional commitment to her and Zhang Qiang's sense of family responsibility at this time are intertwined, leaving her at a loss of what to do.
One day, Chen Gang invited Li Qing out again to meet. The two sat on a park bench, Chen Gang was silent for a while, and then spoke: "Li Qing, I don't want to be so ambiguous anymore. I really like you, and I think we should give each other a chance. ”
Li Qing's breath was suffocated, she knew that once she agreed, it meant that she would betray her marriage and betray Zhang Qiang's trust. "Chen Gang, I... Don't know what to do. ”
Zhang Qiang went home early every day to try to fill the house with a warm atmosphere, and he also began to take Xiaobao to do housework together to create more family time. One night, he took advantage of the gap between cooking with his son and asked tentatively, "How is Mommy?" Aren't you happier? ”
Xiaobao innocently replied, "Mom still doesn't smile much." Sometimes, I look at my phone in a daze at night. ”
At this moment, Zhang Qiang couldn't pretend anymore, he knew that he had to face this problem.
Li Qing stood at the door of the kitchen, looking at the two most important men in the family, her heart softened. She realized Zhang Qiang's hard work in the family, and began to reflect on her feelings.
The moment of decision came, and Li Qing finally mustered up the courage when he met Chen Gang once, "Chen Gang, I am grateful for the care you have given me, but I can't do this. I have a family, I have children, and I can't hurt them. ”
Chen Gang was silent for a while, and finally nodded and said, "I understand, I don't want to be a burden on your life. Just hope that you can be happy. ”
Li Qing returned home with relief and slight sadness, Zhang Qiang stepped forward and said sincerely and gently: "Qingqing, no matter what happens, we can face it together." ”
She looked into Zhang Qiang's eyes, which were full of concern and love. Li Qing took a deep breath, leaving all the entanglements and struggles behind, she decided to redevote herself to this family, to this marriage, to Zhang Qiang, and to give herself a new start. Time is like a doctor's prescription, slowly healing the rift in Li Qing's heart. In Zhang Qiang's unremitting efforts and the family's call for her, the relationship that once made her heart gradually faded like fireworks, and finally returned to flattening, and what was more precious was the trust and warmth rebuilt with Zhang Qiang.
One night, when Li Qing was preparing dishes for the upcoming family gathering, Zhang Qiang came over and helped wash the dishes: "Do you have anything you particularly want to eat at tonight's party?" ”
Li Qing smiled and shook his head: "No, as long as you do it, I like everything." ”
Zhang Qiang smiled, at that moment, Li Qing knew that she had made the right choice, and her family was her home. The atmosphere between the two is warm and harmonious, Xiaobao cheers next to him and wants to help, and the feeling of home is getting stronger and stronger.
Xiaobao raised his little hand to wash vegetables, "Mom, I also want to help, I want to learn to cook." ”
"Come on, you can become a chef in the future." Li Qing smiled and lowered his head and kissed Xiaobao's forehead.
That night, at a family gathering, the laughter of the family filled the room. Zhang Qiang lifted the wine glass and whispered to Li Qing: "Thank you, Qingqing, for accompanying me through so many ups and downs." ”
Li Qing's eyes flashed with tears, but his smile was even brighter: "We accompany each other." In the future, no matter the wind or rain, we must walk together. ”
Chen Gang also experienced self-reflection and growth during that time, and he began to re-examine his life and understand that true happiness is not only in the pursuit of love. He met someone who really understood him and could accompany him during a chance business exchange.
The years are quiet, when all impetuousness has been precipitated, Li Qing sat in front of the window and looked at the evening sunset, his thoughts were far away. Zhang Qiang returned from playing in the park with Xiaobao, and the family of three was happy. Li Qing sighed softly: "Home, how simple and how important. ”
Zhang Qiang held her hand, looked at the sunset together, and said gently: "If there is love, it is home." ”
Xiaobao jumped around them, and that innocent happiness infected everyone. They have experienced an emotional baptism and know how to cherish and be grateful more.
Li Qing looked at all this, and a thought welled up in his heart: "If there were no twists and turns in life, would we know how to cherish it like we do now?" ”