Chapter 80.1 – Extra: Wife-Chasing Crematorium (Part 5)

— STATUS: Unedited —

　　All felt too familiar.

　　Her meticulously curated newlywed room evoked a wave of nostalgic emotions, as every aspect, from carefully chosen arrangements to thoughtfully selected decorations, had been tended to with the utmost care by her own hands. Each meticulous detail served as a poignant reminder of the jubilant moments and lingering anxieties that accompanied her journey before saying, “I do.” 

　　Stepping into marriage while still in university, a potent mix of exhilaration and uncertainty swelled within Jiang Dai’s heart, casting a shadow of anticipation over what lay ahead.

　　Despite this, she devoted a substantial amount of time to meticulously planning the wedding and furnishing the new house. To add a personal touch, she would frequently share pictures with Huo Rongshen, actively seeking his input and opinions on the important decisions they were making together.

　　Yet, Huo Rongshen hardly had any objections and always supported her in transforming the new house exactly as she had envisioned.

　　In addition to the master bedroom, every aspect of Mirror Lake Mansion was meticulously designed and arranged to cater to her specific preferences.

　　Jiang Dai was well aware that she might have been somewhat out of the line, but she could not fathom the need to suppress her emotions when the sight before her stirred up past memories.

The following parts of the text will be scrambled to prevent theft from aggregators and unauthorized epub making. Please support our translators by reading on secondlifetranslations (dot) com. If you are currently on the site and and you are seeing this, please clear your cache.

　　Fbl xwaxwale psqvzu, “Ebu eslp kv qllz zkjl dsvbkdt byp nbydtle…? Psd’v usw qkde kv pvaydtl pkdnl usw zkhl yzsdl?”

　　Ekvbswv y xsxldv’p blpkvyvksd, Tws Ssdtpbld ydpolale, “R’hl jlrv lhlauvbkdt yp kv kp clnywpl R’hl yzalyeu tasod ynnwpvsxle vs kv yqvla zkhkdt vstlvbla okvb usw qsa y ulya. Fs obu oswze R qkde kv pvaydtl?”

　　Rd y przkv plnsde, Kkydt Pyk oyp aldelale prllnbzlpp.

　　Xq nswapl, kv oyp wdeldkyczu rlnwzkya. Tsolhla, vbl zssj kd Tws Ssdtpbld’p lulp csal y tldwkdl pldpl sq rwggzlxldv kd alprsdpl vs bla wdlmrlnvle iwlpvksd.

　　Xdzu yv vbyv hlau xsxldv eke kv eyod sd bla vbyv Tws Ssdtpbld bye dlhla vawzu xshle sd qasx vblka alzyvksdpbkr yde xyaakytl, dsv lhld qsa y qzllvkdt plnsde.

　　Rd pvyaj nsdvaypv, kv bye clld yd ldvkalzu ekqqlaldv pvsau qsa bla.

　　Gqvla xshkdt swv qasx Ykaasa Nyjl Yydpksd, pbl qkapv pswtbv alqwtl kd vbl nsxqsavkdt lxcaynl sq bla ryaldvp’ bsxl. Ekvb csvb sq vblx sodkdt plryayvl rasrlavklp, pbl qswde blaplzq kdelnkpkhl ycswv plvvzkdt sd y dlo rzynl vbyv vawzu nyvlale vs bla dllep yde ralqlaldnlp.

　　Gp pwnb, Kkydt Pyk elnkele vs pvyu vlxrsayakzu yv bla ryaldvp’ bsxl yde alvwadle vs vbyv cleassx pbl bye sdnl nblakpble qsa dwxlaswp ulyap clqsal bla xyaakytl. Tsolhla, bla vkxl vblal oyp dsv kdnalekczu rzlypydv. Lsv oydvkdt vs kxrspl sa ekpawrv bla ryaldvp’ zkhlp, pbl pssd prldv y blqvu pwx vs rwanbypl Lydtydt Vyzynl, rashkekdt blaplzq okvb y qalpb pvyav yde yd ldvkalzu dlo ldhkasdxldv vs nyzz bsxl.

　　Even so, her discomfort did not stem from her parents’ lack of care or even her stay with them. Instead, it was a shift in her own mindset.

　　Jiang Dai might appear petite, but she possessed a strong sense of independence from a young age. After finding love, she swiftly embraced marriage and built a family of her own. While her parents may still shower her with affection, her return to her childhood bedroom had put her out of sorts.

　　In other words, she had already matured into a self-reliant adult and no longer fit the role of a dependent daughter or residing in her old room for an extended period. 

　　Jiang Dai yearned for independence and the joy of having her own place to call home.

　　Once she settled into the Nangang Palace, she relished the initial period of freedom, finding immense pleasure in living life on her terms.

　　No longer bound by rigid schedules, Jiang Dai relished the luxury of waking up and sleeping whenever she pleased, without having to justify her actions to anyone. Gone were the days of worrying about returning late, causing her parents unnecessary concern. 

　　However, as time passed, she realized the importance of maintaining a well-balanced lifestyle. She imposed strict discipline upon herself and set rigorous routines to bring structure to her days. Still, she could not help but feel a profound sense of nostalgia when reminiscing about the days immediately following her divorce.

　　They were simply incredible. Nothing could ever compare with the sheer joy of being carefree.

　　However, Jiang Dai’s thoughts turned to the state of Huo Rongshen during that period. 

　　What kind of life was he leading back then?

　　At this juncture, it was already impossible for her to revisit this matter. 

　　A moment of clarity washed over her as she observed the unchanging environment around her. On that note, Huo Rongshen’s numerous peculiar actions during the early stages of their divorce now made perfect sense, as she could finally comprehend the reasons behind them.

　　Huo Rongshen had never considered returning to a single life, nor had he ever contemplated severing ties with his ex-wife.

　　For him, his lifestyle had already settled into its current state, leaving no room for a return to the past or a complete transformation into something entirely different.

　　When creating the master bedroom of Nangang Palace, Jiang Dai poured her heart and soul into the design, meticulously curating a space that resonated with her individuality. It was a sanctuary tailored exclusively to her preferences, reflecting her appreciation for the single life and her genuine desire to revel in its joys.

　　In her thoughts, she reckoned that Huo Rongshen needed to pull himself together after transitioning from the initial disbelief after the divorce to gradually accepting the reality.

　　Nestled around the serene Mirror Lake Mansion laid a breathtaking environment that deserved to be preserved. While certain aspects had undergone full renovations, there remained an opportunity to transform the frequently used bedroom into a space ideally suited for a single man.

　　Yet, he remained in the bedroom, which he used to share with his ex-wife……

　　Rather than a divorced man, it felt more akin to…… that of a widower?

　　At that moment, Jiang Dai’s emotions swirled in complexity from various factors. 

　　On the one hand, it might have been due to the comic and its increasingly suspicious developments, but on the other hand, it could be possible that her personal growth and maturity over the past two years had now made her perceive things differently.

　　With that in mind, she could not help but regret that she did not have the patience to spend a little more time communicating with Huo Rongshen back then.

　　After all, she was well aware that Huo Rongshen was an emotionally obtuse straight guy. If she had taken some more time to tell him how they should each move forward after the divorce, he probably would have been much better off these past two years.

……

　　Sadness kept washing over Jiang Dai, but she realized that dwelling on these matters — whether in self-reflection or offering advice — would yield no meaningful outcome at this moment.

　　Just as she reined in her emotions and was about to change the topic, Huo Rongshen suddenly blurted out, “You don’t need to feel sorry for me, as I’ve never been one to wallow in sadness. I think it’s great to keep everything as it is, and it’s a choice I’ve made consciously.”

　　Jiang Dai gazed at Huo Rongshen, her eyes revealing a hint of astonishment. Not once had she expected him to grasp the multitude of trivial thoughts swirling within her mind with such clarity……

　　However, now that he had called her out, she felt compelled to divulge the truth. “I think if I were you, I’d continue residing in Mirror Lake Mansion too. After all, the environment here is exceptional, and it’s also one of your newer properties with an excellent location and all-around appeal. However, the room itself…… could use some attention. Neglecting it might inadvertently affect your overall mental state, so it’d do you great to make some changes.”

　　Following the divorce, he continued to lay on the bed adorned with sheets his ex-wife had once bought. It was no wonder he found it difficult to move on.

　　If it were not for the injuries he had sustained, she would have attempted to knock some sense into him for clinging to the past so intensely.

　　In contrast, Huo Rongshen appeared unperturbed and wore an inexplicable smile as he invited her to sit down.

　　Jiang Dai had initially intended to take a seat on the sofa on the side, but Huo Rongshen was insistent on having her sit by the bed.

　　Although conflicted, she eventually acquiesced and settled down beside him.

　　As she sat there, she attempted to rationalize the situation to herself. After all, it was perfectly normal to have a chat by the bedside when visiting a patient.

　　It was just like any other ward.

　　With that in mind, she casually perched on the edge of the bed, completely at ease with the situation.

　　Huo Rongshen’s voice resonated with a piercing clarity, each word delivered with unyielding resolve. “I know you’ll want to give me a good scolding after hearing this, but I’ve still got to get it out of me. The only reason I’ve not altered anything in this bedroom is because I’m certain you will return. I hold onto the unwavering belief that you will come back to me — whether it takes three to five years, a decade, or even two to three decades. I will never stop pursuing you.”

　　Sure enough, the flabbergasted Jiang Dai was itching to chastise a certain individual.

　　However, Huo Rongshen looked so stern while saying such silly things that she could not bear to do so.

　　She extended her hand and rubbed her temple. “I never knew you could be so stubborn.”

　　All this time, she had always assumed she was the stubborn one, while Huo Rongshen was just particularly persistent in his career and life plans. As for emotions, marriage, and women, they seemed to hold little significance for him.

　　Huo Rongshen gently and tenderly took her fingers into his own. Emboldened by the moment, he clasped her soft palm. “I always had a feeling you’d return, and it seems I was right. Only two years have passed, and you’re already back home.”

　　Jiang Dai’s heart trembled for a fleeting moment before her instincts urged her to withdraw her hand. 

　　Yet, he clasped onto it with an even firmer grip.

　　Despite making a subtle effort to break free, she found herself unable to escape his grip. Reluctantly, she conceded and stopped struggling.

　　She sighed, “Huo Rongshen…… I’m still unsure whether I should admire your persistence or be taken aback by your shamelessness.”

　　Unlike his former self from two years ago, Huo Rongshen now possessed a more playful sense of humor. “You know what? I’ll own up to being both persistent and shameless.”

　　“…………” At this point, she had long since given up on arguing with him about this matter.