Chapter 32: Did You Wear Perfume Today?

Meeting the man’s gaze, the hospital room fell into silence.

Wang Zhao felt as if she had returned to two months ago. When she first opened her eyes, all she saw was the pure white ceiling, pure white bedding, and walls. The air was filled with the detestable smell of disinfectant.

With the slightest movement, her entire body ached. Her head felt as if it had been stirred with a stick, dizzy and painful. She couldn’t remember anything, nor could she think, because any attempt to use her brain brought about a desire to vomit.

It was a rather difficult time to get through, as she suffered both physical and psychological torment.

Wang Zhao didn’t want to recall that time. It easily reminded her of the initial confusion and adjustment to a new time, as well as the sense of collapse as her worldview was constantly reshaped.

Fortunately, she was a person with strong adaptability. Perhaps it was for this reason that heaven had brought her to this world. Wang Zhao sometimes smiled bitterly at herself with this optimistic thought. Thanks to her keen observation skills, she had settled peacefully in this world.

Even if changes were to be made, they should be gradual. Wang Zhao had originally planned to slowly build her career, or change direction. If possible, she could even develop in another city. This was something she had considered while in the hospital. After all, Jiang City was where her original self had lived. However, after some research, Wang Zhao abandoned the idea of going to another city.

Because at present, it was simply unnecessary. She discovered that her original self had a personality similar to hers. This might be due to similar soul or brain wave patterns, which was why she had come to this world and inhabited this body. Or perhaps there were other reasons.

Chen Fangli continued to look at Wang Zhao, waiting for her answer.

But what kind of answer did he want? Wang Zhao was unlikely to satisfy him.

So she just smiled carelessly and said, “Maybe I sent it by mistake. You should know, I don’t often use the WeChat Moments function.”

She had posted very few updates.

This response was extremely perfunctory, but Chen Fangli fell silent. The shadow cast by his bangs on his forehead seemed to grow a bit larger, making his entire face appear even more gloomy.

Perhaps from staying in London for too long, this man had acquired a layer of melancholy, foggy rainy day aura.

Wang Zhao changed the subject: “I heard from Xu Yingchun that you won’t be going abroad again after this return to the country? You plan to develop your career domestically.”

Chen Fangli’s expression wasn’t good. After hearing Wang Zhao’s words, he looked at her for a while before nodding: “I had always planned to return to the country for development after finishing my studies. You should know that.”

These words inevitably carried a hint of resentment.

This touched upon Wang Zhao’s memory blind spot, but her expression remained normal. Pretending not to have heard this remark, she asked the person on the hospital bed: “What did the doctor say about your condition?”

“Some stomach issues.”

Clearly, Chen Fangli didn’t want to discuss this topic. He only uttered these four words flatly. The two years in England had indeed been long, with the last half year feeling especially endless. Yet it seemed only he had remained in place.

However, after speaking, he realized his tone was a bit harsh, so he tried to soften it and explained further: “I accidentally drank some alcohol on an empty stomach, and my stomach condition flared up again. But it’s not a big deal, I just need to take some medication and eat regularly from now on.”

“Mm, that’s good then.”

After Wang Zhao said this, the two fell silent again.

The person before her did give her a sense of familiarity, but she had no memories of him at all. She wanted to say something but didn’t know how to begin, and was afraid of saying something that might touch a nerve.

This was where Chen Fangli differed from Li Zhenguan.

Chen Fangli seemed to carry a kind of unusual “pride” in his bones, while Li Zhenguan was different. In front of Wang Zhao, he never had a sense of self-importance. He was adept at humbling himself, even acting coquettishly. Even when Wang Zhao showed a cold face, Li Zhenguan was basically unafraid, and sometimes, sensing her mood, he would even push his luck further.

If this were in an ancient imperial court, Li Zhenguan would surely have at least attained the position of a consort. Otherwise, it would be a waste of his nature that was so skilled at vying for favor.

Of course, it could also be that the two hadn’t seen each other for too long. The estrangement and barrier between them was undeniable.

However, Wang Zhao had come today to completely sever the relationship between them. Since they had already broken up, it meant there was no longer any connection between them. For her, the more estranged they were, the better.

So as the silent atmosphere spread through the hospital room, Wang Zhao spoke again. Her gaze fell on the man’s hand resting on his abdomen, with visible veins, and she said, “I don’t know if Yingchun has told you, but I’m going to have my wedding ceremony next month. If you have time, you can come with them.”

This was, of course, just a polite invitation.

Wang Zhao herself hoped that Chen Fangli wouldn’t have time. But as a Chinese person, she felt obligated to extend at least a perfunctory invitation. At this moment, she even felt a bit affected and pretentious, but there was no helping it. She couldn’t make herself suffer for the sake of others; Wang Zhao wasn’t that noble.

Perhaps if it were her original self, she might have felt some pity for Chen Fangli, or maybe even softened her heart. But Wang Zhao was certain of one thing: she absolutely wouldn’t take a single step back. Softness and sympathy were psychological effects. Anyone with a bit of empathy would feel a motherly instinct stirring upon seeing such a weak man.

But she was also quite certain that her original self was a responsible woman. This could be seen in every little detail. Take for instance, upon learning of Li Zhenguan’s pregnancy, marriage had become an inevitable outcome.

For Wang Zhao, this was also a kind of attempt. Now she could try to get along with Li Zhenguan for a while. If in the end she really couldn’t accept it, she would make another choice. In the current world, divorce wasn’t difficult. Entering the registration center and obtaining a green booklet was just a matter of half an hour.

Upon hearing Wang Zhao’s words, Chen Fangli’s face quickly turned pale. He looked at the woman before him for a long while, then suddenly smiled and calmed down before nodding.

“If I have time, I’ll come.” He lowered his eyelids, his gaze falling on a distant point.

Wang Zhao felt that the conversation had reached a sufficient point. This ex-boyfriend seemed to be a sensible person, not the type to make a fuss.

At this first meeting, she had a pretty good impression of this ex-boyfriend. Of course, this was also due to Chen Fangli’s shrewdness. Having been with Wang Zhao for so many years, he understood this woman no less than Li Zhenguan did.

From a modern perspective, Wang Zhao was clearly an excellent choice for a spouse.

Chen Fangli still remembered when he first saw her in university. Wang Zhao was dressed neatly and cleanly, and almost as soon as she appeared in the classroom, she attracted the gaze of all the male students.

Of course, this included Chen Fangli.

Many people thought this woman would be difficult to get along with, appearing cold and unapproachable. But Chen Fangli discovered that Wang Zhao was actually quite easy-going. She couldn’t be called gentle, but whenever someone needed help and actively approached her, she had hardly ever refused.

She was a gentle person.

But most people still considered Wang Zhao to be a very proud person. She rarely actively socialized with others, spending more time in the library sitting in front of a computer. Moreover, in her sophomore year, she had already found an internship at a law firm. For law students, finding an internship at a law firm during university was extremely difficult, especially in the sophomore year.

He and Wang Zhao became familiar with each other in their freshman year. It couldn’t be said who took the initiative or who accepted, they just met a few times, exchanged a few words, and sometimes he would ask her about academic issues. Gradually, they became familiar with each other.

Once, when a new shopping mall opened, there was a promotion where movie tickets cost only one yuan. The two of them, passing by, decided to see a movie together with the mentality that it wouldn’t hurt to take advantage of the deal.

That movie was the beginning of their closer relationship. Later, they naturally got together.

They also had a honeymoon period, doing some crazy things that young people do when in love. They traveled together, attended classes together, ate together, and studied together.

That was a time mixed with all of Chen Fangli’s youth and happiness.

However, it seemed that after student life ended, everyone faced choices. The results of these choices would lead you into a completely different world.

Wang Zhao left the hospital. She sat in her car for a while, her mind blank, then took out her phone and scrolled through some questions. Her heart calmed down again. She then returned home, had a simple meal, and in the afternoon went with Li Zhenguan to the wedding dress shop he had mentioned.

However, after getting in the car, Li Zhenguan couldn’t help but frown. Wang Zhao had a certain scent on her.

He had been particularly sensitive to smells lately, and immediately detected the strong smell of disinfectant on Wang Zhao, along with a hint of alcohol mixed with another barely perceptible fragrance of perfume.

These scents would have been nearly imperceptible to others, and Wang Zhao herself hadn’t noticed them, but Li Zhenguan could smell them immediately and even discern their sources.

His nose wrinkled a few times, and he couldn’t help but sneeze: “Did you wear perfume today?”

Wang Zhao was stunned for a moment: “No, why?”

She raised her arm and sniffed, but couldn’t smell anything. However, she had heard that some pregnant men develop a very keen sense of smell during pregnancy.

“Is there some smell on me?”

Li Zhenguan rubbed his nose a few times, feeling it was still a bit itchy: “The smell of hospital, the smell of alcohol, and a very faint fragrance, a bit like a men’s perfume.”

After Li Zhenguan said this, the car suddenly fell silent for a moment.

Wang Zhao couldn’t help but sniff herself again, but she couldn’t smell anything. One couldn’t help but marvel at how sensitive his sense of smell must be. It would be perfect for catching cheaters.

At this moment, she even couldn’t help but joke inwardly.

Sure enough, the next moment, Li Zhenguan looked up at her, his clear eyes fixed on her.

He didn’t say anything, just stared at her steadily.

This made one’s heart soften. Most people can’t bear the feeling of these eyes silently staring at you, as if they’re about to cry the next moment, with endless grievance within them.

Wang Zhao sighed helplessly: “It must have been picked up at the hospital. Do you want to check me yourself?”

After saying this, Wang Zhao stretched out her arm, holding it in front of Li Zhenguan, as if inviting him to inspect.