Chapter 3: The Human Heart Is Like the Parasol Tree

Liu Qing was my only female friend; we had been classmates from elementary school through university.

In truth, after I met Jiang Yue, I rarely kept in touch with her.

Jiang Yue knew Liu Qing as well, but she never cared about these things concerning me.

In her eyes, there was no worry that I might fall in love with someone else.

“Chu Jianghe, why is his phone with you? What kind of game are you playing with him? Tell Chu Jianghe that I demand he show up before me within an hour!”

Liu Qing sneered, her voice laced with hatred: “I’m afraid you won’t get your wish. He’s already dead.”

Jiang Yue suddenly froze, her hand holding the phone trembling slightly.

After a moment, she regained composure and said, “What kind of joke are you playing on me? If he wants to come back, he will. If not, then don’t come back at all. He really thinks too highly of himself.”

After speaking, Jiang Yue coldly hung up the call.

Indeed, whether I lived or died, she didn’t care at all.

But then the phone rang again.

Jiang Yue answered impatiently, “Liu Qing, you and Chu Jianghe are conspiring to play these tricks on me? Do you really think I’m a fool?”

“Tell Chu Jianghe quickly—whether he comes back or not is none of my business! He might as well die out there! Just the sight of him annoys me!”

But the voice on the other end wasn’t Liu Qing’s.

“Miss Jiang, this is the Public Security Bureau of the North District. There was a traffic accident on Wuyi Road last night, and we found this man’s ID on the deceased. Are you his wife? Please come over to verify.”

Jiang Yue furrowed her brows, squinting her eyes: “What are you talking about?”

The officer repeated solemnly.

Jiang Yue let out a cold laugh: “No need to verify. I know him well. This is just his way of trying to get my attention. You handle it as you see fit.”

“If it really is him, just notify his parents. If it’s not, you should arrest whoever is committing fraud!”

With that, Jiang Yue hung up, utterly emotionless.

I had grown numb. This woman was so cruel.

I was writhing in pain at the hospital, and she accused me of faking misery to avoid chores.

I was already dead, and yet she claimed I was just trying to get her attention.

I thought she would at least be surprised to hear such news.

But she didn’t care at all.

In her eyes, I was simply a villain who wouldn’t relent until she got what she wanted. She wished I were truly dead.

Suddenly, I wanted to laugh—laugh at myself for being such a fool for seven years, licking her feet.

I hated myself, hated why I had saved her in the first place.

She was the one who deserved to die!

---

My feelings for her had always been one-sided.

On the day I was diagnosed, I had actually told her I wanted a divorce.

Because I knew she didn’t care, so why not let go and free us both?

At that time, her true love hadn’t returned yet, and her attitude toward me wasn’t as hostile as it is now.

But to her, I was just an optional substitute.

Whenever she remembered me, she’d say a few words; when in a bad mood, she’d curse me.

When I told her I wanted a divorce, I expected relief.

But she looked at me with disgust and said, “Chu Jianghe, what are you thinking? That’s ridiculous! You’re just upset because I didn’t go to the hospital with you today. You’re just a man with a little cold, and you’re acting like you’re dying. Are you even a man?”

I didn’t tell her about my condition. I stared calmly and said, “Jiang Yue, you’re wrong. I’ve been the one taking care of you all these seven years.”

She grabbed a pillow and threw it at me.

Whenever she was displeased, she would hit me. I always endured it.

But that day, I caught the pillow she threw at me and looked at her with hatred.

“Prepare the divorce papers. Let’s part amicably.”

She didn’t take it seriously and sneered: “Do you dare? Chu Jianghe, stop pretending in front of me. You’re almost thirty and don’t have a job.”

“Without me, can you survive?”

Why I had nothing was something Jiang Yue knew best.

When I met her, I had just graduated from university and started working at a listed company with a bright future.

But once we confirmed our relationship, she made me quit my job, saying she didn’t want her boyfriend working outside.

Yes, her family was so wealthy. How could a poor orphan like me ever be good enough?

But at that time, I was obsessed, willing to do anything to be with her. I resigned and resolutely became a live-in son-in-law.

Her family never respected me. Over all those years, the number of times I spoke with her parents could be counted on one hand.

At that time, the new company she was in charge of faced severe financial difficulties, and the headquarters couldn’t provide funds promptly.

So I gave her all the money I had saved from two years of working and even borrowed some from Liu Qing.

That was how we got through the toughest year.

Later, her company gradually improved, and she asked me to quit my job.

She said a successful man always has a good woman behind him, so a successful woman must have a good man behind her.

She wanted me to be that man, and I was willing to be her supporting role.

Everything around us was improving, but our relationship slowly deteriorated.

At that time, I learned that her true love had contacted her.

She was very happy then but grew cold toward me.

Later, I tentatively asked, “If he really comes back, what will you choose?”

She gave me an ambiguous answer. I truly believed she would choose me.

So I tried even harder to be good to her.

But I forgot something.

People are like phoenix trees; even when their hearts are empty, they can barely stand.

Everyone thinks they will sprout again next year.

But in reality, they died that winter.

...

At that moment, when Jiang Yue received news of my death, she only thought I was trying to get her attention.

But after a brief silence, she suddenly grabbed the car keys from the table and hurried out of the office.

I followed her, feeling a complicated mix of emotions.

Jiang Yue, if you don’t care, why are you so flustered?

I followed her out of the company and straight to the police station.

At the station, she still wore an indifferent expression.

Liu Qing, with red eyes, approached her.

“Jiang! How heartless you are! You know how Jianghe treated you these years. He had a terminal illness, and there’s no way you didn’t know. Did you ever care for him?”

“Jianghe’s barely cold in his grave, and you’re already with your old flame? You deserve no peace!”

Liu Qing’s eyes were red as she shouted at Jiang Yue.

I just wanted to say, well said.

But there was no need to get angry over such a woman.

Jiang Yue glanced coldly at Liu Qing without a word and walked straight into the police station.

“Where is Chu Jianghe’s body?”

Everyone inside looked at her. A policeman in his thirties approached.

“Miss Jiang, please accept our condolences.”

Jiang Yue’s pupils contracted slightly. After a brief moment of shock, she asked, “You told me Chu Jianghe is dead. Where is the body?”

The officer frowned and said quietly, “Miss Jiang, Mr. Chu died in a car accident. His face was almost unrecognizable. I’m afraid you might be traumatized if you see it. Are you sure you want to see?”

Jiang Yue hesitated briefly but said expressionlessly, “Yes.”

She followed the officer toward the morgue.

I wanted so badly to know what expression she would wear when she saw my corpse.

Would there be even a trace of sorrow?