Chapter 1The Handshake

Discovering my husband's infidelity was a very small matter.

At a dinner with friends, he, who was always aloof, suddenly and actively served food to everyone present.

Later.

I heard him reciting a line from Roman Holiday in his study.

"I have to leave you now. I'm going to that corner there and turn. You must stay in the car and drive away."

Wait, that's not right. He was reciting, "I have shaken hands with everyone in the receiving line, just to shake yours."

Tsk!

* * *

Ethan and I both come from small towns in the middle of nowhere.

Small-town test-takers.

Relying on hellish studying to win in the college entrance exams (SATs/ACTs equivalent), we completed our degrees at top-tier universities.

After graduation, we both passed the civil service exams and entered the system.

Starting from the grassroots, one step at a time, slowly taking root and extending in the provincial capital where we had no foundation.

Now.

We have each been promoted to department leaders, have decent social status, bought a car and a house, and our housing provident fund is enough to cover the loan.

In short, we achieved success in the secular sense and completed the class jump in mainstream values in the most traditional, fair, and shortcut-free way for Chinese people (or Americans who value hard work).

This year, Ethan and I had two more happy events.

The first was at the beginning of the year when he was transferred to a leadership position in a state-owned enterprise, and his salary and benefits increased several times.

The other thing is that I'm pregnant.

Yes, it took 6 years after marriage for me to get pregnant.

Ethan is the only son for three generations and has hereditary weak sperm. Basically, after 30, there is no possibility of fertility. Our journey to conceive in the past few years was no easier than settling down and establishing a career.

Fortunately, 2 months ago, in the first spring after Ethan turned 30, I finally got pregnant.

When we got the report, Ethan, who rarely showed emotion, hugged me.

Weeping with joy like a child.