Love on the Brink of Collapse
Behind the Perfect Love
Tong Yu discovered the clues of Du Peng’s infidelity the day after their third wedding anniversary.
That morning, Tong Yu went out to buy breakfast. Just as she stepped out the door, her phone rang. She pulled out her phone and saw an unfamiliar number flashing on the screen. Answering it, she heard a girl’s cheerful voice: “Did you have a good time yesterday? You didn’t call me all day.”
Tong Yu responded, “Who is this?” The other person paused and then quickly hung up. Tong Yu suddenly realized that she had grabbed the wrong phone—the call wasn’t meant for her.
Tong Yu and Du Peng had the same model phone, and in her rush to leave, she had taken Du Peng’s phone by mistake. Her heart sank. With a woman’s intuition, she knew that call wasn’t a mistake. Who was she? What was her relationship with Du Peng? How long had they known each other? A flood of questions emerged, and Tong Yu turned back home. She couldn’t accept that their perfect love hid such a threat.
Anger in Suspense
Tong Yu angrily opened the door, and Du Peng’s phone rang again. Du Peng, awakened by the noise, saw Tong Yu standing by the bed with his phone and instinctively took it to answer, silencing Tong Yu. Then, whatever the other person said made Du Peng suddenly declare, “I’ll be right there,” and he hurried out the door with his coat.
Tong Yu couldn’t say anything; her immense anger remained in suspense, unable to be released. Du Peng didn’t call all morning, seemingly unaware of the answered call.
By the afternoon, Tong Yu couldn’t hold back any longer and called Du Peng. He answered, and before Tong Yu could ask anything, Du Peng spoke first, sounding dejected. He told Tong Yu that earlier in the year, he and his business partner had invested heavily in the stock market, only for most of their funds to get stuck. His partner disappeared overnight. “Tong Yu, I’m bankrupt,” Du Peng said.
Tong Yu was stunned. From dating to marriage, she rarely inquired about Du Peng’s business. Initially, Du Peng would talk about it, but eventually, he stopped mentioning it. And such a significant decision as investing in stocks—he hadn’t told her at all…
Du Peng continued, “I won’t be home for the next few days. There’s still a lot to handle… don’t tell our parents.”
Tong Yu could hear Du Peng’s forced calmness, but she was far from calm. She immediately took a taxi to Du Peng’s company.
Unsure How to Begin
The company was in chaos. Tong Yu navigated through the mess to Du Peng’s office. He was buried in a pile of documents and looked up when she called his name.
Tong Yu was startled. Du Peng, usually meticulous about his appearance, now looked disheveled, with messy hair and a pale, haggard face. This pained Tong Yu, and her anger quickly dissipated. She walked over, unsure what to say. She realized she had never really talked about work with Du Peng and now didn’t know how to start.
Du Peng didn’t speak either. He glanced at Tong Yu and sighed.
Eventually, Tong Yu started helping Du Peng organize the accounts. The more she sorted, the more alarmed she became. Finally, Du Peng pushed all the documents aside in despair and asked, more to himself than to her, “What should I do?”
Tong Yu forced herself to stay calm. She calculated everything and realized that even if they sold the company, Du Peng would still be in debt by millions.
She quickly ran through their options: selling the house could cover part of the debt, but that would mean living with their parents or renting. A sense of despair washed over her.
At that moment, Du Peng, silent for so long, suddenly said, “Tong Yu, let’s get a divorce. Keep the house in your name, and I’ll bear the debt…” Both had thought about the property. Tong Yu’s heart ached, but she was certain at that moment that Du Peng still loved her.
Thus, Tong Yu became calm. Holding Du Peng’s hand, she firmly said, “We are husband and wife; we should face this together. We’ll start over if we must. You handle the company’s affairs, and I’ll list the house with a real estate agent.”
“No,” Du Peng stood up. “I can’t drag you into this.”
Tong Yu smiled. “I’m your wife.” This time, she was more determined.
Crisis as a Wake-Up Call
Half a month later, Tong Yu and Du Peng moved into Du Peng’s parents’ home. Living together turned out to be quite harmonious.
Without a car, Du Peng took the bus every day, returning home late. No matter how late it was, Tong Yu would ask about his day and offer advice. Occasionally, when there was some profit, Tong Yu would cook a small meal.
In the quiet of the night, they would sit in the dining room, having a small drink together. Sometimes, they would watch a late-night movie, walking hand-in-hand there and back.
One evening, as they walked home, Du Peng put Tong Yu’s hand in his pocket and said, “This is nice. Now, I feel like going bankrupt was worth it.”
Tong Yu laughed. She understood Du Peng’s sentiment went beyond their present situation. She never mentioned that call, and neither did Du Peng. But she knew she had almost lost him.
Over the years, she had grown complacent, neglecting his work and his heart, leaving him feeling unappreciated and seeking solace elsewhere.
The stock market crash not only brought Du Peng’s business to a halt but also brought their love to the brink of collapse, serving as a wake-up call for both. From now on, they would be more careful and dedicated.
Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “
