A Modern Real Love Story
In the National Day of 20xx, Dong Jiaqian and her boyfriend of more than a year, Xu Siyu, held a grand wedding…
Dong Jiaqian, born in 1985 in a scholarly family in Beijing, started working in a media company after graduating from university. Dong Jiaqian was elegant, beautiful, and talented.
Xu Siyu, five years older than Dong Jiaqian, ventured to Beijing after graduating from university and started his own company. The two met at a friend’s gathering, and their relationship quickly intensified.
After marriage, Dong Jiaqian and Xu Siyu enjoyed a very sweet time together. They agreed to delay having children to focus on their careers.
Before the Spring Festival of 20xx, Xu Siyu and Dong Jiaqian discussed bringing his parents to Beijing for the holiday. Although Dong Jiaqian was concerned that their presence might affect their life as a couple, she was understanding and agreed.
On the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, Xu Siyu’s parents arrived in Beijing. Dong Jiaqian took a day off and, along with Xu Siyu, went to the airport to pick them up. She had tidied up the other south-facing room in their three-bedroom apartment to make sure the in-laws would be comfortable.
During their stay in Beijing, Dong Jiaqian tried her best to be a dutiful daughter-in-law. She cooked according to their tastes, bought them various fruits, and even did their laundry. The in-laws were very satisfied with her, and Xu Siyu was grateful.
However, living under the same roof with in-laws who had different living habits made Dong Jiaqian feel uncomfortable. The in-laws were loud, blunt, loved playing mahjong, and were very domineering. They would wake up before 6 AM to exercise in the neighborhood, take naps after lunch, and go to bed at 10 PM. Dong Jiaqian, who lived close to her workplace, usually got up at 8 AM for her 9 AM job and stayed up online until midnight. Every morning, her in-laws would wake her up with their noisy activities, urging her to exercise, claiming it was good for her health. At night, the early sleepers made her tiptoe around to avoid waking them up. If she made even a little noise, they would complain, leaving her sleep-deprived and constantly cautious in her own home.
Dong Jiaqian tried to endure these annoyances, thinking that the in-laws would not stay for long and it would be unwise to strain the relationship. She counted the days in her mind, hoping they would leave soon.
After the Lantern Festival, Dong Jiaqian asked her husband, “When are your parents leaving?” Xu Siyu replied, “My parents like living here. They can help with the housework and, in the future, help take care of our children. Since they’re retired, they want to rent out their house back home and stay here long-term.”
Shocked, Dong Jiaqian exclaimed, “What? They’re not leaving?” Xu Siyu asked, “Why, do you not want them here?” Not wanting to cause discord, Dong Jiaqian reluctantly agreed.
Dong Jiaqian initially thought that with more time, they would get used to each other, and things would become less awkward. But to her dismay, the in-laws began to take control and interfere with their lives. When the couple argued, they always sided with their son. What she found intolerable was their tendency to chat with neighbors about private family matters, making her feel embarrassed and humiliated.
Dong Jiaqian had asked her husband to remind his parents, but he said, “They’re old and lonely, staying cooped up at home. Chatting with the neighbors is good for them and helps build community relations.”
Feeling unappreciated by her in-laws and frustrated by her husband’s “filial piety,” Dong Jiaqian felt extremely oppressed. She wanted to vent her frustrations but didn’t want to worry her parents or risk confiding in her girlfriends due to fears of jealousy and betrayal.
After much thought, she remembered Zhao Jianjun. Zhao Jianjun, a university classmate, always made her feel safe. During university, his easy-going nature, willingness to help, and understanding of women’s issues made him very popular among the girls. Dong Jiaqian had always seen him as a “male best friend,” almost forgetting his gender. After graduation, Zhao Jianjun worked in event management in a Beijing company.
Dong Jiaqian reached out to Zhao Jianjun, pouring out her troubles to him. She even cried as she spoke. Zhao Jianjun proved to be a good listener, comforting her and offering tissues and coffee.
After venting to Zhao Jianjun, Dong Jiaqian felt much better.
A Video Exposes the Truth; The “Male Best Friend” Has an Ulterior Motive
After her session with Zhao Jianjun, Dong Jiaqian felt much calmer around her in-laws. She thought having a good listener and advisor like Zhao Jianjun was a blessing. She believed that without him, her frustrations would have led to bigger conflicts with her in-laws and husband.
From then on, whenever she had issues with her in-laws or husband, she would seek out Zhao Jianjun to chat and vent. She once asked him, “Do you think your girlfriend would mind or misunderstand if I keep bothering you?” Zhao Jianjun replied cheerfully, “We’re such good friends; you can always come to me. Besides, I don’t have a girlfriend yet.” Dong Jiaqian said, “You’re so likable; you’ll surely find a great girlfriend. I’ll help you look.” Zhao Jianjun said, “I’m not in a hurry. I already have someone I like.” Dong Jiaqian asked, “Who is it? Do I know her?” Zhao Jianjun said, “That’s a secret.”
One morning in July of 20xx, Dong Jiaqian went home to fetch an important document she had forgotten. Upon entering, she found her mother-in-law rummaging through her drawers, exposing some personal items. Enraged, Dong Jiaqian confronted her, saying, “How can you go through my things?” Her mother-in-law retorted, “This is my son’s house, which means it’s my house too. What’s wrong with looking through things?” Unable to contain her anger, Dong Jiaqian fired back, “This is my home. You’re a guest. Shouldn’t you respect the owner’s privacy?”
Her mother-in-law, infuriated, responded, “You’re the owner? I’m a guest? Fine, I’ll leave!” She then called her son. Xu Siyu rushed home and, in a fit of rage, slapped Dong Jiaqian, “How dare you treat my mother like this?”
Crying, Dong Jiaqian left home. She had never faced such humiliation before and felt she was on the verge of breaking down. She managed to finish her work but didn’t want to go home afterward. She wanted someone to drink with, so she called Zhao Jianjun, asking if he was free. Zhao Jianjun said, “I just bought groceries. Why don’t you come over, and I’ll cook for you?” Dong Jiaqian agreed.
At Zhao Jianjun’s place, he had already prepared the meal. Dong Jiaqian opened a bottle of red wine she had bought on the way, clinking glasses forcefully with Zhao Jianjun, saying, “I’m so upset; I need to drink to forget my sorrows.” Zhao Jianjun said, “Tell me what’s bothering you while we drink. Don’t keep it bottled up.”
She recounted everything that had happened, growing increasingly emotional, and drank more. When she woke up, she found herself naked in bed with Zhao Jianjun. Shocked, she wrapped herself in a blanket. Zhao Jianjun, already awake, apologized, “I’m sorry. We were both drunk last night. I didn’t mean to take advantage of you.”
Feeling deeply ashamed, Dong Jiaqian decided to pretend nothing had happened and quickly left after dressing.
After that incident, Dong Jiaqian felt extremely awkward and didn’t know how to interact with Zhao Jianjun. To avoid the embarrassment of seeing him, she stopped contacting him, even when upset. When Zhao Jianjun called to ask her out, she made excuses to decline. She hoped time would help them forget what had happened.
However, after several rejections, Zhao Jianjun came to her workplace. They went to a nearby café where Zhao Jianjun suddenly grabbed her hand and said, “Since you’re not happy in your marriage, marry me instead.”
Stunned, Dong Jiaqian pulled her hand away, “What are you talking about?” Zhao Jianjun earnestly said, “I’ve loved you since university. Even after you got married, my feelings never changed. Now, I finally have the courage to tell you.”
The sudden confession caught Dong Jiaqian off guard. She had always seen Zhao Jianjun as a “male best friend.” She told him, “Thank you, but I really don’t love you.”
Zhao Jianjun then took out his phone and showed her a video. To her horror, it was footage of their intimate encounter. She demanded, “Where did this come from?” Zhao Jianjun confessed, “I wanted to marry you so badly that I prepared in advance. I recorded us that night after getting you drunk.”
Furious, Dong Jiaqian yelled, “You’re despicable!” She deleted the video from his phone, but Zhao Jianjun said, “Delete it all you want; I have backups.” She asked, “What do you want?” Zhao Jianjun replied, “Marry me, or I’ll show this to Xu Siyu.”
Devast
ated, Dong Jiaqian felt she had no way out.
The Delaying Tactic Angers the “Male Best Friend”; Can Such Feelings Be Separate from Love?
Dong Jiaqian knew she couldn’t marry Zhao Jianjun. After much consideration, she decided to pretend to agree to buy time to find him a girlfriend. If that failed, she would deliberately do things to make him dislike her. She believed that over time, Zhao Jianjun would lose interest in her.
She met with Zhao Jianjun, saying, “I’ll marry you. But I need time to talk to Xu Siyu about the divorce.” Zhao Jianjun was elated, “As long as you’ll marry me, I’m willing to wait.”
Relieved, Dong Jiaqian began her plan. She treated Zhao Jianjun poorly, finding ways to annoy him, even cursing him. She also deliberately engaged in uncivil behaviors like picking her nose and swearing in front of him, hoping to disgust him. However, Zhao Jianjun seemed unfazed, remaining deeply in love with her.
Desperate, Dong Jiaqian discreetly sought to find Zhao Jianjun a girlfriend. She eventually found a young, pretty translator named Xiao He. Describing Zhao Jianjun’s qualities, Xiao He was impressed. Dong Jiaqian arranged a meeting under the guise of a friendly gathering.
She seated Xiao He next to Zhao Jianjun and encouraged their interaction. After dinner, they went to a karaoke bar, where Dong Jiaqian suggested they sing duets. Xiao He seemed to like Zhao Jianjun, and he appeared interested in her, making Dong Jiaqian hopeful.
The next day, Zhao Jianjun called Dong Jiaqian, “You’re trying to set me up with Xiao He to get rid of me, aren’t you?” Dong Jiaqian denied it, “No, Xiao He is a friend. She likes fun, so she joined us. But she does seem to like you, and you two would be a good match.” Zhao Jianjun said, “I only love you. No one else can replace you.”
His response disheartened Dong Jiaqian, who had hoped this would free her. She had no choice but to continue delaying and devising new plans.
Zhao Jianjun kept pressing her about the divorce. Dong Jiaqian stalled, claiming she needed more time. Zhao Jianjun grew suspicious, but she reassured him she was working on it.
In November 20xx, Xu Siyu’s parents returned home. With the in-laws gone, Dong Jiaqian and Xu Siyu enjoyed their time together, even planning to have a child.
On her birthday, November 20, after shopping with Xu Siyu, they ran into Zhao Jianjun. He pretended not to see them and walked away. The next day, he summoned Dong Jiaqian to his place, threatening her if she didn’t come.
Once there, Zhao Jianjun accused her of lying. She tried to explain, but he didn’t believe her and forcibly raped her.
Afterward, Zhao Jianjun gave her a month to get divorced, or he would show the video to Xu Siyu.
Feeling cornered, Dong Jiaqian contemplated making Zhao Jianjun disappear.
On April 3, 20xx, she called Zhao Jianjun, saying Xu Siyu had agreed to the divorce and wanted to discuss specifics. Zhao Jianjun, overjoyed, prepared a meal. During a bathroom break, Dong Jiaqian spiked his drink with sleeping pills. Once he was unconscious, she drowned him in the bathtub.
She thought she had created an accident scene but was caught when the landlord found Zhao Jianjun’s body and called the police. They identified it as murder and arrested Dong Jiaqian.
Conclusion
Is there a pure friendship between men and women beyond love? Opinions vary. “Male best friends” and “female best friends” sound wonderful but can be fraught with danger. Enjoy the warmth of the opposite sex but know your boundaries.
Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “
