On our wedding day, my in-laws whispered something to my wife. She was beaming with joy, but then her expression changed dramatically, and she ran to the hotel rooftop and jumped. Everyone was curious about what the elderly couple had said. But they remained silent, and on the day of my wife’s funeral, they brought over ten women for me to choose from. It wasn’t until later that they whispered the same words to me. At 3 a.m., I found myself sitting in the large bridal room, staring blankly at our wedding photo on the wall. In the picture, my wife, Adeline, was glowing with happiness, clutching a bouquet as she leaned into my arms. Her hand tenderly rested on her belly, already two months pregnant. But now, she was just a cold body lying in the funeral home. My eyes were red, teeth clenched, my body shivering from the shock. Suddenly, the phone on the coffee table rang. I picked it up, and it was the police— “Mr. Nash, we’ve thoroughly investigated Ms. Cao’s parents and found no suspicious activity.” “Can you recall if Ms. Cao displayed any unusual behavior or tendencies before the incident?” In the police report they sent, I saw Adeline’s pale face, her body covered in blood from the fall. My heart ached, and I gripped the phone tightly, mumbling, “No.” Why would Adeline take her own life? It was supposed to be our long-awaited wedding day. Even the night before, we were holding hands, walking sweetly through the mall, dreaming about our unborn child in the baby store. I couldn’t understand why she would jump with our unborn child on our wedding day. With no clues from me, the police sighed— “There’s no evidence suggesting Ms. Cao’s death was her parents’ doing. We have to release them for now.” “They might come to you, so please be cautious.”
The day after Adeline’s death, her parents came to see me. Not to blame or extort, in fact… Adeline’s mom sat across from me on the sofa, a nervous smile on her face, rubbing her hands on her pants. They brought local delicacies from their hometown, along with handmade clothes, shoes, and snacks from Adeline’s mom. She pushed a bankbook and some credit cards toward me, speaking kindly— “Xuwei, this is our first meeting, and here’s a small token from us.” “Adeline may be gone, but you’re still young, and your life must go on. We won’t make things difficult for you. If you need anything, just tell us, and we’ll do whatever we can to help.” She forced the bankbook and credit cards into my hand, her eyes brimming with unspoken words. I couldn’t understand. Their daughter had died; how could they be so indifferent? I struggled, trying to pull my hand back, accidentally knocking the bankbook and cards to the floor. The bankbook opened, revealing over a hundred thousand in savings! I was stunned, staring at the numbers, then looked up at them with red eyes. In a broken voice, I gasped, “Why? Tell me why?” Adeline’s mom replied without hesitation, “Why what? You’re our son-in-law; isn’t it right to treat you well?” Her casual attitude infuriated me instantly. I slammed my hands on the table, shouting, “What about Adeline? She was your daughter!” “What did you say to her that day? Why did she take her own life?” I picked up the bankbook and cards from the floor, shoving them back into their hands. I knelt before them, holding my head in agony, pleading— “I don’t want money, I want nothing, just tell me what you said to Adeline that day.” Adeline’s mom froze, glanced at her husband, then awkwardly sat down. After a moment of silence, Adeline’s dad suddenly spoke, “Do you really want to know?” “Promise us one thing, and we’ll tell you.”
Adeline’s dad’s condition was for me to remarry within a week! I was furious: “What nonsense are you talking? Adeline’s not even buried, and you want me to marry someone else?” He looked up, eerily calm, “It’s just a woman, gone is gone.” Suddenly, he became agitated, veins bulging on his forehead, gripping my arm— “Marrying and having children, continuing the family line is what matters!” “Tomorrow, we’ll get the death certificate, so you can find a wife sooner.” His words left me frozen, chills running down my spine. I shook off his grip, stumbling out the door. Behind me, Adeline’s dad shouted hoarsely— “You must have a child soon, or it’ll be too late!” When I returned home late at night, Adeline’s parents were still there. They’d taken down our wedding photos. Not only that, they’d cleared out everything of Adeline’s: clothes, shoes, even her drinking cup. The house had no trace of Adeline left. On the coffee table were business cards from a dating agency, next to sheets detailing many girls’ basic information. That eerie feeling crept back into my heart. All night, I lay anxiously in bed, a shadow of fear looming over me. Around dawn, the bedroom door creaked open, and two figures sneaked in. It was Adeline’s parents. My scalp tingled, I held my breath, not daring to move. In the silence, Adeline’s mom took my jacket from the bedside, inhaling deeply. She sat by the bed, her cold hand stroking my hair, her voice trembling with suppressed excitement. “Honey, do you think there’s still time?” Adeline’s dad sighed, repeating the words: “That’s why he must marry and have a child quickly.” “Whatever it takes, even forcing him, he must have a child within a year.” “Otherwise, it’ll be too late!”
I didn’t understand what they meant by ‘too late.’ I didn’t understand why, as my father-in-law and mother-in-law, they were so desperate for me to remarry and have children right after Adeline’s death. Adeline’s suicide on our wedding day made headlines online. Their behavior following only shocked people more. Adeline’s dad emptied their savings, using the tragic story of their late daughter to find me a bride. Adeline’s mom seized the media attention, appearing on a TV dating show. Their bizarre actions once again sparked online debate— “Whoa! Are they really in-laws? Pushing their son-in-law to remarry?” “Their daughter just died, and they’re breaking the bank over his marriage. Not even for a son would they do this!” “The whole family is nuts. I wouldn’t be surprised if the bride was possessed or mentally ill!” But the medical examiner soon issued a death certificate. Adeline wasn’t poisoned, nor did she have any mental issues or take hallucinogens. The investigation stalled, and the police told me to take Adeline’s remains home for burial. On the day of the funeral, Adeline’s parents came again. They ignored the funeral hall, bringing in over ten young women, clutching my arms. “Xuwei, these are the brides we’ve chosen for you.” “Are you satisfied? If you like one, we’ll arrange the wedding quickly…” On the day of their daughter’s funeral, they brought women to the funeral hall for a matchmaking event! The guests erupted in shock, pointing and whispering. I couldn’t take it anymore, shaking them off, demanding, “Do you know today is Adeline’s funeral?” “Is this how parents act? You drove your daughter to her death, and now you disrupt her funeral?” Adeline’s mom’s eyes were red, her hand over her mouth, tears welling, repeating— “You must marry, have a child soon, or it’ll be too late!” The memory of that night filled me with unease and confusion. I blurted, “What do you mean by too late? What are you trying to do?” “Did you know Adeline was two months pregnant before she died? If it weren’t for you, we’d be a happy family. You ruined everything, and now you’re pretending to arrange my life?” The room fell silent, all guests watching us intently. In the quiet, Adeline’s dad suddenly spoke— “Do you really want to know? Promise us one thing, and we’ll tell you.”
Adeline’s dad’s condition was the same: choose a wife from those women. Adeline’s mom, in front of everyone, tearfully knelt— “Xuwei, I’m begging you, find another woman, marry her, have a child this year.” “Or it’ll be too late!” She clung to my hand, eyes full of tears, reflecting my image. Then, a guest suddenly stood up, shaking their head at me: “Xuwei, let it go, don’t ask anymore.” “If you really want to know, promise me one thing, and I’ll tell you.” Adeline’s dad still insisted that I choose a wife from those women and get married. Adeline’s mom, amidst everyone, tearfully knelt before me— “Nathan, I’m begging you, please find another woman to marry. You must have a child within this year.” “Otherwise, it’ll be too late!” She clutched my hand desperately, her tear-filled eyes pleading silently. Suddenly, someone among the guests stood up and shook their head at me: “Nathan, let it go, don’t ask anymore.” The woman in the crowd wore a long black dress, had short hair, and her expression was solemn and complex. She glanced at Adeline’s parents briefly and sighed— “Just for Adeline’s sake, stop pursuing this. Otherwise, she won’t rest in peace.” I knew this woman; she was Adeline’s best friend, Fiona. They were as close as sisters, and after Adeline’s death, besides me, she was the most heartbroken. That made it even harder for me to accept: “Fiona, what are you saying? Do you also want Adeline’s death to remain unexplained?” I turned, my steps unsteady, towards Adeline’s memorial tablet. In the photo, she still smiled gently, but it was now in black and white. I clenched my fingers tightly, and from my chest surged a determination— “Adeline was my wife. If her parents won’t honor her memory, then I, as her husband, will!” “Moreover, she was carrying my child. Even if it takes everything I have, I must seek justice for her and our child!” Fiona lowered her eyes and sighed: “Why are you doing this?” At this moment, Adeline’s dad suddenly spoke again: “Do you really want to know what we said to Adeline that day?” I looked at him, filled with expectation and hope, momentarily stunned and bewildered. Adeline’s dad then calmly said, “I can tell you. Just hope that after knowing the truth, you’ll stop here.” Adeline’s mom instantly panicked and instinctively pulled at him: “Honey, you can’t…” But Adeline’s dad shook off her hand and slowly walked towards me. Under the silent gaze of all the guests, he leaned close to my ear and finally said those words. 6 The moment I heard those words, it felt as if I had been struck by lightning, leaving me frozen in disbelief. Adeline’s dad quickly stepped back, putting some distance between us. I looked at them with a mix of shock and confusion and murmured, “How is that possible?”
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