On New Year’s Eve, my girlfriend, Chloe, wanted me to go ice fishing on the lake, just because her childhood friend, Jake, said he wanted fresh fish soup. I accidentally fell into the icy lake. As I struggled, dying, I called her countless times. She finally picked up when I was about to drown. My heart was filled with hopeful anticipation, but then Jake’s voice came through: “Chloe said if you don’t catch any fish, don’t even bother coming back, you pathetic loser.” Amidst Jake’s mocking laughter, my phone sank to the bottom of the lake. The freezing water filled my nostrils. The moment my body was engulfed by the icy embrace, my heart seemed to stop. My hope died right then. Luckily, fate intervened, and a passing fisherman pulled me out. The first thing I did when I woke up was to make a call. “Mr. Sterling,” I asked, “is that remote development project still looking for people?” I was barely clinging to life when the kind fisherman rescued me. My body had already lost all sensation. The icy snow water clung to me, freezing instantly, making me shiver uncontrollably as if I were in an ice cellar. The good Samaritan called 911 and had me rushed to the hospital. My emergency contact on my phone was Chloe. The doctor called her, and her voice came through, dripping with indifference: “He’s a grown man, how could he fall into the lake fishing? It’s New Year’s Eve, I’m busy celebrating. I’ll see him in a couple of days. What a hassle.” After she hung up, the nurse looked at me with profound sympathy. Outside, families were celebrating together. The TV in the lounge was playing holiday specials, and I could smell people eating warm food down the hall. But I was alone in a hospital room, far from home. Last night, I thought Jake was deliberately blocking Chloe from answering my calls. But the nurse had put her on speaker just now, and I heard everything crystal clear. I almost died, and she was still so cold to me. If she hadn’t insisted on having fresh fish soup, and live fish at that, I wouldn’t have risked going ice fishing. It was at that moment I realized my life meant absolutely nothing to her. I pulled out my phone and dialed my boss’s number. “Mr. Sterling, is that remote development project still looking for people?” On the other end, I heard his relieved voice. “Of course! We’re short on technical talent like you. It would be a godsend.” “But this assignment is for five years. Aren’t you and your girlfriend getting married? Does she agree?” “I’m not getting married.” A silence fell on the other end of the line. After a moment, Mr. Sterling said, “Young man, it’s good to be able to move on.” “Alex, I’ll help you apply. There’s only one spot left, but time is tight – you’d need to leave in five days.” “Okay, thank you, Mr. Sterling.” I stayed alone in the hospital from New Year’s Eve until two days after New Year’s Day. Chloe and Jake finally showed up, fashionably late. As soon as she walked in, she looked at me with disdain. “You’re such a grown man, and you fall into a lake while fishing? So useless. I was supposed to play cards today, and you ruined it.” For the past few days, I’d been eating nothing but bread and instant noodles in the hospital, while she was out feasting on lavish meals and playing cards. My heart instantly turned cold. Jake, standing behind her, looked at me with feigned concern. “Alex, that night, I thought you just slipped. I didn’t realize you actually fell into the lake. I thought you were fine.” He then chuckled, openly mocking me. Chloe looked at me with a sneer. “You messed up our whole New Year’s. Hurry up and get discharged. Our whole family is waiting for you to cook for us.” So they only came to pick me up so I could go back and cook for them. Every New Year before this, I’d gone to Chloe’s hometown to wait on her entire family, old and young. I hadn’t seen my own parents even once during the holidays. This year, we’d agreed to spend New Year’s at my house, but on the day we were supposed to buy tickets, Chloe changed her mind. She said her mom, being her only daughter, couldn’t be left alone for the holidays. But I’m my mom’s only son too, and I hadn’t been home to see her in five years because of Chloe. Jake chimed in from beside her, “Yeah, hurry up and get out of here. There’s a ton of work waiting for you at home.” I looked at the two of them, feeling a strange sense of irony. So, the only reason they wanted me to come home with her was to make me work for their family. Seeing Chloe roll her eyes at me, Jake’s lips curled into an involuntary smirk, like a victor’s provocation. Chloe and I had a stable relationship for years, but everything changed after he appeared. Ever since Jake’s business failed and he moved back home, they hit it off instantly. Whenever Jake was around, Chloe would unconsciously side with him. If I showed even a hint of jealousy or anger, she’d bring up how they were just childhood friends and say I was overthinking things. She insisted their relationship was purely platonic. At first, I didn’t think much of it, until I accidentally overheard their conversation. “Chloe, you know I’ve never forgotten you.” “I specifically came back from the big city for you this time.” They were just using the excuse of friendship to openly carry on an affair. Chloe and I started dating after college. I even moved away from my parents and came to this unfamiliar city alone for her. My family and friends all warned me to think carefully, but I was willing to do anything for love. I thought we’d be together forever, but it was just wishful thinking on my part. Lying in bed, I replayed every little moment from the past. Chloe’s cold words suddenly echoed in my mind. “I’ve decided, we’ll have Jake be the best man at our wedding.” “And you can let Jake wear your suit first. You can buy a new one for yourself later.” Normally, if I heard those words, I’d be furious. But at that moment, my heart was perfectly calm. Once you’re utterly disappointed in someone, there’s no hope left. I replied calmly, “Okay.” She didn’t expect me to agree so readily. A flicker of confusion crossed Chloe’s face, but mostly, it was delight. “Good. At least you’re sensible.” With that, she left with Jake. Anyway, in five days, I’d be leaving this place for good. I wasn’t planning on getting married to her. Forget giving him my suit, I wouldn’t even mind giving him the groom’s spot.
I handled the discharge paperwork myself, because Chloe and Jake had already gone back to play cards. When I got home, the house was a mess. Chicken, duck, and fish were scattered everywhere in the kitchen. The moment Mrs. Miller saw me, her face fell. “Alex, you’re finally back. See the kitchen? Hurry up and clean it. Our whole family is waiting to eat tonight.” I turned and saw Jake and Chloe sitting at the card table, sipping tea and eating melon seeds. Resentment welled up inside me. “Mrs. Miller, how can I manage all these dishes by myself? Can you get a few people to help me?” My eyes were fixed on Jake, but Mrs. Miller said, “Didn’t you cook every year before? Why can’t you do it this year?” “Don’t look at Jake. He’s a guest in our home. How can we let him cook?” With that, she took the freshly brewed tea she was holding and handed it to him. “Jake, it’s rare for you to be back. Have some more tea.” The aftermath of falling into the icy water still lingered. Now, my hands would ache whenever they touched cold water. I picked up the kettle, planning to boil some hot water, but Jake snatched it away. “Such a crybaby. You need hot water just to wash vegetables?” Chloe watched everything with cold indifference, silently approving. The moment my frostbitten hands entered the water, a biting cold spread through my entire body, making me shiver. But Chloe just ignored it, pulling Jake back to play cards. I spent the entire afternoon alone, busy in the kitchen, finally finishing all the dishes by evening. My frostbitten hands, still not fully recovered, trembled after preparing such a feast. When I carried the last dish to the table, I found there was no seat for me. I finally managed to squeeze into a spot, only to find the dishes were almost all eaten, leaving only scraps. But before I could even pick up a few bites with my forks, Mrs. Miller’s complaining voice chimed in. “Eat quickly. The dishes in the kitchen are waiting for you to wash.” I looked at Jake and Chloe on the couch, peeling oranges and watching holiday specials, and a surge of anger flared up. They were perfectly fine, yet they expected me, an injured man, to wait on them. My eyes instantly turned cold. “I have something to do; I’m going out for a bit.” With that, I walked out without looking back. As I closed the door, I heard Mrs. Miller’s curses. Outside, heavy snow fell. Inside, there was warmth and harmony, but that warmth didn’t belong to me. My phone rang the moment I got into a taxi. “Alex, what’s with the tantrum on New Year’s? It’s just a few dishes to wash, is it really worth it?” “My mom already has high blood pressure, and you’ve made her so angry. Can you afford it if she gets sick?” I could faintly hear Jake’s voice in the background: “Mrs. Miller, take a deep breath. Don’t let someone irrelevant upset you.” I hung up immediately. Some people truly are two-faced. I, Chloe’s fiancé, was now “someone irrelevant” in his mouth. Before, I went out of my way to please her family for Chloe’s sake, but now, I didn’t want to anymore. Anyway, in a few days, I’d be gone for good, and these people would have nothing to do with me.
Having been out in the cold last night, coupled with the lingering effects of falling into the lake, I woke up with a high fever. In this unfamiliar place, I reluctantly called Chloe. Her voice came through, full of annoyance. “It’s the middle of the night, are you trying to kill me? Why are you calling?” My throat felt like I was swallowing razor blades. I managed to croak out in a hoarse voice, “Chloe, I think I have a fever. I’m too weak. Can you bring me some medicine?” The other end of the line was silent for a moment, then I heard her even breathing. I laughed bitterly at myself. Chloe didn’t care even when I almost drowned in the lake. It was just wishful thinking that she’d bring me medicine now. I felt ridiculous. I forced myself to the hotel lobby. With the help of the night staff, I managed to get some medicine. “It’s the holidays, your parents must be worried about you. Take care of yourself, young man,” one of the staff said. The staff even thoughtfully handed me a hot water bottle and a bowl of plain rice porridge. My cold heart found a sliver of warmth at that moment. Chloe, you couldn’t even compare to the kindness of strangers. All these years, I poured my heart out for nothing. After a night of tossing and turning, my fever finally broke. My phone vibrated, and Chloe’s voice came through when I answered. “Alex, what happened yesterday when you called? I was asleep.” I said coldly, “It’s nothing now.” Jake snatched the phone. “Alex, why aren’t you back yet? Chloe has a surprise for you.” Chloe immediately grabbed the phone back. “Alex, hurry back. I have good news for you.”
When I got home, the house was filled with Chloe’s relatives. Chloe, looking shy, handed me a small box and looked at me with expectant eyes. The moment I opened the box, I was utterly shocked. Inside, the pregnancy test clearly showed two lines. Chloe was pregnant. A soft spot in my heart slowly began to blossom. I looked at Chloe’s belly, where my own flesh and blood was now growing. Chloe’s entire family was overjoyed, and even Jake struggled to hide his smile. Dinner that night was exceptionally lively. Mrs. Miller even cooked personally, and Jake went over to help her. After a few rounds of drinks, I couldn’t resist everyone’s enthusiasm and went outside for some fresh air. I stared blankly at my phone, hesitating to make the call. Now that Chloe was pregnant, it seemed the wedding was definitely on. I quietly lit a cigarette. Just as I finally made up my mind to call Mr. Sterling, I saw Chloe sneaking into the backyard. I followed closely. Chloe entered the backyard shed and pushed open the door, and a dark figure immediately pulled her inside. Suspicious, I pressed my ear to the door. A familiar voice came from inside. “Chloe, I’m so happy you’re pregnant. Is the baby in your belly mine?” My grip on my phone tightened until my knuckles turned white. I held my breath, waiting for Chloe’s answer. “Jake, I counted the days. This baby must be yours because Alex wasn’t home during that time.” My suspended heart plummeted to the ground. My heart felt as if it were being squeezed tightly by a rope until I couldn’t breathe. This child wasn’t mine; it was Jake’s. They had been carrying on an affair behind my back all along. I slumped against the door, feeling all the strength drain from my body. Inside, I heard the sounds of passionate kissing. Chloe panted, “Jake, be careful. It’s still the first trimester, it’s not stable yet.” Jake laughed slyly. “Just thinking about Alex, that big idiot, being tricked into being a father makes me so happy.” Chloe quickly replied, “You need to stay calm and make sure no one finds out. Wait until I get the wedding money from him and marry him, okay?” “Chloe, you’re always so thoughtful. He’ll even cover the child’s future support.” I don’t know how I left the yard. At that moment, my heart felt more desperate than when I fell into the lake that day. Every word they uttered twisted a knife in my gut, like a thousand tiny cuts. Chloe, I treated you well these past few years. But you bit the hand that fed you, toying with me like this. I stood amidst the falling snow, behind me the scene of their family’s joyous reunion. Even I, a grown man, felt my eyes well up. At that moment, my phone vibrated. “Alex, your deployment papers came through. We leave tomorrow, remember to report on time.” I sniffled hard, trying to keep my emotions steady, and replied, “Understood, Mr. Sterling. I’ll be on time.” In the middle of the night, after Chloe’s family had fallen asleep, I took my pre-packed suitcase and headed downstairs. Snow was falling heavily as I got into a taxi and drove toward the station.
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