Qian Lisheng, having calmed down, decided to go find Lin Xia and apologize.

Her job was given to her by his mother, and her success was built on that job.

Her increasing excellence also meant their family was doing better. He shouldn’t be uncomfortable about it.

He was just feeling overwhelmed and couldn’t help but act out, wanting Lin Xia to… soothe him and make concessions.

If Lin Xia were always compliant, they’d have fewer troubles.

His mother wouldn’t be upset, and his own issues wouldn’t seem so significant.

He could confess to Lin Xia, and then he wouldn’t have to worry about Jiang Weidong spreading rumors.

If Lin Xia played along with a fake pregnancy, he could find a newborn from the countryside or a dubious clinic and pass it off as Lin Xia’s baby.

That way, neither Lin Xia nor he would be subject to gossip—she wouldn’t be seen as a barren woman, and he wouldn’t appear spineless.

He needed Lin Xia to cooperate.

But he had always been too good to her, treating her with too much indulgence, which made it hard for him to make such demands now.

Since his sister-in-law left, he had wanted to confess his infertility to Lin Xia many times but couldn’t bring himself to do it.

Her success put immense pressure on him.

He hoped Lin Xia would be more virtuous.

He used to admire Lin Xia’s straightforwardness and generosity, but now he wished she were less straightforward and more gentle and virtuous.

If she were a woman without an income, dependent on him, unable to bear children, and he went out to find another woman to have a child, she wouldn’t say much.

If he needed her to pretend to be pregnant or even use donor sperm, she would cooperate.

Unfortunately, Lin Xia was not that kind of woman.

If he dared to find another woman or ask her for donor sperm, she would definitely confront him and tear him apart verbally.

So he had to put aside his pride and admit his inadequacies to her—his inability, his spinelessness, his failure.

He felt immense pressure and discomfort, which led to his outburst.

He hoped she would forgive him.

He wished she could care for him as she used to.

Whenever he was unwell or sick, she would always be concerned for him.

For so many years, their relationship had been very good. He loved and tolerated her, and she loved him in return.

But recently, there was a growing distance between them.

He regretted not staying behind to take care of Lin Xia instead of going for training. His sister-in-law had been too meddlesome!

Oh, how wonderful it would be if they had a child. With a child, they would work together and not have separate agendas.

She wouldn’t be thinking about her family, and—

Qian Lisheng thought about going home. He hurried to the electrical team but couldn’t find Lin Xia.

The young men in the electrical team had opinions about Qian Lisheng.

Some of them couldn’t help but be sarcastic, “Doesn’t Qian Shifu want peace and quiet? Why is he looking for Lin Shifu?”

Qian Lisheng snapped, “You little punk, are you mocking me? Is it amusing to see me embarrassed?”

The young man quickly apologized, directed him, and informed him that Lin Xia was over by the boiler, repairing the lines.

When Qian Lisheng found Lin Xia, she was in work clothes, carrying a tool bag, and wearing insulated gloves.

She was climbing up and down like a man, working hard.

He approached her and spoke softly, “Wife, seeing you work so hard breaks my heart. I regret my behavior. I’m a fool; I shouldn’t have let my discomfort make me lose my temper with you.”

Seeing this, the others quickly stepped aside, giving the couple space to talk and resolve their issues.

Lin Xia put the tool bag on her shoulder and glanced at Qian Lisheng.

Even though she was shaking with anger from earlier, she wasn’t one to hold grudges.

Electrical work required full concentration and caution, so she had to quickly calm herself down.

She used the method her sister taught her: set aside emotions and focus on the core issue.

If something couldn’t be resolved immediately, it could be dealt with later.

She aimed to not let problems affect her work and ensure safety.

She wasn’t angry anymore and was calmer with Qian Lisheng, unconsciously scrutinizing him.

Previously, when she had conflicts with her mother-in-law, Qian Lisheng would always mediate with a smile and never show a sulky face.

Now, his behavior was confusing—sometimes he sulked and other times he was overly apologetic.

This made her wonder if he was subconsciously trying to suppress or control her.

Lin Xia felt exhausted.

To be honest, ever since Qian Lisheng insisted on training, she felt an invisible wall had formed between them, making their relationship awkward and strained.

They used to resolve issues easily with a smile, but now it felt like there was a bumpy road between them, making every step difficult.

Especially after her sister stayed with her, her mother-in-law’s attitude changed drastically, and Qian Lisheng started to be cold and sarcastic.

Even after her sister left, Qian Lisheng would occasionally make sarcastic remarks about her sister and their relationship, adding to her stress.

What puzzled her the most was that despite his strong desire for children, and her own improved health, and her willingness to try for a baby, he was now retreating.

He said he wanted her to rest well, not to be too tired, and to avoid any danger.

She believed him.

But after today’s events, she was suddenly unsure.

She stared at Qian Lisheng. “Are you seeing another woman?”

“What?” Qian Lisheng shook his head vigorously. “Wife, don’t wrong me. I swear on my life, absolutely not.”

He began to grovel and joke with her again, trying to be his usual playful self.

But he didn’t realize that from Lin Xia’s perspective, his previous playfulness was genuine, which she found endearing.

Now, however, his demeanor was forced, repressed, and even angry.

His smile didn’t reach his eyes; he forced a grin that made her uneasy.

Lin Xia felt she was a contradictory person—both emotionally driven and hard-hearted.

When Qian Lisheng treated her well, she truly loved him.

But once he mistreated her, her feelings cooled rapidly.

Of course, it was painful.

After five years of marriage, being together day in and day out, how could she not be hurt?

It was quite painful, with a heavy chest and aching heart.

But so what?

Sister said that in life, when things go wrong, one should cut losses promptly, or else one might sink deeper and face insurmountable losses.

She even mocked herself for learning quickly.

Although Sister talked about many things she had never heard before, she could remember them all after just one listen.

The term “sunk cost” was fitting.

If they had a child, she would never consider divorce for the sake of the child.

She would endure and try to please her mother-in-law and husband.

Now, without a child, she could clearly calculate the gains and losses.

Regarding feelings, there were definitely emotions.

When they first married, they were indeed very close.

Lin Xia was deeply grateful when her mother-in-law gave her a job.

She wanted to repay their kindness with all her heart and soul, working tirelessly and striving to improve.

However, after the initial gratitude period, the daily grind of life took over—tight budgets and the constant challenge of stretching every penny.

She accepted these conditions willingly, though perhaps with a touch of naive optimism.

Whenever she sent money to her parents or a small amount to her sister, Qian Lisheng would joke with a smile, “My dear wife has to take care of his parents-in-law and support his maternal’s family. Even our little sister-in-law benefits from it. And this job my mother has, it’s really good.”

At that time, Lin Xia didn’t think much of it.

She believed that if he didn’t hold a grudge about her not having a job, and was able to give her one, then he must be a good person with no ill intentions.

As time passed, and their honeymoon period ended, Qian Lisheng’s attitude towards her became more routine and transactional, just as hers towards him was.

Their relationship had shifted from romantic to practical—her life was divided between her family and her in-laws.

Lin Xia had to adapt to this new reality.

If Qian Lisheng enjoyed bragging about himself to friends and apprentices, she had to play along even if she didn’t fully agree.

She constantly reminded him about hygiene, as his habit of lying on the bed in his work clothes contributed to her health issues, something the doctor said was a significant factor.

These trivial, everyday matters, which had seemed manageable at first, started to weigh heavily on her.

The reality was stark: without the bond of children, their relationship lacked the anchor that might have kept them together through these difficulties.

Without children, there was no inextricable tie—no blood bond to hold them together.

They could part ways if they wished, without the complications that children might bring.

Lin Xia’s attachment was largely tied to her job—she couldn’t easily let go, but if she chose to, she could walk away without looking back.

Fortunately, she had used her time wisely. During her marriage, she studied hard and earned a Level 3 Electrical qualification, which wasn’t going to vanish.

She could return the job to her in-laws and still find work elsewhere with her qualifications.

She could support herself with dignity and independence, no longer dependent on anyone’s charity or goodwill, and no longer a source of resentment.