Married due to age

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I once thought that cheating would bring me the exciting life I wanted.

The moment I cheated, a thought took root in my mind.

I wanted to divorce her as soon as possible and marry the woman who understood me.

My marriage with my wife had never been passionate.

We got married simply because I reached a certain age.

My family pressured me to go on blind dates, so I went along with the arrangements.

I felt comfortable with her, and didn't overthink it.

Engagement, marriage, childbirth—step by step, according to plan.

She's a practical person, utterly devoid of romance.

There's always a barrier between us; we're incompatible.

I bought her flowers to try and please her, and she said it was a waste of money.

I wanted to take her out for a romantic dinner.

She smiled, but her body betrayed her unease.

Back home, she'd say she could learn to cook steak.

Eating at home is cheaper, and the taste is just as good.

She's thirty-four this year, the age when she should be sophisticated.

She never dressed up, always dressed simply and plainly.

She didn't even wear basic makeup, always going out without a face.

I advised her to take care of herself, but she dismissed it.

She said she'd rather focus on researching recipes.

She felt more at ease cooking delicious meals to feed me and the children.

The longer we lived together, the more bland it felt.

There was no love between us, just a forced existence.

I met Fangfang at a party.

She was lively and insightful, especially understanding of men's minds.

After a few meetings, we found ourselves getting along very well.

I confided my troubles and helplessness in my marriage to her.

She didn't criticize me; instead, she was full of sympathy.

She said being with my wife was torture for me.

These days, devoid of any atmosphere, felt hopeless.

I had shared these worries with my friends.

Most of them said I was being dramatic and didn't know how to be content.

They say having a good wife is my good fortune.

It's a hundred times better than having a spendthrift woman.

Only Fangfang can truly empathize with me.

She understands my discontent and my expectations for life.

I had a very good impression of her, considering her only a close female friend.

I never imagined it would cross a moral line.

One weekend evening, Fangfang asked me out.

She said she was feeling down and wanted someone to drink with her.

I had already showered and was getting ready to rest.

Without hesitation, I immediately got dressed and went out.

I lied to my wife, concealing the truth about my departure.

I said there was an urgent matter at work that I had to attend to.

My wife didn't suspect a thing, only showing her consideration.

She repeatedly reminded me to be careful on the road.

When I arrived at the bar, I learned what had happened to her.

She had broken up with her boyfriend of one year.

His family had found her a better match. He abandoned her without a second thought.

She cried her heart out, filled with grievance.

I'm clumsy with words, unable to offer comfort.

I could only gently hug her, offering her some warmth.

That simple hug sparked a flame.

That night, I didn't go home.

I took her back to her place, and she wouldn't let me leave.

Burning from the alcohol, we had sex.

From then on, the relationship spiraled out of control.

Since being with Fangfang, I've found my wife increasingly unpleasant.

I constantly compare the two of them.

The more I compare, the more boring my wife seems.

Later, my wife asked me if I was cheating.

I didn't hide it; I frankly admitted everything.

Her reaction was exactly what I expected.

She cried her heart out, calling me heartless.

She said she had painstakingly maintained our eight-year marriage.

I never truly took it to heart.

Her words filled me with intense self-reproach.

But I didn't want to cut ties with Fangfang.

She gave me two choices:

Divorce her or break off my relationship with the other woman.

I chose divorce almost without hesitation.

She seemed indecisive, but she was incredibly decisive.

She quickly drafted the divorce papers.

She got custody of our five-year-old daughter.

I would pay child support every month.

The house was bought by my parents before our marriage; she didn't take a penny.

She only took her half of the family savings.

And just like that, our eight-year marriage ended.

Not long after the divorce, Fangfang and I set a wedding date.

Remarrying so soon after the divorce drew a lot of criticism.

But I was blinded by love at the time and didn't care.

My parents were furious, berating me for being so insensible.

They even threatened to disown me as their son.

I knew explaining was useless at that point.

I could only wait and apologize to them later.

After marrying Fangfang, we started living together.

I once thought that being with someone I loved would be full of happiness.

I thought there would be countless surprises to accompany us through every day.

But reality dealt me a heavy blow.

This so-called happiness didn't last long.

There were no surprises, only shocks everywhere.

She couldn't cook and was too lazy to do housework.

She didn't understand what it meant to be a good homemaker; she only knew how to solve everything with money.

She couldn't cook, so she ordered takeout every day.

She couldn't do housework, so she hired a cleaning lady.

When her salary ran out, she used her credit card to spend money in advance.

She dressed herself up extravagantly every day.

Not for me, but just to satisfy her own vanity.

After marrying me, she quit her job.

She took it all for granted, relying on me for support without contributing a single penny.

She enrolled in dance classes, fitness classes, and yoga classes.

She said she wanted to improve her appearance, afraid I'd be attracted to other women.

Hearing this, I could only remain silent.

The household expenses were entirely supported by my income.

No matter how much I earned, it wasn't enough for her extravagant spending.

I've advised her more than once to be frugal and manage our finances better.

But she retorted, leaving me speechless with her words.

She said, "Do I want to end up like my ex-wife?

Saving every penny until I became a haggard housewife, only to be abandoned by me in the end?"

Only now do I truly understand.

There's no such thing as true love in extramarital affairs.

Only by truly living together can you see people's true colors.

Only then can you know who truly cares about you.

I'm filled with unbearable regret.

I personally lost my ex-wife who was truly good to me.

My life now is a complete mess.

The so-called "wonderful" life is nothing but self-deception.

This kind of life is neither happy nor satisfying.