Gritting my teeth against the pain, I cleaned up the dishes and chopsticks.

They say men don't cry easily, but at that moment, my tears flowed like the water in the sink—gushing uncontrollably.

By the time I forced myself to finish washing the dishes, my front and back were soaked through with cold sweat.

A reminder popped up on my phone's notes: "Dad's birthday is in a few days. Remember to book a hotel in advance!"

It was definitely Li Ranran who'd set it.

She was always reminding me of things I needed to do for her. She remembered everyone's birthday—

except mine.

Every year, I had to remind her before she hastily picked out a random gift for me.

She'd say, "We're husband and wife for life. We don't need to care about these little details."

The pain got worse, and my whole body started trembling.

Li Ranran had taken the only car we owned.

Slumping to the floor, I took out my phone and dialed 120.

When the ambulance arrived, I was almost faint from the pain.

A nurse asked anxiously, "Sir, are you okay? Don't worry—we're taking you to the hospital right now."

Hearing the concern from a stranger, my heart was a jumble of emotions. So Li Ranran cared about me less than a complete stranger.

I wanted to smile at the kind nurse, but my face was twisted in pain.

At the hospital, the doctor said I needed to get checked first. If it was serious, I might need surgery.

He told me to notify my family in advance—they'd need to sign the consent form.

After getting a painkiller injection, I finally felt a little better.

I took out my phone and sent Li Ranran a message:

"I'm in the hospital. Can you come over? The doctor says I might need surgery, and they need a family member's signature."

I waited a long time, but she didn't reply. I called her directly.

She answered, and it was noisy on her end. "Did they get the test results yet?"

My heart sank. "No."

She hurried to say, "Then call me again if you really need me here! I'm busy right now—I can't leave."

Before I could respond, she hung up.

She was my wife! And when I was at my most scared and vulnerable, she was at a dog's birthday party with another man!