COLD CEO AND ARROGANT WIFE, VOLUME 5 - Season 9 Episode 35

Tang Hebe did not expect she’d be asking this question and it momentarily made her go quiet. She continued to blink with her mind in a daze.

“I don’t hate you,” she stated.

“Not anymore,” agreed Raelle. “Still, it doesn’t change the fact that you once did. So, I don’t see a reason why you had to put your own life at stake for me?”

Tang Hebe’s eyes instinctively glanced at Shui Xian before she looked away immediately.

“At that time, I didn’t think so much,” she replied.

Raelle looked down at the little boy who had been obediently standing beside his mother holding her hand tightly while his eyes never looked away from Raelle. Even Raelle had long noticed the way little Justin continued to look at her. It was actually interesting the way the little boy didn’t even flinch looking into her eyes.

She heard she had an unnerving blank gaze. Was it because he was a kid who couldn’t feel it or because he had the almost identical blank look in his eyes?

Raelle moved closer to Tang Hebe and whispered, “Lying in front of your son, isn’t that bad parenting?”

Tang Hebe looked at her as she moved back to her place and continued to look at her.

“Although I never had parents nor am I a parent, I still know it’s bad parenting,” remarked Raelle. “After all, kids learn what they see not what you teach them.” Raelle looked back at Justin as she continued, “I know I picked up a lot of habits from just watching my Opa and Yanyan.”

“What do you think I’m lying about?” asked Tang Hebe.

“It’s not that difficult to say that you saved me because of my husband,” said Raelle. “It’s written on your face. Why try to hide it so hard?” As if she didn’t notice the subtle glance she threw at Shui Xian. Was it that hard to interpret? She didn’t think so. “Do you think it’ll create some unnecessary trouble between us? Then relax. We are a very trouble-free couple.”

Shui XIan chuckled softly at her words.

“What? Am I wrong?” asked Raelle.

Shui Xian shook his head solemnly, “How dare I say you’re wrong? You’re always right.”

“Not always,” said Raelle. “But I try my best to be.”

Tang Hebe looked at their small interaction and smiled to herself, “You’re right. I didn’t save you because it was you. It was mostly because you’re Shui Xian’s wife. I didn’t want him to lose you. So, without thinking I pushed you away.”

“See? Is it that difficult to be true to yourself?” asked Raelle.

“You’re very different from what I thought of you,” said Tang Hebe.

“Just because you looked at me through tinted glass didn’t mean I’ll be that way,” replied Raelle. “In fact, people are all illusions. You always look at people the way you want them to. That’s not how they are. You look at yourself like you want to, while people would look at you like they want to. We all see the same things but we all have different perceptions. It’s difficult to say who is right or wrong. But judging people based on the illusion you created in your own head is unfair.”

Tang Hebe felt like she just called her out for keeping that hatred and jealousy regarding Raelle for so many years. She didn’t deserve that prejudice. She was younger than her but Tang Hebe could understand why Shui Xian’s mother said she was better than her.

“You’re really impeccable,” stated Tang Hebe.

Raelle could tell something was wrong with that statement.

“Ms. Tang, do you think I’m better than you?” asked Raelle.

“Aren’t you?” asked Tang Hebe. “You’re considered a genius. You are successful in whatever you do. You’re very clear about what you want in life. You don’t care about what people think about you. You’re rational and a remarkable person.”

“You seem to have some misunderstanding regarding me,” said Raelle. “Neither am I better than you nor am I worse. I don’t particularly appreciate competing with people. You have your own merits, I have my own. And yes, we both have our own demerits as well. We both have a completely unique DNA in our body, what makes you think we should be judged the same way? You and I are not the same people.”

Tang Hebe’s eyes flashed when she heard that and fell into deep thought.

“You said I’m a genius? Do you know there is a thin line between being a genius and a lunatic? You can never tell what I really am. I’m not always successful. I’m not that great. How do you know I’m clear about what I want in my life? Even if I am sure, can I keep up with the change around me? Life is always unpredictable. I knew I’d one day get married, but I didn’t expect to get married at this point in my life. People’s opinions don’t matter to me since I don’t know them. But my family’s opinion always matters.”

Raelle’s attention was still on Tang Hebe who frowned deeply.

“Do you know I don’t understand emotions and can’t relate to them? That only leaves me with a rational mind since emotions can’t manipulate my thoughts. I’m not remarkable. Even after the struggle for years, I don’t even know how to put on a smile.” She took a brief pause to add, “You should stop looking at me like I’m perfect. I’m no better than you and neither do I want to be. All my life, I’ve just been trying to be better than the person I was yesterday. And if I succeed in that, that’d be enough for me. Life isn’t all that complicated to me.”

Shui Xian knew why she said all that even when she didn’t need to. He never realized Tang Hebe felt so inferior in her life. But Raelle saw it and she didn’t like it since Tang Hebe’s inferiority seemed to stem from Raelle’s perfection. And Raelle was never the kind of a person to put people down with her achievements.