4-Easygoing

Had Jason always been this selfish, self-centered man from the beginning?!

Savoring this new realization, Maya can’t remember.

In her memory, there never seemed to be much stumbling between the two of them. Occasionally there were small differences of opinion. Jason can always come up with some tricks to divert her attention with sweet words and small sweet surprises, and she seems to no longer insist on the original idea after those little surprises.

Basically, it had always been like that.

She used to be very satisfied with Jason's little tricks of comforting her, and felt that he had a good personality and was considerate. She had never thought about what would happen if the problems between the two were not resolved in Jason's way.

It would end up like today, right? Because she didn't give him the respond he wanted, because she refunded the ticket without his approval, then, he immediately flips to the angry mode?

So, if she just doesn't cooperate and doesn't back down, what would Jason do?

As soon as this question appeared, it quickly occupied her mind. She desperately wanted an answer.

Instinctively, she realized that the answer to this question might be the key to solving her current dilemma.

That being the case, it is better to try it out.

"If the schedule is so important to you, then go on your own." She finally cut in Jason’s continuous complaints, whispering, "I don't want to go to the hospital. I want to rest."

"Whatever you say–" Jason said half a sentence before realizing what Maya said. He froze for a moment, then gave the steering wheel a sudden turn before a brutal halt, and the car stopped on the side of the road with a "squeak".

This sudden movement caused the entire car to vibrate violently. Maya was unprepared and slammed her head on the window while shaking.

"What–…?"

The car stopped. Maya rubbed the bump on her head in a painful look. She was already pale from the headache, and now with her head low and her eyebrows furrowed, she looked even more pitiful.

Maybe it was her faint look that brought Jason back a little bit of sanity. He said the part of "what the–" angrily but swallowed the rest. Then, he took a deep breath, seemed to suppress his emotions, and compromised with a bit of impatience: "Okay, the ticket is refunded. Done and done. I’ll get you to a hospital if you are still feeling off tomorrow."

Maya didn't answer and continued to rub her head.

Jason took her silence as acquiescence. Satisfied, his rapid breathing rhythm eased obviously.

He pulled Maya closer and reached out to rub her head with his big palm.

Maya was startled, and she slowly eased up when she understood that he was just trying to show kindness. But then, his words made her vigilant again.

“I don’t want a life partner who can’t even take care of themselves, bumping their heads around.”

He said it in a jokeful tone, but Maya understood his seriousness.

She knew him too well. Jason only likes people who are useful to him. And while he knew how to cheer her up, he was never the “caring” type that would take up extra weight for others.

Maya shivered. The coldness didn’t came from the air, but from the man in front of her.

Deep, icy coldness, gripped her soul.

Jason didn’t notice her stiffness, and just continued in that gentle tone: “Maybe you should consider leaving your job after our honeymoon? You look so tired and faint. You would only get busier, now that we have established a family. It’s longer and messier than a wedding.”

Resign? Where did that come from?!

Maya suddenly became suspicious. 

In the last 4 years, quitting her job and becoming a housewife seemed to be such a natural decision that Maya didn’t even notice before it happened. But it was way after the wedding, and it didn’t come from Jason…

Or did it?

Only one day after the wedding, why did Jason bring up resigning all of a sudden?

Could it be that Jason planted the idea of resigning in her mind last life as well?

Last life, they spent a sweet month together. They traveled for three weeks, released countless hormones, and came home with a week to recuperate and recover. Shortly after that, she found herself pregnant.

Accident happens. Maya told herself in her last life, though she knew they had protection. Soaked in a happy mood, the unexpected child was a gift from God more than an accident though. She prepared for the arrival of the baby happily, and after she made a whole plan for that little angel, Maya made the decision to resign…

She made the decision with Jason.

But what if it wasn’t an accident? What if Jason had planned everything from the beginning?

But why? Maya couldn't understand. Why did Jason want her to resign and stay home? He wanted it so much that he would seize such a far-fetched opportunity, and bring it up on, their, wedding day?!

She didn't answer, Jason's hand on her shoulder added force unconsciously: "What do you think? Think about it?"

Maya closed her eyes. She knew what she wanted–

She wanted to test her theory – she wanted to know if she just doesn't cooperate and doesn't back down, what would Jason do?

Besides, she didn’t think resigning would be a necessary choice for her, especially when she wasn’t even pregnant this time.

Escaping Jason’s hand, Maya answered with a soft tone: “I don’t want to resign.”

“Why?!” Jason sounded utterly surprised, “Wont’ you even think about it? It’s so unlike you!”

Unlike her indeed. That Maya died.

Maya didn’t like direct conflict, and her answers to suggestions that she didn’t like was always:

I’ll think about it.

That answer gave Jason much room to wiggle around and keep adding reasons and suggestions and evidence, to use his skill of cheering her up to trick Maya into a compromise.

Being an easygoing person, Maya didn’t have too many “obsessions” that she had to insist, so more often than not, she would go along with Jason’s original suggestions at the end of the day.

But today she got an obsession–

She wanted to live.

And Jason’s attitude clearly told her that keeping her job just might be the first step to steer away from the path in her last life.

So, with a gentle but firm tone, Maya answered: “I want to be a useful person, and I think there is much to learn and experience with my work.”

Jason fell back into the driver’s seat, his eyes darted outside the window: “Just promise me you would at least think about it.”

“Why do I have to resign?” Maya frowned, knowing Jason’s mind was actually set on getting her out of her job now.

“What do you mean why?!” Jason’s tone turned back into that irritated, rapid one yet again, “Weren’t you the one who complained about the new partner bulling new people? It sounded like he had moral issue, too. Why would you still want to keep such a job? How are you gonna take care of the family as well as a job if a wedding alone took you down?”

His aggressive attitude and sharp tone gave Maya a headache. She raised her hand and rubbed her temples: "Why do I have to think about this kind of stuff today? We just got married, and I'm tired and uncomfortable. I want to rest."

"Then what does it take if you just say you would at least think about it?" Jason insisted, his voice raised again, "You are responsible for taking care of the family and supporting my work. We divide and conquer! What's so wrong about that?"

"I don't know." Maya closed her eyes, "I don't want to think about anything now, I just want to rest."

"Then obey! Take your fucking rest!" Jason roared, and slapped the steering wheel, hitting the horn button. Car horns are extremely loud and harsh at night.

Apparently he liked the horn as an outlet because he smashed on it several times after that. The sharp horn buzzing in Maya’s ear, turning her stomach, and she had to take off the safety belt and get off the car.

"Where are you going?!" Jason called after her.

"I need some fresh air," Maya turned her head and looked at Jason tiredly and coldly.

Jason glared at her bitterly. Even on the day she died, Maya had never seen such a look on him. 

Staring at each other for a while, Jason seemed to be stung by the coldness in her eyes, and said viciously: "Take your time and your fresh air then!" 

He leaned forward and stretched out his hand, and with a "bang", he slammed the car door before he slapped the horn twice, and drove away.