Chapter 12 Section Eleven

That year, after she buried her five-year-old son, her husband's sister said to her during a summer vacation afterward: "You are so sad. You should have another child. This is the only thing that will make you forget The way of the past." Her words stirred Chantal's heart. A child, an existence without personal experience. When his life journey has just begun, the shadow quickly darkens his life. She doesn't want to forget her child. She still guards his irreplaceable personality. Facing the future, she guards the past, the neglected and forgotten past, the young, poor, dead A week later, her husband said to her, "I can't bear to see you depressed again.We should have another baby.In this way, you will forget the past. "You'll forget the past—he couldn't even try to put it another way! From then on, she was determined to leave him. She knew very well that her husband, a man who was completely passive, Not speaking for himself. He was more controlled by the thoughts of other members of the family - his sister. At that time, his sister lived with her third husband with her two children from her previous husband She managed to maintain an intimate relationship with her two ex-husbands and keep them centered around her. When the school holidays rolled around, their party started in a tall country house She had wanted to bring Chantal into her circle, to gradually make Chantal one of them.

It was there, in the villa, first her husband's sister, and then her husband persuaded her to have another child, and it was there, in a small bedroom, that she refused to make love to him.His every sexual request reminds her of family events for the next pregnancy.It made every thought of having sex with him weird.She felt that every member of the family—grandmothers, fathers, nephews, nieces, brothers and sisters—was listening behind the door, even surreptitiously examining their sheets and commenting on their morning fatigue.They all felt empowered to examine her belly.Even the little nephews joined the family movement like mercenaries in war.One of them asked her "Chantal, why don't you like children?" "Why do you think I don't like children?" she asked coldly.He didn't know how to answer.So she asked angrily again: "Who told you that I don't like children?" The little nephew lowered his head, avoiding her stern gaze, and said in a timid but confident tone: "If you like children, you Should have asked for another one."

When she came back from that vacation, she decided to move, and she decided to start her work again.Before his son was born, she taught high school, a job that paid very little.So she changed jobs.She didn't like the job very much, but the pay was three times what it used to be.She feels a little guilty that she gave up her hobby for money.But this is the only way to make her self-reliant.However, money alone is not enough to gain self-reliance.She also needs a man, a man who lives in another way.Although she is desperate to escape from her past life, she can't imagine what the future life will be like at all.

She waited for several years, and finally, she met Jean-Marc.Two weeks later, she filed for divorce from her husband.Her husband's sister called her a tigress with both admiration and hostility: "You are always silent, and no one knows what you are thinking. Before others were prepared, you made such an unexpected move all at once." behavior." Three months later, she bought an apartment of her own and dismissed any thought of getting married.She moved into the apartment and lived with the man she loved.