The 99th Divorce

Yu Lili could tell from Ou Ming’s tone that something was wrong. Panic began to overwhelm her, making it hard for her to breathe.

She pulled her hand back and didn’t knock any further. She kept her eye on the door, but took a step back and leaned on the balustrades of the second story.

From below, Jiao Ziqing saw Yu Lili leaning over and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Yu Lili turned her to face her and shook her head. Immediately after, an idea flashed through her mind. She stepped forward to knock on the door once again.

“Ou Ming, if you’re asking me to leave, you have to let me take my things. My bag is still inside,” she said.

When Ou Ming heard that, he felt around the couch for her handbag. He identified it quickly. Lifting it by its strap, he groped his way to the door.

His steps were big. Every step he took was done slowly and methodically.

Ou Ming opened the door and held the bag out, but no one took it from him.

Yu Lili looked into his lifeless eyes dejectedly. She suddenly leaped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist.

Her action was completely unexpected and caught Ou Ming by surprise.

“What’s wrong? You should be feeling lot better on a full stomach. Why are you in such a bad mood?” Yu Lili gently rested her head on his chest. She spoke in a warm tone. “You didn’t get to clean up yesterday, isn’t that so? I’ll help you take a shower and wipe your body now, is that alright?”

Her voice was gentle. Each word was spoken tenderly. But, it wasn’t Yu Lili. His Little Carp would never have spoken to him as if she were trying to placate a little kid. She would also have never been this gentle and tender with him for no reason.

This was the difference. Their attitudes clearly conveyed a painful truth to him. He was officially handicapped.

Ou Ming pushed Yu Lili off him gently. Without any expression on his face, he said, “Leave.” As he spoke, he shoved the handbag toward her. “I’m tired. I want to sleep.”

“Did you not sleep well last night?” Yu Lili refused to release him and nudged him back into the room. “I’ll stay with you.”

“I said no!” Ou Ming’s voice suddenly changed. His frustration and anger boiled over. “What will it take for you to leave?”

Being hollered at shocked Yu Lili. She looked at him in disbelief and asked, “Ou Ming, do you really want me to leave?”

“Leave!” he yelled again, his anger bubbling to the surface.

Yu Lili pursed her lips. Her breath quickened when she saw the emotional state he was in. She accepted the handbag from him and said in a low voice, “I got it. I’ll leave now.”

Ou Ming felt his heart shatter. It was as if someone had stuck a knife right through him and dug out his heart. The pain of his bleeding heart consumed him.

He was about to chase her, but he changed his mind at the last moment.

Yu Lili didn’t notice his minute action. She turned around and said, “I’ll come back when you’re in a better mood.”

Ou Ming re-entered his room and slammed the door shut with a loud bang. The sound carried all the pain and despair he was feeling. Tears began to well up and blur everything.

Yu Lili’s mouth opened against her wishes. She stopped in her tracks mid-step. She slumped down against the wall and began to sob.

Ou Ming locked the door upon shutting it. When he turned around, everything remained dark. Nothing had changed at all.

An uncontrollable grief welled up in him and came gushing out of his eyes in a flood of tears. Ou Ming bit down hard on his knuckles to prevent his cries from being heard. From a distance, a sound of a man sobbing came and went from within the room.