The 99th Divorce

After their movie, Yu Lili went for supper with Ou Ming. By the time they reached home, it was after 11 p.m. The couple tiptoed to the door, afraid of waking Ou Huojin and his wife.

At the entrance, Ou Ming realized that he hadn’t brought the key. It went without saying that Yu Lili didn’t have the keys to the house either. In that moment, they had no way of entering but didn’t dare to press the doorbell.

“What are we going to do?” Yu Lili looked at Ou Ming and asked in concern. “It’s only the first day today. What if your mom thinks that I kept you out too late and forms another opinion of me?”

Ou Ming’s smile disappeared as he tweaked her nose. “Why has it become ‘my mom’ again? My mom is your mom. Mom isn’t that petty. Furthermore, we just got married. Isn’t it common for newlyweds to go out on a date?”

“Is it common?” No matter how Yu Lili thought about it, she still felt it wasn’t appropriate.

It was Yu Lili’s first time spending the night here, and she had stayed out so late. What did this bode for the future?

She began to regret it and said, “We shouldn’t have gone out at all. Why didn’t you stop me just now?”

Ou Ming didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when he heard her shift the blame. “You’re really blaming me for that?”

“Yes! Yes! Yes! It’s all your fault!” Yu Lili pushed him away and looked at the tightly shut main door. “What are we to do? Shall we go home instead?”

“Shh… Listen.” Ou Ming pointed at the door.

Indeed, footsteps could be heard on the other side of the door. Following which, the door was opened from the inside.

Ou Huojin was in his pajamas. When he saw the couple that had just returned, he sighed and remarked helplessly, “Don’t come back so late in the future. Your mom is still waiting for you!”

The regret Yu Lili felt intensified. She shrunk her head into the shoulders wordlessly.

Ou Ming, on the other hand, wasn’t affected at all. He pulled his wife along and replied, “Got it. We won’t be home so late again. Tell Mom to go to sleep.”

“Are you still intending to sleep tonight?” Jiao Ziqing walked out from inside. She looked at the large clock in the hall and snapped, “You’re going to spend another half a day taking a shower! Go straight to sleep after that. You’re not to stay up and make trouble! Wake up early tomorrow. Do you hear me?”

You’re not to stay up and make trouble… What it really meant was…

Yu Lili’s face turned red. She looked up at Jiao Ziqing and found her staring at her. The statement had evidently been directed at her.

Yu Lili’s face reddened even further. She nodded her head. “Got it.”

Jiao Ziqing knew that Yu Lili was shy. When she saw her reaction, she waved her off. “Off to bed, then. Lao Ou, let’s go back, too.”

“Alright, coming,” Ou Huojin replied. He closed the front door and headed inside.

Ou Ming watched as Jiao Ziqing turned to head back in and remarked lightheartedly, “You’re not to stay up and make trouble either!”

Jiao Ziqing choked on her own saliva when she heard that. Her face turned beet red. She started to cough.

Ou Huojin was more direct in his reaction. He walked over and smacked Ou Ming on his head as he asked in warning, “Are you tired of living?”

Ou Ming held on to his head as he scrunched his face up. Yu Lili wanted to laugh but didn’t dare. She pursed her lips to keep from smiling, but her face reddened with laughter nonetheless as her shoulders started trembling. She quickly pulled Ou Ming behind her as she headed back into the room.

She had overestimated Ou Ming’s sense of self-preservation. Just as they were about to reach the corridor, he turned his head and warned with a straight face, “Staying up late isn’t good for the body! Nothing can’t wait until tomorrow!”

That statement had pushed Ou Huojin’s buttons. He raised his hand toward Ou Ming.

Ou Ming quickly pulled Yu Lili along as he ran back into his room. In laughter, he left a parting remark, “Dad, watch out for your health! My wife and I are going to sleep first!”