The 99th Divorce

Li Jianyue’s big eyes revealed her confusion. She stared at Li Mosen. She hadn’t seen him feel the way he did that day.

He was calm but with unspeakable emotion.

Li Jianyue found herself caught in a dilemma. It made her a little nervous. “Is that so?”

Li Mosen didn’t address the question directly. Instead, he asked, “Do you want me to go abroad?”

Do you want me to go abroad?

Is that what you want?

Li Mosen didn’t seem to realize that he had unconsciously clasped his hands tightly around his knees. His eyes looked straight at Li Jianyue. Li Mosen’s expectation had turned almost into a desire. He wanted so much to hear her say what he wished for deep in his heart.

Li Jianyue noticed the oddity in Li Mosen’s eyes. But she didn’t feel any fear. She tilted her head and said, “I don’t want you to go abroad. I know that with your wisdom and ability, you can reach great heights. But Kingstown is too small and restrictive for you.”

Given what he knew about Li Jianyue, Li Mosen had expected her to either say yes or no. But what she said was similar to what Li Sicheng had expressed only moments ago.

Li Mosen hardly knew how to feel at the moment. Silently, he loosened and clenched his fists again. Li Mosen’s gaze unconsciously deepened as he asked her softly, “So, do you think I ought to leave?”

Li Jianyue, sensing that Li Mosen was in a bad mood, immediately shook her head. “You are not going to leave. How could it be considered ‘leave’!” Think about it. My eldest brother had been studying in the capital for so many years. But, deep in my heart, he was always my dear eldest brother. He went to school in the north, far away from me. But I knew that the education in Kingstown was not as good as in the capital. Even the best schools in Kingstown could not provide the means for my eldest brother’s talent and ability to flourish. That was the reason Dad and Mom sent him to the capital.”

“Not really, they just wanted Dasu to spend some time with your grandparents.” Li Mosen said, taking his time.

Li Jianyue shook her head in dispute. “No, it’s not what you think. It’s true that Grandpa and Grandma had hoped someone would keep them company. But that’s just one part of the reason. My Dad’s main intention was to provide eldest brother with the best education. If Dad and Mom hadn’t sent eldest brother to the capital, he would not be the youngest Master in the scientific research field now. At present, the most advanced scientific research at home is in Kingstown. That’s the reason Dad allowed eldest brother and Brother Chu to come back home to do their postgraduate studies.”

Li Mosen had never thought about it, nor had he ever heard anyone talk about it.

He had occasionally thought that Yu Chulin and Li Jianqian were homesick and had wanted to return to Kingstown. So, they had made up wanting to do scientific research in Kingstown as an excuse to return home.

And Li Sicheng gave in to them.

But now, Li Jianyue was telling him that Li Sicheng and Su Qianci had tacitly arranged everything for them.

Li Mosen recalled that Li Sicheng had asked him more than once when he was very young, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Since Li Mosen was still very young, he gave different answers every time.

At one time, Li Mosen said he wanted to be a scientist because he believed scientists were great.

Another time, he wanted to be a doctor because he didn’t want sickness to afflict humankind.

Li Mosen was asked yet again, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

This time, the perception, I’m-not-their-real-child, was at the back of his mind. Li Mosen’s first reaction when he heard the question was to cry.