Li Yueqin poured him a glass of red wine, turned away to take a deep breath, then turned back with the enchanting smile that had once captivated audiences on screen. “Yuqian, I’ve thought a lot these past two months!” Zhou Yuqian, toying with the crystal glass, merely raised an eyebrow at her words, waiting for what she would say next.
“I know there’s a huge gap in our relationship; I’ve been too capricious, and you’ve been too proud, neither of us willing to yield to the other. But we married because we loved each other, even though this marriage has been a failure.” She sighed with a hint of sadness.
“I think we should have a child, Yuqian, let’s start anew, okay?” Li Yueqin looked at him with hopeful eyes. This was one of the ideas she had come up with over the past two months. With a child, they would have a sense of responsibility. Besides, Zhou Yuqian had wanted a child since their wedding day; fulfilling this now might still salvage their relationship.
Zhou Yuqian, upon hearing this, placed his wine glass on the table, took her hand, and said nonchalantly, “A child? You used to say that having a child would ruin your figure, and you wouldn’t be able to hold your head up among your celebrity friends. Now you want one?” His thumb caressed the back of her white hand.
“You think these hands are too greasy for cooking, too dirty for cleaning floors and windows, yet you’d change diapers for the kids?” Li Yueqin wanted to say that they could hire help, but then remembered that Zhou Yuqian had once said that children should be raised in the most natural way possible, and that household chores should be done by themselves unless absolutely necessary. Previously, their disagreements had stemmed from her unwillingness to do housework. Clenching her hands at her sides, she bravely declared, “Of course, I’ll take care of my own child myself, and I’ll do those things by hand too!” Zhou Yuqian let go of her hand, took a sip of his drink, and said, “What did you promise before we got married? Do you expect me to believe you now? If you called me here just to say this, my decision stands—we divorce!” Her lips trembling slightly, Li Yueqin suppressed her anger and asked, “Don’t you have any feelings for me anymore?” “Yes! I’ve told you, don’t wear away the last bit of affection I have for you. That slap last time ended it all!” Zhou Yuqian stood up and continued, “Discuss any conditions with my lawyer. Think about it, Li Yueqin, we started fighting in the first year of our marriage, and by the third year, we were physically fighting. I was thankful then that we didn’t have kids. Imagine how pitiful a child would be growing up in such a family!” He got up from the sofa, ready to leave.
Li Yueqin hastily grabbed his arm, her composure crumbling. She knew that if they divorced, she would soon become the subject of gossip, a marriage once envied now in shambles, with many waiting for the show to end. If it ended completely, she had no job, and the money Zhou Yuqian would give her wouldn’t last a lifetime. Most importantly, she couldn’t afford to lose her remaining dignity. There was one more way; she steadied herself and pleaded, “Don’t divorce, Yuqian. I won’t argue or fight with you anymore. I won’t even raise my hand. And… and if you have other women outside, I won’t mind, I won’t even ask. Just come back once a week like before!” In her heart, she felt wronged, remembering how Zhou Yuqian had once begged her to marry him. Now, this was because she had lost her leverage. Back then, so many men loved her, but only Zhou Yuqian was always at her beck and call, which is why she chose him among many eligible suitors. Now, all those men who loved her were married, and none would let her depend on them. She had to hold onto Zhou Yuqian, who was still her lawful husband. What she hadn’t anticipated was that even the deepest love could tire without reciprocation. Zhou Yuqian was exhausted both mentally and physically; this relationship was beyond repair.
Zhou Yuqian abruptly shook off her hand, his eyes, usually calm, now filled with shock. He couldn’t believe Li Yueqin would say such things to him. Saying such words meant she no longer loved him; she only wanted the shell of their marriage to flaunt. Over the years, not only had love worn away, but it had also transformed the once proud Li Yueqin into one of the countless women who depended on men for survival and coveted wealth. After a long while, he said, “How did you become like this?” His words were filled with pain, disappointment, and sorrow, all blending into grief. Li Yueqin trembled, her tears sparkling with shame. She straightened up suddenly, looking into Zhou Yuqian’s eyes, as if surprised at herself for saying such things. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand, preserving the last shred of her dignity. Zhou Yuqian’s words made her overturn the ‘careful considerations’ of the past two months in an impulsive moment; she seemed to regain the pride she had years ago. Even if she were destitute, she would rather beg than depend on Zhou Yuqian again. She calmly said, “Alright, as you wish, let’s get divorced!”
Zhou Yuqian’s hardened heart softened a bit, memories of their time before marriage coming back in a hazy blur, as if through a veil, confusing yet tugging at his heartstrings. He instinctively pulled Li Yueqin into his embrace, the first time in two years he willingly held her, resting his chin on top of her head, he sighed, “Yueqin, you’re right, we both made mistakes!” Just one sentence, and his chest was wet with her muffled sobs. He continued, “But we can’t start over!”
On a rainy day, clear raindrops streaked the windows with distinct lines. Zhou Yuqian drew the curtains, glanced back at Li Yueqin, and walked out of the house where they had countless quarrels. He even forgot to take an umbrella, perhaps because he didn’t know where it was placed, but he wouldn’t ask anymore. Outside, the rain and wind were turbulent; with each step, he stirred up white splashes, his soaked pants clinging to his skin. Zhou Yuqian wiped the rain from his face, through the mist of rain, he saw the large windows of the house across the street, with a dim light inside. A tiny child was running in circles with a model airplane, while a man and a woman were having tea. They suddenly turned to look outside—Zhou Yuqian ran off in embarrassment, guessing they must be thinking the man in the rain was a lunatic! He reached a corner, made sure he was out of sight, then took a deep breath, and smashed his briefcase into a puddle, splashing water onto his face. He picked up the briefcase, threw it again with all his might, laughing maniacally, “Destroyed, destroyed! Everything is destroyed!”
Zhou Yuqian disappeared. His secretary called the South Ridge Villa, only then did Lai Huai realize he hadn’t been to work for two days. She could only reply, “Mr. Zhou isn’t here with me, and he didn’t tell me where he is. I’m sorry, I can’t help.” This was no small matter; the CEO of a corporation disappearing for a day could cause chaos, let alone when no one knew his whereabouts. Lai Huai thought sarcastically, one wouldn’t expect a man in his thirties to resort to such low-budget drama tactics from TV shows. She didn’t know what could drive Zhou Yuqian to make such a spectacle of himself. After receiving the call that night, she continued eating and sleeping as usual, went to a bookstore the next day to buy some collector’s editions, and visited her mother in the hospital. She was just a mistress; her employer had his freedom. She wouldn’t obsess over where Zhou Yuqian had gone, nor would she search for him like a lover. She would just wait for her employer to return and require her services. After all, she was just a mistress; as long as he didn’t go bankrupt or run off with her money, she was content. Here is the
