Chapter One: New Year’s Eve
At midnight on New Year’s Eve, clusters of dazzling fireworks burst into the sky. At Hongqiao Villa.
Lin Mengmeng gripped an old, cracked mobile phone, opening the WeChat chat labeled “Brother.”
“Sister, I’m coming to see you. Show me your handsome boyfriend on New Year’s Day.”
“Sister, I’m afraid I’ll have to break my promise. Take good care of yourself…”
Then, the sound of an earthquake collapsing everything drowned out the voice message.
Lin Mengmeng caressed the phone, unable to suppress the bitterness in her heart. On December 31, 2016, an earthquake took away her only family, leaving behind just two voice messages.
At that moment, the villa door was pushed open by a man. Her husband, Shao Tingyu, whom she had secretly married five years ago, was the youngest and most promising neurologist at the First Affiliated Hospital of the Magic City, while she was a pediatrician.
Suppressing her emotions, Lin Mengmeng stood up to greet him: “You’re back. Haven’t eaten yet? I’ll go make something.”
Shao Tingyu avoided her hand, walked past her into the living room, and sat on the sofa: “No need.”
Lin Mengmeng watched the cold figure of the man, her brows lowering slightly: “It’s New Year’s Eve tonight, and we haven’t had a reunion dinner yet.”
Before she finished speaking, she was interrupted by Shao Tingyu’s cold voice: “We’re already preparing for divorce, what reunion are you talking about?”
Lin Mengmeng’s expression stiffened, as if a thorn had pierced her heart. Three days ago, he had brought up divorce. They had been schoolmates since high school, but Shao Tingyu never liked her. Even their marriage was because he needed a wife to appease his family. She knew marriages without love would eventually end, but she hadn’t expected it to happen so soon…
Swallowing the sourness in her heart, Lin Mengmeng softly spoke: “Can’t we wait a few more days? At least until after the Lantern Festival, after I’ve paid respects to my brother, can we?”
The atmosphere grew oppressive. Shao Tingyu was impatient but didn’t refuse: “As you wish, it’s not like it makes a difference of these few days.”
With that, he headed straight upstairs, the door slamming shut with a bang, heavily striking Lin Mengmeng’s heart. Steadying her shaky body, she silently walked in the opposite direction.
When they got married, Shao Tingyu bought a villa for the two of them to live independently, with each having their own side, not interfering with each other. They were more like roommates than a married couple.
Early the next morning, when Lin Mengmeng left her room, Shao Tingyu had already gone.
At the First Affiliated Hospital of the Magic City.
Lin Mengmeng carried a thermal lunch box to the neurology department, knocked, and entered.
Shao Tingyu, who had just put on his white coat, saw Lin Mengmeng, his eyes turning cold: “What are you doing here?”
Lin Mengmeng placed the thermal box by the desk and took a bowl to ladle out the soup: “I saw you didn’t eat last night, so I made some soup. Your stomach isn’t good, you need to take care of yourself.”
Shao Tingyu didn’t speak, nor did he glance at the thermal box.
Suppressing the bitterness in her heart, Lin Mengmeng, remembering the message from her mother-in-law on the way, softly said: “Mom wants us to go back home after work today.”
Fearing Shao Tingyu’s refusal, she added: “I remember you don’t have surgery today, and you’re not on night duty.”
Shao Tingyu was silent for a moment: “I understand.”
Then he got up and left. Even in his own office, he didn’t want to spend another moment with her.
The door of the consultation room made a light noise. The chill invaded, and Lin Mengmeng’s breath hitched, the hand holding the bowl and chopsticks suddenly felt weak.
Bang! The soup bowl shattered on the floor, making an extremely harsh sound.
Ignoring that she was in the hospital, Lin Mengmeng locked the door in panic, sliding down to sit against the door, her arm stiff and unmovable. She forced her other hand to retrieve an anti-rejection pill from her coat pocket, swallowing it dryly.
After a while, her strength slowly returned. Lin Mengmeng regulated her breathing and took out her phone, writing a sentence in her memo:
“Today marks the thirty-second day since the onset of my ALS, only 14 days left until Mr. Shao and I separate.”
Chapter Two: Separation
On the first day of the Lunar New Year, the hospital was almost packed. Lin Mengmeng spent the morning in a flurry of activity.
At noon, during the break, Lin Mengmeng was about to head to the cafeteria when she encountered Shao Tingyu stepping out of the neurology department. She was about to greet him but froze upon seeing Dai Xinyan behind him.
Dai Xinyan was their high school classmate and Shao Tingyu’s first love. The two walked side by side towards a ward, not noticing Lin Mengmeng’s gaze.
Outside the ward, Dai Xinyan playfully blinked at Shao Tingyu, her words carrying a hidden meaning: “Dr. Shao, I’ll be troubling you to take care of me during this time.”
Shao Tingyu nodded, watching her enter the ward before turning to leave, only to see Lin Mengmeng standing a few steps away.
Their eyes met. Shao Tingyu’s face turned from gentle to cold, and he walked into the elevator with a chill.
Lin Mengmeng’s eyes darkened slightly as she followed into the elevator.
Silence spread in the cramped space. Recalling the scene from earlier, Lin Mengmeng couldn’t help but break the silence: “Why is Dai Xinyan here?”
Shao Tingyu responded indifferently: “She’s here for treatment.”
Lin Mengmeng’s face showed a flash of surprise: “What’s wrong with her?”
“It’s none of your business.” Shao Tingyu’s words made Lin Mengmeng’s throat tighten, but remembering his past relationship with Dai Xinyan, she understood that regardless of whether she was his patient, he would likely take care of her.
Suppressing her bitter feelings, she changed the topic: “Should I wait for you after work?”
“No need.” Shao Tingyu averted his gaze. As the elevator door opened, he stepped out briskly without hesitation.
Lin Mengmeng watched the man’s retreating figure, unsure of what to feel.
The workday passed quickly. Upon entering the Shao family home, Lin Mengmeng saw the dining table already laden with food.
Shao’s mother was surprised to see only Lin Mengmeng: “Why are you alone? Where’s Tingyu?”
Regarding the divorce, neither she nor Shao Tingyu wanted the family to know yet. Lin Mengmeng lied: “Tingyu is still busy; he asked me to come first.”
But as she spoke, Shao’s mother’s phone rang. She answered: “Tingyu, what’s the matter?”
Lin Mengmeng’s expression stiffened as she met Shao’s mother’s gaze. Not knowing what Shao Tingyu said on the other end, Shao’s mother responded a couple of times before hanging up.
Facing Lin Mengmeng’s gaze, Shao’s mother awkwardly smiled: “Tingyu said he’s busy with work and can’t come back, Mengmeng, let’s eat first.”
Hearing this, Lin Mengmeng was somewhat dazed, as Shao Tingyu had clearly agreed in the morning…
