The 99th Divorce

Ou Ming saw how Yu Lili was behaving and automatically looked to the area she was holding. He gently asked, “What’s wrong? Your period’s here?”

Yu Lili nodded her head. Her little face that previously looked normal suddenly became pale.

Ou Ming pulled out a chair for her and asked, “Do you need to brew some brown sugar soup? Where did you leave it?”

“I don’t. Just help me get the medicine on the coffee table.” Yu Lili was bent over in pain, holding on to her abdomen.

Ou Ming went to retrieve it. He quickly passed the medicine she had asked for to her. The medicine wasn’t what he had imagined would be used to treat cramps. It was instead a common box of Ibuprofen.

“These are painkillers, aren’t they? Are you sure they’re good for the body?” Ou Ming’s brows furrowed together. “It isn’t even good to take this on a normal day. Are you sure it’s OK for you to take it when you’re having your period?”

The pain was more than Yu Lili could bear. She reached out for the medication and said, “This kills the pain fast. Give it to me.”

In other words, she had tacitly agreed that the medication did come with its share of side effects.

Ou Ming tossed the box of Ibuprofen to the side and pulled her up. “Can you walk?”

Given the state she was in, walking wasn’t exactly possible. He bent his back forward and patted his own shoulder, “Come up on me. I’ll take you to the hospital.”

His hand was not yet recovered and still in its cast. Otherwise, he would have already picked her up without a second word and headed straight for the hospital.

Yu Lili seemed a little hesitant and protested, “I’ll be fine after taking the medication and lying down for a while. I still need to go to work. I already took a day off yesterday.”

“I already arranged marital leave for you!” Ou Ming clenched his jaw angrily. “You can return to work when we’re back from our honeymoon. Or, you can forget about going back to work altogether. I have enough money to take care of you!”

She is already in such a state, yet she is still concerned about work?

Yu Lili could tell from his expression that he wasn’t happy at all. She said, “It’s fine…”

“Come up!” It was clear from Ou Ming’s voice that there was no space for discussion. As he spoke, he looked over his shoulder, “Otherwise, I’ll remove my cast and carry you.”

Yu Lili’s lips tightened into a thin line when she heard that. She replied, “I can walk on my own. I don’t want to risk crushing you hand. Otherwise, your mom will have my head.”

The originally fierce and angry Ou Ming didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry when he heard that. He turned around and held her hand as he carefully helped her up. “Let’s go.”

Yu Lili resisted the pain and stood up. Even that simple action made her complexion paler.

Ou Ming felt his heart ache. “Aren’t you a woman? Isn’t it normal for a woman to have a period every month? Why does yours hurt so badly? How did I never notice this problem of yours before?”

His tone sounded as if he were angry, but she could clearly tell the concern in his demeanor.

Yu Lili pursed her lips when she heard that. She suddenly shrank back again and asked, “Can we not go to the hospital? I can’t move.”

She couldn’t risk having a doctor tell Ou Ming that this was actually a lingering effect of her abortion. She knew how much that information would break his heart.

She had already endured it for so many years. The pain this time was nothing compared to her worst episodes. Even without the medication, she could grit her teeth and bear with the pain.

Ou Ming’s heart was suddenly seized by terror when he looked at how pale her face was. He demanded, “I’ll carry you on my back!”

Yu Lili objected vehemently. She pushed him away as she asserted, “I’m not going!”

“Is it very painful?” Ou Ming finally stopped insisting. He reached his hand out and held her waist gently. “Come,” he said, “let me help you to the couch.”

“OK…” Yu Lili agreed.

Ou Ming laid Yu Lili horizontally on the couch and quickly ran upstairs. He picked up his cell phone to give one of his friends, who was a doctor, a call.