The 99th Divorce

The couple had a meal together after paying for the ring.

When Li Jinnan retrieved his car, all he could think about was one thing: What time did the government offices close?

He checked the time and saw that it was already 5 p.m. Even if the offices weren’t closed yet, there was sure to be a long queue.

Tomorrow is the weekend…What should I do?

Li Jinnan’s mind was in a turmoil. He was visibly distracted.

Ye Youyou reached her hand out to nudge him and asked, “What are you thinking about?”

Li Jinnan regained his wits and replied, “Do you think we should get engaged first or just get married?”

That wasn’t what Ye Youyou had been expecting. “That’s what you were thinking about?”

“Yeah. Or, why don’t we just register our marriage first?” Li Jinnan’s eyes turned into tiny crescents. “After all, we’ve been together for a reasonably long period of time. It doesn’t really make a difference if we just go ahead and register our marriage first.”

“It makes a huge difference!” Ye Youyou puffed her cheeks. “Your mom still has no idea that I’m a divorcee! What if she finds out and objects to our union?”

“That’s not a problem,” he said. “If we register our marriage first, there’ll be nothing that she can do.”

“How can we do that?” Ye Youyou asked.

“Why not? It’ll be fine,” Li Jinnan replied.

“If that happens, and your mom wants you to divorce me, will you?” she asked.

“No,” he said.

“You’ll disobey your mom?” Ye Youyou asked.

“If obeying my mom means that I won’t get my wife, why should I obey?” Li Jinnan asked.

Ye Youyou giggled when she heard that. “Would your mom die of anger if she heard what you just said?”

“Nope. If this were enough to anger her to death, what my second brother did would have killed her many times over.” Li Jinnan was merciless when talking about his brother. “Don’t worry. You are safe.”

Ye Youyou didn’t really believe him, but she didn’t have much of a choice either. She looked ahead. It was right in the middle of rush hour, so the roads were jammed with cars.

After a moment of silence, she said, “Shen Luo’an is getting married the day after tomorrow. Guan Queye sent me an invitation.”

Li Jinnan’s brows rose as he laughed. “She had the cheek to give the ex-wife an invitation?”

“Yeah. I was just wondering whether or not I should go,” Ye Youyou said.

The smile on Li Jinnan’s face slowly waned. He glanced at her out the corner of his eye and asked, “Do you still have feelings for him?”

Ye Youyou laughed bitterly and looked out of the car window. “If I said no, would you believe me?”

Li Jinnan grew silent and continued driving, but his heart felt uncomfortable. Indeed, he wouldn’t believe her.

Childhood sweethearts, first loves, exes, ex-spouses, in fact, each of these relationships alone would be enough to make her unable to forget him. She might have given her virginity to Li Jinnan, and she and Shen Luo’an might never have consummated their relationship, But it was a fact that she had loved Shen Luo’an for a long time. How could she feel nothing towards him?

Since it was Shen Luo’an’s wedding, what was the harm in going anyway?

“You should go.” Li Jinnan stared straight ahead without looking over. “Let them witness how you’re living now and that your life after divorcing him is even better.”

Yes, it was better.

Li Jinnan couldn’t guarantee much, but he knew enough to know that he was a much better human being in comparison to Shen Luo’an. Being in a relationship with a proper human being trumped being in a relationship with a bastard any day.

He thought fiercely to himself, but his face gave nothing away. He said, “Along the way, you’ll be able to visit that sister of yours. Wasn’t she supposed to be insane? Are you telling me that her wedding was made possible because of her insanity?”

Ye Youyou had no idea either. Guan Queye’s condition must have improved or they wouldn’t be holding a wedding, right?

The thought of their previous encounter in the hospital where she was hugging her wedding gown with an expression of bliss on her face made Ye Youyou bitter. Everything that Shen Luo’an had failed to give her had been given to Guan Queye.