Cheng Lulu was stunned.
“So… you’re telling me you moved up your wedding date because of an accident, and this accident… was a ball?”
“No”, Mo Lin said seriously, “It was because of our unexpected harmony.”
Cheng Lulu handed her water cup to Mo Lin:
“Why don’t you just hit me with this instead? I can’t stomach this dog food!1Public display of affection- a term often used by single people“
Mo Lin looked at Cheng Lulu helplessly: “You know that’s not what I meant.”
“I know that’s not what you mean!” Cheng Lulu banged the water cup on the small coffee table in front of them, angry. “But your words imply it! You two are such a good match, why do you still want to divorce…”
Halfway through her sentence, Cheng Lulu remembered—it was because Mo Lin wanted a child…
“Later, we quickly finalized the terms of the contract and signed the agreement. The agreement stipulated that on March 20th, five years later, we would sign the divorce agreement. Then, according to our respective work schedules, we would coordinate the time to process the divorce…”
“I saw it…”
Cheng Lulu glanced at the contract in Mo Lin’s hand, where it was clearly written in black and white—
“Both parties must complete the procedures within fifteen working days. If the divorce is delayed due to one party, they can negotiate a new date. Once the new date is agreed upon, neither party can request a further delay. If a delay occurs, the party in breach must pay the other party a penalty fee.”
How to put it…
It was quite reasonable.
“Yesterday was March 20th.” Mo Lin said, a bit distressed, placed the contract on the coffee table and rubbed her temples. “Technically, if Jiang Yuanmu doesn’t agree to the divorce now, it’s okay, but we should negotiate a new date. But he doesn’t seem to have any intention of discussing a new date with me.”
It was rare for Cheng Lulu to hear Mo Lin sigh so melancholically. She remained silent for a while, propping her head up and studying Mo Lin. “You two have been married for five years. I’ve always thought you were pretty good together.”
“It was pretty good,” Mo Lin admitted. “Five years ago, on March 20th, we went to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get our marriage certificate, and on May 20th, we had our wedding. After getting married, Jiang Yuanmu moved into my house. Regardless of rent, utilities, property fees, or internet bills, he and I split everything 50-50, never missing a payment. During holidays and visits with relatives and friends, he never made a mistake. For five years, it has always been like this. We both tried our best to maintain our own lives and respect each other, living peacefully together.”
At this point, Mo Lin couldn’t help but sigh, “How rare…”
What a pity. When the divorce came around, Jiang Yuanmu managed to ruin his reputation by being uncooperative.
Mo Lin sighed at the thought.
“It is rare. Not just for couples, even real roommates don’t get along as harmoniously as you two. How about…”, Cheng Lulu sized up Mo Lin and suggested, “Why don’t you discuss it with him and have a child together?”
Mo Lin shook her head in refusal almost without thinking:
“Our prenuptial agreement clearly states that after marriage, we cannot engage in sexual activity.”
“Rules are rigid, but people aren’t”, Cheng Lulu continued to persuade, “Jiang Yuanmu doesn’t even want the divorce anymore. What can’t be negotiated?”
Mo Lin fell silent.
She recalled what Jiang Yuanmu had said before he left, “Let me think about it.”
Jiang Yuanmu never said things lightly, and the weight behind those words was impossible for Mo Lin to ignore.
But…
Having a child with Jiang Yuanmu?
Mo Lin shook her head at the thought: “Even though we’ve been married for five years, if Jiang Yuanmu takes a bite of the breakfast I’ve made for myself, he pays me for it.”
Cheng Lulu was so numb to this couple’s way of interacting that she actually found it reasonable: “Isn’t that a good thing? He respects your effort. Don’t you like it when he pays?
“No, I like it very much.”
“Well, there you go.” Cheng Lulu concluded, “Look, your goal is to have a child, and Jiang Yuanmu doesn’t want a divorce. So, just have one. You’ll fulfill your wish to have a child, and Jiang Yuanmu’s wish to avoid a divorce. Five years later…”, Cheng Lulu tapped the contract on the table.
“With a spacious apartment in the city center, you and your child can continue living there. Whether you rent out or sell your own house, you can turn it into cash flow. Even if you’re raising a child alone, the financial pressure won’t be too great.”
Cheng Lulu’s “practical calculation” was very realistic.
But Mo Lin still shook her head:
“No normal couple would even split the price for breakfast. If we had a child…”
Listening to this, Cheng Lulu suddenly had a bad feeling, which was confirmed when Mo Lin, after careful consideration, said four words…
“It would be hard to manage the finances”
Cheng Lulu nodded and gave Mo Lin a thumbs up:
“You are the one for the job”
Mo Lin accepted the compliment and said seriously, “Moreover… Jiang Yuanmu doesn’t want a divorce right now. If I have a child with him, what if he doesn’t want to give up custody in five years? I could take him to court with the prenuptial agreement, but with a child… the more I think about it, the more unsuitable it seems. Having a child within the marriage with him is too risky.”
Seeing her refusal, Cheng Lulu didn’t push further and sighed with a sense of melancholy:
“So, what are you going to do about this? Divorce is manageable; if it comes to it, you can file a lawsuit, and I’ll support you. But having a child, biologically speaking, you can’t do it alone.”
“I originally planned that after the divorce, I would seriously interview a potential father. Ideally, we wouldn’t need to get married; he would provide the material, and I would use medical means to complete it. Or, I could select from an overseas sperm bank…”
‘Ding dong,’ the doorbell at the shop entrance rang, and both Mo Lin and Cheng Lulu looked towards the door.
Xu Yuan entered, holding a tray with two cups of hot lattes and two cookies. He stood at the door, awkwardly peeking inside: “Um… sorry, am I interrupting?”. Xu Yuan’s words were full of apology.
“Oh, thank you for bringing the coffee over.”
Cheng Lulu immediately went forward to receive it.
Xu Yuan walked in with the tray, not letting Cheng Lulu help. He placed the tray in front of Mo Lin, took out the coffee and cookies, then squatted by the coffee table, looking up at Mo Lin with eager eyes.
“Sister Mo Lin, I overheard some things outside…”
Mo Lin thought he was apologizing for accidentally hearing her secret. She shook her head: “It’s okay, thank you for the cookies, Xu Yuan.”
“No need to thank me, Sister Mo Lin. Every time I bring you cookies, I have an ulterior motive. They’re not free.” Xu Yuan smiled at Mo Lin. “I’ve always liked you. Now, can you give me a chance?”
Mo Lin had just taken a sip of coffee and was stunned.
Cheng Lulu had just grabbed one of the cookies Xu Yuan had brought, barely unwrapped it, and hadn’t even taken a bite. Now, she suddenly felt that the cookie in her hand was burning hot.
She wondered if it was too late to wrap the cookie back up.
This was already the second time today.
Cheng Lulu stood there in her own studio, stunned, watching Mo Lin and another man, witnessing such a scene unfold. She was both curious and so embarrassed that she wanted the ground to swallow her up.
After a long silence, Mo Lin was the first to look at Xu Yuan: “I don’t understand what you mean.”
“Sister Mo Lin, aren’t you getting divorced?”
Hearing him say that, Mo Lin glanced at Cheng Lulu.
Cheng Lulu immediately waved her hands, “I didn’t say anything!”
“I guessed it based on what I heard earlier”, Xu Yuan kept smiling at Mo Lin. “I happened to hear that you want to find a father for your child. Before, because you were married, I didn’t want to interfere, so I didn’t say anything. But now, the situation is different. Sister Mo Lin, what do you think about me?”
The studio was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.
“You…”, Mo Lin, not disappointing, bravely broke the silence, “…are too young.” After saying this, she feared ambiguity and added, “I mean your age.”
Cheng Lulu stood aside, feeling as if the heavens wanted to stuff all the gossip of the year into her mouth, forcing her to consume it in one day.
She bit her lip, remaining silent.
Hearing this, Xu Yuan’s usually smiling eyes dimmed slightly, but he quickly blinked away the emotions in his eyes. His face retained only a full smile, with a hint of teasing and lightness: “Sister Mo Lin, don’t you like boys in their early twenties?”
“I like it”2pfff. I just wanted to say…savage, Mo Lin said seriously. “It’s just that your proposal is a bit abrupt.”
Xu Yuan wasn’t embarrassed; he scratched his head and said, “Ah, Sister Mo Lin is so serious. Maybe I shouldn’t have made such a joke.”
Cheng Lulu raised an eyebrow, “Oh? A joke?”
Mo Lin didn’t show much emotion. She remained serious: “I am very serious about this matter. You really shouldn’t joke with me about it.”
Xu Yuan was taken aback, then immediately apologized, “Sorry, sorry. I just didn’t want you to be too sad… There are plenty of fish in the sea. I thought maybe making you a little happier would be okay. I didn’t expect it to make you uncomfortable.” His attitude was sincere and impeccable.
Mo Lin didn’t pursue the matter further, “It’s okay.”
Hearing this, Xu Yuan smiled. He stood up and picked up the tray he brought, “But I really do like you, Sister Mo Lin. I’m not joking about that.”
Mo Lin didn’t respond immediately; she tilted her head slightly, sizing up Xu Yuan. It seemed she was pondering the truthfulness of his words.
“To make up for it, let me treat you both to dinner tonight. Sister Mo Lin, Sister Lulu.”
Cheng Lulu was suddenly named, she coughed, “Huh? Me too?”
“Of course”, Xu Yuan smiled, “I heard a new restaurant and bar opened nearby. The food and atmosphere are nice.”
“I won’t go…”
Mo Lin started to decline, but Xu Yuan continued, “There are performances at the venue in the evening, with many handsome young men. Even if I’m not suitable, Sister Mo Lin, you need to find someone eventually, right? Why not take a look?”
Mo Lin thought about it and felt that the person she was looking for should ideally be between 20 and 30 years old. Since her marriage agreement with Jiang Yuanmu, Mo Lin had rarely attended such social events. She genuinely wanted to see what ‘the boys outside’ looked like now.
But she wasn’t sure about Xu Yuan, and going alone was definitely out of the question. So, Mo Lin looked at Cheng Lulu, “Shall we go check it out?”
“Of course, I have no problem with it. I love eating, drinking, and having fun”, Cheng Lulu said, bringing the cookie to her lips and asking Xu Yuan, “Xu Yuan, even though your confession failed, can I still eat my cookie?”
“Eat, Sister Lulu. I’ll have to keep pleasing you from now on”, Xu Yuan said, half-joking and half-serious. He waved to Mo Lin, “I’ll come to pick you up tonight.”
Xu Yuan left the small shop.
“Mo Lin, how about we go find a master?”
Mo Lin glanced at Cheng Lulu, “For what?”
“To help you check how many more bad love affairs you will have.”
For would have thought that after so many years, at the time of her divorce, she would have so many romantic affairs.
It really was… unexpected.
Mo Lin smiled wryly and shook her head.
Cheng Lulu, munching on a cookie, sat back down: “Do you think he was joking?” Cheng Lulu pointed to Xu Yuan’s back outside the window, already across the street.
Mo Lin picked up her coffee, took a sip, and then a bite of the cookie: “I don’t know.”
“The cookies are quite good, he brings them every time. Now I understand what was going on. Mo Lin, why not take advantage?” Cheng Lulu said, “I think Xu Yuan is nice, fair-skinned and clean.”
“Let’s see. He brought it up too suddenly today. Once the divorce with Jiang Yuanmu is settled, things will get busy here too. We need to tackle both sides and save time”, Mo Lin mused. “I can’t waste my youth.”
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