After Jiang Yuanmu brought Xiao Li and Bei Bei back to the “home” he had never once visited, he had the hired workers clean while he, Xiao Li and Beibei sat on the couch.
In the spacious flat with a grand living room, the city’s hustle and bustle were just outside the dusty windows. Workers started cleaning the windows with a window cleaning machine, and as the machine wiped down the dirt, the reflections of the people inside became clearer.
Xiao Li never dreamed that in his impoverished life, there would come a day when he would be sitting on his boss’s couch with his girlfriend at midnight.
And that they would be talking about feelings…
The situation was like this: he originally planned to arrange for the workers to do their jobs and then leave with his girlfriend. Unexpectedly, before they could leave, Bei Bei saw their boss sitting alone on the couch, studying a contract. On a whim, Bei Bei asked, “Um… Mr. Jiang, do you really want to win your ex-wife back?”
Xiao Li thought Bei Bei was crazy.
Did she not care about their boss’s dignity? It was already embarrassing enough for him to be seen getting kicked out, and she dared to use such a humble term as “win back” to describe his boss?
Xiao Li tugged at Bei Bei, signaling her to shut up and not meddle in other people’s affairs.
But unexpectedly, the boss on the couch calmly looked at her and said, “Yes.”
He admitted it!
Xiao Li was stunned.
Jiang Yuanmu thought for a moment and then continued to speak to Bei Bei, “Additionally, if you have time, I’d like to consult with you about something.”
She thought for a moment and nodded, “Hmm… Okay, give me a moment, I need to use the bathroom first.”
Bei Bei went to the bathroom, leaving Xiao Li feeling uneasy. Could the boss’s feelings be casually discussed? Xiao Li sat down next to Jiang Yuanmu, “Boss, you see, about marriage, we haven’t experienced it yet. I’m afraid Bei Bei might not be professional enough. How about…”
“It’s fine, I just want to ask. I can’t take up her time for free; I’ll pay her a consultation fee of one thousand per hour.”
Xiao Li immediately licked his lips, “It’s not about the money. I think when it comes to winning back a girl, it’s better to ask a man. I have experience, I’m capable. Boss, do you have anything you want to ask me?”
Jiang Yuanmu looked at Xiao Li.
—–
Then the couple stayed behind.
Bei Bei’s mother was a community worker and Bei Bei was clearly the most familiar with mediating relationships among the three. At the beginning of the conversation, she tried to take the initiative: “Mr. Jiang, may I ask, what happened between you and your wife that made her so determined to divorce you?”
Jiang Yuanmu calmly responded, “Does it matter?” Then he firmly took back control of the conversation, “How did your intimate relationship develop?”
Xiao Li and Bei Bei exchanged glances. Bei Bei scratched her head, “Intimate relationship?” Xiao Li also didn’t know how to answer.
Seeing this, Jiang Yuanmu rephrased, “How did you two start dating?”
“Oh!” Beibei understood. “We were college classmates. One time, I fell down the stairs and sprained my ankle, and he carried me to the school hospital. Later, we started dating.”
Jiang Yuanmu raised an eyebrow, and Xiao Li understood his expression. It seemed to say, “That’s it?”
Xiao Li wiped the sweat from his forehead. “Actually, I liked her since freshman year. I didn’t dare to confess before, but tried to get closer to her. When she sprained her ankle, I found the perfect opportunity to naturally…”
Jiang Yuanmu nodded, analyzing, “Take the initiative, build a trust relationship over a long time, and deepen the trust in a sudden event.” He looked up at Bei Bei, “From college until now, it’s been seven years?”
Beibei counted on her fingers, “Eight years.”
“What qualities in him have kept you together for so long?”
Bei Bei was stumped by the question. She tilted her head and thought for a long time, “Yeah, what qualities…”
Xiao Li was sweating profusely, suddenly feeling that his greed might get him into trouble today.
Jiang Yuanmu continued, “What is the reason that has supported your relationship for these eight years?”
Bei Bei fell into even deeper thought.
Jiang Yuanmu asked again, “Is there none?”
Xiao Li was completely panicked and quickly spoke up, “I really love Bei Bei!” He felt like he couldn’t let Jiang Yuanmu continue with his questions, as they seemed like a death trap for him.
Jiang Yuanmu and Bei Bei both looked at him.
Xiao Li sat up straight and said, “I know very clearly that I want to spend my life with her. No one else will do.”
Bei Bei’s mouth twitched into a smile, then she suppressed it, but her emotions were clearly joyous.
Jiang Yuanmu raised an eyebrow, slightly lost in thought, as he pinched his chin and fell into contemplation.
Xiao Li turned to him and added, “Boss, I actually believe that when it comes to feelings, all the techniques and theories are hollow. The most important thing is sincerity. If you really like Mo Lin and can’t bear to let her go, you should just tell her sincerely. Just like me, I’ve always been sincere with Bei Bei!”
Xiao Li pledged his loyalty and exchanged loving glances with his girlfriend, but Jiang Yuanmu calmly spoke, “I have no feelings for Mo Lin.”
Xiao Li and Bei Bei were stunned.
Jiang Yuanmu took out a contract and flipped through it, “I just don’t want to get a divorce.”
The two were even more shocked.
Xiao Li didn’t dare to speak, but Bei Bei, slightly angry, asked, “You don’t like her?”
Jiang Yuanmu’s gaze lifted from the contract, calm and rational, “What is the definition of liking?”
Bei Bei couldn’t articulate it, but she felt frustrated, “If you don’t like her, then why try to keep her?”
“People are different. The same thing can be done for different reasons by different people. Your reason for being with Xiao Li is love, while Mo Lin and I… we have our own reasons. I hadn’t figured it out before, but thanks to consulting with you, I’ve come to understand this.”
“You are talking about marriage, a union, not just any relationship. Can it last without love?”
Jiang Yuanmu continued his rational inquiry, “What is the definition of love?”
Bei Bei was speechless again, feeling frustrated, but unable to articulate her thoughts. She wished she had read more books.
She grabbed her bag and stood up, “Mr. Jiang, to be frank, your marriage is doomed.”
Bei Bei turned around and left, Xiao Li apologized to Jiang Yuanmu, hurriedly following Bei Bei. The room was left with only the sound of the workers’ activities, devoid of any other voices.
Jiang Yuanmu looked at the now gleaming glass and the night outside. He quickly found the direction of Mo Lin’s home. From his window, he could see the light from Mo Lin’s window. However, the distance made the light small and blurry, blending into the myriad of lights in the city, becoming an ordinary, unremarkable one.
Jiang Yuanmu tapped on the glass in the direction of Mo Lin’s window.
He thought that this marriage renewal felt more like a business deal to him, one that he absolutely needed to close.
Divorce was absolutely out of the question.
The day after the failed divorce, Mo Lin still went to work, tidily put together as usual.
She had her own design studio in a cultural and creative park, a small shop mainly focused on jewelry design.
Her business partner was her college roommate, Cheng Lulu. Cheng Lulu’s family was well-off, and to avoid being unemployed after graduation, she recognized Mo Lin’s design talent while still in university. Upon graduation, she secured some money from her father and invested in Mo Lin, opening a small independent jewelry studio for her.
Cheng Lulu was playful and only visited the shop occasionally, leaving most of the responsibilities to Mo Lin.
Today happened to be one of the days Cheng Lulu “graced” the shop with her presence, but to her surprise, Mo Lin asked for a leave of absence. Cheng Lulu found it quite unusual and was joking with Mo Lin when Mo Lin bluntly told her:
“I have to go get a divorce at 3 PM.”
The luxury handbag on Cheng Lulu’s shoulder dropped to the floor with a thud.
“Divorce from who?” She was stunned.
“Divorce.” Mo Lin replied calmly.
Cheng Lulu stared at Mo Lin with her mouth open for a long time, “From who?”
Mo Lin was puzzled, “Bigamy[mfn]marrying someone whilst already being married to someone else.[/mfn] is illegal, so it can only be with Jiang Yuanmu.”
Cheng Lulu couldn’t believe it, “So sudden!?”
Before Mo Lin could answer, they heard a knock at the door. The two turned to look, and there stood Jiang Yuanmu, the topic of their conversation, at the shop’s entrance. His back was straight, and his expression was calm and unruffled.
Cheng Lulu was stunned—Jiang Yuanmu showing up at their shop was like the sky falling.
Not only was Cheng Lulu surprised, but Mo Lin was also taken aback.
At 10 AM on a weekday, Jiang Yuanmu materialised outside of his workplace? This was the first time in five years.
“Sorry to bother you.” Jiang Yuanmu walked in. “I thought about it all night and still want to talk to you as soon as possible.”
Mo Lin was stunned for a moment, then regained her composure and nodded, “Please come in.”
Cheng Lulu was utterly confused, her face wrinkled like a pumpkin. She looked at Mo Lin and then at Jiang Yuanmu. What was going on? Had she lost her memory? The last time she saw them, they were still interacting like a typical married couple.
What had happened in the past few days?
The shop was small, and the two of them sat at a small table inside. Cheng Lulu made two cups of tea for them. She originally wanted to sit beside Mo Lin to listen to the sensational gossip, but Jiang Yuanmu gave her a look.
Cheng Lulu touched her nose, wisely went behind the counter, and pretended not to be there, while stretching her ears to listen.
Mo Lin looked at Jiang Yuanmu and got straight to the point, “Regarding the divorce, Mr. Jiang, are your thoughts clear now?”
The term “Mr. Jiang” slightly irritated Jiang Yuanmu’s nerves. However, he remained composed and said, “Yes.” He also got straight to the point, pushing a document in front of Mo Lin, “I want to renew the contract.”
Mo Lin held her tea cup to warm her hands and looked at the A4 paper with the words “Renewal Agreement” written on it in large letters, her brows gradually furrowing.
Jiang Yuanmu had predicted Mo Lin’s reaction, but seeing her frown in reality, and then seeing her look up at him with a puzzled expression, stirred something in him. He was used to keeping a cold face, so no one could see any fluctuation in his emotions, not even Mo Lin.
Mo Lin voiced a question from the depths of her soul, “Why?”
“Because there is no reason for divorce.”
“The contract expired.”
“So I’m here to renew it.”
Mo Lin remained silent, thinking for a while. “Sorry, I have to point out the logical issue in your statement. Our divorce was an agreement made five years ago, which is the reason for the divorce. Unless there are realistic factors that necessitate renewing the contract, we don’t need to sign a renewal agreement at all. And so far, I haven’t heard such a reason, so I believe your request is unreasonable.”
Mo Lin pushed the renewal agreement back towards Jiang Yuanmu, “I refuse to renew.”
Jiang Yuanmu glanced at the agreement on the table, then looked back at Mo Lin. Mo Lin stared back, unflinching.
Their gazes met in the air.
On the side, Cheng Lulu watched the two of them, covering her mouth in tension. The atmosphere was so heavy that she didn’t dare to breathe.
“I believe I should spend the rest of my life with you, and no one else will do,” Jiang Yuanmu said. “That’s why I must renew. Do you accept that?”
Mo Lin was stunned, and it took a while for her to remember to blink, her eyes becoming dry. She blinked several times, and her stiff brain finally started working again.
She didn’t rush to answer and took a sip of tea.
“Mr. Jiang,” she said, clearing her throat, “This is your reason for renewing, not mine.” She looked up and met Jiang Yuanmu’s gaze again. “I do not accept it.”
Deep down, Mo Lin admitted that Jiang Yuanmu might be the man who could get along best with her in this world. But this marriage…
Absolutely, must, divorce.
