Chapter 1
The nurse looked awkward for a second, then said nothing more.
At the edge of my vision, Ji Yan looked silently toward me.
Beside him, Cheng Shu suddenly widened her eyes.
“Oh, I remember now.”
“You graduated from University A too, didn’t you? We were in the same class.”
“I’m Cheng Shu, and this is Ji Yan. Do you remember us?”
In college, their names had always come up together.
Whenever people ranked the best-looking couples, those two had been miles ahead of everyone else.
It was hard to forget them.
I gave a slow nod.
“I remember.”
Cheng Shu said,
“I’m sorry. I’ve just come back to China, and I’m not used to the traffic here. I didn’t mean to hit you.”
I was sitting on a bench, waiting for my test results.
“It’s all right.”
She sat down too and started making conversation.
“I just heard you say you’re getting divorced?”
With one hand tucked into his trouser pocket, Ji Yan was watching me as well.
I nodded again.
Cheng Shu sighed.
“You really have to be careful about marriage. There are so many awful people out there now.”
She looked up at Ji Yan, her voice teasing.
“Hey, I heard you’re still single.”
“Were you afraid of choosing the wrong person, or have you been waiting for me all this time?”
Before Ji Yan could answer,
the nurse came back to tell me my results were ready.
“A minor fracture. I’d recommend a week’s rest.”
The doctor printed out the paperwork. “Pick up your medicine downstairs.”
Cheng Shu fetched it for me.
“Ji Yan drove here. Since you can’t walk easily, why don’t we take you home?”
Logically, I should have accepted.
It was about to rain outside. Limping home on my own could leave me in a miserable state.
But my worthless pride won out.
I thought I would rather let the rain soak my wound raw
than sit in that car I knew all too well
and watch Ji Yan and Cheng Shu get back together.
So I came up with an excuse.
“It’s okay. I’ve called a friend to pick me up.”
Ji Yan spoke, addressing me for the first time since we had met that day.
“Tell him to go home.”
“Wouldn’t it be quicker if I took you?”
I kept my eyes down and answered politely,
“He’s already on his way.”
Ji Yan idly swung his car keys.
He watched me as if he had seen through something.
Cheng Shu nodded.
“All right, then. Be careful.”
She linked her arm through Ji Yan’s.
“Come to the supermarket with me. I’ve just got back, and I need so many everyday things.”
Ji Yan slowly looked away.
He turned with the tug on his arm and left with Cheng Shu.
A few minutes later, a new message appeared on my phone.
[Husband: We’re in the process of getting divorced?]
That name felt distinctly ironic at that moment.
I didn’t reply. I changed his contact name to his full name instead.