After the Divorce, My Ex-Wife Regrets It Deeply - Chapter 1

A cold front had arrived, and the temperature plummeted ten degrees.

Fierce, biting winds whipped raindrops against every disheveled pedestrian. Beneath the heavy downpour, vehicles sped by, everyone rushing to the sanctuary of home.

Lu Yao stood in the lobby, staring incessantly through the glass doors at the world outside.

She hesitated, unsure of whether she should step out.

The airport could provide a brief refuge, but things would only get more difficult once darkness fell. Unable to find a solution, Lu Yao gripped her phone tightly, her gaze drifting into a vacant stare.

Whenever she was lost, she would start to daze, her mind wandering aimlessly.

Time passed quickly that way; though it served no practical purpose, it kept the fear at bay.

After a few minutes, someone came to retrieve her.

The person emerged from the rain, carrying the damp, chilly scent of the storm. Lu Yao looked up and met the newcomer’s eyes. Sensing the other woman’s displeasure, Lu Yao quickly lowered her head again.

“Let’s go back.”

“Mhm.”

Truly having nothing to say, Lu Yao could only drag her suitcase behind the other woman.

The atmosphere was awkward—or perhaps only she felt that way. Lu Yao stole a glance at Luo Yueming’s back. The woman was still wearing a crisp business suit; it seemed she had come to pick her up in the middle of work.

Logically, Lu Yao should have felt grateful. At the very least, she wouldn’t have to spend the night at the airport. Yet, it was difficult to summon such an emotion.

She wanted to hide away instead.

Once they were in the car, Luo Yueming habitually turned on the heater. The lingering chill on Lu Yao’s skin was quickly chased away by the warm air, making her feel much better.

As for Luo Yueming, she likely didn’t feel the cold.

Luo Yueming glanced at her through the rearview mirror. “Why didn’t you call?”

Lu Yao kept her head down, showing the other woman only the top of her head and a sliver of her smooth forehead. “…My phone was low on battery.”

An excuse.

Luo Yueming had no intention of pressing the matter. She simply nodded, gripped the steering wheel, and started the car.

The car plunged into the rain with a sense of desperate abandon, much like the way she had married Luo Yueming years ago.

Lu Yao didn’t want to talk, and with nothing to do, she leaned her body against the car window. She watched the torrential rain outside and the skyscrapers flashing by, doing anything to avoid looking at the person in the driver’s seat.

If this had happened three years ago, it would have been unimaginable.

Back then, she had loved Luo Yueming so much that a mere stolen glance was enough to make her heart overflow with happiness, fueling sweet dreams late into the night. Those days were simple and filled with joy.

The drive was long. Leaning against the window, Lu Yao felt herself drifting off.

Coming to a red light, Luo Yueming inadvertently glanced at the rearview mirror while waiting. Seeing the person in the backseat nodding off, her head dipping lower and lower, she quickly and coldly retracted her gaze.

When the car finally pulled into the garage, Lu Yao woke up.

I think I have a fever, she thought.

The temperature drop had been too sudden. She had been dressed lightly when she boarded the plane, and upon landing, she had shivered uncontrollably. Even though she had put on a coat shortly after, she had still caught a cold.

Lu Yao’s chest felt heavy, her nose was congested, and her forehead burned.

She saw Luo Yueming open the car door and, after a brief pause, followed her out.

The luggage was in the trunk. Lu Yao hadn’t brought much with her this time.

“It’s late today. Tomorrow,” Luo Yueming said.

“Mhm.”

Lu Yao gave a stiff response and stood dazed for a moment. In that short time, Luo Yueming had already walked quite a distance, forcing Lu Yao to hurry after her.

In the elevator, Luo Yueming glanced at her but said nothing as she pressed the button for the doors to close.

When they exited the elevator, it was again Luo Yueming who opened the door to the apartment.

Upon entering, the place felt exceptionally desolate, as if no one had lived there for a long time. Luo Yueming flicked on the lights. Lu Yao saw the key she had left behind when she moved out still sitting on the entryway cabinet, unmoved.

She lowered her eyelashes, hiding her thoughts.

Don’t soften your heart.

Continuing like this won’t be good for you.

Lu Yao reminded herself over and over. Luo Yueming had already walked to the sofa and taken off her blazer. It was only then that Lu Yao noticed the other woman was actually wearing less than she was.

“Go take a shower first.”

Luo Yueming leaned back on the sofa, replying to messages on her phone.

Lu Yao didn’t stand on ceremony. She desperately needed a hot shower and a good night’s sleep.

The bathroom was exactly as it had been when she left, unchanged.

The body wash and essential oils she had bought were still in their original places, their weight the same. They hadn’t been touched in a month.

Does Luo Yueming not shower for an entire month?

Lu Yao frowned, forcing herself not to overthink. She took a comfortable, hot shower, changed into slightly thicker clothes, and then went to the living room cabinet to find the medicine box. She popped two cold pills and swallowed them with warm water.

After finishing, Lu Yao let out a long sigh of relief, only to realize that Luo Yueming was still on the living room sofa.

Luo Yueming had fallen asleep right there on the sofa, her blazer draped carelessly over her body. She was very quiet.

Lu Yao had seen this scene many times before. Usually, it happened after Luo Yueming returned home from working day and night; she would be too exhausted to make it to the bedroom and would just crash wherever she could.

Acting so recklessly with her health was bound to lead to illness, so Lu Yao would always help her back to the bedroom and tuck her in.

Even the medicine box in the living room had been prepared by her for Luo Yueming’s sake.

The living room lights were still on. As the light hit Luo Yueming’s face, Lu Yao walked over to carefully observe this person who even frowned in her sleep.

The name “Luo Yueming” was well-chosen. She truly was like a bright moon on a high platform—elegant, distant, and clear.

She was the “white moonlight” in Lu Yao’s heart.

Lu Yao fought to steady her trembling voice, attempting to wake her up with a cold tone. Her voice was a bit soft, and even after calling several times, she couldn’t wake the woman.

With her eyes closed, the dark circles under Luo Yueming’s eyes were glaringly obvious. Lu Yao pinched the edge of her sleeve, feeling a surge of irritation in her heart.

Fine, ignore her.

Lu Yao fled back into her bedroom. The room was shrouded in darkness, the sky outside was thick with clouds, and the heavy rain continued to patter against the window. Lu Yao’s heart raced; to her ears, the sound of the rain felt like a death knell.

It was cold. It was only seven degrees today, and the person sleeping on the sofa was wearing only thin clothing.

Lu Yao gave a weak, weary smile, pretending not to care as she went to charge her phone.

She hadn’t lied; her battery really was low.

Not long after she plugged in the charging cable, her mother called. The crisp ringtone echoed several times before Lu Yao finally swiped to answer. After a few seconds, her mother’s voice rang out: “Yaoyao, did you find a hotel?”

When she first landed, her mother had sent a text asking about her. The weather forecast had predicted a major rainstorm in this city, and her mother was worried she’d have no one to pick her up.

At the time, Lu Yao had said she would wait for the rain to let up before leaving the airport to find a hotel.

Who would have thought that she would actually be picked up?

Lu Yao sighed softly.

Her mother’s voice turned frantic. “What is it? Did you not find a hotel, or could you not get a car? Don’t worry about the money. Quickly find a driver on an app—those ride-hailing apps you young people use.”

“Mom, don’t worry.” Lu Yao didn’t even know what tone of voice she was using to squeeze out those words.

“I have a place to stay.”

“Why didn’t you say so sooner! Honestly, child!”

Her mother breathed a sigh of relief and began to nag. She was about to say something harsh but seemed to catch herself, softening her voice instead. “Don’t overthink things. Once the divorce is finalized, just come home. Your father and I will take care of you.”

Struggling with her illness, Lu Yao’s emotions were easily triggered; her eyes welled up instantly.

Yes, tomorrow was the day she and Luo Yueming were to get divorced.

A month ago, Lu Yao had asked Luo Yueming for a divorce. The other woman had only been silent for a few minutes before agreeing. It was so effortless. Had it not been for the mandatory cooling-off period, she and Luo Yueming would likely have severed all ties by now.

After Luo Yueming agreed to the divorce, Lu Yao had packed her things and moved out as quickly as possible.

She didn’t have many friends in this city and didn’t know where to stay, so she had aimlessly traveled for a month.

“I should be home in a few days,” Lu Yao said, her voice trembling.

This place was no longer her home. Now, only the place where her parents were could be called home.

“Good, good, good.” Her mother repeated her approval several times and gave many more instructions. It wasn’t until Lu Yao began to lose her energy that her mother finally hung up, telling Lu Yao to sleep well and that tomorrow’s matters would be handled tomorrow.

Given Lu Yao’s personality, she usually would have overthought things tonight and been unable to sleep.

But because of the cold, she surprisingly fell asleep easily.

When she woke up the next day, her head felt heavy. It felt as if a massive weight were pressing down on her brain, making the simple act of getting out of bed agonizingly difficult.

She managed to force herself up. Opening the door, she found that Luo Yueming was still in the living room, though she was already awake and had changed her clothes, her black hair loosely tied back.

Luo Yueming gave Lu Yao a nonchalant glance. Having slept on the sofa all night, she appeared completely unfazed.

Lu Yao dragged her heavy steps forward. “Let’s go.”

“Aren’t you going to eat breakfast?”

Lu Yao froze at the question. She wanted to say there was nothing in the kitchen. Proposing the divorce was something she had planned for a long time; to move out quickly, she had started preparing days in advance.

She had cleaned the house thoroughly, which was why she could tell so easily that no one had lived there for a month.

Before she could speak, Luo Yueming pointed a slender finger toward the coffee table. Lu Yao followed her gaze and realized that Luo Yueming had already bought breakfast.

Luo Yueming had already eaten; what remained was Lu Yao’s portion—a bowl of plain congee and a bun.

That was it. It looked quite meager.

Lu Yao was silent for a moment. She didn’t refuse, sitting down quietly to eat. While she ate, Luo Yueming went to the balcony to take a call. Snippets of the conversation drifted to Lu Yao’s ears; though she wasn’t intentionally listening, she gathered that the person on the other end was urging Luo Yueming to return to the office early.

This woman… she couldn’t even be bothered to take a day off for her own divorce.

Lu Yao slowed her pace of eating. Regardless, she didn’t have a job and wasn’t in a hurry.

Having finished her call, Luo Yueming waited patiently for Lu Yao to finish her breakfast. No matter how much Lu Yao dragged it out, there came a point where she was done.

After eating, her stomach was full, but her heart felt hollow.

She was used to Luo Yueming’s coldness. Luo Yueming was naturally devoid of sentiment, treating everyone with the same indifference. Because of this, Lu Yao had no unrealistic delusions. However, three years of marriage had eroded her deeply. The current Lu Yao was like a shell whose interior had been hollowed out by insects.

And yet, over those three years, some habits had rubbed off on Luo Yueming.

She wondered if Luo Yueming had noticed. The old Luo Yueming would never have waited by the side while Lu Yao finished her meal.