After the Divorce, My Ex-Wife Regrets It Deeply - Chapter 3

The door was pushed open with a soft “click.”

The living room was silent, save for a single lamp left on in the entryway, casting a faint orange glow.

Lu Yao changed her shoes stealthily and walked from the living room to the bedroom she had occupied the night before. Her suitcase sat by the bed, positioned as if ready for its owner to take it away at a moment’s notice.

She stood there in a daze for a while before finally dragging the suitcase toward the door. Just as she was about to leave, she thought of something, turned back, and took a fresh mask from the cabinet.

“She won’t mind if I take one of her masks, right?” Lu Yao murmured to herself.

Whether she minded or not didn’t really matter. Lu Yao put the mask on and tucked the one Luo Yueming had given her into her pocket.

With that done, she walked back to the door. Just as she was about to step out, the phone in her pocket began to vibrate.

Lu Yao pulled out her phone; it was a WeChat message from Jiang Yunyun.

Lu Yao lowered her eyes.

Jiang Yunyun was a friend she had met during university. Unlike Lu Yao, who was naturally introverted, gentle, and obedient, Jiang Yunyun’s way of doing things could only be described with one word: flamboyant.

Aside from when she was sleeping, this person couldn’t stay still for a single second.

According to her, if she didn’t speak to someone for over an hour, it was definitely because she was too anxious and needed to see a psychiatrist—Lu Yao didn’t understand it, but she never went out of her way to argue.

After all, Lu Yao was someone who could go days without speaking.

In short, Jiang Yunyun was passionate about making friends, and combined with her blunt personality, she was quite conspicuous at school.

Lu Yao, on the other hand, kept an extremely low profile, living a life that moved strictly between two points. Even though they were roommates, they barely spoke a few words to each other during the day, let alone becoming friends.

That was until Jiang Yunyun accidentally discovered that Lu Yao had a “white moonlight”—a secret, idealized love—hidden in her heart.

“Oh~”

Nothing brings two people together faster than gossip. Just like that, Jiang Yunyun and Lu Yao became close friends and remained in contact even after graduation.

She had also attended the wedding to Luo Yueming. By then, Jiang Yunyun had become Lu Yao’s best friend, and as a result, she found Luo Yueming disagreeable in every possible way and had many opinions about her.

She had even advised Lu Yao not to get married.

Unfortunately, Lu Yao was headstrong, and no one could persuade her otherwise.

Because of a certain lingering shame, Lu Yao had rarely contacted Jiang Yunyun during her three years of marriage.

Now, seeing the message Jiang Yunyun had sent, Lu Yao hesitated for a moment before finally tapping it open.

Jiang Yunyun: It’s been ages. Want to go out for a meal?

Lu Yao: Okay.

Jiang Yunyun: ???

Jiang Yunyun: You’re so easy to book today?

Lu Yao: I have something to tell you.

Jiang Yunyun: Fine, let’s pick a place later.

Lu Yao let out a long, ghostly sigh and shook her head, leaving Luo Yueming’s house in a daze.

The two of them agreed to meet at a restaurant. Lu Yao arrived early, while Jiang Yunyun was running late. She asked Lu Yao to order ahead of time. By the time the dishes were nearly all served, Jiang Yunyun arrived, carrying a newly purchased designer bag.

Lu Yao didn’t know much about brands, but she could tell that Jiang Yunyun’s mature, “big sister” style of dress was intentionally curated.

Jiang Yunyun sat down, took off her short wool coat, and looked at Lu Yao with great interest. “You look… different.”

Lu Yao looked down at her clothes but couldn’t see anything different.

Seeing Lu Yao’s confusion, Jiang Yunyun laughed. “I’ve been to this restaurant with colleagues before; the food is pretty good, though the prices are a bit steep. But don’t worry, today is my treat!”

Jiang Yunyun had a great personality and a wide social network; she had found a good job after graduation and had achieved a degree of financial freedom.

“Let me tell you, recently I—”

Lu Yao listened with a smile as Jiang Yunyun shared her recent life, responding occasionally. Once they had finished catching up, Jiang Yunyun shifted the topic. “How have you been lately?”

Lu Yao sighed softly. “I got a divorce.”

“Huh?” Jiang Yunyun’s eyes lit up, and she suddenly became excited. “You abandoned your white moonlight?”

“…Yes.”

Receiving Lu Yao’s confirmation, Jiang Yunyun’s expression became even more joyful, yet she found it hard to believe. “I thought… never mind. How much did Luo Yueming give you in the divorce? Don’t you dare say you didn’t take anything.”

Lu Yao froze slightly, her voice becoming dry. “She gave me everything.”

Jiang Yunyun’s expression was one of shock. “What?”

It was true; she had given it all to Lu Yao.

Initially, Luo Yueming hadn’t even wanted the house; it was only because Lu Yao insisted on refusing it that Luo Yueming kept it.

Originally, Lu Yao hadn’t wanted anything either, but her logic reminded her that after the divorce, Luo Yueming still had a great job that would provide a steady stream of income. Meanwhile, Lu Yao, who hadn’t worked for three years, would only face a life of hardship.

Lu Yao had finally, with a blushing face, asked for Luo Yueming’s savings. When she relented, her face had been burning.

Luo Yueming’s savings were substantial, nearly a million.

When she learned of this amount, Lu Yao was speechless. After covering the medical expenses for the elderly, their daily living costs, and buying a house, Luo Yueming had actually managed to save that much money in just three years.

She knew Luo Yueming had a good job, but in that moment, she truly understood the gap between them.

If it were her, she didn’t know how long it would take to save that much.

Lu Yao bit her lower lip softly. Saying this out loud made her feel ashamed.

She had taken a massive advantage of Luo Yueming.

Jiang Yunyun was still marveling at Luo Yueming’s generosity. She asked tentatively, “Then… what do you plan to do next? Are you going back to your parents?”

Lu Yao snapped out of her thoughts and shook her head. “I don’t plan on going back.”

Jiang Yunyun thought about it. “Fair enough. With that money, you can go anywhere to clear your head. Just enjoy yourself for a while.”

Lu Yao shook her head again. “I want to open a shop.”

Jiang Yunyun: “A shop?”

“Yes.” Lu Yao’s voice was as light as ever. “I have to find a way to support myself. No matter how much Luo Yueming gave me, there will be a day when it runs out. Instead of finding a job that doesn’t suit me later, I’d rather open a shop now. It’s more comfortable.”

Jiang Yunyun nodded; as long as Lu Yao had it figured out, it was fine.

Jiang Yunyun: “What about your parents? What do they say?”

Lu Yao sighed. “They keep urging me to come back early, but I really don’t want to.”

Jiang Yunyun could probably guess why.

Even if parents love their children, the pressure to get married is unavoidable.

The news that Lu Yao had decided to divorce Luo Yueming would likely make her parents overjoyed. They probably expected her to come back for a while before they arranged blind dates for her to enter her next marriage. Only then would her parents be truly at peace.

Lu Yao didn’t plan on getting married again.

Rather than having the headache of figuring out how to refuse her parents later, it was better to find a reason ahead of time.

“Good!” Jiang Yunyun slapped the table in satisfaction. “So, have you thought about what kind of shop to open?”

A flower shop, of course.

Opening a flower shop was an idea Lu Yao had since she was very young. She had a romantic and sensitive heart. She liked watching flowers bloom and watching them be taken away by people who loved them.

She liked every flower and the stories hidden beneath the smiles of those holding them.

Those stories would surely be better than the one she shared with Luo Yueming.

After dinner, Lu Yao returned to the hotel she had found temporarily.

She lay on the bed alone, thinking back to her month-long trip to the mountain city. For an entire month, she had lived in a hotel.

To save money, the hotels she found weren’t very good. In the tiny, cramped rooms, a single bed took up most of the space. Staying in those rooms always felt suffocating, as if she couldn’t even stretch her limbs.

Lu Yao hadn’t cared. The divorce had occupied her entire mind, leaving her in a daze all day.

During that month-long “divorce cooling-off period,” she had reflected repeatedly on her marriage to Luo Yueming.

There were times she felt regret, wanting to go back and pretend nothing had happened.

What would happen after the divorce was real?

That question had caused Lu Yao constant panic. She would lose Luo Yueming completely; she would have nowhere to go, becoming a wanderer.

When your entire life revolves around Luo Yueming, trying to peel yourself away is incredibly difficult.

Today didn’t seem much different from that month. Even with the divorce certificate in her bag, Lu Yao didn’t feel like it was real. Even now, she couldn’t help but wonder—I wonder what Luo Yueming is thinking right now.

Lu Yao tossed and turned on the bed, feeling miserable and unable to sleep.

When she finally drifted off, she had a dream.

She knew very clearly that this was a dream.

In the dream, she was trapped in an equipment room filled with clutter. The setting sun of dusk shone through the high windows. Her gaze naturally followed the light upward; the syrupy, golden glow of the sun made her squint involuntarily.

Aside from that window, there were only old bookshelves filled with books. The air smelled entirely of dust.

Moving backward, she saw the reason she was in this room.

A pile of teaching materials and tools that hadn’t been used in ages.

Lu Yao remembered; she had been asked by a teacher to return some items.

As it turned out, this room—and the entire building—was very old. Normally, no one ever came here.

She had carried the heavy box alone, and after struggling to set it down, a gust of wind had theatrically blown the door shut.

What else could she do but wait?

Lu Yao sat with her knees tucked against her chest beneath the bookshelf. She remembered she had been in a daze then, only occasionally wondering when a patrolling teacher would pass by, or if her parents would worry if she was late.

But now, Lu Yao knew this was a dream.

She knew what was going to happen next, so she didn’t space out or move. She simply waited quietly.

She didn’t understand why she was having this dream, or why her eyes were becoming hot and stinging.

The sound of footsteps came from outside the door.

Lu Yao looked up but made no other movement.

In her memory, she had plucked up the courage to call out for help.

The footsteps outside had paused for a moment before moving in another direction. She had been incredibly nervous until Luo Yueming opened the door.

The golden sunlight made even Luo Yueming look warm.

She had stared straight into Luo Yueming’s bright black pupils, her throat making a faint swallowing sound. That name had almost escaped her lips, but fortunately, the patrolling teacher had walked over, stopping Lu Yao’s impulse.

But now, in this dream.

Lu Yao didn’t call for help, yet the footsteps stopped on their own, as if the person already knew a hopeless fool was trapped inside.

Then, with a gentle push, the door opened with a “creak.”

Standing outside the door was the adult Luo Yueming, wearing a black silk shirt and a deep blue coat, as neat and orderly as ever.

She was even more striking than before.

Lu Yao’s eyes lingered greedily on her. Because she was dreaming, her gaze was brazening—especially since the divorce was finalized that day, she felt a sense of reckless abandon.

Lu Yao rushed forward, grabbed her collar, and kissed her.

Everything around them fell silent. Only Lu Yao’s soft, lingering movements on her lips remained.

Then she began to use force, as if trying to vent all her resentment and retaliation onto Luo Yueming’s lips.

A dream shouldn’t be this clear, and surrendering to it shouldn’t be a sin.

Luo Yueming’s brow gradually furrowed, and her lips unconsciously tightened.

That familiar coldness flooded Lu Yao’s heart once again. Her movements stiffened. After a long time… Lu Yao finally let go of Luo Yueming with a bitter smile, her eyes filled with mourning.

Even in a dream, one couldn’t have everything their way.

What was the point then?

Lu Yao slowly retracted her expression and called out: “Luo Yueming.”

That Luo Yueming stood there like a wooden post, completely unresponsive.

“Why do I even know your name? I’m so pathetic. I went to such lengths to ask people what your name was, yet I was terrified of being found out. I was afraid they’d know I liked you. I didn’t even dare to get close to you. Just secretly saying your name made my heart full of joy.”

It was no wonder Lu Yao was having this dream.

Originally, she would have been satisfied just knowing a name, but fate had insisted on bringing Luo Yueming into her life through a series of coincidences.

At that time, Luo Yueming had her in her sight. Even if Lu Yao was still an insignificant person to her, it had made Lu Yao’s chest so tight she couldn’t eat. She was the one who haunted her dreams.

Lu Yao’s eyes were bloodshot.

During her ignorant youth, she had imagined every possible scenario between them.

The only thing she never imagined was that they would marry, only for Lu Yao to end up losing so completely.