Did My Ex-Wife Agree to Remarry Me Today? - Chapter 9

Chapter 9: The Stranger

“Sister Zhou, the cargo is close. You can head out now.”

Upon receiving news that the freighter was preparing to enter the port, Li Zhou closed the photo album having only swapped a few photos and returned it to its place. She braced her hands against the edge of the bed and stood up.

The album held a staggering two thousand photos; rearranging them according to her preference would be a massive undertaking. Li Zhou would have to set aside a free day to finish it.

She walked to the door and pulled it open. A sliver of warm yellow light spilled into the living room, narrowly avoiding the dog bed nestled against the wall by the doorway. Li Zhou paused, reaching back to switch off the bedroom light.

The fluffy puppy was sleeping in its tart-shaped bed, paws up in the air. It looked remarkably like a certain someone in a photo she had just seen—someone who had heard a joke, doubled over with laughter, and tumbled into a flowerbed with her limbs flailing.

The “moms” certainly knew how to capture a candid shot. One mother must have been worried about whether her daughter was hurt, while the other kept a steady hand on the communicator to record the moment. She had captured it as if time had frozen right at the second Chi Yun was upside down.

Li Zhou liked that photo very much; she had moved it to the front of the album without hesitation.

Crossing the living room with careful steps to avoid waking the pup, Li Zhou headed downstairs. She checked the truck’s battery, drove it out, and parked it by the road. She hopped down from the driver’s seat to lock the courtyard gate before leaving.

The sea breeze whipped her long hair; she brushed it aside. She secured the gate and snapped the lock shut. She moved with efficient, practiced movements, unwilling to waste time on trivialities.

Her neighbor, Ms. Wang, was shuffling toward her along the path, clutching a flashlight. Guessing the woman was looking for her, Li Zhou waited.

“Going out?” Ms. Wang asked as she approached. In her other hand, she held food meant for Li Zhou. The older generation still held to the philosophy: How can you function without eating?

“Yes,” Li Zhou replied simply.

“I won’t keep you long.” Ms. Wang tucked the flashlight into her pocket and began unfolding a layer of oil paper. “You won’t eat this, you won’t eat that… so I thought I’d make you a pancake. I used the leeks from your own garden, so don’t be shy.”

“That skateboard you made for A-Mei? She wants to sleep with it tonight. She’s watching TV right now, using the board as a blanket.”

The materials for the board had been collected by A-Mei herself, so Li Zhou didn’t feel she deserved much credit, but she accepted the pancake anyway. She hadn’t had much of an appetite, but the sight of the golden-brown crust changed that.

“Eat it while it’s hot before you drive,” Ms. Wang urged. “Visibility is poor at night, so drive slowly. Don’t be like that kid today—I thought she had debt collectors chasing her.”

The only person who had visited her today was Chi Yun. So, she was talking about Chi Yun?

“That was my ex-wife,” Li Zhou said.

“Your ex-wife?” Ms. Wang’s eyes widened, then she softened her gaze, muttering, “Doesn’t seem like it.”

The pancake was radiating heat, its savory aroma drifting into the air. Li Zhou felt a sudden hunger. Hearing Ms. Wang’s comment, she paused before taking a bite. “Doesn’t seem like what?”

“That kid today had such a well-behaved face…” Ms. Wang tried to reconcile the woman she’d seen with the Chi Yun she remembered from entertainment news. “She didn’t look like the one on TV. My back gate is hard to open, so I was there oiling the lock. Her car zoomed past and gave me a fright, so I yelled a bit. I guess I yelled too loud because she heard me; she actually turned the car around to come back and apologize.”

“I took a good look at her. She’s fair-skinned and sweet-talking, no arrogance at all. She even has dimples when she smiles. She explained she was in a rush, but she wasn’t speeding—the limit on that back road is quite high…”

Li Zhou felt like laughing. “She has many faces. Don’t let her looks deceive you.”

“True,” Ms. Wang clicked her tongue. “If she were truly a good kid, would you have divorced her? She must be two-faced.”

Li Zhou hadn’t meant that Chi Yun was two-faced in a malicious way just that her attitude shifted depending on who she was with. She thought about defending her, then remembered that her understanding of Chi Yun was mostly limited to her childhood.

The adult Chi Yun was a stranger to her. So, Li Zhou remained silent.

Ms. Wang didn’t say anything more either. The atmosphere settled into a brief lull until a short cry of “Grandma!” from A-Mei called Ms. Wang back to her own home.

“Remember to eat that pancake,” Ms. Wang said, turning to leave. “Don’t drive on an empty stomach. I have to go; my show is starting.”

“Okay,” Li Zhou whispered. Her long, pale fingers peeled back the oil paper, revealing the crispy, golden pancake. She took a bite.

The crust crunched, releasing the fresh fragrance of leeks. She ate slowly and gracefully. Li Zhou generally wasn’t interested in human food. As a tree—her true form planted in the courtyard of her ex-wife’s villa—she lived on sunlight, air, and dew. She didn’t need to eat to sustain her life.

However, during her years in human form, she occasionally ate. It was difficult to refuse a meal without appearing like an anomaly. She had adapted to the habit, eating when the mood struck her.

She had refused earlier because she was in a bad mood. She accepted it now, perhaps because her mood had slightly improved.

The truck sped along the coastal highway toward Jianghua.

By the time she reached the intersection at Shazhou Port, it was just past nine. Her appointment was for 9:30. She only needed to clear one more red light to enter the port. Even if the light was long, she wouldn’t be late.

The truck came to a steady halt behind the line. Li Zhou looked up at the countdown. With eighty seconds left, she shifted her gaze toward the commercial plaza near the port.

Beyond the plaza was the Bay Park sandy beaches and coconut trees, a popular spot for young people to watch the sunset. At night, it was crowded with people strolling and eating.

Li Zhou glanced at the plaza and quickly looked away. Disposable items were everywhere plastic bags, takeout boxes, and napkins “accidentally” left on the ground. Wherever there were humans, there was trash.

She turned her gaze toward the other side of the plaza. This side consisted of office buildings with few shops; it looked nearly deserted. A few lights flickered in the high-rises, suggesting that not many people were working overtime on a weekend.

However, the third floor of one building was brightly lit. It appeared to be a restaurant. To offer a better view of the sea, the restaurant featured tall, transparent glass windows.

Li Zhou’s eyes scanned the patrons from left to right. Suddenly, her gaze froze.

Of the two elegant women sitting by the window, one looked incredibly familiar. It was her ex-wife.

The other woman with long hair draped over her shoulders was a stranger. The two of them were talking and laughing, clearly enjoying each other’s company.

So, the “rush” Ms. Wang mentioned… was for this?

Li Zhou’s eyes darkened, a cold chill seeping into her gaze. Suddenly, the pancake in her stomach didn’t taste so good anymore.

She gripped the steering wheel tight. The moment the light turned green, she floored the accelerator and drove away.

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