Did My Wife Break Up With Me Today? - Chapter 100

Chapter 100: Extra IF Line — If Kongqing Had Never Lost His Memory

Chen Kongqing never expected that seeing Xu Jingmo again would happen like this.

He was wearing nothing but a pair of boxers and flip-flops, and he hadn’t even bothered to fix his hair after waking up. He must look so… messy.

His first instinct was to dodge, not daring to meet Xu Jingmo’s gaze. But then he thought: It’s been so many years. He’s probably forgotten me long ago. He might not even recognize me. Why am I so nervous?

Kongqing lowered his head further.

“Kongqing-er, eat this. You like beef, right?” Gao Tianyou ran over with grilled beef skewers. “Try it, quick.”

“Oh… okay.” He turned around and took the plate, his mind a foggy mess, unable to process anything.

“What’s wrong? Is the sun too strong? Did you get heatstroke?” Gao Tianyou looked at him with concern. “Why don’t you go rest in the tent for a bit? Get away from the grill.”

It was a rare weekend off, and Gao Tianyou had organized this camping and BBQ trip. Before they had even started eating, he noticed Kongqing looked off.

Kongqing stared at his plate before slowly looking up and shaking his head. “No, I’m not overheated.” He couldn’t resist sneaking a glance toward where Xu Jingmo was sitting. He had to confirm: Is it really him? Or am I just seeing things?

Just then, Xiao Ding, who was fishing by the pond, came running back. “We caught a huge one! Someone come help carry it!”

“Seriously?!” Gao Tianyou, a perpetual unlucky fisherman, couldn’t sit still. He patted Kongqing’s shoulder. “Kongqing-er, watch the stuff. We’ll be right back.”

“Okay,” Kongqing nodded. “Go ahead.”

…

Once they left, Kongqing stared at the steaming beef skewers. He had no appetite. Suddenly, he heard a sound—the crunch of grass under shoes.

His body reacted before his brain did. Still holding his plate, he turned around. The man who had been sitting on the leisure chair was now standing right in front of him, barely a meter away.

He looked up and met those phoenix eyes—the eyes that were almost exactly as they were in his memory, only steadier and more reserved now. His breath hitched.

“Chen Kongqing,” Xu Jingmo spoke slowly. His dark pupils were a swirling vortex of emotions. His voice was steady, but if one listened closely, there was an uncontrollable tremor of restraint.

Kongqing didn’t know how to react. Over the years, he had fantasized about this reunion countless times. He’d imagined punching this heartless man or cursing him out. But now, he couldn’t say a word. All those years of longing turned into silence and a half-step backward.

Seeing him retreat, Xu Jingmo’s expression stiffened.

“Do you still remember me?” Xu Jingmo’s Adam’s apple bobbed.

The question made Kongqing flare up with anger. Remember you? How could you even ask that? His knuckles turned white from gripping the plate.

“What’s the point of remembering?” He turned and ducked into the tent.

Inside, his heart was drumming like crazy. He was worried Xu Jingmo would follow him—and worried he wouldn’t. After a while, the group returned with the fish, cheering and shouting for him to come look.

Kongqing ran out, but his eyes weren’t on the fish. He scanned the area. The leisure chair was empty. He was gone.

Kongqing felt like a deflated balloon. He forced himself to laugh and chat with his friends, but bitterness gnawed at him. After all these years, he just left? Was I the only one who cared?

He was furious and heartbroken. He ended up downing a large bottle of beer to numb the feeling. By the time the sun set, he was tipsy. Since he lived alone in a rented apartment to keep his cat, he wasn’t going the same way as the others.

“I’ll just catch a cab at the intersection,” Kongqing told Gao Tianyou, refusing a ride. “I’m fine!”

The night wind in Kunming blew away some of the heat. Kongqing felt dizzy. He leaned against a tree, trying to steady himself. Why can’t I stop thinking about him? I drank to forget! What’s the point of remembering? He already left.

He squeezed his hand into a fist against the bark. As he pushed himself off to head for the road, a tall figure appeared again.

Xu Jingmo was blocking his path.

“Where do you live?” Xu Jingmo asked. He reached out as if to support the flushing Kongqing but stopped himself. “I’ll drive you back.”

“Why are you still here?” Kongqing wanted to say “it’s none of your business,” but his heart was too soft.

“Waiting for you.” Xu Jingmo’s voice was thick. “You do remember me, don’t you?”

Kongqing looked at him with alcohol-glazed eyes. “I don’t. Is that what you want to hear?”

“I know you do.” A trace of relief crossed Xu Jingmo’s brow. “You’ve had too much to drink. Let me take you home.”

Kongqing bit his lip. “What about you? Do you remember me?”

“Of course…” Xu Jingmo’s voice rose with emotion before he checked himself. “Of course I remember you.”

They stood in a stalemate until the wind picked up. “The wind will give you a headache,” Xu Jingmo urged. “Cabs are hard to find here. Please.”

Kongqing looked at him with his beautiful willow-leaf eyes. Five seconds later, he muttered, “Where’s your car? I don’t want to walk anymore.”

…

Inside the car, the long-lost scent of Earl Grey tea and the sound of someone else’s breathing filled the space. Kongqing pretended to sleep, leaning his head against the window. He was painfully awake.

When they reached his apartment, Xu Jingmo spoke softly. “Xiaoman, we’re here.”

Kongqing’s heart ached at the name. He’d heard it so clearly. He tried to sit up but winced—his neck had cramped from leaning too long.

“Did you get a cramp? Let me—” Xu Jingmo reached out but retracted his hand.

Kongqing rubbed his neck and frowned. “Don’t call me that anymore.”

The car fell into a dead silence. Kongqing reached for the door handle, but with a click, Xu Jingmo locked the doors.

“What are you doing? Open the door,” Kongqing snapped.

“Give me your contact information,” Xu Jingmo said calmly, taking out his phone.

“No. Open the lock.”

“I won’t,” Xu Jingmo said firmly. “I’m not letting you walk away like this again.”

“I wasn’t the one who walked away back then!” Kongqing shouted, his anger boiling over. “You were the one who left! How can you blame me?”

Silence returned.

“I’m sorry,” Xu Jingmo said quietly, avoiding Kongqing’s watery eyes.

Kongqing froze. He had been so angry, but that one “sorry” drained the fight out of him. With a click, the doors unlocked. Xu Jingmo looked down. “Sorry, Xia—” He cut himself off, remembering the earlier rebuke.

Kongqing pursed his lips. He opened the door and stepped out, but then he paused and sat back down, staring straight through the windshield. “What do you want my contact info for?”

“To… to contact you.”

“Do you even want to?”

“I’ve always wanted to. I just couldn’t find you. I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”

Kongqing looked away, pulled out his phone, and opened his QR code. He held it out without looking at Xu Jingmo. Xu quickly scanned it.

Kongqing retracted his phone and stepped out for real this time.

“Remember to… accept the request,” Xu Jingmo called out.

Kongqing stood by the car door and said airily, “Depends on my mood.”