C12 Isn't It Always Okay to Get Married

Lu Yao thought about how foolish she had been. How could a man who did not love her want her children? Looking back, it was fortunate that they did not have a child, thanks to her unsuccessful plans. She did not want to raise a child in a broken home.

"I'm worried that it's not enough. I wrote you two and a half million." Xiang Dongnan took out a cheque and gave it to Lu Yao.

Lu Yao did not hesitate this time and took it from him immediately. Looking at the cheque, she took out a pen and paper from her bag and wrote an IOU for Xiang Dongnan. "Dongnan, I will try my best to return the entire sum to you within a year."

"It's not much more than a small amount of money to me, I promise you," Xiang Dongnan said, refusing to take the IOU. "Besides, I'd be helping my teacher. When you have the means to do so, you can repay me. There's no need to do it in a hurry."

"No. If you don't accept this IOU, then I won't borrow the money," Lu Yao said firmly, pushing the cheque back to him.

Xiang Dongnan sighed at her insistence. He folded the note and put it in his pocket. "All right, I'm taking it, but any interest is out of question."

Lu Yao was about to protest, but Xiang Dongnan interrupted her, saying only half-jokingly, "If you're so determined, why don't you teach Tian Tian how to read in your free time? Treat it as compensation for the interest. She says that she doesn't want to go to kindergarten!"

Lu Yao thought about it for a moment. "All right. I used to be good at studying, so maybe it's not a bad idea."

"That's true. After all, you were the first person in the province to get into Peking University!" Xiang Dongnan laughed.

Lu Yao was grateful to Xiang Dongnan for lending her the money. She wanted them to have a meal together, but before they could order anything, Xiang Dongnan received a call from his office. His staff was asking him to come at once. "Let's have dinner next time. I have to rush back now."

"It's all right, Dongnan, you should attend to your work," Lu Yao said with understanding.

After watching Xiang Dongnan leave with Tian Tian, Lu Yao also left the cafe. She went to the supermarket to buy vegetables. When she reached the apartment, she was surprised to see Shao Yunchen's car in front of the building. He was leaning against the hood of the car, his face dark.

"Why are you here?" Lu Yao stopped some distance away from him. She regretted telling Shao Yunchen the address of the apartment that she had rented for her mother.

Shao Yunchen turned his head and spotted Lu Yao, his jaw clenching. He strode forward and asked in a quiet but accusatory tone, "Why did you pack your clothes and leave?"

"That's your house. I don't want to live there anymore. Besides, my mom doesn't sleep well these days, so I came to take care of her."

"And what is this?" he asked, waving a bunch of papers in her face. The unmistakable words 'Divorce Form' were written on top in bold letters. Shao Yunchen looked and sounded like he was on edge. "What's going on in your head?"

He had been too busy in office today. By the time he was done with work, he realized that it was already afternoon.

He assumed that Lu Yao got discharged from the hospital. On the way home, he went to buy some food. The house was eerily quiet when he unlocked it. Not a sound could be heard.

It was only when he entered the bedroom and saw the empty cupboards that he realized that Lu Yao had left. She had taken all her belongings with her. Only two coats remained in the closet. On the bedside table was an application for mutual divorce signed by Lu Yao.

For reasons he did not understand, he started to panic. He was not even sure why Lu Yao would do such a thing.

Had they not been going just fine in their marriage these three years?

He remembered quickly dialing Lu Yao's number, not knowing if she had already blacklisted him. He called a few times but no one answered. In frustration, he had kicked the wardrobe doors. Usually, he never lost control on his temper easily.

When he regained his composure, Shao Yunchen remembered that Lu Yao had given him the address of the house she had rented for her mother. He went to the drawer to look for it. After finding the slip of paper, he drove straight to Mrs. Lu's house. He did not know which floor she lived on, so he just waited at the gate downstairs.

"As you can see," Lu Yao glanced at the divorce papers and continued calmly, "I want to divorce you."

"Lu Yao!" Her calm eyes exasperated Shao Yunchen. How was she so unaffected? He reached out and grabbed her wrist. The bag in Lu Yao's hand fell down and vegetables spilled all over the ground. "It's not even four years yet," he muttered. "Why do you want a divorce right now?"

"I'm tired! I don't want to be with you, okay?" After a long and depressing day, Lu Yao had had enough. She exploded in anger, scowling at him. "It's been three years of a loveless marriage. Isn't it time we get a divorce? "

Before he could reply, Lu Yao asked him, "Shao Yunchen, did you ever love me?"