France

The next morning, Felix was gone.

I grabbed my phone and was about to message him when I saw the screen.

It was my chat with the divorce lawyer.

Bad.

Very bad.

I jumped out of bed and called Felix.

Busy.

He would not dare block me, right?

I changed clothes at record speed and ran to his university.

No one.

Then his company.

The receptionist smiled and called me Boss Lady.

I searched his office.

Empty.

Several vice presidents were startled by me.

“Where is your boss?”

They looked confused.

“President Cheng followed a domestic business delegation to France this morning.”

I froze.

A small flame rose in my chest.

I checked flights and was about to book when I got a call that my mother was hospitalized.

Not serious, but sudden.

I could not leave.

While caring for my mother, I called and messaged Felix whenever I had time.

He decided to be a turtle hiding in its shell.

He answered everyone else’s calls.

Not mine.

When talking to my mother, the moment he heard my voice, he hung up.

My hair nearly stood upright.

Yao Jin learned Felix ran and dragged me out of his house.

“That dead green tea. If he left, he left.”

“You said it. The next one will be better.”

“I have plenty of muscle men. They’ll absolutely satisfy you.”

She showed me her phone.

“All here. Every type. Choose.”

I looked through them.

Tall, short, mature, young, pure, forbidden.

Everything.

But none of them were Felix.

“You’re hopeless,” Yao Jin said, angry.

Then she took me to a movie to distract me.

“This is the blockbuster you mentioned?” I pointed at the giant animal poster outside the theater.

Yao Jin scratched her nose.

“It’s still a movie.”

“And I’m in it.”

“Also, my character is exactly like your green-tea husband. So much tea.”

It was indeed green tea.

But after watching, I missed Felix even more.

I poked my phone like it was his face.

“Felix Cheng, if you don’t answer, I’m going to be angry.”

Yao Jin sighed.

“You really are hopeless.”

Even the sharp-tongued cousin came to apologize.

“Sister-in-law, I didn’t mean it. Felix told the family about my dating first.”

“He bullied me first.”

Then, afraid I would feel sad, she added,

“But don’t worry. My cousin is pure.”

“Not everyone can endure his love brain and green-tea energy.”

“The first love was fake.”

“You are his only first love.”

I sighed.

Then buried myself in caring for my mother and writing.

But I was so annoyed I could not write a word.

My mother got tired of me holding my phone and sighing all day.

She threw me out.

“You’re too gloomy.”

“Don’t come back unless you coax Felix properly.”

Freedom arrived unexpectedly.

Same-day tickets were expensive.

I was hesitating whether to wait until the next day when my phone received a photo.

Sister-in-law, look quickly. If you don’t come, Felix will be carried home by other women.

In the photo, Felix was surrounded by circles of women.

Some had already started touching him.

If I could tolerate this, I would be a ninja turtle.

I immediately booked the nearest flight.

After landing, I went straight to the destination.

The moment I entered the restaurant, I saw Felix sitting among women, holding his phone and smiling.

Still smiling?

Guts fattened, has he?

I stormed over, ready to teach this married man what marital virtue meant.

Then I heard his proud voice.

“Look. This is my wife. Isn’t she beautiful?”

“My wife is the most, most, most beautiful girl in the world.”

“The best to me too.”

“She’s like gold thrown into a pile of stones. Shining. I saw her at first glance.”

“You can look, but don’t fall in love with her.”

“And don’t try to steal her.”

“She’s mine alone.”

After a long stream of words, Felix kissed the photo and pressed it to his chest like treasure.

The smile on his face was overflowing with love.

I saw the photo clearly.

I was silent.

“I understand the logic,” I said, “but why are you using a black-and-white photo of me?”

Felix lifted his hazy eyes.

“Why does that voice sound exactly like my wife?”

We stared at each other.

I slowly sat across from him.

“Felix Cheng, is it fun to answer everyone’s calls except mine?”

When he realized it was really me, Felix froze.

Then he threw away his phone and rushed into my arms.

“Wife, I missed you so much.”

“Can we not divorce?”

“I’ll give you everything. Whatever you want, I’ll satisfy.”

“Can we not divorce?”

I did not answer.

I brought him out of the restaurant.

Back at the hotel, I tried to peel him off me like sticky plaster.

“No divorce. No divorce.”

“I don’t want to divorce.”

“If you make me divorce, I’ll die.”

Unable to pull him off, I finally slapped his head.

“Who said we’re divorcing?”

“Who said that? I’ll kill them.”

Felix covered his head and froze.

After a long while, he asked carefully,

“Really not divorcing?”

“Say it again and we divorce when we get back.”

Felix immediately shut up.

At midnight, while I slept soundly, he suddenly sat up and shook me awake.

“Wife, really not divorcing?”

Annoyed, I slapped his head again.

“So irritating. Can’t even sleep peacefully. We’ll divorce when we get back.”

Silence lasted a moment.

Then Felix hugged me, blanket and all.

“No divorce.”

“Beat me to death and I still won’t.”