On November 13, 2023, an ordinary and heavy day, she and I will sign a divorce agreement in the court. I am Li Hui, an ordinary company employee, and my wife Yang Lin have been married for seven years.
01
As you can see, I am not a proud child, I come from an ordinary family and have a gentle personality, but I have always considered myself a responsible husband. Yang Lin, my wife, an energetic woman, she is a light in my life, but this light has gradually dimmed in the past two years until it disappears.
Our love story began in the playground of the university and bloomed in the common struggle after graduation, but it slowly lost its luster in the grinding of ordinary life. The passage of time, the pressure of work, the trivialities of family, all of it slowly accumulates like fine sand in our love, and finally makes our relationship precarious.
In the eyes of friends and relatives, we are so right, so harmonious. However, only we know that it is only the tranquility on the surface, and the inner turmoil is already surging.
02
The decision to divorce does not happen overnight. Two years ago, Yang Lin proposed to separate, and I was in great pain, but I still respected her decision. I want to give each other some space, maybe time will heal everything. However, I was wrong. Rather than bringing us closer, separation allowed misunderstandings and suspicions to spread silently.
She said I wasn't responsible enough, and I said she was too selfish. Quarrels have become the main theme of our communication, and sweet memories have melted away little by little in the disputes.
03
Today, I asked her to eat at the old place, which was our favorite little restaurant before. It was perhaps our last meal as a couple. I think that even if it is over, I must give this marriage a decent curtain call.
She was ten minutes late, which made me a little anxious. She was wearing that familiar blue dress with her hair pulled up casually, which was my favorite look. I almost forgot the purpose of the day, and just stared at her blankly, a warmth welling up in my heart.
We ordered our all-time favourites – Kung Pao Chicken and Hot and Sour Shredded Potatoes. I tried to find a topic, but words seemed to lose their usefulness at this moment. We ate quietly, and there was an indescribable embarrassment and sadness in the air.
At the moment when Yang Lin picked up the chopsticks and picked up the first bite of the dish, her face suddenly turned pale, her eyes became hollow, and then her body fell on the table weakly.
I panicked and called an ambulance, my palms sweating all the way, and my heart beating like it was going to jump out of my chest. After my long call, Yang Lin finally woke up in the ambulance, but her eyes were full of panic and confusion.
Arriving at the hospital, doctors rushed her into the emergency room. The long corridor is unusually deserted and long. I sat in a chair in the hallway, the sweat from my palms dry, but replaced by indescribable anxiety and fear deep in my heart.
04
After a series of tests, the doctor came out and told me that Yang Lin had a transient syncope caused by excessive stress and exertion, and that it was fine. However, during the examination, it was unexpectedly discovered that she was six weeks pregnant.
This sudden news hit me like a thunderbolt from the blue. We've been separated for two years, and this kid obviously can't be mine. I was stunned, with mixed feelings in my head, not knowing what to do.
When Yang Lin woke up in the hospital bed and saw me, she seemed a little cramped and her eyes were evasive. I didn't ask about the child immediately, but I was concerned about her physical condition first.
05
The atmosphere between us suddenly became a little delicate. I knew that I should have asked, but on the other hand, I was afraid of what I would decide if I knew the truth.
Finally, after a period of silence, Yang Lin spoke, her voice trembling with a hint: "It's your child, Li Hui." ”
I was stunned, remembering the time before our separation two years ago, when we reconciled after an argument that was as passionate as it was in the first days of love. It's just that I didn't expect the result to be like this that night.
"I thought we would never have a future again, so I decided to raise this kid myself. She continued, her eyes welling up with tears.
06
On the hospital bench, I fell into deep contemplation. The emergence of a new life complicates all divorce decisions. I think of our good times, of her sweet sleep in my arms, of the courage we had to fight against the world together.
Do I still love her? I think I am, even though that love has been worn away by reality. But does the arrival of the child mean that we still have a chance to start again?
07
I proposed to remarry. For Yang Lin, this was an unexpected proposition. She didn't respond immediately, just looked at me quietly, her eyes glinting with a complicated light.
A few days later, we sat down in the same small restaurant, and she finally spoke: "I'm willing to give it a try, if you are willing to give me and the child a home." ”
08
Life is never all about going well, but it will always surprise you inadvertently. I don't know what the road ahead will be, but I know that no matter how bumpy the road ahead is, I am willing to face it hand in hand with Yang Lin. Our marriage may not be perfect, our love may have had cracks, but I believe that if we work together, it is possible for everything to get back on track.
09
The divorce agreement is now just an ordinary piece of paper, lying in a drawer, witnessing our first decision, but also laying out the possibility of rebirth. Yang Lin's body gradually recovered, and our relationship was slowly warming up, warming each other's hearts.
We started taking marriage counselling sessions to learn how to communicate better and how to deal with conflicts. We are also beginning to plan for the future together and prepare for the new life that is to come.
10
The arrival of the child is like a timely rain in spring, moistening our dry hearts. I watched Yang Lin's belly grow bigger day by day, and my heart was full of anticipation. For us, this child is a new beginning, an opportunity to mend the past and face the future together.
11
Time is like flowing water, and in the blink of an eye, the child is born. He has Yang Lin's eyes, the bridge of my nose, and every time he smiles, our world lights up. The arrival of children gives our lives a new focus and meaning, and makes us understand the true meaning of responsibility and love.
12
Now, I look at Yang Lin and the child sleeping peacefully, and my heart is full of gratitude. Be grateful for every turn in our lives, for every difficulty and challenge, because they allow us to grow and make us cherish everything we have now.
We may not have the same vigorous love as when we were younger, but we do have a deeper and warmer companionship. We know that as long as we are willing to support each other and move forward together, it is enough to make our lives colorful.
13
In this world, there is no perfect story, but sometimes, even the most unlikely ending can be around a corner, waiting for us. Yang Lin and I may be such a couple, we have found our own happiness between missing and reuniting.