On the Wedding Night, I Transmigrated to After the Divorce – Chapter 57
by Little PandaEscape or Not?
Choose Romance, Not Freedom
These past two days had been far too chaotic. With so much information to digest, Yu Yan had tossed and turned, only managing to fall asleep in the small hours of the morning. When she woke up the next morning, bathed in sunlight, she sleepily called out Lu Yu’s name. No one answered. Opening her eyes, she realized she was lying in a large, unfamiliar room. She still wasn’t used to it at all.
Where was Honey? The little cat who had slept with her last night was nowhere to be seen.
Sitting up, she glanced at the time. It was already almost noon.
There were messages from Lu Yu and Li Tong on her phone. Yu Yan chose to open Lu Yu’s chat box first.
Last night, utterly torn, she had turned to her bestie to brainstorm. Yet after going back and forth, the only choices left before her were to leave or not to leave. If she didn’t leave, she would stay. But if she did, how exactly would she do it?
Should she slip away in secret, or should she tell her directly and make a clean, hard break?
Her bestie didn’t have to work today and was asking how her decision was coming along.
Yu Yan didn’t want to face either option. She really couldn’t bear to make the woman sad, and she didn’t dare to imagine either scene.
She hadn’t come up with an answer at all.
Sigh! Her head hurt.
Not knowing what to say, she sent Lu Yu a mental breakdown sticker, then eagerly opened Li Tong’s chat box.
Li Tong: γI have a two-day weekend. Yanyan, do you want to come over to my place to play with the kittens?γ
Li Tong: γLast time you mentioned you wanted to eat Thai curry chicken. I bought the ingredients and put them in the fridge. I got the recipe from a Thai friend, so it shouldn’t taste bad.γ
Play with kittens!
Curry chicken!
Yu Yan’s eyes lit up instantly.
Her cousin had actually taken her casual remark to heart! Well, there was nothing strange about that; her cousin had always been so attentive and sweet.
Besides, every time Yu Yan left her place, she would hug her, tell her how much she’d miss her, and shower her with praise. She made sure to give her proper encouragement every single time, so of course she was bound to get more and more well-behaved.
She wanted to go so badlyβ¦
She wanted so badly to go accompany her cousin, and wanted so badly to play with her cousin’s kittens.
But she couldn’t. Fu-jiejie was definitely at home.
Yu Yan hadn’t spoken of leaving yet. For the time being, she wasn’t entirely a free woman, so she couldn’t go keep her company.
Was this the consequence of not having her freedom? She couldn’t even keep a woman company. It was absolute hell.
Reluctantly, Yu Yan declined her cousin’s invitation: γI’m so sorry, I have things to do these two days, so I can’t make it.γγFeelingPiteous jpg.γ
Li Tong: γOkayγ
Her cousin was definitely disappointed. Yu Yan really couldn’t bear to let her puppy be sad.
Yu Yan: γWaaaah, I want to go so badlyγ
Li Tong: γIt’s okay, I’m not going anywhere. Come over next timeγ
Yu Yan: γGive them some pats for me this time, Cousin! I’ll bring them presents next time~γ
Li Tong: γSure~γ
Yu Yan: γLoveYou jpg.γ
Li Tong: γPats jpg.γ
All set.
After washing up, Yu Yan headed downstairs in her pajamas. Seeing her from below, the little cat ran toward her with her tail held high, bounding up the stairs like a little rabbit. At this sight, Yu Yan’s heart practically melted. She squatted down and scooped the cat into her arms. Honey was truly massive, making it feel exactly like holding a toddler. She wanted to steal her away so badly!
“Awake?”
Yu Yan turned toward the voice. A pale green figure was busy in the kitchen. Wearing a bamboo-green slip nightgown, Fu Yunqing looked back and smiled softly at her. “It’s almost ready. Go play with Honey for a bit.”
Her long hair was swept up in a loose bun at the back of her head. From behind, she looked slender, poised, and warm. The side of the kitchen was flanked by a massive, bright window, showcasing a vibrant city under a cloudless sky. It lent the entire scene a slow, gentle quality of warmth.
It was indeed true what they said about how people ought to live in a place with good light, a great view, and plenty of windows. For the first time, Yu Yan experienced the profound truth of those words.
Just seeing Fu Yunqing standing there made one feel she was so comfortable, so gentle.
Yu Yan set Honey down and walked over to her side. Catching a scent that was incredibly fragrant and mouthwatering, she asked, “What are you making?”
“Wonton noodles. Auntie Zhang wrapped the wontons; you used to love them.” Fu Yunqing was adding seasonings to the broth. “When I let Honey out to eat this morning, I saw you sleeping so soundly that I didn’t want to wake you. I figured you’d wake up soon, so I planned to call you once it was ready. I didn’t expect you to get up on your own first.”
Did Fu Yunqing go to her room this morning?
She must have slept like a log to have not noticed a thing.
“All done.” Fu Yunqing turned off the stove, placed the ceramic bowl of wonton noodles on the dining table, and pulled out a chair for her. “Give it a taste. Be sure to blow on it, though; it’s still hot.”
Fu Yunqing truly took care of her down to the smallest detail.
“Thank you, jiejie.” Yu Yan was utterly flattered, but there was only one bowl of noodles between them. “What about you? Is there only enough for me?”
Fu Yunqing sat down beside her. “I already ate. I’m not hungry yet.”
That simply wouldn’t do.
Yu Yan, who naturally knew how to be grateful and how to please others, immediately spooned up a wonton, blew on it to cool it down, and cupped her other hand underneath as she held it to Fu Yunqing’s lips. “You worked hard, jiejie. You have to take the first bite~”
What a well-behaved baby.
Surely, no mother would dislike such a child.
Fu Yunqing’s heart softened. Tucking her long hair behind her ear, she leaned in and ate the wonton under Yu Yan’s expectant gaze. A bit of broth clung to the corner of her lips. Yu Yan, highly observant, anticipated her next move and immediately pulled out a tissue to hand to her.
Remembering how Yu Yan had looked just like this when she asked her out to dinner through Ran Lingβgazing up at her, waiting to be servedβFu Yunqing couldn’t help but chuckle. “Alright, hurry up and eat.”
Fu-jiejie really looks beautiful when she smiles, Yu Yan thought.
The wonton noodles Fu-jiejie made were truly delicious, and Yu Yan polished off every last drop.
“Are you going out today, Fu-jiejie?”
“No, I’ll be home the whole weekend. All my time is for keeping you company.”
“Oh~” Yu Yan nodded, secretly rejoicing that she hadn’t agreed to go to her cousin’s place. With the way things were set up, there was no way she could have slipped away anyway.
But she quickly stopped feeling it was a pity. Fu-jiejie’s place was wonderful too. She had a woman who loved her and a clingy cat, and both the woman and the cat revolved entirely around her.
The living room was bright and spacious, the sofa soft and comfortable. The two of them sat together, chatting as they watched a movie. Fu-jiejie washed a lot of fruit, feeding her piece by piece and catching the seeds in her own hand. Meanwhile, the little cat curled up in Yu Yan’s lap, sleeping soundly.
Enjoying herself too much to think of leaving1, Yu Yan decided to put her worries aside for now. As for escaping, she would worry about that after the weekend. She wouldn’t be able to leave these next two days anyway.
Thus, unleashing her naturally curious nature, she began asking Fu Yunqing all sorts of questions about their past.
For instance, who had fallen in love with whom first? What exactly happened on the night they decided to be together? And on their wedding night, did they actually kiss?
Fu Yunqing unhurriedly answered her first question. “Some people said they liked me to no end from the very first moment they saw me. I don’t even know if it was true or false.”
“Ah~” Of course it was true! Naturally, Yu Yan had fallen for her first, pestering her relentlessly until their mock marriage turned into the real deal.
As for the second question: “You looked at Weibo, didn’t you? You already know, so why ask?”
Because she wanted to know more details, of course.
But Fu Yunqing refused to tell her.
As for the third questionβ¦
Fu Yunqing said, “We kissed.”
“Whoa, really? How did we kiss? I passed out, so did we kiss after I woke up?” Yu Yan was already fantasizing about the scene: she lay unconscious in bed, while Fu-jiejie watched over her side, full of worry. Seeing her wake up, she would show immediate concern. The two of them would gaze at each other with deep affection, and naturally kiss.
But Fu Yunqing kept her in suspense again, prompting her to focus on the movie instead.
What was so good about the movie anyway? Why did she always start a story only to cut it short? Yu Yan clung to her, wheedling for more answers. For someone with an easily distracted mind, this constant pestering eventually made her forget what she had originally set out to ask. Her questions wandered elsewhere; she grew curious about how they used to date. Yu Yan didn’t dare to thinkβif she were in a relationship, how romantic would it be.
“It was very romantic.”
When they had just gotten together, they both valued dating very much, perhaps once a week, or perhaps once every two weeks. After being together for a long time, sometimes simply staying together brought enough happiness that they completely forgot about dating, so it was also possible for a month or two to pass without one. Their dates took many forms: they could stay at home or go out, make a candlelit dinner together or dine out, and then go shopping, watch movies, or watch the sunset together.
“We had to give each other a flowerβjust a single small stem was fineβwith a little card tucked inside, writing down the things we wanted to say.”
This agreement had been proposed by Yu Yan. As she had put it, it was a way to keep the romance alive. Whatever Yu Yan wanted to do, Fu Yunqing would naturally accompany her.
But fresh flowers would always wither and fade. Yu Yan found this a pity. Not minding the trouble and putting a lot of heart into it, she preserved each pair of bouquets inside Preserved Flower Frames, turning them into exquisite pictures to keep them in their most vibrant states.
Over time, the framed pieces accumulated. One year, two yearsβ¦ Eventually, they filled an entire wall of shelves in Yu Yan’s art studio, creating a breathtakingly beautiful display at first glance.
When Yu Yan first left, Fu Yunqing had been harboring a deep resentment, refusing to step foot inside. After spending a long, painful period of time nursing that grudge, her reluctance morphed into sheer dread. She didn’t dare go in, afraid that she wouldn’t be able to bear the love filling that wall having long since departed. She knew she would fall apart.
Up until now, for a whole year, Fu Yunqing had not gone to look even once.
But she didn’t dare tell any of this to the amnesiac Yu Yan, much less bring her into her former art studio. She was terrified that if Yu Yan saw it, she might remember something.
Yesterday, learning of her condition at the hospital, Fu Yunqing was even considering and hesitating over whether to bring her back to this home filled with memories, fearing her emotions would be stirred by the familiar sights.
Fu Yunqing feared her recovering her memory.
Fearing that she, once her memory was recovered, would turn into the Yu Yan who felt very unhappy being with her, and fearing that she would leave again, vanishing without a trace.
But she said she wanted to see Honey. She had seen the appearance of their home on Weibo. If Fu Yunqing had casually brought her to some other place and told her that was their home, while there was not a single trace of their former life together thereβand even Honey hid away due to being unfamiliar with the environmentβwouldn’t it make her suspicious? Wouldn’t she feel disappointed and distant?
Fu Yunqing did not have the heart to do that; she only wanted to bring her home, even if she had to bring her home with her heart in her throat.
But facing Yu Yan, who was talking incessantly and pouring out all her questions at once, Fu Yunqing had those worries and really did not want to say too much.
She unconsciously became despondent and downcast. Yu Yan, who had been staring at her the whole time, saw her dejection with complete clarity.
Yu Yan didn’t understand what was wrong with her.
But seeing her like this, her own heart also felt heavy, with an indescribable discomfort.
She truly couldn’t bear to see the woman sad.
Desperate to shatter the gloom hanging over Fu-jiejie, she suddenly took hold of Fu Yunqing’s arm and said, “Let’s go out for dinner tonight!”
Deciding to coax the woman and make her happy, Yu Yan was extremely enthusiastic. She personally selected a restaurant and booked a prime table with an excellent view of the sunset.
Nestled by the riverbank, the restaurant boasted classic decor, a comfortable environment, and an elegant atmosphere, and the food tasted wonderful too. As they neared the end of their meal, Yu Yan suggested she wanted to go to the restroom.
“I’ll go with you.” Fu Yunqing set down her knife and fork.
Yu Yan shook her head and declined. “No need, I can go by myself. I’ll be back very soon~”
With that, she rose and ran off like a wisp of smoke.
Watching her receding figure, Fu Yunqing sighed; having grown up so much, she was still like a child, so unsettled, yet this very childishness was the most precious thing in the world.
Fu Yunqing curved her lips, gazing out at the scenery beyond the window. She paused her meal, waiting for her return.
Six or seven minutes passed, but Yu Yan still hadn’t returned.
Fu Yunqing began to find it odd. She sent her a message: γIs something wrong?γ
She waited a moment, but there was no reply.
Rising to her feet, Fu Yunqing walked quickly to the restaurant’s restroom and called out softly, “Yanyan?”
There was no response.
None of the stalls were locked, and there was no one inside. She was not here, Fu Yunqing realized instantly.
“Where is the girl who was with me just now?” she asked, tracking down the server who had waited on them.
“She seemed to have gone outside,” the server recalled.
“Gone out?”
Fu Yunqing’s expression changed as she grew tense. She tried to keep herself calm, but a string in her heart was stretched extremely tight, constantly tugged by the news of Yu Yan’s sudden disappearance, on the verge of snapping at any moment.
She called Yu Yan, but in her subconscious, she made the pessimistic assumption that she wouldn’t answer, just like before when she had insisted on leaving, panic rampaging unchecked in the depths of her heart.
She stepped quickly out of the restaurant’s main entrance and looked around. The strong wind whipped her long hair into disarray, but then she suddenly spotted her. Not far away, the girl was walking leisurely toward her with a bright smile on her face, her hands tucked behind her back.
“Wifey~” She stood right in front of her. Fu Yunqing heard her call out in such a smug, triumphant tone.
“You⦔
Sigh, what a pity. Yu Yan even felt pity for herself; she actually hadn’t run away when such a great opportunity was right there.
Wearing an expression as mysterious and confident as a magician performing a trick, Yu Yan curled her eyes into crescents and produced a large bouquet of flowers from behind her back.
She wanted romance instead of freedom, having gone to buy flowers for the woman.
“Here.”
Fu Yunqing froze.
Pure black wrapping paper, purple tulips paired with white roses, along with calla lilies, peony chrysanthemums, gladioli, and various other purple floral materials. It was complex yet delicate, bright and magnificent, a beauty that made one’s eyes light up.
“For you~” Yu Yan pushed the flowers toward her chest, her peach blossom eyes2 bright and clear.
“Thank you⦔ Fu Yunqing lowered her eyes. The anxiety in the depths of her heart melted into a soft warmth as she took the bouquet with both hands, her eyes full of incomparable cherishing.
Seeing her like it and be moved, Yu Yan became even prouder, explaining, “I pre-ordered them, but when I arrived the clerk hadn’t wrapped them yet, so I waited for a long time. Did jiejie get anxious waiting?”
The reason she had chosen this restaurantβaside from being able to watch the sunsetβwas that it sat right next to an art studio named γWaiting for the Flowers to Bloomγ that also sold flowers.
“Mmβ¦ I was a little worried about you.”
Fu Yunqing noticed a card tucked inside the bouquet. She plucked it out to look, only to find no words written on itβjust a tiny doodle.
It was a little cat winking at her, its tail curled into the shape of a heart.
How adorable.
Fu Yunqing let out a laugh.
“Cute, right?” Yu Yan was immensely proud of herself. Who else but her could draw such a cute little cat?
“Cute, yes, very cute.” Fu Yunqing looked at her, her eyes soft. With one arm cradling the flowers and the other wrapping around her, she gently pulled her and the bouquet together into her embrace.
She lowered her head, her nose brushing lightly against the girl’s ear, before pressing a soft kiss to it. Her eyes were filled with warmth and joy.
“Thank you, Yanyan. It’s a wonderful surprise.”
Yu Yan felt the stray strands of Fu Yunqing’s hair tickling her face. It was itchy, but she felt delighted inside. Making a woman happy was what she was most, most, most skilled at, okay?
Yu Yan pulled back slightly from the embrace, staring straight into her eyes.
The girl’s eyes were bright and clear, her eyelashes very long, looking soft and really like a kitten. Fu Yunqing could tell she was being proud of herself again, and she herself was naturally full of indulgence.
She hadn’t expected Yanyan to keep what she said in her heart, preparing such a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers to make her happy.
Fu Yunqing’s eyelids lowered slightly, her gaze falling on the girl’s rosy lips. The corners of her mouth were curved up, looking very beautiful.
Yet Fu Yunqing still wanted to punish her.
And also a little, she wanted to kiss her.
The author has something to say:
Yan-jie: I will never give up on escaping!
Footnotes
- From the idiom 'lΓ¨ bΓΉ sΔ« ShΗ' (too happy to think of Shu), meaning to be so happy in one's current circumstances that one forgets home or country.
- 'TΓ‘ohuΔ yΗn' (peach blossom eyes) are a prized eye shape in Chinese culture, almond-shaped with double eyelids, traditionally said to be exceptionally alluring and bedroom-eyed.
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