The 99th Divorce

Yu Lili heaved a sigh of relief at Ou Ming’s confession. She shot a hard glare at him and whined, “You scared me to death!”

Ou Ming’s lip lifted, and his smile deepened. In actual fact, his prior statement had been the truth. But, he didn’t say anything further.

He turned to look at her and said, “My mom likes to practice yoga in the afternoons. Don’t you do yoga too? You should join her.”

Ou Ming wants me to join his mom in yoga?

Yu Lili was a little uneasy with the idea “Is that OK? Your mom hates me so much. If I were to join her in the afternoon, will I be scolded to no end?”

That was what Yu Lili was most afraid of and most worried about.

“That’s impossible.” Ou Ming gazed into Yu Lili’s eyes with a smile on his lips. In a lowered voice, he said, “Don’t overthink it. You’re just scaring yourself silly. If you speak to my mom properly, she won’t make things difficult for you.”

“If that’s the case, when I see you mom later, how should I address her?” Yu Lili asked.

Does he really expect me to call Jiao Ziqing “Mom?”

Yu Lili’s thoughts put a frown on her face. The thought of possibly getting scolded by Ou Ming’s mother made her ill at ease. Hesitantly, she asked in a small voice, “Will your mom feel that I’m overstepping my boundaries? What if she scolds me?”

“That won’t happen. My mom is not as terrifying as you imagine her to be.” Ou Ming was torn between laughing and crying. “Just how severe a case of PTSD did my mom trigger in you? Don’t be afraid. Just pretend my mom is me. Actually, there are times when my words can be a little harsh too, no?”

“It’s not just ‘a little.’ It’s extremely harsh…” Yu Lili pouted her lips and complained.

Ou Ming was at a loss of how to reply. Instead, he pinched her cheeks and cajoled, “Go on. The yoga room was where I took you just now. Remember not to be too cautious or too affected. My mom is really just all bark and no bite.”

He couldn’t resist planting a kiss on her mouth. He lowered his voice and said, “My mom is your mom too. In the future, you’ll have to learn to change how you address her. When you see dad later, you should address him as ‘Dad’ too. Got it?”

Yu Lili found it hard to accept all at once. Everything was progressing a little too quickly.

Seeing Ou Ming’s expression, she could only nod her head and reply, “Got it. What are you going to do now?”

“I’m going out with Dad for a moment,” Ou Ming said. “I won’t be home in the afternoon. You should take the chance to spend some time with Mom alone at home. If she makes things difficult for you, just give me a call. I’ll come home straight away.”

Yu Lili’s heart settled somewhat. She nodded her head. “Alright. Go on, then.”

“OK. You go first.” Ou Ming nudged her gently.

Yu Lili was still feeling a little apprehensive. After looking back a couple of times, she headed off. When she reached the yoga room, Jiao Ziqing was inside practicing her yoga.

A radio was positioned in front. It was broadcasting a music and storytelling session. The voice of the female singer was soothing and melodious, and the rhythm of the story was moving.

Yu Lili stood by the entrance of the yoga room and knocked gently on the door. “May I come in?” she asked.

Jiao Ziqing was facing a huge mirror. A yoga room didn’t have much furniture, except for mirrors, which it possessed in abundance.

Jiao Ziqing had noticed her way before. When she saw the hesitation in Yu Lili’s expression, she feigned ignorance. After hearing her voice, she replied offhandedly, “Just come in if you’re already intending to.”

–

Author’s note: Sorry, everyone. I just got back. I’ve been on vacation with my friends. The latest update will come soon. I’m so sorry. I was so busy enjoying myself that I forgot to give you a heads-up. I admit my mistake, so please don’t scold me too harshly.