The 99th Divorce

“It’s fine. We’ll have dinner together there. Let’s go.” Yu Lili stood up and pulled Ye Qianqian along with her as she said, “It isn’t a formal gathering. Just relax.”

Ou Ming heard everything over the phone and helplessly said, “I’m here at the entrance by the cross junction. Hurry over.”

“OK, my man’s here. Let’s go.” Yu Lili pulled Ye Qianqian along, unaware of the pleasure she had given the man over the phone with the way she had just referred to him.

Her man… How easily those words came from her mouth!

The corners of Ou Ming’s lips lifted in a smile as his eyes flitted to the rearview mirror above him. He took one look at himself and saw how pleased he looked.

Right! How handsome I am!

Yu Lili paid the bill and pulled Ye Qianqian behind her as she stepped out and noticed Ou Ming’s black car from afar. It was a stylish and eye-catching Lamborghini.

Ye Qianqian took one look and started to feel a sense of inadequacy. Yu Lili was no longer of the same status and someone she could seek to be friends with anymore.

Yu Lili treated her as a friend. Ye Qianqian knew that, but the difference in their current status was now too wide. The thoughts in her heart made her feel inadequate. She suddenly felt a little unsettled.

As Yu Lili pulled her enthusiastically toward the car, Ye Qianqian suddenly changed her mind and said, “I think… It’s better if I don’t go. I just remembered that I’ve got a lot of unfinished work waiting for me. I still have many drafts…”

When Yu Lili heard that, she waved it away with her hand and replied, “That’s fine. You’re always pushing your deadlines anyway. Do I not know you well enough? Get in! If worse comes to worse, I’ll just help you with them. Come on!”

No! This is just an excuse, my dear sister!

Her biggest worry was that as a poor, small-time editor attending such a gathering, would anyone see her as a social climber?

The unease in Ye Qianqian’s heart grew. She raised her objections once again, “Lili…”

“Oh my god! Just come!” Yu Lili pulled her in forcefully and closed the car door. “Drive!”

Ou Ming looked back in the rearview mirror from the driver’s seat. With a chuckle, he said, “Just go and have some fun. It doesn’t matter whether you know anyone there or not. You can hang out with Lili. Just treat it as you’re keeping her company.”

It was just nice that Luo Zhan was a 30-something bachelor who was in need of a pretty young singleton to motivate him.

Very soon, they were at Yi Hao Palace Karaoke. Ou Ming tossed his car keys to the valet and led the two women in.

The few buddies had decided to get together for no particular reason. They just wanted some time to drink together, chat, and catch up.

Li Sicheng and Su Qianci had arrived before them and were sitting on the couch having some fruits.

Luo Zhan was alone, holding the microphone and choosing some songs at leisure. He finally picked a love duet that was originally sung by Dave Wong and Bondy Chiu. He passed the microphone excitedly to Li Sicheng and Su Qianci and exclaimed, “Sing this! Sing this! Sing this!”

Li Sicheng took the microphone. When he saw the lyrics, he burst out laughing. “What are your intentions? I don’t sing such songs!”

Luo Zhan had been expecting that reaction, so he deleted that song immediately. The song that appeared immediately after was “Love is Hard” by Anita Mui and Jacky Cheung.

“I’m not singing that!” Su Qianci objected immediately. “Go away, I want to sing something nice. I’m not going to sing something so old!”

Luo Zhan replied, “This is something you don’t understand. The older the song, the more meaningful the lyrics! Furthermore, in front of a singleton like me, you can only sing such songs!”

“Go away,” Su Qianci said without any reservations. She picked the song “Because of Love” by Eason Chan and Faye Wong and said, “Singleton! You can sing this. Go ahead and sing both the male and female portions. You don’t have a partner with you anyway!”