Chapter 151: No Chance for Regret

Lin Shuo squeezed his eyes shut, unwilling to speak further. Xiaoxiao did not press him; she reached out to gently massage his temples, saying softly, "If your head hurts, stop thinking about it. Just sleep."

He pulled her into his arms, and only after a long while did he say, "If it were possible, I would hope for it to be just the two of us. As for my mother, we should avoid her whenever we can. There are many things that I treat as if they never happened as long as they aren't brought up. As long as that nerve isn't touched, everything is fine."

This sounded like a warning. Lin Shuo was laying his boundaries out for Xiaoxiao: he could dote on her and love her, and he could satisfy any of her requests, provided she did not step onto his landmines.

The divorce proceedings between Hua Mei and Zeng Ziyu went quite smoothly. Regarding the division of assets, the demands of the Hua family were met to the greatest extent possible. Neither of them wanted the matrimonial home; they reached an agreement to sell the property and split the proceeds equally.

On the day of the signing, Xiaoxiao accompanied Hua Mei to the Civil Affairs Bureau. While waiting in line, Hua Mei and Zeng Ziyu did not exchange a single word. The staff member tried to persuade them to reconsider for a while, but neither responded. Finally, at a loss, the official asked helplessly, "Have you both thought this through?"

It was only then that their hesitation seemed so perfectly in sync. Hua Mei gripped her clutch bag tightly, her slender knuckles turning white, while Zeng Ziyu fiddled with his cigarette case over and over, his gaze vacant. After a long silence, Hua Mei took a deep breath and offered a smile that had been missing for a long time: "We have."

Once the official stamped the documents and issued the divorce certificates, Zeng Ziyu hesitated to reach out and take his. Hua Mei did not falter; she opened her certificate and took a look. If they had been this thoughtful when they first obtained their marriage license, they probably wouldn't be here today to exchange it for a divorce certificate.

Thanking the official, Hua Mei tucked the certificate into her bag without a hint of reluctance. She stood up and looked down at Zeng Ziyu, having apparently rehearsed her words for a long time so she wouldn't stammer: "Thank you for your tolerance and care over these years. I have wasted enough of your time; I am sorry."

"What will you do from now on?" This was perhaps the first sentence Zeng Ziyu had spoken to Hua Mei since they decided to divorce. Fortunately, it was still full of concern, which kept Xiaoxiao from feeling that he was being too heartless.

Hua Mei smiled faintly. "Like father, like daughter. From now on, we each walk our own path. I won't give you a chance to regret this."

As they stepped out of the bureau together, the shadows of the trees danced in the breeze. Zeng Ziyu remained inside. Hua Mei stood at the entrance and looked up at the sky, where the light flickered and danced. Even if she couldn't hold onto anything now, she still felt that this relationship was the most beautiful fragment of her life.

"Let's go. I'll take you out for a proper meal. When your stomach is full, your heart won't ache as much." Xiaoxiao draped an arm around Hua Mei’s shoulders, noting that she had grown thinner; her bones felt sharp against her touch.

Hua Mei only smiled. Her expression lacked the bashfulness of a young woman, replaced instead by a newfound maturity that was deeply compelling.