Chapter 2: Thinking About Divorce

When Lin You woke up again, she looked at the clock on the wall. It was already noon, and she realized she was late. Reaching for her phone, she saw a message from Professor Song.

She lay back on the bed but soon felt hungry, so she changed clothes, put the sheets in the washing machine, and went to the kitchen to cook.

As she ate at the dining table, she glanced at the empty seat across from her and thought of Qin Lang. He should already be back at the base by now. If not for the marks on her body, she might’ve thought his return last night was just a dream.

At home, it was usually just Lin You and her mother in law, Professor Song. Not only were they family, but they also had a mentor student relationship.

In the afternoon, Professor Song called, asking if Lin You had eaten and if she was feeling okay. She scolded her son briefly and told Lin You she wouldn’t be home for dinner due to a surgery, reminding her to lock the doors and windows.

The next day, Dr. Zhang returned from her honeymoon, handing out wedding candy to everyone. Lin You had met Dr. Zhang’s husband before a tall, handsome man, and they were a perfect match, both coming from good families.

When she got to Lin You, Dr. Zhang asked, “Dr. Lin, you got married so young, but we haven’t met your husband yet. You’re so beautiful, he must be handsome. When will you bring him to meet us?”

Everyone turned to Lin You, joining in, “Dr. Lin, yes, let him meet everyone!”

Thinking of her husband, Lin You could only smile bitterly. He hardly had time he’d only come back for one night before leaving again.

Awkwardly, she explained, “He’s really busy and doesn’t have much time.”

Everyone chimed in again, “Dr. Lin, you’re about to finish your PhD, and we haven’t seen him even once! When you graduate, you have to bring him by, or we’ll think you made him up to fend off male doctors.”

Just as Lin You was about to explain again, her mentor Professor Song, who was also Qin Lang’s mother walked in and scolded them, “If Dr. Lin says she’s married, then she’s married! Are you all done with your work?”

Noticing Professor Song’s displeasure, everyone quickly got back to work, no longer teasing Lin You.

Professor Song was a top heart surgeon in the country, known for her strictness in both work and academics. Yet, she was always kind to Lin You, which everyone attributed to Lin You’s obedient and thoughtful nature.

But what they didn’t know was that Lin You was actually her daughter in law. Her son might not be tall and handsome, but in her domain, no one could mock her son or daughter in law without getting scolded.

At lunch, Lin You noticed Dr. Zhang with her husband at the restaurant, and her gaze followed them. Professor Song saw the look in her eyes and sensed her envy and disappointment from earlier that morning. Placing a rib on Lin You’s plate, she asked, “You envy couples who get to be together, don’t you, Yoyo?”

Lin You quickly looked away. “No, they just seem like a good match.”

Sighing, Professor Song said, “Yoyo, over the years, I’ve thought about this a lot. Did you agree to marry Qin Lang out of gratitude? You never bring up Qin Lang, and from how you behaved the other night when he was here, it seems like you’re not interested in him, even avoiding him.”

Lin You felt her feelings exposed. Quiet by nature, she lowered her head, unable to meet Professor Song’s gaze.

Seeing her reaction, Professor Song continued, “I shouldn’t have pressured you into marrying Qin Lang at such a young age before you understood anything, and without a proper wedding due to his job. But Yoyo, Qin Lang cares about you. He wouldn’t risk punishment to come home after training if he didn’t.”

Hiding her feelings, Lin You hugged Professor Song’s arm and said affectionately, “I know. I’m not complaining. I’m happy as long as I get to stay with you, Mom. You know I can’t live without you.”

Touched, Professor Song smiled at the beautiful girl clinging to her. She finally understood why her son had rushed to marry Lin You, captivated by her beauty.

“If only you’d treat Qin Lang like this,” she whispered, tapping Lin You’s nose.

Lin You’s face turned red as she buried herself in her meal.

Professor Song chuckled to herself, resolving to protect Lin You for her son.

Professor Song had always taken good care of Lin You, who was thoughtful and never caused her much worry. Other than her undergraduate years, Lin You had always stayed close, pursuing her master’s and staying nearby. To keep suitors at bay, her married status was made public in her graduate years, though there were still bold ones. Professor Song had discreetly warded off many admirers without Lin You’s knowledge.

The marriage between Lin You and Qin Lang was arranged long ago, even before Lin You was born, in a joking pact made by two war heroes over drinks.

No one took it seriously until Lin You was in middle school, when her father died in an exercise, and her mother followed him soon after. Her grandfather, heartbroken, passed away, leaving Lin You an orphan. Remembering the old promise, Qin Lang’s grandfather, Qin Zheng, took Lin You into the Qin family, where Professor Song immediately adored the well-behaved girl and accepted her as her daughter in law.

Qin Lang’s father was also in the military, rarely home, and Qin Lang himself was pulled into training as soon as he entered high school, preparing for military college. Qin Lang’s life was filled with military duties, and Lin You grew up with Professor Song as a mother figure.

With Qin Lang stable in his career, Lin You graduating, and with her consent, they married, though they had little interaction before the marriage. They were on different paths, with Lin You at university while Qin Lang was studying abroad, then progressing in his military career.

Near the end of the workday, Professor Song took Lin You to the obstetrics department for a consultation.

There, they encountered a woman suffering from postpartum depression, exacerbated by her husband’s long absence at the border and strained in law relationships, which caused her to overlook her baby’s congenital heart defect. Her husband had returned to arrange surgery for their child, but the delay triggered a breakdown. She threatened divorce, insisting she couldn’t go on otherwise.

Back in the office, other doctors discussed the situation. The older ones argued that marrying a soldier came with expectations, and divorcing now would be irresponsible, especially for the child. Younger ones countered, saying the husband likely didn’t provide enough care, leading to her drastic response. They noted that marriage itself now seemed like a high risk choice.

Lin You agreed with the younger doctors, “Without mental resilience and with a lack of companionship, anyone could feel overwhelmed.”

At the same time, she thought, “The child needs both parents’ support. She probably won’t divorce immediately, maybe in a few months.”

Reflecting on her own marriage, where contact could be sparse for half a year, she wondered if she’d also reach a breaking point someday.

Once the thought of divorce took root, it grew like a seed. Lin You found herself constantly weighed down by it in the days that followed.

Professor Song, thinking Lin You still hadn’t adjusted to Qin Lang’s recent departure, grew worried. One evening, she went upstairs with some fruit for Lin You. Hearing the shower running, she placed the plate on the table but noticed a paper covered with the word “divorce.” Shocked, she realized the two couldn’t go on like this any longer.