The 99th Divorce

“Based on how she usually reacts, she most certainly will.”

“I think so, too.” Ye Qianqian looked to the side. “Forget it. It’s only the first night. The day after tomorrow is New Year’s Eve. I don’t think it would be right to do that.”

Shen Zhilie looked a little grumpy. He leaned against her and blew a puff of warm air onto her cheek.

He gently caressed her and said, “For New Year’s Eve and the first and second day of the Lunar New Year, we have to be back at home. We can’t spend the night out.”

“Well, forget it. Why do you have to spend the night out?” Ye Qianqian asked him knowingly. She didn’t know if her cheeks were suffering from the cold air or if she was blushing, but they felt a little pink.

Shen Zhilie groaned, then playfully nibbled her ear. Ye Qianqian was startled. She squirmed and looked around. Sure enough, someone was looking at them.

“You’re crazy! People are watching us.”

Shen Zhilie chuckled, then pulled her along and said, “Let’s go.”

“Where?”

“Somewhere fun.”

Shen Zhilie turned his head around and flashed a bright smile, but Ye Qianqian didn’t think it would be that simple.

It was neither close nor far. They went back to the car, and Shen Zhilie drove. After about ten minutes, he stopped the car at a building.

After turning off the car, Shen Zhilie led Ye Qianqian inside.

When Ye Qianqian first came to the North to spend the winter, she realized that no matter where she went in the capital, all the buildings had two curtains: a thick cotton curtain at the door, and a rubber curtain just inside. The curtains trapped the heat inside the room extremely well, and also blocked out sound.

Shen Zhilie brought Ye Qianqian inside. She noticed it seemed to be a club. There weren’t many people inside, but it looked lively.

When Shen Zhilie came inside, a group of people turned and looked at them.

“Hey, Old Shen is here.”

“Come here. I’m worried about my bad luck. Come and sit down. Take my place.”

“How dare you! I don’t want to play anymore. Old Shen, come and sit here.”

“Oh, you brought a pretty girl here. Your girlfriend?”

…

Despite being crowded, the club didn’t look messy at all. Everyone looked clean, but the atmosphere was quite noisy because of the poker game going on.

Shen Zhilie led Ye Qianqian inside. Facing everyone’s gazes, he put his arms around Ye Qianqian’s neck and said, “What are you people doing playing cards? Come and meet your sister-in-law.”

“Wow. She’s really your girlfriend?!”

“She’s so beautiful. Wow, Old Shen. How did you trick her into dating you?”

“Pft. Is that how you talk to a brother? You should ask him how he managed to pick up a girl like that. Such luck!”

They made Shen Zhilie laugh. He said with a smile, “Go away. She was smart enough to see something in me. I can’t help it. I’m really handsome. I’m not like you poor fellas, who only play cards all the time.”

While they were talking, Shen Zhilie brought two chairs over for Ye Qianqian and himself to sit down on.

Ye Qianqian had never met Shen Zhilie’s friends before. She’d met his colleagues several times, but they were just colleagues in Kingstown. Colleagues and friends are two completely different things.

There were about six or seven people. It looked like they were all in their 20s or 30s. Their beer bottles were crooked, and some of them had red cheeks. But if one took a closer look at these men, they would notice they looked upright and decent.

As expected, birds of a feather flock together. Even his friends looked good.

“Well, well, you are quite arrogant when you have a girlfriend with you. Don’t go around thinking I can’t kick your a** because your girlfriend’s around.”

“Hahaha. Stop it. Old Shen, why don’t you introduce us?”

“I’m Shen Zhilie.” Shen Zhilie patted his chest.

“Get out of here!”

“Who needs to know about you? Shut up!”