Early the next morning, the smell of food filled the house.

　　I thought I must have smelled it wrong because I don't like strangers coming to my house.

　　So, I didn't hire a maid, just someone who comes regularly to clean.

　　I walked barefoot to the living room.

　　Lu Qingyu wore an apron and held a spatula in her hand.

　　When her gaze fell on my neck, she flinched as if burned and her smile seemed somewhat forced.

　　"Come and have a meal, your favorite Coca-Cola chicken wings are ready." Three dishes and a soup were steaming on the table.

　　It's been a while since she cooked, and she seemed a bit rusty.

　　The Coca-Cola chicken wings were slightly burnt, the Chinese cabbage was boiled for too long, and it became limp.

　　Lu Qingyu rubbed her hands on the apron, seeming to realize that she didn't do a great job.

　　"It's been a while, my skills aren't as good as they used to be." I sat at the table, feeling a bit nostalgic.

　　A long time ago, I used to eat these dishes often.

　　Back then, we weren't successful, living in a small rented room, with a shared kitchen.

　　I used to go out every day to seek investments, often going hungry and full.

　　I frequently suffered from gastric pain and went to the hospital, only to be diagnosed with gastritis.

　　At that time, Lu Qingyu's career was just starting and she was busy, yet she still came back every day to cook for me.

　　I insisted on cooking for myself, but she always worried.

　　She often said to me, "It's no big deal, I'm not tired." Coca-Cola chicken wings, oil-blanched baby bok choy, stir-fried cabbage with shrimp, and pigeon soup with angelica and red dates.

　　These were a few of my favorite dishes.

　　Later on, Lu Qingyu became an expert, finishing all the dishes within an hour and a half, and they were all beautifully presented.

　　I forgot how long it had been since I last ate them.

　　Perhaps it was since the day I first saw her conversation with another man on her phone.

　　There had been no such meals since then.

　　"It has only been a few years, but sitting at the table with her, I feel like we are in a different world.

　　I say with complexity, 'Why bother?' What meaning does it have now? Lu Qingyu serves me a full plate of food, sitting in front of me and says, 'I've thought about it, I went too far before.

　　I shouldn't have disrespectfully treated Chen Xiangheng.

　　You were right to bring it up, and when I go back, I will have him resign.

　　From now on, I will control myself.

　　We...' She pauses, her voice momentarily unstable.

　　'We won't get divorced, okay?' I look up at her.

　　Lu Qingyu is always confident and certain, even when she admitted to cheating on me, she would look into my eyes and affirm, 'Yes, I am with him.' But now, she avoids my gaze.

　　I know her too well.

　　She is nervous.

　　Suddenly, the food in my mouth loses its taste, becoming like wax.

　　Even half a year ago, if she had said this to me, I would have been ecstatic.

　　After tormenting myself for so many years, my whole obsession was for her to change her mind.

　　Loving someone so much cancels out oneself and rationality.

　　But now...

　　I suddenly think of what Song Yiyi said in my ear yesterday.

　　She was right.

　　Not loving me is not my loss, it is Lu Qingyu's loss.

　　I won't let her torment me again.

　　I shake my head and say, 'No, there's no need.

　　Starting over would only lead us back to this point.' 'No, it won't,' Lu Qingyu puts down her bowl and walks anxiously towards me.

　　'This time I won't seek someone else.' Her fingers caress my neck, her slender nails brushing against my skin.

　　Lu Qingyu lowers her voice, with a hint of alluring ambiguity.

　　'Jiayue, is she better than me?' I feel uncomfortable and move my chair back a bit.

　　But Lu Qingyu straddles my lap, her red lips close to my ear, her breath warm like orchids, sending shivers down my spine.

　　'Jiayue...' She kisses the corner of my lips, her hand exploring downwards.

　　'What she can give you, I can also give.' It has been a long time since Lu Qingyu and I have been intimate.

　　She finds me uninteresting, and I find her repulsive.

　　We don't even sleep on the same bed anymore.

　　At this moment, I suddenly feel my stomach churning, a wave of nausea overwhelming me! I push her away and rush to the bathroom, vomiting everything I just ate, not a single drop spared! I vomit violently, unable to catch my breath.

　　Lu Qingyu follows me, her face filled with extreme displeasure.

　　'Shen Jiayue,' she almost can't believe it, 'you find me repulsive?!' Yes.

　　Compared to the pure kiss from last night, this kiss is contaminated with too much filth.

　　It is the first time I have felt such repulsion from someone's touch.

　　After rinsing my mouth, I exhaustively wave my hand.

　　Lu Qingyu angrily asks, 'Shen Jiayue, what do you mean by this?!' 'I am your wife!' she says, raising herself onto her tiptoes, attempting to kiss me forcefully, pulling at my pajamas.

　　Her breath has become unfamiliar, unfamiliar to the point of unbearable.

　　I can't take it anymore, and I slap her across the face.

　　The crisp sound echoes in the enclosed space, Lu Qingyu turns her head, remaining silent for a while."

　　"I wiped my face and hoarsely said, 'Lu Qingyu, you disgust me!' After a long time, Lu Qingyu finally turned around and glanced at me.

　　In that glance, it seemed like there were no emotions, yet it also seemed like there were countless mixed emotions.

　　Then, she suddenly took off her apron and slammed the door as she left.