2. Divorced women

That evening, after finishing work and returning to her room, Fang Kaixuan received another call from her ex-husband.

Since their relationship broke down, Chen Zhilun still calls every now and then, usually about trivial things, such as telling Fang Kaixuan to quickly remove her belongings from the house. It's unclear whether he's having an obsessive-compulsive episode or simply wants to torment her and make her miserable.

Or perhaps, these actions are simply a way of expressing one's true feelings to the new person: Look, I have completely broken ties with the old people and the old things.

This time, Chen Zhilun demanded that she take the cat away immediately. Right now, immediately. Otherwise, he would throw the cat away because his new lover was pregnant and couldn't share a room with the cat.

That cat was something they decided to get when they first moved in together. Fang Kaixuan had wanted a cat since she was little, but her parents always complained about the smell, the shedding, and how it would scratch the sofa and curtains. After she started living independently, Fang Kaixuan frequently moved cities and was never able to settle down.

Now that she finally has her own little family, the first thing she's been thinking about is getting a cat.

At the time, Chen Zhilun didn't object. Of course, Fang Kaixuan did all the work of taking care of the cat, and she enjoyed it.

Sunflower seeds brought Fang Kaixuan countless comforts.

During the divorce, Chen Zhilun insisted on keeping the cat. Fang Kaixuan initially refused, but after spending a long time with Chen Zhilun, she found it difficult to win arguments with him. Later, the two agreed that the cat would stay with Chen Zhilun for the time being, and if he ever wanted to stop caring for it, he must not abandon it and Fang Kaixuan must take it.

Originally, Fang Kaixuan didn't want to answer his call, but she couldn't just ignore the cat's situation, so she could only politely ask him to give her more time to take care of it since she wouldn't be in the country for a few days.

Chen Zhilun firmly refused, saying that his wife had said that cats could cause toxoplasmosis, which would be bad for the fetus, and no one could be responsible if problems arose.

Fang Kaixuan couldn't help but roll his eyes. What a perfect match—ignorant and heartless.

She thought that Chen Zhilun might not really care that much about this new lover; he probably just wanted to torment her. But at this moment, she was thousands of miles away and had no other choice but to ask her good friend Xu Xiying to go and pick up the cat first.

She had to dial the number: "Little Orange..."

Xiao Ju is Xu Xiying's nickname, which is what close friends usually call her, and they rarely mention her real name.

Xiao Ju has a fiery temper, and she's already verbally abused Chen Zhilun relentlessly over Fang Kaixuan's divorce. To avoid a fight, Fang Kaixuan arranged for them to meet at the entrance of a shopping mall near Chen Zhilun's house to exchange melon seeds.

After all, it's a public place, and the two of them should at least save face.

After making the arrangements and hanging up the phone, Fang Kaixuan felt utterly exhausted.

Even though they're divorced, Chen Zhilun still causes her constant anxiety.

Chen Zhilun, who threatens to abandon his cat during the cold winter, is a side of him that only Fang Kaixuan knows.

To others, Chen Zhilun was very humble and quite respectable. So respectable that even after their divorce due to his infidelity, many people would still advise Fang Kaixuan to give him another chance.

It was as if he had only made a mistake that all men in the world would make.

Some people even asked her: Is it possible that there was a misunderstanding? Someone like Chen Zhilun wouldn't do such a thing.

In public, he is absolutely gentle, polite, and courteous. Coupled with his excellent education and respectable job, everyone thinks Chen Zhilun is a true gentleman.

Only Fang Kaixuan knew that this seemingly perfect ex-husband wasn't actually perfect.

*

In fact, Fang Kaixuan and Chen Zhilun have known each other for many years. Even in their teenage years, there was a subtle, ambiguous relationship between them. This ambiguity, like a hidden thread, persisted for so long that when they finally got married, their old classmates sighed, wondering why these two were so shy and reserved, dragging things out for so many years and making everyone around them anxious.

Fortunately, the story has a happy ending. Ten years of friendship culminated in marriage, a rare love story in this day and age.

Fang Kaixuan himself thought so too.

It wasn't until after her marriage that she discovered fleas were hiding beneath her beautiful robes.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder and a controlling nature are merely the least noteworthy flaws in Chen Zhilun's temperament. Fang Kaixuan casually recounted a few trivial matters in his life, which surprised and even enraged Xiaoju.

Chen Zhilun requires that everything in the house be arranged according to his strict rules. For example, all clothes in the wardrobe must be arranged by color (light and dark) using the same type of hanger. In the kitchen, soup ladles, rice ladles, and spatulas that need to be hung must be arranged at equal intervals on hooks. Eating in front of the computer is not allowed, because food crumbs may splatter into the keyboard crevices.

Such examples are numerous.

At first, Fang Kaixuan thought he was just joking because these requirements were too strange. If he couldn't relax freely at home, where else in the world could he?

Once, she was working in her study, eating a bag of potato chips as she worked, when Chen Zhilun happened to walk in and see her. He didn't say anything, but immediately grabbed his tools and began cleaning. He was so calm and meticulous, as if he wanted to clean every square millimeter of the tabletop and floor to a sterile state.

Fang Kaixuan stopped him, saying she would clean it up after work. Chen Zhilun seemed not to hear her, and while he wasn't angry, the low pressure emanating from him was more suffocating than any loud argument.

Fang Kaixuan has learned his lesson.

It's okay. Not eating in front of the computer is easy; she can do it.

Chen Zhilun is a smart man. He understands Fang Kaixuan; her biggest fear since childhood has been having someone around her get angry.

Fang Kaixuan's parents were both middle school teachers, and they were extremely strict with their daughter. Some say that children from families with two teachers are most prone to mental illness because they live under constant, rigorous scrutiny. Even after growing up and leaving home, that strict standard has long been internalized, leading to constant self-criticism. It's like being under constant surveillance, forever filled with inner anxiety.

Fang Kaixuan didn't think he was anything special until years later when "family of origin" became a trending topic on social media. Only then did Fang Kaixuan realize where his problem lay.

Why does she get inexplicably nervous when someone around her just frowns?

Why does she strive to do everything perfectly, even when it's completely unnecessary?

Why does she always clench her teeth while sleeping, and often wake up with sore cheeks? Her dentist warned her not to be anxious, as it could lead to excessive tooth wear.

She was constantly on edge, both mentally and physically, like a bird startled by the mere twang of a bow.

In short, Fang Kaixuan learned from a young age to proactively sense the atmosphere before those around him expressed bad emotions, and then try to eliminate it, even if it meant suppressing himself.

Chen Zhilun knew her too well. Intentionally or unintentionally, he used this to make her compromise step by step.

Since she could obediently arrange the kitchen utensils at equal intervals, she naturally wouldn't disagree with the request that she not be allowed to eat with male colleagues.

With a cruelty he himself may not even realize, Chen Zhilun intends to tame Fang Kaixuan into his perfect wife.

Everything went smoothly. Fang Kaixuan quickly got used to Chen Zhilun's various requests. They weren't complicated, nor were they hard labor; they just required constant attention.

But those ever-present, stern eyes left her utterly exhausted. Fang Kaixuan began to suffer from insomnia.

At first, she would have trouble sleeping only once a week. She didn't take it seriously.

Insomnia has long been an epidemic among urban dwellers; few people in skyscrapers sleep soundly.

But her symptoms quickly progressed to the point where she couldn't sleep for several nights in a row, lying in the darkness with her eyes wide open. Her body was extremely exhausted, but her mind was racing like a train, with countless people and events flying in and out.

Staying up all night and then having to appear at the office the next day looking perfectly normal—that kind of suffering is hard to garner sympathy for. Even those who care about her can only say: Don't overthink it, go to sleep early, drink some warm milk or red wine.

She went to the most famous psychiatric hospital in Beijing and was diagnosed with moderate depression and severe anxiety.

Fortunately, Chen Zhilun cheated on his wife at this time.

How can you describe infidelity as "fortunately"?

But that was indeed how Fang Kaixuan felt when he learned about it.

Because she was no longer the only one in the family who made mistakes. Although having an affair is not the same as not arranging spoons at equal intervals.

The past is too painful to recall. Verbal abuse, mutual slander, and property division... were enough to destroy ten years of deep affection.

After a long and arduous struggle, Fang Kaixuan was as weak as a deflated balloon, both mentally and physically. Those six months were probably the thinnest she had been since adulthood, and she didn't look good at all, as she herself knew. She was like a soul detached from her body, all her clothes swaying precariously on her. Her eyes were vacant, and when she saw people, she would only give a weak smile, as if her soul had left her body.

After the dust finally settled, she felt like she had just recovered from a serious illness and escaped a life-threatening situation.

In short, Chen Zhilun became her ex-husband from then on.

Those around Fang Kaixuan, including her parents and friends, all felt sorry for her. She had given up her promising future as a diplomat's wife and became a divorced woman.

Chen Zhilun, on the other hand, remains respectable, ambitious, and has a promising future.

Only Fang Kaixuan herself harbored a secret, carefree joy. This joy was simple: she could be a free person at home, eating in front of the computer was fine, and she could snack in bed too.

But this is something you can't talk about with anyone. Your parents won't understand that this is a reason for divorce; is it really that hard to arrange things equidistantly?

She cried her eyes out in front of her parents, accusing Chen Zhilun of infidelity and emotional abuse.

The father sighed and instructed Fang Kaixuan, "Call Xiao Chen over to the house. I'll try to talk to him. I don't think Xiao Chen is unreasonable."

Fortunately, Chen Zhilun is ruthless enough not to answer his ex-father-in-law's calls. He's probably busy reconciling with his mistress and has a future father-in-law he needs to fawn over.

Fortunately.

Fang Kaixuan was both relieved to have escaped and amused by the strange things that had happened in his life... "Fortunately."

///

Fortunately...

Fortunately! The more married you are, the more you realize that marriage is a kind of constraint, neither free nor easy to break free from.

Fortunately!