The atmosphere suddenly became tense. Yu's father sat at the table, holding his child, head bowed, looking somewhat lost. Chen Hong sat opposite Yu Hai, staring directly at him.
Looking into those beautiful big eyes, Yu Hai suddenly felt a little guilty and unconsciously turned his head to look at his father and child.
In this awkward atmosphere, Yu Hai suddenly felt a tickle in his throat. He coughed lightly and said, "Chen Hong, I'm formally asking you for a divorce. I know it's all my fault. We've been married for seven years, but we've spent less than six months living together. Now that the child is grown up, let's get a divorce."
Chen Hong stared with bewildered eyes. "Why? You need to give me a reason for the divorce. There are many couples living apart. In our village alone, every household has couples living apart. Why don't others get divorced? Why are you the only one asking for a divorce? Did I do something wrong? Or am I not good enough in this family?"
"Divorce is fine, but you must give me a reason why I absolutely must divorce you. Otherwise, I can't explain it to my family, to the children, or to myself. If the reason is sufficient, I will divorce you. Since you've already decided to divorce me, it means your heart is no longer in this family, nor with me. I won't hold you back. Tell me, why?"
"What else could it be? It's just that I've lost feelings for him," Yu Hai stammered.
It was the same familiar scene, the same familiar recipe, and even Yu Hai's words were exactly the same as in his previous life.
“You don’t need to come up with such high-sounding reasons. Whether there are feelings or not is not up to you to decide. You still manage to come home a few times a year and send 1,000 yuan home every month without fail in the seven years of marriage. Our married life is relatively harmonious, and we have fulfilled our marital obligations. Although it’s been a mundane affair, we’ve never argued. Your reason for wanting a divorce just because you say there are no feelings left is not convincing to me.”
"Tell me, are you having an affair? Don't try to hide it from me or deceive me. My family lives so close to Jinan, it's easy for them to find out anything. Let's be honest. If you want a divorce, let's be frank and clear about everything. You know my temper, so let's not argue, and I won't argue with you."
"If your heart is no longer with us, then we must clearly distinguish our responsibilities. We must fulfill our obligations and divide our property, whether it be emotional or financial. We must make things clear so that the elderly, children, and future generations will not be entangled in this mess."
“I don’t owe you anything, and you don’t owe me anything. There should be a proper explanation for a divorce. If you don’t explain it clearly, not only will I not divorce you, but I will also go to your workplace to investigate and see what makes you want to abandon this family and your wife.”
Watching Chen Hong speak fluently, he realized that the old Chen Hong had returned, and he couldn't help but feel a little nervous.
"Don't be like this, Chen Hong. I know I can't argue with you, but this divorce is inevitable. Since we've come this far, I'll tell you the truth. In Jinan, a woman has become obsessed with me. I made a mistake that all men make, and she won't let go. If I don't divorce my husband and marry her, she'll make it impossible for me to stay in Jinan. This has been going on for over a year, and I'm really scared of being harassed by her. I can only apologize to you and the children."
"Hahaha," Chen Hong laughed. Yu Hai looked at Chen Hong's face; she was still so beautiful, her eyes still so watery, as if they could speak. They had been married for seven years, working in the village under the sun and wind, farming, going to the beach, raising children, and caring for the elderly. Her skin had become rough and much darker. Before marriage, she wore a long braid, but now she always wore her hair in a bun on her head.
Yu Hai's nose suddenly stung, and tears welled up in his eyes. He had fallen in love with Chen Hong at first sight back then; she was so beautiful, so lively, so quirky. When did the happiness he felt at their wedding begin?
Is it a person, under the neon lights of a metropolis, watching alluring women in short skirts sway their slender waists past them, or losing themselves in the rich scent of perfume and lipstick in the night?
From initially feeling an intense longing for home, wife, and children, to year after year becoming reluctant to return to my hometown, enduring the hassle of traveling by train, car, or motorcycle, a round trip taking two or three days.
The orchard at the west end of his hometown village, the sea at the east end, the cozy dining table, the comfortable bed, his wife who was always busy and never wore makeup—all these things gradually eroded his passion. He increasingly longed for the skyscrapers of big cities and grew increasingly weary of the winding farm roads and the salty sea breeze of his hometown.
Yu Hai thought that he might not want to abandon his beautiful, kind, hardworking, and brave wife; he might want to abandon this poor and backward fishing village. Nor did he yearn for a beautiful and glamorous white-collar girlfriend; what he truly longed for was the city life with its skyscrapers and neon lights.
If he continues his current lifestyle, with his family saving 10,000 yuan a year, he still won't be able to buy a house in Jinan in 30 years. He wants to take advantage of his youth and change his way of life.
He and his girlfriend now earn more than 7,000 yuan a month. After deducting 2,000 yuan for rent and living expenses, they can save more than 5,000 yuan a month, which is enough to save 60,000 yuan a year.
Currently, the average price of housing in Jinan is between 2,000 and 3,000 yuan per square meter. A house of just over 100 square meters would cost over 300,000 yuan if paid in full. If you choose to pay in installments, you can buy a house with a 30% down payment and 90,000 yuan.
He and his girlfriend would only have to pay a little over 1,000 yuan in interest each month, making life quite easy. Yu Hai secretly planned out his future days and felt much more relaxed.
Chen Hong rubbed her face with both hands and looked at Yu Hai, saying, "Since you've made up your mind to get a divorce, and you've cheated on me and are at fault, let's talk about the terms of the divorce. We've lived together for seven years and have a son. I don't want to become enemies with you, nor do I want my father and son to suffer in the middle."
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