Chapter 26: Is That Still My Home?

"Wife, wife, where are you?" Gu Yu's voice came through, thick with anxiety. "I've been looking for you for days. Do you have any idea how worried I am?"

Tang Xi listened to the man's profession of deep affection, as moving as it had always been. Yet, she could no longer hear the sound of her own heart racing. "Where exactly did you look for me? The zoo or the aquarium?"

Gu Yu froze, but quickly recovered. "Wife, please, let me explain. Xiao Feng was traumatized at the birthday banquet and has been depressed ever since. It was Nuannuan who suggested taking him out to clear his head."

"Hah!" Tang Xi let out a cold laugh.

Gu Yu's heart felt as though it had been struck by frost; his voice grew tense. "Wife, I'm sorry. I was wrong. Tell me where you are, and I'll come pick you up and bring you home, okay?"

"Home? Is that still my home?" Tang Xi suppressed the ache in her heart, gazing out at the bustling city lights beyond the window. "Gu Yu, let's get a divorce."

Song Xining stepped out of the kitchen just in time to hear these words. She said nothing and returned to the kitchen with a bowl in her hands.

She and Tang Xi were childhood friends, having grown up together since they were toddlers; they knew each other down to the bone. On the surface, Tang Xi appeared soft and gentle, devoid of temper, but she was, in fact, incredibly stubborn. She did not make decisions lightly, but once she did, they were essentially set in stone. Much like her rule of "three strikes"—if you truly reached three, there would never be a fourth chance.

This time, Gu Yu was in real trouble.

Gu Yu thought he had misheard. He dared not be certain, his tone trembling. "Wife, what did you just say?" It had to be that her voice was too soft, and he had misheard; it had to be.

"I will draft the divorce agreement and have it sent to your company in the next few days. If you have any terms, feel free to propose them. As long as they aren't excessive, I will agree to them. I only ask that we part on good terms." With that, Tang Xi hung up.

The screen lit up again, showing the name she had saved for him: "Husband." Without hesitation, she cut the call and changed the contact name back to Gu Yu. She could not block him just yet, not before the divorce.

Gu Yu kept calling, but Tang Xi simply silenced the phone, set it aside, and went to eat her noodles.

Song Xining handed her a tissue. Tang Xi wiped the tears from her face and offered a weak smile. "Where's the caregiver?"

"I can manage on my own, so I sent her home. No need to waste money." Song Xining’s parents were unable to help her; she had purchased this apartment through her own hard work, paying the down payment and still covering the mortgage.

Tang Xi took a bite of the noodles and couldn't help but frown. "A-Ning, perhaps you should sign up for a cooking class. I'm afraid you might accidentally poison yourself one day."

"Is it really that bad?" After tasting a bite herself, Song Xining began to take the suggestion seriously.

After dinner, Tang Xi went to wash the dishes. Song Xining leaned on her crutches and followed her into the kitchen. "Are you really going to go through with it?"

Song Xining knew how much her dear friend loved her husband. Moreover, Gu Yu had truly been good to her, pampering her daily as if she were a precious treasure. She had once envied the relationship between Tang Xi and Gu Yu, but it seemed that after the splendor, nothing remained but decay. Who could have imagined that a man as deeply affectionate as Gu Yu could also have such a despicable side?

"A-Ning, I will not settle." She had given him a chance, and in doing so, she had given one to herself.

"Fine. Whatever you choose to do, I support you." Song Xining hugged her friend. "But Gu Yu cares about you so much; he definitely won't agree to a divorce. If he starts bombarding you with sweet words and promises, are you sure you won't compromise?"

Would she?

Looking past Song Xining's shoulder, the moonlight outside the window was brilliant.

***

Gu Yu grabbed his car keys and ran out like a madman.

"Brother, where are you going?" Gu Nuannuan had just heard him on the phone with Tang Xi. It must have been that vixen saying something again. She shot a glance at Xiao Feng, who understood immediately and lay down on the floor with practiced ease.

"Brother, it's terrible! Xiao Feng has fainted!"

Hearing Gu Nuannuan's cry, Gu Yu felt a wave of frustration, but seeing Xiao Feng twitching on the floor, he had no choice but to turn back.

As for Tang Xi, he would explain everything later; he was certain she was just speaking out of a momentary fit of anger.