Appearing on a Marriage Show Before Getting Divorced - Chapter 22

High school had always been the favorite and most cherished time of Ruan Youran’s life.

Back then, her relationship with Chu Nian was in a hazy, ambiguous phase. They were tirelessly playing through that classic teenage girl routine: “Does she like me?” “Why is she smiling at someone else?” “Does she only see me as a sister?”

Youran and Chu Nian walked side-by-side through the campus. It was the holidays and midday, so there weren’t many people, but they both wore sunglasses and walked close together. Even so, people frequently turned back to stare.

The youth they could never return to. They could no longer walk openly hand-in-hand through the campus like they used to.

Youran was prone to sweating, especially when nervous or during the summer; her hands were always clammy. Chu Nian was the opposite; her hands and feet were ice-cold year-round.

Back then, Youran loved holding Chu Nian’s hand, shamelessly claiming, “Help me cool down. You don’t mind, right?”

Chu Nian would look at her coldly. “I do mind.”

But as she spoke and tried to withdraw her hand, Youran would grin and tighten her grip, refusing to let go. “Mind what? I’m the one who fed you medicine at lunch today.”

Chu Nian’s face would turn red. Because she was terrified of taking medicine, Youran always had to find creative ways to get her to take it whenever she had a cold.

During her periods, Chu Nian’s stomach always ached, and her mother would prescribe traditional Chinese medicine. For someone who couldn’t even swallow Western pills, that was a death sentence. Youran tried soft and hard tactics to no avail, so she eventually resorted to treating Chu Nian like a toddler. She took a small red bottle of Wang Wang Milk, drank the milk, poured the medicine inside, and handed it over.

Chu Nian took it, sniffed it, and looked at Youran in disbelief. “Do you think I’m a three-year-old?”

Youran smiled like a doting mother, stroking Chu Nian’s hair. “Be good, baby. Drink it. Do you think this is easy for me?”

Chu Nian’s face flushed instantly. Youran expected her to toss it aside, but Chu Nian actually drank it. Despite the struggle, she didn’t get angry afterward; she even kept the empty bottle.

Recalling this, Youran ran into the campus convenience store. Chu Nian watched her back, eyes brimming with tears.

Youran returned quickly. Ten years had passed, but she had hardly changed. The moment she held out a can of Wang Wang Milk to Chu Nian, Youran looked happy. But while Chu Nian was smiling on the outside, it was raining in her heart.

Youran popped the tab and handed it to her. “Here. The packaging is a bit different now; even the Wang Wang boy looks different.”

Chu Nian took a sip. It was very sweet, yet somehow bitter.

As they walked, every corner of the school was filled with memories. Reaching the teaching building, Youran looked up at the flag. “Do you remember?”

Chu Nian nodded. How could she forget?

In high school, Chu Nian had hit her growth spurt earlier than Youran and was half a head taller. When the school’s color guard was recruiting, Chu Nian was selected as a lead member. Youran would go to every practice to keep her company.

At first, it was fine. Youran would wait with a smile. But eventually, her mood soured with every visit. The color guard emphasized teamwork—matching steps, matching expressions, even matching the timing of their head-turns. Because a performance for the school anniversary was coming up, the training was grueling and often cut into class time. Youran would skip class to stay with her.

Once, after nearly an hour of training, the guard finally executed a perfect march. The captain clapped. Everyone was ecstatic, including Chu Nian. She gave a faint smile, and the deputy captain—a handsome, tall guy named Song Yang, known as the school’s “Little Louis Koo”—got caught up in the excitement and put an arm around Chu Nian’s shoulder. Though Chu Nian quickly dodged, that moment stung Youran’s eyes.

That evening, Youran was inexplicably angry. When a refreshed Chu Nian came to find her after showering, Youran shot her a glance that landed squarely on her shoulder.

“Let’s go?” Chu Nian smiled at her as usual.

Youran rolled her eyes. “I’m meeting someone. Go by yourself.”

“Meeting someone?” Chu Nian stared into her eyes. Youran was flustered; she knew her irrational temper was affecting an innocent person, so she just shouldered her bag and stomped off without a word.

“Meeting someone” was a lie. She was just meeting an “old lady.” Back then, Ruan Qiu (Mom) would always pick her up, leaning against her car like a fashion mogul but smiling like a sunflower. Ruan Qiu would treat the school like her own headquarters, chatting with everyone.

In the car, Youran sat in the back sulking, ignoring her mother’s chatter and staring out the window. At home, Ruan Qiu whispered to Chu Qing: “I think our Jianjian is experiencing ‘first love’ stirrings.”

That night, Youran rejected Chu Nian’s video call request. Chu Nian stared at her phone, her long lashes fluttering, and let out a soft sigh. She was a top student with incredible self-control; teachers said nothing could distract her. But that night, she couldn’t even finish a single worksheet.

Meanwhile, Youran spent half the night in her room printing a photo. She took it to her moms. “Look. Is he better looking, or am I?”

The moms looked at the photo. It was Louis Koo. Back then, The Return of the Condor Heroes was a massive hit, and his “plain and ordinary” looks were famous nationwide.

Ruan Qiu laughed. “Louis Koo, of course.”

Youran’s face fell instantly. Ruan Qiu stammered, “Don’t be mad! You’re better looking than the eagle next to him. More ‘aura’!”

That night, the house saw an unprecedented battle between “Puberty” and “Menopause.” By the end, mother and daughter were in a cold war.

The next day, Youran snuck back to watch Chu Nian practice. She hid behind a tree, even wearing a green hat, feeling like she had blended into nature. Chu Nian was distracted, her eyes wandering aimlessly over the stands, looking dejected.

Midway through practice, Chu Nian went for a break. She walked straight to the tree where Youran was hiding. Youran’s heart hammered against her ribs as she shrank back.

“Are you pretending to be a toadstool?” Chu Nian asked curiously.

Ruan Youran: “…”

The mushroom was out of the bag. Youran still tried to ignore her. Chu Nian looked into her eyes. “What’s wrong with you?”

Youran said nothing. Chu Nian was stubborn—she didn’t know how to act cute yet, but that watery, wounded gaze made Youran’s heart ache. Youran gave in. She stared at Chu Nian. “Do you like that deputy captain?”

“What?” Chu Nian was baffled.

“That guy! The one who stands there like a charred stick with eyes like coal!” Youran’s voice rose.

Seeing that Chu Nian didn’t answer but instead started laughing, Youran turned to leave in a rage. Chu Nian grabbed her hand. “Don’t go.”

That was all it took. Youran was hooked, though she still snapped, “Don’t hold me! I’m leaving no matter what you say! I’m never talking to you again!”

Chu Nian said slowly, “I’m not holding you.”

Ruan Youran: “…”

A breeze blew past, carrying the scent of flowers and the awkwardness of a teenage girl. Youran was about to lose it when Chu Nian smiled. She looked Youran in the eye and said, “I don’t like him.”

Youran’s heart did a 360-degree flip. She wanted to stay cool, but her lips curled up. “Why?”

Chu Nian was silent. After a long while, she bit her lip, her face turning a suspicious shade of red. Youran loved seeing her shy. She grabbed her hand. “Is it because he’s not as pretty as me?”

Chu Nian: “…”

“Heh, I knew it. How could someone that dark be as pretty as a girl like me?”

Chu Nian could only shake her head. It was childish to the extreme.

Now, Youran touched the tree she once hid behind and looked at Chu Nian with a smile. “Actually, seeing you blush back then made my heart race. I really wanted to kiss you.”

Those words had stayed hidden for years. Even the thick-skinned Youran had never said them out loud. Now, she could say them easily. If she didn’t say them now, she’d never have the chance.

Chu Nian looked at her, tears glinting in her eyes.

Further along was the “Little Woods,” the favorite spot for school couples. At night, it was a den of “hidden dragons and crouching tigers.” Youran recalled Chu Nian’s 16th birthday. Youran had personally baked a hideously burnt cake. She dragged Chu Nian into the woods, lit a candle, and told her to blow it out.

Chu Nian studied the cake. “It’s beautiful. Is it an imitation of a volcano?”

“If you can’t compliment, don’t. Is this a volcano? I modeled this after my own face!”

After blowing out the candles, they ate it together. Youran’s eyes were brighter than the candle had been. “Is my cake good?”

Chu Nian nodded, her heart racing. She was afraid of that look, yet expectant. Youran licked her lips. “You’re so beautiful, Nian Nian.”

Chu Nian looked down. “You haven’t given me my gift yet.”

“I was just about to. How can you see it if you keep your head down?” Youran’s voice was teasing. Chu Nian’s ears were red. Youran hooked Chu Nian’s chin, forcing her to look up. “Here’s the gift~”

That “gift” was something else. Youran had been a sprinter; her lung capacity was unmatched. By the end, Chu Nian was breathless, leaning against her. Youran’s mouth kept moving: “I used to see my moms being shameless. We’d be eating a perfectly good dinner and they’d suddenly say they had to go to the bathroom. They’d go together, and then somehow end up in the bedroom. Once, I thought I’d be a good daughter—they’d been in there for half an hour, so I brought them some toilet paper. I walked in and saw them entwined… they both turned red. I gave them the paper, though I don’t know if they ever used it.”

Chu Nian laughed helplessly. Youran whispered into her ear: “Back then, I had a big dream. If I ever got a girlfriend, I’d bring her home and get revenge for all those years of PDA. I’d show them that the new generation is even ‘wilder’ than the last.”

Youran loved making her blush. And Chu Nian loved hearing her talk. In the blink of an eye, so many years had passed.

Walking the paths, Youran murmured, “It’s so fast. In a blink, we’re thirty.”

The teenage students around them were still laughing and chatting. The campus hadn’t changed, but something else had. They walked to the cherry blossom trees.

“Do you remember this place?” Youran looked up, raising her hand as if she could still catch a palmful of petals.

“How could I forget?” Chu Nian was struggling to contain her emotions. This was where they had officially become a couple. It was the first time Chu Nian had taken the lead.

Back then, they were in university. Chu Nian’s talent had been discovered, and she was busy with filming. They saw each other less, but they video-called every day. During a variety show shoot, the host—jealous of the hype surrounding Chang’e—kept making snide remarks. Youran noticed something was wrong during their call.

“What’s wrong?” Youran asked. “Nothing,” Chu Nian smiled. “I’m just tired. I’m going to sleep.”

Youran didn’t believe her. She called a senior who was on the same show. Being Ruan Qiu’s daughter, she could find out anything with one call. The next day, the host’s attitude toward Chu Nian changed completely; he was even a bit afraid to look at her.

When Chu Nian found out Youran had used her family connections, she wasn’t happy. She didn’t say thank you. She just said, “Don’t do that again.”

It was like a bucket of cold water. Youran hung up. Chu Nian’s pride was incredibly strong. Having been called a “parasite” by her stepmother, she was desperate for independence. But while Youran understood, it still hurt. She just wanted to protect her.

They had a cold war for half a month. Chu Nian went to Youran’s dorm several times, but Youran’s roommates said she was just eating and sleeping and refused to see anyone. Chu Nian would leave with her head down. She was becoming famous then; her presence on campus drew countless gazes.

Roommates tried to persuade Youran. “Jianjian, are you really just going to keep ignoring her? She’s an idol to so many people now, not just the girl you could bully back in school.”

“I don’t care if she’s a god,” Youran snapped. “Can she control whether I sleep? Shut up.”

The tension broke during a school performance. Chu Nian didn’t like crowds, but her friend Big Flower told her Youran would be there. Chu Nian went, causing a stir. The student union president invited her to the VIP section, but she followed Youran to the front row.

Youran knew she was there the moment she smelled that faint scent. She refused to turn around, chatting enthusiastically with a freshman fan named Ning Ning. To spite Chu Nian, Youran even ate the grapes Ning Ning peeled for her. Ning Ning was ecstatic and even wiped Youran’s mouth with a tissue.

Chu Nian watched everything expressionlessly from behind.

After the show, Youran stayed in her seat for thirty minutes until everyone left. When she finally stood up and turned around, she saw Chu Nian sitting a few seats away, watching her coldly.

This wasn’t the Chu Nian she could bully in primary school. That gaze made Youran’s mouth go numb. She took a breath and muttered to herself, What am I afraid of? I’m the woman who can make the great President Ruan cry!

She walked past Chu Nian with a look of high-cold indifference. As she passed, Chu Nian caught her hand.

“What do you want?!” Youran snapped, but her heart was soaring.

Chu Nian looked down, her eyes red. Youran tried to pull away. “What? Acting like a mute? I have things to do.”

Chu Nian looked up, eyes full of tears. It was the ultimate kill-shot.

Chu Nian drove Youran to their old high school. Under the cherry trees, Chu Nian suddenly used her strength to pin Youran against a tree. Then, she kissed her. It was the first time Chu Nian had been so aggressive, leaving Youran stunned like a frozen rabbit.

“What are you doing?” Youran asked, her lips swollen. “We don’t see each other for weeks, and this is how you treat me? Are you acting like a big shot now?”

Jianjian would always remember that night. It was where they had their first kiss, and where she was eventually proposed to. The moon was perfectly round. Chu Nian pulled out two rings.

“Youran… if I said I did all this so I could stand by your side without feeling inferior, would you believe me?”

Youran’s throat was tight.

“I don’t want to see you smile at others,” Chu Nian whispered, hugging her. “I don’t want you eating food others feed you… I want you to belong to me forever.”

How long is forever? Ten years later, “forever” had fallen to the cruelty of reality.

Youran looked at Chu Nian, tears falling slowly. She shook her head. “Where it began, it shall end.”

She stepped forward and hugged the weeping Chu Nian. “Nian Nian, today, we are officially broken up.”

No shouting. No hysterics. Youran kissed Chu Nian’s forehead one last time. “I’m letting you go, and I’m letting myself go. We both deserve to be happy.”

Chu Nian bit her lip, her heart bleeding. Without her, there was no happiness. Youran’s kiss felt like a final seal on all the love and hate of the past decade.

“Actually, Youran, back then I—” Chu Nian tried to speak.

“Shh.” Youran placed a finger to her lips. “I waited so long. I don’t want to ask for answers anymore.”

In the past, Youran had begged for an answer. Chu Nian hadn’t given one. Now that Chu Nian wanted to explain, the person was no longer listening.

A breeze blew, and fallen petals landed in their hair. There was no more heart-stopping passion, only a profound, silent grief.

“Will we see each other again?” Chu Nian choked out.

Youran tried to smile, but couldn’t. “Of course. I promised you I’d finish the show.”

Chu Nian watched as Youran gave her one last deep look, waved, and walked away.

—”Youran, I have no one but you. Promise you’ll never leave me, no matter what.” —”Of course. You’re my wife. As long as you don’t leave, I will never forsake you.”

Chu Nian couldn’t take it anymore. She crouched down and hugged herself, sobbing.

Back then, she had been the one to leave without a word. Now, the person who loved her to the bone had finally forsaken her.