Entertainment from Divorce

"Tan Yue," she couldn't help but call out to him.

Tan Yue turned around, her eyes filled with anticipation, like a child waiting for praise from a teacher.

"Don't do this again." Qi Xue's voice was soft, but it carried an undeniable resolve. "We... are not suitable for each other."

Tan Yue was stunned for a moment, and the expectation in his eyes dimmed instantly, like a candle flame blown out by the wind.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but in the end he just nodded, turned around and left silently.

Watching his lonely figure disappear into the night, Qi Xue suddenly felt as if something had ripped out of her heart, causing a dull ache.

But this hidden pain was quickly suppressed by reason. She told herself that this was the right thing to do, and that a short pain was better than a long one.

She and Tan Yue were from completely different worlds; continuing their entanglement would only cause them both pain.

She looked down at the insulated bag in her hand; it was still warm to the touch, as if she could smell the aroma of the food inside. But that aroma could no longer warm her heart.

Back in the van, Qi Xue casually placed the insulated bag in a corner. Xiao Lin looked at the bag curiously: "Teacher Qi, what's in here? It smells so good."

"It's nothing, just some food a friend gave me," Qi Xue said calmly, her tone completely indifferent. "If you're hungry, take it and eat it."

Xiaolin opened the insulated bag with delight. Three insulated boxes were neatly arranged inside. The first one contained steaming hot sweet and sour pork, golden and crispy, with a delicious sweet and sour flavor. The second one contained fried pork ribs, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with an irresistible aroma. The third one contained flatbread, with distinct layers and a rich wheat flavor.

"Wow, this looks so delicious! This person put so much effort into it!" Xiaolin couldn't help but exclaim.

Qi Xue didn't speak, only staring at the lights outside the window. Those flavors that once lingered in her memory held no appeal for her now.

She took out her phone and saw a message from Tan Yue: "Have you eaten? How was the taste?"

She took out her phone and saw a message from Tan Yue: "Have you eaten? How was the taste?"

She glanced at it, didn't reply, and simply deleted the chat window.

Then, she opened her contacts, found that familiar name, hesitated for a moment, and ultimately did not press the delete button.

Perhaps it's time to have a serious talk with him about divorce.

The idea grew clearer and clearer in her mind, like a seed that was growing and would eventually sprout.

The film set in the distance was still brightly lit, and filming was still going on.

Qi Xue knew that her life, like this night play, required her to keep acting no matter how turbulent her heart was. Only this time, she wanted to choose a different script for herself—a script without Tan Yue.

She picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork that Xiaolin handed her and put it in her mouth.

The familiar taste spread across her tongue, but she couldn't taste any sweetness, only bitterness.

This taste, once a symbol of her happiness, has now become a shackle she wants to break free from.

Qi Xue swallowed the piece of sweet and sour pork whole, the sweet and sour sauce sticking to her throat like an undissolved syrup.

The sweetness, with its stubborn tenacity, slowly slid down the esophagus, spreading a cloying ripple in the stomach, like swallowing a lump of undissolved rock candy, making one feel uneasy.

Xiaolin was enjoying her meal, which was served in a thermal container. Oil droplets from the ribs splattered on her chin, forming tiny, glistening specks that shimmered in the dim light inside the car.

Unaware of her surroundings, she chewed the meat vigorously while mumbling her praise, "Teacher Qi, your friend is such a good cook! This sweet and sour pork is even more authentic than the old-established restaurant downstairs from my house! Especially the sweet and sour sauce, the sweet and sour balance is just right, not too sweet at all, and it's so thick that it can be pulled into strands when it coats the meat."

“A… friend from my hometown.” Qi Xue picked up the mineral water bottle and took two big gulps. The icy liquid slid down her esophagus like a small icicle, barely managing to carve a crack in the sweet and cloying liquid.

Her gaze fell on the windshield of the van, where the busy figures on set were clearly reflected. The assistant director's voice, shouting through the walkie-talkie with static, could be faintly heard through the window: "Attention all departments! Last emotional scene, try to get it in one take! Don't keep Teacher Qi waiting too long! Lighting crew, move the softbox to the left again!"

Xiaolin tossed the cleaned pork rib bones into his lunchbox, making a crisp, jarring sound that was particularly jarring in the quiet carriage.

She carefully wiped her mouth with a napkin, then suddenly leaned closer to Qi Xue, lowering her voice with a hint of inquiry: "Speaking of which, this person looks a bit familiar. When I went to pick up something earlier, he was standing under the streetlight, and the light illuminated his profile, making the outline of his nose particularly prominent. I feel like I've seen him somewhere before... I think it was backstage at some event? Wearing a black windbreaker, following behind Sister Li?"

Qi Xue's heart clenched suddenly, as if gripped tightly by an invisible hand, her nails digging deep into her palm, bringing a sharp, stabbing pain.

She tried to remain calm, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the buttons of her cheongsam on her knees, but her voice was a little tense: "You must have mistaken me for someone else. He's just a regular friend, probably with an average face. Northern men are all pretty much the same, with high noses and broad shoulders."

She reached for the script, but her fingertips slipped on the gold-embossed title on the cover—the same font as the Best Actress award trophy she had just received last month. It gleamed coldly in the dim light inside the car, as if silently mocking her current embarrassment and guilt.

"Maybe." Xiaolin didn't press further, took out a makeup mirror and began carefully cleaning the oil from the corners of her mouth. The light reflected off her face. "But the way he looked at you was quite special, like... like you were his whole world. When I took the insulated bag just now, he specifically told me, 'Teacher Qi, eat it while it's hot, the sweet and sour pork won't taste good if it gets cold.' I rarely see that kind of focused look in my eyes, even with fans."

"What do you mean?" Qi Xue's voice suddenly rose, carrying a hint of barely perceptible panic. But when she saw Xiao Lin's astonished expression, she forced a smile and said, "Nothing. Hurry up and get ready, it's time to go on stage. Director Zhang has a bad temper, don't keep him waiting."

She reached out and adjusted the slit of her cheongsam. Her fingertips touched the cool silk and she realized that her palms were already covered in fine beads of sweat.

The spotlights on set suddenly changed direction, their pale beams sweeping across the van windows and casting flickering spots of light on the script, like a swarm of restless fireflies.

Qi Xue stared at the flickering lights, her mind replaying the image of Tan Yue turning and leaving. (End of Chapter)