Divorce Application - Chapter 34.1

Chapter 34.1: The Past

Liu Sinan’s new rental was a small detached villa, about three hundred square meters. It had a small garden and a warehouse on the side, with two floors in total.

The garden was divided into sections of different sizes by cobblestones. The largest section was filled with flowers of varying levels, yellow, white, and red, and some didn’t even have a name. They were of all sizes and heights.

A smaller area was a vegetable garden, lush and green, with newly sprouted spinach seedlings, chili pepper seedlings, and small green onions. At the edge of the garden, there were some places without soil, where a row of foam boxes was placed. A few sticks were propped up in the foam boxes as climbing frames for the pole beans that hadn’t sprouted yet.

It was neat and clean, and as soon as you entered, you could feel a strong rural atmosphere.

Liu Sinan changed her shoes and put a pair of clean slippers in front of Li Jinping.

Li Jinping looked down, and what she saw was a pair of bunny plush slippers, a type of plush product that she hadn’t worn since she was three.

Seeing that she wasn’t changing her shoes, Liu Sinan smiled awkwardly and earnestly recommended, “This pair was bought with the one on my feet. It looks very ordinary, but it’s very comfortable to wear, and it keeps you warm in winter.”

The one on her feet was a gray floppy-eared bunny, and the one on Li Jinping’s feet was a white short-eared bunny.

Li Jinping lowered her eyes and considered it for a few seconds. Gray and white were the same color family; floppy-eared and short-eared were a good pair. Li Jinping nodded and put them on happily.

Liu Sinan didn’t take her to the first floor. Many parts of the first floor were divided into storage rooms. At a glance, it looked cold and was a stark contrast to the garden.

But when they got to the second floor, Li Jinping’s eyes lit up.

The second floor wasn’t heavily divided. It was bright and clean. At a glance, it was clean and transparent, and the sunlight from outside could directly hit the wall on the other side. There was a large living room in the center, and a large, thick, dirt-resistant rug was laid on the floor. The furniture was all made of solid wood. It looked expensive, but it was a little old, probably from a second-hand market.

The walls were very clean, with many small picture frames hanging on them. Li Jinping looked at them one by one. They were all photos of Liu Sinan’s past fashion shows.

“I basically collect a few photos from every show I walk,” Liu Sinan explained to her with a serious expression. “This way, I can see if my condition has changed or declined by comparing them.”

…

“This one,” Li Jinping walked to a picture frame and pointed to a photo where the head and face were wrapped up. “Is this a design by Motiya?”

Liu Sinan had been surprised by Li Jinping’s professionalism once before, but this time she still let out a gasp. “You know about Motiya?”

“A niche performance artist,” Li Jinping withdrew her hand, took off her jacket and put it on her arm, and looked at her with a smile. “Don’t be so surprised. We’re in the same industry, so we’ve heard of her.”

Liu Sinan saw her jacket and quickly reached out to take it and hung it on the hanger, gently pulling a few times to smooth out the wrinkles.

“I thought you were too busy with important matters to pay attention to these things,” Liu Sinan said in a low voice.

Li Jinping said understandingly, “I get it. This is your stereotypical impression of us.” Then she smiled playfully. “Not only do I know her and her niche art, but I also know the concept of this design, which is same-s3x love.”

Liu Sinan’s body stiffened. She wasn’t unaware that the famous Li Jinping had never had a boyfriend. It was rumored that she liked women, and she had also publicly stated that compared to men, she preferred the female body, with its graceful curves and soft skin.

Liu Sinan knew she liked women even before she went abroad. If the villa hadn’t been sold, there would have been a wall of Marilyn Monroe posters in her bedroom.

In such an open and inclusive environment abroad, Liu Sinan hadn’t felt this awkward and stiff in a long time.

Maybe it was because she was in a familiar environment now, and the “fellow countryman” next to her was from the same background. Or maybe it was because the person in front of her was the famous and unattainable Li Jinping. Liu Sinan took a step back and didn’t respond.

“We are wrapped in fabric, like ostriches burying their heads in the sand,” Li Jinping didn’t seem to realize that her words were worth thinking about and continued without a pause. “Your outfit should be ‘Tears of Love’.”

“You’re absolutely right.” Liu Sinan held it in for a long time and gave her a thumbs-up. “You’re amazing. From now on, when I look at you, I’ll probably have a fan-girl filter on.”

Li Jinping smiled. “I have a lot of fans.”

Liu Sinan’s awkwardness gradually disappeared. It was only for a moment. Li Jinping didn’t take it seriously, and she quickly forgot about it. Her eyes were sparkling as she said, “Then I’ll get in line and wait for your autograph!”

Li Jinping pretended to think deeply and said thoughtfully, “But since you’re so cute, I’ll allow you to cut the line.”

“Yay!”

Li Jinping and Liu Sinan chatted back and forth. The atmosphere was very comfortable, making people feel lazier and lazier, just wanting to curl up and not move.

An hour later, Liu Sinan looked at the clock and suddenly stood up. “I’m so sorry. I forgot to cook. It’s already past lunchtime…”

Li Jinping raised her eyebrows and looked at her. She said, “I should be the one to apologize. I’ve disturbed you for so long that you haven’t eaten yet. How about I treat you to dinner outside?”

How could Liu Sinan let Li Jinping treat her? Plus, she had invited her to her house so that she could try her hometown cooking.

Liu Sinan immediately rolled up her sleeves, took an apron from the wall, and tied it around her waist. She waved her hand very boldly. “No need! I’ll cook right now. It won’t take long!”

It didn’t take long, but it still took almost an hour.

Normally, when Liu Sinan cooked for herself, she didn’t eat much, and she was on a diet. Most of the time, she would just pan-fry some fish or beef, steam some potatoes, boil vegetables in water, or just have a fruit salad without any dressing.

But the person waiting outside was Li Jinping, so she had to make some substantial dishes.

Liu Sinan went downstairs and cut a small handful of green onions and picked a few chili peppers. These were all things she had transplanted, and they were growing very well.

Speaking of substantial dishes, Liu Sinan didn’t know how to make many. They naturally couldn’t compare to the luxurious meals in restaurants, so they could only be considered “homemade” substantial dishes.

After she was done cooking, she came out with the dishes and found that Li Jinping had fallen asleep peacefully on the sofa.

The kitchen door was open, and the aroma quickly spread. Li Jinping moved her body and opened her eyes.

There was an enoki mushroom, glass noodle, and shrimp hot pot, stir-fried pork with chili peppers, mapo tofu, pineapple sweet and sour pork, and crucian carp soup.

“Was I cooking for too long?” Liu Sinan said apologetically. “I’m sorry I made you fall asleep while waiting.”

Li Jinping shook her head, rubbed her neck, and got up. Her eyes, which were just waking up, looked as if they had been washed with water. When she looked down at her, she had a gentle look. “No, I just fell asleep by accident.”

Li Jinping hadn’t had such a peaceful and comfortable sleep in a long time. She sat on the sofa, with a pillow that was probably stuffed with cotton by Liu Sinan herself in her arms. The lumpy texture was very comfortable.

The peaceful environment, the sound of her working in the kitchen, and the ticking of the old wall clock made her feel sleepy very quickly.

Even though it was only for an hour, it was more comfortable than resting for three days.

Li Jinping saw the dishes on the table and had the same surprised expression that Liu Sinan had before, but she hid it well. She praised them endlessly. “It smells great, and it looks great.”

Liu Sinan gave her a bowl and chopsticks. “I forgot to ask, do you have any dietary restrictions, like not eating seafood or something?”

She had checked the official website and knew that Li Jinping didn’t like lamb, but she didn’t know about anything else.

Li Jinping’s gaze was soft. “I like everything on this table.”

The tips of Liu Sinan’s ears were a little red. She lowered her head and smiled happily.

A sudden, sharp pain in her stomach pulled Li Jinping back to the dark reality.

Housekeeper Wang knocked on the door again. Li Jinping turned over and sat up in bed. It was already dark outside.

“Madam, come out and eat some dinner,” she had only eaten a little that day, and housekeeper Wang was very worried.

Li Jinping rubbed her numb face and felt like she was a ghost, floating in and out without her feet touching the ground.

That first time, Liu Sinan cooked for her herself. The aroma of that table of food was like a red-hot brand, deeply etched in her memory.

Every time she dreamed in the middle of the night, she could smell it.

At times like these, Li Jinping would temporarily be grateful for her illness. The confused five senses and the fake taste allowed her to see the dishes Liu Sinan had personally cooked for her whenever she closed her eyes. Liu Sinan would be standing in front of her, wearing an apron, smiling at her, and serving her food.

That kind of warmth was something she could only watch from afar, something she didn’t dare to touch.

It was like a flower in a mirror or a mirage in the water.

A reflection in the water that would shatter if you touched it.

Their beginning was supposed to be beautiful and intoxicating.

Li Jinping approached her step by step with a calm demeanor, using the endless tolerance and doting of an older person to love this child whom she adored.

The two of them had been in an ambiguous relationship for a long time. It was a quiet, subtle kind of beauty, warm and solid. Neither of them was willing to break the tension.

Li Jinping gave Liu Sinan a lot of special treatment. Later, some people became jealous of her and set a trap for her, locking her on the hotel rooftop.

Before Liu Sinan was tricked into going to the rooftop, she was chatting with Li Jinping and had said she would be back in ten minutes. She hoped that when she didn’t come back after ten minutes, twenty minutes, or an hour and there was no news from her, Li Jinping would be a little more vigilant and worried.

The wind on the rooftop was harsh and cold. The height of over a hundred floors made Liu Sinan’s legs turn to jelly whenever she looked back.

She was huddled behind a light box, and her hands and feet were numb from the cold. Her whole body was shivering. She hated those people, and she also hated herself. She was uncontrollably falling into obsessive thoughts, and her eyes were bloodshot, and her expression was terrifying.

If the person who locked her on the rooftop appeared in front of her now, she would not hesitate to pull her down with her, then change her angle in mid-air so that the other person would fall first and become a pile of mud, while she would also be shattered on the ground. The two rotten corpses would be intertwined, and she would become a vengeful ghost to continue her revenge.

Just then, there was a rush of footsteps outside the rooftop. It wasn’t just one person.

Then she heard Li Jinping’s thunderous scolding, a furious volcanic eruption. “Why is the rooftop locked? Is this how you manage a hotel?! Now, open it for me immediately!”

The rooftop door was a high-tech, new type of bulletproof door. It was very difficult to open without a lock.

“What do you mean, wait?” Li Jinping raised her voice. “If you can’t open it, then tear down this wall for me!”

As soon as she finished speaking, the wall was hit by a huge force, and dust fell off. The hotel manager cried and apologized amid the loud noise.

Liu Sinan stared blankly at the door. The wall was quickly smashed, and the door, which had no support around it, fell to the ground with a loud bang.

Amid the huge noise, Liu Sinan shivered.

Then, she saw Li Jinping standing in the center of the light, rushing towards her in the midst of the dust.

Li Jinping’s lips were trembling, and her hands were also trembling, but she rushed towards her with determination and hugged her tightly.

Li Jinping didn’t remember her reaction at the time. She left everything to her instincts.

She couldn’t get in touch with Liu Sinan for half an hour, so she ordered a meal for her. The staff couldn’t open the door or find anyone. Li Jinping’s sixth sense made her feel a little suspicious and uneasy.

So she immediately used her connections to investigate the hotel’s surveillance.

On the phone, she heard her subordinate report that “Ms. Liu was trapped on the hotel rooftop.” In that instant, the beast in her awakened at a terrifying speed. She knew at that moment that she couldn’t chain up that beast, and she didn’t want to.

For the first time, she didn’t want to be rational or a mature and steady adult. She just wanted to rush to her lover, hold her hand, feel her warmth and heartbeat, and tell her that she was there.

So she called people, smashed the wall, and rushed over without hesitation.

“I want to kill them.” Liu Sinan’s eyes were straight, and the veins on her hands and feet were bulging from the force. The obsession and darkness in her eyes seemed to have solidified. The moment Li Jinping saw her, it was as if she saw a crazy demon.

Liu Sinan’s eyes were red, and she said one word at a time, “Those people, their faces, voices, height, walking posture, and names, I know all of them. I’m going to make them fall from here bit by bit and become a pile of mud.”

Li Jinping held her cold hands and placed them on her neck, where the large artery was beating strongly, bringing a continuous stream of heat that could warm her stiff hands.

Li Jinping said, “Sinan, look at me.”

Liu Sinan didn’t react, so Li Jinping called out to her again and again, tirelessly.

“Sinan, don’t think about it.”

“Sinan, you have to look at me.”

“Sinan, listen to me.”

“Sinan…”