Not Getting Divorced Is as Good as Being Dead

"The Marriage Preservation Bureau System reminds you: not getting divorced is the same as dying."

"When wedding rings begin to gnaw at your finger bones, our love is undergoing a live dissection."

On their fifth wedding anniversary, Cheng Yuan discovers that his wife Lin Xia's skin is becoming translucent layer by layer, like an onion.

In a city where the smart wedding ring monitoring system has gone haywire, he watches his wife shed her skin, starting at her fingertips, while the people in their wedding portraits move on their own at midnight. Every night, mysterious figures in black bring purple potions that crystallize memories. Yet the black archives beneath the Civil Affairs Bureau show that their marriage was marked for "specimen processing" three years ago. When their double bed becomes a swamp that devours the memories of their arguments, he discovers that the so-called seven-year itch is actually a live experiment by the Marriage Preservation Bureau to cultivate immortal cells.

"You have accumulated 732 days of intimacy points. Would you like to redeem them now for your spouse's skin regeneration service?" When your reflection in the mirror lags twelve seconds behind reality, can you still believe the "person" beside you in bed?

"Darling, remember to replenish your vow nutrients today." Lin Xia smiles as she hands him a glass. Her ring finger is carbonizing at the ring's connector, and three wedding ring shards veined with blood lie at the bottom of the glass. The smart speaker suddenly cuts in: "Friendly reminder: today's divorce appointments are fully booked. Time left to survive: 23 hours and 59 minutes."