I Only Found Out on the Day We Divorced That She Had Just Six Months Left

At the civil affairs bureau, Gu Huaichuan signed the papers and tossed down the pen. “Three years of marriage, and you've gotten plenty out of it.”

He didn't know that from that moment on, he could hear her thoughts:

[Gotten plenty out of it? That's hilarious.]

The voice exploded deep inside his skull, gritting its teeth, but its final words came out soft and brief, as if she couldn't bear to finish the insult and had swallowed the rest.

He remembered the list of side effects for targeted therapy: auditory hallucinations, perceptual disturbances.

Then her second thought struck him:

[They need 400 ml, but the normal amount is only 200 ml. Can my bone marrow take it...? He doesn't know I was diagnosed a month ago.]

Gu Huaichuan's hand froze. A hallucination couldn't know that.

Su Nian signed the papers and calmly pushed them back. “I'm done signing, Mr. Gu.”

Three years ago, she called him “Huaichuan.” Later, it was “Gu Huaichuan.” After they separated, it became “Mr. Gu.” Every time she changed how she addressed him, she took another step back. Today, she had taken her last one.

He found a crumpled informed consent form between the chair cushions. A note that had been crossed out appeared under the light: “The donor was diagnosed with MDS just over a month ago. Excessive collection is not recommended.”

She had been diagnosed with high-risk MDS four months ago. Three months ago, she had donated 400 ml of bone marrow to him. She had split the half of her life she had left and given it to him.

After the divorce, he chased her to her rented apartment. There were old renovation plans covering the walls, medication records for an elderly person, and a thank-you letter: “Every family left a light on for you.”

A faded pencil drawing fell out of a drawer. A three-year-old girl had drawn it and written: “This is what Big Brother looks like. I'll remember him.”

He had no memory of ever knowing her.

And he had accused her of getting plenty out of him.

He resigned as CEO, sold his shares, and started over in sales.

She had only six months left.

He pursued her with his life on the line.