Butterflies in the Fog

Old-school melodramatic angst | A whole basket of tired tropes | Read with caution “Lou Wenjin, let's get divorced.” “Ah Jiu, you've forgotten. We never registered our marriage in the first place, so we aren't technically husband and wife.” · They first met in July, six years ago. Just after she stepped out of the mansion, a young man emerged from beneath a tree. The cool green shade and dapples of sunlight swayed over his white short-sleeved shirt like rippling water. She stared, struck dumb, and unconsciously stopped walking. Only after a long moment did she remember to ask Uncle Gu who he was. Uncle Gu said, “Lou Wenjin. Miss Ah Jiu, you can just call him A-Jin.” She asked how to write his name. Uncle Gu said, “Lou as in ‘a boat in the snow at night,’ and Wenjin as in ‘to ask about the crossing.’” She laughed, tugged down the brim of her sun hat, and said brightly, “I think it's Wenjin as in ‘no one asks about him.’” · A young heart stirred, love at first sight. She didn't know then that someday she would hate him so much she'd want to kill him. · Their story has no forgiveness, only living with the consequences of their own bets. · “Other people are addicted to alcohol. I'm addicted to you.” *Happy ending *Each other's first love | Mutual secret crush *Important content warnings: melodramatic angst | Not a sweet romance | Old-school tropes Reader's note: *The story is set in a fictional Nanyang, between 1995 and 1997. Theme: A happy marriage is something you build together