Mute Beauty

Chapter 76: Anger

Ten minutes later, Yu Ting arrived home.

Aunt Song was still in the kitchen, preparing dinner. When she saw Yu Ting return, she mentioned that it would take a bit longer. Ran Ling stood in the courtyard, admiring the flowers. Only when Yu Ting walked up behind her did she turn around.

Yu Ting hadn't really paid attention to the garden lately, and now, in a daze, she noticed that most of the purple flowers Ran Ling had planted were dormant for the winter. The fragrance had faded, and the once lush, dense bushes had become bare and sparse, missing their former mysterious beauty.

With the temperature at just under ten degrees that evening, Ran Ling, who feared the cold, had wrapped herself in a cashmere coat, giving her a delicate, fragile appearance. Yu Ting observed her carefully. The last time she'd seen her, she'd only had a thin, knitted cardigan draped over her shoulders, walking barefoot by the river...

In a blink, they were in winter; it was as if they had completely missed autumn.

Ran Ling was without makeup, not even a touch of lipstick. Her complexion, pale against the backdrop of winter, looked even more frail.

Yu Ting looked at her, holding back her emotions, her tone calm: "Are you going to explain that message? Are you just throwing a tantrum?"

Without waiting for Ran Ling to respond, Yu Ting continued, "Didn't I tell you I'm finished with my work? I have plenty of time now to spend with you. Why bring up divorce all of a sudden? Are you trying to upset me or scare me into feeling guilty, so you'll get more from me?"

"Ran Ling, if that's what you want, you could just say it. I'd give you anything. But I won't play that game." Yu Ting's voice held an edge she didn't even notice.

Hearing this, Ran Ling's calm gaze grew sorrowful, and Yu Ting's heart tightened in response.

Ran Ling shook her head lightly, like the flutter of butterfly wings, then brushed past her into the house. Yu Ting understood her meaning and followed.

Earlier, Yu Ting had been so anxious to find her that she hadn't noticed the two divorce agreements lying on the coffee table, each paired with a pen, ready and waiting.

The divorce papers. The stark letters printed across the blank cover were almost absurd. It was unimaginable that Ran Ling was the one putting these in front of her.

They were clearly prepared long ago—before she'd even expressed her wish to meet. Perhaps they'd been ready much earlier, back when she was busy dealing with Yu Hao.

Yu Ting's mind went blank, and she blurted out, almost laughing at herself, "You're serious?"

Ran Ling nodded calmly. She sat on the sofa, bent over the divorce papers, pushing them toward Yu Ting, silently asking her to look at them.

Then, she took out her phone to type: [Take a look, Ting. I'll be moving out soon. The things that belong to you—]

She hadn't finished when Yu Ting took the phone from her hands.

Ran Ling froze, then fell silent.

"Why?" Yu Ting looked down at her, voice cold, "Aren't you going to give me a reason?"

A reason.

Ran Ling looked up, meeting the anger in Yu Ting's eyes.

Naturally, Yu Ting was angry. For someone as proud as her, suddenly being "dumped" was a blow to her ego.

But without the phone, how could Ran Ling explain herself? Did Yu Ting still remember any sign language? She hadn't practiced in so long; even if she remembered bits and pieces, it wouldn't be enough to understand her fully.