12: Ex-wife becomes lover?

Yu Heng and Bai Xinran parted ways at the cafeteria entrance.

He considered just getting the house sorted out this afternoon.

The Tangcheng University Town area was reclaimed land, barren a few years ago, and only became lively after the universities moved in these past two or three years.

There's a new residential complex directly opposite the school, with a few rows of Villas inside.

Real estate was booming at the moment, but most of the houses here were bought for investment and few people actually lived in them, so the rent wasn't expensive.

A small two-story house with four bedrooms and two living rooms would cost three to five thousand a month, depending on the renovation.

Yu Heng didn't look for an agent; even agents weren't very keen on coming to this area.

He bought a pack of cigarettes from the complex's supermarket and went straight to the property management office.

Pushing the door open, he saw a middle-aged man sitting in front of a computer, slacking off.

"Master, I want to ask about something," Yu Heng knocked on the doorframe.

The man looked up, his phone screen still lit: "What is it?"

"Are there any houses for rent in our complex? I want to rent one."

"Rent a house?" The man sized him up. "A student?"

"Yes, from Tangcheng University of Technology." Yu Heng offered him a cigarette. "I want to rent a quiet place for studying."

The man took the cigarette, his attitude improving. "Studying? Bullshit, you want to live with your girlfriend, don't you?"

Yu Heng grinned: "You understand."

"Young people nowadays..." The man pulled out a notebook from his drawer. "There are a few units that owners asked property management to keep an eye on for rent. What kind do you want?"

"Do you have those small two-story Villas? Nicely renovated ones."

"We do have some..." The man flipped through the notebook. "It'll be three to four thousand a month, are you sure?"

"Sure. Please help me contact the landlord so I can view the house."

"Alright." The man picked up his phone. "I'll ask for you. Are you free to view it now?"

"Yes, right now."

The man made a call, mumbled a few words, then hung up and said: "Let's go, I'll take you to see it. The landlord said it's four thousand a month."

Yu Heng followed him into the complex. Four thousand yuan was acceptable.

This place was close to the school, convenient for Bai Xinran to come and go, and he also planned to live here.

After so many years since graduation, living a communal life now was truly a bit unaccustomed.

When they arrived, the landlord, a woman in her forties, was already waiting at the door.

"You're the one who wants to rent?" The woman sized up Yu Heng.

"Yes, I'll take a look first."

The woman opened the door. The house was indeed quite new, fully furnished, but lacked a lived-in feel.

"This house was never lived in after it was bought," the woman said. "Look at the renovations, they're all new."

Yu Heng walked around. There was a large master bedroom on the second floor with an independent bathroom, and the other rooms were also spacious.

Most importantly, the large floor-to-ceiling window in the master bedroom really pleased him.

"Can it be a bit cheaper?" Yu Heng asked.

"Is this still expensive?" The woman frowned. "Look at the renovation, the location..."

"Three thousand five," Yu Heng said. "I'll sign for a year, with one month's deposit and three months' rent upfront."

The woman hesitated: "Three thousand eight, that's the lowest."

"Alright, three thousand eight it is." Yu Heng pulled out his phone. "Can we sign the contract now?"

"So urgent?" The woman was startled.

Yu Heng grinned: "I need it urgently."

After signing the contract, paying the money, and seeing off the landlord and agent.

Yu Heng was left alone in the house.

He sent Bai Xinran a WeChat message: "House sorted, I'll bring you to see it tomorrow."

Bai Xinran replied instantly: "So fast???"

Yu Heng: "My efficiency."

Bai Xinran: "How much is the rent?"

Yu Heng: "Three thousand eight, a two-story Villa."

Bai Xinran sent a string of exclamation marks: "(ΩДΩ) Boss is so generous!!!!"

Yu Heng smiled and put away his phone.

There was a large supermarket in the university town's commercial street. Yu Heng planned to go stock up on some daily necessities and stay in the Villa for the next two days.

Yu Heng arrived at the supermarket, grabbed a shopping cart, and threw in daily necessities like toothpaste and towels.

He saw He Mengyao pushing a shopping cart ahead in the distance.

He knew it was her just by her back.

He was all too familiar with this body, which had pleasured him countless nights.

Yu Heng knew her body better than she did herself.

Today she was wearing a light gray knit top and high-waisted jeans.

And she was 1.7 meters tall, very noticeable in a crowd.

But she looked a bit awkward walking.

She was probably on her period, and it was the first day.

He remembered clearly that He Mengyao's dysmenorrhea was particularly severe on the first two days.

Sure enough, after only two steps, she squatted down, her forehead resting on the shopping cart handle.

As if by a ghost's prompting, Yu Heng walked over.

He took her usual brand of sanitary pads from the shelf and put them in her cart: "Didn't take ibuprofen?"

"I did, just took it, hasn't worked yet." He Mengyao instinctively replied, then looked up and froze. "You are?"

This person looked familiar... Someone asked for her WeChat during military training last time, and he seemed to be standing nearby?

"My name is Yu Heng, we're from the same school." He looked at her pale face. "Can you still walk?"

He Mengyao tried to stand up, but her legs gave out and she sat back down: "I just need to rest for a bit..."

Yu Heng frowned. This woman would roll around in bed when her dysmenorrhea was at its worst: "Can you still get back by yourself like this? Should I take you back?"

He Mengyao shook her head: "No need."

"Then call your roommate and ask someone to pick you up," Yu Heng said. "Do you need to buy anything else? I'll help you get it."

"Nothing much," He Mengyao's voice was a bit weak. "Just some tissues and shower gel or something..."

"You call your roommate here, I'll go get the stuff." Yu Heng finished speaking and pushed the cart towards the daily necessities section.

He got the few items she mentioned, all her usual brands.

When he returned, He Mengyao was still squatting there, on the phone: "Mm... over here in the daily necessities section... Okay..."

Yu Heng put the items into her cart: "Got them."

He Mengyao hung up the phone, looked at the items in the cart, and was stunned.

How did he know I use these brands?

"When will your roommate be here?" Yu Heng asked.

"She said ten minutes." He Mengyao was still staring at him. "Have we met somewhere before?"

"During military training, my friend asked for your WeChat, and I was standing nearby." Yu Heng changed the subject. "Do you often have such severe dysmenorrhea?"

"Mm..." He Mengyao didn't press further, her hand on her stomach. "It feels like dying once every month."

Yu Heng remembered how in his previous life, whenever she had dysmenorrhea, she would whine and cuddle up to him, saying: Hubby, rub it for me!

Now seeing her so pitiful, he felt a little uncomfortable.

Even though they were divorced, years of affection had existed between them.

And to be frank, they divorced because they couldn't make ends meet, but their feelings hadn't completely broken down.

"Drink more hot water," he said dryly.

He Mengyao rolled her eyes at him: "Typical straight man comment."

Yu Heng chuckled; that disgusted expression was exactly the same as before.

He Mengyao, purely in terms of personality and appearance, was very charming, but she wasn't suited for married life, or perhaps she shouldn't have been a housewife in the first place; her temperament wasn't suitable.

"Which department are you in?" He Mengyao asked.

"Network and New Media," Yu Heng replied.

"Oh... I'm in the Dance Department," He Mengyao said.

"I know..."

Silence fell between them.

Yu Heng looked at her pale face and couldn't help but say: "Why don't you sit on the shopping cart? Standing is more uncomfortable."

"No need..." He Mengyao had just said it when she swayed.

Yu Heng clicked his tongue: "Don't push yourself."

He Mengyao slowly leaned against the cart: "I'll lean for a bit..."

"Is your roommate reliable?" Yu Heng asked. "Don't let her ditch you."

"She'll be here soon." He Mengyao glanced at her phone. "Thank you for today."

"It's nothing. Do you want something hot to drink?" He pointed to the nearby milk tea shop. "My treat."

He Mengyao shook her head: "I'm in pain right now, I can't drink anything."

Just then, a short-haired girl ran over: "Yaoyao! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine..." He Mengyao straightened up. "This is my roommate, Lin Wei."

Lin Wei looked at Yu Heng: "Who is this?"

"Yu Heng, a classmate I just happened to meet," He Mengyao explained. "He helped me buy things."

Lin Wei looked at the shopping cart and smiled: "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Yu Heng handed the cart to Lin Wei. "Then you two take your time, I'll be going now."

"Wait," He Mengyao called out to him. "Add me on WeChat? I'll treat you to milk tea later."

Yu Heng paused, then pulled out his phone: "Alright."

After adding WeChat, Yu Heng turned and walked towards the checkout counter.

He wondered if this counted as history repeating itself?

Not really. Although they had reconnected, this time he could control the direction of their relationship.

What kind of relationship should it be this time?

Certainly not husband and wife.

Would He Mengyao be more suitable as a lover than a wife?

She did have some inherent qualities, even if marriage and daily life had dulled her romantic spirit.

But this life, he could cultivate it well.

As a dance student, her figure and flexibility were both very nice.