- 10.
<
I got a new phone and moved to a new city.
I wasn’t running away from Greg.
I saw an email from my professor.
Before I married Greg, I was in grad school.
I was a chemistry major.
I was the best student, my professor’s
favorite.
But I gave up my PhD to marry Greg and take
care of him.
My professor was disappointed, but he didn’t
stop me.
Г
He still thought I was wasting my potential, so
he sent me papers.
He wanted me to keep learning.
I used to read them, but then I got busy and
forgot.
I opened it and saw that he was still sending
them two years ago.
I emailed him.
We were both surprised, but he didn’t ask me
why I left. He just asked if I wanted to see the
lab.
Graduates go back to see their professors.
}
L
The lab was the same.
He knew I was alone, so he asked me to be
his TA.
He was getting old, and he needed help.
I said yes.
I hadn’t worked in eight years.
It’s hard to find a job.
I hadn’t read a book in a long time, so I had
to study.
But I was catching up.
Being a TA wasn’t hard. I helped him with
paperwork and talked to companies.
<
I used to hear Greg on the phone.
Now, it was easy for me.
Talking to investors wasn’t hard either.
But then I ran into Greg.
- 11.
I had left Greg half a month ago.
The hearing was in a while.
I didn’t contact him, and he didn’t contact me.
He probably knew where I was, but he was
probably happy with Brittany.
I heard people gossiping at the restaurant.
Г
They said their boss was getting a divorce
and had been a mess for the past two weeks.
“Even Miss Brittany couldn’t help him. He
kicked her out.”
“What? I thought he loved her.”
“Yeah, he didn’t have to come to, but he
did. I don’t know why.”
I didn’t think it was Greg.
Greg being depressed over me and dumping
Brittany was impossible.
It was just a myth.
I walked in and saw Brittany.
She was leaning back in her chair, looking
fancy.
An investor was pouring her tea.
She saw me, and gave the investor a look.
He walked over to me and sat down.
“Why did you send a woman to talk to us? Do
you know chemistry?”
“Do you know what this order is for?”
I took a deep breath.
“If this is how your company is, I don’t think
we should work together.”
The investor was angry.
Г
“Why are we talking about investments here?
Are we talking about investments or
chemistry?”
“If I talk about chemical formulas, would you
understand? Do you remember oxidation?”
I talked about molecules, the advantages and
disadvantages of our lab, the progress.
The investor didn’t understand.
“If you don’t know anything, don’t ask me. I’ll
talk to your engineers.”
Brittany’s face changed.
Then I realized Greg was standing behind me.
く
He had been listening since I started talking.
He remembered the first time he saw me.
I was arguing with my classmate about the
catalyst.
He was waiting for me outside.
I thought I looked bad, but he thought I was
attractive.
That’s when he fell in love with me.
But then he turned me into someone else.
The investor was angry. He pointed at me and
said I was a fake.
“How can a woman know chemistry?”
“She was going to get her PhD. She’s
published more papers than you’ve signed
contracts.”
Greg walked over and put his hand on my
shoulder.
“She doesn’t know? Do you know?”
The investor said, “Mr. Greg… So, you know
her.”
“She’s my wife.” Greg said, looking at me like
he did something great.
“I’m not.”
- 12.
Greg’s smile disappeared.
He was going to say something, but someone
took his hand off my shoulder.
A man walked in, smiling. “You’re Mr. Fu’s
TA? I’m Mr. Xie, your classmate.”
I had heard about it from the teacher, this Mr.
Xie would be in overseas labs.
“I’ve seen your experiments. I’ve been wanting
to meet you. I believe you can help make this
project perfect.”
I nodded, stood next to Mr. Xie, and got away
from Greg.
“Honey, don’t be mad. Everyone’s watching.”
Greg reached out to me, but I dodged it.
Г
“Don’t. Miss Brittany’s watching.”
“We’re not divorced yet, so it’s not right.”
“Don’t flatter yourself.”
Mr. Xie clapped his hands, scaring me.
“She’s right. Divorced men should be quiet.”
Mr. Xie was an important guy. Everyone
wanted him to work on this project, so they
didn’t say anything.
Greg couldn’t believe it. He just stood there.
Brittany grabbed his arm, but he didn’t move.
The meal was bad.
L
But the business was done.
Greg left Brittany and came over to me.
He started to speak, he wasn’t the old Greg.
“Are you going back to the lab? I’ll take you.”
I was going to say no, but Mr. Xie said, “I’m
already on my way with my classmate.”
That made Greg mad. “You’re going to be
with him all night?”
I didn’t know that, but I nodded.
“We’re not divorced yet!”
How ridiculous.
<
“You and Brittany went out when we weren’t
divorced either.”
“That was business!”
“This is business too.”
I said, tugging on Mr. Xie’s clothes, and left
with him.
It started raining.
I didn’t turn around. I didn’t know if Greg was
still there.
But I didn’t hear him following me.
- 13.
Mr. Xie wasn’t lying about working all night.
The project was short on time.
We had to work overtime.
We had to stay up all night and watch the
centrifuge.
Repeating it over and over.
Mr. Xie took me out. There was fried chicken.
“You didn’t eat much. I ordered you takeout.”
“Let the students do it for a bit. Eat before
you go back.”
I laughed. “Take it inside and share it.”
Mr. Xie shook his head. “I ordered extra for
them. It’s not here yet.”
I couldn’t refuse.
We ate fried chicken in the hallway, like we
were back in school.
We weren’t allowed to eat in the lab, so we
ate takeout in the hallway.
The teacher always found out.
Mr. Xie had done that too. We remembered
our time in grad school.
We laughed and remembered more.
Then Greg walked up to us, interrupting our
conversation.
He was holding a thermos.
<
“You didn’t eat enough. You’ll get a
stomachache.”
He remembered.
I used to skip meals when I was doing
experiments, and my stomach was bad.
When we were dating, he would rub my
stomach.
“I already ate. Take it back.”
Greg looked anxious. “Are you going to push
me away?”
“Can’t you give me a chance?”
I shook my head.
Г
Mr. Xie stood up and looked him up and
down.
“Bro, you don’t have to pretend.”
“I’ve heard that story before. She’s already
given you so many chances.”
“Go away. Otherwise, I’m calling the cops.”
“No one’s allowed in the lab. If I lose any
data…”
Mr. Xie was threatening him.
Greg probably had a way to get in, but Mr.
Xie wasn’t going to let him.
It would be too much trouble.
く
My divorce hearing was in half a month.
I got the divorce certificate.
Greg had been waiting for me at the lab.
But I didn’t go see him.
I felt relieved.
He followed me, trying to get me back.
But Mr. Xie’s car was outside the courthouse.
He was dressed nicely, he said to celebrate
my happiness.
“If you don’t go, you’ll miss your flight.”
Greg looked surprised. “Where are you
going?”
“It’s none of your business.”
I was just going on a trip with my classmate,
but I didn’t need to explain.
I got in his car.
I was going far away.
