48 Hours

23:00

"Zhang Wei, are you sure that you do not want to stay in the hospital for the night?" Li Qiang asks me for the nth time.

"Yes, hospitals make me feel more sick."

"Ok then, I will handle the documentation," he gives me the bag with clothes, "do you want me to help you change?"

"No need, thank you," I get the bag and go to the toilet to change.

Then, Li Qiang drives me to Li Jie's house.

"I am waiting," he tells me when he parks the car in front of the building.

I enter the house for the last time and put all my stuff randomly into two big luggage.

Two luggage... five-year of a relationship fits into two luggage...

I look around the house with tears in my eyes. I have never imagined that my perfect relationship would be shattered like this, but here I am... collecting my five years into luggage...

I loved Li Jie and I probably could never find the courage to leave him as long as he would hold onto me if only I did not see those messages... Maybe I should even thank him for giving me the necessary push to leave him before he does.

Indeed, the unknown future is scary, but nothing is more scary than sharing a house with a total stranger, so I am fine... I will survive...

I write a message to Li Jie on a post-it, and stick it on the picture of us which is on the bedside table and I leave the keys in front of that picture frame.

I take my luggage and close the door behind me for the last time.