Volume 1, Chapter 6: Observing the Human Condition at the Civil Affairs Bureau

The two arrived at the Civil Affairs Bureau.

The service hall had two separate queues: the marriage registration line was short and efficient, with only two couples—or three, counting Xiang Zheng and Cheng Xu. The divorce registration line, however, actually snaked around a corner.

No sooner had Xiang Zheng stood still than she heard a woman’s irritable complaints coming from the other queue. She looked over and saw a middle-aged woman waving her hands, scolding the man beside her, "What kind of nonsense 'cooling-off period' is this? Am I not calm? We’re all adults, aren't we? Who gets a divorce for fun? What a wasted trip—do you have any idea how hard it is for me to get time off work?"

The man rubbed his chin, his face ashen. He walked toward the exit while muttering, "The staff already explained it. This regulation didn't just start today. Who told you not to check beforehand? Who are you blaming for the wasted trip?"

"But you didn't check either!" The woman’s frustration reached a boiling point. Her bare face looked exhausted and strained. "You always use work as an excuse. When have you ever cared about how I feel?"

"Isn't me being busy for the sake of this family, for your sake?"

As their voices faded into the distance, the negative energy lingered. Xiang Zheng looked at Cheng Xu and sighed softly, "My colleagues and I have studied this new cooling-off period regulation extensively. Before, many people would get fake divorces just to invest in property. But look what happened—they bought the house and made the money, but their marriages were ruined. This rule is, in a way, a small measure to enforce the principle that 'houses are for living, not for speculation.'"

Having been together for three years, Cheng Xu was well-acquainted with his girlfriend's nature. He smiled helplessly, "It’s that occupational hazard of yours; you can relate anything to buying or selling houses. A top sales performer is always a top sales performer!"

Xiang Zheng sighed again, a faint regret flickering in her almond-shaped eyes. "After being husband and wife, shouldn't they be able to say goodbye with a smile when it's finally over? How could it... be so terrifying?"

To meet with a smile and dissolve all grievances—it sounds easy, but how many can actually do it?

Cheng Xu took her hand and held it tight. His own inner feelings were no less turbulent than hers. "Coming together and drifting apart are common occurrences. Some people are getting married while others are divorcing. We should just focus on living our own lives well."

Suddenly, he pulled Xiang Zheng forward and raised his arm to shield her.

Someone in the divorce queue had shoved forward.

Xiang Zheng looked up from Cheng Xu’s embrace, her cheeks flushing. She signaled that she was fine, but her gaze was drawn back to the divorce line, and she instantly covered her mouth.

Her look of surprise did not escape Cheng Xu. He asked in a low voice, "You know them?"

The distance was too close, and Xiang Zheng didn't want to attract attention. She covered her lips with one hand and whispered, "What a small world. That woman works for a new media company; she used to work on one of our projects."

At the service window, the woman was in tears. When asked if she had thought it through, her husband spoke up first, "She complains non-stop if she does a few chores. Does she think it’s easy for me to work hard out there? This life is impossible."

The man was completely oblivious to the fact that the woman’s elderly parents were standing right behind her.

"Our daughter has been held in the palm of our hands since she was a child. She never cooked at home. Why should she have to do the laundry and cooking from morning till night after marrying into your family?" It was clearly the mother-in-law speaking, her voice choked with tears. "Is my daughter a slave to your family?"

The man’s parents were not about to be outdone. They pointed at the other side and retorted, "My son didn't do chores before he was married, either. What, is he supposed to have married a princess? She has to work and cook for your daughter—do you know how hard my son works?"

The woman's eye makeup was smeared by her tears, her eyes red-rimmed. She wiped her face frantically, "He went on strike after cooking two meals. Before we were married, he swore up and down that he would love me forever. It turns out it was all a lie."

The onlookers sighed. Indeed, happy marriages are all alike; every unhappy marriage is unhappy in its own way. From mutual love to mutual disgust—it only takes a few trivial matters to reach that point.

The staff member, likely accustomed to such scenes, tapped the desk. "Are you getting the divorce or not?"

"We are. The sooner we get rid of a woman like this, the better," the man’s parent rolled their eyes and said.

Cheng Xu patted his girlfriend’s shoulder as she watched the drama. "It’s our turn."

Xiang Zheng snapped back to reality. The staff member handed them a form. "Go over to the public seating area to fill in your information, then come back for the photo."

There were five or six tables and chairs in the designated area—nothing out of the ordinary—but the slogans posted on the white walls were striking.

"Love makes people forget time, and time makes people forget love."

Xiang Zheng read it aloud involuntarily, feeling that these simple words carried a sobering, worldly wisdom.

And there was more.

"Marriage does not equal happiness, and being single does not equal unhappiness. We are born alone, and we cannot leave together in the end."

"Love is a luxury item; it’s fine if you don't have it. You must understand that emotional stability and financial well-being are the most important things, not whether someone loves you or not."

"The law can protect a marriage, but it cannot bind a heart. What you should do most is to love yourself before loving others."

Cheng Xu felt a chill down his spine as these words laid out the essence of marriage. He couldn't help but think of his own situation—about to enter the halls of marriage while losing his financial well-being.

"Is the director of this Civil Affairs Bureau an emotional expert? This is so wise!"

Xiang Zheng, meanwhile, took out her phone to take a photo. "If this Civil Affairs Bureau doesn't go viral, there is no justice in the world!"