Even a Tentacle Monster Cries When His Wife Leaves - Chapter 3

Yan Shu’s conversation with the system wouldn’t stop echoing in my ears.

I sat at the dining table in a daze, unaware of when he appeared.

Then his icy hand settled on my shoulder, and his flat voice sounded beside my ear.

“Why aren’t you eating? Are you feeling unwell?”

I jolted and leaped out of my chair, putting distance between us.

Yan Shu looked at his empty hand, then up at me.

Realizing I’d overreacted, I hastily tried to smile.

“What’s in the bowl?”

Yan Shu pressed his lips together.

“Crispy fried octopus tentacles,” he answered quietly. “They should be quite good. Try a bite.”

He paused.

Something seemed to occur to him. His normally steady voice gave an involuntary tremor as he raised his eyes to me, a trace of hope in them.

“…”

I was silent.

My mouth pulled into a stiff smile.

“When did you buy them? I didn’t see you get any at the supermarket yesterday.”

Yan Shu blinked, his gaze fixed firmly on me.

“I bought them before that,” he said vaguely. “I hadn’t had a chance to tell you.”

“You don’t want any? Try a bite before you leave for work.”

“…”

He was far too insistent.

I had reasonable grounds to suspect he’d drugged them.

Why else would he keep telling me to take a bite?

“I… I don’t want any.”

I discreetly pushed the plate a little farther away.

“That nightmare last night felt so real.”

“Even thinking about those tentacles now makes me feel sick. I want to throw up. So I don’t really feel like eating them…”

“…”

Strangely, Yan Shu stopped breathing.

I looked up blankly and found him looking as though he’d been struck by lightning.

I hesitated for two seconds, but didn’t dare ask what was wrong.

Instead, I grabbed my bag.

“Um, I’m off to work. Tonight, you…”

Yan Shu came back to himself and nodded gently.

“I need to pick you up tonight. I know.”

“No, no.”

I waved my hands.

“I meant you don’t need to pick me up today. I’m working late.”

He seemed puzzled. After a few seconds of silence, he said, “All right. I’ll come get you after you’re done working.”

I gritted my teeth. “I might go out for a late-night meal with my coworkers afterward.”

“Then I’ll pick you up after you eat.”

“We might have to go back to the office and work some more after that.”

“Then I’ll pick you up after you’re done working.”

“…”

Right back where we started.

I let out a long breath and looked at him seriously.

“Yan Shu.”

“You really don’t need to pick me up. I can get home myself. Go do your own thing.”

“We may be married, but we should each have our own space.”

“Okay, I’m going to work.”

I was genuinely too frightened to stay in the same room as him for long.

The moment I finished speaking, I ran.

So I didn’t see Yan Shu get obediently to his feet, ready to give me a goodbye kiss out of habit, just as he always did.

When he looked up, all he saw was my retreating blur.

He stood stunned for two seconds.

His initial confusion gradually darkened into gloom.

Behind him, several thick tentacles emerged little by little and lashed restlessly through the air.

The most agitated one even tried to follow me.

Yan Shu finally pinned it down, his face expressionless.

Something in the air seemed to be slipping out of control.

He didn’t like the feeling.