Weeks and months flew by and the next divorce hearing was only a few weeks away. But before this date came, the judge invited Zhan and Yibo separately to talk with them about the past months and to hear from them how things had gone between them in the meantime.

Yibo and Zhan were very nervous before their appointments and agreed not to tell the judge about their relationship right away. But are they even capable of lying to the judge or at least hiding part of the truth from her? And when during the interview should they talk about their relationship? In the end, Yibo and Zhan agreed to tell the truth about their relationship as soon as they felt it was time.

At 2pm on the dot, Yibo showed up at the courthouse and knocked on the judge's office door. The judge's assistant let him into the office and told him that the judge would be a few minutes late and that he should take a seat. So Yibo entered the office and sat down on the chair in front of the desk.

Yibo looked around the office. Nothing seemed to have changed since the first time he was there for a one-on-one meeting. The furniture was the same. The computer was the same. And the wall clock that always went tick tock was also the same. The only thing that changed was the huge mountain of files, which was already high then and seemed even higher now.

A little nervous with excitement, Yibo looked out of the small window. However, he could see little more than the street and a few trees that were just getting their first new leaves. The few passers-by that Yibo saw were hurriedly on their way to their destinations. And again, in the silence of the office, it seemed to Yibo as if the wall clock was getting louder after every tick tock.

The assistant came back into the office with a glass of water for Yibo, handed him the glass and then sat down at her small desk. She began clicking busily on her keyboard, leafing through files and typing a text from a law book into the keyboard. Every now and then she looked up at Yibo, smiled apologetically because he had to wait and then continued working unhindered.

After 15 minutes, Yibo heard the door open. The judge finally came in. She was still wearing her judge's robe and held a very thick file in her arms. Her assistant first took the file from her and then helped her take off the judge's robe. This was neatly stowed away in a locker with a coat hanger.

The judge sat down, drank a large gulp of lime water from a bottle, rummaged through her files and when she found the right one, she opened it and finally looked at Yibo. "Hello Mr. Wang. Sorry, it's been very hectic today and everything's been dragging on. That's why I'm late." She said with a smile. Yibo thought she looked very tired.

"Hello, no problem. I've taken the afternoon off and have time." Yibo replied.

"I'm sure our conversation won't take that long. But it's good to know that we can take our time."

"Yes, we can."

"Well, as already described in the letter of invitation to the one-on-one meeting, I would like to have another one-on-one meeting with you and Mr. Xiao Zhan to hear an overview and to better decide what my verdict will be in four weeks' time."

"I know. I'm ready."

"Very well. Just like last time, I want to keep this conversation casual and just hear how the past five months have been for you, what you've experienced, whether your opinion on marriage has changed and whether you're still seeking a divorce?"

"Okay."

"But before we start, here's the most important question. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing great."

"I'm very pleased to hear that. And I can see it in your face too."

"Really?"

"Yes. When we first met here, you were thin, pale and shy. But now you even have slightly rosy chubby cheeks that really suit you, a very healthy skin color and you look me straight in the eye. You really radiate happiness."

"I also feel much better than I did back then."

"That makes me very happy, Mr. Wang. Shall we start now?"

"Yes, I'd love to."

"Do you just want to talk about yourself or should I ask you some questions?"

"Maybe a few questions at the beginning?"

"Good, then here's the first question. How did you feel after I forced you and Mr. Xiao to live as a couple for at least six months?"

"To be honest, at first I had no real idea how we were going to do it. Two strangers suddenly living together like an arranged marriage? But I had no doubts that it would work out. Even though I didn't know Zhan at all."

"Oh, okay. And what was the first thing you did after our conversation here?"

"Zhan said we should go to my parents' house and get my stuff and that I should move in with him."

"So Zhan met your parents shortly after we talked?"

"Yes. And they were happy that I was still married. They behaved as I expected. Well, anyway, we picked up my things and then went to Zhan's apartment, where I met Zhan's parents. At first I was afraid that it would be like my parents or worse. But it wasn't like that. The two of them welcomed me and then the four of us spent the evening together talking about all sorts of things in a very relaxed way. Just not about marriage. That was really good for me and helped me to relax a lot."

"Mr. Xiao's parents are really very special."

"That's true. They and my parents have become friends. And my parents have become completely new people because of my in-laws."

"Not bad. So you call them in-laws?"

"When I talk about them, yes. But when I talk to them, I refer to them as mother and father. We are a family."

"So that means you're comfortable with the way things are now?"

"Yes, absolutely. I've never felt as comfortable in my whole life as I have in the past five months. Zhan is a very special man. He's wonderful."

"I believe that. And what happened after the first day?"

"Well, Zhan and I got to know each other. And after a few days, we bought an apartment! We share the apartment with two small cats. We drive to work together. Zhan and I have breakfast together before work. He has lunch brought to me. Lately, though, I've mostly been going to his restaurant and eating lunch with him. We go shopping together. We go out together."

"You go out?"

"Yes. To the movies. To dinner. We recently spent a weekend at a winery where we made our own wine. My brother, who I finally have a good relationship with thanks to Zhan, looked after our cats. We went to a climbing park. He even accompanied me to my school reunion. My best friend is thrilled with Zhan and has met the man of his dreams thanks to him. And not just him, but my brother too. We're even planning a vacation with them."

"Well, I have to admit, I assumed that Mr. Xiao would make your life better. But I didn't think how much your life would improve."

"I couldn't be happier."

"The only thing missing is love, right?"

"No, that's not missing."

"Oh no?"

"No. Because Zhan and I love each other."

"Really?"

"Yes. We're not just a married couple on paper. We're a real married couple, with everything that goes with it. We love each other very much. It was love at first sight for both of us. We just didn't know it straight away. We felt attracted to each other. We felt more comfortable with each other than we had ever felt with anyone before. At Christmas, Zhan and I's marriage became a real marriage."

"So that actually means you don't want a divorce?"

"That's right. We still wanted to wait for the date to see if we could really make it work. But I don't think anything could ever break us up."

"You're very sure."

"Yes, I am. You should know that Zhan and I even want to have a belated real wedding celebration. We are planning the wedding ceremony together with our parents. And we even want to say vows."

"Then I think it would be better if I don't divorce your marriage."

"That's true. But if you do, we'll get married again properly in Europe. It would just be a shame that we wouldn't be able to register our marriage here."

"So Mr. Wang, I'm not divorcing anyone who doesn't really want to."

"You don't?"

"No, of course not. And thanks to the loopholes in the law, it's possible for me to keep your marriage legally registered. I don't separate couples who really love each other."

"That's good to know."

"At the official hearing, I can decide that your marriage will not be divorced."

"Good. Um, can I ask you why you're doing this for us? I mean, we're both men. And well, in this country such relationships are..."

"Mr. Wang, I'm well aware of how most people in this country feel about these kinds of relationships. But I'm not like that. Love is love. Whether it's between a man and a woman. Woman and woman. Or man and man. Love is and always will be love. And I also have something to confess to you."

"And what?"

"When I got to know you both in the one-on-one meetings, I immediately had the feeling that you could belong to each other. That you need each other. And that you could teach each other what love really means. Mr. Xiao's parents wanted me to keep you two married so that you could have a real chance."

"A real chance? They didn't know me and yet they were convinced that we belonged together?"

"I can only tell you what they told me. They found out who you are and secretly investigated you when they found out about the falsely registered marriage. And their research on you showed them that you were a perfect match."

"Mhhh, I think they told me something similar. Or at least hinted at it. My mother-in-law said something like they already knew who I was. Before I got to know them. But that doesn't really matter to me either. Not anymore anyway. They were right. Zhan and I are a perfect match. And I'm grateful to them for making Zhan and me realize that."

"Well, actually, I know everything I need to know now. Is there anything else you want to say or tell me?"

"Not really. I can't think of anything else at the moment. You now know that Zhan and I are a happily married couple and don't want a divorce. So... no, that's all I can think of."

"Good, then I say we end the conversation here. Mr. Xiao will be here in a moment for his one-on-one meeting and then we'll meet again in four weeks and I'll let you know my decision. Which is already clear after what I've heard from you today. And I assume I'll hear the same from Mr. Xiao."

"I'm sure you will."

"All right. Then I'd like to thank you for coming and for the open conversation and say goodbye."

"Thank you too. Goodbye." Yibo said and left the office. When he saw Zhan standing outside the office, he grinned and whispered to him: "I told her about us. Sorry, but I just couldn't help myself.

Zhan kissed Yibo's forehead and replied, "That's good. Because I was just about to do the same thing."

"Do you want me to wait for you?"

"Yes, I'd love to. Then we can go for a stroll through the city and eat afterwards."

"That sounds good. Well, go in and talk to her. I'll go to the waiting room and have a coffee while I wait."

"Okay. See you in a bit." Zhan said, knocked on the office door and entered the judge's office. Yibo went to the waiting room, bought a coffee from the vending machine and sat down.