“Not needed.”
Shen Qingqing said coldly, turning her head to continue organizing the suitcase.
There wasn’t really much to organize—she just didn’t want to deal with Jiang Zhixun.
Shen Qingqing kept her back to him, the message to leave clear.
Jiang Zhixun stared at her back, wanting to ask what exactly she was angry about.
He was the one who should be angry.
She had come to the northwest without a word, run into trouble on the way, and hadn’t told him.
Even in an unfamiliar place, she’d dared to stay out all night.
Shouldn’t he be angry about all of that?
Now, instead, he was the one being given the cold shoulder!
Jiang Zhixun’s face hardened as he found the ointment in the drawer.
As he leaned down, his left arm slipped around Shen Qingqing’s waist and effortlessly lifted her up.
Startled by the sudden move, Shen Qingqing nearly screamed, but afraid of disturbing others, she swallowed the sound at the last moment.
The not-so-wide double bed let out a few creaks.
“Don’t move.”
Shen Qingqing lay on the bed, straining to turn her head and glare at Jiang Zhixun. “You’re being a pervert!”
The man’s expression didn’t change. “I’m your husband.”
With that, he tossed Shen Qingqing’s coat onto the chair, where it lay overlapping with his military coat.
Underneath, Shen Qingqing wore a fitted cashmere sweater that hugged her figure.
A slim waist, full hips, curves in all the right places—she had the subtle allure of a mature woman now.
Quite different from the shy young girl in Jiang Zhixun’s memory.
The tips of his ears were red enough to bleed, but his expression grew even more rigid.
He said coldly, “We have a marriage certificate.”
Those words took on a strange meaning in Shen Qingqing’s ears.
Her heart leapt to her throat.
Was Jiang Zhixun really going to follow the elders’ arrangement and have a child with her?
Shen Qingqing felt awful.
In these three years, she’d never thought of using a child to mend their relationship, and now that they were about to divorce, she certainly wouldn’t have one.
If she weren’t sick, even if she had a child, she could raise it herself.
But she was sick—she might not even be able to take care of herself, so how could she do something so irresponsible?
Even though the Jiang family could raise the child, she wasn’t going to go through the hardship of pregnancy and the risk of childbirth just to continue their family line.
After the divorce, Jiang Zhixun could remarry.
However many children he had then would have nothing to do with her.
Shen Qingqing glared at him. “Don’t you dare!”
Jiang Zhixun wouldn’t let Shen Qingqing squirm. “What are you overthinking about?”
Shen Qingqing’s face flushed red, unwilling to bring up the topic of having children.
They were legally married, but they hadn’t been intimate to that point.
“Leave.”
Jiang Zhixun was also quite embarrassed; the courage he’d mustered had already dissipated.
The matter of having children would have to wait.
Anyway, this year he would accompany Shen Qingqing back to the capital. If the elders had objections, he’d handle it.
He sat on the edge of the bed, holding the ointment.
“You can’t apply it properly in that spot yourself.”
The most painful spot was on the back of her shoulder. Shen Qingqing could reach it herself, but it wasn’t convenient, and she’d only end up applying it crookedly.
Since they were getting divorced, Shen Qingqing didn’t want any more entanglements with Jiang Zhixun.
Whether she did it well or poorly, she didn’t want his help.
Seizing the moment he wasn’t paying attention, she snatched the ointment from his hand. “You should go now.”
With things at that point, Jiang Zhixun didn’t have the nerve to stay any longer.
He stood up briskly and grabbed his coat. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow afternoon.”
He gestured with his chin toward the canned goods and candy on the table. “Keep these for yourself.”
Shen Qingqing’s mood was low. “Whatever you say.”
Though he knew Shen Qingqing was upset, Jiang Zhixun wasn’t one to coax people.
He said stiffly, “Rest early.”
Taking his coat, he left the room.
The couple had spent maybe just over ten minutes in the room together.
Seeing Jiang Zhixun come downstairs in just a thin shirt with a cold expression, they assumed Shen Qingqing had kicked him out.
Xiao Li and his colleague exchanged a knowing glance.
They thought to themselves, these two really know how to hold a grudge—no wonder Captain Jiang could go three years without coming home.
They were both equally stubborn.
“Wonder if they’ll make up by New Year’s.”
“If Captain Jiang goes home, they should.”
Many people were worried about Shen Qingqing and Jiang Zhixun.
Afraid the couple would only grow more distant and end up ruining their marriage.
It was no secret that Jiang Zhixun hadn’t been home in three years.
It was also no secret that he’d rushed to the county to find her and brought her back in the middle of the night.
So, early the next morning, Shen Qingqing met the wife of Jiang Zhixun’s leader.
“My surname is Wang—people call me Sister-in-law Wang,” the visitor said.
Shen Qingqing invited her inside.
She had Sister-in-law Wang sit on the chair. With no extra cup to offer hot water, she grabbed a handful of candy to host her instead.
Sister-in-law Wang was a bit plump with a round face. When she smiled, the fine lines at the corners of her eyes were prominent, but she had a kind face and seemed easy to get along with.
Watching Shen Qingqing’s every move, Sister-in-law Wang thought to herself, this young woman knows how to handle things—very gracious.
She’d heard that Shen Qingqing had a job in the capital as a translator. Impressive.
Xiao Jiang might have a cold demeanor, but he’s ambitious and always lends a hand when he sees someone in need—a young man with a warm heart beneath a cool exterior.
Both of them are such fine people—how did their marriage end up in such a state?
“Sister-in-law Wang, is there something you needed from me?”
The other woman wore a look of regret, with a hint of hesitation, as if she wanted to say something but held back.
Shen Qingqing guessed that Sister-in-law Wang had come to mediate the relationship between her and Jiang Zhixun.
Sister-in-law Wang smiled and said, “Nothing major, really. I heard you’d arrived at the compound, so I wanted to invite you and Xiao Jiang over for a meal at our place.”
Shen Qingqing wasn’t sure whether she should agree, since she truly knew nothing about Jiang Zhixun’s affairs.
Nor was she certain whether he’d be displeased if she went to a leader’s home for dinner without prior arrangement.
Sensing Shen Qingqing’s hesitation, Sister-in-law Wang said, “Someone’s already gone to fetch Xiao Jiang. By the time we get home, he should be there too. It’s rare for him to have a day off, so let’s all sit together, have a meal, and catch up.”
Sister-in-law Wang’s intention to smooth things over was quite obvious.
Shen Qingqing thought it over and nodded in agreement. “Sister-in-law Wang, then I’ll be troubling you.”
“No trouble at all—the more people, the livelier it’ll be.”
It wouldn’t be proper to visit empty-handed, so Shen Qingqing planned to bring the canned goods to Sister-in-law Wang’s home.
But Sister-in-law Wang wouldn’t let her. “If you bring anything, that means you’re being distant, and next time I won’t dare invite you over for a meal.”
As she spoke, she took the cans from Shen Qingqing’s hands and set them back on the table.
“It’s freezing outside—put on an extra layer. I heard you were sick a couple of days ago. Is it the change of climate? You mustn’t catch a chill again.”
Shen Qingqing had already put on her coat and wrapped a scarf around her neck, but she still wanted to bring the cans along.
Going empty-handed truly made her feel embarrassed.
Sister-in-law Wang chuckled. “These are too sweet—my husband and I don’t care for them. Giving them to us would just be a waste, so keep them for yourself.”
Afraid that Shen Qingqing would keep fretting over it, Sister-in-law Wang warmly took her by the hand and led her out the door.
As they walked, she said, “The folks in the compound are easy to get along with. Once Xiao Jiang applies for housing and you’ve stayed here a while longer, you’ll see for yourself.”