It wasn’t until she received Jiang Zhixun’s phone call that Mother Jiang learned Shen Qingqing had gone to the northwest.
Assuming she had finally come around and decided to prioritize marriage and family, Mother Jiang was overjoyed.
“Since she’s gone to where you are, you should apply for housing right away. It’ll be more convenient for the two of you to live together.”
Jiang Zhixun had never considered keeping Shen Qingqing there.
Setting aside the awkwardness of their marriage, the conditions there couldn’t compare to the capital.
Shen Qingqing also had a translation job—coming here would be inconvenient in every way.
He asked, “Before she came to the northwest, did you see her?”
“Yes, I did.”
Mother Jiang’s tone was indifferent. “Counting the days, it should have been the day before she left for the northwest. She came home to deliver supplements to your grandfather, along with eggs and meat. She didn’t even sit for half an hour before leaving again.”
Mother Jiang knew that asking Shen Qingqing to give up her job was somewhat unreasonable.
But circumstances demanded it—someone had to compromise, didn’t they?
They couldn’t just live apart forever, that would be unacceptable.
Later, when she realized Shen Qingqing was stubborn as a mule, she had backed down too, only asking them to have a child.
Shen Qingqing had shown no progress, and Mother Jiang’s heart had sunk halfway, thinking she would refuse again.
Unexpectedly, without a word, she had gone to Zhixun’s side after all.
After all, she was a girl Mother Jiang had watched grow up. If it weren’t for her son not coming home for three years, she wouldn’t have harbored resentment toward Shen Qingqing.
She had even let her move out and rent a place on her own.
Now that Shen Qingqing had made a concession, most of Mother Jiang’s grievances had dissipated.
Hearing her son ask again on the phone, “Did she look injured when she came home?”
Mother Jiang was puzzled, but she carefully recalled the events of that day.
“She cleaned your wedding house from top to bottom, and when she left, she took her things with her. She didn’t look injured.”
At the time, she had thought Shen Qingqing was cutting ties with them, not even coming back to the compound to stay.
Mother Jiang had stewed in silent anger over that.
It never occurred to her that Shen Qingqing had gone to the northwest—that explained everything.
Mother Jiang spoke earnestly, “Qingqing is well-educated, beautiful, and has a good temperament. I can tell she has you in her heart. Stop being so stubborn. Whatever the reason you got married, now that you’ve got the certificate, make a proper life together.”
“The girl chased you all the way to the northwest. If you still don’t take the hint, you might as well just get a divorce, so you don’t waste each other’s time.”
Divorce?
Jiang Zhixun had never considered it.
He even thought living apart like before was fine.
“If you want us to divorce, you’d be better off persuading Shen Qingqing. If she wants one, I won’t object.”
Mother Jiang said irritably, “If she wanted a divorce, would she have waited three years? She’s already swallowed her pride. Don’t push it.”
“Mm.”
Jiang Zhixun leaned against the wall, a careless expression on his face, not taking his mother’s words to heart.
His mind was still on Shen Qingqing’s injuries.
Since she had been perfectly fine when she visited the compound, the wounds on her body had most likely been sustained on the way here.
All sorts of people rode the train. Shen Qingqing was a delicate young woman—it wasn’t impossible that she’d been harassed.
Jiang Zhixun straightened up. “I’m hanging up.”
“I’m not done talking.”
Mother Jiang quickly added, “Have Qingqing call me back. I have something to say to her.”
“Whatever it is, she can tell you when she’s back in the capital.”
Hearing this, Mother Jiang exploded. “She’s already taken the first step, and you’re pushing her back! Why can’t you see reason!”
“This place isn’t right for her.”
“Then figure it out—apply for a transfer back to the capital!”
Though Shen Qingqing was an orphan, both her parents had been intellectuals, and she had been carefully cultivated from a young age.
She was fluent in more than one foreign language, wrote beautiful calligraphy, and could compose essays with ease.
Professor Shen and Father Jiang were close friends, and Mother Jiang had met Shen Qingqing when she was a child.
Back then, Shen Qingqing could sing, play the violin, and paint.
Calling her a talented woman was no exaggeration.
That was also why, three years ago, Mother Jiang had agreed to let Shen Qingqing marry Jiang Zhixun.
Setting aside personal feelings, such a fine young woman—any family would be lucky to have her as a daughter-in-law!
Afraid her son would actually send Shen Qingqing back, Mother Jiang softened her tone.
“It’s rare for her to go to the northwest, and the train ride is exhausting. She’s not like you—thick-skinned and tough, able to go back and forth. Let her stay there a while longer. Come home together for the New Year to visit.”
The person on the other end didn’t respond, and Mother Jiang grew anxious again.
“She’s a young woman—what if something happens to her on the road?”
Jiang Zhixun’s eyelids lifted slightly. He hummed in acknowledgment, and Mother Jiang couldn’t tell which question he was answering.
“I can’t reason with you. Have Qingqing call me back—I’ll talk to her myself.”
“Mm.”
This time, he actually hung up.
Jiang Zhixun returned to the ward. Shen Qingqing hadn’t finished her IV drip, but her emotions had stabilized.
The woman in the neighboring bed wasn’t there. Seizing the moment, Jiang Zhixun asked Shen Qingqing,
“How did you get those injuries?”
Shen Qingqing didn’t hide it. “I ran into a groper on the train.”
This trip of hers had brought no small amount of trouble.
Swallowing her grievances was not her style.
Given that she had suffered for it, perhaps Jiang Zhixun would decisively agree to a divorce.
In the future, she would never return to the Northwest again.
The man’s cold, aloof expression finally stirred with ripples.
“Why didn’t you say so before?”
His tone was impatient, laced with anger.
If it had been when they first met, Shen Qingqing might have cried, but now her heart was calm, without a single ripple.
She looked at Jiang Zhixun and countered, “Did you ever give me a chance to speak properly?”
From the moment they met in the cafeteria, he had been eager to send her to the train station.
Then they ended up at the hospital.
If Sister-in-law Li hadn’t gone to the restroom, they still wouldn’t have had a chance to discuss private matters.
Jiang Zhixun’s deep, dark eyes stared unblinkingly at Shen Qingqing.
Shen Qingqing refused to back down and stared right back.
She was half-reclined on the hospital bed, a pillow propped behind her, her scarf already loosened.
Jiang Zhixun was tall, so she had to tilt her chin up to meet his gaze.
Her swan-like neck was exposed to the air, slender and fair.
She looked fragile, yet she maintained a proud posture.
Jiang Zhixun thought to himself, who said she had a gentle temper? Wasn’t she being quite rebellious right now?
“This isn’t the time to throw a tantrum. Tell me what happened back then. Did you find the conductor? Where is the hooligan now? Did you report it to the police?”
Jiang Zhixun fired off several questions in a row.
He was calm and rational.
Shen Qingqing suddenly felt deflated, her raised chin slowly lowering.
Seeing Sister-in-law Li return with the IV drip.
Shen Qingqing gave Jiang Zhixun a long, deep look, then lay back down on the bed, turning her back to him.
This refusal to communicate infuriated Jiang Zhixun.
He considered himself emotionally stable, but the moment Shen Qingqing appeared, she began to provoke his emotions.
They had only met a few hours ago, and he had already lost count of how many times he had been angered.
Jiang Zhixun walked around to face Shen Qingqing.
“I’m asking you a question. Did you hear me?”
Shen Qingqing pulled the blanket up over her head.
Jiang Zhixun’s chest heaved twice as he stared intently at the blanket, as if he could bore a hole through it.
His handsome face darkened, looking quite intimidating.
Seeing this, Sister-in-law Li shook her head repeatedly.
“You can’t be harsh with your wife, Captain Jiang. That won’t do.”