Being lectured by Sister-in-law Li, Jiang Zhixun awkwardly rubbed the tip of his nose.
Trying to explain himself, he said, “She doesn’t listen.”
The tone, as if scolding a child, made Sister-in-law Li’s mouth twitch.
She thought to herself, those in the know would understand they’re a married couple, but those who don’t might think an elder is scolding a child.
She gave a fake cough. “If you soften your tone, your wife will naturally listen.”
Hearing “your wife” over and over made Jiang Zhixun even more uncomfortable.
With an outsider present, he couldn’t very well press her about what happened on the train, so he just stood by the bed, wanting to see how long Shen Qingqing could stay stubborn.
Shen Qingqing had a fever—the kind that came in waves.
She felt a chill and instinctively curled up tighter under the covers.
She had originally planned that since Sister-in-law Li had arrived earlier, once the woman finished her IV and left the ward, she would bring up the divorce with Jiang Zhixun.
But she hadn’t expected to doze off.
Jiang Zhixun checked his watch several times. Sister-in-law Li next door had already left, yet Shen Qingqing still hadn’t emerged from under the blanket.
He knocked on the bedside table. “Shen Qingqing, we’re not done talking. Avoiding the issue won’t help!”
The air was silent. No response.
Jiang Zhixun’s brows knitted into a tight knot. His hand paused for a moment, then he pulled back the blanket.
When he saw what was underneath, the words on the tip of his tongue died in his throat.
Shen Qingqing’s cheeks were flushed with an unhealthy red, her breathing was labored, and because of their earlier struggle, a few strands of hair had come loose.
They clung messily to her face and neck.
Jiang Zhixun instinctively looked at the hand with the IV. It wasn’t swollen, and there was no blood backflow. He inexplicably felt a wave of relief.
He adjusted the IV line to keep her hand steady, preventing her from accidentally knocking it.
Then he covered her with the blanket again, tucking her in snugly so that only her small face was visible.
Though he had no experience taking care of others, Jiang Zhixun was capable of managing on his own. Throughout the entire process, he didn’t disturb Shen Qingqing.
Only after doing all this did he sit back down in the chair.
His gaze had nowhere to settle, and before he knew it, it drifted back to the hospital bed.
This was the first time Jiang Zhixun had seen Shen Qingqing so fragile.
He guessed that she might have been frightened on the train, hadn’t rested well, and then suffered from the change in environment—which was why she’d fallen so ill.
The emotions Shen Qingqing had stirred up slowly settled back down.
Jiang Zhixun pinched the bridge of his nose.
He shouldn’t have lost his temper at Shen Qingqing.
As long as he reduced the chances of contact with her, she would see there was no hope and naturally return to the capital.
Suddenly, Jiang Zhixun thought of what his mother had said on the phone.
Divorce…
If Shen Qingqing wanted a divorce, he would agree.
If she didn’t, then they would continue as before—he would send her his allowance on time.
Whether their marriage had been a calculated move in the first place, Jiang Zhixun no longer wanted to think about it.
He had no intention of marrying a second time, and there was no one he loved, so there was no question of wasting anyone’s time.
As long as Shen Qingqing didn’t feel her time was being wasted, then between them… so be it.
He kept watch by the bed for a long time until the IV finished and the needle was removed. Only then did Jiang Zhixun pat Shen Qingqing’s shoulder.
“Wake up. Go back to the guesthouse to sleep.”
Perhaps because she was weak, or perhaps because the medicine had taken effect, Shen Qingqing was sleeping deeply.
The man’s voice reached her ears, and only then did she slowly stir awake.
Before her was a cold, handsome face—the person she had thought of and dreamed of countless times now appearing right in front of her. Shen Qingqing blinked.
“Jiang Zhixun?”
Jiang Zhixun looked at her expressionlessly. “Still groggy from sleep?”
Shen Qingqing’s eyes gradually cleared. She quickly sat up and instinctively reached for her coat pocket.
Inside was a small notebook and a pen, so she could jot down important things at any time.
Just in case she suddenly forgot something and caused more trouble.
Jiang Zhixun gave her a suspicious look. “I never noticed you were this scatterbrained before. Are you still dizzy?”
Shen Qingqing bent down to put on her shoes, replying without looking up, “Then just take it that I’m dizzy.”
Her tone was perfectly calm, but for some reason, Jiang Zhixun felt the words were laced with barbs, stinging him uncomfortably.
He turned his head and took a deep breath, once again telling himself not to argue with a sick person.
Shen Qingqing had already put on her shoes and was wrapping her scarf around her neck.
She wasn’t saying anything, and Jiang Zhixun felt something was off no matter what.
He rubbed his fingers together, then suddenly spoke up. “Mom asked you to call her back.”
Shen Qingqing’s hand, adjusting her scarf, paused.
She hadn’t mentioned the divorce to the Jiang family, afraid the elders would object.
After all, very few people around them got divorced, and the older generation would have a hard time accepting such a thing.
But now that she had come to the Northwest, there was no hiding it. She might as well come clean with them.
Shen Qingqing grabbed her things and left the ward first.
She went to the nurse’s station to borrow the phone and dialed the number she had memorized by heart.
Jiang Zhixun stood at a moderate distance, holding the lunchbox.
The weather was cold, and the lunchbox had already gone cold. Shen Qingqing hadn’t touched a single bite of the steamed buns inside.
Jiang Zhixun suddenly felt like laughing.
He really must be crazy, worrying that Shen Qingqing would go hungry and going out of his way to buy her food.
She didn’t appreciate it at all!
A chill drifted over from behind her. Shen Qingqing knew Jiang Zhixun was watching her.
But she didn’t turn back, nor did she have any interest in probing into Jiang Zhixun’s feelings.
Holding the phone receiver, she waited for a response from the capital.
Mother Jiang had been worrying herself sick over the young couple’s marriage, and had been waiting for Shen Qingqing to call back.
The moment the phone rang, she picked it up immediately.
Hearing Shen Qingqing’s voice, the weight on her heart lifted slightly.
“If you were going to see Zhixun, why didn’t you tell us beforehand? If I’d known, I would have gone to the train station to see you off and brought some local specialties from home for Zhixun.”
Shen Qingqing had come to the northwest without bringing anything except her daily necessities.
She didn’t plan to stay long—she would leave once her business was settled.
Since they were about to get divorced, she naturally wouldn’t bother doing thankless tasks.
Shen Qingqing was certain that Jiang Zhixun wouldn’t touch a single bite of any specialty she brought.
“It was a last-minute decision to come, so I didn’t tell you all.”
Mother Jiang didn’t dwell on that issue. “Zhixun hasn’t been home in three years. Why don’t you persuade him to come home for the New Year this year?”
Shen Qingqing hummed in acknowledgment.
Whether Jiang Zhixun came home for the New Year was none of her business, and she didn’t have the energy to persuade him.
While mulling over her words, she casually brushed off Mother Jiang.
On the other end of the line, Mother Jiang cursed inwardly—how could these two have the same personality?
They both loved to brush people off!
No wonder after three years, their marriage still hadn’t improved.
Unlike other couples, who fought in bed and made up by the foot of it!
“Zhixun is worried you can’t adapt to the environment over there, so he’s already decided to apply for a transfer back to the capital. Be careful with what you say and do over there—don’t cause any trouble that might affect his work.”
The words Shen Qingqing was about to say were choked back.
When she didn’t hear a response, Mother Jiang continued on her own: “Three years is long enough. Grandfather is getting old—he doesn’t say it out loud, but in his heart, he wants Zhixun to come back.”
“Qingqing, for the sake of our family having raised you for all these years, just give in to Zhixun this time, alright?”