Pei Yanshen instinctively wanted to refuse.
After all, this was technically his first meeting with Qiao Jiangyue, and he couldn’t think of anything that required a private conversation.
Unexpectedly, Zhong Qing spoke first: “I don’t mind. You two can talk.”
With that, she seemingly gave them space, stepping into the house.
Pei Yanshen frowned deeper.
But before he could call out to her, Qiao Jiangyue stepped forward, blocking his view.
“Captain Pei,” she softened her voice in front of him, “it’s just a few words.”
Pei Yanshen’s expression darkened. “Dr. Qiao, I appreciate your help in finding Xiao An today. But you’re a young woman—it’s not appropriate to speak with me here alone.”
Qiao Jiangyue, not yet aware that Pei Yanshen cared about her reputation, was about to feel pleased when he lifted his foot to leave.
She quickly interjected: “It’s about Xiao An!”
Pei Yanshen halted mid-step without turning: “If it’s about Xiao An, there’s no need to avoid my wife even more.”
Qiao Jiangyue drew a deep breath, ignoring his protective stance toward Zhong Qing.
“Captain Pei, I’ve heard quite a bit about your family situation even though I just arrived. As Xiao An’s doctor, I can say with responsibility that his health condition is closely related to Zhong Qing’s actions.”
Seeing Pei Yanshen glance sideways, she pressed on:
“During the previous checkups, I noticed Xiao An was thinner and weaker than other children his age—caused by long-term nutritional deficiencies. He even told me that his younger sister still cannot speak…”
“Finished?” Pei Yanshen snapped impatiently. “By your account, both Zhong Qing and I are responsible. It’s not just her problem. You’re the doctor; we’ve taken note of the child’s condition, but family matters are not for outsiders to worry about.”
He didn’t give Qiao Jiangyue another chance to speak and strode into the house.
Qiao Jiangyue stood there, stunned.
This shouldn’t have happened.
Before coming to the northwest, she kept having the same recurring dream: a man in a flight jacket treating her with endless gentleness and care.
That was why she decided to come here.
And the moment she saw Pei Yanshen, she was certain he was the man from her dreams.
He shouldn’t have treated her this way.
Zhong Qing was surprised at how quickly Pei Yanshen returned.
After all, these were the male and female leads—shouldn’t there be some small talk?
Instead, Pei Yanshen went straight to the cabinet, retrieved a small medical kit, and approached Zhong Qing.
“Give me your leg.”
Zhong Qing froze.
That escalated fast.
She cautiously lifted her leg.
Pei Yanshen didn’t speak, merely stepped closer.
His warm, firm hands gripped her ankle, and Zhong Qing instinctively tried to pull back.
“Dirty.”
She had been running all over today, up and down the mountain—the hem of her pants was filthy.
Pei Yanshen looked at her: “All the more reason to treat it promptly.”
No sooner had he spoken than a sudden chill and sharp pain hit her.
…Yeah, that certainly counts as “promptly”!
Zhong Qing gasped in pain, instinctively trying to retract her leg, but Pei Yanshen’s grip was firm and unyielding.
Seeing her face scrunch up, he slowed his movements, making them gentler.
After all the running, she could ignore minor discomfort, but treating the wound now amplified every bit of pain.
Zhong Qing turned her face away, unwilling to watch.
As if doing so could dull the pain.
Pei Yanshen worked efficiently—cleaning, dressing, and bandaging the wound in one smooth sequence—minimizing her suffering.
He handed her a pair of slippers. “At least until the wound heals, don’t wear heels.”
Zhong Qing nodded.
She loved dressing up but wasn’t reckless.
With the wound cared for, an awkward, silent tension settled between them.
Clearing her throat, Zhong Qing asked, “Aren’t you going to talk with her more?”
“Why did you agree?”
Both spoke almost simultaneously.
Pei Yanshen frowned, serious: “You said it yourself—not in front of Xiao Yu and Xiao An.”
Zhong Qing paused, then said calmly, “They aren’t here anyway. After all, we’re getting a divorce. If you really meet someone suitable, I can’t stop you.”
Not to mention, her assets alone could sustain the three of them for generations.
As a “villainess,” there was no need to oppose the fated female lead.
Rich, with kids, without a husband—why wouldn’t she live comfortably?
Pei Yanshen fell silent for a moment, watching Zhong Qing’s matter-of-fact expression. Yu Xingze’s words echoed in his mind:
She really does want a divorce.
Early that morning, Yu Xingze noticed Pei Yanshen’s mood was even worse.
He instinctively wanted to comfort him: “The kids don’t understand, it’s…”
“Did you say Zhong Qing really wants a divorce?” Pei Yanshen suddenly asked.
Yu Xingze thought he was upset over Xiao An running off yesterday.
Turns out, it was because of Zhong Qing.
Wait… that can’t be.
Yu Xingze’s heart skipped a beat: “Did I really guess right?”
Judging by Pei Yanshen’s reaction, he didn’t look happy about the divorce at all.
Seeing him silent, Yu Xingze hurriedly said, “What happened, Pei? Tell me so I can help you analyze!”
Pei Yanshen looked at him, half in disbelief.
…He had indeed predicted the divorce correctly.
But before he could explain fully, Yu Xingze slapped his thigh:
“Your wife is jealous! She’s speaking oppositely, waiting for you to coax her. How can you not see it?”
Pei Yanshen hesitated. “Really?”
“Could it be otherwise?” Yu Xingze urged. “If it were the old Zhong Qing, she wouldn’t wait for Qiao Jiangyue to leave—she’d have yelled her off immediately.”
Indeed.
Yu Xingze nodded knowingly: “That means your wife cares about you!”
“The more a woman acts magnanimous, the more she actually cares. This time she’s back genuinely wanting a good life with you. Who wouldn’t feel wronged in this situation?”
Pei Yanshen remained doubtful, but Yu Xingze’s conviction planted a seed of suspicion in his mind:
Zhong Qing really is jealous?
He paused. “Tomorrow you go on a mission to Shanghai. Buy some jewelry at the department store. Pick expensive ones.”
He wasn’t experienced in coaxing Zhong Qing, but he knew what she liked.
Before Yu Xingze could respond, Qiao Jiangyue’s voice came from behind:
“If Captain Pei wants to buy jewelry, why not let me handle it?”
“I thought about it yesterday. I wanted to do it for Xiao An’s sake, but I did act abruptly. Since my family is all in Beijing, it’s convenient to send it there. I also wanted to take this opportunity to apologize to Sister Zhong Qing.”