The cafeteria was a one-story building at the back of the hospital, hot and stuffy, but filled with the smell of cooking. The food was quite good, with both meat and vegetables.
However, even in the hospital, meals weren’t freely given—you still needed tickets and money.
Since Shen Qingli had decided to leave Su Jingshen, she naturally needed to save money.
She asked the aunt at the stove for a serving of vegetables and rice, paid for it, and sat down alone to eat.
Several people nearby glanced over and whispered:
“Isn’t she from the military and close to the director? How come she’s eating so simply?”
“She doesn’t look like she comes from wealth either.”
“But she’s really pretty. Do you think the director wants her as a daughter-in-law and let her slip in through connections?”
Shen Qingli ignored their remarks.
In the past, Su Jingshen earned 110 yuan a month, giving Lin Meiyun 50 for the child and 50 for her own expenses. By their household standards, that was plenty. But Lin Meiyun insisted that Su Tiantian always eat well and drink well. Every meal required meat, vegetables, snacks, and fruit, which stretched their budget thin.
Additionally, Shen Qingli liked Su Jingshen. If she saw good-quality clothes or things suitable for him, she couldn’t help but buy them, leaving her with almost no savings. Naturally, she couldn’t eat lavishly herself.
She paid no attention to the whispers. After finishing her meal, she rested briefly, then reopened her clinic and continued seeing patients until five o’clock before returning to the family compound.
When she arrived, she saw Su Jingshen putting on a coat to go out. When he noticed her, he paused, removed his military jacket, and hung it on the rack.
“Where have you been today? Why are you only coming back now?”
His words and actions made it clear he had been intending to look for her.
Shen Qingli’s eyes flickered in surprise, and her heart felt like sunlight had split through a crack.
Even knowing she shouldn’t soften over such a trivial matter… in her past life, all she had ever wanted was his attention.
Suppressing the flutter in her chest, she pressed her lips together lightly and said,
“I won’t be able to stay home anymore. I’ll be back around this time every day, so your elder sister-in-law might have to handle more than usual.”
She thought her words were polite and reasonable, despite Lin Meiyun’s constant provocations.
Yet Su Jingshen, in his usual tone of helplessness, spoke on Lin Meiyun’s behalf:
“If you have anything you need, tell me. I’ll help. You’re gone all day, and your elder sister-in-law is left to take care of the child, cook, clean, and do all the chores. She can’t manage it alone.”
Shen Qingli’s chest ached sharply.
In her previous life, the three years of marriage had been filled with nights of tears over his seemingly gentle but constantly biased words favoring Lin Meiyun.
Even her calm and composed temperament couldn’t hold back the pain. She asked, her voice trembling with restrained anger:
“If she can’t manage, why don’t you help her? Why should I serve her? I married you, not your sister-in-law. Why must you repeatedly use me to show her your favor? Su Jingshen, don’t you think you’re going too far?”
Su Jingshen was momentarily silent, then replied in his usual helpless tone,
“Fine, if you don’t want to, don’t. I’m just trying to speak to you reasonably. Why are you shouting?”
Shen Qingli’s heart churned with bitterness, trapped in her throat, unable to speak.
He drove her to the brink, yet blamed her for raising her voice.
Tears threatened to spill, but she held them back. She knew people like him weren’t worth it.
She turned and went inside.
Su Jingshen paused, simmering with frustration, unwilling to return home. He went to the office, where Zhou Jiarun happened to pass by and frowned.
“Argued again?”
“Nothing,” Su Jingshen replied. He didn’t want to air household matters and disliked anyone making a scene.
Zhou Jiarun said,
“Why hide it from me? Your wife isn’t naive; she’s very sharp. Meiyun’s life is so hard, yet she quibbles over every little thing. You have a good temper; anyone else would’ve dealt with her a hundred times over by now.”
Su Jingshen said nothing. Compared to those in the family compound who would lash out at their wives over minor disputes, everyone praised him for his temper.
Yet conflicts at home never ceased. Ultimately, it was due to discontent.
Shen Qingli brooded over his words all night. The next morning, she didn’t sleep past the bugle call. She forced herself up, washed her clothes, hung them to dry on the balcony, and took the bus to the hospital.
Many medical staff emerged from clinics and offices, heading to the meeting room.
Shen Qingli knew the morning assembly involved studying People’s Daily and propagating revolutionary thought.
She didn’t mind and quietly sat down, listening attentively despite her boredom, showing no signs of impatience. After all, being labeled “ideologically incorrect” could have serious consequences.
After finishing reading the paper, Liu Shicheng looked at her with a subtle, ambiguous expression in his eyes:
“Dr. Shen, since you’re here, may I ask what you think ‘capitalist exploitation’ means?”
In the past, she had also been singled out in morning meetings in Xia’an County, accused of prioritizing her own ideals above all else and needing selfless dedication so others could take credit.
Now, having come with Zhou Taimin’s recommendation, someone still tried to criticize her with talk of capitalism.
She pulled a wry smile:
“My family has been poor farmers for five generations. We’re still so poor that sometimes we can’t even eat properly. Do you really think it’s appropriate to ask me this?”
Liu Shicheng didn’t believe her. He had worked hard to earn his status among the hospital staff, while she had entered through connections.
He asked bluntly,
“So, what is your relationship with the director?”
Shen Qingli countered,
“He fainted, and I helped him. Does helping someone now count as a problem with you?”
Liu Shicheng was speechless. His eyes narrowed, the light glinting sharply off his glasses.
The others in the meeting room stayed silent. They had expected some sort of nepotism or rivalry—after all, only a few positions in a hospital offered real advancement, and competition was fierce.
But a legitimate medical student from a poor farming family, living on a military compound? That was something no one could easily criticize.
No one said a word.
Shen Qingli paid no attention. Even sensing Liu Shicheng’s resentment, she realized she had no conflict with him.
After the morning assembly ended, she returned to her clinic.
Sun Yan came over and warned:
“Dr. Shen, you really shouldn’t offend Dr. Liu in the future.”