While Jiang Banyue was busy in the shop, Mother Jiang came in and hugged the three babies.
“Banban, your father and I are going out tomorrow. Your cousin is getting married the day after tomorrow, so we’ve taken a few days off to go to your grandmother’s place.”
Jiang Banyue’s maternal grandmother lived in another city. Mother Jiang had married far away to this small county town.
“Where’s Grandpa?” Jiang Banyue asked while packing cakes into boxes.
“He’s staying at your eldest brother’s place for a few days. We’ll pick him up when we come back.”
Jiang Banyue took out ten yuan, wrapped it in red paper, and handed it to her mother.
“Mom, please give this as a wedding gift for my cousin.”
“No need,” Mother Jiang refused. “Your father and I will give a gift, and your brother already prepared one too. You don’t need to.”
“Mom, take it,” Jiang Banyue insisted.
“Your gifts are yours. This is mine. I’m not going to the wedding, so I must give a red envelope.”
“Alright then, I’ll pass it to her for you,” Mother Jiang said. “I just think you’re already raising three children alone—everything costs money. You should save wherever you can.”
“It’s fine. A cousin’s wedding only happens once. I must give it.”
At that moment, several customers came in. Jiang Banyue became busy again and couldn’t continue talking.
Mother Jiang held the youngest baby while chatting with the two nannies. In the afternoon, she went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy things before leaving for her hometown the next day.
“Banban, I’m leaving.”
“Okay, Mom. Be careful on the road,” Jiang Banyue said at the door, watching her mother leave before returning to the shop.
..
The next day, early in the morning, the Shen family set off toward the county town.
On the bus, Shen Yunhe sat beside Old Master Shen, taking care of him.
“Grandpa, how are you feeling? Any dizziness?”
“I’m fine, don’t worry,” Old Master Shen replied. At seventy years old, he had been a soldier in his youth and had many lingering health issues.
After an hour and a half of bumpy travel, they finally arrived in the county town.
Father Shen said, “Yunhe, go pick up Yunlin and Yunshuang from school. We’ll go to the supply store to buy things.”
“Alright.”
Shen Yunlin was the second son, twenty years old, a junior in university. Shen Yunshuang was the youngest daughter, seventeen years old, in her final year of high school.
Shen Yunhe first went to the high school and spoke to the guard.
“Hello, I’m looking for Shen Yunshuang from Class 3, Grade 3. I’m her eldest brother.”
He stood to the side waiting. His tall figure in a neat military uniform attracted many stares. Female students even ran out shyly to look at the handsome soldier.
He stood straight at the gate like a sentry.
After a while, a lively young girl ran up to him.
“Big brother, why are you here?”
“Cough,” he cleared his throat, fist lightly covering his mouth.
“Go ask for leave. I need to take you out.”
“Huh?” Shen Yunshuang looked confused. “Take me out? Where are we going?”
“Don’t ask. Hurry.”
“Okay, wait for me!”
She quickly ran back, took leave, and returned.
“Let’s go, big brother!”
Then Shen Yunhe took her to the university. Shen Yunshuang became more and more confused.
“Big brother, are you taking me to see second brother?”
“Yes.”
At the university gate, Shen Yunlin ran out.
“Big brother, Yunshuang, why are you both here?”
“Let’s go,” Shen Yunhe said simply, too embarrassed to explain.
The siblings followed him, whispering to each other.
“What’s wrong with big brother?”
“Don’t know.”
At the supply and marketing cooperative, they saw their grandparents and parents and happily ran over.
“Grandpa! Dad! Mom! What a good day—why is everyone here?”
Shen Yunshuang held her mother’s arm, smiling brightly.
Father Shen snorted and glanced at the expressionless eldest son.
“Your brother and your sister-in-law are divorced. Today we’re going to the in-laws’ house to apologize.”
“What?! They’re divorced?” The two siblings looked at each other in shock, then at their eldest brother.
“Big brother, sister-in-law is so nice—why did you divorce her?” Shen Yunshuang couldn’t understand. Their sister-in-law had a good temper, and their brother was steady and responsible. How could they end up divorcing?
“Big brother, you regret it now and want to remarry her!” Shen Yunlin said bluntly.
Shen Yunhe had regretted the divorce more than once. First he was scolded by his grandfather and parents, and now questioned by his siblings. Ashamed and unable to respond, he turned and walked away.
“Let’s go.”
The Shen family carried gifts and went to the Jiang family home in a grand procession.
They knocked for a long time, but no one answered. A neighbor came over and said,
“Stop knocking. No one’s home!”
Father Shen quickly asked, “Where did they go?”
“They went to attend a relative’s wedding. It’s in another place—they’ll be gone for a few days.”
“Oh, thank you.”
“No problem.”
“Let’s go back,” Father Shen said, turning them away.
The family left disappointed.
As they walked away, Shen Yunhe looked back at the closed door. A heavy sense of loss filled his heart. He now realized that since the divorce, he had been thinking about her all along—missing her, wanting to see her, wanting to hold her.
He couldn’t live without her.
Shen Yunshuang and Shen Yunlin finally got a rare chance to see their family, and didn’t want to leave so soon. Old Master Shen suggested,
“It’s almost noon. Let’s find a restaurant to eat. The kids rarely get to come out.”
“Yay!” Shen Yunshuang couldn’t help but shout happily.
Then she quickly covered her mouth when she saw the serious faces of her family. She had forgotten—her brother was divorced, and everyone was in a bad mood.
At the small restaurant, the family sat quietly after ordering food. Shen Yunshuang was very talkative but kept stopping herself, afraid to break the silence.
For the first time, she felt pressured just eating a meal.
“My sister-in-law, please come back soon… I can’t take this atmosphere,” she thought helplessly.
After finishing quickly, she caught a whiff of a sweet scent coming from across the street—a bakery.
She looked up. The sign read: “Sweet Little House.”
She remembered it.
Next time, she would definitely come buy cake.