Shen Qingqing got injured on the train.
When she was pulled like this, it tugged at her injury. Instinctively, she tried to withdraw her hand.
Jiang Zhixun thought she was throwing a tantrum, so he held her hand even tighter.
He strode out of the canteen.
Left behind in place, Lin Fengmian finally snapped out of it, her eyes turning red as if she'd been gravely wronged.
Still finding it hard to believe, she muttered to herself, "Brother Jiang… how could he just get married like that?"
Not wanting to be laughed at by others, Lin Zhidong picked up the lunchbox and headed home with his sister.
"Even if he weren't married, the two of you wouldn't stand a chance."
"Why not? He ignores other women, but when I talk to him, he responds. Last time he came to our house, not only did he eat the food I cooked, but he also bought me malted milk!"
Lin Zhidong's lips twitched. "He responds to you because of your brother's face. He ate the food you cooked because he had no choice as a guest. And as for that malted milk, Old Jiang didn't buy it especially for you. Don't talk nonsense, or you'll cause misunderstandings."
The person she liked had suddenly gotten a wife, and Lin Fengmian was already heartbroken enough.
She hadn't expected her brother to scold her too.
Her tears came pouring out. "I just like Brother Jiang! Can't that woman Shen just go back to wherever she came from and stop being an eyesore in front of us?"
Lin Zhidong was startled by his sister's words.
He reprimanded her sternly, "They're husband and wife. Whether they come or go is their business. Don't meddle. And don't ever say things like that again. Stop thinking about Old Jiang."
Before, thinking that Old Jiang was single was one thing. But now that she knew he had a wife and still wanted to like him?
That was not okay!
Lin Fengmian, sobbing uncontrollably, said, "But… but Brother Jiang never mentions that woman Shen. Clearly, he doesn't like her! He's not young anymore. Maybe he was forced into the marriage by his family."
"Even so, that has nothing to do with you."
Lin Zhidong's expression grew even more serious. "Some mistakes can't be made. Otherwise, it will ruin your whole life!"
"Then what do I do?"
The more Lin Fengmian thought about it, the sadder she became. "I really like Brother Jiang."
Lin Zhidong knew his sister's temperament—stubborn as a mule.
He said bluntly, "Old Jiang may not have talked about his situation with Shen, but he's already clearly rejected you. If you keep this up, you'll be in the wrong."
"Shen came all the way from Beijing, enduring who knows how much hardship. You didn't even understand the situation and gave her trouble in the canteen. Next time you see her, you owe her an apology."
"Are you even my brother? Whose side are you on!"
Lin Fengmian glared at Lin Zhidong.
Her eyes were filled with resentment.
Lin Zhidong felt aggrieved. "If I weren't your brother, why would I bother advising you?"
On matters of principle, Lin Zhidong refused to compromise.
He had only one little sister. If she caused a major scandal, her entire life would indeed be ruined.
Clearing his throat, he said, "If you can't let this go, then go back to our hometown. Once you've figured things out, we'll start looking for a good man for you."
Hearing this, Lin Fengmian stopped crying.
Their hometown was in the countryside, with harsh conditions. How could it compare to the ease of looking after Xiao Bao in the housing estate?
She wiped her tears and asked grumpily, "If I leave, who's going to help you take care of Xiao Bao?"
Lin Zhidong gave it some thought. "We'll hire a sister-in-law from the housing estate to help out for a few years."
"You're just wasting money!"
"Can't take advantage of others forever."
To Lin Zhidong, this was a much better solution than letting his sister cause serious trouble!
"Don't even think about it. I'm not going back to the countryside!"
…
Meanwhile, Jiang Zhixun led Shen Qingqing to a secluded place.
As soon as he let go, Shen Qingqing instinctively covered her arm. Her right hand was stiff from the pain.
Her delicate brows furrowed slightly, and a flicker of pain appeared in her eyes.
Jiang Zhixun's deep, brooding gaze narrowed.
He took a step closer to Shen Qingqing. "What's wrong with your hand?"
"Nothing."
Maybe it was because they'd been apart for too long, or maybe because she'd decided to give up on this marriage, but Shen Qingqing resisted Jiang Zhixun's approach.
Seeing her take a step back, Jiang Zhixun's jaw clenched even tighter.
"Shen Qingqing, this is no time for tantrums."
Shen Qingqing was so infuriated by his words that she laughed.
"Is everything I do, in your eyes, just me throwing a tantrum?"
Every decision she ever made had been carefully thought out.
The only impulsive decision she'd ever made was marrying Jiang Zhixun, knowing full well he didn't love her, after being nudged along by their elders.
Three years had passed, and she deeply regretted it.
Every time she received money from Jiang Zhixun, she felt not only regret but also guilt.
Being tied to someone you don't love must be suffocating, right?
If neither of them was happy, why not cut ties cleanly and quickly?
Looking straight into Jiang Zhixun's eyes, Shen Qingqing said firmly, word by word, "I won't argue with you anymore in the future. Once the paperwork is done, I'll never see you again in this lifetime."
In Jiang Zhixun's memory, Shen Qingqing had always been an obedient, gentle girl.
But now, using such cold eyes to look at him, speaking to him in such a frosty tone—this was the first time.
For some inexplicable reason, Jiang Zhixun felt a sense of unease, even panic.
But he didn't think too much about it. He assumed Shen Qingqing meant she would soon head back to Beijing.
Just like before, they'd live apart, never seeing each other again.
His hand at his side rubbed together briefly.
Finally, he asked stiffly, "Are you injured? Let me take a look."
As he spoke, he shielded her from the cold wind and reached out to untie her scarf and coat.
Shen Qingqing turned her body to the side. "It has nothing to do with you."
The man's finely-jointed hand froze, and his barely softened expression turned icy again.
"Fine, don't let me see."
Before Shen Qingqing could say anything, her left hand was grabbed forcefully.
"Then we'll go to the hospital and let the doctor check."
Shen Qingqing's limbs were slender. Even though she wore a coat, the man's single hand could easily grip her slim forearm tightly.
His strength was great. No matter how she struggled, she couldn't break free.
Dragged forward, Shen Qingqing's face flushed with anger.
Just a moment ago, he couldn't wait to keep his distance from her, and now he was tugging at her, refusing to let go.
"Jiang Zhixun, are you crazy?"
The man turned back and shot her a frosty glare. "Even if you don't want to go back to Beijing, there's no need to be reckless with your health."
Shen Qingqing's expression darkened further. "You think I did it on purpose?"
Jiang Zhixun sneered, "I didn't say that. Don't twist my words. When you cry later, don't blame me."
Shen Qingqing didn't know what was wrong with her. Ever since she saw Jiang Zhixun, an overwhelming sense of grievance had taken hold.
She wasn't the type to cry at the slightest provocation, but now, just hearing the slight edge in Jiang Zhixun's tone left her fighting the urge to burst into tears.
Shen Qingqing wanted to tell Jiang Zhixun that she was sick.
Her memory would worsen over time. In the near future, she might even forget him.
Their time together was so limited—just a few short days.
Once the divorce certificate was issued, they would have nothing to do with each other anymore.
Just a few days. Couldn't they get through it peacefully?
But when the words rose to her lips, she swallowed them back.
She didn't need Jiang Zhixun's pity.
Knowing his personality, he might refuse the divorce once he learned she was ill.
That wasn't the outcome she wanted.
Her chest felt bound as though stuffed with cotton, the sensation spreading to her throat.
Shen Qingqing felt unbearably stifled.
All she wanted was to put some distance between herself and Jiang Zhixun, to calm herself down.
Noticing that Shen Qingqing was still resisting, Jiang Zhixun issued a cold warning, "If you keep this up, I'll send you to the train station right now."