"No need."
Shen Qingqing said coldly, turning her head to continue packing the suitcase.
Actually, there wasn't much to pack; she just didn't want to acknowledge Jiang Zhixun.
With her back to him, the hint for him to leave was quite obvious.
Jiang Zhixun stared at her back, really wanting to ask what exactly she was angry about.
Clearly, he was the one who should be angry.
She came to the Northwest without a word to him and didn't inform him even when she encountered problems on the way.
She even dared to stay out all night in a place she was unfamiliar with.
With all these instances, shouldn't he be the one angry?
Yet now he was the one being cautious about her mood!
With a cold face, Jiang Zhixun found ointment from the drawer.
As he bent down, his left hand passed through Shen Qingqing's waist and abdomen, easily lifting her up.
The sudden movement almost made Shen Qingqing scream, but afraid of disturbing others, she swallowed the sound at the last moment.
The not-so-wide double bed creaked a few times.
"Don't move."
Shen Qingqing lay on the bed, struggling to turn her head to glare at Jiang Zhixun, "You're being a hooligan!"
The man's expression didn't change, "I'm your husband."
After saying that, he threw Shen Qingqing's coat onto the chair, letting it overlap with his military coat.
Underneath, Shen Qingqing was wearing a warm cashmere sweater, form-fitting and accentuating her body curves.
Slender waist, ample hips, a striking figure, hinting at the flavor of a mature woman.
Quite different from the young girl Jiang Zhixun remembered.
The tips of her ears were so red they seemed ready to bleed, yet the expression on her face remained tense.
She said coldly, "We have a marriage certificate."
These words sounded odd to Shen Qingqing's ears.
Her heart leapt into her throat.
Could it be that Jiang Zhixun really wanted to follow the elders' arrangement and have a child with her?
Shen Qingqing felt terrible.
In these three years, she never considered using a child to ease their relationship, and now that they were about to divorce, she was even less likely to have a child.
If she weren't ill, even if she had a child, she could support it herself.
But being ill meant she might not even be able to take care of herself, how could she do such an irresponsible thing?
Even though the Jiang Family could afford to raise a child, she went through the hardship of pregnancy and the risk of childbirth not to continue their bloodline.
After the divorce, Jiang Zhixun could choose to remarry.
However many children he'd have by then would have nothing to do with her.
Shen Qingqing glared at him, "Don't you dare!"
Jiang Zhixun wouldn't let Shen Qingqing move around erratically, "What wild thoughts are you having?"
Shen Qingqing's face reddened, not wanting to discuss having children.
Though legally married, they weren't intimate to that extent yet.
"Leave."
Jiang Zhixun also felt embarrassed, the awkward tension he'd built up already dissipating.
The matter of having children would have to wait.
Anyway, he'd accompany Shen Qingqing back to Beijing this year; if the elders had opinions, he would handle them.
Sitting on the bed, holding the ointment.
"You can't apply it properly yourself."
The spot that hurt the most was on the back shoulder; Shen Qingqing could manage by herself, but it would be inconvenient and end up crooked.
With divorce so close, Shen Qingqing didn't want too much entanglement with Jiang Zhixun.
No matter if she did it well or poorly herself, she wouldn't accept Jiang Zhixun's help.
Seizing the moment, she snatched the ointment from his hand, "Just go."
At this point, Jiang Zhixun didn't have the thick skin to continue staying there.
He got up swiftly, picked up his coat, "I'll come get you tomorrow afternoon."
Pointing with his chin to the canned goods and candies on the table, "You keep these for yourself."
Shen Qingqing wasn't in high spirits, "As you wish."
Though knowing Shen Qingqing was in a bad mood, Jiang Zhixun wasn't good at comforting people.
He said stiffly, "Rest early."
With his coat in hand, he left the room just like that.
The couple stayed in the room for probably a little over ten minutes.
Seeing Jiang Zhixun in a thin shirt, with a cold face coming downstairs, they thought he got kicked out by Shen Qingqing.
Xiao Li and his colleague exchanged a knowing glance.
Thinking to themselves, this couple is really stubborn, no wonder Captain Jiang could go three years without returning home.
They're each as headstrong as the other.
"I wonder if they'll be able to reconcile by New Year."
"If Captain Jiang goes home, they probably will have reconciled."
Many people were anxious for Shen Qingqing and Jiang Zhixun.
Fearing that the more they fought, the more strained they'd become, leading to the rupture of their marriage.
Jiang Zhixun not going home for three years wasn't a secret.
His hurried venture to the county to find her and bringing Shen Qingqing back overnight wasn't a secret either.
Therefore, early the next morning, Shen Qingqing met the wife of Jiang Zhixun's superior.
"I'm Mrs. Wang, everyone calls me Sister-in-law Wang." The visitor said.
Shen Qingqing invited her inside.
As there were no spare cups to serve hot water, she had to offer Sister-in-law Wang some candies.
Sister-in-law Wang, slightly chubby with a round face, had distinct crow's feet when she smiled, but she seemed very amicable.
Watching Shen Qingqing's every move, Sister-in-law Wang thought, the young woman is quite capable and generous.
I heard she has a job in Beijing as a translator, quite impressive.
Even though Xiao Jiang is cold by nature, he's ambitious and helps when he sees others needing assistance, a young man with a cool exterior but a warm heart.
Both are very good people; how did they end up managing their marriage like this?
"Sister-in-law Wang, is there something you need from me?"
The other person wore a regretful expression, with a bit of hesitation.
Shen Qingqing guessed that Sister-in-law Wang was there to mediate her and Jiang Zhixun's relationship.
Sister-in-law Wang smiled and said, "It's nothing major, I heard you came to the compound, so I wanted to invite you and Xiao Jiang for a meal at our place."
Shen Qingqing didn't know if she should nod, after all, she truly didn't know about Jiang Zhixun's matters.
Nor was she sure if going to the superior's house for dinner without notice would upset him.
Seeing Shen Qingqing's hesitation, Sister-in-law Wang said, "Someone has already gone to call Xiao Jiang, by the time we get home, he should be there. It's rare for him to be on a break; let's have a chat, a meal, and bond a little."
Sister-in-law Wang's intent to reconcile was quite clear.
After thinking about it, Shen Qingqing nodded in agreement, "Sister-in-law Wang, sorry for the trouble."
"It's no trouble at all, with more people it'll just be livelier."
Not wanting to go empty-handed, Shen Qingqing planned to bring the canned goods to Sister-in-law Wang's place.
Sister-in-law Wang didn't let her take it, "If you take it, it feels distant. Next time I wouldn't dare invite you for dinner at my place."
Saying this, she took the canned goods from Shen Qingqing's hand and placed them back on the table.
"It's really cold outside; you should wear more clothes, I heard you got sick a few days ago, was it acclimatization? You definitely shouldn't catch a cold again."
Shen Qingqing put on her coat, wrapped a scarf, yet still wanted to take the canned goods.
She truly felt uncomfortable going empty-handed.
Sister-in-law Wang laughed, "These things are too sweet, neither I nor my husband like them; it would be a waste to give them to us, so just keep them for yourself."
Fearing Shen Qingqing might hesitate again, Sister-in-law Wang warmly took her by the hand and directly led her out.
As they walked, she said, "People in the compound are easy to get along with. When Xiao Jiang applies for a house, and you live here longer, you'll know."