Winter, 1975.
Shen Qingqing traveled alone for three days on a green-painted train, arriving in the Northwest.
Braving the wind and snow, she was taken to the guesthouse.
"Captain Jiang hasn't applied for a family compound residence yet. Mister Shen, for now, you stay here. When Captain Jiang finishes his mission, I'll make sure he comes to see you."
Shen Qingqing understood clearly—Jiang Zhixun had never intended for her to follow his deployment.
If he had, he wouldn't have left for the Northwest without saying a word, nor would he have gone three years without returning home.
The Northwest was over two thousand kilometers away from Beijing.
If she hadn't come, it was likely that many people wouldn't have even known Jiang Zhixun was married.
The hand holding the suitcase was already frozen stiff, just like the fiery heart that once beat within her chest, now subdued to calmness.
Shen Qingqing smiled and thanked the other person.
Then she said, "When Jiang Zhixun returns, please inform me, Mister."
If he knew it was her, Jiang Zhixun might not show his face.
She didn't have the time to waste on him anymore.
Three years—it was already enough.
The sentry, not knowing anything about the situation between Shen Qingqing and Jiang Zhixun, assumed she wanted to see her husband as soon as possible.
That wind-chapped face broke into a sincere smile, revealing a set of gleaming white teeth—it was a guileless and honest expression.
"Mister Shen, don't worry. As soon as Captain Jiang returns, I'll call the guesthouse's front desk immediately to make sure you're informed right away."
Shen Qingqing could tell from his expression that the other person had misunderstood.
But she didn't explain.
She simply smiled and said, "Thank you."
She was beautiful. Clearly her demeanor was cold and quiet, but her smile made a faint dimple appear on her cheek.
The coldness seemed to dissipate.
Leaving a warm and intellectual aura in its place.
The sentry thought to himself—Captain Jiang's wife really was stunning.
But why did Captain Jiang keep her hidden?
If not for having a female visitor arrive at the military district, none of them would have known that Captain Jiang was already married.
Shaking off his digressive thoughts, the sentry saluted Shen Qingqing and then turned and left.
Shen Qingqing carried her suitcase into the room. As soon as she closed the door, the heavy suitcase slipped from her hands.
With a muffled thud, it hit the ground.
The train was a swirl of chaos. Shen Qingqing had boarded alone in Beijing.
Midway through the journey, she encountered a man attempting to harass her.
Taking advantage of the midnight hours when everyone in the carriage was sleeping, he'd followed her into the restroom.
Luckily, the train staff arrived in time, but during the scuffle, she injured her shoulder.
Having just trudged through the ice and snow, the injury ached even more.
Shen Qingqing could no longer muster the strength to lift the suitcase.
So she simply squatted down where she was and retrieved from the suitcase clothes and socks to change into.
The room didn't have a private restroom, nor did it have hot water.
Just as she was about to go downstairs to fetch some hot water, there was a knock on the door.
"Mister Shen, are you inside? I'm Xiao Li from the front desk."
Shen Qingqing replied, "Yes."
Not knowing what the other person needed, she quickly stood up and stepped toward the door.
The door opened, and a round face with a wide smile came into view. "I've brought you hot water."
The female worker held up a thermos and gestured toward it.
Shen Qingqing smiled slightly. "I was just about to go downstairs to fetch hot water, and here you are bringing it to me. This time, I'll shamelessly accept it, but next time I'll fetch it myself."
"It's no trouble at all, Mister Shen; please don't be so formal with me."
Xiao Li studied Shen Qingqing curiously.
Jiang Zhixun was famously talented in the military district, particularly skilled at flying fighter jets.
And beyond that, he was tall and handsome—the object of admiration for many female colleagues.
No one had expected that he was married.
There had been no hint of it at all.
This Mister Shen had delicate features, fair skin, and a face small enough to fit in the palm of one's hand.
Her eyes were stunning, with slightly upturned corners and a tiny tear-shaped mole accenting her gaze.
Her long black hair was silky-straight, tied back simply with a headband, falling smoothly down her back.
No matter how you looked at her, she was breathtakingly beautiful.
No wonder Captain Jiang had always kept his distance from the female soldiers, refusing any of their advances.
It turned out someone this gorgeous was already waiting for him at home.
Shen Qingqing was aware of Xiao Li's gaze, but she faced it openly without hesitation.
The expression on her face remained unchanged from earlier.
The corners of her lips curved just enough, no more, no less.
Though she appeared amiable, she somehow gave off an air that discouraged intimacy.
The female worker snapped out of her daze, flushing slightly.
She then proceeded to explain where the canteen was located, mentioning that Shen Qingqing could take her meal container to pick up food at mealtime.
Finally, she said, "Mister Shen, if there's anything you need help with, just come downstairs to find me. Until Captain Jiang returns, we'll make sure to take care of you."
Shen Qingqing nodded. "Thank you."
"It's nothing at all."
Shen Qingqing didn't go to the canteen for dinner. Instead, she soaked her feet, changed into clean clothes, and quickly went to sleep.
Three nights without rest had worn her out completely.
She fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.
"Mister Shen, based on the test results, your condition appears to be amnesia caused by psychological abnormalities."
Shen Qingqing sat in the doctor's office.
She was alone—no relatives, no friends, and no husband by her side.
She felt an icy chill seep through her entire being.
Afterward, the doctor said something else, but she didn't quite take it in.
Her mind was entirely occupied with one thought: She was sick—what would she do next?
It wasn't until the doctor in the white-coat asked another question that Shen Qingqing snapped back to reality.
"Where is your family? I have some precautions I need to inform them about."
Her throat felt as if stuffed with cotton, tight and uncomfortable.
Her voice came out strained: "I don't have family."
Shen Qingqing's parents were university professors, but when she was fifteen, they both passed away in a car accident.
Father Jiang and Professor Shen had been good friends. After the tragedy, Shen Qingqing was taken in by the Jiang family.
In Jiang Zhixun's first year in the Northwest, the Jiang elders showed great sympathy toward Shen Qingqing.
In the second year, Madam Jiang urged Shen Qingqing to quit her job and move to the Northwest to develop their relationship.
By the third year, Madam Jiang compromised and suggested Shen Qingqing take an extended leave to visit the Northwest, then return to Beijing once pregnant.
Shen Qingqing rejected everything.
Since then, Madam Jiang's attitude toward her grew colder. Even living under the same roof, she could go days without saying a word.
Shen Qingqing had a translation job at a publishing house; the flexible hours allowed her to meet deadlines while working independently.
To avoid the strained relationship with her mother-in-law, she had rented an apartment outside and lived alone under the pretext of work.
Occasionally, she'd return to the compound to drink tea and play chess with Grandpa Jiang, staying for a couple of nights.
She only realized something was wrong with her body after forgetting two important matters.
The first was Jiang Zhixun's birthday; she didn't call him in the Northwest.
The second was a scheduled meeting with her editor-in-chief, which she missed entirely.
Since she started working, she had never made mistakes like these.
Between forgetting Jiang Zhixun's birthday wishes and missing the meeting with her editor, the latter was clearly more serious.
Shen Qingqing thought that taking a break might improve her condition, but instead, her memory deteriorated further.
If she didn't deliberately try to remember things, she would forget them in no time.
It was all too irregular, so she went to the hospital.
She hadn't expected this diagnosis.
"Doctor, can it be treated?"
The doctor looked at the test results. "Your condition isn't severe at the moment. It can be treated conservatively, but if it worsens, psychological intervention will be necessary."
What would happen if her condition worsened? Shen Qingqing didn't know.
She sat in the hospital corridor for half an hour.
And made only one decision.
She would divorce Jiang Zhixun!