"Jiang Zhixun, can you have some shame?"
Shen Qingqing kicked the front seat in annoyance.
Jiang Zhixun remained calm, gripping the steering wheel as he prepared to start the car.
The names on the marriage certificate belonged to both of them; it wasn't solely Shen Qingqing's possession.
How was that shameless?
He turned his head to glance at Shen Qingqing, "Next time, I won't come looking for you."
"I didn't ask you to."
Jiang Zhixun gritted his teeth, "Fine, I meddled in your business."
Shen Qingqing wanted to say something else, but the car jolted forward abruptly.
The inertia threw her against the back seat.
The suddenness of it all scared Shen Qingqing pale.
One hand clutched the car window, the other braced against the seat.
"Jiang Zhixun, you bastard!"
Her voice was so soft that it was drowned out by the roar of the engine.
Only when the car slowed to an even pace did her tension gradually dissipate.
If Jiang Zhixun hadn't stirred things up, she would be peacefully staying at the guesthouse.
Thinking this, Shen Qingqing felt deeply aggrieved, tears welling up in her eyes.
She tightened her coat around herself, shrank into the shadows, and lost any desire to speak to Jiang Zhixun.
Hearing her heavy breathing, Jiang Zhixun assumed she had started crying again. He glanced at Shen Qingqing through the rearview mirror.
She leaned against the seat, her head tilted, her long hair obscuring half her face. He couldn't discern her expression.
His hand rubbed against the steering wheel.
In the end, he said nothing.
Nor did he try speeding up again to scare her.
The atmosphere was cold enough to feel frozen, unlike how a normal married couple should be.
For some reason, Jiang Zhixun suddenly recalled the moments they shared in Beijing.
Shen Qingqing wasn't a talkative girl. There were times when he drove to her school to pick her up, and they spoke very little, but the mood back then was different.
Back then, he felt relaxed. Unlike now, where his mind was a chaotic mess.
As they exited the county, Jiang Zhixun couldn't resist glancing at her through the rearview mirror again.
With no streetlights, the car was pitch black inside. Shen Qingqing still maintained her earlier posture, making it even harder to see her expression.
Seeing nothing, Jiang Zhixun's slender fingers gripped the steering wheel tightly.
A few minutes later, he spoke awkwardly, "I don't want to interfere either, but a woman staying alone outside isn't safe."
Shen Qingqing still didn't respond.
Jiang Zhixun was a reserved man, not someone who would go out of his way to explain himself to others.
Yet, he had made exceptions several times for Shen Qingqing.
She didn't appreciate it, so he stopped putting himself through unnecessary trouble.
He pressed his cheek. That soft-tempered little girl, who looked so easy to talk to, turned out to be surprisingly headstrong!
And so, they reached their destination in mutual silence.
As soon as the car stopped, Shen Qingqing opened her eyes, her gaze calm and unruffled.
Without hesitation, she pushed open the car door, grabbed her belongings, and left.
From start to finish, she said nothing.
Jiang Zhixun sat in the driver's seat, unmoving, his gaze heavy as he stared at her retreating figure.
She wore a black coat, as if blending into the dense darkness of the night.
Lonely, she looked somewhat pitiful.
At the same time, she gave off a sense of being unreachable.
Jiang Zhixun couldn't suppress the restlessness growing within him. Through his line of sight, Shen Qingqing had already entered the guesthouse.
The man suddenly flung open the car door.
If having a child could stop her from sulking, then they would have a child!
At least it would keep her family off her back, sparing her the pressure from the elders that made her afraid to return to the courtyard.
A woman staying alone outside would never be truly safe.
Shen Qingqing had planned to head straight upstairs, but she didn't expect to see Lin Zhidong and Zhou Xiaomei in the lobby on the first floor.
Seeing her, the couple visibly relaxed.
Although Xiao Mian swore to heaven that she hadn't seen Shen Qingqing and that Shen Qingqing's failure to return to the guesthouse had nothing to do with her...
The couple didn't fully believe her.
After all, Xiao Mian had come back with Jiang Zhixun, so perhaps Mister Shen misunderstood and refused to return.
Knowing Jiang Zhixun had gone back to the county to look for her, the couple decided to leave their child with Lin Fengmian and wait at the guesthouse.
Seeing Shen Qingqing walk in with her belongings, Zhou Xiaomei quickly asked, "Mister Shen, did you run into any trouble today?"
Shen Qingqing looked surprised, "Did someone say something happened to me?"
Zhou Xiaomei teased, "No one said anything happened to you, but Captain Jiang was so worried. He searched all over the county for you and almost reported it to the police!"
Lin Zhidong nodded in agreement, "It's a good thing he found you, otherwise he'd be crying from worry."
Secretly, Lin Zhidong wondered how Old Jiang, who clearly cared so much about Mister Shen, could still butt heads with her.
If he didn't wise up soon and Shen Qingqing left the Northwest for good, he'd regret it when it was too late.
Noticing Jiang Zhixun, face dark, enter from outside...
Lin Zhidong slung an arm over his shoulder, "Your wife rarely visits—how can you not stick with her to the county instead of putting on airs? If you keep giving her attitude, I'll have to scold you."
Jiang Zhixun shook off his hand.
"Aren't you leaving?"
Lin Zhidong's mouth twitched, "You don't listen to the advice of your elders. Fine, keep being stubborn—it'll only come back to bite you. Don't come crying to me later!"
Jiang Zhixun said nothing, but his expression said it all.
He was a man who bled rather than cried.
Crying? Impossible!
Seeing that Jiang Zhixun and Shen Qingqing had things to discuss, Lin Zhidong and Zhou Xiaomei decided not to linger as third wheels.
Zhou Xiaomei said to Shen Qingqing, "Don't forget to come over for lunch at our place tomorrow."
Shen Qingqing nodded in agreement.
Lin Zhidong pulled his wife and left.
As soon as they walked out, Shen Qingqing turned around and headed upstairs. Jiang Zhixun's face showed signs of internal conflict.
Ultimately, his eyes flashed with determination.
He stepped forward and followed Shen Qingqing.
As soon as he entered, Shen Qingqing extended her hand, "Hand it over."
The marriage certificate was an important document, necessary for the divorce. She needed to keep it in her possession to feel secure.
Jiang Zhixun glanced at her subtly, "Is it that important?"
Shen Qingqing replied earnestly, "Important."
The man let out an inexplicable snort.
He took the marriage certificate out of his coat pocket and handed it to her.
Shen Qingqing immediately stowed it away.
Originally, it was kept in her suitcase, but fearing she might forget it or misplace it when needed, she decided to put it together with her introduction letter.
She handled everything with such seriousness, clearly worried about losing the marriage certificate.
Seeing Shen Qingqing carry the marriage certificate with her at all times, Jiang Zhixun became even more convinced that her trip this time was solely for the purpose of having a child.
His fingers instinctively curled.
He turned and headed toward the door.
Shen Qingqing assumed Jiang Zhixun was leaving and paid him no attention, continuing to sort her belongings.
After verifying the lock on the door to ensure no one could barge in...
Jiang Zhixun took a deep breath.
He swiftly removed his military coat and walked to the side of the bed. His body was tense, muscular veins bulging under his skin.
The veins traveled up his arms and disappeared beneath his sleeves.
Beneath his coat, he wore only a shirt.
The subtle outline of his muscles revealed his strong, athletic build.
He casually draped the coat over the chair.
While contemplating his next move...
Shen Qingqing, who was crouched on the floor sorting her luggage, turned her head to look at him, "Aren't you leaving?"
Her tone wasn't particularly friendly, but Jiang Zhixun could tell she was still angry.
Though he had no idea what she was upset about.
His hand clenched and unclenched before he said dryly, "I'll help you apply the medicated patch, then I'll leave."