Chapter 16: Not Coming Home for the Night

After watching a movie and returning to the supply and marketing cooperative, those two people were indeed gone.

Shen Qingqing didn't think Jiang Zhixun had come looking for her; therefore, she quickly pushed the matter to the back of her mind.

Standing before the counter, she carefully examined what was being supplied.

The clothes she wore were clearly high-end, and her temperament was exceptionally refined.

Her small face was fair and flawless, without a single visible pore, looking extremely well-maintained.

She looked like someone from a big city.

The saleswoman asked Shen Qingqing enthusiastically, "Comrade, what do you need? I'll help you find it."

Shen Qingqing smiled slightly. "I'll take a look first."

"Alright, take your time looking."

She wasn't in a hurry, and since there weren't many people in the cooperative at this hour, Shen Qingqing unhurriedly picked out the things she needed.

She bought a stack of pink toilet paper and a bar of soap; these were for her own use.

Then she bought two cans of preserves and two bags of candy, intending to give them to the Lin family.

Shen Qingqing wasn't sure if Jiang Zhixun would allow her to visit the Lins, but it was better to be prepared.

At worst, she would just eat them herself.

Shen Qingqing bought quite a lot, and she was very prompt with the money and coupons, making the saleswoman beam with a bright smile.

"Comrade, if you come to buy things in the future, just look for me directly. When there are new and good supplies, I'll recommend them to you."

Shen Qingqing nodded. "Alright, I'll come looking for you next time."

She was going to stay here for a month. If she ran out of things, or if she got bored staying in the compound, she would definitely come walking into the county town again.

Although she had already seen the movies playing in the cinema back in Beijing.

And the things sold at the cooperative weren't exactly urgent necessities.

But going out for a walk was better than moping around in the guesthouse, letting her thoughts run wild.

That wouldn't be good for her condition.

Having finished her shopping, Shen Qingqing went to a state-run restaurant to eat.

The weather was too cold, so she ordered a bowl of beef noodles. The steaming hot food filled her stomach, and her body became warm and cozy.

Shen Qingqing's mood improved again.

She felt that being alone was quite nice; at least she didn't have to watch people's expressions or worry about their moods.

She could do whatever she wanted; she only needed to take good care of herself.

If it weren't for the fact that moving to the county town might bring unnecessary trouble to Jiang Zhixun, she would have wanted to rent a house just to stay far away from him.

Right now, Shen Qingqing had only one thought: she wanted Jiang Zhixun to hurry up and apply for a transfer back to Beijing, fulfilling his biological mother's wishes, so they could finally part ways!

Because the weather was cold, Shen Qingqing didn't want to wander around outside.

After leaving the state-run restaurant, she went straight to the nearest guesthouse.

Checking in required a letter of introduction. Shen Qingqing had brought all her documents, so without much trouble, she successfully checked into the guesthouse.

For the sake of peace and quiet, she specifically chose a room on a high floor.

The room didn't have a private bathroom, but since Shen Qingqing was only staying for one night, making do wouldn't be a problem.

At this moment, she began to miss the small rented apartment she had in Beijing.

It was small, but it had everything.

It had a private bathroom, a small kitchen, and only one bedroom, but it connected to a small balcony.

There was a department store and restaurants nearby, making life very convenient.

It was also very close to the publishing house, only a ten-minute walk away.

Although she hadn't suffered hardships while living with the Jiang family in previous years, living under someone else's roof and renting one's own place were two completely different matters.

Now that she wanted to go home, the only thing Shen Qingqing could remember was that tiny little apartment she had rented for ten yuan.

There was only her there, but it made her feel very secure.

In winter, it got dark early.

Not long after checking into the guesthouse, night fell.

Since the books she brought from Beijing were left at the compound, Shen Qingqing simply decided to take a break for herself.

After a simple wash, she lay on the bed to rest.

Having changed locations, she found it a bit hard to sleep, so she simply closed her eyes to rest her mind, reviewing important matters in her head over and over again.

She used this method to deepen her memory, lest she forget everything important if her condition worsened.

Shen Qingqing was twenty-three years old this year; she wasn't too old, but she wasn't too young either.

She could handle other things on her own.

It was only this illness that made her very afraid.

But what could she do?

Was she supposed to cling desperately to this hopeless marriage and force Jiang Zhixun to be responsible for her?

As she was drifting toward sleep, she heard the sound of a car stopping downstairs.

Not taking it to heart, Shen Qingqing closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Just as the car came to a halt, Jiang Zhixun stepped out of the driver's seat and walked briskly toward the guesthouse.

The man was tall with long legs; his overcoat was unbuttoned, and his movement stirred up a gust of cold wind.

The front desk staff could not disclose guest information, so Jiang Zhixun produced his and Shen Qingqing's marriage certificate before he was permitted to go upstairs.

Being sought out by Jiang Zhixun once again left Shen Qingqing stunned.

Gripping the doorknob, she blocked him outside.

Her beautiful lips moved, though her momentum was somewhat lacking. "Are you sick in the head?"

Jiang Zhixun was furious.

This woman had run off on her own, stayed out all night, and actually dared to curse at him!

He pressed his hand against the door panel to prevent her from suddenly slamming it shut.

He said icily, "Come back with me."

"I'm not going back."

Jiang Zhixun's tone grew even colder. "What kind of tantrum are you throwing now?"

A crack appeared in Shen Qingqing's calm expression, but she offered no unnecessary explanation. "Even if I am acting out, it has nothing to do with you."

"Shen Qingqing!"

The man's expression was cold, and his tone became increasingly serious.

Shen Qingqing truly couldn't understand Jiang Zhixun. He clearly avoided her at all costs, so why was he crowding her now?

Not wanting to say more to him, she applied force to her hand to close the door.

This action ignited the rage that Jiang Zhixun had been tightly suppressing.

The large hand pressing against the door panel showed bulging veins on the back of it.

"Shen Qingqing, just try acting out one more time and see what happens?"

Having been given the cold shoulder by him repeatedly, Shen Qingqing's mood was at its absolute worst.

"Get out!"

She used both hands with force to slam the door.

In Jiang Zhixun's memory, Shen Qingqing was gentle and soft-spoken, never using coarse language.

When the word "get out" came from her mouth, Jiang Zhixun's expression froze for a moment.

The strength pressing against the door panel dissipated by more than half.

If he hadn't reacted quickly, Shen Qingqing really would have slammed the door in his face.

"Come back with me."

"No."

Since the door wouldn't close, Shen Qingqing simply tried to push Jiang Zhixun away. "Can you stop bothering me?"

Whether it was an illusion or not, Jiang Zhixun heard a hint of a sob in her tone.

He gripped Shen Qingqing's wrist, exhaled heavily, and ultimately failed to say the words to lecture her.

People living nearby began opening their doors. "If a couple is fighting, go home and fight! Are you trying to stop people from resting?"

"The soundproofing in these rooms is bad. If you want to argue, go downstairs and argue!"

"Husbands and wives fight at the head of the bed and make up at the foot. Speak nicely, otherwise, you won't solve anything..."

This was Jiang Zhixun's first time experiencing such a thing, and his expression was very awkward.

After apologizing to the neighbors, he grabbed Shen Qingqing by the wrist and pulled her into the room.

As soon as the door closed, he began packing her things.

Jiang Zhixun's self-willed actions infuriated Shen Qingqing once again.

She asked through gritted teeth, "Jiang Zhixun, what exactly do you think you're doing?"

"Taking you back."

"Can you please stop interfering in my business?"

Jiang Zhixun turned his head, his expression inexplicable. "If you truly didn't want me to manage you, you shouldn't have come to the Great Northwest."

Shen Qingqing suppressed her temper. "I'm not interfering in your business, so don't interfere in mine. Once we return to Beijing, we'll part ways."

Jiang Zhixun's movements in packing did not stop, and he let out a cold snort.

"I think you're doing this on purpose, so that once we're back in Beijing, you can go complain to the old man."

Without giving Shen Qingqing a chance to refuse, Jiang Zhixun picked up his overcoat and wrapped it around her.

With one arm tightly encircling Shen Qingqing's body and the other hand carrying the belongings, he forcefully led her downstairs.

Only after being shoved into the back seat of the car did Shen Qingqing realize something important.

"Did you touch my things?"

When he came to the Great Northwest, he didn't bring the marriage certificate!

Jiang Zhixun's tone was low and haunting. "That belongs to me too."

(End of Chapter)