Chapter 9: Let Him Have It Once

Being lectured by Sister Li, Jiang Zhixun awkwardly rubbed the tip of his nose.

He attempted to explain himself, "She's being disobedient."

This tone, as if scolding a child, made the corners of Sister Li's mouth twitch.

She thought to herself: those who knew the inside story understood they were a married couple, but those who didn't would think an elder was lecturing a child.

She gave a fake cough. "If you use a better tone, your wife will naturally listen to you."

With every breath, he called her "wife," making Jiang Zhixun even more uneasy.

With an outsider present, it wasn't easy for him to press further about the incident on the train, so he just stood by the bedside, wanting to see how long Shen Qingqing could remain stubborn.

Shen Qingqing had a fever, and it came in waves.

She felt somewhat cold and instinctively curled her body up.

She had originally thought that since Sister Li had arrived earlier than her, once the latter finished the IV drip and left the ward, she would talk to Jiang Zhixun about the divorce.

She hadn't expected to drift off into a daze and fall asleep.

Jiang Zhixun checked his watch several times; Sister Li from the next bed had already left, but Shen Qingqing had yet to emerge from under the covers.

He tapped the bedside table. "Shen Qingqing, we haven't finished talking. Escaping is useless!"

The air was silent; there was no response.

Jiang Zhixun's eyebrows nearly tied themselves into a knot. His hand paused for a moment before he pulled back the quilt.

Upon seeing the situation under the covers, the words at the tip of his tongue were swallowed back down.

Shen Qingqing's cheeks were flushed with a sickly redness, and her breathing was labored. Due to their previous struggle, several strands of loose hair had fallen down, clinging messily to her face and neck.

Jiang Zhixun instinctively looked at the hand receiving the IV. It wasn't swollen, nor was there any blood reflux; he felt an inexplicable sense of relief.

He secured her IV hand to prevent her from accidentally bumping it.

Then, he covered her back up with the quilt, tucking her in tightly everywhere except for her small face.

Although he had no experience caring for others, Jiang Zhixun was highly capable of self-care; throughout the entire process, he did not disturb Shen Qingqing.

Only after finishing all this did he sit back down in the chair.

His gaze had no focal point, but unconsciously, it landed on the hospital bed again.

This was the first time Jiang Zhixun had seen Shen Qingqing looking so fragile.

He speculated in his mind that she might have been frightened on the train and hadn't rested well, and then perhaps suffered from the local climate, causing her illness to become so severe.

The emotions stirred up by Shen Qingqing slowly settled back down.

Jiang Zhixun pinched the bridge of his nose.

He shouldn't have lost his temper with her.

As long as he reduced the opportunities for contact, she would see no hope and would naturally return to Beijing.

Suddenly, Jiang Zhixun thought of the words his mother had said over the phone.

Divorce...

If Shen Qingqing wanted a divorce, he would agree.

If she didn't want to, they would continue their previous pattern, and he would send her an allowance on time.

Whether getting married and registering the certificate back then was a calculation or not, Jiang Zhixun no longer wanted to think about it.

He had no intention of marrying a second time, nor did he have anyone he loved in his heart; there was no such thing as "holding someone back."

As long as Shen Qingqing didn't feel that she was being held back, between them... let it be like this.

He guarded the bedside for a long time. Only after the liquid had finished dripping and the needle was removed did Jiang Zhixun pat Shen Qingqing's shoulder.

"Wake up. Go back to the guesthouse to sleep."

Perhaps due to her physical weakness, or perhaps because the medication had taken effect, Shen Qingqing was sleeping very deeply.

Only when the man's voice reached her ears did she slowly wake up.

Before her eyes was a cold, handsome face—the person she had thought of and dreamed of countless times appeared right in front of her. Shen Qingqing blinked.

"Jiang Zhixun?"

Jiang Zhixun looked at her expressionlessly. "Dazed from sleep?"

Shen Qingqing's eyes gradually cleared. She hurriedly sat up, instinctively reaching for her coat pocket.

Inside was a small notebook and a pen, making it convenient for her to record important matters at any time.

To prevent her from suddenly forgetting and causing other troubles.

Jiang Zhixun gave her a suspicious look. "I never noticed you were this muddled before. Is your head still dizzy?"

Bending over to put on her shoes, Shen Qingqing replied without looking up, "Then just assume my head is dizzy."

Her tone was clearly calm, but for some reason, Jiang Zhixun felt that her words were laced with sarcasm, stinging him uncomfortably.

He turned his head and took a deep breath, telling himself once again not to argue with a patient.

Shen Qingqing had already put on her shoes and was wrapping her scarf.

Because she wasn't speaking, Jiang Zhixun felt that something was wrong everywhere.

He rubbed his fingers and suddenly spoke, "Mom wants you to give her a call."

Shen Qingqing's hand paused while wrapping the scarf.

She hadn't mentioned the divorce to the Jiang family because she feared the elders would object.

After all, very few people around her were divorced, and it was difficult for elders to accept such a thing.

But now that she had come to the Northwest, this matter couldn't be hidden; it was better to lay her cards on the table.

Shen Qingqing took her belongings and left the ward first.

She went to the nurse's station to borrow a phone and dialed the number she had memorized.

Jiang Zhixun held the lunch box, standing at a distance that was neither too close nor too far.

The weather was cold, and the lunch box had already become icy; Shen Qingqing hadn't touched a single bite of the steamed buns inside.

Jiang Zhixun suddenly felt like laughing.

He must be truly crazy to worry about Shen Qingqing going hungry and specifically go out to buy her food.

She didn't appreciate it at all!

A chilly draft drifted from behind; Shen Qingqing knew Jiang Zhixun was watching her.

But she did not turn around, nor did she have any interest in probing Jiang Zhixun's mood.

Holding the receiver, she waited for the response from Beijing.

Mother Jiang had been worried sick about the young couple's marriage and had been waiting for Shen Qingqing's return call.

As soon as the phone rang, she picked it up immediately.

Hearing that it was Shen Qingqing's voice, the stone in her heart shifted slightly.

"You were going to go find Zhixun, why didn't you tell us in advance? If I had known, I would have gone to the train station to see you off and bring some local specialties for Zhixun."

Besides her daily necessities, Shen Qingqing had brought nothing else to the Great Northwest.

She didn't plan to stay here long; she would leave once her business was settled.

Since they were about to divorce, she naturally wouldn't do something thankless.

Shen Qingqing firmly believed that Jiang Zhixun wouldn't eat a single bite of any specialties she brought.

"It was a last-minute decision to come, so I didn't tell you."

Mother Jiang didn't dwell on this issue. "Zhixun hasn't been home for three years. It's a good chance for you to persuade him to come home for the New Year this year."

Shen Qingqing gave an "mm."

Whether Jiang Zhixun came home for the New Year or not was none of her business, and she didn't have the energy to persuade him.

While weighing her words in her mind, she gave Mother Jiang a casual response.

On the other end of the phone, Mother Jiang cursed inwardly; why were both of them like this?

They both loved being perfunctory!

No wonder after three years, their relationship as husband and wife still hadn't improved.

Unlike others, who fight at the head of the bed and make up at the foot!

"Zhixun is afraid you won't be able to adapt to the environment there, so he has already decided to apply for a transfer back to Beijing. Be careful with your words and actions over there; don't cause any trouble that might affect his work."

The words Shen Qingqing was about to say were blocked back.

Not hearing her speak, Mother Jiang continued on her own: "Three years is long enough. The old man is getting older; although he doesn't say it, in his heart, he wants Zhixun to come back."

"Qingqing, for the sake of our family raising you for several years, please give Zhixun some leeway this time, alright?"

(End of Chapter)