Jiang Zhixun suspected that Shen Qingqing came to the Northwest to have a child with him.
After all, his mother had mentioned this long ago.
When she said she was going to the guesthouse, he immediately associated it with the things one must do to have a child.
Jiang Zhixun's gaze at Shen Qingqing became subtle, mixed with a hint of indescribable irritation.
"So urgent?"
"Yes, very urgent."
Jiang Zhixun stared at Shen Qingqing for a few seconds and slightly clenched his jaw.
Finally, with a blank expression, he said, "I don't have time."
Shen Qingqing panicked, "I really have something important!"
If it were truly urgent, she should've called him instead of traveling so far from Beijing to the Northwest.
Three years without seeing each other, and now meeting just to have a child—what does she take him for?
Jiang Zhixun repeated firmly, "After you eat, I'll take you to the train station. This isn't a place you should stay."
Shen Qingqing's eyes turned slightly red.
She knew she wasn't welcome, and she hadn't planned on staying long.
She just wanted a divorce.
"Just half an hour."
Her expression was so aggrieved, yet there was a defiant glint in her eyes.
It was as though she was saying, if he didn't agree, she'd fight him to the end.
Jiang Zhixun clenched his molars.
He set down his chopsticks and looked at Shen Qingqing with eyes devoid of warmth.
His long legs stretched casually, carrying an air of indifference.
"Half an hour—will that be enough?"
Shen Qingqing didn't think he was softening or showing kindness to have a heartfelt conversation.
Turning her head, under the pretense of adjusting her scarf, she quietly exhaled a breath.
Only then did she suppress the emotions building inside her.
She didn't say whether it was enough or not.
Mimicking Jiang Zhixun's blank expression, she replied, "That's up to you."
If he agreed to divorce, perhaps they could finalize it in less than five minutes.
If he disagreed, dragging it out would certainly take more time.
The thought arose, then Shen Qingqing discarded it.
Jiang Zhixun should be the one who wants a divorce most.
Back then, Grandpa Jiang had noticed her feelings and had subtly and openly tried to set her up with Jiang Zhixun.
Jiang Zhixun didn't like her and didn't want to get married.
It was only because Grandpa Jiang suddenly fell critically ill that he finally relented to avoid leaving regret for the elder.
Unexpectedly, as soon as they got the marriage certificate, Grandpa Jiang's health improved.
Jiang Zhixun still believed that they had conspired to trick him into marrying.
So, for these three years, he had never once called her proactively.
Nor had he written any letters.
The only thing he did was send her a monthly allowance.
Precisely two hundred yuan every month, enough for him to probably keep some spare change.
Shen Qingqing didn't think Jiang Zhixun's actions meant he truly treated her as a revolutionary partner.
Regardless of who the name on the marriage certificate belonged to, with his character, he would submit his salary without hesitation.
But that was all.
Wanting his heart—that was impossible.
A sudden bitterness rose in Shen Qingqing's heart; Jiang Zhixun had never wronged her.
Before marriage, he had bluntly said he only saw her as a younger sister.
After marriage, though he never returned home, he ensured her allowance was deposited into her account.
Shen Qingqing lowered her head, half her face buried in her scarf.
So, a peaceful divorce was the best choice for the two of them.
She wouldn't hold back Jiang Zhixun's future, nor would she foolishly wait for him to come back home.
Shen Qingqing's eyelashes were long, and as her gaze lowered, the layers of lashes resembled little fans, obscuring the emotions in her eyes.
Jiang Zhixun couldn't read the look in her eyes.
Seeing her look soft and pliable, Jiang Zhixun felt an inexplicable sense of frustration.
"Did my mom ask you to come?"
Shen Qingqing shook her head hurriedly, "No, I came on my own."
Her mother-in-law had mentioned before that she should visit Jiang Zhixun.
But her intent was to have her quickly get pregnant and return to Beijing to nurture the baby.
In the elders' view, marriage was for life.
Though they didn't think much of their marriage, no one had explicitly suggested divorce.
Once a child was born, Jiang Zhixun would have no choice but to return home.
That's what the mother-in-law had said.
Whether or not Jiang Zhixun agreed, Shen Qingqing couldn't bring herself to use a child as a bargaining chip.
Jiang Zhixun didn't believe a single word Shen Qingqing said.
Three years, over a thousand days and nights.
If she'd really wanted to come, would she have waited this long?
For some reason, Jiang Zhixun felt increasingly irritable. Clearly, before Shen Qingqing showed up, he had been fine.
To avoid being affected by her, Jiang Zhixun felt an even stronger urge to get her to leave.
He didn't even bother finishing his meal and directly closed up the lunch box.
Standing up, he prepared to leave.
"I'll call my mom and tell her my sperm quality is poor, so she can stop dreaming about having a grandchild. You can go back today and rest assured you won't fail her expectations."
Shen Qingqing was choked by his words, breaking into a violent cough.
Her expression turned panicked.
For a moment, she couldn't tell if her shock was from him claiming poor sperm quality.
Or the fact that he completely misunderstood her purpose.
As for whether the former was true, Shen Qingqing didn't know, but such words really were blunt.
Besides, she really wasn't here to ask for a child!
Shen Qingqing wanted to speak, but her throat was too irritated to form words.
She was already sick, and the bout of coughing caused physiological tears to roll from her eyes.
She was utterly miserable.
Jiang Zhixun rubbed the lunch box in his hand a few times; ultimately, he remained standing in place.
He watched as Shen Qingqing coughed until her face turned flush, crystalline tears sliding down her cheeks to her chin, disappearing into the scarf.
Jiang Zhixun had excellent vision. Even without approaching, he noticed the redness at the corners of Shen Qingqing's eyes.
She was beautiful, but her personality was overly gentle. When her eyes turned red, she exuded a helpless air.
Jiang Zhixun's jaw instantly tightened.
His hand gripping the lunch box instinctively clenched harder.
"Brother Jiang, why are you bullying a female comrade?"
A woman with ear-length short hair appeared in his line of sight, dressed in a thick coat.
By her appearance, she seemed to be a relative of someone here.
Shen Qingqing hadn't recovered yet and immediately turned to face away from them.
The redness became even more obvious.
It was only when Shen Qingqing turned that Jiang Zhixun noticed she was much thinner compared to three years ago.
Even underneath the heavy layers of her coat, she looked frail.
Jiang Zhixun recalled his mother's words.
That she had moved out of the compound, claiming it was for work convenience...
"Brother Jiang, do you know this female comrade?"
"Yes."
The woman was Lin Zhidong's younger sister.
Seeing Jiang Zhixun's gaze fixed on the female comrade, Lin Fengmian's alarm bells rang.
When her sister-in-law gave birth, Lin Fengmian had come to the family compound to help take care of the baby.
That was how she got to know Jiang Zhixun.
And she'd fallen for him at first sight.
She had seen many women try to get close to Jiang Zhixun, but he ignored all of them.
Even when the most beautiful leading performer from the performing arts troupe showed up, he remained cold and distant.
But now, he was actually talking to this female comrade.
And judging by the look, they shared more than a passing acquaintance!
Lin Fengmian deliberately blocked Jiang Zhixun's path, preventing him from getting closer to the unexpected woman.
Her gaze toward Shen Qingqing carried scrutiny, along with an unmistakable hostility.
Shen Qingqing turned and met her eyes directly.
Of course, she immediately understood—this was another admirer of Jiang Zhixun.
Suppressing the sourness in her heart, Shen Qingqing looked at Jiang Zhixun, "Can we talk alone?"