Lin Fengmian's gaze darted back and forth between the two of them.
Casually, she said, "What could there be that I shouldn't hear?"
As she spoke, she nudged Jiang Zhixun with her elbow. "Brother Jiang, don't you think so?"
Jiang Zhixun stepped aside.
His face betrayed no emotion, and his tone was completely calm.
"Men and women should respect boundaries—be mindful of appearances."
Lin Fengmian clicked her tongue. "You used to come to my house and eat the meals I cooked—how come you didn't mention respecting boundaries then?"
Jiang Zhixun and Lin Zhidong were friends; he had indeed eaten at her house twice before.
Lin Fengmian's face turned playful, but her hands nervously clenched together.
"Brother Jiang, don't tell me you've taken a liking to this lady here, and now you're deliberately keeping your distance from me?"
Jiang Zhixun frowned. "Stop making blind guesses."
Lin Fengmian pressed on, "Then why have you suddenly become so cold toward me? Isn't it because you're afraid she might misunderstand?"
Jiang Zhixun didn't reply to her but turned instead to Shen Qingqing. "What is it you want to talk about?"
Shen Qingqing understood Jiang Zhixun's temperament.
He would never get too close to any woman.
And speak to them so familiarly.
Shen Qingqing did not doubt Jiang Zhixun's character; however, after being separated for three years, she had no understanding of his current life.
She couldn't figure out why this young woman could speak to him with such intimate familiarity.
Her lips pressed together.
She reminded herself inwardly that none of this had anything to do with her.
All she wanted was that divorce certificate.
Judging by Jiang Zhixun's behavior, he wouldn't go to the guesthouse with her or seek out a quiet place.
Perhaps he was intentionally keeping his distance, afraid she was really here to ask for their child.
If he refused to cooperate, she had no reason to hold back either.
After all, once the divorce was finalized, word would spread all the same.
By then, she'd already returned to Beijing, and none of the drama here would affect her.
Pushing away her sense of discomfort, Shen Qingqing turned to face Lin Fengmian, who stood between them.
In a calm tone, she said, "Miss, could you give us some space to talk?"
Lin Fengmian's temperament was completely different from Shen Qingqing's.
In the family compound, people had given her the nickname "Little Pepper."
Though she had just turned twenty, her fiery temper did not match her age—she was bold and brash.
Even the battle-hardened older ladies rarely won against her in arguments.
She already felt a strong antagonism toward Shen Qingqing, and hearing these words, she immediately refused.
Crossing her arms and tilting her chin upward, she declared, "This is the cafeteria; it's a public space. Why should I leave?"
Shen Qingqing furrowed her brow and directed her gaze at Jiang Zhixun. "Are you certain you want me to say what I have to say here, in front of everyone?"
Jiang Zhixun wasn't sure what came over him, but before he realized it, he was sitting back in his seat.
He rubbed the bridge of his nose.
Resisting the urge to get up and lead her out of the cafeteria.
Leaning back leisurely, he said to Shen Qingqing, "Go ahead. It's not like whatever you're saying is shameful anyway."
"Exactly. If you've got something to say, speak here! Everyone can bear witness for you!"
Lin Fengmian eagerly scooted closer to Jiang Zhixun.
A grin spread across her face.
But in Lin Fengmian's eyes, Shen Qingqing saw a trace of smugness.
The long rectangular table now split them into opposing factions.
Under everyone's probing gaze, Shen Qingqing felt both embarrassed and bitter, with a faint sense of being interrogated.
She was Jiang Zhixun's wife, yet she couldn't even secure a moment of private conversation with him.
This marriage no longer held any meaning.
Although Lin Zhidong and the others had retreated to another side of the table, they were still keeping a close watch on the situation between Jiang Zhixun and Shen Qingqing.
From the moment his younger sister appeared, Lin Zhidong had a bad feeling about all of this.
They had just realized Jiang Zhixun was married, and from Xiao Mian's over-familiar behavior, it was clear she was clueless about it.
The way she sat so close to Jiang Zhixun, her defiant stance toward Shen Qingqing—Lin Zhidong felt utterly mortified.
He wished there were a hole he could crawl into.
Why was she inserting herself into a conversation between a married couple?
Scrambling to remedy the situation, Lin Zhidong abandoned his meal and rushed to pull Lin Fengmian away.
"Your sister-in-law isn't feeling well today—she even took a leave of absence from the arts troupe to rest. Go back and help her look after the child while I grab a lunch box and return."
Once finished with his task, Lin Zhidong hurried home.
Because of her time of the month, his wife was suffering from severe back pain and could only lie down to rest.
Lin Fengmian had to juggle childcare and housework all by herself—it was exhausting.
To help them both catch a break, Lin Zhidong had gone to the cafeteria to fetch food for them.
Originally, he had planned to stay and eat with them, but he was called into the office by his boss for urgent matters.
The delay stretched into hours.
Lin Fengmian barely got the chance to see Jiang Zhixun and was naturally reluctant to leave.
She hooked her toes tightly around the table's leg.
"I'm here to help take care of your kid—not sell myself into indentured service. Can't I even have a bit of my own time?"
Sitting in a public space, Lin Zhidong couldn't forcibly drag her away.
Frustrated, he sighed, "You silly girl, can't you tell that Shen Qingqing and Old Jiang have something to discuss?"
Not wanting to back down, Lin Fengmian pouted. "How am I being clueless? I'm not stopping them from talking or forbidding Brother Jiang from saying a word to her."
As she spoke, the corner of her eye caught sight of Shen Qingqing.
The longer she looked, the less she liked her.
So delicate and dainty, wearing stylish clothes—a woman who clearly only knew how to enjoy life.
Her eyes were red and watery; if someone walked in now, they'd think she was being bullied by Lin Fengmian and Brother Jiang.
Internally, Lin Fengmian scoffed—such a faker.
Lin Zhidong felt a pounding headache; if she stuck around any longer, Xiao Mian was bound to make a fool of herself.
He tugged at her arm once more.
Still, she refused to budge.
Annoyed, he asked, "It's a couple's private conversation—how is it your place to meddle?"
Lin Fengmian instinctively wanted to retort, but the phrase "couple" froze her in her tracks.
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
The grip from her hooked foot weakened, and with a light pull from Lin Zhidong, she stumbled forward.
Lin Fengmian's mind was a tangle of frayed thoughts.
Muttering under her breath, she said, "How could Brother Jiang possibly be married? He's never spoken of a wife, and he hasn't been home for the past three years. How could they be a couple…"
The embarrassment on Lin Zhidong's face deepened.
"That's their private matter. Why bother prying so much?"
Turning to Shen Qingqing, he apologized, "Miss Shen, my sister is a bit thoughtless—she always acts on impulse and might have offended you. Please pardon her this time."
Shen Qingqing didn't want to stir up additional trouble.
Nor did she wish to spend time arguing.
Once they divorced, all these problems would no longer concern her.
She tilted her chin slightly in Jiang Zhixun's direction. "He didn't clarify things, which made her misunderstand."
"So this is my fault now?"
Shen Qingqing pursed her lips. "Isn't it?"
Jiang Zhixun looked at her, his lips curling into an ironic smile. "Do you expect me to go around with 'Shen Qingqing's husband' written on my forehead?"
The sarcastic undercurrent in his words wasn't lost on Shen Qingqing—she understood it perfectly.
Having been humiliated several times by him already, Shen Qingqing didn't want to endure further grievances.
"Shouldn't a married man make it clear to others that he has a family? Isn't that your responsibility?"
Jiang Zhixun let out a faint scoff.
As though Shen Qingqing's argument had temporarily stifled him.
Or as though he simply dismissed her words altogether.
Looking at them, it was clear they didn't interact like a proper married couple.
Jiang Zhixun surveyed the room, noting how everyone's eyes were perked up, watching their drama unfold.
Shen Qingqing's face remained calm, but embarrassment brewed deeply in her gaze.
An uncontrollable frustration surged through Jiang Zhixun, filling every corner of him.
He rose abruptly, grabbing Shen Qingqing by the wrist. "Come with me."