After taking the medicine, Shen Qingqing's condition improved significantly.
She was unfamiliar with everything here, without a single person to talk to.
She had no choice but to take out a book and continue her translation work.
Having amnesia might mean forgetting many people and things in the future, and Shen Qingqing wasn't sure if she would also forget these skills.
The thought of it made her deeply afraid.
But she had no one to confide in—who could she ask for comfort?
A tall figure floated through her mind. It was her husband; they were supposed to be the closest people to each other.
Shen Qingqing tugged at the corners of her mouth, revealing a self-deprecating smile.
Life had turned into this; their marriage was truly a failure.
She shook those chaotic thoughts out of her head.
The future was unpredictable; the only thing she could do was hold on to the present.
If the man couldn't be kept, she would at least preserve her abilities, lest she wouldn't be able to support herself after divorce.
She decided to read more books every day, repeat the memories over and over—perhaps it would have some effect.
With this in mind, Shen Qingqing worked more seriously than ever before.
The tip of her pen slid across the paper, making rustling sounds, occasionally accompanied by the sound of turning pages.
The room only had her in it; the warm yellow light filled the space, and it was extremely quiet.
Footsteps occasionally echoed through the corridor, dispersing Shen Qingqing's underlying fear.
This place was very safe, even without Jiang Zhixun, she didn't have to worry or panic.
She didn't know how much time had passed when someone knocked on the door.
It was Xiao Li from the front desk.
"Captain Jiang said you're sick and asked me to check in on you every two hours. Mister Shen, have you taken the medicine? Are you feeling better now?"
Xiao Li's tone was filled with envy.
To have married a capable and handsome man—this Shen Qingqing was truly fortunate!
Shen Qingqing took a deep breath, trying to suppress the waves stirring in her heart.
He was always like this.
Rejecting her approach on one hand while meticulously taking care of her on the other.
Giving her an illusion.
Making her believe that if she tried harder, Jiang Zhixun would eventually notice her.
But reality proved that if there's no love, there's no love.
Even though they had a marriage certificate, he would rather transfer to the Northwest to avoid her.
Everything he was doing now was merely out of duty.
"Mister Shen?"
Xiao Li grew anxious when he saw her troubled expression.
"Are you running a fever again? Let me take you to the hospital first."
Shen Qingqing shook her head, "I'm already feeling much better."
She pointed to the books on the desk, "I can already sit and read. Comrade, you don't need to come anymore."
Xiao Li stretched his neck to glance at the books, which were face-down, showing their covers.
But the words on them—he couldn't recognize a single one.
The look Xiao Li gave Shen Qingqing carried a sense of scrutiny and guardedness.
Not wanting to invite trouble for herself or Jiang Zhixun, Shen Qingqing pulled out her work credentials from her bag.
"I work at a publishing house. I'm a translator."
Realizing he had overthought it, Xiao Li's face flushed red.
He stammered, "Mister Shen, you're truly amazing! No wonder even someone as hard to pursue as Captain Jiang fell for you."
Beautiful, fluent in foreign languages, and with such a respectable job—surely many people must have pursued this Shen Qingqing!
The corners of her mouth lifted slightly, giving her a gentle yet intellectual appearance.
Xiao Li thought to himself that if he were a man, he might also be drawn to Shen Qingqing.
Seeing that Shen Qingqing was in good shape, Xiao Li felt assured, "Then I won't disturb you anymore."
"Thank you."
"It's no trouble, no trouble at all."
Xiao Li waved his hands repeatedly, leaving without lingering further.
The room returned to silence, but Shen Qingqing found herself unable to focus anymore.
Her gaze fell on the passages in the book, yet she slowly started daydreaming.
That phone call from Madam Jiang echoed in her mind, reminding her between the lines to consider the bigger picture.
Not to cause more embarrassment and jeopardize Jiang Zhixun's future.
If she thought more for herself, she would have decisively proposed divorce.
But she couldn't bear to do it.
Since she turned fifteen, the Jiang Family had taken care of her, providing her with education, clothing, and food, ensuring she'd never suffered any hardship.
By that time, Jiang Zhixun had already shown great promise, as a young and capable pilot.
They didn't spend much time together, but every time he came back home, Jiang Zhixun would give her pocket money.
His demeanor was aloof; occasionally, his words were sharp, leaving her blushing with embarrassment.
But Shen Qingqing remembered his kindness in her heart.
Besides this three-year cold war, Shen Qingqing couldn't think of anything wrong with Jiang Zhixun.
No, even during these three years, he sent her his allowances.
It wasn't entirely wrong.
They... just weren't compatible.
Shen Qingqing leaned on the table, her soft long hair sliding down her thin back, resting by her side, the tips gently swaying in the air.
Just like her mood at the moment, rippling in wave after wave.
...
Shen Qingqing's arrival disrupted the peace.
Jiang Zhixun was deeply affected; for the first time, she appeared in his dreams.
When they first met, Shen Qingqing still had a girlish look.
She had just come from Shanghai, wearing a dress and twin ponytails, standing nervously in the courtyard, calling him Brother Zhixun.
At that time, her parents had just passed away, and she had no dependable relatives.
She was well-protected, a young girl who hadn't seen the dangers of the world, suddenly left without support.
She was uneasy, afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing, scared the Jiang Family would dislike her.
Jiang Zhixun wasn't a man with delicate thoughts, yet when he first met Shen Qingqing, he noticed her unease.
So he gave her a fountain pen.
He called it a welcome gift.
Shen Qingqing stayed in the compound.
She went to school, while he joined the army.
They didn't have much interaction, and their encounters were rare throughout the year.
To Jiang Zhixun, it was merely that the house had gained a younger sister—it didn't impact his life much.
But in his dreams, Shen Qingqing's figure grew increasingly clear. At some point, he began noticing the tiny mole by the corner of her eye.
By the time they registered their marriage, she had just turned twenty.
Beautiful and gentle-natured, she was the secret crush of many boys in the compound.
At that time, Grandpa was ill and hospitalized, his condition worsening every day.
He kept muttering, regretting that he hadn't lived to see Jiang Zhixun get married and Qingqing settle down—he couldn't let it go.
That was Shen Qingqing's boldest moment.
In the hospital room, in front of many people, she said she wanted to marry him.
Perhaps from nervousness or shyness, Shen Qingqing's face turned bright red.
But she kept looking straight at him and asked that question, "Brother Zhixun, are you willing to form a revolutionary partnership with me?"
In his sleep, Jiang Zhixun heard that question again.
He remained silent for a long time.
When Shen Qingqing's face flushed red to the point of embarrassment, as if she wanted to disappear into the ground, he nodded his head.
"Then let's get married."
Jiang Zhixun jolted awake, his breathing disordered, yet Shen Qingqing's expression at that time was crystal clear in his mind.
Her black and white eyes, growing brighter and brighter.
Her expression carried pure joy.
Three years ago, Jiang Zhixun thought Shen Qingqing and Grandpa had staged it, deliberately deceiving him into marriage.
That intentional union became shackles that stifled him, making him feel suffocated.
He didn't know how to vent but chose to escape instead.
He left for three years.
The resentment he had towards Shen Qingqing subtly dissipated throughout those thousand-plus days and nights.
But that didn't mean he could accept this marriage.
Jiang Zhixun pressed his temples and decided to maintain his distance from Shen Qingqing.
Before returning to Beijing, he wouldn't see her anymore.
Once she was sent back and he explained everything to the elders, he would return to the Northwest and continue sending monthly allowances.
Pushing those miscellaneous thoughts out of his mind, Jiang Zhixun forced himself to sleep again.
Unexpectedly, he dreamt of Shen Qingqing again.
She was traveling alone by train and encountered a man who harassed her, leaving her scarred emotionally.
Staying in the guesthouse room, she didn't dare sleep, keeping the light on, and crying alone at the table.
Her skin was pale, and her nose turned bright red when she cried, her eyes frighteningly red too.
She was still sick, crying until she fainted...
Before dawn, he appeared at the guesthouse; Jiang Zhixun's expression was dark.
He felt he was being driven mad by Shen Qingqing.
She cried incessantly in his dreams; how could he rest easy without checking on her?