Chapter 20: Not Enemies

Although it was a serious matter, Sister Wang could not help but chuckle. This was certainly not the behavior of a couple without affection. It seemed there was a genuine misunderstanding, and it would be resolved once they talked it through.

The leader glanced at Jiang Zhixun with a teasing look, shaking his head helplessly. This man never knew how to say things properly; he deserved to be scolded by his wife! Jiang Zhixun felt his scalp tingle with embarrassment, yet he did not know how to refute Shen Qingqing. In the end, he concluded that his good intentions had been completely misunderstood.

Shen Qingqing kept her eyes cast down, feeling awkward about the expressions on Sister Wang and the others.

"Is your hand injured, Little Shen? When we heard you were getting IV drips at the hospital, we thought you were just suffering from the change in climate and had caught a cold because of the freezing weather." Sister Wang gestured for Shen Qingqing to sit and rest in the living room. "A bone or muscle injury takes a hundred days to heal; you really should take good care of yourself."

Coming over as a guest empty-handed already made Shen Qingqing feel quite embarrassed; she could not just sit there and wait to be fed. Besides, after applying ointment and resting for two days, it did not hurt as much anymore.

"I had X-rays taken at the hospital that day; no bones were broken. It won't affect my daily life at all, so don't listen to his nonsense," she said.

Jiang Zhixun was displeased again. "My nonsense?"

Shen Qingqing ignored him, showing him only the back of her head, her hair neatly arranged. The man’s face darkened again. If it weren't for the presence of others, he would have lectured her a few times. He turned away and continued chopping the meat filling, refusing to look at her.

Sister Wang found this truly curious. Little Jiang was usually so composed; she had no idea he could have such a childish side!

"Sister," Shen Qingqing said, "I know how to make dumplings. Just leave the task to me." With that, she went to wash her hands.

Sister Wang hurried after her. "There’s no reason to make a guest cook!"

Back in Beijing, Shen Qingqing had often eaten at the homes of her colleagues’ leaders. In those days, everyone would work together to make dumplings, chatting about work and reminiscing about their student days... it was always so much fun.

"Sister, if you don't let me do anything, I won't dare to come over for dinner next time."

Sister Wang realized she was being too formal. She changed her tune, "Alright then, I’ll take care of the dough; it requires some strength. Once the wrappers are rolled out, you can help with the wrapping."

Shen Qingqing nodded. "Does the mutton need any vegetables? I’ll wash them."

Using only mutton for the filling would make the flavor monotonous and the texture poor, not to mention it would be quite expensive. Sister Wang brought out a large head of napa cabbage and handed Shen Qingqing a ceramic basin. "Use this. Just trim the vegetables and put them in here."

"I’m sorry for the poor hospitality, making you work when you’ve come over for a meal," Sister Wang apologized.

Shen Qingqing preferred working to sitting idle in the living room; at least it kept her from feeling so awkward. "It’s nothing, it’s not tiring at all, and it keeps me warm to move around."

Sister Wang lived in a single-story house with a small courtyard and an outdoor water tap. Shen Qingqing carried the basin and vegetables outside. For one, she wanted to be further away from Jiang Zhixun. For another, the kitchen lacked a dedicated sink, and it was more spacious outside, which would keep the kitchen floor clean.

She walked out without looking back.

Sister Wang scolded Jiang Zhixun, "You were clearly worried about your wife, so why couldn't you say it nicely? Now you've made her angry, and she won't even look at you. Are you happy now?"

From where he stood, Jiang Zhixun could see the scene in the courtyard. He watched as Shen Qingqing pulled up the hem of her coat, holding it between her knees to keep it off the ground. She rolled up her sleeves and turned on the tap, nimbly trimming the vegetables while the water ran.

Jiang Zhixun looked away. "Her eyes are her own; whether she looks at me or not is her business."

"We used to think it was just you not coming home that upset her, and we even thought about having a talk with her. But now I can see, Little Shen is fine—it's you who is the problem."

Jiang Zhixun fell silent again. Sister Wang felt a sense of frustration. "Do you even want to have a good life with her?"

"Things are fine as they are." Jiang Zhixun’s expression remained indifferent, not like someone just being stubborn. He truly felt that way.

Sister Wang was puzzled. "You’re not young anymore; don't you want children?"

Jiang Zhixun had heard this question so many times his ears were calloused. His hand, holding the cleaver, paused for a moment. "There's no rush."

He hadn't refused outright, which meant he had considered it. Since he had plans, it meant he intended to live a proper life. Sister Wang sighed. "It's not that your wife must follow you to the military post, but you need to change the way you interact. A couple shouldn't be constantly at odds; you aren't enemies."

Jiang Zhixun gave a perfunctory response, and Sister Wang couldn't tell if he had taken her words to heart.

"No matter what misunderstandings there are, your wife came a long way just to be here—that was her first step. A young woman has her pride; you can't expect her to initiate everything. Adjust your mindset and meet her halfway; those knots will naturally untie themselves."

"Sister, I have it handled."

Sister Wang sighed. "If you really had it handled, you would spend more time with her. You let her stay at the guest house alone, and you don't even accompany her for meals. She has nowhere to go and no one to talk to, just cooped up in that small room. I don't know how you feel, but when I visited her at the guest house and saw her all alone, it really didn't sit well with me."

As a woman, Sister Wang empathized. If she had traveled a long distance to find her husband only to be met with indifference, she would have felt deeply wronged.

Jiang Zhixun glanced out the window again. While they had been talking, Shen Qingqing had finished preparing the vegetables and was now washing them. Perhaps the water was too cold, or perhaps her skin was just naturally fair, but her hands were bright red.

Jiang Zhixun put down the cleaver and turned to walk outside. Sister Wang hadn't even finished her sentence. "Did I push this kid too hard?"

The leader understood Jiang Zhixun’s character, but when it came to the couple's marriage, he couldn't be sure. He set out snacks for the guests—peanuts, sunflower seeds, candies, and apples—along with two cups of hot tea. "I'll go check. If this kid dares to just walk off without a word, see how I scold him..."

Before he could take a step, Jiang Zhixun walked back in with long strides, carrying the basin of vegetables. Comrade Shen followed behind him.

Jiang Zhixun brought the vegetables into the kitchen. "I'll do the chopping once the meat is minced."

Sister Wang gathered herself and gestured for Shen Qingqing to sit in the living room. "I haven't finished the dough yet. You sit down and have some hot tea."

Shen Qingqing rubbed her stiff hands. "Then I'll be lazy for a while."

She sat in the spot Jiang Zhixun had occupied earlier and, at the leader's prompting, picked up her cup of hot tea to warm her hands. Sister Wang truly liked Shen Qingqing. She knew how to conduct herself with propriety, and her conversation was pleasant—neither too distant nor too eager. What a fine woman she was!

"Little Jiang, you need to seize this opportunity."

Jiang Zhixun felt restless and agitated. He knew Shen Qingqing didn't belong here. She should be back in Beijing, where she had her career and her friends, instead of being here, pinning all her thoughts on him.