Chapter 15: Wings Hardened

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Qingqing Shen first went to the post office and called her supervisor to coordinate work matters. Translation work could be done anywhere; she only needed to regularly send the manuscripts back. However, she couldn’t return to Jing City recently, so urgent tasks had to be assigned to others. Qingqing Shen was highly capable, fluent in three foreign languages, and well-regarded by her supervisor. If her parents had not passed away early, interrupting her language training, she might have been even more outstanding. Knowing that Qingqing Shen had gone to the northwest to handle family affairs and needed time, her supervisor did not hesitate to grant her leave. Without prying into her personal matters, he simply advised, “Take care of things properly before coming back. Otherwise, if your mind is distracted, your work efficiency will suffer.” Hearing this from her superior, Qingqing Shen felt much relieved. After discussing work, they exchanged a few pleasantries before ending the call.

It took over two hours to travel from the compound to the county town. If she hurried, Qingqing Shen could return to the compound the same day. But she didn’t want to exhaust herself. After all, going back meant staying alone in the house. It was better to treat herself kindly; if she missed the bus, she would just stay at a local guesthouse. She would let things unfold naturally.

She planned to visit the supply and marketing cooperative first to buy some necessities. Besides daily supplies, she needed to purchase two kinds of tonics to send to the Lin family. The supply in the small county town couldn’t compare to Jing City, and Qingqing Shen wasn’t sure what items the cooperative stocked. She could only check first, then decide what would be appropriate to give to the Lins.

Unfamiliar with the routes, she spent some time asking for directions. Upon arriving at the cooperative, she spotted Zhixun Jiang and Fengmian Lin standing side by side at the counter from a distance. Lin Fengmian looked up at Zhixun Jiang, smiling brightly, chatting about something. Jiang Zhixun maintained his usual cold demeanor, occasionally nodding to show he was listening. It was like a stone dropped into a calm lake.

By the time she realized it, Qingqing Shen had already turned and left the cooperative. She didn’t want to ask why Zhixun Jiang was here or why Lin Fengmian was with him. Lin’s behavior in the cafeteria that day had explained everything. Qingqing Shen chuckled bitterly to herself—her presence here was just unwelcome. Lin Fengmian was hostile toward her, and Zhixun Jiang wanted to distance himself. It was better to be self-aware and avoid disturbing them.

Feeling as if a terrifying beast followed her, Qingqing Shen quickened her pace until she disappeared from sight. Zhixun Jiang sensed something and looked back.

“Brother Jiang, what do you think of this fabric? I want to make clothes for Xiaobao to wear during the New Year,” Lin Fengmian said excitedly, holding up a piece of cotton fabric before the man’s eyes, unaware of his odd expression.

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Originally, she wanted to keep her distance from Brother Jiang, but after searching around, she couldn’t find Qingqing Shen. Seeing Jiang Zhixun come into the cooperative to buy things, she followed him in. Unconsciously, they ended up talking again. Now, Lin Fengmian no longer wanted to be shy or hesitant. She hadn’t crossed any boundaries, so why feel guilty? If Qingqing Shen had objections, that was her own narrow-mindedness.

People were passing by outside the cooperative, but none of them was Qingqing Shen. Jiang Zhixun withdrew his gaze. If she wasn’t here, maybe she went to the bookstore or the post office? Given his knowledge of Qingqing Shen, he couldn’t think of any other places. After quickly buying two cans of food to take to the Lin household for dinner, he prepared to leave.

Seeing Jiang Zhixun about to go, Lin Fengmian bit her lip, setting down the fabric. “Brother Jiang, are you going to look for Comrade Qingqing? I’ll go with you.” Afraid of rejection, she added, “There’s strength in numbers.”

Jiang Zhixun glanced at his watch. Any further delay and he would miss the bus back to the compound. Leaving Qingqing Shen alone to wander outside would earn him a fierce scolding from the old man at home. After a moment of hesitation, he agreed to Lin Fengmian’s suggestion but warned, “Qingqing is soft-hearted, prone to tears, and sensitive. When you see her, don’t speak harshly.”

Lin Fengmian’s expression stiffened. Although she hadn’t had much schooling, she understood the meaning behind those words. Her lips twitched as she clenched her palm to suppress an overwhelming bitterness.

“Brother Jiang, are you blaming me? That day in the cafeteria, I thought Comrade Qingqing was pestering you, so I...”

Jiang Zhixun’s tone was calm, “I’m not blaming you. I should have made things clear earlier.”

Lin Fengmian was skilled with words and never let people off easily, but she made an exception for Jiang Zhixun. She feared he would find her rude and dislike her. Seeing Qingqing Shen at the cafeteria had unsettled Jiang Zhixun, and in her anxiety, she acted rashly. Being criticized by her own brother didn’t bother her, but hearing this from Jiang Zhixun made her feel deeply wronged. It was Jiang Zhixun who had made things difficult for Qingqing Shen that day. She had stood by him—what harm was there in that?

Her nose tingled with emotion, and she suddenly felt like crying. Taking a breath, she said, “Brother Jiang, whether you believe it or not, if I had known earlier that Comrade Qingqing was your beloved, I wouldn’t have said those things.”

Jiang Zhixun neither confirmed nor denied her words. “It’s getting late. Maybe you should head back first, so your brother and sister-in-law won’t worry.”

With her belongings in hand, he left first.

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Lin Fengmian felt caught between leaving and staying, her heart heavy with grievance. They had agreed she would help find Qingqing, so why the sudden change of plan? Was it because they feared Qingqing would be upset seeing them together? Or afraid she might say harsh words and frighten her?

Thinking of Qingqing Shen’s delicate appearance, Lin Fengmian’s grievance turned into disdain. Such a woman must be adept at playing the victim, shedding a few tears to win a man’s sympathy. Perhaps she had even secretly complained to Brother Jiang; otherwise, how else to explain his sudden change in tone? Lin Fengmian was eager to see what Jiang Zhixun would do once they found Qingqing Shen. So she hurried after him.

There wasn’t much entertainment in the county town, and Qingqing Shen didn’t know where to go. She didn’t want to run into Jiang Zhixun and Lin Fengmian. At the compound, she would follow her mother-in-law’s wishes and cooperate with Jiang Zhixun to play the role of an ordinary married couple, repaying the Jiang family for their years of support. But away from home, she didn’t want to make things difficult for herself. They were getting divorced; there was no need for unnecessary involvement.

Passing by the cinema, she decided to buy a ticket. After the movie, they would surely have left the county. However, this meant she would miss the bus back to the compound and had to stay overnight in the county town. Before leaving the compound, Qingqing Shen had told Xiao Li at the guesthouse that if she didn’t return in time, it meant she was staying in the county, so there was no need to look for her. Now unburdened, Qingqing Shen entered the theater with her ticket.

Unbeknownst to her, Jiang Zhixun had searched everywhere he could think of—the park, the state-run restaurant, even almost reported to the police. Seeing how anxious Jiang Zhixun was about Qingqing Shen, Lin Fengmian felt an unpleasant sting. She sarcastically remarked, “She came early. Maybe she bought something and already returned to the compound. Brother Jiang, don’t rush; go back to the compound and check first.”

Jiang Zhixun’s expression was stern. Returning to the compound without finding Qingqing Shen, his aura turned icy cold. Xiao Li was puzzled, “Comrade Qingqing said she’d stay overnight in the county. Captain Jiang, didn’t she tell you?”

Jiang Zhixun said nothing and walked out. Borrowing a car, he headed back to the county once again. The angrier he got, the harder he slammed his hand on the steering wheel. “Qingqing Shen, you really think you’ve grown wings!”