Volume 1, Chapter 6: A Sensible Person Should Ask for a Divorce

He Jingcheng took the toy from Su Mian’s hand and sat beside He Tingting. He pulled out a doll that could blink and said to her, “This toy can mimic human speech. It’s quite interesting.”

He Tingting was just a child after all; seeing something fun, she naturally wanted to try it, so she took it to play.

Su Mian breathed a sigh of relief. It’s just a little girl, she told herself; she could handle this.

“It’s not fun. I already have one of these; my aunt gave me one.” After playing with it for only a moment, He Tingting grew bored. She set it aside and went back to watching her television show.

Su Mian tightened her fingers, secretly annoyed. This brat—could she be targeting her on purpose?

Just then, Jiang Shuwei walked in from outside, carrying fruit and toys.

The moment He Tingting saw her, her little face lit up with joy. She reached out her arms and chirped, “Auntie, hug!”

Jiang Shuwei set down the items and walked over to pick her up. He Tingting wrapped her little hands around Jiang’s neck, pressed her face against her shoulder, and grinned happily.

Su Mian’s expression turned cold instantly.

He Jingcheng frowned. Jiang Shuwei certainly knew how to pick her timing.

Huang Yujie, however, loved seeing this scene. He Tingting was the orphan of her daughter, and if there was one person who would treat the girl as her own, it was Jiang Shuwei. She was not only her aunt-in-law but could also serve as a mother figure, caring for her and guiding her growth.

“Tingting, are you still running a fever?” Jiang Shuwei pressed her forehead against the girl’s to check her temperature.

“Auntie, don’t get so close, you’ll catch it,” He Tingting said, pushing her away, her little face filled with concern.

“It’s alright, Auntie isn’t afraid.” Jiang Shuwei pulled her back into her arms and sat on the nearby sofa.

“Mom, Tingting is much better now. Su Mian and I have some business to discuss, so we’ll be heading out.”

Su Mian immediately said to He Tingting, “Tingting, Big Sister Mian will come back to play with you next time, okay?”

Although He Tingting was young, she knew that the relationship between her uncle and aunt-in-law was not good. She disliked seeing other women being close to her uncle, so she blurted out, “Big Sister Mian, are you trying to be my aunt, too? You can’t, you know—I already have an aunt.”

Children speak without inhibition, but the adults took the words to heart. Su Mian’s face flushed with embarrassment.

Huang Yujie spoke up from the side: “Tingting, don’t talk nonsense. Your uncle has a partnership with the Su family; they really are just discussing work.”

He Jingcheng cast a cold glance at Jiang Shuwei—a look that sent a jolt through her heart. It was as if he believed she had coached Tingting to say such inappropriate things.

He Jingcheng comforted He Tingting for a moment before leaving with Su Mian. Huang Yujie also needed to return home, leaving Jiang Shuwei to stay with He Tingting. She carried the girl on her back, gently swaying in the hospital room, and He Tingting soon fell asleep.

Jiang Shuwei wanted to put her down, but fearing she might wake the child, she decided to head out to the hallway to see if someone could help her.

As she stepped into the corridor with He Tingting on her back, she noticed a figure standing not far away.

“Senior Yan?” Jiang Shuwei was pleasantly surprised; she never expected to run into the senior student she used to conduct academic research with.

Yan Hong was holding his phone, but he turned around to see Jiang Shuwei behind him. His eyes flickered with surprise. He quickly ended his call and walked toward her. “Shuwei? What are you doing here?”

“Don’t ask yet—could you help me put the child down?” Jiang Shuwei asked with a smile.

Yan Hong reached out to steady He Tingting, and Jiang Shuwei immediately reached over. “Give her to me.”

Yan Hong leaned in to gently place the child into her arms. In the proximity, the man caught the faint, clean fragrance wafting from the woman.

“Is she your child?” Yan Hong asked, puzzled. Then he reconsidered; Jiang Shuwei was only twenty-two. They had worked together on a school project three years ago—it was impossible for her to have a child that old.

“She’s my niece,” Jiang Shuwei whispered.

“What happened to her?” Hearing it was her relative, Yan Hong asked with concern.

Jiang Shuwei smiled faintly. “She’s hospitalized with a fever. Do you work here, Senior?”

Yan Hong nodded. “Yes, as a surgeon.” He gestured to his ID badge and asked, “Where did you go after graduation? I couldn’t find any news about you. What have you been busy with?”

“Nothing earth-shattering. I just started a small studio. You, however, are young and promising—I’m sure you’ll be a legend in the medical field one day,” Jiang Shuwei flattered him with a smile.

Yan Hong chuckled softly. “I remember your dream was also to be a doctor who saves lives. Have you achieved that dream over these years?”

Jiang Shuwei looked down and kissed He Tingting’s cheek. “I’m busy looking after a child right now, so my dreams have to be put on hold for a while.”

Yan Hong wanted to keep talking, but a phone call summoned him away. He pulled out a business card and hurriedly handed it to her. “Let’s stay in touch; don’t let us lose contact again.”

Jiang Shuwei clutched the card and returned to the ward. After placing He Tingting in bed, she lay down beside her and drifted off to sleep as well.

When she woke again, it was past nine o’clock. As she sat up, she noticed that He Jingcheng was sitting on the sofa, a laptop on his lap.

“If you’re tired, you can leave. I’ll look after Tingting,” He Jingcheng said indifferently.

As Jiang Shuwei quietly climbed out of bed, the business card she had left by the quilt fell to the floor. He Jingcheng glanced up at it, then immediately returned his gaze to his computer screen.

Jiang Shuwei felt a twinge of guilt as she rushed to pick it up, but seeing the man’s cold indifference, she found it laughable. He didn’t even care about her; why would he care whose business card she had?

She looked out the window at the sky, already pitch black. Checking the time and realizing it was past nine, she remembered she had several designs to finish. “I’ll head out now then,” she said softly.

Although Tingting was attached to her, she was also attached to He Jingcheng. With him there to look after her, nothing would go wrong. Jiang Shuwei picked up her bag and left directly.

He Jingcheng didn’t even look up, continuing to stare at his computer.

It was rare for a married couple to reach this point of indifference.

At the elevator lobby, Jiang Shuwei looked back at the quiet corridor. The feeling of being completely ignored pricked at her heart like a thousand tiny needles.

Perhaps it was time to mention the divorce to her grandfather-in-law and mother-in-law. Or perhaps she should discuss it with He Jingcheng and handle the paperwork amicably. With Su Mian as his new "little sweetheart," he would surely want to give her a proper title.

Before going to bed, Jiang Shuwei video-called He Tingting. The girl was still in the hospital, but her spirits were clearly better.

“Auntie, when school ends tomorrow, do you have time to pick me up?” He Tingting asked, resting her chin on her hand in anticipation.

Jiang Shuwei’s home was a bit far from the school, but since the little girl had asked, she was willing to consider it.

“Tingting, your uncle is free tomorrow. Don’t trouble anyone else,” a cold, detached male voice cut in from the side.

Jiang Shuwei opened her mouth to speak, but swallowed the words back down. After all, He Tingting was a member of the He family, and she, the aunt-in-law, was not considered immediate kin.

“But I really want Auntie to pick me up! If you both come together, I’d be even happier!” He Tingting, missing the underlying meaning of her uncle’s words, grinned broadly.

Jiang Shuwei immediately said, “Tingting, Auntie has a lot of work tomorrow. Maybe next time, okay?”

He Tingting looked at He Jingcheng, whose expression remained impassive.

“Okay, Auntie,” He Tingting said, not daring to push further.

The following afternoon, Jiang Shuwei received a call from He Jingcheng’s mother, Huang Yujie.

“Shuwei, I’ve had the driver deliver an invitation to you. It’s for Lady Lu’s birthday celebration. Tingting has just recovered, and I need to stay home to look after her. Could you go on my behalf and present the gift?”

Jiang Shuwei paused. The Lu family?