Chapter 9: I Want to Remarry

In Shanghe Village,

Shen Yunhe walked back home carrying his luggage. The villagers at the entrance of the village, seeing a man in military uniform, stared at him enviously. As he got closer, they realized it was Shen Yunhe. A man in his forties smiled and greeted him.

“Yunhe, you’re back.”

“Uncle Zhang, hello. I’ve come back to visit my family.”

Shen Yunhe stopped walking to chat with the villagers. The people sitting around and chatting by the village entrance gathered around him.

“Yunhe, why did you come back alone? Where’s your wife?”

Shen Yunhe froze for a moment, then smiled.

“She’s busy, so she didn’t come back.”

A gossiping middle-aged woman laughed and said, “You’ve been married for over two years, right? Is your wife pregnant yet?”

Shen Yunhe rubbed his nose and pointed toward his home.

“Uncles and aunts, I’ll be going now. My grandfather’s still waiting for me at home.”

He quickly walked away, relieved, shaking his head as he headed home. As he walked through the door, Shen Yunhe called out.

“Grandfather, Dad, Mom, I’m back!”

The door opened with a loud bang, and Shen Yunhe’s mother walked out, her eyes filled with tears as she stared at her tall and handsome son. Shen Yunhe’s grandfather and father also walked out.

“Son, you’re back! Your mother missed you so much!”

Shen Yunhe’s mother hugged him, crying and laughing at the same time. Shen Yunhe put down his luggage and wrapped his arms around his mother, gently patting her back.

“I’m back, Mom. Don’t cry.”

“Mm.” Shen Yunhe’s mother wiped her tears and looked around. Not seeing her daughter-in-law, she asked.

“Son, where’s my daughter-in-law?”

Shen Yunhe’s grandfather and father also looked at him, their eyes filled with the same question.

“Where’s your wife?”

Shen Yunhe felt guilty and couldn’t look his family in the eye. If his wife was gone, would his grandfather be mad at him?

“Come inside, let’s talk inside.”

The three elders walked into the house, confused. Shen Yunhe followed them, looking at his grandfather and parents. All three of them were staring at him anxiously. Shen Yunhe’s grandfather raised his cane and hit him lightly.

“Where’s my granddaughter-in-law? Hurry up! Did you two have an argument? Did she go back to her parents’ house?”

“Grandfather, Dad, Mom, I’m divorced from Banban.”

“What!” Shen Yunhe’s grandfather, furious, raised his cane and hit his grandson’s back.

“Did you bully her? Is that why Banban divorced you? She’s such a good girl, and she married you—how could you be so heartless!”

“Grandfather…” Shen Yunhe lowered his head and let his grandfather hit him. It didn’t matter; he regretted the divorce. How could he have been so foolish to agree to it? He didn’t even know if he could get her back.

Shen Yunhe’s mother, sitting in a chair, clasped her chest in anger. Suddenly, she winced in severe pain, clutching her head in agony.

“Mom, what’s wrong?” Shen Yunhe rushed forward, supporting his mother. Shen Yunhe’s father quickly stepped over, putting an arm around Shen Yunhe’s mother’s shoulder.

“Dear, is your headache back again?”

Shen Yunhe’s mother was the woman Shen Yunhe’s father had rescued when he was driving a truck in another city. According to Shen Yunhe’s father, his mother had been badly injured, lying alone in a desolate area. He had thought she was dead but decided to approach her, only to find she was still alive. Shen Yunhe’s father had carried her onto his truck and rushed her to the hospital. Fortunately, she survived, but she had lost all memory. She remembered nothing. Shen Yunhe’s father had brought her home, and she had lived with them ever since.

Shen Yunhe’s father, angry, struck his son.

“I told you not to make your mother angry. You ruined such a good wife for yourself. You’ll end up a bachelor for the rest of your life!”

Shen Yunhe’s mother pressed her hand over Shen Yunhe’s father’s and looked up at him.

“Old Shen, let’s go to the Jiang family. No matter what’s happened between them, we need to go and see our in-laws, apologize properly.”

“Alright,” Shen Yunhe’s father glared at his eldest son.

“We’ll go tomorrow. When we reach the county, we’ll also pick up Yunlin and Yunshuang from school. The whole family should go, at least let our in-laws see our sincerity.”

Shen Yunhe’s grandfather walked over with his cane. “I’m going too!”

“Father, you’re at such an old age, don’t go through all that trouble. The bus is very bumpy, it won’t be good for your health.”

“It’s fine. I haven’t seen my old comrades in a while. It’s a good chance to visit them.” Shen Yunhe’s grandfather waved dismissively, not concerned.

Shen Yunhe felt a heavy weight in his heart. It was all his fault, making his grandfather and parents worry like this.

“Grandfather, Dad, Mom, I’m sorry for making you all worry.”

Shen Yunhe’s grandfather snorted, turned, and hobbled away with his cane. Shen Yunhe’s father helped his mother to the bedroom to rest, but as they passed by Shen Yunhe, he stopped.

“Think carefully about what you’re going to do from now on. Do you want to remarry, or do you want to marry someone else?”

Shen Yunhe’s eyes grew firm as he clenched his fist.

“Dad, I want to remarry Banban!”

Shen Yunhe’s father sneered, a bitter smile curling his lips.

“You want to remarry? Do you think just because you want to, she’ll accept it? Do you really think Banban would want to marry you again? What, do you think you’re some kind of prized catch? Do whatever you want!”

Shen Yunhe’s father helped his wife leave, leaving Shen Yunhe alone in the room. Shen Yunhe sat in a chair, took out a cigarette, and lit it. He held it between his fingers and silently stared ahead, murmuring a name between his lips.

“Banban…”