Chapter 13: The Triplets Are Found Out

Second, Jiang’s parents returned. They came to the shop and hugged the three babies. It had been a while since they saw their grandchildren, and the elderly couple missed them dearly.

“Banban, you pack up the kids’ things. I’ll take the three of them home to play. Great grandpa has been missing the kids too. I’ll take them to visit him.”

“Alright.” Jiang Banyue packed up a large bag of items: the babies’ clothes, toys, food, and other necessities. Jiang’s father took one child in each arm, and his mother held two of them. They left the shop.

“Let’s go! We’re heading home to play with great grandpa!”

Once the children left, the shop became quiet. After finishing a cake, Jiang Banyue sat in the chair, dazed for a while, staring at the places where the babies usually played. She had thought that without the children around, she would feel more relaxed, but now that they were really gone, she felt a deep sense of loss. She didn’t know what to do with herself.

She stood up and walked around a bit, then glanced at the clock. Time seemed to pass so slowly. She couldn’t focus on anything and felt drained. She really wanted to make a phone call to ask how the babies were doing. Did they miss their mom? Had they cried?

Her shop didn’t have a phone yet, but she thought that she needed to install one. That way, if something like this happened again, she could check in anytime.

“Hello, I’d like to order a cake.”

The cheerful voice of a young woman broke Jiang Banyue out of her thoughts. She quickly turned around and flashed a smile, only to freeze in place when she saw who it was—Shen Yunshuang, her former sister-in-law.

Shen Yunshuang, upon seeing Jiang Banyue, thought she was seeing things. She blinked her eyes a few times and then shouted in surprise, “Sister-in-law, it’s really you! I’ve missed you so much!”

Shen Yunshuang rushed forward and hugged Jiang Banyue, but Jiang Banyue awkwardly pushed her away.

“Do you want to buy a cake?” she asked.

“Yes! Last time, I smelled the cake and wanted to buy some, I’ve been craving it!” Shen Yunshuang chattered happily.

“Sister-in-law, last time, I came with Grandpa, my parents, and my brother. We came to visit you, but no one was home. We were eating across from your cake shop. If we’d known you were here, we would’ve come over. It’s such a pity that we missed you last time…”

“Why did your family come looking for me?” Jiang Banyue thought the Shen family must have come to ask about the children, perhaps wanting to take them.

“Sister-in-law, I’m sorry. My older brother is a jerk. He has such a good wife like you, yet he still got divorced. The whole family scolded him. Don’t be angry.” Shen Yunshuang apologized sincerely.

“The divorce was my idea, it has nothing to do with him!” Jiang Banyue didn’t expect that her divorce would involve the entire Shen family.

“Then it must be because my older brother did something wrong, which made you not want to be with him anymore!”

“No, it’s just that my fate with him has ended.” Jiang Banyue didn’t want to bring up the details of her divorce. She had already moved on, and she didn’t want to be reminded of it.

Since she was divorced, Jiang Banyue didn’t want to have anything to do with the Shen family. She feared they might try to take her children from her. Those children were her life; no one could take them away.

Jiang Banyue took out a box of cake and handed it to Shen Yunshuang, her expression calm.

“Here, take it and eat. If there’s nothing else, please leave. My shop is busy.”

“Sister-in-law…” Shen Yunshuang felt the distance between them, realizing Jiang Banyue wasn’t as close to her as before. She felt upset. The cake in her hands didn’t taste as good anymore. She thought about her older brother, nodded, and figured that Jiang Banyue was probably upset because of him. She decided she would call her brother and give him a good scolding when she got home.

“Well, Sister-in-law, you stay busy, I’ll leave for now. I’ll come back to find you later.”

Shen Yunshuang, holding a box of cake, turned back three times before leaving the shop. Jiang Banyue, exhausted, sat back in her chair. After today, it seemed like the peace she’d gotten used to would no longer lasting.

Shen Yunshuang quickly ran to the public phone booth and dialed the army’s number.

“Hello, I’m looking for Shen Yunhe, I’m his sister.”

“Yunshuang, it’s your big brother.” Shen Yunhe was sitting in his office chair, listening to the phone.

“Big brother, I saw Sister-in-law. She opened a cake shop on the street where we ate last time.”

“What?” Shen Yunhe suddenly stood up, “How is she? Is she doing, okay?”

Shen Yunshuang, recalling the dejected look on Jiang Banyue’s face earlier, angrily scolded her brother.

“She’s not doing well, big brother! She looks terrible, so depressed. It’s all your fault! Why did you divorce her? You made her so sad. You’re such a jerk! I hate you, big brother!”

Hearing his sister’s words, Shen Yunhe’s heart ached. Was she struggling the same way he was, regretting the divorce? If he went to see her and asked about reconciliation, would she agree?

Shen Yunhe began calculating how much vacation time he had saved up. After a couple of days, he would return home to see her. If she was willing, maybe they could reconcile.

The more he thought about it, the more excited he became. His chest swelled with joy and heat. He hung up the phone, loosened two buttons on his shirt, and thought about the gentle woman, her soft and warm eyes.

A knock sounded at the door. Shen Yunhe looked up, laughing.

“Sun Yonghui, you’re back.”

“Commander Shen!” Sun Yonghui stepped forward. “My vacation’s over, and I’ll be back to work as normal tomorrow.”

Sun Yonghui, the battalion commander, was Shen Yunhe’s subordinate.

“Got it!” Seeing Shen Yunhe in a good mood, Sun Yonghui asked curiously.

“Commander Shen, what good news do you have? You seem so happy.”

“There is good news,” Shen Yunhe thought of Jiang Banyue, his chest burning with excitement. His mood was even lighter now. Sun Yonghui remembered the triplets he had seen last time in the cake shop and laughed knowingly.

“With such adorable triplets, it’s no wonder you’re in such a good mood, Commander Shen. But you’re being a little selfish, don’t you think? Your wife had such cute triplets, and you didn’t even let us know.”

“Triplets?” Shen Yunhe stopped smiling, confused. “What triplets?”