Chapter 14: Leaving the Lin Family

Shen Yuchu woke up with a frown, then yawned.

She had to go to town today. Having finally regained her freedom, she wouldn’t stay at the Lin family’s any longer. As for the future, she’d take things one step at a time.

After getting up, she saw Lin Xuan sitting in the driver’s seat.

When did he get in?

What was he doing in the car?

Shen Yuchu stared at him. “What are you doing in the car? Aren’t you sleeping inside?”

Lin Xuan frowned, opening his eyes. “Who is it? Going to the toilet in the middle of the night. If someone didn’t know, they’d think you fell into a pit. You ended up sleeping in the car.”

Shen Yuchu’s nose was stuffy. She pinched her nose and got out of the car.

Lin Xuan followed her.

Seeing them sleeping in the car instead of in a bed, Shen Chunfen, who had just woken up, asked, “Did you two sleep in the car last night?”

Shen Yuchu ignored her, walking past without a word. She went to wash her face, the cold water making her shiver.

“Achoo!” Shen Yuchu sneezed, and Lin Xuan looked at her.

“Mom, make her some brown sugar ginger water.”

Shen Chunfen was annoyed. “She sneezes, and you want me to…?”

“Mom!”

Seeing her son’s expression, Shen Chunfen went out, gathered some firewood, and got the brown sugar and ginger.

She broke the thin layer of ice on the water jar, scooped some water, and started to make the brown sugar ginger water for Shen Yuchu.

Shen Yuchu felt her head heavy. After washing her face, she slowly returned to the bedroom.

Lin Xuan brought her the brown sugar ginger water.

Shen Yuchu was already lying in bed under the covers. She had fallen into the river yesterday, frozen outside half the night, and then slept in the car. Now, her body couldn’t take it anymore.

Lin Xuan fed her spoonful by spoonful.

She frowned in discomfort. Seeing she couldn’t take it, he put down the bowl. “Mom, go to the clinic in town and ask Doctor Wang to come.”

Shen Chunfen protested, “We have to call a doctor? That’ll cost money.”

“Mom, why are you like this?”

“Fine, fine, I’ll go. She’ll be fine after a couple of days’ rest. Ever since you came back, she’s become so delicate.” Shen Chunfen muttered as she left.

On her way to the street, she met some neighbors.

Someone asked, “Lin’s wife, where are you going?”

Shen Chunfen scowled. “Where am I going? I’m going to get the doctor for my useless daughter-in-law. Since our Lin Xuan came back, she’s been acting up. She’s got a cold and can’t get up. I have to go to town to get Doctor Wang!”

“A cold isn’t a serious illness. Just stay in bed under thick blankets and sweat it out. That’s how we all deal with illnesses!”

Shen Chunfen was only complaining because Lin Xuan had asked her to go.

She didn’t dare refuse, so she grumbled and left, “Who says it isn’t? Humph! She’s taking advantage of my son’s allowance, spending money like water!”

She walked on…

Soon, Doctor Wang confirmed Shen Yuchu had a fever from catching a cold and gave her an IV drip.

Shen Chunfen made noodles in the morning. She gave Lin Xuan a bowl with two eggs in it.

However, the bowl she gave Shen Yuchu was barely noodles at all—mostly just broth! There were hardly any noodles, and no eggs.

Lin Xuan put down his bowl and looked at his mother. She had noodles, but no eggs. She had eaten all the eggs herself. She ate noodles; Shen Yuchu only drank the soup.

Lin Xuan put one of his eggs into his mother’s bowl, keeping one for himself.

Shen Chunfen quickly put it back. “Eat, eat, it’s the same for me. You eat!”

Lin Xuan looked at his mother. “Mom, is this how you treat her? When I’m not home, do you always do this?”

“Her own family doesn’t want her. It’s good enough that she can eat here.”

Lin Xuan didn’t respond, putting down his chopsticks.

Seeing her son’s displeasure, Shen Chunfen again put her egg into his bowl. “Eat while it’s hot. Mom’s going to the market to sell vegetables.”

After taking a couple of steps, she came back and gave Lin Xuan three yuan.

“I don’t need this money, you keep it.”

Lin Xuan looked at his mother.

“You’re a man, you should always have money on you. I’m fine!”

Lin Xuan wanted to say something, but thinking of his mother’s temper, he accepted the money.

He didn’t want to argue with her.

Shen Chunfen had always been like this.

Soon, Lin Xuan went to the toilet. Shen Yuchu hadn’t woken up yet.

He was in there for a while, even smoking a cigarette… When he came back, the bed was empty.

“Shen Yuchu!” Lin Xuan called out instinctively.

Did she go to the toilet? Impossible, he had just been there!

He checked the car, but she wasn’t there. The IV bag was unfinished on the bedside table.

Where did she go?

Two bowls of noodles were on the table, untouched.

“Shen Yuchu!”

“Shen! Yu, Chu!” After calling several times, he went back inside. In the hallway, he saw a brick on the table.

Under the brick was a piece of paper with neat handwriting.

[Lin Xuan, I’m leaving.

Since we’re divorced, I have no reason to stay at your family’s home any longer.

The money below is to repay you for three years of food and the 1000 yuan bride price. I’ve roughly calculated it to be about 2800 yuan, maybe a little more.

Keep the wedding quilt, silk, and other wedding gifts… Use them for your next wife.

We’ll go our separate ways, never to meet again!

Sincerely, Shen Yuchu]

Lin Xuan folded the note. Underneath was a stack of hundred-yuan bills and some larger denomination notes wrapped in newspaper.

He weighed it in his hand, glancing at the gate.

Gone?

Divorced?

When did they get divorced?

As Lin Xuan stood in the yard lost in thought, Shen Chunfen returned. “Shen Yuchu, what time is it? Why haven’t you moved the cabbages to the market? What am I going to sell if you don’t move them?”

Her loud voice broke through his thoughts.

“Mom, she’s sick, why make her work? Why didn’t you take the cabbages yourself when you went to town?”

Shen Chunfen looked at her son. “You don’t need to feel sorry for her. You’ve forgotten how she hurt you and our family. She’ll never repay her debts in this lifetime.”