Chapter 68: Could It Be That They Divorced One Moment and Married the Next?

Outside, the rain had stopped, but it had gotten even colder. As soon as Xie Yunshu went downstairs, she shivered uncontrollably. Luckily, her hat was warm enough; otherwise, her scalp would have gone numb from the cold. She stomped her feet hard on the ground and then blew warm air from her mouth before heading straight to Haicheng Hospital.

Without the annoying heavy rain, she pedaled the tricycle to the hospital entrance and ended up sweating from the effort. In the ward, Grandma Zhang was already awake. Her spirit was much better, and she was trying to shoo people away: “Mingcheng, Grandma is really better now. Why don’t you take Grandma home? It’s so cold and sterile inside the hospital—we don’t want to stay here.”

Xie Yunshu came in from outside, feigning anger and huffing: “Grandma, how can you say that? You had such a high fever yesterday! The doctor said you need at least three days of IV treatment. You have to finish it tomorrow before going home. I’ll watch over you that night—no more talk about going back.”

“Sis.” Xie Mingcheng turned around, probably because he didn’t sleep well last night; his eyes were a bit dark underneath: “I’ll stay here tonight. You still have things to do tomorrow. Since it’s a holiday, I don’t have school. I’ll just stay here at the hospital.”

Xie Yunshu didn’t argue with her younger brother: “Okay, then rest a bit tomorrow afternoon. Bring the dinner over at night for me, and don’t forget that book. Don’t let your studies slip.”

Xie Mingcheng smiled bitterly: “Sis, you’re even stricter than our teacher—no relaxing even at the hospital?”

Xie Yunshu gave him a side glance: “The exam is in just over four months. Don’t you think you should be studying hard? You won’t sleep well here at night anyway, so might as well read until you’re sleepy. Then you’ll sleep soundly.”

“I can’t really argue with that,” Xie Mingcheng said, rubbing his nose, then obediently stood up. “I’ll go back to sleep now, bring dinner over around six.”

With the siblings quickly making arrangements, Grandma Zhang sighed deeply with her head down. Her aged face was full of bitterness. She had raised three successful sons in her lifetime but never expected that in the end, it would be someone else’s child who saved her.

They say children are your support in old age, but she didn’t have a single person around her.

Xie Yunshu sat down and poured her a glass of water. “Grandma, CCTV is going to air Dream of the Red Chamber tomorrow. You mentioned you wanted to watch it a few days ago, right? If you don’t behave, the doctor won’t let you leave the hospital tomorrow, and you won’t get to watch it!”

Grandma Zhang lay back on the bed again: “Okay, Grandma will behave, take medicine, get injections, and then come home to watch TV.”

The aunt in the next bed sighed: “Grandma, your grandchildren are so filial. Not like me—after staying three days in the hospital, my kids don’t even want to bring me food. They complain I spend too much money! What’s the point of having kids? I should have just thrown them all away!”

Of course, she was speaking out of frustration. Since ancient times, mothers have given more than children ever repay. The idea that children will care for you in old age is just a comfort for the heart. If they don’t care, there’s nothing you can do.

Grandma Zhang pursed her lips, her gaze dimming slightly. “They are filial. They are all good kids.”

Good kids deserve blessings…

The news of Lu Zhixing and Xie Yunshu’s divorce, actively spread by Chen Xue, quickly circulated in the residential community. Now, everyone looked at Zhou Xinyue differently. Although at first, people pitied her past misfortunes, now it seemed Zhou Xinyue was not so simple.

Especially after returning from the divorce yesterday, she looked coy trailing behind Lu Zhixing. Outsiders might have thought she was remarrying him immediately! Rumor had it that the next day, Lu Yuxiang even came to pick up her and her son to take them to the Lu family. Could it be that they divorced and married again almost back-to-back?

No matter how pitiful, a woman who hooks up with someone else’s husband is no good!

Lu family’s Lu Yuxiang sat on the sofa, scrutinizing Zhou Xinyue’s eyes, then smiled gently at Xiao Wei: “Xinyue, I’m worried about you and Xiao Wei living like this. Your Uncle Lu has an old friend whose son is just over thirty, lost his wife to illness, has good family conditions, and only one young daughter. If you marry in there, you won’t suffer.”

Lu Yuxue clearly understood what Zhou Xinyue thought about her own son. Before, she just disliked Xie Yunshu. But Zhixing, like drugged, married that woman and wouldn’t divorce her.

Now that the two had finally divorced, Zhou Xinyue wanted to rise in status, but it wouldn’t be so easy.

Zhou Xinyue obediently sat at the other end of the sofa but flatly refused: “I’m worried Xiao Wei will suffer. I’m not planning to remarry now, Auntie. Please don’t worry about me.”

Lu Xueting pursed her lips, not daring to speak. She wanted Zhou Xinyue to be her sister-in-law. If she remarried someone with a temper like Xie Yunshu, she couldn’t take it! A sister-in-law should love her and treat her well.

Xinyue was always good to her, agreeing with whatever she said. But sadly, her mom didn’t want that, and her brother was crazily insisting she only accept Xie Yunshu as a sister-in-law.

Both had divorced—what sister-in-law? Maybe he still wanted to reconcile? She wouldn’t agree.

Lu Yuxiang sipped her tea, her smile fading: “Not marrying—what’s that about? Zhixing will find someone new. Don’t go looking for him. Work and housing are arranged. Is life still difficult?”

That was a clear hint. Zhou Xinyue’s face turned pale. She tightly gripped her clothes at her side: “No difficulties. I won’t bother Brother Zhixing anymore.”

“That’s a good girl.” Lu Yuxiang smiled approvingly, waving to Xiao Wei: “Good boy, come here. You’ve put on some weight these days.”

Xiao Wei timidly nodded but glanced at Zhou Xinyue first.

During this time, Zhou Xinyue hadn’t hit him and fed him on time, but he was even more afraid now and couldn’t sleep well at night. Before, when he was beaten, he could hide on his little bed and sleep peacefully. Now he woke up in the middle of the night, scared Zhou Xinyue would rush in and pour hot water on his head.

Zhou Xinyue pushed Xiao Wei over, her eyes flashing: “I put all my energy into taking care of Xiao Wei. If the kid is healthy, I can rest easy.”

After being forced to kowtow by Xie Yunshu in the apartment, Lu Zhixing’s look towards Zhou Xinyue had changed somewhat. Recently, she hadn’t abused the child, afraid Lu Zhixing would suspect her and like her less.

Lu Yuxiang looked at her meaningfully: “A mother must think about her son. Xinyue, you’re a mother too. You understand Auntie’s feelings, don’t you?”

Zhou Xinyue forced a smile: “Of course.”

After leaving the Lu family, Zhou Xinyue bitterly pinched Xiao Wei, venting her anger on him: “Eating and drinking well, what’s wrong with you?”

Xiao Wei whimpered lowly, biting his lips to hold back cries, pleading: “Mom, I know I was wrong.”

But he didn’t know what was wrong, just that begging spared him from more beatings. He even relaxed a bit inside, thinking that if Mom hit him tomorrow, she wouldn’t pour hot water on him at midnight.

Zhou Xinyue’s expression darkened. She had waited so long, not to be introduced to a man whose wife had died! She had planned to build feelings with Lu Zhixing slowly, but now it seemed she couldn’t wait any longer.

Her eyes landed on Xiao Wei beside her, and a smile appeared on her face: “Good boy, do you want to live well from now on? Not be beaten, and not go hungry…”