Chapter 10: How Can a Girl Have So Little?

　　

Jiang Ning was somewhat surprised. She had thought that if Shen Mo agreed, they could get a divorce.

Yang Zhengtu explained before Shen Mo could, “Sister-in-law, there are no major conflicts between you two, so the political review won’t approve your divorce.”

“But it seems Brother Shen is about to be promoted to Regiment Commander. A divorce would affect his moral evaluation.”

Jiang Ning understood. She hadn’t expected Shen Mo to be promoted to Regiment Commander at such a young age.

Interfering with someone’s career prospects was not something she wanted to do.

Seeing Jiang Ning fall silent, Shen Mo thought she was upset and considered saying, “I can try to argue with the higher-ups again…”

Before he could finish, he was interrupted.

Jiang Ning had also come to a realization. “If we can’t divorce now, we can always divorce later.”

Shen Mo quickly swallowed the words “try to get a divorce.”

His wife was still his wife, and Shen Mo looked at her with focused eyes.

They were all standing at the doorway, and from there, they could see the accommodation where Jiang Ning had been staying for the past few days.

The sunlight outside was abundant, casting a warm glow through the poplar branches and into the room. One window was open, and a gentle breeze carried a subtle, elegant fragrance into the room.

Unlike the mixed scent of men in the barracks, it confirmed that men tend to tell crude jokes when they are together.

It’s often said that women smell nice.

Seeing that they were still standing at the door without any intention of leaving, and that Shen Mo’s gaze was fixed on her, Jiang Ning felt a bit uneasy. Why was this man staring at her like that?

Being looked at like that made her feel a bit embarrassed. Jiang Ning had to admit that a man like Shen Mo could easily make someone’s heart flutter.

People of this era generally preferred delicate intellectuals, but a man full of masculine charm like Shen Mo was a rare find in the modern world.

Most of them were already taken.

Looking at him, Jiang Ning said, “Shall we talk some more?”

Since they couldn’t get a divorce right now, it was indeed necessary to talk about how to live together in the future.

When Shen Mo heard her say they should talk, he understood.

Perhaps Jiang Ning wanted to go home. Logically, Shen Mo knew he should respect her decision, but another voice in his heart told him not to let Jiang Ning leave.

Yang Zhengtu was still standing at the door.

Shen Mo glanced at him. “You can go now.”

Used to following orders, Yang Zhengtu didn’t feel like he was being chased away. As he left, he sighed, muttering, “Ah, with a wife, you forget about your brothers.”

Now, the space was left to just the two of them.

Shen Mo was too quiet, and Jiang Ning felt awkward. After all, they were essentially strangers who had only known each other for two days.

She had originally thought they would get a smooth divorce and be free like birds in the sky. Now, their marriage still bound them together, and the atmosphere between them became awkward again.

Since they couldn’t get a divorce, they would have to continue living together for now, and who knew what problems might arise in the future.

Jiang Ning stepped aside. “You go in first.”

Shen Mo hadn’t spent much time alone with female comrades, let alone being in a female comrade’s room alone. His mind told him it wasn’t appropriate, but his body had already moved.

Jiang Ning closed the door behind him.

Shen Mo tried to ignore the subtle, elegant fragrance in the air.

As soon as the door was closed, Jiang Ning realized something was off. Why did she close the door? They were just going to talk.

The subtle atmosphere was broken by Shen Mo’s next words. “Do you want to go back to the village? I can take you to the train station.”

Jiang Ning was startled and almost didn’t react in time.

She had shown up suddenly without any prior notice, and Shen Mo hadn’t visited her in the three years of their marriage, which clearly showed he wasn’t eager to see her.

Now that they couldn’t get a divorce, was he in such a hurry to send her back?

Jiang Ning’s face showed her displeasure.

Her beautiful almond-shaped eyes were now wide and round, leaving Shen Mo puzzled as he tried to figure out what he had said wrong.

Recalling his previous words, he wondered if she didn’t want to go back.

Jiang Ning, still fuming, plopped down on the bed and said with a burst of resentment, “I’m not going back to the village. I’m staying here to find a job.”

There was only one bed in the room, with no table or chairs. Shen Mo didn’t sit on the bed next to Jiang Ning but stood nearby.

Shen Mo couldn’t quite understand women’s thoughts, but he was happy to hear that Jiang Ning didn’t want to go back. “If you don’t want to go back, I’ve already applied for family housing. Do you prefer a building or a house with a yard?”

Jiang Ning, who had been feeling resentful, realized that his mention of applying for family housing meant he wasn’t trying to send her away.

So, he had just been asking her opinion on whether she wanted to go back to the village.

Thinking about her previous tone, Jiang Ning felt embarrassed, her face turning red.

To cover her embarrassment, she softened her tone, smiled, and asked, “Do I get to choose?”

Shen Mo, hearing her gentle tone, felt a flutter in his heart, as if a feather had brushed against it. “Yes, you can choose whatever you like.”

“I want to live in a house with a yard,” Jiang Ning said, her mood brightening like the sky after rain. She excitedly continued, “We can plant a big tree in the yard to hang a swing, and use the open space to grow vegetables and flowers. We can also put a fish tank in the corner to keep some koi.”

The more she talked, the better she felt, and a smile spread across her face.

In her previous life, she had lived in buildings all her life. They looked grand and novel from the outside, towering high into the sky, but they were also like beautifully crafted prisons, trapping her within their square confines.

Seeing her smile and think about the future, a strange look flashed in Shen Mo’s eyes.

But soon, he felt a bit disappointed. It seemed she hadn’t included him in her vision of the future.

Jiang Ning was just imagining her future, knowing that she and Shen Mo would eventually divorce. This was her future alone.

After chatting for a while, Shen Mo left.

For the next two days, Jiang Ning didn’t see Shen Mo and had no idea where he had gone.

Even little Huo Zhiqi didn’t come around.

On the third day, Shen Mo finally appeared. Jiang Ning opened the door to see him looking dusty and sweaty.

Seeing Jiang Ning, Shen Mo’s voice was low and hoarse. “The family housing application has been approved, but it’s a bit messy. I’ve tidied it up a bit over the past two days. Do you want to go and see it now and maybe get some more things?”

Jiang Ning was surprised. She hadn’t expected that Shen Mo had been dealing with the family housing for the past two days.

She nodded. “Wait for me a moment.”

Shen Mo nodded and stood outside the door, waiting for her.

Jiang Ning quickly tidied up, changed her clothes, and packed her belongings. She only had two sets of clothes, which fit into a cloth bag.

Although she disliked her old-fashioned clothes, there was nothing she could do about it.

Poverty was truly oppressive.

She packed some simple toiletries as well.

Seeing that she had packed so few things, Shen Mo furrowed his brow slightly. How could a girl have so little?

Before his family was sent down, his sister had so many clothes she couldn’t wear them all. There was a slight preference for girls in the family, with the belief that boys could endure hardship, but girls should be pampered at home.

Shen Mo had been raised with this mindset, and he always believed that girls were born to enjoy life.