Volume One, Chapter Four: I'll Find You a New Mother

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Ji Zhixu choked up as he said, “Aunt Xin Xin went out and left me all alone. Dad, I’m so scared here in the hospital. I almost died just now.” After speaking, tears fell from his eyes like broken strings of pearls, big and heavy.

“Almost died? What happened?” Ji Yanli’s heart pounded fiercely.

The head nurse saw Ji Yanli and said, “You must be the child’s father, right? That stepmother of his is unreliable—she never properly looks after the child and is always nowhere to be found. You see, she’s gone missing again. The child’s blood volume just dropped, but luckily we caught it in time and avoided a disaster.”

Just then, He Xin returned carrying shrimp dumplings. Ji Yanli reproached, “You came to the hospital to take care of the child, so how could you leave him alone here?”

He Xin, who had been running errands for Ji Zhixu all along, was holding in her frustration. “It was Zhixu who said he wanted shrimp dumplings, so I went out to buy them.”

Ji Zhixu said nothing but looked up pitifully at Ji Yanli’s darkening face, waiting for him to get angry.

Before he could lose his temper, He Xin saw Ji Yanli’s expression change and softened her voice with a sob, “Ali, it’s my fault for not taking good care of Zhixu. Next time I’ll be more attentive.”

Ji Yanli’s heart softened at her words and he reached out to hug He Xin, but Ji Zhixu stood up and blocked him. “Dad, don’t blame Aunt Xin Xin. It’s all my fault—I didn’t drink water or eat, and that’s why my blood volume dropped.”

After speaking, tears started flowing again. His skin was fair and tender, and when he cried, he looked especially innocent and pitiful, tugging painfully at Ji Yanli’s heart.

Ji Yanli quickly picked him up to comfort him. “Don’t cry, Dad will take you to eat now.”

He Xin glanced at Ji Zhixu hiding in Ji Yanli’s arms and wondered how the child had suddenly changed so much.

This morning, Shu Xingruo had seen two patients and then followed Shu Yanzhao to learn more.

Traditional Chinese medicine is profound and vast; Shu Yanzhao planned to impart all his lifelong knowledge to her.

Although Shu Xingruo had spent these years at home, she hadn’t lost her foundation. Coupled with her talent, learning was not difficult.

At noon, she invited Lin Anhe to lunch. Just as they entered the restaurant, they saw Ji Yanli eating with He Xin and Ji Zhixu.

He Xin was serving Ji Zhixu food, wearing the bracelet he had made for her. Shu Xingruo found it particularly glaring.

Ji Yanli poured juice for He Xin, and the three chatted and laughed.

He Xin was delicate in appearance, Ji Yanli’s features were refined, and Ji Zhixu’s little face was handsome.

They looked exactly like a perfect family of three.

Since their marriage, Ji Yanli had never taken Shu Xingruo out for a meal, only ever taking their son out alone.

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Lin Anhe rolled her eyes to the ceiling. “How shameless. Not even divorced yet, and he’s already flaunting his mistress in public.”

Shu Xingruo sat calmly and said, “Ji Yanli long ago stopped wanting to live with me. He forced me to ask for a divorce so he wouldn’t have any mental burden.” Over the years, Ji Yanli had been cold to Shu Xingruo but remembered the favor she did in healing his leg, so he only treated her well materially.

Lin Anhe poked her forehead with a finger. “You’re such a fool to reject his wealth. The Ji family is so rich, even a little from them would make you financially free.”

Shu Xingruo took a sip of water. “It’s not that I don’t want it. We have a prenuptial agreement. The company’s assets are unrelated to me.”

Lin Anhe sighed. “That mistress is getting off easy.”

Dishes arrived one after another as they ate and chatted.

Lin Anhe began telling her about the case she had in court today.

Her client was young and beautiful, with a handsome, wealthy husband who sent her to study for an EMBA and often chauffeured her.

After a while, the husband got involved with the EMBA teacher—who was nearly sixty years old.

The teacher was almost the same age as the man’s own mother. The mother tried both scolding and persuading but to no avail.

The mother personally brought her daughter-in-law to Lin Anhe to file for divorce. Today’s court session was full of the mother’s yelling.

Lin Anhe said, “That man was really starved for love. He left his beautiful wife at home and fell madly in love with an old woman. I learned something new today.”

Faced with such an unbelievable story, Shu Xingruo could only marvel at how strange the world is. They laughed together, just as the three from the other table finished and came out.

Ji Zhixu spotted Shu Xingruo immediately and dashed over. “Mom!”

He called out while throwing himself into her arms, but Shu Xingruo dodged. Ji Zhixu looked heartbroken. “Mom, don’t you want me anymore?”

Shu Xingruo said, “You said you wanted to be with Dad.”

Ji Yanli frowned. “Shu Xingruo, do you have to be so harsh on the child?”

Shu Xingruo stood up, pointed at He Xin beside him, and said coldly, “He’s not lacking for love.”

Ji Yanli wanted to say more, but Shu Xingruo pulled Lin Anhe and left.

She didn’t want to argue in front of He Xin and let that woman enjoy the show for no reason.

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Now she was just waiting for him to sign the divorce papers and end the marriage as soon as possible.

Lin Anhe reminded her, “What if he refuses to sign?”

Shu Xingruo said, “We registered in Port City. What can he do?”

Lin Anhe thought for a moment and said, “Apply for a separation. After one and a half years of separation, the divorce happens automatically.”

“Good!”

A year and a half at worst—she could accept that. She considered the six-year marriage a nightmare.

Back in the car, He Xin asked Ji Yanli, “Ali, are you planning to divorce?”

Before he could answer, Ji Zhixu burst into tears. “I don’t want Mom and Dad to divorce. I don’t want to be an orphan. Everyone else has Mom and Dad. Why do mine have to separate?”

Ji Zhixu cried while glancing at Ji Yanli’s face. Ji Yanli patiently said, “Mom and Dad don’t have feelings for each other anymore. Separating is normal.”

He Xin’s face lit up at this and said quickly, “Yes. Didn’t you say you like Aunt Xin Xin? Isn’t it better for her to be your mom?”

Ji Zhixu sobbed, “No, I have a mom. Aunt Xin Xin, you can’t be anyone’s stepmother—that’s ridiculous. People will laugh at you for being a mistress and stealing someone else’s husband.” After saying this, he puckered his lips and tried hard to squeeze out more tears to look even more pitiful.

Ji Yanli’s expression darkened. “Who told you that? Your mother?”

Tears welled up in He Xin’s eyes. “Ali, I know she doesn’t like me, but you can’t say bad things about me in front of the child. I really like Zhixu. And back then, it was her who schemed against you.”

Ji Zhixu immediately retorted, “My mom never says bad things about you. She makes lots of delicious food for me and tells me nice stories. She’s either taking care of me or reading; she has no time to speak ill of you.”

Ji Yanli comforted He Xin, “Shu Xingruo is indeed good with the child. Zhixu just can’t accept you yet. Give it time.”

He Xin glanced at Ji Zhixu in the car seat and a thought formed in her mind.

Isn’t it just a child? She could have one too.