The 99th Divorce

Shen Manting shrank back from him, blushing.

Shen Luo’an found her all the more irresistible as she recoiled from him. “I don’t mind,” he reassured her.

Shen Manting’s face turned even redder. “But I… I do mind.”

She glanced at Shen Luo’an and the child and mumbled, “I’ll brush my teeth now.”

She stumbled out of bed and hurried into the bathroom.

She touched her face and felt her cheeks burning.

Hmm…

Her husband was so unhygienic!

She hadn’t brushed her teeth, yet he insisted on kissing her!

Shen Manting looked into the mirror. She blew her breath into her cupped hands and took a whiff.

Her breath smelled… okay.

Hmph!

After washing up, Shen Manting walked out of the bathroom and saw Shen Zhilie huddled close to the toddler, fiddling with a tablet.

“Do you know what this is?” Shen Zhilie whispered, pointing to the picture of a watermelon. “Tell me.”

Shen Yuexiao stared long and hard at the picture before pointing at it, hesitating. “Eat…”

Shen Zhilie stroked his head with a smile and said, “Looks like you’re smart enough to know that it’s edible. How about this one?”

“Mommy!” Little Moon shouted. He was excited to see Shen Manting.

He struggled to get down from Shen Zhilie’s lap and cried, “Mommy!”

Shen Zhilie set him down on the floor and sighed, “You little rascal. You abandon me when you see your mommy coming. Such an ungrateful boy.”

Little Moon ran over to Shen Manting and leaped into her arms, grinning and shouting excitedly, “Mommy!”

Shen Manting picked him up. She was in a sprightly mood. She asked Shen Zhilie, “Where’s my husband?”

“Well…” Shen Zhilie felt awkward addressing Shen Manting. He lowered his head and touched his nose. “He just walked out the door. I think he’s in the garden right now,” he said.

“All right, thank you.” Shen Manting walked out with Little Moon in her arms. She looked the part of a doting mother.

Shen Zhilie muttered contemplatively as he watched her leave the house, “She has indeed changed.”

“Well, I was right, wasn’t I?” Ye Qianqian said as she came out. She led Shen Zhilie to the sofa and sat down beside him. “My father seems to be in bad health recently. He’s either sleeping or coughing whenever I call him. He won’t tell me what happened to him. Let’s make a trip to Yun Town to check on him.”

“Sure.” Shen Zhilie turned to look at her. “We’ll stop by Kingstown to visit Lili’s children.”

Ye Qianqian scoffed and glared at him reproachfully. “You’re sure to visit other people’s children wherever you go.”

Shen Zhilie stood up and gently bumped his shoulder against hers, winking playfully at her. “I like them.”

His coy voice gave Ye Qianqian goosebumps.

She rubbed her arms and walked over to the dining table.

“Let’s go tomorrow. I’m worried that my father is seriously ill. Request leave from the hospital.”

“Is it that urgent?” Shen Zhilie picked up his cell phone. “All right, let’s go tomorrow. It’s Saturday.”

“We’ll come back on Wednesday.” Ye Qianqian looked at him, smiling brightly. “Is that fine with you?”

How could Shen Zhilie refuse her? He chuckled and answered, “All right.”

When Shen Manting walked out the door with the child in her arms, she saw Shen Luo’an standing in the garden.

He seemed to be tending to an unknown plant. He was weeding it with graceful, delicate strokes.

“Daddy!” Little Moon shouted eagerly as he swung his legs back and forth in Shen Manting’s arms.

The toddler was not too heavy, but he was quite strong.

Shen Manting couldn’t carry him in her arms any longer. She bent down and loosened her grip on him.