The 99th Divorce

Ye Qianqian sensed that something was amiss and asked, “Yeah. Is something wrong?”

“Not exactly. It’s just that Manting’s room hasn’t been lived in for a while. How could Zhilie arrange for you to sleep in there without having Nanny He clean it up beforehand?”

“It was fine, Auntie. The room was pretty clean as it was and very comfortable. Zhilie found some clean bedding for me and changed the sheets. The moment I lay down on the bed, I fell asleep.” Ye Qianqian smiled reassuringly, and Mrs. Shen visibly relaxed.

Ye Qianqian’s curiosity was piqued. Did Shen Manting’s room hide something they didn’t want her to see?

With the rest of the family at the breakfast table, Nanny He went to Shen Zhilie’s room to call him down. She called him twice before he finally responded from inside. Approximately ten minutes later, Shen Zhilie emerged from his room still wearing his pajamas. It was obvious that he had just woken up.

“Morning, Dad. Morning, Mom. Morning, Nanny He.” Shen Zhilie yawned loudly before continuing. “Morning, Missus.”

Ye Qianqian was a little embarrassed. In the northern vernacular, addressing someone as “Missus” was akin to calling her his wife.

With her face blushing slightly, Ye Qianqian sat at the corner and ate the breakfast that Nanny He had prepared for her without a single sound.

Shen Zhilie sat beside Ye Qianqian matter-of-factly. He looked around and asked, “Where’s Grandma?”

“She’s still in her room. I called her just now, but I think she’s in the midst of computing her divinations,” Nanny He whispered. “Elderly people tend to think too much. As the younger generation, you don’t need to bother too much about it. We are now in an era of science. It’s better not to believe all these superstitions.”

“We won’t. In any case, Grandma has already ruined the lives of my brother and Sister Manting. There’s no way I’ll believe that crap.” Shen Zhilie took the food from Nanny He and said, “Oh, right! Where has my brother been these few days?”

“I was told that he was away for work, but who knows? He’s constantly disappearing.” Shen Longyue was in the middle of reading the newspapers. When he spoke, he put the papers down. “Take good care of Qianqian,” he said. “Since she’s pregnant, there are aspects that you will have to pay special attention to. Over the next few days, I’ll be away for an important meeting. The day after that, we’ll pay Qianqian’s family a visit and propose the marriage.”

Ye Qianqian couldn’t react in time. Pre… pregnant?

She felt her conscience prick, and she glanced at Shen Zhilie.

She had no idea how Shen Zhilie achieved it, but he maintained a complete calm as he nodded his head and replied, “Sure. Qianqian still has to go back to work and will be going back to Kingstown tomorrow, and I’ll have to apply for a leave of absence from work.”

“Sure, go ahead. Your mom and I will be there the day after tomorrow.”

“Where are you going the day after tomorrow?” a crackly old voice suddenly rang out. The old lady walked over and asked again, “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Grandma, have some breakfast,” Shen Zhilie said as he nudged Qianqian, who was frozen to the spot.

Ye Qianqian greeted immediately, “Grandma.”

Old Mrs. Shen’s face looked dark as she clarified, “You’re going to propose marriage and deliver the betrothal gifts the day after tomorrow?”

“Yeah, Mom. Why don’t you sit down to talk?” Mrs. Shen stood up and pulled out a stool for the old lady.

“No. I object.” Old Mrs. Shen shoved the stool back under the table. “Of all the places that the line of short fate could appear, it appeared on Ye Qianqian’s lifeline.”

“Mom, we have to move on with the times. Why do you still believe in that? It’s good enough that our child likes her!”

“Don’t you know your son’s character well? He never had a proper girlfriend throughout all his years. If this lady were to really die, do you think he’d ever remarry?”