The 99th Divorce

Shen Luo’an fell silent at Shen Manting’s retort.

But he couldn’t help taking another glance at her.

“What did the doctor say to you?”

“Nothing.” Shen Manting kept eating. “All he said was that my mood was unstable, or something along that line. What else could he have said?”

She appeared exceptionally calm, as if she was describing something insignificant.

Aunt Lin couldn’t help turning to glance at her.

Shen Luo’an seemed unhappy, but he held back his temper.

They remained silent. No one spoke again.

After supper, Shen Manting went back to her room.

She locked the door without even first carrying the infant. Nobody knew what she was up to inside.

Aunt Lin, still holding the infant in her arms, felt something was amiss. She sat down in front of Shen Luo’an and said, “Manting has been acting strangely today.”

Shen Luo’an thought something was wrong too. He glanced at the tiny infant in Aunt Lin’s arms and replied, “Perhaps she’s in a bad mood. I’ll check on her later.”

“Is she planning to run away? She’s been acting really strange today, all day.” Aunt Lin’s gaze was fixed on the door of the room. She couldn’t help recalling the image of Shen Manting escaping through the window.

Shen Luo’an thought nothing of it. He smiled and looked at the infant. “Don’t worry, she won’t give up on Little Moon.”

Aunt Lin glanced at the baby, too.

She nodded and said, “You’re right. The baby still has to be breast-fed. She wouldn’t have the heart to leave him behind.”

However, Shen Manting stayed inside the room for a long time.

The infant fell asleep, then woke up crying.

Aunt Lin noticed that he had soiled his diaper.

“Bring me a clean diaper,” she commanded, before whispering, “Go check on Manting. Don’t let her become ill from staying cooped up inside the room for too long.”

Shen Luo’an obeyed and found the key to the room easily.

However, he felt a strong resistance against the door.

As though something was blocking the door.

He pushed the door open with a forceful heave. To his surprise, he found the room empty.

Gusts of wind swept in from outside the window and lashed across Shen Luo’an.

Whoosh.

The wind was so strong that the objects in the room were blown askew.

The bed was left in a mess. The lights were dimmed.

Shen Luo’an immediately felt something was wrong. He quickly turned on the light.

The room was illuminated.

But no one was in the room.

The wardrobe and the window were thrown open – telling indicators of Shen Manting’s whereabouts.

Aunt Lin had never expected that Shen Manting would leave without her baby.

Stunned, she looked at Shen Luo’an in a completely different light now. She didn’t believe it before, but now…

So they were really brother and sister?

Shen Manting didn’t go far.

Firstly, she was a bit hesitant. Secondly, the motive of her departure was too obvious.

Since she had made up her mind to leave, she would leave nothing behind.

She didn’t want to endure a life of inhumane abuse and the demoralizing humiliation of depending on others for her livelihood.

She would support herself, even if she had to live alone.

As for the child…

Since the Shen family wanted him so badly, they wouldn’t mistreat him.

Shen Manting laid herself down on the bed in the room of an inn and closed her eyes.

Before she knew it, she was fast asleep. But she was soon awakened by the swelling in her breasts.

Shen Manting frowned upon noticing her blouse was damp. She lifted it and took a look at her red and swollen breasts.

They felt hard like stones to the touch.

There was white discharge flowing out. Her swollen, sore breasts were a disturbing sight.

She glanced at the time – it was morning already.

She realized she hadn’t fed her baby all night.

She sniffled at the unsettling thought.

Her tears fell uncontrollably.