The 99th Divorce

Shen Luo’an had finished arranging the lunch packs on the table. He paused and looked up at her.

Shen Manting wore a conflicted expression on her face. She said, “The baby is still young. I want to take care of him for some time. Do you mind letting him live with me for a while?”

She was… asking for his permission.

Shen Luo’an was vaguely able to guess what she had in mind.

He laughed in a self-mocking tone. Then, he sat down and passed her the food. “Sure. I don’t see why not.”

Shen Manting’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

“Yes, but you have to look after the baby at home. Don’t move the child around too much.” Shen Luo’an looked at her and added, “When I first brought him over from Jiangsu, he didn’t adapt too well to the local conditions.”

“I won’t be too far away. I’m staying in the capital!” Shen Manting looked at him. “I have a job in the capital. I’m able to support him.”

She would be earning five thousand yuan a month with free accommodation. If she saved on meals, her salary would be enough to raise the child.

“What’s the nature of your job? Would you be capable of juggling both your work and bringing up the child?” asked Shen Luo’an with a mocking sneer on his face.

His expression looked hostile. Shen Manting glanced at him and felt anger rising within her. She snapped, “What do you mean?”

“What do you think I meant? Why are you so easily provoked?” Shen Luo’an withdrew his gaze.

Shen Manting’s anger had reached a peak. “Can’t you be more civil in your speech?”

“Wasn’t I civil enough?” Shen Luo’an glanced at her dismissively. “I neither yelled at nor scolded you. Didn’t I speak to you civilly enough?”

“I…” For a while, Shen Manting was completely speechless.

Her stomach growled at the sight of him savoring his meal slowly.

“Have some food. Don’t accuse me of mistreating you.” Shen Luo’an left a pair of chopsticks on her lunch pack. “We’ll discuss after our meal.”

Shen Manting felt acutely uneasy. Looking at Shen Luo’an’s calm appearance, she became even more infuriated.

She set the baby down carefully, wiped her hands, and picked up the chopsticks. She began to dig into the food.

She had to treat herself well no matter the circumstances.

After finishing her meal, Shen Manting collected the lunchboxes and discarded them into the garbage bin.

Shen Luo’an wiped the corner of his mouth and said slowly, “Move back home if you’d like then. There’s a spare room available for the nanny after Aunt Zhang left.”

“Are you treating me as a nanny?” Shen Manting blurted in disbelief.

She was the infant’s mother!

Would she have to be paid for her services like a nanny, when she was rightfully caring for her own child?

How ironic!

“What else did you expect to be?” Shen Luo’an looked at her and jeered in a low voice, “The mistress of the house? Or a wet nurse?”

Shen Manting was at a loss for words. She felt a painful jab in her heart.

She felt miserable.

She felt utterly miserable.

“Since you’ve been trying to distance yourself from me and the baby, wouldn’t marrying me be too much to ask of you?” Shen Luo’an stood up and wiped his hands with a damp paper towel. “So the most I could ask of you is to be a nanny. It’s also an opportunity for you to take care of the baby, while I’ll be assured that he’ll be in good hands. I’ll pay you well.”

He tossed the damp paper towel away and said softly with a vague expression, “You know how generous I’ve been to you all along.”

He didn’t say anything explicitly hostile, yet every word felt like a dagger piercing through her heart.

Shen Manting sniffled as tears began to well up in her eyes.

She swallowed with restraint and leaned over to check the infant’s temperature.

He was faring much better than before.

But the scorching heat from his body a moment ago lingered on her skin.

She would never forget that.