The 99th Divorce

Shen Luo’an cupped her cheek in the palm of his hand.

The look in his eyes softened and he seemed completely different from the maniacal and depraved man in her memory.

Shen Manting shrank back as she reached out to grab the hand that was stroking her cheek.

Shen Luo’an took advantage of her action to hold her hand as he gently said, “Trust me. Every word I’m saying now is true.”

His words were sincere.

Shen Manting felt a sense of deja vu upon hearing them.

It was as if Shen Luo’an had spoken them to her before, perhaps it was someplace else during the time that she couldn’t seem to recall

Every word automatically found its place in her mind.

In her mind, a phantom figure seemed to overlap with Shen Luo’an’s physical presence.

Shen Luo’an affectionate demeanour was messing with Shen Manting’s mind.

Her head began to hurt even more and she couldn’t endure it any further. With a frown, she lowered her head and said, “Shen Luo’an, my head hurts.”

Shen Luo’an’s eyes suddenly turned solemn and he immediately said, “Lie down for a while.”

As he spoke, he scooped her up in his arms without giving her a chance to protest.

Shen Manting yelped out in surprise, and immediately wrapped her arms around Shen Luo’an’s neck.

As she steadied herself and turned her head, Shen Luo’an’s handsome eyes filled her vision.

Feeling dizzy, she closed her eyes for a moment to rest them.

Upon being placed on the bed, Shen Manting soon shut her eyes and fell asleep.

Shen Luo’an sat beside her in silence. A myriad of emotions engulfed him, it was as if someone had opened a jar of feelings inside him.

“I know you’ve always hated me,” Shen Luo’an said with his back facing her. His elbows were resting against his knees, his face buried in his hands.

His voice echoed out between the gaps of his fingers. Dully, he continued, “But almost three years have passed, Manting. We still have to think about the future. I want to make it up to you. Will you at least try to give me a chance to?”

A chance for him to right his wrongdoings, and a chance for her to be loved.

Shen Luo’an’s words were met with a long silence in the room.

After a good ten seconds, the sound of shallow sobbing suddenly came from behind him.

Shen Luo’an stiffened slightly and turned around to look.

Shen Manting had her fists clenched around the blanket and her eyes were filled with tears. Looking at Shen Luo’an with an aggrieved expression, she pouted her lips and called out, “Hubby…”

Shen Luo’an’s head began to throb painfully.

Shen Manting threw herself at Shen Luo’an and said, “Hubby, to whom were you talking to just now?”

Shen Luo’an hugged her without a second thought and casually replied, “To you.”

“No! You weren’t talking to me!” Shen Manting whimpered. “You’ve never spoken to me in that manner. You were talking to someone else, weren’t you?”

Little Shen Manting’s mentality was only that of a 12-year-old at this very moment.

However, being an orphan, she was more sensitive and perceptive than some adults in certain aspects.

Shen Luo’an held her and could hear the pain in her words.

Hugging her gently, Shen Luo’an lowered his head and affectionately kissed the tearstain at the corner of her eye. “Manting,” he whispered, “I was talking to my dear Manting.”

“Hubby,” Shen Manting hugged him and burrowed her face into his embrace. “There’s another Manting, isn’t there?” she asked.

Shen Luo’an froze, at a loss of how to respond.

“Hubby, that Manting isn’t me. I’m Manting. Don’t fall in love with the other Manting, please?” Shen Manting was almost begging him as she held him tightly. “That Manting wants to hate you. She doesn’t want to be with you. She said you’re a horrible person. I told her she was wrong but she just refuses to believe me!”

Shen Luo’an was silent.

His attitude made Shen Manting even more upset. “Hubby, you’re not a horrible person. You’ll never hurt me. The other Shen Manting is the one who’s horrible! She doesn’t believe that you’re good.”