Chapter 11 Shen Peibai Apologizes

• Back at home, Wang Yuzhen locked herself up in her bedroom. She was now mortified to the core and was too guilty to speak with her daughter.
• Shen Peibai was lying in her bed, feeling lost and helpless. She felt so vulnerable at the moment, but no one was there to look after her. Feeling forlorn, she could not help but reminisce the time when Lin Jue had been around taking care of her when she was ill. Gone were the days when he would be attending to the medicinal herbs, fetching drinking water, massaging to help her relax and indulging her with all sorts of loving care.
• Now it was only her lying in bed alone…
• Just as Shen Peibai was caught in a trance, Wang Sisi entered.
• “Sisi.” greeted Shen Peibai upon realizing the arrival of her visitor, and her eyes started to tear.
• Wang Sisi placed her palm on Shen Peibai’s forehead and then frowned. “You seem feverish. Have you taken your medicine? I was worried for you so I came… After all, there’s no one who can take care of you here…”
• Shen Peibai acknowledged with a groan. A hint of melancholy flashed in her eyes.
• Wang Sisi gazed thoughtfully at Shen Peibai and said, “Peibai, tell me the truth. Don’t you have even a trickle of feelings for Lin Jue for all that he’s done for you the past one year?”
• Shen Peibai’s eyes were fixated on the ceiling above, giving away pensive hints. Eventually, she sighed deeply, “I’m not sure… We have been separated for three days already. In his absence over these three days, my heart feels like something is missing… But I can’t tell if the sentiment is that of inconvenience or of the soul…”
• Wang Sisi forced a wry smile on her face and then heaved a deep sigh. She said to Shen Peibai, “Has your mom told you about Lin Jue’s actions earlier today?”
• Shen Peibai was intrigued and asked, “What is it about Lin Jue?”
• Wang Sisi said, “It’s about what Lin Jue did for a woman. He had spent hundreds of thousands in the D-brand fashion store today buying clothes for that woman…”
• “Oh, that… Yea, she’s told me about it” nodded Shen Peibai pensively. She did not know what was wrong with her now. She was so vulnerable and her head was filled with images of Lin Jue, the man whom she had called useless.
• “Peibai, you were high schoolmates with Lin Jue. My guess is that he probably fell for you then. So, that’s why before Mr. Shen passed away, he had agreed to move in to your family as a matrilocal husband just to take care of you. He probably didn’t do that for the hundred thousand that Mr. Shen had promised him, because… Well… You know… He didn’t need the money at all.” Wang Sisi told her gently.
• “Yeah, he didn't come for the hundred thousand after all…” Shen Peibai's heart jerked.
• But before Shen Peibai could finish, Wang Sisi interjected, “So Chen Xi and I are quite certain that the person who has been helping you in secret all along is Lin Jue!”
• “He’s the one who has been helping me, huh… Ya, I knew that.” Shen Peibai closed her eyes, struggling with emotions again. She did not understand why she suddenly felt a sharp, intense heartache.
• “Peibai, I have been through many relationships myself. Take it from me, a man like Lin Jue is hard to come by. I know this man has a place in your heart. I can tell from your expressions. Lin Jue doesn’t belong in Nanjiang City, and he may be leaving anytime now after the divorce… You, uh, don’t want to go and see him before he leaves? You may never see him again in this lifetime if you don’t, you know?” said Wang Sisi reminiscently, wisdom emanating from her eyes.
• Shen Peibai turned her head away to look out through the window, and tears welled up in her eyes.
• Seeing Shen Peibai in her current condition, Wang Sisi heaved a deep sigh. After all, she had been close to Shen Peibai for many years. She knew what Shen Peibai was really like as a person. Shen Peibai was strong and unrelenting to all appearances but she was indeed soft and vulnerable deep down. For most of her adult life she had been single and, through her own efforts and without relying upon the resources of the Shen’s, she had founded her own company.
• Shen Peibai was still staring blankly through the window when Wang Sisi had taken her leave. Her head was filled with images of Lin Jue, the man who had kept her company faithfully throughout the agonizing one year after her father had passed on.
• She used to see Lin Jue’s everyday presence as an eyesore. She had loathed him for his nagging, for not going out to work, for knowing only how to make meals and do laundry though being a man.
• It was only now she knew how much Lin Jue had given up just to care for her!
• The heartache grew even more intense and, without her knowing, tears came trickling down her face once again.
• Shen Peibai had wanted to stop thinking about Lin Jue altogether. But the more she tried to do so, the more she missed him. And the more she thought about how well Lin Jue had taken care of her, the more she tormenting she felt.
• Then she recalled that just last night, the person she had subconsciously called out for was Lin Jue and not her mother. It was at this point she saw the full picture that somehow the man had left a mark in her heart.
• Perhaps it was when he entered this house or when he kneeled before my father and made the vow… This man had somehow entered my heart.
• Coming to this realization, Shen Peibai took out her mobile phone and sent Lin Jue a text message on Wechat: I’d like to meet you…
• At the same time, Lin Jue was in his office when Shen Peibai’s text came through. He was surprised when he read the text message from his ex-wife. He was curious about her purpose for not only taking the initiative to contact him but also for asking to meet him. He was perplexed.
• But as Shen Peibai had taken the initiative to reach out to him, he had the courtesy to reply: Sure, where shall we meet?
• To which Shen Peibai replied: Let’s meet at Linjiang Park...
• He then agreed and prepared to leave as he replied: Alright, I will leave in ten minutes.
• It was half an hour later in the Linjiang Park which was located in Nanjiang City, where Lin Jue saw the pallid-faced Shen Peibai. Why have her conditions deteriorated overnight?
• Lin Jue went up to Shen Peibai with his brows furrowed deep. He asked, “What's wrong with you?”
• Shen Peibai glimpsed Lin Jue’s concerned eyes, waved it off and said, “It’s just a cold… It’s nothing…. Oh yeah, that Li Mingxuan whom you met last night… He’s not my boyfriend…”
• Lin Jue was lost for words for a moment at what his companion had just said. Why did she clarify about that?
• He had no idea where Shen Peibai was coming from so he said, “Um, you don’t have to explain that to me… It’s your freedom really, even if he were your boyfriend. You have my blessings. I was nothing but a matrilocal husband, moreover, we are divorced.”
• Shen Peibai felt pangs of regret in her heart when she heard Lin Jue’s reply.
• She gazed deeply at Lin Jue and tears started to well up, “Sorry, Lin Jue. Please accept my apologies for everything that my mom and I have done to you over this one year. I’m sorry…”
• BAM! Lin Jue was struck as shocked. She… is apologizing to me?