Chapter 12 Shen Peibai Crying

• No, something is not right about her! What happened? That was what immediately occurred to Lin Jue when he heard Shen Peibai apologizing to him for the first time. Thoughts ran over his mind. He knew Shen Peibai only too well. She was one who carried herself with high dignity. If it had not been for something she was unable to overcome, she would not have shown her weak side to anyone at all.
• “What's wrong? What happened? Can you tell me? I might be able to help!” asked Lin Jue gingerly.
• Shen Peibai took a deep breath and forced a smile on her face. “It’s nothing really… It’s just that I no longer see you around the house so I might need some getting used to. Can we take a walk together?”
• “Umm... Okay.” Lin Jue nodded, and then he walked alongside Shen Peibai toward the riverbank. Seeing that Shen Peibai remained reticent throughout the walk, he did not pursue further. He would get someone to find out for him later.
• During the stroll there were several times when Shen Peibai wanted to strike up a conversation with Lin Jue, but she held back for she did not know where to start. So was Lin Jue as he was lost for words being around Shen Peibai alone.
• So the couple had been strolling along without any exchange for over ten minutes. It was when they reached the riverbank only did Shen Peibai break the silence, “Are you leaving this city soon?”
• “Umm, yea… I’m taking the flight tomorrow noon.” Lin Jue replied gently.
• Shen Peibai wanted to ask him to stay but she held back. She could not bring herself to ask Lin Jue to stay… It was because she had neglected his feelings over the span of their yearlong marriage. Under the influence of her mother, she had always seen Lin Jue as someone who had married into her family for money.
• She had really mistreated Lin Jue over the past year. All sorts of outrageous biddings and humiliations were cast upon him. It was only until she finally lost him that she began to have regrets, deep regrets. Indeed, she was sorry for all that she had done to Lin Jue.
• “Hey, I’m really sorry about what you have gone through over the past year. Over our yearlong married life, I have always ridiculed you and criticized you about everything…. I’m very sorry…” Shen Peibai began shedding tear as she berated herself.
• Lin Jue was taken aback by what he was hearing from Shen Peibai. She had been apologizing to him again and again today. Moreover, he remembered he had only seen her cry once and that was when her father passed away.
• Seeing Shen Peibai cry made him extremely worried and uneasy. He passed her a piece of wipe.
• Shen Peibai returned her gratitude with a smile on her face as she took the wipe from his hand.
• “Right, you’re going back to where you came from. So, is Yin Xuan going with you? Remember to invite me to your wedding, okay? I’ll make sure to send my blessings…” Shen Peibai suddenly mentioned Lin Jue’s supposed new girlfriend…
• “Oh, so you really believed in that? Actually what happened was, Yin Xuan came to know that we had filed for divorce so she took it upon herself to mock you… There’s nothing between us...” Lin Jue burst out laughing.
• Shen Peibai felt relieved and pleased upon hearing what Lin Jue had said. A trace of smile flashed across her face and she said, “Hmm, did you hate me so much that you got someone to gloat at me?”
• “Oh, sorry... No, I didn’t mean to… Seriously.” replied Lin Jue with a smile.
• Lin Jue was going to leave all this behind and start over a new life soon. Although he found it regrettable to see that he and Shen Peibai ended up being divorced, he had in fact accepted the destiny. At least he had married her and kept her company for a year. This is enough… He was contented at the thought of that.
• As they were chatting, the wind started to blow over the riverbank, causing Shen Peibai to sneeze and rub her runny nose incessantly. Lin Jue said in concern, “It’s time for you to get back. Your cold is getting worse…”
• “Mm Hmm...” Shen Peibai suddenly felt mortified having spent time with Lin Jue alone. So she double backed.
• When Shen Peibai reached the entrance of the park and was about to hail a cab, Lin Jue called out to her.
• “The medicine is in the second drawer of the night stand at your bedside. You’ll find medicinal granules for cold and Gankang. You used to take Gankang whenever you caught a cold. The ginger pieces are in the kitchen cabinet next to the kitchen hood. I cut and kept those there. Ask your mom to make some ginger soup for you. Oh, and your winter pajamas is in the storage box which should be at the bottom of the big wardrobe. You’ll find your winter pajamas in it. Now that you’ve caught a cold, you should put on more clothes at night… ” reminded Lin Jue.
• Shen Peibai kept walking along ahead of Lin Jue as she listened to the latter’s nagging. It was the same nagging which used to irritate her but caused her to tear considerably now…
• Shen Peibai opened her mouth to scream in pain but not a sound came out of it. She had lost the man who had been willing to give up anything he had for her. She had lost him for good. She and her mother had hurt him deeply over the past one year, so deeply…
• Shen Peibai's body was shaking as a surge of pain tore through her heart, but she had managed with all her might to stay facing away from Lin Jue. She managed a nod and a wave in acknowledgement to what Lin Jue had said.
• After Shen Peibai left, Lin Jue remained on the spot. He was teary-eyed. He took a deep breath and calmed himself. Shen Peibai is acting strange. This isn’t right. Something must have gone wrong!
• Then Lin Jue began running his thoughts in his head. He concluded that, apart from Wang Yuzhen, the people he was most familiar with who were from his ex-wife’s social circle were Wang Sisi and Chen Xi. Lin Jue had often met them when he delivered things to Shen Peibai’s office and picked her up from work.
• Lin Jue was still frowning in thoughts as he hopped in a cab headed for Shen Peibai’s office.
• About ten minutes later, Lin Jue arrived at the entrance of the building where Shen Peibai’s company was located. He was troubled and his brow furrowed deep as he stepped inside. For what he saw now were a crowd of about thirty thronging Shen Peibai’s office.
• The noise of creditors clamoring for repayment of debts battered Lin Jue’s ears. Eyes focused into a glare, Lin Jue pushed himself through the rowdy crowd and found the beleaguered Wang Sisi and Chen Xi.
• “What’s happening here? What happened to your company?” Lin Jue directed his question to Chen Xi.
• Chen Xi managed to free herself of the tumultuous crowd and gasped, “Cash flow dearth… They’re the suppliers who’ve caught wind that we’re going bust, and are here chasing debt payments… Lin Jue, you should know…”
• But Chen Xi was cut off when a woman of the rowdy crowd jerked her back. “Don’t you think of running away from this, Chen! If we don’t get payments, we won’t let you leave this place. And who’s that guy over there?”
• “Dang! That guy is Shen Peibai’s husband! Don’t let him escape! If Shen Peibai dare not show up, then we’ll have her husband. Let’s go get him!” one of the clamoring suppliers launched forward and grabbed Lin Jue by the collar.
• “F*ck off!” Lin Jue gave his assailant a kick that sent the latter flying backward. It was absolutely savage. And owing to the example just set by Lin Jue, the mob went muted almost instantly.
• “Money is all you want, huh? Here, take the money and get the hell out of here!” Lin Jue whisked out a black card with dragon patterns, and chucked it onto the table next to him!
• BAM! It was pin drop silence.