Volume One, Chapter Three: Departing, Two Hearts That Cannot Be Warmed
At eight in the evening, Shen Shuhe waited in the living room for Pei Jingmo and Xiao Yu.
Both wore smiles, but the moment they saw her, their expressions changed in unison, the smiles vanishing.
“Mom…” Xiao Yu stood awkwardly, calling out hesitantly.
Pei Jingmo glanced at her once, with no intention of speaking, and pulled Xiao Yu upstairs.
“Jingmo, Xiao Yu, where did you go this afternoon?” Shen Shuhe’s voice was calm as she took the initiative to ask.
Xiao Yu pursed his lips and looked her way. After a moment’s thought, he began to reply, “Mom, I went with Dad…”
“Xiao Yu, go upstairs and wash up.”
Before he could finish, Pei Jingmo interrupted and patted his son on the back, signaling him to go.
Xiao Yu glanced between the two, then took three cautious steps up the stairs, looking back each time.
Silence returned to the living room. Shen Shuhe looked at Pei Jingmo. “Jingmo, we’re married, and Xiao Yu is my son. Why do you treat me like a stranger? Do you think I would ever harm my own child?”
Pei Jingmo let out a contemptuous laugh. “Shen Shuhe, do you remember what I said when we got married?”
Her expression stiffened, tinged with embarrassment.
Those painful memories flooded back like a tide.
Five years ago, when she was pregnant, Pei Jingmo was forced to marry her.
There was no public announcement, no wedding ceremony.
Only two red marriage certificates.
That night, Pei Jingmo carelessly tossed the certificate to the floor and looked down at her with a warning glare.
Shen Shuhe still remembered every word.
He said he did not like her—he even despised her—and if it weren't for his grandmother’s pressure, he would never have agreed.
He said aside from the certificate, their relationship was unchanged; she had no right to interfere in his affairs.
Finally, he said not to think pregnancy was an excuse to slack off; she still had to do her job well.
Perhaps because of their changed relationship, Pei Jingmo grew colder and harsher, repeatedly blocking her work.
Shen Shuhe recalled when she was four months pregnant, a project failure led to the entire team being scolded harshly by Pei Jingmo—including her.
During overtime, she suffered a threatened miscarriage and was hospitalized.
She stayed in the hospital for a week without Pei Jingmo’s presence.
Even on the day she delivered prematurely, Pei Jingmo left her alone in the hospital due to a meeting.
Recalling all this, Shen Shuhe found it almost hard to breathe.
“The marriage five years ago was only for grandmother’s sake. That doesn’t give you the right to interfere in my affairs!” Pei Jingmo sneered at her pale face, lips curling sarcastically. “So stop calling yourself my ‘wife.’ You have no right!”
She leaned on the sofa, struggling to control her trembling voice. “So now, you want to give my child to someone else?”
His response was a disdainful snort.
Pei Jingmo said nothing, but Shen Shuhe knew she was right.
Over the years, Pei Jingmo never stopped her from seeing Xiao Yu, but since she was transferred to Nine Ports three years ago, leaving at the time their son needed care most, it was Song Qingyin who came and went at the mansion to look after him.
Her own biological mother could only reunite with her son during holidays and had to settle for videos to ease their longing daily.
Shen Shuhe’s lips curved bitterly as a mournful smile escaped.
Now, Pei Jingmo even sought to strip her of her rights as a mother…
After dropping that sentence, Pei Jingmo cast a warning glance at her before heading upstairs.
Shen Shuhe closed her eyes, suppressing the ache in her heart, supporting herself against the sofa as she slowly sank to the floor.
Half an hour later, having composed herself, she went upstairs and knocked on Xiao Yu’s door.
After hearing “Come in,” she pushed the door open.
Xiao Yu looked up and said, “Mom.”
She responded with a hum, placed a glass of milk in front of him, and quietly straightened his blanket.
Xiao Yu watched her, furrowing his brow, pondering.
What did Mom mean by acting cold? Was she angry today?
But he had promised to go out with Mommy Qingyin early on. If he broke that promise to accompany Mom, Mommy Qingyin would surely be sad.
Dad said, you mustn’t let the people you like be unhappy.
So he had to spend the birthday with Dad and Mommy Qingyin.
Xiao Yu walked over to Shen Shuhe and asked gently, “Mom, are you angry?”
Shen Shuhe paused and looked at him. “No.”
Xiao Yu sat on the edge of the bed, tapping his little legs, pouting. “Mom, you’re clearly angry. Why are you lying to me?”
“But Dad and I didn’t mean to. He’s busy working every day to support the family. When we were about to leave, Dad had a work problem, so I went on the trip with him. Mom, you have to understand Dad.”
“Besides, today is my birthday. I’m not upset yet…”
He spoke softly, but Shen Shuhe heard every word.
Upon hearing this, the last flicker of hope in her heart vanished.
He had lied to her.
She knew it was because he wanted to hide the truth—that today they had celebrated the birthday with Pei Jingmo and Song Qingyin.
Suddenly, all her disappointment, sorrow, and even her frustration and anger faded away.
Looking at her son, she gently stroked his cheek.
Though she smiled, barely any warmth shone in it.
“Okay, I understand.”
Xiao Yu smiled, then hugged her and looked up innocently. “So, Mom, where’s the cake you brought me? Can I eat your cake first? That counts as celebrating my birthday, right?”
Shen Shuhe calmly pulled his hand away and tidied his small pillow before standing up straight. “The cake melted; someone took care of it already.”
“If you want cake, Mom will buy you some tomorrow.”
Xiao Yu nodded. “Okay!”
Afterward, Shen Shuhe told him to rest early, took her cup, and left the room.
Xiao Yu put down his arms and rubbed his round belly.
Today, he had already eaten cake many times with Mommy Qingyin. Fortunately, Mom’s cake was gone, or he wouldn’t have been able to eat another bite!
Thinking of the promise to go out with Song Qingyin, Xiao Yu smiled brightly and picked up his little phone to send her a “Good night.”
…
The next day, after Pei Jingmo and Xiao Yu left the house, at nine in the morning, Shen Shuhe carried her suitcase downstairs.
Aunt Li saw her and asked, “Madam, are you leaving so soon?”
Shen Shuhe forced a faint smile. “I have something to attend to. Also, I’ll be sending something to Pei Jingmo later. Aunt Li, please help me pass it to him.”
Aunt Li replied hesitantly, “...Alright.”
Shen Shuhe dragged her suitcase outside. The wind brushed her hair across her forehead, and Aunt Li exclaimed, “Madam, your forehead is swollen! Let me put some medicine on it!”
Shen Shuhe touched it and smirked bitterly.
Yesterday, on the way to get the cake, she had been rear-ended; the restaurant staff noticed the scratches on her arm.
Aunt Li saw the redness and swelling on her forehead.
Yet the two people she loved most hadn’t uttered a single word.
Shen Shuhe closed her eyes. “It’s nothing, thank you.”
With that, she straightened her back and left.
Aunt Li frowned, watching her slender figure retreat.
From Madam’s attitude, it seemed she knew what had happened and was heartbroken.
But as a servant, she had no right to speak.
An hour later, at Lanting Elegant Residence.
Shen Shuhe rang the doorbell. After two or three seconds, it opened, and she was immediately embraced tightly.
“You stubborn girl, you finally came back!”
“You’re choking me…”
“Serves you right! Forgetting your best friend just because of a man, you little traitor!”
Shen Shuhe’s expression grew somber.
Over the years, due to work and family, she had indeed neglected many who cared for and loved her.
“Alright, just teasing you. Come on in,” the woman said, pulling her inside.
On the sofa, Shen Shuhe sat side by side with Wen Yu.
The two huddled with pillows on the couch.
After hearing Shen Shuhe’s words, Wen Yu asked, “Have you really decided to divorce Pei Jingmo?”
Shen Shuhe nodded firmly. “I have. It’s been five years and I still couldn’t make him see me. Why hold on any longer?”