The Withered Tree Always Welcomes Spring chapter 11

“What about the kid?” Wu Bie threw away his cigarette and glanced back at the tightly closed door.

Chen Xian had just finished washing up, his temple hair wet and sticking to his cheeks. He tightened his jaw and replied, “staying at home.”

Wu Bie sensed something off in his tone, catching a glimpse of Chen Xian’s serious expression. Finally angry? If so, it’s not the right time to be angry. Wait until we find that girl, Jiang Ying, and settle the score properly.

The phone booth was located on Telegraph Second Road, close to the passenger transportation center. With many buildings around, it wasn’t easy to pinpoint Jiang Ying’s location.

Chen Xian looked at the residential buildings and murmured, “So many buildings, I wonder where she is.”

Wu Bie, with a smug look, whispered to his ear, “I’ve inquired. In one of those buildings on the third floor, a man and a woman recently moved in, and the woman seems to be pregnant.”

Upon hearing the word “pregnant,” Chen Xian’s heart sank. He pretended to be nonchalant and asked, “Who did you inquire from? Why wasn’t I informed?”

“You don’t play cards, so naturally, you wouldn’t know those well-connected people,” Wu Bie said with a hint of pity as he patted Chen Xian’s back. Being an honest person had no benefits. Living honestly without gambling or whoring around only made one an easy target for others to bully.

The entrance to this residential building was hidden, twisting and turning several times. After circling around, they finally reached the entrance. On the third floor, there were four households in total. Wu Bie gestured with his eyes towards the door on the left.

Chen Xian followed his gaze. The couplet beside the door was somewhat tattered, forcibly glued back with glue, and there was dried mugwort hanging on it.

They weren’t sure if Jiang Ying was behind this door, but since they had come here, Chen Xian didn’t want to hesitate. He took a deep breath and approached the door, knocking on it.

“Who’s there?” an elderly voice came from inside the door. Chen Xian looked at Wu Bie in confusion, as if asking what was going on.

Wu Bie shrugged, no one had told him there was an elderly person living in this room.

Chen Xian felt like backing off. He didn’t want to make a scene, but as he hesitated, the door opened from the inside, revealing an elderly person hunched over.

“Who are you looking for?” The elderly man, hard of hearing and short-sighted, couldn’t see clearly and spoke loudly.

Chen Xian and Wu Bie craned their necks to look inside. There were very few things in the house; this old man seemed to live alone.

Chen Xian breathed a sigh of relief. He still asked, “Excuse me… does Jiang Ying live here?”

The old man tilted his head, trying to hear clearly. “Huh? What?”

Wu Bie was about to raise his voice to ask again when the door behind them opened at that moment. They both turned around, and the person behind the iron door also looked at them in surprise.

Jiang Ying.

Jiang Ying reacted quickly, as if to close the door.

Chen Xian stepped forward, grabbing the iron railing of the door with both hands. “Ah Ying!”

It was summer, and Chen Xian only now noticed that Jiang Ying’s belly was slightly protruding. It turned out she wasn’t lying about being pregnant. Seeing Jiang Ying’s belly firsthand, the sense of betrayal overwhelmed him.

“Damn it!” Wu Bie cursed. The visual impact of pregnancy was still quite shocking. Chen Xian had nothing to lose now. Wu Bie’s mind was hot, and he shouted, “You wench! Pay back his money!”

Originally, Jiang Ying felt a bit guilty, but hearing Wu Bie curse, she also felt irritated.

“Chen Xian, is this necessary?” Her tone made it seem like she was the victim. “I’m pregnant now. Is it appropriate for you to bring Wu Bie here to make trouble? Do you think it’s right?”

Damn it!

Wu Bie had never seen someone turn the tables so smoothly. When she was with Chen Xian, she always acted like a saint. How come he didn’t realize she wasn’t that innocent?

Knowing Chen Xian wouldn’t argue, Wu Bie was furious. “The brat isn’t even Chen Xian’s!”

The derogatory term “brat” deeply offended Jiang Ying. Her eyes reddened, she glared fiercely at Wu Bie and then turned to Chen Xian with righteousness.

“It’s because you’re never at home. Even if there’s a fault, it’s not solely mine.”

Chen Xian swallowed hard, his throat dry as if scraped with a knife. He wanted to speak but couldn’t find his voice.

Seeing Chen Xian’s dilemma, Wu Bie was furious. “Chen Xian has given you all his money. When you spent his money, why didn’t you complain? Now you blame him for not being home. You want everything, don’t you? You can’t stand loneliness, so you cheat, or did Chen Xian force you? Don’t pin the blame on others!”

Maybe realizing she was in the wrong, Jiang Ying, who had been acting soft and weak, couldn’t maintain the facade anymore. She couldn’t contain her anger and yelled at Wu Bie, “What business is it of yours?”

If it weren’t for Wu Bie’s instigation, Chen Xian, with his personality, would never have come knocking on the door. Let alone divorce, even the matter of money, he would’ve silently borne the loss.

The more Jiang Ying thought about it, the angrier she became. “Who do you think you are? Thirty years old and still idling around. Apart from sailing, you come back and hang out with shady people. What right do you have to criticize me? This is between Chen Xian and me. If we divorce, it’s between us. Why do you, an outsider, have to butt in?”

Indeed, it was a matter between the couple. Wu Bie was speechless, and Chen Xian, the party involved, who hadn’t said a word, suddenly spoke up, looking Jiang Ying in the eyes, devoid of any emotion.

“I want a divorce. Besides the divorce, I came here to talk about the money.”

Chen Xian felt quite helpless. It was bad enough that he felt helpless himself, but it also indirectly caused Wu Bie to suffer, and he even vented his anger on the innocent Shen Jixue. He thought it was enough; he didn’t want to drag others down with him.

Jiang Ying never expected Chen Xian, who had always been easy-going, to bring up money matters himself.

“Chen Xian, besides this matter, what else have I done to wrong you? I’ve spent my prime years with you, without credit but with hard work. I took this money feeling justified.”

Chen Xian found it hard to believe. Jiang Ying, who had once been gentle and understanding, had become so unreasonable. “Then what about me? What have I done to wrong you? What have I done that makes you feel wronged? Is it because I’ve been working away from home for years, with only money and no companionship? Does that inconvenience you?”

Jiang Ying turned away, avoiding Chen Xian’s gaze. Chen Xian indeed hadn’t done anything to wrong her, but she didn’t want to admit that.

“Who knows what men do outside? How would I know when I’m at home? If you say you haven’t done anything, then fine, I’ll have to believe you.”

Chen Xian opened his mouth, unsure of what expression to show Jiang Ying. In this time, he had countless times made excuses for her, but in the end, this was how she saw him.

A surge of anger rose in his chest, burning his rationality to ashes. “To justify yourself, do you have to twist even the truth? I live honorably and uprightly, with a clear conscience before heaven and earth.”

“Say what you want, I’ve decided to divorce you.” Jiang Ying lowered her head, her voice becoming quieter.

Chen Xian responded firmly, “Yes, I’ve decided to divorce you too. And please return all the money you took.”

At this moment, Jiang Ying was wearing a nightgown with her hair half-tied, strands loose and unkempt. She looked somewhat disheveled, her eyes filled with resentment, as she finally uttered a parting shot.

“If you want the money, you might as well take my life.”

With that, she slammed the door shut with a bang, ignoring all knocks from Chen Xian and Wu Bie.

Wu Bie pounded the iron door with his fist, rust falling off noisily. “Damn, what do we do now?”

They weren’t divorced yet, so whether it was about money or emotions, it was still a domestic dispute. Even if they called the police, how would they handle it?

For a moment, Chen Xian was at a loss. After pondering for a while, he knocked on the door twice. “Jiang Ying, since you want a divorce, stop hiding and let’s agree on a time to handle the paperwork together.”

After saying this, he turned and walked downstairs. Wu Bie hurriedly followed beside him. “Is that it? You’re not going to pursue the money?”

Chen Xian frowned deeply and sighed heavily. “Of course, I want the money, but with her like this, even if we stand at the door all day, we won’t get it.”

As much as Wu Bie understood the logic, he was still worried. “Are we just leaving like this? What if she runs off again?”

Chen Xian shook his head. “If she wants a divorce, she won’t run far.”

After a morning of turmoil, they returned when the sun was at its peak. Wu Bie complained about being hungry, and they stopped at a small restaurant by the roadside.

As the steamer opened, a light mist enveloped the dishes inside. Chen Xian could vaguely make out what was in the bowls. It was past lunchtime; Shen Jixue must have missed breakfast.

“What do you want to eat?” Wu Bie, angered by Jiang Ying, rubbed his hands in anticipation, preparing to turn his anger into appetite.

Chen Xian ordered two servings of food to go. “You eat here. I’ll head back first.”

“What’s the rush? Eat before you go back.”

Chen Xian paid for the three meals and explained to Wu Bie, “Shen Jixue has been alone at home all morning. He must be hungry.”

Wu Bie felt like cursing. Why was Chen Xian so fond of playing the good samaritan? He still hadn’t learned from his experiences with Jiang Ying, and now he was doing it again with Shen Jixue. What’s the deal with him? He was bound to suffer again.

“Pack one for me too!” Wu Bie didn’t want to eat alone and lose his appetite. Despite his complaints, he grabbed the packed meals and followed Chen Xian out.