After Divorce: Why My Aloof Ex Starts Chasing Me?
Chapter 145 Clingy

Chapter 145: Chapter 145 Clingy

Li Hongyan and Yang Fen paid a visit to the Jiang Family, which inevitably affected Shen Qingqing’s mood.

When she saw Jiang Zhixun, she wasn’t as calm and composed as before.

There was a faint sense of detachment about her.

Not obvious.

But those with a keen eye could sense it.

She shifted her body slightly, rejecting Jiang Zhixun’s approach and offer to help. "It’ll be done soon. Let me cut it."

Jiang Zhixun didn’t press her, afraid she might cut herself.

But he didn’t want to leave either. Even though he felt her detachment, he still wanted to stay in the kitchen, steal a few more glances at her.

He moved two steps to the side, keeping a safe distance from Shen Qingqing.

Not too close, not too far.

Just right.

Jiang Zhixun knew how to do housework. When on holiday at home, he would also cook meals.

But this was the first time he stayed around doing nothing, clinging to someone like this.

Madam Jiang found it unbearable to watch.

No matter how much he missed Qingqing, he couldn’t just stick to her like a shadow, circling around her all the time.

He had to take it step by step, or else he’d scare her off again!

She said, "Stop standing around here. Go clean the fish. Once it’s steamed, we can eat. If you drag this out any longer, we’ll end up combining lunch and dinner."

"Alright, after she’s done cutting the veggies."

Jiang Zhixun walked to the living room, took off his jacket, and casually draped it over the back of the sofa.

He was left in just his shirt. As he walked back into the kitchen, he rolled up his sleeves, exposing his tanned, muscular arms.

The sinew and strength in them hinted at the rigor of his years of training, leaving their mark on him.

He also took off his watch and slid it into his trouser pocket.

All the while, Jiang Zhixun’s gaze openly and unabashedly rested on Shen Qingqing’s hands as she chopped the vegetables.

Her skin was very fair. Her fingers were slim and delicate, lily-white with a touch of pink at the tips. Her nails were neatly trimmed and clean.

Her chopping motion was precise and practiced, without a single wasted movement.

No matter how you looked at it, it was beautiful.

Not even a minute had passed when Shen Qingqing finished cutting the vegetables. She handed the knife to him.

Without trying to take advantage of the moment, Jiang Zhixun accepted the knife and went to the yard to handle the fish with a basin in hand.

The warmth of her touch lingered on the knife handle. It was only then that Jiang Zhixun felt a sense of reality.

Shen Qingqing had really come back.

His overly excited mind began to clear. Jiang Zhixun couldn’t help but wonder about the period when she had been out of contact. What had happened to her during that time?

Why hadn’t Zhou Hansheng returned to the country with her?

Was it merely a normal work arrangement, or was there something else, something kept under wraps?

The more he thought, the heavier his mood became.

He wanted to remarry Qingqing, but didn’t want her to get hurt by another man.

The mere thought of Shen Qingqing being wronged abroad made Jiang Zhixun feel both furious and agitated.

If—if Zhou Hansheng really had mistreated Qingqing, this matter definitely wouldn’t end there!

By the time he had finished handling the fish, Jiang Zhixun’s emotions had noticeably tightened.

Madam Jiang was puzzled.

What’s with this kid again?

With that cold look on his face—if he scares off Qingqing, he’ll end up hiding and crying again...

Strangely enough, with Jiang Zhixun acting like this, Shen Qingqing felt more at ease.

At least he wasn’t hovering too close, giving her that awkward, oppressive feeling.

The table was set with food. Together with the deli dishes Jiang Zhixun had bought, the table was packed full.

While she was abroad, Shen Qingqing had heard about the changes happening in China.

Now, she could truly feel them.

The people live by food—and the cuisine had improved tremendously. Surely, other aspects must have as well.

They were seated at a round table.

Deliberately arranged by the elders, Jiang Zhixun didn’t get to sit beside Shen Qingqing, but sat across from her instead, making it impossible for him to serve her food.

At the dinner table, Father Jiang asked Shen Qingqing about her experiences abroad.

He asked about her studies, her life—everything.

The only topic avoided was Zhou Hansheng.

They knew better than to pry too much into this matter. If Qingqing wanted to talk about it, she would bring it up herself.

Like when she had sent letters home saying she was dating Zhou Hansheng.

That had been her own initiative.

The people and things she didn’t bring up—they would do best to pretend as if they didn’t know.

"When are you going to complete your onboarding formalities?" Father Jiang asked about her job.

Shen Qingqing replied, "I’ll take care of it tomorrow."

"That soon?"

Shen Qingqing smiled and said, "I’ve already coordinated with the school, so I just have to meet the person in charge directly."

Jiang Zhixun seemed to be deep in thought.

If she had planned her return to the country all along, then the earlier period when she went out of contact made even less sense.

He understood her personality well enough to know that if Shen Qingqing didn’t want to talk, no amount of questioning could force it out of her.

For now, he could only suppress his doubts. Whatever had happened, he would find out sooner or later.

Madam Jiang asked Shen Qingqing, "Did the school assign you a dormitory? University teaching isn’t particularly demanding, right? Why not move back home? All your things are still here. I’ve taken them out for a wash every month, and on sunny days, I’d leave them in the yard to air out. Everything is in perfect condition and ready to use."

Shen Qingqing gave Madam Jiang a grateful glance.

Even among blood relatives, not many people would go to such lengths.

Perhaps there had been friction between them in the past, but nobody was perfect. It was impossible to be flawless in every way, to handle everything perfectly.

Now that Shen Qingqing was a few years older and had seen a broader world, she realized that the things she had once held onto weren’t such a big deal after all.

Madam Jiang really had treated her better than many people treated their own daughters.

She accepted the good she received.

As for the not-so-good, she simply ignored it.

"The school has allocated me a dormitory. Once I’m done with the onboarding process, I’ll move in. It’ll be more convenient for work that way."

Madam Jiang nodded. "That’s true. Just as well, Zhixun is on leave. He can help you move."

Shen Qingqing hurriedly declined. "I’ll just rent a car and find someone to help move the stuff."

Madam Jiang insisted, "It’s a hassle to let outsiders into the compound. Just let Zhixun help you move."

Before Shen Qingqing could respond, Jiang Zhixun gave a quiet "mm."

Then he said nothing else, eating as if nothing had happened—as though the person who’d been flustered earlier wasn’t him at all.

Father Jiang glanced at his son.

This boy had finally matured a bit. If he had just clung to Qingqing without considering her feelings, there would have been no hope for them, even if she had returned to the country.

Since outsiders couldn’t freely access the compound, Shen Qingqing thought it over and didn’t refute Madam Jiang’s suggestion further.

She thanked them. "Once I’m settled, I’ll treat you all to a meal at a restaurant."

Madam Jiang smiled and agreed. "Alright, we’ll take it as a celebration. This job is a great opportunity—everyone will envy you."

Being an intellectual earned respect, and being a university professor even more so.

Qingqing was only twenty-eight this year, and already so accomplished. In a few more years, her achievements would definitely be even greater.

She had been praised as a prodigy since childhood.

Now, it seemed the praise was spot-on.

She really was a prodigy!

One of the brightest among her peers!

Madam Jiang’s face lit up with pride. She was already planning to go out and share this good news with others later.

If Zhou Hansheng truly didn’t return to the country, Qingqing might yet become their family’s daughter-in-law again, Madam Jiang thought gleefully.

The more she looked at Shen Qingqing, the more she liked her.

Beautiful, well-educated, and gentle—wasn’t this simply the perfect daughter-in-law?

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