Five years without pregnancy means you're too weak; I remarried a powerful man and had triplets

The flower baskets and fruit baskets on the table were neatly stacked, their wrapping paper reflecting the light under the fluorescent lamp.

Zhang Feng sat by Xu Jing's hospital bed, peeling a banana in her hand. After peeling it, she handed it directly to Xu Jing, saying something as she did so. Her face was beaming with a warm smile that Shen Zhiyi had never seen in their five-year marriage.

Xu Zhi stood by the window, holding a thermos in his hand, talking to Shen Ji.

Hsu Che-sheng leaned against the wall, his suit jacket draped over his arm, and his shirt sleeves rolled up to his forearms, striking the perfect pose of a "good son-in-law."

The scene was so harmonious, it looked like a carefully posed family portrait.

But this scene had never happened in the past five years.

In the past, whenever any relative of the Xu family, even a distant cousin who was not even remotely related to them, caught a minor cold, Shen Zhiyi would rush over without fail to offer her concern, buy fruit baskets, and give red envelopes, without missing a single one.

When it comes to their family members getting sick and being hospitalized, Xu Zhesheng always just says "I'm busy," while Zhang Feng and Xu Zhi are completely indifferent and don't even bother to make a phone call.

Back then, Xu Jing would comfort her instead: "You're just a country bumpkin, you don't understand these city formalities, don't take it to heart. You chose this path, just be patient and don't cause trouble."

Shen Zhiyi endured it.

He endured it for five years.

Now, with only four days left in the divorce cooling-off period, they suddenly appeared in the hospital room, with flower baskets and fruit provided. Zhang Feng peeled bananas herself, and Xu Zhi offered words of comfort and concern...

Shen Zhiyi stood at the door, her fingertips slowly tightening around the bag strap.

They wouldn't be that kind.

Absolutely not.

"Is Zhizhi here?"

Zhang Feng was the first to react. She immediately stood up, waved to Shen Zhiyi, and wore a kind smile that Shen Zhiyi had almost never seen before: "Come on, come on, today our family is finally reunited."

"Tell me, you didn't even tell us that your mother-in-law was sick. It was Ah Zhe who let it slip, and that's how your dad and I found out."

"How could we sit still now? We decided right then and there that we had to come and see. Fortunately, your mother was found out in time and it wasn't too late. The treatment was also quite effective, which put our minds at ease! Your mother-in-law is truly blessed."

As she spoke, her expression shifted between regret and relief, as if she were genuinely worried.

Xu Zhi chimed in, "Yes, Zhizhi, we're family after all. How could you not tell us something so important? Knowing your mother was sick worried your mother-in-law and me terribly. Luckily, Zhe came to visit before and knew a bit about the situation, otherwise we would have been such incompetent in-laws!"

Shen Zhiyi stood at the door, her face still bearing the polite smile she had when she pushed the door open, but the warmth in her eyes had already cooled down inch by inch.

She walked in calmly, placed her bag on a chair, and didn't say a word.

Zhang Feng immediately came forward, warmly taking Shen Zhiyi's hand, patting the back of her hand while sighing:

"Zhizhi, you're such a strong-willed child, always bearing everything on your own. Why didn't you tell me sooner that your mother was sick? We're family, we should face any difficulties together."

As she spoke, she turned to look at Xu Zhesheng, her eyes clearly conveying the implication that "your wife is so sensible, you should also express your opinion."

Xu Zhesheng understood immediately and followed suit, putting his arm around Shen Zhiyi's shoulder as if there had never been any rift between them.

He looked down at her, his tone gentle as if he were coaxing her: "Zhizhi, I know about Mom's illness. I was busy before and didn't have time to come and see her, it was my fault. It won't happen again."

He paused, then lowered his voice, adding slowly and deliberately in a volume only the two of them could hear, "Thank you for getting the film approved. I know you helped. We'll talk about it properly later, four days from now. Don't let your mother worry now, okay?"

These words were spoken softly, but loud enough for Zhang Feng and Xu Zhi, who were standing nearby, to hear clearly.

Zhang Feng immediately chimed in, her smile deepening, "That's right, what husband and wife hold a grudge overnight? Since A-Zhe has said so, Zhi-Zhi, don't argue. Your mother-in-law is still sick; if you two are getting along well, she'll feel at ease, won't she?"

Xu Zhi chimed in, picking up his thermos, taking a sip, and slowly speaking:

"Yes, Zhizhi, Zhe really knows he was wrong this time. Now that you've made up, we elders are relieved. From now on, you can live a good life as a family."

Shen Zhiyi listened to these words and felt as if she were watching a bad play.

They acted so well that if she weren't the person involved, she would almost believe it was a heartwarming scene of a loving couple visiting each other in the hospital.

The implication was clear: Xu Jing and Shen Ji had reconciled, Shen Zhiyi had helped them get the film approved, and the divorce was now off the table.

Sure enough, Xu Jing and Shen Ji, who were not very supportive of her divorce from Xu Zhesheng in the first place, had smiles that almost reached their ears when they saw them like this.

They were traditional people, and since the Shen family had never had a precedent for divorce, they were unwilling for Shen Zhiyi to divorce, both emotionally and rationally.

Shen Zhiyi bit her lip. She wasn't sure if today's scene was orchestrated by Xu Zhesheng and his family, or if they had teamed up with Xu Jing and Shen Ji to set a trap for her and lure her here.

But when she glanced at Xu Jing's face, she saw that Xu Jing had probably just finished taking her medication; her face was as white as a sheet of paper, and she was too emotionally vulnerable to any stimulation at the moment.

She lowered her eyes, concealing the coldness within them, offering neither rebuttal nor agreement.

She simply stepped away from Xu Zhesheng, walked to the bedside, and whispered to Xu Jing, "Mom, let me peel an apple for you."

She picked up an apple from the table, turned her back to them, and slowly began to peel it.

The Xu family's voices continued behind them, with Zhang Feng and Xu Zhi taking turns speaking, each more enthusiastic than the last, their words implying that she and Xu Zhesheng had reconciled.

Xu Jing glanced at her daughter silently and said calmly, "Zhizhi, your father and I have discussed it. No matter what happens, it's best not to get a divorce. Look, Zhe's movie is being promoted today, and he still took the time to come see me and even humbled himself to apologize to you. He's already giving you face. Don't be ungrateful."

Shen Ji sat on a chair in the corner of the ward, nodding in agreement, his voice low and firm:

"Zhizhi, your mother and I share the same opinion. It's normal for couples to have disagreements. You were the one who insisted on marrying him, so how can you just get a divorce now? Besides, Zhe already knows he was wrong. He said that all the family property will be under your control from now on. He has already admitted his mistake to this extent, so you should give him a way out. Our family isn't the kind that holds grudges. Don't make your mother worry about you while she's in the hospital."