Ke Anjing had yet to say anything when Shi Xiaolan began to twist and turn, saying bashfully, "I’m bringing along two children with me, and everyone knows I was divorced because I couldn’t bear a son, but Brother Xiaoshan doesn’t mind... I just... I just... I just..."
Shi Xiaolan stammered "I just" for quite a while without finishing her sentence, so An Jing interjected with a smile, "You mean you’re moved, your heart’s in turmoil?"
"Mhm," Shi Xiaolan nodded very softly, almost whispering.
Wu Xiaoshan originally had an arranged marriage, but the girl drowned before she could marry him. Afterward, the Wu family became too poor, and with Wu Xiaoshan’s bad character, no girl was willing to marry him, so his marriage was continually postponed.
Later, Liu Sizi poisoned most of Jiuping Village’s residents with arsenic, killing Aunt Liu Hua and Wu Dashan. Father Wu fell ill from grief and never fully recovered, unable to do heavy work; and Wu Dashan left a five-year-old son, who was only capable of eating and couldn’t yet work. It could be said that the entire weight of the Wu family then rested on Wu Xiaoshan’s shoulders.
Fortunately, Wu Xiaoshan had completely changed from before, becoming exceptionally honest and responsible. No matter how hard the days were, he never complained and took care of Father Wu and his nephew without any resentment.
If Wu Xiaoshan could maintain his current character, An Jing actually wouldn’t have any concerns about Shi Xiaolan being with him.
What she was afraid of was that Wu Xiaoshan might change in the future...
While An Jing thought this to herself, her expression remained unchanged as she asked Shi Xiaolan, "Xiao Lan, have you thought clearly if your heart’s turmoil is because Wu Xiaoshan doesn’t mind you bringing two children and the possibility of not bearing him sons, and you’re moved by that, or is it because you’ve actually fallen for Wu Xiaoshan?"
Shi Xiaolan seemed not to have expected An Jing to ask such a question. She was taken aback for a moment, then, after carefully considering, she blushed and said in a low voice, "Both..."
Then, Shi Xiaolan became anxious, grabbing An Jing’s hand in a panic, pleading, "An Jing, please tell me what I should do? I’m really in turmoil right now."
An Jing saw how agitated Shi Xiaolan was and laughed, "Your heart already bears feelings for Wu Xiaoshan, doesn’t it? Then just be upfront and be with him. Why the confusion?"
Shi Xiaolan replied, "But I never considered remarrying. I only wanted to raise Niuniu and Yu Yu well... But now... If I marry Brother Xiaoshan and he changes later on, what should I do? He says he’ll treat Yu Yu and Niuniu as his own, but who can truly guarantee the future?"
An Jing smiled contentedly. Her friend wasn’t completely foolish.
"Didn’t I force An Fu to divorce me just so that Niuniu and Yu Yu could have a better life?" Shi Xiaolan continued. "I’m really afraid of the future..."
Once bitten, twice shy; this was precisely the state of mind Shi Xiaolan was in at that moment. She was afraid, yet unable to control her own heart, which left her so distraught she didn’t know what to do.
An Jing said, "There’s risk in everything you do; it all depends on whether you’re willing to take that risk."
"I’m still afraid..." Shi Xiaolan said with a bitter smile. "I’d rather stay unmarried my whole life than take this risk. Niuniu and Yu Yu are my life. I’ve only just managed to secure our current way of life by forcing An Fu to divorce me. I really don’t want to take this risk."
An Jing laughed, "See, you’ve already made up your mind, so why are you asking me?"