Shen Tingwen's face turned even paler, his voice trembling, "Are you still not over us deceiving you?"
Seeing him like this, Li Yue Shu felt a sharp pain in her chest, an indescribable ache.
She could have said no, that she had long forgiven them, that she had never blamed them.
But lies were the most hurtful thing in the world, especially for children who were learning to accept the world; any lie would be taken to heart.
Call her sentimental, but she didn't want to be soft-hearted towards the children and forget Shen Wei's deception.
Li Yue Shu adjusted her emotions, trying to make her tone as calm as possible, "I understand your difficulties, and I comprehend your helplessness. From your perspective, you've experienced many schemes and calculations, and it's natural to be wary of ill-intentioned people constantly around you. When someone suddenly changes their personality and is full of secrets, suspicion and vigilance are warranted."
"But from my perspective, I provided for your food, clothing, housing, and transportation, worked hard to plan your future, and poured my heart out to you. In return, I received doubt, suspicion, and even murderous intent. Is that fair to me?"
"I..."
Shen Tingwen wanted to say something, but Li Yue Shu patted his hand, stopping him.
"I know you siblings sincerely regret your actions, and that if you could do it all over again, you wouldn't deceive me."
Li Yue Shu's voice was slow, each word carefully articulated, "Your father certainly has no intention of silencing me now. He might even be grateful that I saved his life, but that's where it ends. If this can offset his deception towards me, then my sincerity is too cheap."
This was the first time Li Yue Shu had expressed her thoughts so clearly.
It wasn't that she didn't understand their difficulties in deceiving her, nor did she doubt their genuine remorse. But wrong was wrong.
She could be soft-hearted, she could endure temporarily, but she absolutely could not pretend it never happened and wrong herself.
Shen Tingwen fell silent for a long time, seemingly digesting her every word.
He was a very intelligent person; he understood the general meaning of her words and the determination in them.
He then grasped Li Yue Shu's hand, his own trembling slightly, "Do you really have to divorce him?"
Li Yue Shu looked him straight in the eye and nodded without hesitation, "I must divorce him."
Silence spread between them.
After an unknown amount of time, Shen Tingwen's tears suddenly fell.
He tightly clutched Li Yue Shu's hand, gripping it as if she might disappear at any moment, "But... you promised Fourth Brother that you would never abandon us. You can't go back on your word!"
Tears streamed down his face, falling with a pitter-patter onto their clasped hands, searingly hot.
Li Yue Shu had never seen Shen Tingwen like this, and it pained her, "Silly A'wen, Mother never intended to abandon any of you. It's just that this marriage between your father and me was a mistake from the start."
She suppressed the sadness in her heart and gently stroked Shen Tingwen's head with a warm smile, "Mother also told A'yi that no matter what choice you all make, I will respect it."
She even made a joke, "If you all go with your father to Chongzhou and don't want Mother anymore, I'll open my apothecary and restaurant in Chongzhou and stick to you like a plaster, so you can't shake me off!"
"We won't abandon you!" Shen Tingwen shouted without hesitation, as if afraid Li Yue Shu wouldn't believe him if he was any slower.
He haphazardly wiped away his tears, looking at her with red eyes, "We are all grown children now; you don't need to accompany us all the time. You can go do your own things. It's just... it's just that we hope you'll always consider us your children, even if you can't be as good to us anymore."
"You... you won't abandon us either, okay? Mother..."
He bit down heavily on the last word, his voice trembling at the end, as if releasing some pent-up emotion.
He and his third sister had already been abandoned once; he didn't want to be a motherless child again...
The word "Mother" caused Li Yue Shu to freeze.
She never expected A'wen to change his address in such circumstances.
Looking at Shen Tingwen's cautious demeanor, devoid of his usual slyness, Li Yue Shu felt no joy at his change of address.
Among the four children, Shen Tingwen was the most carefree.
Whether facing the original body's harshness or Li Yue Shu's kindness, he always wore a smiling face, as if nothing bothered him.
But Li Yue Shu hadn't expected this child to be so sensitive and fragile.
She tenderly hugged Shen Tingwen and softly comforted him, "Mother swears she will never abandon you. No matter where we go, no matter what happens, in Mother's heart, you will always be Mother's children."
She spoke with solemnity, each word imbued with effort, as if wanting Shen Tingwen to clearly hear her sincerity.
Shen Tingwen did hear her. He held Li Yue Shu's waist tightly, as if embracing the entire world.
Li Yue Shu actually felt a little pain from his grip, but she didn't say anything. She simply patted his back again and again, offering silent comfort.
Did A'wen mean he had been abandoned before?
But he and A'yi were the Regent's children. Even when they disguised themselves as Shen Wei in Tongmu County, they hadn't abandoned them.
Why would he say he had been abandoned?
Li Yue Shu was filled with questions, but looking at Shen Tingwen's state, she couldn't bring herself to ask.
After comforting Shen Tingwen and sending him back to his room, Li Yue Shu found herself unable to sleep.
What she had said to A'wen were her true feelings, and even now, they hadn't wavered.
But A'wen's words also pricked her heart like needles, causing a pervasive pain.
She should have resolved this matter sooner. The longer it dragged on, the worse it would be for everyone.
Li Yue Shu made up her mind; she would give Shen Wei the divorce letter tomorrow.
But the next morning, before anyone else was awake, a young apprentice from the apothecary rushed over.
"Madam Shen, the apothecary... someone is at the apothecary, saying a patient needs you to see them personally!"
Li Yue Shu quickly put on her clothes and came out, not even having time to wash up, "Tell me about the patient's condition first."
As she spoke, she strode out. Shen Wei, understanding her intent, ran to get the carriage.
The apprentice looked at their actions, stunned for a moment, then quickly said, "Wait, the pa-patient isn't at the apothecary."
Li Yue Shu and Shen Wei both stopped, clearly not understanding his meaning.
The apprentice scratched the back of his head, looking a bit embarrassed, "The patient is in Yunsu. They heard of our Hengde Apothecary's reputation and sent a servant. That servant said that many doctors have told his master he only has a few days left. Since Yunsu is at least a two-day journey from Tongmu County, Doctor Chen told me to come quickly."