The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 192. Fu Hengyi is back

Chapter 192: 192. Fu Hengyi is back

Fang Tong didn’t mind, shrugged her shoulders, took a bite of the apple, and truly found the apples at Qinglan’s place fantastic with great texture. She didn’t know where they were bought, but she planned to buy some herself to bring to Ding Minghui.

"Qinglan, what do you think about my suggestion just now?" Yu Xiaoxuan looked at Shen Qinglan with a face full of anticipation.

Shen Qinglan looked slightly troubled. "We don’t have the equipment to make hotpot at home."

Yu Xiaoxuan sighed with disappointment. "My beef, my prawns, my meatballs, my squid..."

"With so much meat, how are you not fat to death yet." Fang Tong gave her a glance.

Yu Xiaoxuan couldn’t help but jump up. "What do you know? I haven’t eaten meat for a month, do you know that? An entire month. I’ve been eating greens for every meal; I’m practically turning into a plant."

Yu Xiaoxuan felt wronged. Sister Linda said she was eating too much and, to maintain a good figure, she must be vegetarian.

Shen Qinglan hesitated for a moment. "How about I have a hotel deliver a hotpot over?"

Yu Xiaoxuan’s eyes lit up. "Yes, yes! I want it from Victory, their fatty beef is especially delicious, along with their shrimp paste. It’s simply delicious."

Fang Tong had no objections, and Shen Qinglan handed her phone to Yu Xiaoxuan, letting her take charge of ordering.

Knowing the taste preferences of the three, Yu Xiaoxuan happily took on the task of ordering. To prevent forgetting, she asked Shen Qinglan for paper and a pen, wrote down the dishes she wanted, and then started making the call.

Fang Tong looked at Yu Xiaoxuan, who appeared happily satisfied, and couldn’t help but smile as well. Sometimes, such simple joys were indeed the most fulfilling.

"What’s going on today?" Shen Qinglan sat next to Fang Tong and asked softly.

Fang Tong was startled. "I’m fine, what?"

"Your mind seems elsewhere. Is there something on your mind?" Though Fang Tong’s concerns weren’t obvious, or perhaps she hid them well, even Yu Xiaoxuan, who had been playing with her for half the day, didn’t notice. However, Shen Qinglan saw the faint worry in her eyes.

Facing Shen Qinglan’s cold gaze, Fang Tong thought for a moment but still shook her head. "I’m really fine. It’s just that work has been a bit tiring recently. You know I’m a newcomer, so I certainly have more to do." Her words were half true, half false.

Fang Tong had recently returned to work at Junlan Group, personally recruited by Shen Junyu. Being in the secretarial office, she naturally attracted considerable attention. Everyone was speculating about her relationship with Shen Junyu since it was the first time he had personally recruited an intern, especially one who had previously resigned from Junlan Group voluntarily.

Later, it became known that Fang Tong was only hired because she was a friend of the boss’s sister. People’s perspectives on her changed immediately. After all, Fang Tong was the least experienced among them and now also a relation-hire. Plus, after observing for a week, Shen Junyu showed no special treatment towards Fang Tong, leading everyone’s attitude towards her to shift rapidly. Her workload had significantly increased.

For Fang Tong, these weren’t big issues; it was just more work, which she took as an opportunity for growth.

What troubled her was the discord between Ding Minghui and her family. Her parents disliked Ding Minghui immensely. Even her father, who had initially remained neutral, sided with her mother against her relationship with Ding Minghui after meeting him.

And it seemed Ding Minghui wasn’t too fond of her parents either. Every time the topic came up, although he didn’t say much, his evasive attitude still allowed Fang Tong to sense something.

Especially recently, whether it was an illusion or not, Fang Tong felt that Ding Minghui was intentionally or unintentionally avoiding her. They worked in the same company, yet their encounters were embarrassingly scarce.

"If there’s anything I can help with, make sure you speak up," Shen Qinglan said softly without pressing further.

Fang Tong was deeply moved and nodded. "Don’t worry, I won’t be polite with you."

The takeout arrived quickly, but when Shen Qinglan saw what had been delivered, she was speechless and gave Yu Xiaoxuan a look. The amount was enough to feed three more people.

"Yu Xiaoxuan, are you a pig? Why did you order so much? Who are you trying to kill?" Fang Tong said, annoyed.

Yu Xiaoxuan laughed awkwardly, "I accidentally ordered too much. Let’s just eat as much as we can. If we can’t finish it... we’ll deal with that later."

Shen Qinglan smiled helplessly, knowing all too well Fang Tong’s deep understanding of Yu Xiaoxuan’s gluttonous nature, and Fang Tong didn’t even want to speak.

That afternoon, the three of them indeed overate.

Fang Tong and Yu Xiaoxuan lay sprawled on the couch, with Yu Xiaoxuan continuously rubbing her stomach. She was too stuffed, she felt like she would die; she wished she hadn’t eaten so much. Woo woo woo...

Shen Qinglan got up and made three cups of digestive tea in the kitchen. Yu Xiaoxuan waved her hand, "No more, I can’t drink a single sip more. Qinglan, I feel like my stomach is going to explode."

Fang Tong took a sip of hers. She was actually quite stuffed too, but she was faring much better than Yu Xiaoxuan, who ate like a wolf that hadn’t eaten in a month whenever she saw meat.

Rubbing her stomach, Fang Tong felt much better.

"Who asked you to eat so much."

Shen Qinglan looked at Yu Xiaoxuan and frowned slightly, "Do you want to take some digestive tablets?"

Yu Xiaoxuan shook her head, "No need, I’ll be fine in a while. I’m a big eater, this is nothing. I might even have another meal this afternoon."

But Yu Xiaoxuan had overestimated her body, which hadn’t had meat in a long time. After eating so much meat all at once, her stomach just couldn’t handle it. Soon, she started running to the bathroom, and after four or five trips, Fang Tong and Shen Qinglan took her to the hospital.

Yu Xiaoxuan was getting an IV drip when Linda walked in with a stern face. She didn’t say a word when she looked at Yu Xiaoxuan, since there were other people in the room, and she needed to maintain her artist’s public image.

When Yu Xiaoxuan saw Linda’s stern face, she shrank her neck, finally feeling scared, and gave Shen Qinglan a pleading look for help.

Shen Qinglan glanced at Yu Xiaoxuan, "Linda, can I talk to you?"

Linda naturally knew Shen Qinglan, knew she was Han Yi’s friend, also knew she was the daughter of the Shen family, the popular young artist Leng Qingqiu, and also knew she was a shareholder of Shengxuan. Linda nodded and followed Shen Qinglan out. They didn’t go far, just to the stairwell corner. This was a private hospital and had good privacy, so Shen Qinglan and Linda did not have to worry about being followed or photographed.

"Linda, I know you’re Xiaoxuan’s manager, and everything you do is for Xiaoxuan’s benefit, but the health of an artist is also very important, don’t you think?" Shen Qinglan’s tone was calm, just like a normal conversation.

Linda, aware of her identity, didn’t show any special expression to Shen Qinglan. Instead, she looked rather serious, "Miss Shen, I know Xiaoxuan is your friend and you two are quite close. But she is an artist now and must be mindful of her image, especially since she is an emerging talent. Although it’s just overeating and indigestion that’s sent her to the hospital, if the media captured this, it would not be a minor issue, as the media isn’t that gentle."

Shen Qinglan glanced at Linda, a trace of appreciation flickering in her eyes. She had heard about Linda through Han Yi. As a top manager in the entertainment industry, Linda wasn’t just paying lip service; she was strict with her artists, but those who underwent her training usually achieved great success.

At first, when Yu Xiaoxuan was assigned to her, Shen Qinglan didn’t believe there wasn’t some help from Han Yi.

"Linda, since I dared to bring Xiaoxuan to the hospital, naturally I’m not afraid of being photographed by the media, or letting them sensationalize it. Let’s get back to the point. I know everything you do is for Xiaoxuan’s benefit, but for the sake of her health, a proper balance of meats and vegetables is necessary."

"My artists are all vegetarians, and the diets I arrange for them are approved by senior nutrition consultants, ensuring they receive all the nutrients their bodies need." So there really is no issue with inadequate nutrition.

Linda never thought that having artists on a vegetarian diet was a big deal. In fact, she felt slightly resentful towards Xiao Xuan. Other people have no problems being vegetarians, so why do you have so many issues? It’s only been a short while since you stopped eating meat, and you already can’t resist—you can’t even control your own mouth. What at all can I expect from you? You are diligent, but being diligent doesn’t mean you can neglect your public image.

If Xiao Xuan can’t even manage this, Linda really had to reconsider whether it was necessary to keep managing her. She’s a promising talent, but she’s not the only promising one Linda has.

Could Shen Qinglan not see what Linda was thinking? Her beautiful eyes twinkled as she spoke softly, "Linda, it’s not that Xiao Xuan can’t handle the hardship, but I believe there’s really no need to do this. There are so many artists in the entertainment industry, surely not all of them are vegetarians? Regular exercise is more effective than dieting. Personally, not just in this matter, but in many others as well, if there are alternative, more acceptable ways to handle it, why not adopt those?"

"Miss Shen, I understand what you mean, and I will seriously consider your suggestion. However, I also have my own methods of managing artists, which I hope Miss Shen can understand."

"Of course."

Although Linda did not fully agree with Shen Qinglan’s viewpoint, she had one good quality: she was open to others’ opinions. She remembered what Shen Qinglan said and would seriously consider her advice, though whether to accept it was another matter.

Shen Qinglan was not someone who liked to meddle in others’ affairs. She interfered this time only because she couldn’t bear to see Xiao Xuan looking so pitiful.

Linda did not return to the hospital room but left directly. After all, Xiao Xuan wasn’t her only artist; she had many things to do, and taking the time to visit Xiao Xuan already showed how much she valued her.

"Where’s Sister Linda?" Xiao Xuan looked behind Shen Qinglan but didn’t see Linda.

"She has left. But you might have a tough time when you get back," Shen Qinglan said indifferently.

Just as Xiao Xuan breathed a sigh of relief upon knowing that Linda had left, she instantly turned as listless as wilted cabbage, drooping, "I knew it, I should not have eaten so much meat. If I had eaten less, it wouldn’t have turned out like this."

"Xiao Xuan, how are you?" Mrs. Yu’s voice came from outside the hospital room, and in a moment, both she and a middle-aged man, Xiao Xuan’s father Yu Wei, appeared.

Mrs. Yu was visibly worried, "What exactly is making you feel unwell?"

"Mom, I’m fine, just ate too much and my stomach is a bit upset," Xiao Xuan said awkwardly, embarrassed about hospitalizing herself over a lunch.

Although Yu Wei didn’t speak, his eyes were also full of concern. Shen Qinglan and Fang Tong exchanged glances, silently leaving the hospital room.

Seeing Xiao Xuan’s pale face, Mrs. Yu was utterly heartbroken, "Xiao Xuan, how about we just give up on this artist career? Although our family isn’t wealthy, your parents still have some money."

Yu Wei nodded along. Ever since their daughter started her artist career, they had seldom seen her, and that was secondary. What pained them the most was watching their daughter gradually lose weight, all the little bit of flesh she had nurtured gone. It broke their hearts as parents.

Yu Wei originally managed a small clothing factory. Just before the new year, a clothing company approached them, seeking a partnership for a long-term cooperation. At first, Yu Wei thought it was a scam, only to later find out it was a subsidiary of Junlan Group.

Knowing that his daughter was on good terms with the girl from the Shen family, Yu Wei naturally understood that this business deal primarily depended on his daughter’s connections. Because of this partnership, their factory’s performance had improved significantly that year. If they continued on this trajectory, their life would only get better, and she was their only daughter.

Originally, they supported their daughter in becoming an artist because she loved it, but now, seeing her suffer, he just couldn’t bear it.

Xiao Xuan was unwilling, "Mom, Dad, I’m really fine. This was just an accident. Normally, we eat very well. My agent even hired a special nutritionist to manage our diet. See how slim I’ve become."

If it weren’t for the IV drip, Xiao Xuan really wanted to stand up and twirl in front of them, just to prove that she was indeed in perfect health.

"Mom and Dad, I don’t feel bitter at all now, I have a fulfilling day every day, incredibly fulfilling, and I am very happy. Could you please continue to support me?"

Yu Xiaoxuan leaned on her mother’s shoulder, acting coquettishly. Her mother had always been unable to refuse her, and she exchanged glances with Yu Wei, "If you’re tired, just come home, okay? Mom and Dad will take care of you."

Yu Xiaoxuan smiled, her eyes moist, "Mom and Dad, what good deeds must I have done in my past life to be your daughter in this life?"

Her mother laughed, "Oh, just stop it."

Fang Tong sent a message to Yu Xiaoxuan and then left the hospital with Shen Qinglan. After all, Yu Xiaoxuan’s parents had arrived, and there was no use for them to stay.

At the hospital entrance, they unexpectedly ran into someone. Shen Qinglan called out to Han Yi, "Are you also here to see a doctor?"

Han Yi smiled, "Little sister-in-law, I didn’t expect to encounter you here. I’m not here to see a doctor, just coming in for a regular check-up."

Han Yi’s smile was charming, and his explanation was reasonable; unfortunately, Shen Qinglan did not believe him.

She gave Han Yi a meaningful look, "I hope so."

Watching Shen Qinglan’s retreating figure, Han Yi wiped his sweat, not knowing why but every time he faced Shen Qinglan, he felt guilty; it was indeed strange.

Upon entering the hospital, Han Yi directly inquired about Yu Xiaoxuan’s ward. However, just as he was approaching the door, he heard voices from inside. He paused and stood outside for a while, listening to the happy laughter of the family inside, a touch of envy crossing his eyes. He had never experienced such simple family warmth.

Han Yi stood outside the ward for a while before turning away.

**

Shen Qinglan was driving today. Not long after she drove out of the hospital, she glanced casually and saw a familiar figure. She involuntarily looked again, watching that person get into a car, her eyebrows unconsciously furrowed.

"Qinglan, what’s wrong?" Fang Tong followed her gaze, but saw nothing, and asked in confusion.

Shen Qinglan shook her head, "It’s nothing, I thought I saw someone I knew, but I was mistaken. Shall I take you home now?"

"If it’s convenient, can you drop me off at Xinhua Street?"

Shen Qinglan paused; if she wasn’t mistaken, Ding Minghui lived on Xinhua Street.

After dropping Fang Tong off at Xinhua Street, Shen Qinglan left. She had initially planned to return to the Shen Family, especially since seeing Chu Yunrong there earlier had struck her as odd.

Next to that private hospital was an upscale psychological counseling center. What was Chu Yunrong doing there? And if she hadn’t seen it wrong earlier, she was holding something in her hands.

But as she was turning the car around, she received a call from Fu Hengyi, "Qinglan."

Shen Qinglan slowed down the speed of the car, listening to Fu Hengyi’s deep magnetic voice, her eyebrows softened, "Yes?"

"Where are you now?"

Shen Qinglan gave the address. "Just stay there, and I’ll come find you."

Shen Qinglan was surprised. "You’re back?"

Fu Hengyi chuckled. "Are you not happy that I’m back?"

How could she not be happy? Shen Qinglan’s eyes twinkled with laughter. "Where are you now? Let me come pick you up, I’m driving."

Fu Hengyi thought for a moment and gave an address not far from Shen Qinglan’s. Soon, Shen Qinglan saw Fu Hengyi standing by the roadside, standing straight even while waiting. She smiled and stopped in front of him.

Fu Hengyi didn’t get into the car, but instead gestured for Shen Qinglan to get out. Puzzled, but obedient, she stepped out of the car. "What’s up?"

He simply opened the passenger door and made a welcoming gesture. Shen Qinglan laughed and got in.

Fu Hengyi walked around to the other side and got into the driver’s seat. Instead of driving, he leaned over to fasten Shen Qinglan’s seatbelt. The familiar scent was so close, Shen Qinglan’s heart unexpectedly skipped a beat.

"Why did you come back today?" Shen Qinglan asked. Wasn’t it said that you wouldn’t be back until the end of the month?

Fu Hengyi smiled. "I missed you, so I came back."

Shen Qinglan naturally didn’t believe such a flippant remark, but her lips unconsciously curled up. Seeing the slight smile at the corner of her mouth, Fu Hengyi smiled slightly too, although the real reason he returned was to attend to some tasks at the Beijing Military Region.

This year, the Beijing Military Region was selecting a group of new recruits to form a new special forces unit and had invited him to be the chief instructor. Such invitations had been extended in the past, but Fu Hengyi had always declined, seeing it as a waste of time.

This time, the higher-ups had consulted him without really expecting him to agree. To their surprise, he had accepted. In fact, this had been decided a week ago, and Fu Hengyi hadn’t told Shen Qinglan during their phone calls because he wanted to surprise her.

It seemed the surprise had worked rather well.

Fu Hengyi drove directly home. Despite Shen Qinglan cleaning up and airing out after having hot pot for lunch, a faint scent still lingered in the house.

"Did you have hot pot for lunch?"

"Yes, Xiao Xuan and Fang Tong came over, and we ate together." Shen Qinglan explained. "Is the smell too strong? I’ll go spray some air freshener."

Fu Hengyi pulled her close and kissed her passionately without warning. Caught off-guard, Shen Qinglan was kissed squarely. His kiss was not gentle, filled with surging emotions. Shen Qinglan blinked in surprise, then wrapped her arms around Fu Hengyi’s neck, responding to his kiss.

She could feel Fu Hengyi’s longing, and she missed him too.

What should have been a fiercely passionate moment was interrupted by a ringing phone. Fu Hengyi reluctantly glanced at the incessantly ringing phone and answered it with reluctance.

It was a work call. Shen Qinglan glanced at it and walked into the bedroom, taking the items out of a small luggage bag that Fu Hengyi had brought, and put them away neatly.

After finishing the call, when Fu Hengyi entered the bedroom, he saw Shen Qinglan kneeling on the floor, organizing his clothes. Her hair was down today, casually draped over her shoulders. Seen from the side, her face seemed less cold and more tender.

"Just leave it, I can organize it myself."

Shen Qinglan chuckled. "It’s just a few clothes, I’ll be done quickly. How long will you be home this time?"

"I need to train some new recruits at the Beijing Military Region, and I’ll be here for six months."

Shen Qinglan suddenly looked up. "Six months?"

Fu Hengyi raised an eyebrow. "What, are you not happy I’m home?"

Shen Qinglan glared at him. He seemed to enjoy teasing her occasionally, purposely misunderstanding her even though he knew that wasn’t what she meant.

"Do your grandparents know you’re back?"

"They will know tonight." He hadn’t told anyone about his return this time, wanting to surprise her. He knew well how the Old Sir Shen was; if he had known, chances were that Shen Qinglan would have been informed the next second, since to the old man, the granddaughter-in-law was more important than his grandson.

"By the way, my grandpa’s old war buddy has a birthday this weekend, and he invited our family. Do you have time?" Shen Qinglan recalled what Old Sir Fu had mentioned over the phone yesterday. Originally, since Fu Hengyi wouldn’t be in Beijing, that would have been the end of it. But now that he had returned and was staying for a while, she needed to ask.

"This weekend?"

Shen Qinglan nodded.

"Then let’s go. I should be free this weekend."

That evening, they returned to the mansion. They first went to see Old Sir Shen, who would also attend the birthday banquet that weekend. Seeing Fu Hengyi back, he was very pleased.

Today, Shen Xitong was also home. Unlike her usual melancholy demeanor when she saw Fu Hengyi, she seemed in a good mood today, humming a tune and even smiling as she greeted Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi.

Shen Qinglan glanced at the vase in her hands and decided to ignore her words. She really didn’t know what to make of Shen Xitong; undoubtedly, in her eyes, this woman was hopelessly foolish.

Shen Qinglan couldn’t help but think of the couple Li Datou and Tian Cuifang. It had to be said, stupidity was indeed hereditary, and Shen Xitong was a classic example of all beauty and no brains.

"Grandpa, where’s mom?" Shen Qinglan remembered seeing Chu Yunrong earlier that day and asked.

"She’s upstairs."

Shen Qinglan went upstairs and saw that the door to her parents’ room was ajar. She knocked and then entered. As she did, she caught Chu Yunrong hurriedly hiding something in a drawer.

Shen Qinglan’s bright eyes flickered subtly. "Mom, what were you just doing?"

Chu Yunrong tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Nothing much, just sorting out some jewelry I haven’t worn in years. There’s a charity auction next week, and I was thinking of donating these pieces."

Shen Qinglan gave a non-committal nod, not sure whether to believe her or not. Chu Yunrong looked at Shen Qinglan. "What brought you home so suddenly today?"

"Fu Hengyi came back from the army, so we came to visit grandpa." Shen Qinglan’s gaze lingered on Chu Yunrong’s face, marked with a hint of inquiry and scrutiny. "Mom, you don’t look well, are you feeling alright?"

Chu Yunrong smiled and shook her head. "I’m fine, just tired. I’ve been preparing for a concert, and I haven’t been sleeping well. We ran out of sleep medicine at home, and I haven’t had time to get more. I finally managed to get a new bottle today."

Chu Yunrong was delighted because Shen Qinglan had shown concern for her voluntarily, although she was a little unused to it, yet she was more pleased with such a change.

So what she saw today was Chu Yunrong coming back from getting medicine? Shen Qinglan thought.

"The concert is certainly important, but your health is also crucial. You need to rest," Shen Qinglan said softly.

The smile on Chu Yunrong’s face deepened, "Mom knows, actually I have been gradually letting go. Tongtong is growing up fast. If possible, mom wants to hand over the orchestra to her so I can spend more time here. If you and Hengyi are planning to have children, I can help you look after them. After all, hiring a nanny is never as reassuring as family."

"But you are still young, it’s okay if you don’t want to have children so soon." She kept discussing her plans, not noticing the depth in Shen Qinglan’s eyes.

"Will Xitong participate in the upcoming concert?" Shen Qinglan asked.

Chu Yunrong nodded, "Of course, she can almost support an orchestra by herself now. Although I am nominally preparing this concert, it is actually Tongtong doing it. I also want to take this opportunity to let her perform well, so that when I hand over the orchestra to her in the future, it won’t provoke any criticism."

Rarely did her daughter want to chat with her, so Chu Yunrong answered Shen Qinglan’s question in detail.

Listening, a faint curve formed at the corners of Shen Qinglan’s mouth. Wasn’t Xitong always jealous of her fame? This time she might as well help her along, only wondering if falling from a high place would hurt.

"Qinglan, will you and Hengyi attend Grandpa Zhou’s birthday banquet this weekend?" Chu Yunrong finally remembered this and looked at her daughter with a bit of hope.

"Yes, he will be in the Beijing Military Region for half a year, and he will attend the banquet with me this weekend."

Chu Yunrong was even more delighted, "Hengyi got transferred back to the Beijing Military Region?" Fu Hengyi and Shen Qinglan had always lived in different places, meeting too infrequently each month. This had always worried Chu Yunrong. Her own life had been the same, and because of that, she knew the bitterness contained in such a life. Moreover, her daughter was still so young. If Fu Hengyi could be transferred back to the Beijing Military Region, they could spend much more time together.

"I’m not sure about the specifics, only that he will be in the Beijing Military Region for the next half year," Shen Qinglan didn’t say specifically because she was not very clear about it herself. She never interfered in Fu Hengyi’s military affairs.

Chu Yunrong knew the rules and did not ask further, but the smile in her eyes was clear, "Then tomorrow, come with mom to the mall to buy some clothes. You probably haven’t prepared clothes for the banquet yet?"

Shen Qinglan thought about it and agreed. She also wanted to buy some clothes for Fu Hengyi. She had a lot of clothes at home, but Fu Hengyi didn’t have many.

Chu Yunrong’s smile grew even wider, and her look towards Shen Qinglan grew more loving. Such a gaze made Shen Qinglan quite uncomfortable. In the past, Chu Yunrong did not like being overly close to her, and her gaze was often filled with guilt and... fear.

From some point on, their relationship seemed to have changed, or more precisely, Chu Yunrong’s attitude towards her had changed. She would take initiative in showing care, although, in Shen Qinglan’s view, such concern seemed somewhat superfluous. She had long passed the age where she needed motherly love.

"Why don’t you have dinner with Hengyi at home tonight?"

Shen Qinglan shook her head, "I already called Grandpa and will head back to Fu’s house for dinner."

Chu Yunrong was a bit disappointed, but she didn’t insist on it. Seeing that Chu Yunrong had nothing else, Shen Qinglan also left. Watching her daughter leave, Chu Yunrong reached out her hand to touch her heart and smiled.

When she found Fu Hengyi, he and Old Sir Shen were trimming flower branches in the greenhouse. Old Sir Shen stood to one side, supporting as Fu Hengyi held a pair of scissors under the old man’s instructions, they seemed to be coordinating well.

Seeing Shen Qinglan, Fu Hengyi did not put down the scissors and tenderly glanced at Shen Qinglan. They locked eyes, and then she looked towards Old Sir Shen, "Grandpa."

Old Sir Shen was very happy to see his granddaughter, especially seeing the couple, although silent, expressing tender affection through their eyes, felt even more gratified.

"Did you tell Old Man Fu we’d come back for dinner?"

Qinglan nodded.

Old Sir Shen waved his hand, "Go on, go on. A daughter married off is water splashed out."

Fu Hengyi smiled faintly, "Grandpa, we’ll come over tomorrow for a meal, and you better not complain."

Old Sir Shen stared at him with a half-smile, "Does this house lack that bit of food?" Yet his face showed happiness, which made Qinglan feel somewhat guilty; she really hadn’t visited much lately.

"Grandpa, let me help you back inside," Qinglan stepped forward, but Old Sir Shen brushed off her hand, "Grandpa isn’t so old he can’t walk, no need for your help. You and Hengyi go ahead, just remember to come home for a meal tomorrow."

Qinglan, without insisting, smiled and nodded, then left with Fu Hengyi.

Old Sir Shen watched as Fu Hengyi held Qinglan’s hand and they walked away; he smiled and bent his head, tinkering with a potted gardenia in front of him, muttering softly, "Wife, Lanlan is doing very well now, Hengyi treats her very nicely, you’d have been happy if you were still alive. I am doing well too, eating and sleeping well, and seeing Lanlan happy makes me happy, though I do miss you sometimes. We’ve braved life’s storms together, yet we couldn’t reach the end together. You should walk slowly, wait for me, wait until I see Lanlan’s child born, then I will come find you. Their child will surely be beautiful, and I’ll take my time telling you about it. If you get lonely over there, come see me in my dreams at night, talk to me..."

**

"Do you miss Grandpa?" Leaving the Shen Family, Fu Hengyi noticed Qinglan’s subdued mood and asked tenderly.

Qinglan shook her head, not exactly missing him, "I just feel like Grandpa seems a bit older."

Earlier she had noticed the increased white hair by his ears and the deeper wrinkles on his face.

"Let’s visit him more often, have a meal with him. I’ll accompany you."

Qinglan glanced at him, squeezing his hand, "Fu Hengyi, Grandpa is missing Grandma." Even though Grandpa hadn’t shown any difference since Grandma’s death, Qinglan, having spent the most time with the two elders, could still sense Grandpa’s longing for his departed wife.

"Fu Hengyi, do you think we can spend a lifetime together like Grandma and Grandpa?" Qinglan’s voice was soft, tinged with a fear she herself might not have noticed.

Fu Hengyi stopped, looked into her eyes, "Qinglan, we will spend our lifetimes together just like Grandma and Grandpa, and I promise you, I won’t let you go first."

His eyes were filled with tender love, and Qinglan, looking at him, suddenly closed her eyes in slight fear, "Fu Hengyi, why don’t you ask about that day’s events? If you asked, I would tell you, everything you want to know."

With her eyes closed, she didn’t see the fleeting pain in Fu Hengyi’s eyes. He looked at her, still so seemingly impassive, yet he clearly felt her fear.

He stepped forward, pulling her into his embrace, "Qinglan, don’t be afraid of me, nor will I ask you; when you’re ready, you can tell me. I will always be by your side." So, there’s no need to be afraid, whatever the future holds, we will face it together.

Qinglan’s expression was touched, her head buried in his chest, "Fu Hengyi, you’re going to spoil me."

Fu Hengyi chuckled, "Let’s spoil you then. I’ve married you; not to spoil you would be against all reason."

Qinglan laughed upon hearing this, her eyes filled with smiles, and suddenly her heart settled. She lifted her head from his embrace, looked around, saw no one nearby, tiptoed, and kissed him on the lips.

Fu Hengyi looked at her smilingly, his eyes gentle.