The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 267. Wedding Night

Chapter 267: 267. Wedding Night

When she returned, Shen Qinglan hadn’t come out of the bathroom yet. The master bedroom’s sheets and bedspread were a festive bright red, and there were quite a few peanuts and longan scattered on the comforter. Since Shen Qinglan was pregnant, even the normally rambunctious Gu Yang didn’t suggest making a ruckus for the bridal chamber prank.

Fu Hengyi cleaned up the peanuts and longan scattered on the bed, and Shen Qinglan came out of the bathroom. She wore a two-piece pajama set, with a belted robe on the outside and a camisole inside. Since she was only in the early stages of her pregnancy, her figure hadn’t changed at all.

Lying down on one side of the bed, Shen Qinglan nestled into Fu Hengyi’s embrace quite naturally. Fu Hengyi looked at her, his hand resting on her abdomen, "The baby didn’t trouble you today, did it?"

"No, it’s been very good. I’m sure it will be an obedient child when it’s born," Shen Qinglan said, her voice soft. When she spoke of the baby in her belly, even her eyes filled with tenderness.

"If it’s disobedient in the future, just leave it to me. I’ll make sure it listens," he promised.

At this, Shen Qinglan laughed, "Were you hit by your grandfather when you were a kid?"

"Mhm, boys from the compound mostly grew up under the strict discipline of the elders. Your brother was the same when he was little, being chased around the yard by Uncle Shen," Fu Hengyi didn’t hesitate to betray his own uncle.

The couple chatted about Fu Hengyi’s childhood, but as they spoke, Fu Hengyi’s gaze changed. Somehow, the belt of Shen Qinglan’s robe had loosened, and the robe had slipped from her shoulders, revealing a large expanse of her fair skin.

Since he found out Shen Qinglan was pregnant, Fu Hengyi had been very proper. Every night he would simply embrace Shen Qinglan as they slept, doing nothing more. No sparks had flown, but now, confronted with such a beautiful sight, the repressed desire in Fu Hengyi flared up. His hand, which had been resting on her lower abdomen, began to move upward.

Feeling the change in Fu Hengyi’s body, a light blush spread across Shen Qinglan’s face. She closed her eyes and brought her red lips close to Fu Hengyi’s.

This action was like water splashed onto hot oil. Fu Hengyi’s eyes darkened, and he bowed his head to deeply kiss Shen Qinglan’s red lips. The temperature in the room climbed higher and higher. When the kiss ended, Fu Hengyi’s head was buried in the crook of Shen Qinglan’s neck, his breathing heavy. Shen Qinglan too was flushed and disoriented, for the reaction had not been his alone—her body had responded as well.

Feeling the fiery warmth in her lower belly, Shen Qinglan hesitated for a moment before reaching out slowly and taking hold.

Fu Hengyi’s body stiffened as he grasped Shen Qinglan’s hand, his voice rough, "Qinglan, the doctor said we can’t."

Shen Qinglan bent over, whispering in Fu Hengyi’s ear, "Mhm, I know. So I’ll help you." Saying so, she dove right under the covers.

Fu Hengyi’s body tensed up instantly, and he let out a sigh, his eyes hazy.

It took a long time before Fu Hengyi reached for some tissues, wiped clean the traces on Shen Qinglan’s hand, and then followed her as she quickly stepped into the bathroom. Both their cheeks were red, and they didn’t dare look at each other.

Once the two had cleaned up and come out, Shen Qinglan’s blush still hadn’t faded. Fu Hengyi held her and planted a firm kiss on her lips, "My wife is amazing."

Shen Qinglan lowered her eyes and gave a light punch to his chest. Mr. Fu took it without a flinch—having had his fill just before, he was in an excellent mood. He even picked up Shen Qinglan’s hand, turning it over and over, finding it more beautiful the more he looked. Unable to resist, he kissed each of her fingers. Shen Qinglan’s face, already warm, seemed to turn up another notch under Fu Hengyi’s increasingly heated gaze. Finally, she pulled her hand back with a slightly annoyed expression, "Fu Hengyi, I’m sleepy."

Fu Hengyi chuckled, "Alright, let’s sleep then."

Shen Qinglan closed her eyes and pretended to be an ostrich in Fu Hengyi’s arms—it certainly wasn’t her who had been so bold just moments ago.

Fu Hengyi watched Shen Qinglan’s ostrich act with amusement but dared not laugh out loud, fearing he might truly anger the lady of the house.

After tucking Shen Qinglan in with a blanket, the two of them finally went to sleep.

**

At the Fang Family’s, Li Bomming had just driven the family home when Fang Tong became unhappy. Looking at her mother, she said, "Mom, can you not mention that I’m good friends with Qinglan when we’re outside in the future?"

Upon hearing this, Fu Fanghua’s face darkened, "I’m stating a fact, I wasn’t making anything up. Why can’t I mention it?"

"Mom, I know what you’re thinking. I understand that if our family could connect with the Shen Family, it would bring us a brighter future, whether for Dad or for myself. But mom, Qinglan is my friend. I just want to be her friend, in a pure and simple friendship. I don’t want our friendship to be entangled with interests."

"I never asked Shen Qinglan to help your dad or you with anything. How does it involve interests?" Fu Fanghua became unhappy when her daughter pointed this out. After all, she was doing all this for whom?

Seeing that the mother and daughter were arguing again, Fang Chengzhi quickly stepped in to mediate, "Alright, stop arguing. Tongtong, your mother is doing this for your own good. She doesn’t have any ill intentions; you shouldn’t speak to your mother that way."

Fang Tong looked at Fang Chengzhi, "Dad, my mom doesn’t have bad intentions, but if Qinglan hears about this, what kind of person will I become? What will Qinglan think of me? How will the Shen Family view me? They might even think that I befriended Qinglan just to gain benefits from the Shen Family."

Fang Tong had always been aware that her mother was somewhat opportunistic, which was evident since Ding Minghui’s time, but she had always chosen not to speak up.

"You didn’t know Shen Qinglan was the daughter of the Shen Family when you met her. They won’t think of you like that," said Fu Fanghua.

"Mom."

Fu Fanghua waved her hand dismissively, "Don’t come at me with those grand principles. Fang Tong, all these are your own concoctions. How do you know what the Shen Family thinks? Maybe they don’t care about this at all. Do you think it’s a big deal for your dad to be the mayor? That’s because you don’t know how deep the waters of Beijing are. The connections in Beijing are complex. Anyone with a bit of status has a tangled web of relations. Do you think your dad could have climbed to his position today solely based on ability?" If it hadn’t been for the ousting of the last top person in Beijing, with both sides struggling for power, wanting to place their own people in this position, and the incessant fighting, it wouldn’t have been the turn of someone with no significant background like Fang Chengzhi.

"Fanghua, stop it," Fang Chengzhi interrupted her, not wanting his daughter to know too much about these matters.

"I have to set things straight with her today, Chengzhi. We’ve protected Fang Tong too well," Fu Fanghua said. She had once thought it best for Fang Tong to live in a pure environment, to live as she wished, but later she realized she was wrong. Fang Tong was too naive, and the one who ended up getting hurt was herself.

"Fang Tong, what do you think of your father? Is he incompetent at work? No, based on your father’s abilities, he should have been transferred back to Beijing long ago. Why hasn’t it happened after so many years? You’re working now, and some things you should start seeing clearly. It’s not that your mother is opportunistic, but why waste an opportunity when we have it? We’re not trying to get the Shen Family to pull strings for us. We just want others to show a bit of consideration, to cooperate with your dad’s work in the future. Can’t we even have that bit of self-interest?"

Fang Tong found herself at a loss for words. Faced with what her mother had said, she didn’t know what to respond. In her few months at Junlan Group, she had learned a lot, and she was starting to understand some things clearly.

Seeing her daughter silent, Fu Fanghua sighed softly, "Tongtong, Mom understands that you think I’m opportunistic, but I can earnestly say, I don’t have any personal motives, it’s not for myself."

"Mom, let’s not talk about it anymore. It’s my fault, I’ve been too selfish." Fang Tong spoke up. She had never considered the situation from her mother’s perspective.

Fang Chengzhi patted his daughter on the shoulder, "Tongtong, you shouldn’t blame your mom."

Fang Tong nodded, "Dad, I’m going to go inside first." After saying that, she went straight to her room.

In the living room, Fang Chengzhi looked at Fu Fanghua and sighed deeply, "What’s the point of telling her all this?"

Fu Fanghua sat on the couch, her face filled with worry, "Do you think I wanted to? Do you not realize the predicament we’re in now? Outsiders only see the glory, thinking you’re a key figure in Beijing, but in Beijing, what does your position really count for? There are plenty of people above you, and anyone can have a higher position than yours. Look at the second in command, how does he treat you? Have you made any progress in your work these past six months? Weren’t you the one who got called out for criticism at the last meeting?"

Fang Chengzhi’s face also darkened. In fact, ever since he was transferred back to Beijing, his work had never gone smoothly, and recently, someone had seized upon his lack of achievements to try to unseat him. To put it bluntly, they were eyeing the chair beneath his behind.

"I have also tried to find connections, but we don’t know anyone at the top. What can I do?" Fu Fanghua felt aggrieved. Fang Chengzhi was an exceptionally honest man, utterly unskilled in manipulation. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been squeezed out in the first place, ending up working in Lin City for so many years.

Having been back in Beijing for so long, he hadn’t become familiar with the people here either. This wedding was a good opportunity, and she didn’t want to miss it. As she had said to Fang Tong, she didn’t expect the Shen Family to help them with anything; she just wanted people to know that their family wasn’t completely without connections, so that no one would think her husband was an easy target.

The couple was speaking in the living room, completely unaware that the door to Fang Tong’s room had never been closed, and that Fang Tong had overheard their entire conversation without missing a word. Fang Tong quietly closed her room door, leaning against it, her eyes filled with shadowed thoughts.

The next morning, Fang Tong got up and as soon as she stepped out of her room, she saw her mother had already prepared breakfast. "Tongtong is awake, come and eat."

Fang Tong sat down at the dining table. Not seeing Fang Chengzhi, she asked, "Where’s Dad?"

"Your dad has already gone to work. Eat up; didn’t you say you were going shopping with Xiao Xuan today?" Fu Fanghua served her daughter a bowl of porridge.

Fang Tong looked at her mother, hesitating to speak, "Mom, is Dad having trouble at work?"

Fu Fanghua smiled, "No, your mom just got a bit agitated and said some nonsense last night. After all, your dad has been in the officialdom for so many years; he has some capabilities. As for you, how are things with Bo Ming?"

Fang Tong was slightly stunned, "What about me and Bo Ming?"

Fu Fanghua glanced at her, "Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed that Bo Ming is waiting for you. Bo Ming is a good boy; if you’re interested in him, don’t lead him on. If you really don’t like him, you should make it clear to him early on. It’s not right to keep him waiting. Our family isn’t the kind to hedge our bets."

Fang Tong slightly lowered her head, looking at the porridge in her bowl, "Mom, do you think Li Bo Ming is a good person?"

"What I think doesn’t matter. What’s crucial is that you think he’s good, because you’re the one who will have to live with him, not me. But from a mother’s perspective, Tongtong, I’m not trying to bring up painful memories, but Bo Ming is much better than Ding Minghui."

Ever since Fang Tong broke up with Ding Minghui, Fu Fanghua had never mentioned Ding Minghui in front of Fang Tong. This time, it was a slip of the tongue. After speaking, she looked at Fang Tong and seeing that she didn’t have any particular reaction, she felt relieved.

Suddenly mentioning Ding Minghui, Fang Tong’s eyes showed a momentary daze, but she quickly regained her composure. She smiled faintly, "Mom, you’re right, Bo Ming is indeed much better than Ding Minghui. They are not even comparable."

"Tongtong, have you moved on?" Fu Fanghua tentatively asked. It had been so long since her daughter’s breakup, and she hadn’t seen Fang Tong intermix with any men, focusing solely on her career. Now, she was sent abroad by the company for training, which in Fu Fanghua’s eyes, was nothing but a way to run away from a broken heart.

Reading the meaning in her mother’s eyes, Fang Tong found it somewhat amusing, "Mom, am I really someone who can’t let go in your eyes? Ding Minghui has long been a thing of the past for me; he’s not in my heart anymore."

"It’s good that you’ve moved on. I was just worried about you being stubborn. Now that you have, what do you think of Bo Ming? I chatted with Uncle Li a few days ago, and he intends to have Bo Ming come back to take over their family company."

"He’s leaving Beijing?" Fang Tong asked.

"Yes, Uncle Li was hospitalized for a while because of an illness, and he hasn’t been the same since he was discharged. He’s thinking of letting Bo Ming take over so he can retire and enjoy some peace."

"Has Bo Ming agreed?"

"I’m not sure about that," your Uncle Li didn’t say, and I just overheard your dad talking on the phone, so that’s why I’m saying you need to make things clear with Li Bo Ming whether you are interested in him or not. If you like him, your dad and I won’t oppose it, and if you happen to like someone else, we don’t have any objections either. It all depends on you."

Fang Tong replied in a low voice, "I know, I’ll give it some thought."

Knowing that Fang Tong was sensible, Fu Fanghua didn’t say much more, but instead asked, "How long can you stay this time you’re back in the country?"

"One week." Originally, Fang Tong had only taken three days off, but it was Shen Junyu who later gave her an additional four days off.

"Then you should rest well at home during these days. You’ve lost weight. Speaking of which, all three of you are skinnier than the next, especially Yu Xiao Xuan, who’s thin as a rake. Invite her over for a meal someday soon; I’ll cook her something delicious."

Fang Tong nodded with a smile, "Okay, I’ll talk to her when we go shopping this afternoon."

"Hey, why wait for another day? Let’s do it tonight. You go shopping with Xiao Xuan this afternoon and come over for dinner in the evening. I’ll go buy groceries later," Fu Fanghua said as she thought about Yu Xiao Xuan, who was all alone after her parents passed away. It seemed quite pitiful.

"Okay. I’ll tell her."

**

Shen Qinglan had just opened her eyes this morning when she immediately covered her mouth and ran to the bathroom. Fu Hengyi was about to come in to wake her up for breakfast when he heard the sounds from the bathroom. His expression changed, and he hurried in only to see Shen Qinglan hunched over the toilet, violently sick.

Fu Hengyi immediately grew anxious and moved forward to help Shen Qinglan up, "Qinglan, why are you suddenly throwing up? Are you feeling unwell somewhere?"

Shen Qinglan waved her hand, about to speak when another wave of nausea hit her stomach.

Fu Hengyi stood by, watching helplessly as Shen Qinglan ended up with red-rimmed eyes from vomiting, so anxious he was about to call 120 (emergency services), but Shen Qinglan grabbed hold of him, "I’m fine, it’s just morning sickness. It’s nothing serious, I’ll be better after I’ve thrown up."

Fu Hengyi quickly handed her a cup of water to rinse her mouth. Shen Qinglan took a moment to recover, then with Fu Hengyi’s help, she got up. Seeing his deeply furrowed brow, she chuckled softly, "I really am fine. The little one inside is just giving me trouble."

Hearing this, Fu Hengyi’s brow didn’t relax at all as he looked straight at Shen Qinglan’s abdomen, "Wasn’t it said to be well-behaved?" Since he had returned, Shen Qinglan indeed had a good appetite and was sleeping well, without showing any signs of discomfort.

"Maybe it knew that daddy and mommy got married, so it wanted to remind us of its presence," Shen Qinglan said gently, looking at her own belly.

Fu Hengyi’s face looked somewhat gloomy as he touched Shen Qinglan’s belly, "So small and already seeking attention, it will surely be a mischievous one when it grows up."

Shen Qinglan laughed softly, "What kind of parent talks about their child like that? Alright, I’m hungry now. Let’s go out and eat."

Fu Hengyi, seeing that she seemed fine, was relieved.

However, Shen Qinglan was ultimately unable to eat her meal. No sooner had she sat down at the dining table and saw the preserved egg and lean meat porridge that Fu Hengyi brought to her, her complexion changed, and she immediately rushed back into the bathroom.

Fu Hengyi followed her in and gently patted her back. Seeing how miserable she looked, he felt an overwhelming sense of heartache and quickly called Chu Yunrong.

After hearing the situation, Chu Yunrong was not as anxious as Fu Hengyi, only reminding him, "Give her something light for breakfast, and later go to the supermarket to buy her some sour plums."

"Is this okay now?" Fu Hengyi asked.

"Morning sickness is a normal reaction; most pregnant women experience it. Don’t be too anxious; I’ll come over soon."

Fu Hengyi was quite dissatisfied with Chu Yunrong’s response. After hanging up the phone, he immediately called Doctor Zhong. Despite being woken up early, Doctor Zhong wasn’t angry. Nevertheless, his words were much the same as Chu Yunrong’s.

"If only I had been more careful at the time." After Shen Qinglan had finished vomiting, Fu Hengyi gently rubbed her back and said. According to his plan, their child was supposed to come at least two years later, so Shen Qinglan wouldn’t have to suffer like this now.

Shen Qinglan found this amusing when she heard it. Right now, her eyes were red, and the tip of her nose was also red, giving her a somewhat pitiable look, which made Fu Hengyi’s heart ache even more.

Seeing the pain in his eyes, Shen Qinglan gently hugged him, comforting, "Fu Hengyi, I’m fine. On the contrary, I feel very happy now. Being able to conceive a child with you, I’m willing to endure any hardship."

"But I’m not willing," said Fu Hengyi. "When this little rascal comes out, I’m definitely going to give him a good talking-to."

Shen Qinglan gave a faint smile, "Okay, we can deal with it after it comes out."

After vomiting twice, Fu Hengyi didn’t dare to let Shen Qinglan eat anything like the preserved egg and pork congee anymore. He went into the kitchen and prepared a bowl of tomato and egg noodles for Shen Qinglan. This time, Shen Qinglan ate the noodles cleanly, without any other reactions until the end, allowing Fu Hengyi to breathe a sigh of relief.

Just as he was tidying up the bowls and dishes, Chu Yunrong arrived. Shen Qinglan opened the door, "Mom."

Chu Yunrong was carrying a bag in her hand and walked in, glancing in the direction of the kitchen, "Is Hengyi washing the dishes?"

Shen Qinglan nodded, "Yes, Mom, have you eaten?"

"I have eaten. I bought you some stuff." Chu Yunrong took out a jar of sour plums from the bag, "This sour plum tastes not bad; try it."

Looking at the sour plums, Shen Qinglan’s mouth watered. She picked up one and put it into her mouth, "Mmm, these sour plums really are delicious, Mom. Where did you buy them?"

"An ex-colleague from the orchestra, her mother specializes in making them. I just went to her place to get them."

Chu Yunrong had only taken a sip of porridge in the morning when she received a call from Fu Hengyi and then left the house. She first went to her colleague’s place to pick up sour plums and then rushed here, not having even eaten breakfast.

"You like eating them, have some for now, but don’t eat too much. If you feel acidic in your stomach, just eat one. When you finish them, Mom will go get you more," said Chu Yunrong.

Shen Qinglan nodded and didn’t stand on ceremony with Chu Yunrong. If she did, Chu Yunrong would probably cry.

Shen Qinglan ate two sour plums. Although she wanted to continue, she still put the lid back on and placed the sour plums aside, "Mom, Fu Hengyi and I have to go out to buy some things for the baby later, do you want to come with us?"

Fu Hengyi had a total of fifteen days of marriage leave. Originally, the couple planned to go on a honeymoon, but now that Shen Qinglan was pregnant, it wasn’t suitable for her to fly, so they had to cancel the trip.

"Okay, sure. You two have no experience, so it’s better for Mom to go along and give you some advice."

After Fu Hengyi finished washing the dishes, the three of them drove to the mall, but instead of shopping first, they entered a Cantonese restaurant. "Mom, let’s eat something first," Fu Hengyi said.

"Haven’t we just had breakfast?" Chu Yunrong was puzzled.

"Qinglan has morning sickness now, and Doctor Zhong told her to eat smaller, more frequent meals. She didn’t eat much this morning, and we’ll be walking around shopping later, so I thought we should get something to eat first," Fu Hengyi explained. Actually, he had noticed on the way here that Chu Yunrong was subtly rubbing her stomach, guessing that she probably hadn’t had time for breakfast before coming.

Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi understood each other well; hearing this, she immediately caught on, "Mom, I am a bit hungry, will you join me for a little more?"

"Sure, now that you’re pregnant, you do get hungry easily."

Fu Hengyi didn’t order much, just enough for two people, and stopped there. When the food arrived, Shen Qinglan really didn’t eat much, just made a symbolic gesture by taking a few bites.

"Qinglan, don’t these dishes suit your taste?" Chu Yunrong asked upon seeing that Shen Qinglan hadn’t eaten much.

Shen Qinglan spoke softly, "No, the food is delicious, it’s just that I can’t eat too much at once, I feel full after a few bites. Mom, please go ahead and eat."

By now, Chu Yunrong certainly understood everything. Shen Qinglan probably realized that she hadn’t had breakfast, so she had deliberately brought her here to eat, and Chu Yunrong’s heart suddenly filled with a sour and bitter feeling.

Each time Qinglan was nicer to her, Chu Yunrong’s sense of guilt deepened.

Once Chu Yunrong was finished eating, the three of them left the restaurant, with Shen Qinglan and Chu Yunrong walking in front, and Fu Hengyi trailing behind.

Entering a baby product store, Shen Qinglan was a bit overwhelmed by the sheer array of items. With so many things to choose from, the selection process was sure to be a headache.

Chu Yunrong, on the other hand, lit up at the sight of all the items and swept into the store on a buying spree, leaving Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi behind. "Qinglan, this pacifier looks good, it can be used when the baby is born. This bottle is also nice; it can automatically measure the temperature of the milk powder so the baby won’t get scalded. Let’s buy one of these too."

"Hengyi, this baby crib looks great. It’s just that we don’t know if it’s going to be a boy or a girl. A boy might like blue, a girl might prefer pink, so maybe for now, we should pick something yellow."

Chu Yunrong’s face was full of smiles, everything on the shelves seemed perfect to her.

Seeing Chu Yunrong ready to buy out the entire store, Shen Qinglan couldn’t help but say, "Mom, I’m only a month pregnant, you’re buying too much that we can’t use right now. Let’s get only a few things that we need at the moment, we can buy the rest later."

Chu Yunrong thought it over, reluctantly put a baby bottle back on the shelf, and said to Fu Hengyi and Shen Qinglan, "Then let’s go buy some maternity clothes for Qinglan first, and shoes too."

Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi were originally there to buy such items, so naturally, they had no objections. But they hadn’t gone far when they ran into Qin Yan.

"Miss Shen, I didn’t expect to meet you here," Qin Yan said with a face full of smiles, looking genuinely pleased to see Shen Qinglan.

Shen Qinglan looked indifferent and glanced at Qin Yan, "Ms. Qin."

Qin Yan’s gaze shifted between Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi, "I haven’t had the chance to congratulate both of you on your marriage. I didn’t expect to bump into Miss Shen here. A chance meeting is better than a formal invitation, may I have the honor of inviting the three of you to lunch?"

Shen Qinglan’s lips quirked up slightly as she spoke placidly, "There’s no need for such politeness, we have other matters today and won’t be eating, perhaps another time."

"Miss Shen, honestly, I just wanted to invite you to a meal with no other intentions," Qin Yan said. "I know you have some misunderstandings about me because of Ya Xi, but I have no ill intentions towards you or Ya Xi. Ya Xi is now overseas with her mother, and I can’t see her either. Meeting you here now, it must be some kind of fate."

Shen Qinglan’s gaze shifted slightly, glancing at Fu Hengyi and Chu Yunrong.

Fu Hengyi spoke in a gentle voice, "Madam, it’s not Qinglan refusing to give you face, but we have other matters to attend to later and truly cannot join you for a meal. We’re very sorry."

At his words, disappointment marred Qin Yan’s face. "That’s really a shame, Miss Shen. Since that’s the case, let’s reschedule for another day."

Shen Qinglan nodded and said goodbye to Qin Yan.

Once Qin Yan had left, Chu Yunrong remembered that she had met this woman before when she was out with Shen Qinglan; it was in a mall as well. "Qinglan, have we met this person before?"

Shen Qinglan nodded. "Yes, but I’m not familiar with her."

Chu Yunrong hadn’t paid much attention to Qin Yan at first, but after meeting her several times, she inevitably remembered her.

Fu Hengyi had only glanced at Qin Yan at the beginning and then withdrew his gaze.

Shen Qinglan did not think Qin Yan was specifically waiting for her here, but constantly meeting Qin Yan still made her feel somewhat odd. She followed Fu Hengyi into a maternity and baby store, casting one last glance towards the entrance. Qin Yan’s figure was nowhere to be seen.

"Qinglan, how about this piece of clothing?" Chu Yunrong held up a piece of clothing against Shen Qinglan’s figure.

Shen Qinglan looked over—it was a floral print long dress. "The color is too flashy."

Chu Yunrong frowned. "Is it? I’ll go look again."

Fu Hengyi was looking at shoes, standing beside a sales assistant who was explaining the advantages and disadvantages of each pair. He held a pair of shoes in his hand, apparently having made a choice, and came over. Crouching down beside Shen Qinglan, "Try this pair on to see if they fit," he said, lifting Shen Qinglan’s foot to help her slip off her shoe.

As an attractive, high-status man knelt down to change a woman’s shoes, gazing tenderly at her, the scene was striking. Other customers in the store couldn’t help but glance back at Fu Hengyi and Shen Qinglan. Some women even looked at their own partners with a wistful expression, as if thinking, "Look at him, then look at you."

Shen Qinglan tilted her head slightly, watching Fu Hengyi seriously assist her with her shoes, his profile sharp as a blade, her eyes shimmering with light.

"Stand up and see if they fit well," Fu Hengyi said softly.

Shen Qinglan stood and took a few steps, then nodded, "These will do."

When Shen Qinglan sat down again, Fu Hengyi helped her change back into her shoes and handed them to the assistant, "Wrap this pair up, and also bring me another pair in a different color."

The items here were all pricey, so hearing Fu Hengyi’s request, naturally made the assistant very happy.

Meanwhile, Chu Yunrong had already picked out a few clothes, "Qinglan, what do you think of these?"

Shen Qinglan glanced at them, then turned her gaze to Fu Hengyi. Fu Hengyi looked carefully at the clothes in Chu Yunrong’s hands and spoke up, "Mom, I think these are quite nice."

Chu Yunrong took out the items that Fu Hengyi had mentioned and handed them over to the shop assistant, "Then we’ll take these."

Leaving the clothing store, Fu Hengyi’s hands were already holding several bags, all belonging to Shen Qinglan. They hadn’t walked far when a woman’s voice rang out, "Miss Shen, is it really you?" The voice was full of surprise.

Shen Qinglan turned around and saw a fashionably dressed woman looking at her with a face full of astonishment. A trace of confusion flickered through Shen Qinglan’s eyes.

The woman quickly walked over, "Miss Shen, do you remember me?"

Shen Qinglan looked apologetic as she addressed the woman, "May I ask who you are?"

"Last year, we met at XX mall. At the time, I was pregnant and was taken hostage by a madman. You came forward to take my place, do you remember?" she explained.

With that reminder, Shen Qinglan recalled her; it turned out she was the pregnant woman. Perhaps it was because of the pregnancy that the woman had lost a lot of weight compared to then, which was why Shen Qinglan did not recognize her at first glance.

Seeing that Shen Qinglan remembered, the woman’s smile grew even more intense, "Miss Shen, I’ve always wanted to say thank you. If it weren’t for you back then, my child and I might have been in danger. I really thank you." The woman still felt a residual fear when recalling that incident, which also deepened her gratitude towards Shen Qinglan who had saved her.

"It’s a small matter, don’t worry about it. How is your child?" Shen Qinglan asked.

The woman smiled, "My child is doing well, it’s a girl, very healthy." As she spoke, a man carrying a child approached. By now, the child was already ten months old, with well-defined features, chubby and white, with dark, sparkling eyes that were very cute.

"This is my daughter, her nickname is Tuantuan."

Shen Qinglan’s gaze fell upon the child, and as her eyes met the child’s bright ones, her expression softened unconsciously, "Your daughter is adorable."

"You saved my wife and child’s life, Miss Shen. Our family is very grateful to you," the man said, his face filled with emotion.

Shen Qinglan smiled slightly, "It’s really nothing; anyone in my place would have done the same." She had intervened at the time precisely because the woman was pregnant.

Despite Shen Qinglan’s words, the couple remained deeply thankful. Maybe for Shen Qinglan, it was just an act of kindness in the moment, but for their family, it had averted a tragedy.

"Miss Shen, we’ve been wanting to thank you, but could never find the chance. Now that we’ve unexpectedly met, let us invite you and your companion to a meal as a way to fulfill a small wish of ours," the man sincerely offered.

A flicker of hesitation crossed Shen Qinglan’s eyes. Before she could respond, Fu Hengyi spoke up warmly, "There’s no need for a meal; Qinglan appreciates your sentiment. However, we have to go elsewhere next, so we are truly sorry."

Hearing this, the couple looked quite disappointed but soon smiled again, "Miss Shen, then we won’t delay your engagements. If there’s another opportunity in the future, please let us treat you to a meal as a token of our gratitude."

The woman spoke and, while doing so, took out a business card from her purse, "This is my husband’s business card. If there is ever anything where you might need our help, please don’t hesitate to ask, Miss Shen."

Shen Qinglan took the business card, glanced at it, and acknowledged with an "Alright," then bid farewell to the couple.

Leaving the mall, Shen Qinglan and her two companions headed straight home, not to their new home, but to the Fu Family’s.