The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 448 - 450. Uninvited Guest

Chapter 448: 450. Uninvited Guest

Pei Yinong waited until the person walked away before looking at Jiang Chenxi’s hand on her shoulder, "Can you let go now?"

Jiang Chenxi withdrew his hand and looked at Pei Yinong intently, "Why didn’t you explain?" If Pei Yinong had mentioned earlier that she was from the Pei Family, that man wouldn’t have dared to say those excessive words, since everyone here knows the marriage connection between the Shen and Pei families.

Pei Yinong shrugged nonchalantly, "What’s there to say? My family background has nothing to do with who I am, and besides, he’s just a nobody."

"Yining, do people often harass you like that?" Jiang Chenxi suddenly said with pity.

Pei Yinong paused for a moment before realizing what he meant, and laughed lightly, "Are you overthinking it? Do I seem that weak in your eyes?" In fact, if Jiang Chenxi had not come out, she wouldn’t have been in any trouble; she could have handled it herself.

"You’re not weak, but you’re not strong either. Yining, you’re just a woman, what’s wrong if you’re delicate? Wouldn’t it be okay for me to protect you?"

Pei Yinong’s heart trembled suddenly. She looked at the man in front of her, the first man to say she wasn’t weak but not strong either, a rapid gleam flashed in her eyes. She slightly lowered her gaze to the ground, pretending to be casual, "I guess I can let this slide, but if your girlfriend heard this, she would definitely be jealous."

"I don’t have a girlfriend," Jiang Chenxi immediately replied.

"The girl who came with you today is your girlfriend, right? I heard your mother introducing her like that."

Jiang Chenxi gazed seriously at Pei Yinong’s eyes, "She’s not my girlfriend. I’ve never acknowledged that. Yining, you know, I have someone I like. My heart is small; once it accommodates one person, it can no longer fit another."

Pei Yinong couldn’t quite describe what she felt at that moment, but she couldn’t deny that her heart was moved. A voice in her ear kept saying, "Accept it, accept Jiang Chenxi. If you miss him, you might never meet another man who loves you like he does in your lifetime. Besides, you love him too, right?"

Just as Pei Yinong was about to follow her heart, another voice emerged saying, "Pei Yinong, you can’t, Jiang Chenxi has a bright future ahead. He shouldn’t be together with a woman with a tarnished reputation like you. How would people look at him? Besides, his family will never approve of your relationship. Could you bear to cause him unhappiness with his family?"

Two voices alternated in Pei Yinong’s mind. Her expression flickered.

Jiang Chenxi lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes, "Yining, you love me too, don’t you?"

Pei Yinong wanted to nod, but didn’t dare to. Her expression was somewhat dazed, as if she was transported back in time to their school days.

Just as Jiang Chenxi was about to kiss Pei Yinong’s lips, he heard Mrs. Jiang’s voice, "Chenxi, what are you doing?" She had come out because her son had not returned for a while, only to witness this scene.

Pei Yinong was startled and instinctively pushed Jiang Chenxi away, only to see Mrs. Jiang standing nearby watching them.

Pei Yinong nodded at Mrs. Jiang, planning to leave, when she heard Mrs. Jiang say, "Miss Pei, Chenxi already has a girlfriend. I hope you can keep a distance from him."

Pei Yinong’s face stiffened, she paused in her steps, then continued walking away, "Rest assured."

"Mom, what are you talking about?" Jiang Chenxi’s voice rang out almost simultaneously with Pei Yinong’s.

Mrs. Jiang glared sharply at Jiang Chenxi, then turned to see Pei Yinong walking away. Jiang Chenxi tried to follow Pei Yinong but was abruptly stopped by Mrs. Jiang grabbing his arm, "Where do you think you’re going?"

Jiang Chenxi was angry, "Mom, that was too much."

"Where did I go overboard? I’m stating the facts. Since you are dating Wan Jiao, you should keep a distance from other women."

"Mom, Wan Jiao and I are not dating at all, and you know that very well. Why would you say something like that? What’s wrong with Yining that you dislike her so much?" Jiang Chenxi was puzzled—his mother had always been reasonable and open-minded, so why was she so stubborn about Pei Yining?

"I also want to ask you, what’s so good about her that you’re so infatuated? Chenxi, I don’t dislike Pei Yining. If I set aside your involvement and just consider her from a woman’s perspective, I even admire her. She had the courage to give birth to Haohao amid other people’s criticism and even raised him so well. But Chenxi, you can be friends with her, but you can’t be together. Our family can’t accept a woman who got pregnant before marriage as a daughter-in-law. I’m afraid of being pointed at."

Jiang Chenxi’s eyes had completely cooled, but his face became even calmer, a sign that he was extremely angry.

"Mom, what if I say, I want to be with Pei Yining no matter what?"

"Then are you willing to watch your father die with your own eyes? You know he has heart disease, and he’s so traditional and stubborn. If he found out about this, he would literally die from anger." Mrs. Jiang was very disappointed in Jiang Chenxi.

This son had always been a worry-free child, exceptional both in studies and life, the kind other parents pointed out to their children. But now, he had changed, which was very upsetting for Mrs. Jiang. At the same time, she felt a bit resentful towards Pei Yining.

"Mom, I’ve already made it clear to Wan Jiao. I have someone I like, and I won’t be with her. You can give up on that idea. Even if I’m not with Pei Yining, I won’t be with anyone else." Jiang Chenxi spoke very calmly, as if talking about something ordinary, but this calmness made Mrs. Jiang even angrier and more worried.

"Chenxi, listen to me."

"Mom, there’s no need to say more. I understand your point, and I respect your choice. Please respect mine as well." Jiang Chenxi said, then turned and left the room. Mrs. Jiang watched her son’s retreating figure, wanting to say more but stopping herself.

When Jiang Chenxi went to find Pei Yining, he saw her with Shen Qinglan. "Yining, I want to talk to you."

Pei Yining glanced at him. "There’s nothing for us to talk about."

Jiang Chenxi turned his pleading gaze to Shen Qinglan, who wisely stood up. "I’ll go check if Anan is awake."

Pei Yining grabbed her hand. "I’ll go with you." She stood up.

Shen Qinglan gave Jiang Chenxi a helpless look, leaving him standing there alone, dejected.

"Cousin, why won’t you give him a chance?" Even though they loved each other, why refuse to give each other a chance, condemning both to suffering?

Pei Yining’s expression was somber. "Qinglan, marriage is about two families. His parents don’t like me and won’t let him marry me. And I can’t make him abandon his family for me; even if he were willing, I’d find it cruel."

Hearing this, Shen Qinglan was taken aback. Indeed, the biggest issue wasn’t Pei Yining and Jiang Chenxi, but his parents.

"Cousin, won’t you try to fight for it a bit? Maybe his parents aren’t as unreasonable as you think?" Shen Qinglan wasn’t aware of the recent incident with Mrs. Jiang.

Pei Yining shook her head and gave a bitter smile. "Let’s leave it for now, Qinglan. Today is a good day, let’s not talk about this anymore. We’ll talk later." Clearly avoiding the topic.

Shen Qinglan wanted to help, but it was a difficult situation—a situation out of her hands, particularly since Haohao existed objectively, and Pei Yining’s past couldn’t be erased with just a few words.

"Mommy, where did you go just now?" Haohao ran up to his mother and asked.

Pei Yining hugged her son, "Mommy had to step out for a bit, what’s wrong?"

Haohao shook his head, disappointment evident on his face, "Sigh, I thought you went to find Uncle Jiang."

Hearing this, Pei Yining was both amused and exasperated, "What are you thinking about all the time at such a young age?"

Haohao’s little face turned serious, "Mommy, you shouldn’t always treat me like a little child, I’m already five years old, I’ve grown up."

"Alright, alright, you’ve grown up, you’re a little man now. So, Mommy asks you, has your little brother woken up?" It was a clear change of topic.

When mentioned his favorite little brother, Haohao’s attention was indeed diverted, "Little brother hasn’t woken up yet, but little sister is awake, and Aunt Xiao Xuan is with her."

While they were talking, Shen Qinglan and others had already arrived at the children’s room. Yu Xiaoxuan had just finished feeding Guoguo, and Shen Qinglan went over to check on her son; Anan was sleeping so soundly that he was drooling. Seeing this, Haohao took a tissue from the bedside table and gently wiped Anan’s mouth.

"Sister Yining, Haohao will definitely be a warm-hearted man when he grows up," Yu Xiaoxuan said with a laugh after seeing this scene.

Pei Yining smiled. Perhaps because he grew up in a single-parent family, Haohao was very sensible, but such sensibility moved Pei Yining and also left her feeling heartbroken.

"Little aunt, can I stay over at your house today? I want to play with my little brother tomorrow," Haohao said after wiping Anan’s mouth and looking up at Shen Qinglan.

Before Shen Qinglan could respond, Pei Yining spoke first, "Don’t you have school tomorrow?"

Haohao slapped his forehead, "Oh, right, I forgot about that. So, when I don’t have school, can I come play with little brother?"

Shen Qinglan smiled and nodded, "Of course, I’ll pick you up after school tomorrow, how about that?"

Haohao’s eyes lit up, looking expectantly at Pei Yining, "Mommy, can I?"

Pei Yining naturally agreed, "Sure, but you have to behave well at your little aunt’s house and take good care of little brother, okay?"

"Mm-hmm." Haohao nodded repeatedly.

Meanwhile, an unexpected visitor had arrived downstairs.

"Mr. Fu, it’s been a long time," Catherine said with her eyes fixed on Fu Hengyi, smiling.

Fu Hengyi responded indifferently, "Lady Catherine."

Catherine smiled slightly, "Mr. Fu, I’ve been visiting Beijing these past few days, and I just heard that today is your son’s birthday, so I decided to come over for a drink. You don’t mind, do you?"

Since she put it that way, Fu Hengyi couldn’t really say he minded, but his expression grew even more detached, "Feel free, Lady Catherine."

Seeing the cold attitude of Fu Hengyi, Catherine bit her lip, feeling aggrieved. Because of the marriage issue, her mother had locked her at home for a long time, not allowing her to go out. She eventually agreed to the marriage arranged by her mother and even got engaged to the man, which is how she gained her freedom.

She hadn’t seen Fu Hengyi for several months, and, having just obtained her freedom, Catherine hurried to Beijing, eager to catch a glimpse of him. Yet, Fu Hengyi’s attitude towards her remained the same, not sparing her a single glance.

Not far away, Fang Tong was familiar with Catherine, having heard Yu Xiaoxuan gossip about her over the phone. Witnessing this scene, she immediately went upstairs to find Shen Qinglan.

Despite Fu Hengyi’s cold demeanor, Catherine was unwilling to be forgotten by him and, holding a glass of wine in hand, she approached him. "Mr. Fu, today is your son’s birthday, I wish him a happy birthday."

It’s hard to reject a toast offered in goodwill, particularly when it’s to wish one’s child happiness. Reluctantly, Fu Hengyi raised his glass and lightly clinked it with hers, taking a small sip.

"Mr. Fu, you are not wearing your military uniform today, but you look very sharp," Catherine attempted to make small talk.

Fu Hengyi responded indifferently, "Thank you, Lady Catherine. I have matters to attend to; please enjoy yourself." He then walked towards Han Yi.

"Mr. Fu..." Catherine called out, but Fu Hengyi had already left.

Angrily, she stomped her foot, her expression one of annoyance. She had come from so far away, only to be completely disregarded, wounding the pride of someone like Catherine who was accustomed to being held in high esteem.

When Shen Qinglan heard from Fang Tong, she walked to the staircase on the second floor and looked down to see Catherine standing there, watching Fu Hengyi walk away, looking frustrated. Yu Xiaoxuan also saw this and shook her head, "Qinglan, wasn’t it said that this Catherine is also a wealthy daughter in Xueli City? How shameless can she be, knowing that he is married, yet daring to chase him to his own home? She must think you are too easy-going."

Shen Qinglan’s lips curled slightly. "You’re right; she thinks I am too easy-going." Otherwise, why would she dare come here?

"Ah, I really can’t understand people these days," Yu Xiaoxuan shook her head, suddenly looking excitedly at Shen Qinglan. "Qinglan, since she has taken the trouble to come here, wouldn’t we be letting her down if we didn’t do something about it? How about we give her a little gift?"

Shen Qinglan looked at the excited Yu Xiaoxuan, momentarily lost in thought. The Yu Xiaoxuan in this moment reminded her so much of Jin Enxi, who also loved stirring trouble.

Enxi, where are you? Why won’t you meet with us?

"Qinglan, what’s wrong?" Yu Xiaoxuan waved her hand in front of Shen Qinglan, who snapped back to reality and chuckled, "Nothing, what were you saying just now?"

Yu Xiaoxuan repeated her earlier suggestion, looking at Shen Qinglan. "Qinglan, what do you think?"

Shen Qinglan shook her head, not thinking it was a good idea. "You just stay here and keep Guoguo and Anan company. Don’t worry about Catherine; she won’t cause any trouble."

Seeing that Shen Qinglan did not agree with her plan, Yu Xiaoxuan felt a bit disappointed. "Ah, Qinglan, I really think that woman needs to be taught a lesson."

"Xiaoxuan, try to be more disciplined. Today is the birthday party Qinglan and Mr. Fu are hosting for Anan. If things get out of hand, it would be Qinglan who loses face," Fang Tong said quietly.

Yu Xiaoxuan smacked her forehead, "Oh, look at my silly brain! They say pregnancy makes you dumb for three years, but I think I have been plain stupid." Smiling wryly, she added, "Qinglan, let’s pretend I never said anything."

"It’s not just three years; you’ve never been bright," Fang Tong teased mercilessly.

Yu Xiaoxuan hummed but did not argue with Fang Tong this time. She also felt she had been foolish and mumbled, "Well, I better go check on Guoguo."

Shen Qinglan watched her flee, chuckling, and Fang Tong too laughed, "Always like a child, acting on whim after whim."

"This is just fine," Shen Qinglan said.

Glancing downstairs, Fang Tong noticed Catherine heading towards Fu Hengyi again and pouted, "But Qinglan, this is indeed quite annoying."

Shen Qinglan had also witnessed the scene, a cold light flashing in her eyes, "I’ll go down and greet the guests."

Fang Tong followed behind Shen Qinglan.

"Lady Catherine," Shen Qinglan intercepted her path with a glass of wine in hand. Catherine’s eyes turned cold upon seeing Shen Qinglan, though she maintained a smile on her face, "Oh, Miss Shen."

"You should call me Mrs. Fu," Shen Qinglan corrected her once again.

Catherine seemed to ignore this correction, sizing up Shen Qinglan, "Miss Shen, you seem to have become much more haggard within a few months. Surely it’s not because of an unhappy marriage?" Her eyes brimmed with schadenfreude.

Shen Qinglan looked at her as if she was watching a clown, unconsciously placing her hand on her waist, "On the contrary, since giving birth, my husband has become even more caring and passionate. Sometimes, I even feel overwhelmed."

Fang Tong was stunned. Was this the Shen Qinglan she knew? She was actually teasing.

Catherine initially didn’t grasp her meaning, but noticing her gestures, how could she misinterpret it anymore? Internally cursing Shen Qinglan as shameless, she couldn’t bring herself to criticize, after all, they were a legally married couple.

When one jab didn’t work, Catherine immediately switched topics, "Miss Shen’s fame is growing rapidly these days, and so is your temper. You even declined to participate in the oil painting competition held in the U.S. a while back. Quite the diva. I’ve heard several old artists were quite disappointed in you."

At the end of last year, Daniel had signed Shen Qinglan up for an oil painting competition held in the U.S. in May, attended by talented young artists from the art circles. It was a significant event in the art world, followed by many veteran artists. Many felt honored to participate. However, when the time came, the promising newcomer Shen Qinglan did not show up.

It would have been fine if she hadn’t signed up, but to register and then not appear made many veteran artists think the young artist was too arrogant, having become complacent with just a little success, which drastically worsened her image.

Except for a few artists who had interacted with Shen Qinglan and spoke in her defense, believing she wasn’t such a person, most were disappointed. Those who attended were secretly pleased; her absence removed a strong competitor, which was an enormous stroke of luck for them; they wished Shen Qinglan would never appear again.

Don’t assume artists are always elevated individuals—anyone can be petty, gripped by commonplace emotions like jealousy and envy, often reveling in others’ misfortunes. It’s just that some who are truly devoted to art manage to suppress these feelings.

Shen Qinglan had completely forgotten about this matter, as she was preoccupied with searching for Jin Enxi at the time and couldn’t remember anything about the competition, nor did Daniel remind her due to the chaos from Jin Enxi’s disappearance.

Even had Shen Qinglan remembered, under those circumstances, she wouldn’t have participated in any painting competition; finding Jin Enxi was far more important than any contest.

"Not participating is better than some who can’t even qualify to participate," Shen Qinglan remarked indifferently.

Catherine’s face twisted, glaring fiercely at Shen Qinglan, "What do you mean?"

Shen Qinglan spoke nonchalantly, unhurriedly, "I didn’t name anyone; Lady Catherine, you shouldn’t take it personally."

Due to the backlash from the exposé Fu Hengyi had leaked to the media in Xueli City, Catherine’s reputation in the art world had been tarnished, and even her teacher had disowned her, effectively pushing her out of the circle involuntarily.

Catherine had always been jealous of Shen Qinglan’s superior painting skills, and now, she detested her even more.

"Shen Qinglan, what’s so great about you? It’s just that you had a capable agent. Now that Daniel is no longer your agent, I want to see how long you can stay so smug without his help," Lady Catherine said somewhat frantically.

Shen Qinglan remained calm as ever, "You don’t need to worry about that, Lady Catherine. You should take care of yourself. By the way, I heard that Lady Catherine is getting married soon, congratulations are in order for you. When the time comes, I will definitely send you a special gift." Before leaving, Shen Qinglan couldn’t resist jabbing at Lady Catherine’s heart, remembering the man she had her eye on, and her continuous pestering made Shen Qinglan somewhat irritated.

Catherine’s face turned shades of green and white, much like a color palette. Watching Shen Qinglan’s retreating figure, she seethed inwardly, what’s so great about her? It was merely that she met Fu Hengyi earlier than she did. Men, after all, are not angels; she was eager to see whether Shen Qinglan could still maintain her smugness once Fu Hengyi ended up with her.

"Qinglan, you’re here. I’ve been looking for you," Chu Yunrong spotted Shen Qinglan and pulled her over, Shen Qinglan looked at Chu Yunrong puzzled, "Mom, what’s the matter?"

"Let me introduce you to a few people. They’re from the same military unit as Hengyi. You should have a good chat with them," Chu Yunrong whispered, "Sometimes, it’s necessary to mingle with these wealthy ladies in Beijing."

Shen Qinglan knew her mother meant well and naturally did not refuse. Following Chu Yunrong, this round of mingling earned Shen Qinglan several invitations to charity galas.

These so-called charity galas were essentially gatherings of affluent ladies, a essential way to maintain connections.

"You don’t have to attend all of them, just pick one or two to check out. Mom knows you don’t like these kinds of events. After you choose, I’ll come with you," Chu Yunrong said softly, seeing Shen Qinglan’s expression remain indifferent.

Shen Qinglan nodded, "Thank you, Mom." Although she could handle such occasions, having Chu Yunrong by her side indeed spared her much trouble.

Chu Yunrong also disliked these gatherings. Over so many years, she only attended them three to five times a year. However, the last time Fu Hengyi was demoted because of an issue related to Shen Qinglan, now, getting on good terms with these ladies could benefit him.

Shen Qinglan understood this, which was why she didn’t refuse. Although relying on the relationship between the Shen family and the Fu family, she needn’t defer to anyone in Beijing, but it was crucial to maintain certain connections.

"Lanlan," Shen Junyu saw Shen Qinglan had been entertained by her mother for a long time and had already had several drinks, he came to rescue his sister, "Lanlan, your sister-in-law drank too much earlier. Can you go check on her?"

Shen Qinglan naturally wouldn’t refuse. She was actually eager to distance herself from this group of women, gathered together talking about beauty, clothing, or whose husband was more successful, which bored Shen Qinglan, but she still had to feign interest.

"Do you think your brother is like a hero descended from heaven to rescue you from dire straits?" Shen Junyu asked with a smile after they left the group of women.

Shen Qinglan glanced at him indifferently, "You came too late." She had already drunk seven or eight cups before he had come.

Shen Junyu touched his nose, well, he couldn’t possibly tell Shen Qinglan he wanted to see how his ethereal sister would handle socializing with others.

Shen Qinglan found Wen Xiyao on the balcony, and she was resting with her eyes closed. Shen Junyu wasn’t wrong—Wen Xiyao did drink quite a lot tonight. "Sister-in-law, are you okay?" Shen Qinglan softened her voice.

Wen Xiyao opened her eyes and smiled, "I’m fine. I just had some honey water and feel much better now. How about you? I saw you drank quite a bit just now."

"I’m fine," Shen Qinglan said. Her alcohol tolerance was quite good, so this amount of drink was not a problem for her.

"These people can really drink," Wen Xiyao said. This time there were some important business partners from the Junlan Group; she had chatted with their wives for half of the night and drank quite a bit.

Seeing Wen Xiyao clutching her stomach, Shen Qinglan asked with concern, "Does your stomach hurt?"

Wen Xiyao shook her head, "I’m fine, just drank too much without eating, so I’m a bit hungry."

Shen Qinglan got up and went to the kitchen to get some food for Wen Xiyao. "Eat something first."

The two hid on the balcony, eating and chatting casually with each other.

"Qinglan, Anan is already one year old and has successfully weaned. Are you planning to stay at home, or go with Hengyi to the military?" Wen Xiyao, having recovered from her discomfort, asked Shen Qinglan.

Shen Qinglan shook her head, "I haven’t discussed this matter with Fu Hengyi yet. Mainly because grandpa is getting old, and Fu Hengyi spends a long time in the military, it inevitably makes the old man lonely. I also want to spend more time with him."

Indeed, the Fu Family only had Fu Hengyi as a grandson. If both Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi went to the military, then only Old Sir Fu would be left at home. This year, although Old Sir Fu seemed robust, his health had actually declined quite a bit compared to before, which was one of the reasons Shen Qinglan was hesitant.

The dinner party lasted until nine o’clock at night. By the time it ended, Shen Qinglan was already sitting on the sofa, not wanting to move at all. Fu Hengyi, having seen off the last group of guests, came in and saw Shen Qinglan’s exhausted appearance and smiled, "Go take a bath to relax."

Shen Qinglan looked at him, "Are all the people gone?"

Fu Hengyi nodded, "Yes, everyone has been sent off."

Shen Qinglan stretched lazily, "Then I’ll go take a bath first, check on Anan."

"Okay, go ahead," Fu Hengyi pulled her up from the sofa, "Don’t hurry, I’m here for Anan."

Shen Qinglan waved her hand, indicating she understood. However, once she went in, she didn’t come out for two hours, which worried Fu Hengyi. He went to check and found Shen Qinglan asleep by the bathtub.

With her makeup removed, Shen Qinglan’s under-eye circles were distinctly dark, obviously caused by lack of rest.

Knowing she had been suffering a lot recently, Fu Hengyi felt deeply pained. Just as he picked up a towel from the rack, Shen Qinglan opened her eyes and, seeing it was Fu Hengyi, realized she had fallen asleep during her bath.

Her eyes were still misty from sleep, "Fu Hengyi, what time is it?"

Fu Hengyi glanced at the time, "It’s eleven-thirty. Get up and go sleep in the bed."

Shen Qinglan climbed out of the bathtub, changed her clothes, and went to check on her son first. Seeing that Anan was sleeping well and covering him with a blanket, she returned to the room, reassured.

Fu Hengyi was still showering, and Shen Qinglan leaned against the headboard with a magazine in her hand. She was very awake despite having just slept for a while. Although she was holding a magazine, her eyes weren’t on it.

Fu Hengyi came out and saw Shen Qinglan looking distracted. He wiped his hair and sat down at the bedside, "Qinglan, are you still thinking about Jin Enxi?"

Shen Qinglan came back to her senses and nodded at Fu Hengyi’s words, "Enxi knew a lot of people, but there aren’t many she was close to, except for us. I don’t know where she has gone. Fu Hengyi, do you understand the anxious feeling of knowing someone is alive but not knowing their situation?"

In the last few days, she always had trouble sleeping, and closing her eyes would bring back the scene of the grenade explosion.

Fu Hengyi understood her feelings very well and held her hand, "Qinglan, at least we already know Jin Enxi is still alive, isn’t that the best news?"

Shen Qinglan gave a bitter smile. "Fu Hengyi, what exactly happened to Enxi? Why wasn’t the first person she contacted us when she woke up?"

Fu Hengyi couldn’t answer either. "Maybe she’ll contact you in a few days," he could only say to comfort Shen Qinglan.

"Maybe," Shen Qinglan’s mood was low, and all she could do at the moment was wait, wait for Jin Enxi to reach out to her.

"By the way, I wanted to discuss something with you. I’m thinking of staying at home to accompany Grandpa first and then taking Anan to the military base to see you this weekend. What do you think?"

Fu Hengyi hugged Shen Qinglan. "Okay, I’ll listen to you, Qinglan, thank you." He understood Shen Qinglan was helping him fulfill his filial duties. "Qinglan, is it hard being my wife?" He was rarely home, and all the household responsibilities fell on Shen Qinglan alone. Outsiders might think being a military wife was great, but only they knew how tough it really was.

When other women fell ill, their husbands were by their side to care for them, but as a military wife, you had to endure it alone because your husband couldn’t just come back from the military base; when other women encountered problems, their husbands helped, but as a military wife, you had to rely on yourself, without even anyone to consult, again because your husband was in the military.

"Yes, it is quite hard," Shen Qinglan said. "So you need to treat me better."

Fu Hengyi nodded seriously. "If I don’t treat you well, you can do whatever you want to me, hit me or scold me, whatever you like."

Shen Qinglan couldn’t help but laugh at his words, "I’m just teasing you. Why so serious, Fu Hengyi? I don’t find it hard at all. I’m glad it’s me who became your wife, not someone else." Her eyes were tender, like a serene mountain spring.

Fu Hengyi said nothing but held her tightly, as if she were a rare treasure.

That night, the family slept here at their new home, and the next day, Shen Qinglan went out for a run and when she returned, Fu Hengyi was already in the kitchen making breakfast. On days Fu Hengyi was at home, he was usually the one who cooked, seeing as Shen Qinglan could only make what he affectionately termed ’dark cuisine.’

Anan sat in his walker watching Daddy make breakfast, his eyes fixed on the bowl of millet porridge in Fu Hengyi’s hand, almost drooling.

Seeing Shen Qinglan, he called out "Mommy" and then turned back to look at Fu Hengyi, clearly not focusing on Shen Qinglan.

Shen Qinglan came over and pinched his cheek, "Fu Chenxuan, you really are a foodie, just like your godmother."

Anan let Shen Qinglan pinch him, not resisting. She was the only one he allowed to do that; others would have made him unhappy.

Shen Qinglan didn’t tease her son any longer, went back to her room for a quick shower, changed clothes, and when she came out, Fu Hengyi was already feeding Anan.

In Anan’s hand was a peeled egg, from which he occasionally took bites. "Mommy, eat," he said.

Shen Qinglan smiled and nodded. "Anan is so good. After we eat, we’ll go back home to see Grandpa."

"Grandpa," Anan echoed. He was very close to both grandfathers and enjoyed their company.

Fu Hengyi had to return to the base today; he first took Shen Qinglan and their son back to the Military District before leaving.

After Anan’s first birthday party, Shen Qinglan had some free time; she stayed at home, accompanying Anan while waiting for a message from Jin Enxi. Except for that brief communication last time, it was as if Jin Enxi had vanished, with no news at all.

And just when Shen Qinglan was about to find another way to locate Jin Enxi, she received a call from Country Y.