When Si Yue turned around, Uncle Guo was standing behind him with a stern face. Si Yue blinked innocently. Where did he look like a thief? Didn't he wait for the timing to get in naturally?
But facing Uncle Guo, who obviously looked very grumpy, Si Yue didn't try to retort. Instead, he pointed inside and asked, "Can I go in?"
Uncle Guo frowned. Before he opened his mouth again, Si Yue hurriedly took the lead and said, "I won't do anything to your flowers."
Uncle Guo stared at Si Yue for a long time before reluctantly nodding and emphasizing: "Don't touch my flowers."
Si Yue promised again and again, almost making an oath. Finally, he stepped into the flower shed under Uncle Guo's permission.
When Si Yue entered the flower shed, he immediately saw Wenwen playing quietly alone in a small playpen surrounded by flower pots. Si Yue recognized this place, as he remembered Wenwen's first video that must have been shot in this playpen.
Si Yue walked over and saw Wenwen was playing with wooden blocks. This time, the child was building a house.
Wenwen looked up and was very happy to see Si Yue: "Uncle Yue."
Seeing Si Yue was here, the boy stopped playing with blocks and ran over.
"Are you building a house? Can I play with you?" Playing blocks was way too childish for someone Si Yue's age. But for the sake of father-son bonding, he was willing to do it.
Wenwen tilted his head. In fact, he had long outgrown these toys. Having played with them since childhood, he no longer found them interesting.
Why did Uncle Yue so childish? He not only liked to watch cartoons, but was also fond of playing with children's toys?
Could it be that Uncle Yue had a hard time growing up and had no toys to play with or cartoons to watch when he was a child? Now that he was an adult, did he want to make it up for his childhood?
Wenwen's gaze turned into sympathy. Right, not everyone was as lucky as him and had a chance to start all over again.
Si Yue: "?" Why did this kid look at him like that?
Wenwen patted Si Yue's long legs and comforted him, "Okay, I'll play with you."
The boy then pulled Si Yue's pants and brought him to the playpen.
Si Yue walked into Wenwen's playpen, then sat cross-legged and began to play with the wooden blocks.
Uncle Guo, who was originally looking after his precious orchids, noticed the interaction between Si Yue and Wenwen. Upon seeing this, the old man's brows wrinkled subconsciously. Wenwen was a lovable child and popular with everyone. For example, which one of his students didn't love Wenwen like their own relative? However, their interaction never gave Uncle Guo the weird feeling like Si Yue did.
It was as if… this person was making up for something.
Uncle Guo's gaze turned into a scrutinizing one.
Si Yue seemed to be aware of Uncle Guo's gaze. He raised his eyes and gave the old man a friendly smile, then lowered his eyes again and continued helping Wenwen build a house.
Uncle Guo snorted coldly, took away his gaze, and continued to take care of his orchid.
…
When Fu Yunruo came out of the flower room after finishing her livestream, she was met with this warm and harmonious scene. Seeing Si Yue and Wenwen playing so happily, Fu Yunruo didn't bother them, but went to Uncle Guo to help with the orchids.
Wenwen and Si Yue worked together and finally finished building a blockhouse. Upon completion, the boy clapped his hands, full of joy and a sense of accomplishment. He then turned at Si Yue with a grin, "Uncle Yue!"
Si Yue nodded and praised: "Wenwen is awesome!"
Wenwen squinted his eyes with joy, but he didn't forget to praise back: "Uncle Yue is also awesome!"
Wenwen wanted to share his accomplishment with his mother, but when he looked around, he saw Fu Yunruo standing beside Uncle Guo, carefully tending to a blooming orchid under the old man's guidance.
Wenwen immediately stopped his intention to call. He hurriedly covered his little mouth with both hands and turned away, trying to not disturb his mother's work.
Si Yue also noticed it when Fu Yunruo went out. Knowing that she had finished her livestream, he couldn't help turning his head to the separated room in flower shed. Fu Yunruo did her livestream inside, which meant that all the flowers she raised were right there.
Si Yue almost couldn't hold back his longing, and he couldn't wait to go in and take a look himself. Not only his little eleventh, but he also wanted to see the rest of the orchid siblings!
However, without the owner's consent, he could only temporarily hold the idea in his heart.
When Wenwen saw that Fu Yunruo was done with her work, he ran over and jumped at his mother: "Mom!"
Fu Yunruo turned around in response, "Have you done playing?"
Wenwen nodded, then he grabbed Fu Yunruo's hand and took her over, "Look!"
"The house is ready!"
Fu Yunruo saw the house and praised: "Wenwen is really amazing. The house you built is excellent!"
"Uncle Yue too!" Wenwen chirped happily.
"Yes, yes, Uncle Yue is amazing too!" Fu Yunruo smoothly added with a smile. When her gaze moved, she inadvertently met a pair of deep eyes.
Si Yue stood casually, yet his posture was straight, and his bearing was extraordinary. On top of that, there was a hint of a smile on his handsome face, making him even more charming.
Fu Yunruo was stunned for a while, and her cheeks suddenly became hot. She smiled slightly at Si Yue before turning her gaze away.
Si Yue came over and asked casually, "Can I enter that room?"
Fu Yunruo nodded without thinking. The flower room was used for her livestream job, but there was nothing that couldn't be shown to outsiders inside. Wenwen was usually forbidden to enter, but that was because Fu Yunruo was worried that the child might suddenly break into the room when she was livestreaming. Now that the livestream was over, there was naturally no need to refuse Si Yue from entering.
Fu Yunruo took Wenwen's hand and entered the flower room with Si Yue. The small space hosted not only orchids, but also various livestreaming equipment that Si Yue instantly recognized. Fu Yunruo noticed his glance and explained a little, "I usually livestream myself taking care of orchids in this room."
Si Yue nodded, but didn't ask further questions, which made Fu Yunruo relieved. Her identity had been exposed so thoroughly that it was strange if Si Yue hadn't heard about it. Even so, she was too embarrassed to talk about her job with a big star like Si Yue.
Fu Yunruo smoothly skipped over the topic, unaware that this big star was actually one of her livestreaming fans. Seeing Si Yue taking a serious look at the row of orchid pots, she quickly explained, "These are the orchids I grow." She also helped grow and take care of many orchids in the flower shed, but the ones she used for her livestream were those in this room.
The first thing that entered Si Yue's eyes was his little eleventh, the golden emperor orchid. Although this species was not rare or expensive, this little guy was the one he personally chose to raise and naturally held the highest position in his heart.
Little eleventh already grew buds, and it would take a few days to fully bloom. Si Yue was very touched. He was probably the first fan to see these orchids in person, right? He did not expect that he was catching up with such good timing, and felt extremely fortunate to be able to see his orchid bloom for the first time.
Thinking like this, Si Yue was ecstatic. No one had this honor before!
The joy made Si Yue feel so special that he forgot himself for a while. Seeing the watering can next to the pots, he went to pick it up, "Do you need to water these guys? I can help."
"Don't…" Fu Yunruo remembered Si Yue's 'flower-killing physique' that was similar to Wenwen and went pale in an instant, "No need!"
Si Yue looked back at her with confused eyes.
Fu Yunruo walked over and hurriedly confisti-… no, politely take the watering can back and place it in a faraway corner before turning to Si Yue and begin to explain with a smile, "I've given them enough water, so please don't mind."
Inside, Fu Yunruo's heart was thumping. Mr. Yue's physique was too special — what if the plants he watered once also died? She didn't dare to gamble. These orchids were all her hard work. If they died because of such a ridiculous reason, she wouldn't even have a place to cry!
So it's so… Si Yue looked at the orchids with regret, then stroked his chin thoughtfully. Since they had been watered today, would he have a chance to do it tomorrow? In any case, he really wanted to personally give his 'son' water, at least once.
Meanwhile, Wenwen was staring at the eldest child, full of amazement and love. When would he be able to grow such a beautiful flower like his mother?
Si Yue and Wenwen stayed in the flower room for a long time, looking very harmonious as they watched the flowers together. Fu Yunruo didn't know what they were talking about, but they could squat for a long time in front of a single pot, whispering to each other.
Fu Yunruo wanted to do other tasks but couldn't feel at ease about leaving these two plant-killers alone in the flower room, for fear that they would harm her precious orchids when she was not looking. Fortunately, it was noon soon, and so Fu Yunruo took Wenwen out on the pretext of going to lunch and also asked Si Yue to come along with them.
When Fu Yunruo successfully took the two back to the bungalow, she wiped her nonexistent sweat in relief.
…
After lunch, Wenwen was drowsy and needed to take a nap. Fu Yunruo took him back to their room and soon fell asleep next to her son. As for Si Yue, he left the flower garden after lunch. Fu Yunruo thought he had figured it out and went back to the village, but she didn't expect to see Si Yue return at 4 pm, carrying a large bag with him.
Fu Yunruo: "?"
Even when Si Yue was carrying a huge load, it didn't affect his handsome bearing. He said to the stunned Fu Yunruo: "This is my tent."
Fu Yunruo: "…" Was he so determined to stay here tonight?
Si Yue walked around the bungalow, surveying the site. There was not enough room for the big tent in the living room, so he could only find a place outside. In the end, because of the enormous size of the tent, the only place available was right in front of the bungalow.
Helpless, Fu Yunruo had to help him clear the area and set up the tent together.
Perhaps because of Si Yue's height and long legs, the tent he brought back resembled a small yurt. It was tall enough that Si Yue could get in without lowering his back too much, and he could stand up straight inside. The space was also very spacious, about the size of Fu Yunruo and Wenwen's bedroom.
Seeing the tent, Wenwen was naturally curious. He took off his shoes and ran inside, exploring every nook and cranny with great interest.
Fu Yunruo also couldn't help but take a few more glances around. It was her first time seeing a yurt tent in person, and she couldn't help but wonder where Si Yue got this thing from. She didn't remember seeing such a tent sold in the nearby town.
Si Yue asked Wenwen: "Would you like to sleep with me tonight?"
Wenwen hesitated, but soon nodded enthusiastically. He had never slept in such a 'house' before. He could sleep here for one night and return to accompany his mother tomorrow!
Fu Yunruo: "…" Forget it, the little guy has grown up, and it was indeed time to give him his own room.
When Uncle Guo returned from the flower shed and saw the big tent in front of the bungalow, he instantly knew that Si Yue was planning to stay long-term. With a dark face, Uncle Guo snorted coldly and said in disgust, "Why are you still here?"
As if he didn't notice the old man's displeasure, Si Yue acted like usual. He greeted Uncle Guo with a smile before explaining seriously, "Wenwen was worried about his mother's safety and hired me to protect her, so I had to come here."
Uncle Guo's flower garden was mostly isolated from the rest of the world. He himself did not use the internet and only focused on his flowers all day long. Without anyone telling him what happened to Fu Yunruo during this time period, he was totally left in the dark.
Uncle Guo's flower garden was mostly isolated from the rest of the world. He himself did not use the internet and only focused on his flowers all day long. Without anyone telling him what happened to Fu Yunruo during this time period, he was totally left in the dark.
Hearing that Si Yue was here as a bodyguard, Uncle Guo's first reaction was to ask: "What happened to Ruoruo?" If nothing happened, why did she need a bodyguard?
Si Yue gave Uncle Guo a short explanation of the matter.
Uncle Guo frowned. What kind of mess were these? The student he treated as a daughter was being bullied so much? Others might not want this girl, but he wanted her! It would be even better if she could enter his household registration!
Because Uncle Guo was in a bad mood, Si Yue became even more unpleasant to his eyes, "There is no place for you to stay here."
Si Yue replied politely, "It's okay, I'm all ready." He pointed to the luxurious tent not far away.
Uncle Guo: "…"
Uncle Guo scolded: "I've never seen a brazen bastard like you!"
Si Yue raised his eyebrows and said nothing. He didn't care. Sometimes, being brazen was necessary.
In the end, Si Yue successfully settled down in the flower garden.
…
Uncle Guo's flower garden was peaceful for two days, but it was very lively outside. The variety show had been forced to suspend production for three days, and they were pressed with the choice of whether to continue shooting or not.
Although the casts were contracted to shoot the variety show during this period, they also had other activities. If the shooting kept being suspended, they eventually would have to leave to do other jobs. However, without a clear answer from the production team, the casts didn't dare to leave. What if they were called back to continue shooting just after they left? After all, this place was too remote. It took long hours and multiple modes of transportation to reach, which was too inconvenient.
At this time, all the casts had temporarily left the villager's home and gathered to live in a house rented by the show. As for the staff and production team who originally lived here, they had to resettle in the town hotel.
Because of the conflict between the show and the locals, the casts' treatment in the villagers' homes was not as good as before. Although they were not kicked out like Fang Xueruo, being treated coldly was very uncomfortable, so everyone decided to move to the rented house for the time being.
Xin Xu was the only exception, as he lived well with the Mei couple and didn't want to crowd with the rest of the casts. But the decision had passed, and Xin Xu couldn't possibly be the only one who stayed behind, so he had to pack up and leave reluctantly.
As for Fang Xueruo, she was taken away by Chang Zhuyou after being driven out, but they did not go too far and temporarily stayed in the highest-star hotel in the county seat.
Director Peng and his production team tried to contact Fang Xueruo several times, but always met with Chang Zhuyou's overbearing words before being hung up one-sidedly. Director Peng wanted to cry, but no tears came out. Whether to continue the shooting or not, why couldn't she make it clear so that their team could make the follow-up decisions, ah?!
He now regretted it so much. If only he stood firm in the first place and refused Fang Xueruo when she wanted to join the show…
He shouldn't be greedy, hoping to draw topics around Si Yue and Fang Xueruo's discord in order to attract traffic. The traffic was indeed on flame, but the show itself was also burned badly as a result…
Don't ask how he felt now. He was very much in regret!
The assistant director came to ask Director Peng, "What about Si Yue?"
"Si Yue's agent said that he can continue shooting, but Fang Xueruo cannot be present."
Director Peng's almost bald with worry. Looking at Apple Entertainment's stance, Si Yue must have thoroughly offended Fang Xueruo, Orange Entertainment, and the Chang and Fu family behind her. The legendary agent, Yuan Xin, even came all the way to help take care of the field. Such a busy man like Yuan Xin actually came to stay in this remote place and keep a good eye on the production team, for fear that they would bully Si Yue.
Si Yue was such a big star; how could their small production team dare to bully him? They couldn't afford to offend him.
The assistant director slapped his thigh: "Isn't that easy? After Fang Xueruo quits, cannot we find a substitute guest?"
Anyway, Fang Xueruo's image had been damaged. Although this disturbance had gradually subsided, there were still some negative effects. The assistant director didn't want a star who was riddled with negative news to participate in their show.
Director Peng said weakly: "The problem now is that Fang Xueruo doesn't make a statement…"
They tried to call her manager, but no one answered the phone. They tried to call Fang Xueruo, but were hung up by Chang Zhuyou. If they directly announced Fang Xueruo's withdrawal from the show, wouldn't they end up thoroughly offending Fang Xueruo and the Chang family?
Assistant director: "…" They couldn't offend either side, which was too difficult.
…
Si Yue didn't care about the crisis faced by the show and stayed in the flower garden with peace of mind. Therefore, when Yuan Xin suddenly appeared, he didn't give the agent a good face, feeling that his peaceful world was being disturbed.
Si Yue met Yuan Xin and asked lightly, "Why are you here?"
At this moment, Si Yue's pants were half-rolled up, and he was holding a scoop in his hand. Yuan Xin watched him walk to the wet vegetable patch and watered the plants with Wenwen.
Wenwen saw Yuan Xin was coming and shouted happily, "Uncle Yuan!"
Yuan Xin responded to the call. He looked at the clearly overwatered vegetables that had already begun to wilt. He then looked at the father and son, who were still excitedly pouring water. Inwardly, the agent was screaming: please leave those poor cabbages alone!
Yuan Xin watched as the water overflew from the soil and flowed into the gully. Finally, he couldn't bear it any longer and interrupted the father and son, "Isn't the water already enough?"
Wenwen raised his head. Under the cute little straw hat, his bright eyes blinked as he said solemnly, "The sun is so hot, and the vegetables are wilted. They need more water so that they won't be dried so quickly!"
"…A moderate amount is fine. It's already enough." Yuan Xin wiped his sweat. In just a short moment, he was already sweating profusely from the scorching sun.
"But the vegetables have been wilting. They clearly haven't had enough water!" Wenwen's eyes widened. He looked at Si Yue, asking for support: "Right, Uncle Yue?"
Yuan Xin: "…" Why don't you think the vegetables are wilting because of overwatering?
Unexpectedly, Si Yue nodded with approval: "Yeah."
…Confirmed. These two were father and son.
"Are you guys also taking care of orchids like this?" Yuan Xin asked. He had a feeling that he had finally figured out why all flowers died under their care.
"How can it be?" Wenwen widened his eyes again, "Orchids are so delicate. They need exact quantities of humidity and soil nutrients and are not easy to raise!"
Si Yue also said: "When I suggested you start taking flower gardening as a hobby, you always said that you don't have time. To ask such a small question is very much not in line with your elite man persona."
Yuan Xin: "…" Hehe, should he buy a few books about gardening and let this guy learn how to grow vegetables correctly?
After a while, Wenwen saw that the vegetables had gotten enough water, so he called Si Yue to stop watering. The two walked out of the patch, rinsed the bucket and scoop, and then washed their feet. Wenwen liked the sensation of the cool water on his feet, so he couldn't help but step on the puddle of water and was later imitated by Si Yue.
Seeing Si Yue's childish action, Yuan Xin's eyes almost popped out of their socket. He was shocked beyond belief: Do all people become so childish after having kids?
Having played enough, Si Yue and Wenwen returned to the bungalow. Seeing that Yuan Xin was looking at him strangely, Si Yue asked with a frown, "What are you doing?"
Yuan Xin replied: "I'm observing if you have been possessed by something strange." Could a person change so much in just a few days? Yuan Xin found that he could no longer remember Si Yue's lofty and overbearing posture.
Si Yue: "…" What kind of strange idea popped out in this guy's brain?
Yuan Xin prattled for a while before he got to the point and briefly recounted the show's production team's plan to Si Yue.
Next to them, Wenwen propped his chubby cheeks and listened carefully. The two adults thought that such a young boy, no matter how smart he was, wouldn't be able to understand adults' conversation, so they didn't avoid him when talking.
Yuan Xin took out a palm leaf fan out of nowhere and began to fan himself, "If I have to say, you should quit this show."
Si Yue was a famous actor. With his look and acting skills, he didn't need to rely on variety shows to attract popularity. When suggesting this show to Si Yue, Yuan Xin's original intention was to let him relax for a while, but now that the situation had gotten to this point, it was better for him to quit.
Si Yue didn't care either way. The only reason he never said to quit was just that he needed an excuse to stay here for longer.
Not long after, Fu Yunruo came out. Seeing Yuan Xin, she came to say hello and then asked about the show's situation.
Yuan Xin had nothing to hide, so he briefly recounted what he had just told Si Yue.
Hearing this, Fu Yunruo's worry was confirmed, "So, it's very likely that this show won't continue?"
Fu Yunruo felt very guilty, thinking that her personal matter had caused the show to end prematurely and implicated the rest of the cast. She was not familiar with the show's cast except for Xin Xu. She ruined the show, yet Xin Xu never blamed her…
Si Yue seemed to see Fu Yunruo's guilt and said in a low voice: "This matter has nothing to do with you. Looking at the whole picture, you are simply implicated by me. Apple Entertainment will provide other resources to other casts as compensation."
Si Yue then glanced at Yuan Xin.
The agent quickly responded: "Of course. Since this matter is originally related to Si Yue, our company will naturally make appropriate compensation."
When Fu Yunruo heard this, she felt a little better. She had no connection in the entertainment industry and couldn't make compensation to the cast. Now that Si Yue's company had stood up, she was extremely grateful. However… "It's not Mr. Yue's fault!"
Si Yue looked at Fu Yunruo and said, "It's even less your fault. You don't have to blame yourself. Even without you, this show is doomed to stop."
Fu Yunruo nodded, yet she was still not fully convinced. "The production team seemed to have promised a donation to the local area…" Was it still counted? In case the donation did not come through, should she secretly make it up anonymously?
"No, the donation will be made." Si Yue assured. Even if the production team retracted their promise, he would fulfill it. He liked the simple and honest local folks here, and they also took care of Fu Yunruo and Wenwen a lot. The best way he could repay them was by stimulating the economic development of the area.
Hearing this, Fu Yunruo was relieved. Still, she silently calculated the assets in her hands and was determined to make some donations on her own.
A while later, Si Yue went out on some business, but Yuan Xin stayed behind to play with Wenwen.
As for Fu Yunruo, she reasoned that Si Yue might be leaving soon now that the show had stopped production, so she sent a message to Tiantian, urging the latter to find a female bodyguard as soon as possible. When the new bodyguard arrived, Si Yue could leave, and Wenwen wouldn't protest then.
Yuan Xin looked at the vegetable patch outside the bungalow. Even though it had been exposed to the scorching sun for a long time, the soil was still wet, clear evidence of the absurd amount of water Si Yue and Wenwen had poured on it.
Fu Yunruo noticed his gaze, "Brother Yuan, what are you looking at?"
Yuan Xin pointed to the vegetable patch: "They did so much damage here. Why do you let them off?"
Fu Yunruo snorted softly, "It's okay." As long as they didn't harm the orchids, they could do as they liked.
Fu Yunruo noticed Yuan Xin's gaze, "Brother Yuan, what are you looking at?"
Yuan Xin pointed to the vegetable patch: "They did so much damage here. Why do you let them off?"
Fu Yunruo snorted softly, "It's okay." As long as they didn't harm the orchids, they could do as they liked.
Si Yue eagerly wanted to help with watering, fertilizing, and tending to the flowers, and it was hard for Fu Yunruo to refuse him each time. Fu Yunruo actually had taught Wenwen how to water properly, but the child tended to be stubborn with his own logic. In his mind, since people needed to drink a lot of water when they were thirsty, the same must also be true for the vegetables. With the sun so hot, of course they would be thirsty, right?
In the end, Fu Yunruo relented. There were few places for children to play in the flower garden, so it was okay if Wenwen wanted to play with water. Besides, the little guy was always very sensible. Fu Yunruo couldn't bear to be too harsh on him, so she turned a blind eye.
At first, Fu Yunruo thought that Si Yue would stop Wenwen from doing too much, but she didn't expect the man to indulge the boy so much and even played along with him.
Yuan Xin: "…" Behind every bratty kid, there are spoiling parents — this saying was not wrong.
…
Si Yue went out for most of the day and didn't come back until evening. After Si Yue returned, Yuan Xin left without staying for dinner.
Fu Yunruo didn't ask Si Yue what he did today, but he took the initiative to ask, "When are you going back to the village?"
Wenwen also looked eagerly at his mother.
Fu Yunruo hesitated for a while. She preferred to stay longer in the flower garden, but both Wenwen and Si Yue were eager to go back… were they bored? After all, they had nothing to do here.
"What about tomorrow?" Fu Yunruo originally wanted to say two days later, but when the words reached her lips, she changed her mind and said tomorrow.
Wenwen clapped his hands happily, "Great!" He actually missed his little friend a little bit.
Seeing Wenwen so happy, Fu Yunruo couldn't help but smile. Well, it's okay. The summer days were longer. She could wake up earlier and commute to the flower garden every day, which only takes ten to twenty minutes to drive each way.
Fu Yunruo glanced at Si Yue. Sleeping in a tent must not be as comfortable as sleeping in a room, so returning to the village would be better for him too.
…
The next day, Fu Yunruo returned to the village with two guys in tow.
Si Yue had learned to drive electric scooters at some point, so Yuan Xin sent one from the town.
The two adults drove their electric scooter back to the village.
Fu Yunruo couldn't help but take a few more glances. With Si Yue driving the electric scooter, what originally was a normal everyday scene instantly had a visual effect that made it 100 times cooler.
The scooters stopped in front of the house.
Wenwen immediately jumped down and ran off. Fu Yunruo went to open the gate and pushed the scooter in.
Wenwen, who impatiently pushed the gate open and ran in first, suddenly exclaimed.
Fu Yunruo hurriedly chased after her son, "What's wrong?" As soon as she entered the courtyard, she saw something unfamiliar under the tree.
"This is…"
"It's a swing!" Wenwen had run to the swing and looked at it eagerly. The boy then turned around and shouted at Fu Yunruo, "Mom, it's a swing!"
Si Yue came in and asked the mother and son, "Do you like it?"
Fu Yunruo turned around and said in surprise, "You did it?"
Si Yue smiled slightly, nodded, and said, "I made it myself."
After discovering that Wenwen liked playing swing, Si Yue instructed his subordinates to send the materials needed to make a swing and then spent almost a day building it himself, just to give the mother and son a surprise. However, because the tree was not too big, the size of the swing was relatively small too.
Fu Yunruo didn't expect Si Yue to be so thoughtful. She was surprised, but also happy. She thanked him, "Thank you!"
"Wenwen likes it very much." Fu Yunruo looked at her son's joy with loving eyes.
"How about you?" Si Yue asked.
"Me?" Fu Yunruo was stunned, then smiled, "I like it too."
Si Yue smiled, "I'm glad you like it."
Wenwen had already run to the swing and tiptoed on the swing board, trying to get up. Because of Wenwen's pulling, the swing swayed slightly. The boy threw his chubby body on the top of the swing board, flapping his two short legs a few times in an effort to take off the ground. The swing board was too high for Wenwen. After trying to climb for a long time, he still couldn't get on.
Fu Yunruo and Si Yue parked their scooter and walked toward the child.
Si Yue was faster with his long legs. He picked Wenwen up from the ground and put him on the swing board.
Wenwen finally managed to get on, but now he was struggling to grasp the thick ropes on both sides. The length of the swing board was a bit long for Wenwen, and he could barely touch both ropes even after straightening his two hands.
Fu Yunruo stood not far away, watching their interaction with a smile when she noticed a thick layer of soft sand under the swing.
Si Yue was indeed very thoughtful. He even considered the situation when the child might fall off the swing and made preparation for it. With this layer of sand as a buffer, the swing became safer to play.
"Ruoruo, come here." Si Yue waved his hand.
"Me?" Fu Yunruo came over with confusion.
Si Yue smiled, "Sit."
"Ruoruo, come here." Si Yue waved his hand.
"Me?" Fu Yunruo came over with confusion.
Si Yue smiled, "Sit here."
Wenwen happily called: "Mom! Let's swing together!"
"Me too?" Fu Yunruo said. She saw how her son's tried his best to hold both of the ropes, but his chubby hand could only hold to one side. Worried that he might fall down while swinging, she obliged and sat down.
Fu Yunruo was again impressed by Si Yue's thoughtfulness. Worried that Wenwen was still too small to swing alone safely, Si Yue deliberately made the swing board longer, so that an adult could accompany the boy.
Si Yue went around the swing and stood behind the mother and son, "Are you ready?"
Fu Yunruo held the ropes with both hands, one of which covered Wenwen's hand. She then asked her son, "Have you held it tight?"
Wenwen's other hand grabbed Fu Yunruo's clothes as he replied loudly, "Yeah!"
Si Yue pushed them up. At first, he didn't use too much force to push, but as the swing got higher, Wenwen's laughter also became louder.
Fu Yunruo also couldn't hold back her laugh. It had been so many years since she last played swing, and she enjoyed it very much.
The mother and son enjoyed the swing for a while until Fu Yunruo asked for a stop. She turned around and said to Si Yue, "Mr. Yue, let's change place. I will push you this time!"
"No." Si Yue refused. He made this swing for Fu Yunruo and Wenwen, but he didn't play this kind of childish game.
Fu Yunruo looked in the direction of the sun, "It's time to make dinner." She must stop playing now.
Wenwen hadn't had it enough yet. Hearing his mother's words, he looked up at Si Yue.
Si Yue changed his words instantly, "Then let me accompany Wenwen."
Fu Yunruo stayed for a moment. After watching Si Yue push the swing with his long legs and listening to Wenwen's happy laughter, she turned around with a smile and went to the kitchen to start preparing dinner.
…
Because of the addition of the swing, the Fu family's house became a new favorite spot for children. Apart from the swings in the school's playground, they had never seen one before. Everyone was extremely envious when finding out that Wenwen's house suddenly had a 'playground.'
"Did your mother make it for you?" One of the children asked.
Wenwen puffed out his chest proudly: "Uncle Yue made it!"
"Wow!"
Yiyi blinked and suddenly asked innocently, "Does Uncle Yue want to be your stepfather?"
"I heard from grandma that you will have a stepfather."
"Will your stepfather beat you, scold you, and not give you food?" Zhuangzhuang was very worried. Imagining Wenwen being beaten and starved, he suddenly wanted to cry.
"?" Wenwen waved his hand, "No way! Uncle Yue likes me and just wants to give me a gift!"
His mother was naturally the best woman in the world. But it didn't change the fact that she and Uncle Yue were people from different worlds. How could they be together? Impossible!
Hearing Wenwen's firm words, the children were instantly convinced. They then lined up and began to play with the swing. All the children, including those from the neighboring village, played in Wenwen's house all day and didn't go home until sunset. Because there was only one swing, each child had to wait in line for their turn and couldn't play for too long. Obviously, the children were not satisfied.
"Brother, I still want to play tomorrow!" The fatty Xiaoshan said to his older brother Dashan.
"Okay, let's go again tomorrow."
"Yeah, yeah!" Xiaoshan nodded happily.
After playing in Wenwen's house all day, Dashan and other children from his village only went home together after sunset.
On the way, the children were chasing and frolicking with each other noisily.
Suddenly, two black cars drove slowly on the country road, passing the children and continuing onwards.
Seeing the unfamiliar cars, Dashan and the rest of the children turned their heads and watched them pass. From the direction, the cars seemed to be heading for the Shanghe Village.
It was rare for cars to enter the village, but cars often came and went frequently since the show started filming, so the children didn't pay much attention.
Not long after the cars passed, another van came by and stopped not far in front of them. Several young men carrying unfamiliar equipment got out of the van a moment later.
"How much longer?"
"We are almost there."
The men looked around, but the cars they had been trailing were nowhere to be seen. Because they didn't want to be detected, they couldn't get any closer and had to move stealthily.
However, the navigation system showed that the distance to the destination was only 800 meters, so they decided to walk on foot.
"Be careful when taking the shots later. If we can get the first-hand information, our reputation will soar!"
"This place is too remote." One of the young men complained while rubbing his sore buttocks. After sitting in the car for so long, he almost couldn't feel his own buttocks again.
"Let's hurry up. Otherwise, we won't be able to make it in time!" His short-statured companion exclaimed excitedly. Once they captured the hottest insider news of the famous wealthy family, they would definitely become well-known figures in the industry!
Xiaogang had noticed a group of dirty country children staring at them fervently. While his colleagues were still busy with the navigation app on the mobile phone, Xiaogang approached the children with a kind smile.
"Hello, do you know where Fu Yunruo's house in Shanghe Village is?"
Dashan and his friends stared at the stranger vigilantly. No one opened their mouth.
Xiaogang fumbled into his pocket for a moment, then took out a lollipop, "Whoever shows Uncle the way, Uncle will give this lollipop!"
The children still didn't speak, and their expressions became even more alert. Dashan suddenly picked up his younger brother and shouted at the rest of the children: "Run!"
The children turned around and ran towards Shanghe Village.
Dashan ran the last, looking back at the strangers from time to time. In no time, the group of children disappeared without a trace.
"Huh?" Xiaogang was puzzled. He was very kind; why were the children scared away?
"How is it?"
"I've found it. Shanghe Village is indeed in front," However, the location of Fu Yunruo's house was not displayed in the navigation system.
"We can ask after entering the village." Many people should have noticed the two cars entering the village.
"Let's go!" Shouldering the paparazzi equipment, the three young men quickly rushed towards the village.
Meanwhile, Dashan and the rest of his group ran back to Shanghe Village. Before they even reached the village, Dashan shouted loudly, "Bad guys are coming!"
The children's shrill voices quickly reverberated throughout the village, attracting the attention of the adult who was just walking home from the field. Still with hoes in hands, they quickly ran to the children and asked, "Where are the bad guys?!"
"Is it a human trafficker?"
"Where are they? Where are they?" The adults who heard the screams locked their children inside the house, picked the nearest thing that could be used as a weapon, and then rushed to the source of the commotion.
Under the questioning of the adults, Dashan and his friends said loudly: "Bad guys are coming to arrest Big Sister Ruoruo!"
"What!" An old woman suddenly slapped her thigh, "I just saw two cars entering the village. I thought it was the TV people, so I didn't pay attention." She saw that the cars were black and looked similar to the cars that had entered the village before, so she simply thought that they were looking for the village chief.
Because the children insisted that the bad guys were in the cars, the villagers, unwilling to see one of their people be bullied by outsiders, hurriedly went to Fu Yunruo's house.
The two cars stopped on the side of the road. The passenger door of the car in the front opened first. A tall man with long legs came out, closed the door, went around the rear of the car, and opened the door on the other side.
A young woman in a white dress got out of the car, stood beside the man, and exchanged an affectionate gaze with him.
"Brother Chang, let's go." The woman was the first to break the sweet atmosphere.
"Okay." The man held the woman's hand and promised, "Xue-er, don't worry. I won't let you be wronged."
This couple was Fang Xueruo and Chang Zhuyou. After staying in the county seat's hotel for several days, they welcomed Fang Xueruo's mother Fang Wanping and stepfather Fu Zonghong. Then, at the request of the two elders, they returned to the village together.
Fang Xueruo leaned over slightly and said to the rear car's passenger window: "Mom, Uncle, we are here."
The car window rolled down, revealing a well-maintained and gentle face similar to Fang Xueruo. Fang Wanping turned her head to the side and said softly to Fu Zonghong, whose brows were furrowed, "We should get out too."
Fu Zonghong was silent.
"Old Fu, now that we have come this far, why are you still stubborn? There is no overnight feud between father and daughter. As long you talk with her properly, Yunruo will surely understand."
Fu Zonghong was irritated. He originally didn't want to make this trip, but because of Fang Xueruo mother and daughter's persuasion, he finally came in person. However, thinking about how it made him seem to be bowing his head in front of his daughter, Fu Zonghong was in a bad mood. Since he was here, shouldn't Fu Yunruo be the one who came out to greet him?
Fang Wanping persuaded Fu Zonghong for a while before he finally got out of the car with a stern face.
Fang Xueruo pointed to a farmhouse in front, "That's the house sister has been living at."
Fu Zonghong frowned when he saw the house. Over the years, his daughter was rather live in such a dilapidated house than go home?
When Fang Wanping saw it, her eyes filled with distress, "This child…why is she so stubborn?"
"Old Fu, we must take her home."
"Have I ever forbidden her to go home!" Fu Zonghong said angrily, but under Fang Wanping's persuasion, he reluctantly walked forward.
Fang Xueruo paused her steps. Seeing her hesitation, Chang Zhuyou immediately asked, "Xue-er, what's wrong?"
This sentence caused the two elders walking in front to stop and look back.
Fang Xueruo smiled reluctantly, "Uncle, sister may not be very happy to see me. I think it's better if I wait here?"
Fang Xueruo didn't want to take this trip, but she kindly hoped that Uncle Fu and her sister would solve their misunderstanding as soon as possible, so she personally led the way.
Chang Zhuyou was distressed: "You did nothing wrong. Why should you avoid her? You are already giving her honor by coming here."
Fang Wanping hesitated. She looked at Fu Zonghong and said softly, "Old Fu, there has been a bit of trouble between these two children lately. Why don't we first clear up the misunderstanding before letting them meet?"
Hearing this, Fu Zonghong raised his eyebrows furiously, "As an elder sister, she is narrow-minded and has no tolerance at all. She even dares to bully her own younger sister. What else can I expect from her? Xueruo, don't worry. With me here, she won't dare to bully you!"
Fu Zonghong walked angrily.
"Uncle…" Fang Xueruo stepped forward anxiously, and Chang Zhuyou quickly supported her, "Xue-er, be careful."
Before Fu Zonghong could open the courtyard gate, he was stopped by a shout, "Who are you?!"
…
Si Yue was helping Fu Yunruo in the kitchen, with Wenwen busily circled around them. Whenever she had extra time, Fu Yunruo liked to make more sumptuous meals, and she was even more motivated now that there were more people to feed.
Wenwen was a pure meat lover, and Si Yue was no different. Today, the little carnivorous guy suddenly had a craving and pestered his mother to make braised pork. But the child asked too late, and the meat had not even been bought yet, so how could Fu Yunruo make it on time today? So she went to Auntie Mei's house to catch and slaughter one of the ducks she asked the Mei couple to raise and then used the meat to make a beer duck.
Beer duck was also meat and it was delicious, so Wenwen happily agreed. After the duck began to stew, a delicious aroma overflew from the kitchen, rousing Wenwen's appetite. The child lost interest in playing and eagerly waited for the duck to be ready.
Si Yue was standing in front of the stove when his phone vibrated. He took a look, and then put it back again.
Fu Yunruo noticed it and asked, "Mr. Yue, is something happened?"
Si Yue said: "Nothing. It's fine."
"If you are busy, you should go back. Don't worry about Wenwen; he will understand." Fu Yunruo said again. Si Yue's phone had been vibrating several times, so he must have some urgent matters to do. Wenwen would not throw a tantrum unreasonably.
"It's all right. My friend has a dog, and he's so excited that he always sends photos to share. Just ignore him."
Fu Yunruo nodded in understanding, "Your friend must love his dog so much."
"Yeah. After all, he is a single dog, so he cannot stop talking about the same topic."
"…?" Fu Yunruo glanced at Si Yue and thought: Is this really a good friend?
Si Yue turned his eyes at Wenwen. The little guy finally had enough walking about. At this time, he was sitting on his exclusive children's stool. His little eyes were busy moving between his mother and the pot of beer duck on the stove.
From Si Yue's angle, he could see the bulging baby fat on the boy's face.
After a while, Si Yue said meaningfully: "Speaking of which, I haven't received my payment yet."
After a while, Si Yue said meaningfully: "Speaking of which, I haven't received my payment yet."
"!" Wenwen quickly turned his head at Si Yue and covered his cheeks vigilantly.
Si Yue raised his eyebrows, "What? Do you want to break the contract?"
Wenwen's eyes flickered, and then he argued confidently: "Uncle Yue is the one who forgot!" It wasn't his fault! At-at most, he just didn't remind him!
Wenwen had made mental preparation to accept the fate of having his cheeks being pinched every day. But on the first and second days, Si Yue didn't do anything. Thinking that he had forgotten, Wenwen was delighted.
But it turned out that Si Yue still remembered!
"What's gone is gone! You cannot bring the past again!" Wenwen tried to fool Si Yue.
Si Yue glanced at the boy and smiled, "The contract does not state the time limit for my payment. These past few days, I'm just saving it up."
Wenwen: "…" His face hurted.
"Let's start now." Si Yue motioned for Wenwen to come over.
Wenwen turned to Fu Yunruo for help, "Mom…"
Fu Yunruo held back his smile and said solemnly, "Wenwen, you must fulfill your promise. If you break the contract, the agreement will be invalid, and Uncle Yue will stop being our bodyguard."
Wenwen: "…" Right. He still needed Si Yue to protect his mother.
Despondent, Wenwen finally walked to Si Yue and offered his face with an expression of a martyr: "Do it!"
Wenwen closed his eyes. His long eyelashes trembled, and a moment later, he quietly begged: "Do it lighter, please…"
Si Yue replied with a chuckle. He first went to wash his hands before sitting next to the boy and began to pinch his cheeks. Said to be pinching, but in fact, Si Yue was simply touching and rubbing around with the tips of his fingers. He had to admit — this soft jelly-like sensation was quite addicting.
On the side, Fu Yunruo laughed silently while covering her stomach.
Not long after, Fu Yunruo heard some noises outside, so she left the two guys and went out to check.
…
Outside the fence, villagers with farming tools in their hands were blocking a smaller group of people.
Auntie Mei asked the first question as she looked at the bunch of outsiders suspiciously, "What are you doing in our Shanghe Village?"
Seeing the villagers' attitude, Fang Wanping frowned very slightly before replying in a gentle tone, "Hello, everyone. We are Fu Yunruo's family."
"Thank you for taking care of our Ruoruo." Fang Wanping's voice was full of gratitude.
The villagers still did not let their guard down. After Fu Yunruo's life experience circulated on the internet, the villagers also learned about it and even made up many sobbing details with their imagination, turning Fu Yunruo into a pitiful little girl.
After having a stepmother, the father became a stepfather. What was she if not pitiful?
Auntie Mei let out a faint oh, and glared sharply at this beautiful woman, "You are Ruoruo's black-hearted stepmother!"
Fang Wanping looked helpless. People's hearts were biased. They had been with Yunruo for a long time and naturally were closer to her, so Fang Wanping could fully understand their action of defending Yunruo. Since time immemorial, being a stepmother was never easy.
Fu Zonghong glared at the uncouth old countrywoman with dissatisfaction, "Who are you?" Having been standing in a high position for a long time, Fu Zonghong was full of momentum that made people feel great pressure, "Is that unfilial girl talking bad about her stepmother everywhere?"
"Who are you?"
"I am her father!"
Auntie Mei put her hands on her hips and said loudly, "Our Ruoruo has a soft temperament and never speaks about anyone behind their back. She never said anything about you or that woman in front of us. Just based on your current attitude, we know that Ruoruo has suffered greatly before. What a poor girl!"
Fang Wanping patted Fu Zonghong's hand and signaled him to cease his anger. Even when she was pointed at her nose and scolded fiercely, Fang Wanping was still keeping a humble attitude, "It's indeed our fault as elders. We didn't communicate well with the child, so she left home angrily for four years…"
"Anyway, Yunruo is still Old Fu's daughter after all. I hope you can allow us to meet her and have a good talk. Seeing how Old Fu worried about his daughter these past four years has made me very sad…" Fang Wanping said sincerely: "If Yunruo's misunderstanding with her father can be solved, I will apologize to her…"
Auntie Mei snorted, "Look how 'aggrieved' she is. Who is the pitiful one here? Isn't it you who forced Ruoruo to run away from home?"
"Because she will die if she doesn't leave!"
Fang Wanping gently frowned, "We don't know that Yunruo has misunderstood us so much. But this is a society governed by the rule of law. Whoever dares to harm other people's lives will be imprisoned…"
A middle-aged man looked doubtful and said to Auntie Mei hesitantly, "Sister-in-law, is there any misunderstanding here?" Ruoruo's stepmother didn't look to be a person who would bully her stepdaughter.
"Hey, did you forget about that Yingzi seven years ago?"
After a reminder from another villager, everyone was startled.
Yingzi was a little girl from the town who was also abused by her stepmother for many years. From the beginning, the stepmother treated Yingzi very kindly outside, which deceived even close neighbors. Later, when the truth was revealed, everyone was stunned.
In front of outsiders, that stepmother looked soft, gentle, and kind. It was only later that everyone learned that Yingzi's stepmother pricked her with needles every day. On top of that, Yingzi was beaten and scolded frequently and was forced to do all the work at home.
But when the truth came out, Yingzi had already jumped into the river. After the autopsy, it was revealed that her body was full of pinholes and scars. According to the police, she had been abused for many years.
Just because the stepmother had an excellent image on the outside, no one ever suspected that she was so cruel towards her stepdaughter.
Neighbors occasionally wondered why Yingzi was so thin and small. But their suspicion was dismissed by the stepmother's claim, saying that the child was a picky eater and wanted to lose weight after some beauty trend. One of the neighbors also saw that the stepmother kindly gave Yingzi chicken legs and meat, but she didn't eat it and only took veggies. For this reason, she felt that Yingzi was ignorant, so she kindly said a few words to the child and advised her not to go on a diet.
It was not until Yingzi's life was gone and the police came to investigate that the vile act was revealed.
Wasn't Ruoruo's situation very similar to that of Yingzi's?
They didn't know if Ruoruo had been abused or not, but this stepmother looked very similar!
Moreover, Ruoruo's father didn't seem like someone who was looking for his daughter, but rather looking for an enemy.
Wasn't Ruoruo's situation very similar to that of Yingzi's? They didn't know if Ruoruo had been abused or not, but this stepmother looked very similar! Moreover, Ruoruo's father didn't seem like someone looking to see his daughter, but rather an enemy.
In an instant, everyone became more hostile to Fang Wanping's group.
Seeing these unreasonable people, Fu Zonghong was impatient. But the villagers were too numerous, and he only brought a few bodyguards, so he could only hold back his anger.
It was at this moment Fu Yunruo came out. She opened the courtyard gate and was shocked to see a large group of people outside her house.
"What's up?" Fu Yunruo turned her eyes around and saw a very conspicuous group of people surrounded by a larger number of villagers. For a moment, Fu Yunruo was in a trance, and it took her a while to remember this face. Wasn't this person the original 'Fu Yunruo' father?
Fu Yunruo was surprised, but when she saw the people standing beside Father Fu, she no longer felt surprised.
Fu Zonghong saw a woman walking out of the gate. After seeing the face, he was in a trance. At this moment, a past scene seemed to emerge, and what he saw was Sang Qing walking toward him.
Sang Qing was his late first wife, and they were in love with each other. During their youth, the two of them had passionate love and entered the marriage hall full of longing for the future.
Unfortunately, later…
Seeing Fu Yunruo, Fang Wanping stepped forward in surprise, "Yunruo? It's really Yunruo! I finally found you!"
"Unfilial daughter! How many years have you been away from home? Did you not take me seriously?" Fu Zonghong shouted immediately, ready to quarrel with Fu Yunruo. However, the girl who used to be so short-tempered simply looked at him expressionlessly; her eyes were calm and cold.
For a moment, Fu Zonghong's mind turned blank, and his heart suddenly tingled for some reason.
Fu Yunruo said indifferently, "Why are you here?"
Fang Wanping answered helplessly, "Yunruo, no matter how angry you are with me, you can't make fun of yourself. You have been away from home for so many years, making your father worry day and night…."
"Really?" Fu Yunruo raised her eyebrows, "I thought after I am no longer getting in your way, your family of three would be so happy!"
"What did you say?" Fu Zonghong roared.
Fang Wanping smiled bitterly, "There is no overnight feud between father and daughter. If you have any misunderstanding, let's talk properly…"
"There's no misunderstanding." Fu Yunruo frowned, "If you really care about me, you should have been looking for me much earlier. Any parents genuinely concerned about their children would have been anxious when they lost contact for three or four hours. If they couldn't contact their children for more than 24 hours, they would have run to the police station in panic. But what about you? I have been missing for more than four years, but I have never heard that you are looking for me. Heh…"
Thinking about this, Fu Yunruo felt very ironic. They must have long considered her to be not exist, right?
Although Fu Yunruo went into hiding on purpose, if this so-called father really cared about her, he would at least call the police after she went missing, no?
In the beginning, Fu Yunruo carefully followed the news about the Fu family. However, the whole Fu family was calm, and Chairman Fu still went to and got off work normally every day, as if there was no such a daughter from the beginning.
Knowing that no one was looking for her indeed relaxed Fu Yunruo's tense nerves. But at the same time, she felt sympathy and injustice for the real 'Fu Yunruo.'
Fu Zonghong trembled with anger. "Did I chase you away? I'm doing this for your own good. You don't know the sufferings of the world, yet dare to run away from home. Look how you end up without the Fu family!"
Fu Yunruo was very sad for the original 'Fu Yunruo.' This person was supposed to be her father, yet when he lost contact with his young daughter, he wasn't worried about the danger she might encounter but felt that she should experience the hardships of life.
Seeing this, Fu Yunruo's initial fear when she first came to this world was likely to come true. Fu Zonghong had been neglecting his biological daughter for so many years, and it was very feasible that he would also be able to kick her out of the house.
Her own father was so cruel; it was no wonder that the original 'Fu Yunruo' temperament was becoming more and more fierce.
"My life is very good now." Fu Yunruo didn't bother to talk nonsense, as it would only worsen her mood, "So, what are you and your honorable family coming here for?"
Fang Wanping's expression was full of distress: "Yunruo, we just want to take you home. You have been angry for so long. Please calm down, okay?"
"That's not my home, so why should I go back? Looking for abuse?"
"Sister… Uncle really wants you to go home." Fang Xueruo timidly said in a low voice.
"You want me to return home? Alright. Only if these two eyesores no longer show their existence in front of me, of course. Oh, if Mr. Fu cannot bear being separated from your two beloveds, you are welcome to go away with them." Fu Yunruo said coldly.
"What kind of attitude is that?" Fu Zonghong flushed with anger, "They are your mother and sister!"
Fu Yunruo raised her eyebrow, "My mother has been buried for so many years. Could it be that this woman is my mother's reincarnation? And she even gave birth to a sister for me?"
"Mr. Fu, how can you insult my mother? No wonder there is a rumor that Madam Fang is your first wife and that Miss Fang Xueruo is your biological daughter. So this is actually your intention? Are you not afraid that my mother will crawl out of her grave to find you in anger?"
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
Fang Wanping froze, and she forced a smile: "Yunruo, I never intend to replace your mother. It's just a baseless rumor. A misunderstanding."
"So that's your argument? Then how about Mr. Fu? Do you know about it?"
Fu Zonghong was in a trance. He vaguely remembered some people mentioning the rumor to him, but what was his response at that time? He shouldn't pay it any attention.
"Should I still have to explain this kind of trivial matter?" In Fu Zonghong's view, such a small misunderstanding didn't amount to anything. The fact was the fact. What could a mere rumor do?
"Ah!"
Having his face pinched for a long time, Wenwen's small body was full of the aura of dejection. The touch was so light that it wasn't painful at all, but Si Yue's fingers were slightly calloused and he was also so persistent with his touch. After a long time, Wenwen's white and tender cheeks slowly reddened.
Wenwen sighed like a little adult. He sacrificed a lot, but everything was for a meaningful cause!
It took Wenwen a while to notice that his mother had been gone for quite a while. Hearing loud noises outside, he became worried.
Wenwen got up and was about to run out.
However, Si Yue grabbed his collar in time.
Wenwen's short legs were dangling around. He turned his head and shouted: "Uncle Yue, I want to go to Mom!"
"Don't run."
"I won't run, so let me go!" Wenwen said anxiously.
"I'll be back soon. Uncle, you stay here and look after the meat. Don't let it burnt!"
Si Yue tossed away some half-burned wood, leaving only a small fire on the stove, and then took Wenwen to the front yard. The two went to the fence but didn't go out. Instead, they stood behind the gate and listened to the commotion outside.
When Wenwen heard his mother being besieged by those hateful people, he quickly broke free from Si Yue's hand and ran to Fu Yunruo. Standing in front of his mother, the little guy faced the Fang Xueruo and the others with open arms and an angry glare: "Don't bully my mother!"
Fu Zonghong instantly noticed the little boy whose face was almost the exact copy of Fu Yunruo.
"Whose child is this?!" Fu Zonghong's face flushed with anger, his body trembled, and he suddenly felt dizzy.
Fang Wanping took a step forward and held Fu Zonghong's hand, giving him silent comfort.
"Which bastard did it?!" Fu Zonghong roared.
Seeing Wenwen running out, Fu Yunruo didn't bother to talk and hurriedly pulled her son behind her.
At this moment, Si Yue also came out, which angered Fu Zonghong even more, "Is it this man?!"
Si Yue glanced at the uninvited guests with a cold smile.
"It has nothing to do with you." Fu Yunruo replied coldly, "If you have nothing else to do, go away now. I won't send you off." Fu Yunruo didn't want to continue talking nonsense with these people. More than anything, she didn't want her son's life experience to become gossip fodder for others.
Fu Yunruo then turned to the villagers. Her expression softened, "Thank you for your help today."
"Nothing. It's okay."
"Don't worry. If anyone dares to bully you in our village, we will teach them a lesson."
Fu Yunruo thanked the villagers once again and took Wenwen back to the house.
"Stop!" Fu Zonghong roared. He rushed forward to stop Fu Yunruo, but was blocked by Si Yue.
"Chairman Fu, please behave yourself."
"Sister…" Fang Xueruo bit her lip. She raised her volume slightly and shouted at Fu Yunruo, "If it can make you happy, I will leave our home!"
As if she didn't hear anything, Fu Yunruo closed the gate behind her.
After confirming that Fu Yunruo and Wenwen had safely entered the house, Si Yue turned around and went in, and did not forget to properly lock the gate.
Fang Xueruo lowered her eyes.
Chang Zhuyou hugged Fang Xueruo distressedly and shouted into the courtyard, "Fu Yunruo, you vicious woman!"
The villagers who originally just watched the situation on the side couldn't stand it any longer.
"What did you say?! There are so many people around, yet you people dare to gang together to bully a weak woman. Are you not taking us seriously?!"
"Is this the woman who seduces her step-sister's husband?"
"And she is also a star. How shameless."
"Not a husband yet. I heard that they are just engaged."
"City folks really love to make things complicated."
"If this kind of thing happened here, these two would have been drowned in spit and would not have any face to stay anymore."
"The father is also disgusting. His stepdaughter stole his biological daughter's husband, yet he stood on the stepdaughter's side and scolded his daughter. Sure enough, when you have a stepmother, the father becomes a stepfather. The power of pillow talk is incredible!"
"This woman sure is crafty. Look at her face!"
The villagers booed one after another.
"Not only that. He doesn't even care when his deceased first wife and biological daughter have been driven away and replaced. This is the first time I have heard such a ridiculous story."
"Right, right."
The villagers didn't even try to lower their voices, and their words were clear for everyone present to hear.
Seeing how Fang Xueruo's face flushed and her eyes were filled with tears, Chang Zhuyou roared in a fury: "What do uncouth people like you guys know?!"
Auntie Mei said disdainfully: "We are indeed just some uneducated rural folks, but at least we know shame and morality. Unlike some people."
"That's right. Look at this young man — having an air of a wealthy person with high education, yet he doesn't even have the basic moral value of a human, bah!"
"Like a daughter, like a mother. Since the daughter is such a degenerate, the mother is definitely the same kind."
"And this so-called father is also not good."
"Poor Ruoruo, why is she so unlucky to meet so many villains? If I were her mother, I wouldn't be able to sleep well in my grave."
Fu Zonghong and his group were besieged by overwhelming numbers. A few times, they wanted to defend themselves, but the villagers didn't give them the chance and kept talking loudly one after another.
In the end, Fu Zonghong waved his sleeves and returned to the car with a dark face.
"Old Fu!" Fang Wanping chased after her husband worriedly.
It was not until the unwelcomed guests left that the villagers dispersed.
Not far away, three young men were squatting in the corner, looking at the footage captured by their camera and trembling with excitement.
Surprise!
Si Yue is with Fu Yunruo!
What breaking news! They are going to be famous!
Fu Zonghong returned to the car in anger; his face was dark. After Fang Wanping got into the car, he immediately ordered the driver to leave.
Fang Wanping's expression was also not good, but she still comforted her husband gently: "Old Fu, don't be angry. Let's come again tomorrow. As long as we show sincerity, Yunruo will definitely soften her attitude."
"It's normal for her to be angry. We haven't come to pick her home for so many years." Fang Wanping sighed. "Blame me. At that time, I should be more insisted on looking for her."
"How can this be your fault? How much ridicule would I get from others if everyone knew that my Fu family's daughter ran away from home?" Fu Zonghong frowned: "It's her who knew no shame and did something wrong. Why should I become a joke because of her?"
"Old Fu!" Fang Wanping shouted in disapproval and then sighed helplessly. "In the end, Xueruo is also at fault. No matter what, she should not agree to A'you's pursuit. After all, he has a marriage contract with Yunruo."
Society didn't care about the process, only about the result. No matter what, it was not a glorious thing for a man who once had a marriage contract with the elder sister to end up with the younger sister.
"Those two are in love with each other; what's wrong with that? Moreover, the children were still young when the marriage contract was made. If I knew this was the end, I wouldn't have made such a marriage contract in the first place."
Fang Wanping said in a low voice, "Yunruo likes A'you after all…" Sisters liked the same man, which made her very helpless.
"And now, rumors are brewing on the internet, saying that Xueruo inserted herself between her sister and future brother-in-law…" Fang Wanping sighed.
Hearing this, Fu Zonghong frowned and said directly: "The internet is not credible. It's no wonder that some people will speak nonsense and spread false news indiscriminately. Alright, I will order someone to suppress the news."
Fu Zonghong spent most of his time and energy on work. Obviously, he had no time nor interest in gossip news in the entertainment circle. The only media he followed were financial news and business publications.
After assuring his wife, Fu Zonghong, who was still quite furious, leaned himself on the backseat and closed his eyes. Seeing this, Fang Wanping stopped bothering him and turned her gaze outside the car window. The green scenery of the countryside flashed by and was reflected in her eyes like an afterimage.
Fu Zonghong leaned with closed eyes. His anger gradually calmed down, but a pair of cold eyes kept appearing in his mind.
In the past ten years or so, it seemed that he had never seen his daughter so clearly. Every time they met each other, they would mostly end up in arguments, especially after she began to put on heavy make-up and become more and more short-tempered, turning the family upside down everywhere.
It was only now that he finally realized that his daughter looked so similar to Sang Qing.
The memory buried in the depths of Fu Zonghong's mind slowly emerged. It had been a long time since he thought of Sang Qing…
…
After Si Yue closed the door, shutting all the polluting noises outside, Fu Yunruo's world finally became clean again.
Wenwen hugged Fu Yunruo distressedly and comforted her with his tender voice: "Don't be sad, Mom. Baobao loves Mom the most!"
Listening to her son's cute and heartwarming comfort, the depression in Fu Yunruo's heart was swept away in an instant. She squatted down and hugged the warm little sunny boy, "Mom is not sad, because Mom has the cute Wenwen! Mom loves Wenwen the most!"
The corners of Wenwen's mouth couldn't help curling up. Right, he would never admit the people who had hurt his mother as relatives. He knew that one of the people out there was his maternal grandfather by blood, but so what? His only family was his mother.
Fu Yunruo was also the same. For her, Wenwen was her only family. If Father Fu treated the original 'Fu Yunruo' well, she would continue fulfilling her responsibility as a daughter. However, it was clear that Fu Zonghong was too unworthy as a father, and thus she refused to regard such a person as her family.
"Wenwen loves Mom the most too!"
Fu Yunruo rubbed her cheek against the boy's tender and smooth face, feeling very grateful and fortunate. Fortunately, she made the most correct decision at that time. Without Wenwen, she couldn't even imagine how helpless she would be after being stranded in this strange and unfamiliar world, all alone.
Wenwen also rubbed his cheek against his mother's, then puckered his lips to give her a hearty kiss. Now that he knew what had happened in the past, he felt very distressed for his mother. Fortunately, Mom was no longer alone. With him here, no one could bully her again!
Si Yue stood on the side, watching the affectionate mother and son in silence.
Suddenly, Fu Yunruo yelled, "Ah, my beer duck!" She hurriedly ran into the kitchen, followed by the equally panicked Wenwen. His meat, ah!
Fu Yunruo hurriedly lifted the pot lid. In an instant, a rich aroma spread out and filled the entire kitchen. Fu Yunruo then used a ladle to dig into the meat. Luckily, it hadn't burned yet.
"Mom, is it done? Is it done?" Smelling the delicious aroma, Wenwen almost drooled. He stood on tiptoe, trying to lengthen his body. Unfortunately, he was too small to reach the pot, let alone see the meat inside.
"Mom, I can taste-test it." Wenwen blinked his eyes and opened his small mouth widely, waiting to be fed.
"Wait a minute. It will be more delicious after we simmer it a bit longer." Fu Yunruo took a look at the fire on the stove. Seeing only a spark left, she added a thin piece of wood and continued simmering the duck beer slowly.
Wenwen was very disappointed. Alas, he wanted to eat meat now…
Fu Yunruo turned in Si Yue's direction, "Mr. Yue, can I ask your help?"
Si Yue nodded.
"Can you go and call Uncle Mei and Auntie Mei for dinner?" She had invited Auntie Mei when she came to take the duck earlier, but the couple definitely would not come unless she called them again.
Si Yue replied affirmatively and left the kitchen.
After the duck beer was simmered until its liquid evaporated almost completely, Fu Yunruo took the pot off the stove and plated the meat on the table.
"Mom! Mom!" Wenwen jumped up like a hungry kitten.
"A second." Fu Yunruo took out Wenwen's small bowl.
"I want duck feet! I want duck necks!"
"One by one. One by one." Fu Yunruo put a duck's feet into Wenwen's small bowl.
"Let's Mom say it first. You are only allowed to eat up to three pieces of meat today, and this is the first." Although duck beer was not spiced, but it had rich seasoning, so Fu Yunruo strictly limited the boy's intake.
Wenwen nodded. He liked eating meat the most, but he still listened to his mother obediently. After all, eating a bit less at a time meant there would be leftovers for the next and next next meal!
Fu Yunruo then began to prepare the side dishes: a light vegetable soup and another of Wenwen's favorites – a steamed egg custard.
Not long after, Si Yue returned with Uncle Mei and Auntie Mei.
"Grandpa Mei, Grandma Mei!" When the Mei couple arrived, Wenwen was busy gnawing the duck feet in his hand. Seeing the three adults, he raised his head and called happily, spilling some juice onto his white cheeks.
Auntie Mei laughed in amusement. After saying a few words to Wenwen, she went into the kitchen to help Fu Yunruo.
Seeing Wenwen's messy appearance, Si Yue went to the living room and returned with a few sheets of tissues, wanting to wipe the boy's mouth and face clean. Wenwen raised his head very cooperatively and let Si Yue wipe, but soon afterward, he immediately continued to eat messily again.
Si Yue, upon seeing the freshly-wiped face once again stained by meat juice: "…"
After Wenwen finished eating, Si Yue took him to the bathroom and washed his hands and face cleanly.
Then, under Uncle Mei and Auntie Mei's smiling gaze, Wenwen ran to Fu Yunruo to act coquettishly again. At this time, the sky outside was already dark and the lights inside were on, illuminating the mother and son with a layer of warm glow. Seeing this harmonious and loving scene, Si Yue's heart softened considerably.
That evening, the atmosphere was warm and lively. When the Mei couple saw that Fu Yunruo acted as usual and didn't seem to take today's matter to heart, they tactfully didn't mention it again.
After dinner, Auntie Mei went to help Fu Yunruo washing dishes in the kitchen, while Si Yue and Wenwen were playing in the yard under Uncle Mei's watch. Auntie Mei said: "Regarding the kindergarten, I have asked a few people. You can go directly to register Wenwen in September. I'll let your Uncle Mei accompany you two later."
"The town only has two kindergartens. All the little ones in our village go to Little Angel Kindergarten, so Wenwen will have playmates there."
Fu Yunruo hesitated, but in the end, the words she wanted to say did not come out. "I see. Thank you, Auntie Mei."
After Uncle Mei left, the remaining four took a bath in turn. It was now 10 pm, and Auntie Mei had already gone back to her room to sleep, leaving Fu Yunruo and Wenwen with Si Yue in the living room.
Fu Yunruo glanced at Wenwen, who was still chatting in Si Yue's arms: "Wenwen, it's bedtime."
Wenwen held out his hands, "Hug!"
Fu Yunruo walked over, leaned slightly, and hugged the boy. The smell of the shower gel that the three of them used should be indistinguishable, but somehow, Si Yue felt that Fu Yunruo smelled better.
"Mr. Yue, good night."
Wenwen grabbed Fu Yunruo's neck and said to Si Yue, "Uncle Yue, good night."
Si Yue said, "Good night."
Left alone in the living room, Si Yue sat for a while before returning to his bedroom, where he took out his mobile phone and clicked on the series of unread messages. Most of those messages were from Yuan Xin, dozens in total. Si Yue read the messages from beginning to end, until the last one that informed him that everything had been resolved.
After Si Yue sent his reply, a call immediately came from Yuan Xin, "The Fu Group is suppressing all the bad news about Fang Xueruo."
What should be clarified before had been clarified. Now that the two families of Fu and Chang had joined forces to put pressure on the internet, Apple Entertainment needed to weigh its next actions. Since the other side only suppressed the news and didn't pour dirty water on Fu Yunruo, Yuan Xin just let them do as they liked.
Si Yue raised his eyebrows, "Watch the internet carefully. Don't let them make a fuss about Ruoruo again."
This Chairman Fu truly made people speechless. How could a person who achieved such success in his career fail to see the true faces of the people closest to him? If not for the result of the investigation, Si Yue would have suspected that Fang Xueruo was the illegitimate daughter Chairman Fu had with his true love.
"Roger that." Yuan Xin answered, "And there is also this matter. The young men who played paparazzi today have confessed that they got this information from an anonymous source. We are tracking the clues now, but the result has yet to come out."
"Make sure they keep their mouths shut."
"Of course."
"Sooner or later, the news of your whereabouts can no longer be concealed. You should be ready to leave." It was not hard to check the location where Si Yue and the others were recording the show. In any case, it was impossible for Si Yue to stay for a long time.
"I have my own plans."
"…"
…
After putting Wenwen to bed, Fu Yunruo lay next to her son, unable to fall asleep. It seemed that those people's influence on this body was so great that they even affected her mood. Despite how normally Fu Yunruo looked in front of others today, she still felt very heavy when she was alone in the dead of night. If it wasn't for her own mild temper, she probably would have jumped to start another quarrel with Fu Zonghong today.
Fu Yunruo was lying in bed. The more her mind wandered, the more irritated she became. Past events kept flashing in her mind – many were unbearable. She told herself to stop thinking, but she failed to control herself.
In the end, Fu Yunruo was afraid of waking Wenwen up, so she quietly got off the bed and left the room in the darkness. The living room was illuminated by a single dim lamp. Fu Yunruo opened the front door and walked into the yard. She quietly moved a small stool and sat under the eaves, looking at the dark sky above in a daze.
"Can't sleep?" A man's low voice suddenly came from behind.