Zhou Zhou wondered what Fu Hengzhi and Fu Xiong had talked about, and it was most likely about Fu Xiaofan. She immediately ran to Fu Hengzhi's side and looked at the father and son with concern.
Sure enough, as soon as he arrived, Fu Xiong saw how united the three of them looked and his face turned red with anger.
"Fu!"
"Dad, I'm here, I'm here." Fu Hongjiang poured him a glass of water from the coffee table and handed it to him. "Dad, have some water and calm down."
"I'm not getting any angrier! How am I supposed to get any angrier!" Fu Xiong slapped Fu Hongjiang on the back. Whether it hurt or not, no one knew, but the 'smack' was incredibly loud.
Before Fu Hongjiang could say anything after the slap, Duan Yun's eyes reddened, and she shook Liu Yuelian's arm, "Mom, please persuade Dad. Hongjiang's back hasn't been feeling well lately. Tell Dad not to hit him."
Liu Yuelian, the son of Fu Xiong, was naturally distressed as well. She went over and sat down next to Fu Xiong to help him catch his breath, and said softly, "You're practically half-buried in the ground. Didn't the doctor tell you to control your emotions? He said getting angry is bad for your health."
"Look at him, what a joke! Absurd!" Fu Xiong pointed a trembling finger at the child in Fu Hengzhi's arms and asked, "Say it again, where did this child come from? Where is this child from?"
“Zhou Zhou and I were raised in the incubation chamber.” Fu Hengzhi frowned and said softly, looking at Fu Xiong’s flushed face, “Grandpa, don’t be angry, calm down first.”
"Calm down my ass!" Fu Xiong spat across most of the coffee table, picked up a water glass from the table and was about to smash it, but when he saw the little face about to cry peeking out from his arms, he hesitated for a moment and then slammed the glass down on the table, splashing water out.
"You raised them?!" Liu Yuelian was shocked. The old lady knew little about gestation pods. She had heard of them but didn't understand them very well. Her most direct impression of them was: how could a child that didn't come from a woman's body be healthy?
“Mom, it’s Xiaoheng and Xiaozhou’s child.” Fu Hongjiang said as Duan Yun rubbed the spot where he had just been slapped, “The two kids have been together since they first went to college, and we’ve kept the child a secret from them.”
The two got married about a year ago, and their child is already three or four years old. This explanation makes sense.
"You two already had a child when you got married?!" Liu Yuelian suddenly raised her voice, her emotions slightly agitated, and looked around trying to see what Fu Xiaofan looked like in Fu Hengzhi's arms.
"Xiao Fan, greet your great-grandmother and great-grandfather." Fu Hengzhi straightened Fu Xiao Fan's posture, making him face the elders of the family.
"Hello, Great-Grandma~ Hello, Great-Grandpa~" Fu Xiaofan lowered her head slightly, her big eyes looking up with the corners of her eyes drooping slightly, her fingers twisting the hem of her clothes, making herself look pitiful.
There's no way an old person would hold a grudge against a child. At most, Liu Yuelian and Fu Xiong would keep their anger to themselves from their son, daughter-in-law, and grandson. These two generations apart, the old woman's gaze towards Fu Xiaofan was complex but full of love.
Zhou Zhou merely observed the reactions of their entire family discreetly, remaining silent to avoid any further conflict.
Fu Shuiling sat on the single sofa, frowning as she looked at the child in front of her. She felt that something was wrong. She glanced at Zhou Zhou and saw him look up. Her expression froze, and she slowly narrowed her eyes.
“I’ve looked into fertility pods. Men who have children with each other need to provide genes from both partners.” Fu Shuiling smiled and pointed directly at Fu Xiaofan, saying, “This child, Xiaoheng, doesn’t look like him at all.”
“We’re all family, Aunt, it’s good that you’ve made yourself clear.” Fu Hengzhi glanced at her indifferently, then said sharply and directly, “The child is both ours. Do I need to do a DNA test to prove it to you?”
"You!" Fu Shuiling was embarrassed by being spoken to like that by a junior. In the past, Fu Hengzhi had never been particularly respectful to her, but he would never have made her lose face like this. She glanced at Zhou Zhou, who had remained silent throughout, and sneered, "In the year since we got married, Xiao Heng's style of speaking has changed quite a bit."
"???" Zhou Zhou, who was caught in the crossfire, raised an eyebrow and smiled silently.
[Author's Note: Zhou Zhou: Hehe.]
Chapter Ninety-Eight: I Only Want Daddy and Father
=====================================
"Style or not, I think Xiaoheng's personality isn't as reserved as before after getting married." Duan Yun smiled and smoothed things over before Zhou Zhou could speak, then called out loudly towards the kitchen, "Sister Feng, is dinner ready?"
"That's enough, Madam." Aunt Feng had already prepared the meal, but with the whole family gathered in the living room, a tense atmosphere was brewing, so she didn't dare to interrupt.
"Everyone, wash your hands and eat first. We can talk about other things after dinner." Duan Yun helped Liu Yuelian up first. The latter's gaze was still lingering on Fu Xiaofan's face, her brows slightly furrowed, as if she was thinking about something.
Fu Hongjiang was quicker than Fu Shuiling this time, helping his elderly father up. Fu Xiong snorted and didn't look at his fawning expression, but obediently let the other man support him steadily.
Adopting a fatherly demeanor, he asked sternly, "Where's Xiaowen? Why isn't she back for dinner?"
“University holidays start early, so I fly abroad to see Fengjie and Xiaorong as soon as the holidays begin.”
"snort."
"Dad, don't worry, Fengjie assured me that the three of them will definitely be there for your birthday celebration."
The sound gradually faded into the distance.
"Sweetie, were you scared?" Fu Hengzhi sat on the sofa and gently patted the back of his son's head to comfort him.
Fu Xiaofan shook his head sensibly, blinked his eyes, and spoke in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, enough for the four people present to hear.
Will Daddy protect Xiaofan and his father?
"Of course." Fu Hengzhi smiled gently and looked up at his side.
Zhou Zhou looked up and met his gaze, a slight smile playing on her lips. As if glancing casually to the side, she whispered, "Daddy will protect you and Daddy too."
These words seemed to be said intentionally for her to hear. Fu Shuiling narrowed her eyes as she watched the family of three enjoying themselves, then scoffed and walked towards the restaurant.
The Fu family follows the etiquette of not speaking while eating. The whole family sits around the table and eats without making any noise except for the sound of chewing. Liu Yuelian is not yet used to having a great-grandson out of nowhere, and her eyes keep glancing at Fu Xiaofan.
Fu Xiaofan, who is less than 1.4 meters tall, sat on the chair next to Zhou Zhou. Although there was a cushion under his bottom to elevate him, his arms were still of limited length, so Zhou Zhou and Fu Hengzhi had to put everything he ate on the small plate in front of him.
The Fu family didn't have children's tableware; everything was made according to adult standards. The black wood-carved chopsticks were a bit heavy, and Fu Xiaofan was having some difficulty holding them with his chubby, short right hand. During the meal, he even tried to reach further to grab a plate of green beans and shrimp from outside the small plate.
The grandson found a man to marry, and the granddaughter was too young to get married. The two elders of the Fu family thought they would never experience the joy of four generations living under one roof before they passed away. But suddenly they had a great-grandson. Although he didn't look like a member of the Fu family at all, he didn't look like one when he was young. Maybe he will have the characteristics of the Fu family when he grows up.
After all, Fu Hengzhi had even mentioned doing a paternity test, and his firm stance basically dispelled the doubts of the two elderly people.
"The child can't even reach the food, don't the parents know to feed him?" Fu Xiong suddenly spoke up while everyone was eating, and Fu Hongjiang and the others who were nearby didn't react for a moment.
Zhou Zhou continued, placing a few shrimp on Fu Xiaofan's small plate and answering honestly, "Xiaofan is very independent and doesn't need constant supervision."
"The two parents themselves haven't even become independent yet, and they've already raised a child. How can they not be independent?" Fu Xiong suddenly raised his voice. Liu Yuelian, who was next to him, nodded in agreement. In her opinion, it was pitiful for a child raised by two men without a mother and lacking maternal love.
“Grandpa, the children of the Fu family should not be spoiled. Isn’t that what you said?” Fu Hengzhi picked up a large piece of fish belly meat, made sure there were no bones, and put it on a small plate. He then casually continued, “Dad said that when he was four and a half years old, you made him go to the garden to weed. He cried with snot and tears all over his face, and you still said he was spoiled.”
"..."
"You told Xiaoheng?!" Fu Xiong glared at Fu Hongjiang, his feet moving with equal speed.
Fu Hongjiang could only force a smile and raise his voice after his father stepped on his foot.
Duan Yun couldn't help but chuckle, earning a reproachful look from her mother-in-law.
“Xiao Fan isn’t delicate! You have energy when you’re full! I’m going to weed the yard after I’m full!” Fu Xiao Fan chimed in, his cheeks stuffed full, and raised his chopsticks to shout something indistinctly.
The little guy's funny antics amused everyone present. Liu Yuelian laughed so hard her shoulders trembled as she held her bowl. Fu Xiong's serious expression also began to crack, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned up as he was amused by the little guy. However, he calmed down again when his grandson and son looked over.
Zhou Zhou took out a tissue to wipe the grease from the corner of his mouth, and gently agreed, "Okay, okay, as long as you're not afraid of mosquito bites, Dad will go with you to the yard to weed later."
What a scene of filial piety and parental love! Aunt Feng had been cooking for the Fu family for decades, and she always prepared the food in precise portions. By the time everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, the plates were all clean, with not a single dish wasted. When Aunt Feng came to the dining room to clear the dishes, Zhou Zhou spontaneously got up to help, carrying the plates to the kitchen to put them in the dishwasher. Duan Yun took a rag and wiped the table clean, then brewed a cup of barley tea for everyone to aid digestion.
During this time, everyone else sat in their seats and chatted about casual topics after meals.
The restaurant and kitchen weren't far apart. If the restaurant was a little noisy, the people inside the kitchen could hear everything clearly without closing the sliding glass door. Fu Shuiling didn't care whether they could hear her or not, picked up her tea, took a sip, and said directly.
"Xiao Heng, do you and that girl from the Xie family not get along? I heard from Madam Xie that you two haven't even met."
As soon as he finished speaking, Duan Yun's face darkened noticeably. He looked up at Fu Shuiling, and Fu Hongjiang's expression was also unpleasant. He frowned as he looked at his sister, knowing that the blind date arranged for Xiao Heng was inextricably linked to her.
If the date had been a few hours earlier, Fu Xiong and Liu Yuelian wouldn't have said anything, but now it's different. Fu Hengzhi is not only married but also has a child. Upon hearing this, Fu Xiong's face showed displeasure. It's one thing for him not to like this granddaughter-in-law, but it's another thing for him not to be reasonable. It's obviously inappropriate to bring up this topic in front of the child.
Fu Xiaofan sat there swinging his legs, not going anywhere. Liu Yuelian noticed that he seemed to have reacted to Fu Shuiling's words, even raising his head. She quickly nudged her talkative daughter under the table, telling her not to talk about it for now.
As expected, before Fu Hengzhi could speak, Fu Xiaofan spoke first, blinking his eyes as he asked.
"Does 'Miss Xie' refer to Sister Xie Ying?"
Upon hearing this, everyone at the table except Fu Hengzhi was stunned for a moment. Duan Yun and Fu Hongjiang frowned and glared at their sons, even though they had told him to cancel the blind date and keep it a secret from Zhou Zhou.
Now, whether Zhou Zhou knows it or not, his own grandson knows everyone.
"Daddy, what does 'being compatible' mean? Is it like the blind date Sister Xie Ying mentioned?" Fu Xiaofan blinked, pouted, and tugged at Fu Hengzhi's sleeve, her voice suddenly becoming pitiful, "Then does that mean Xiaofan can't have two dads at the same time..."
As soon as he finished speaking, large tears streamed down his face. Fu Xiaofan burst into tears without even a CD prelude, giving everyone present no time to prepare.
"No blind dates, no need for compatible partners, Xiaofan only wants Daddy and Papa—"
[Author's Note: Fu Xiaofan: Successful blind date %3D divorce %3D can't be the Fu family's grandson %3D can't live a luxurious life, absolutely impossible!]
Chapter Ninety-Nine: Life is Unpredictable
=================================
Zhou Zhou didn't really listen to what they were saying at the restaurant. He was busy explaining to Aunt Feng why he and Fu Hengzhi suddenly had a four-year-old son. He was distracted by the deafening crying outside and ran out without even taking off his apron.
As soon as Fu Xiaofan started crying, the people in the restaurant immediately became flustered. Several adults surrounded him to comfort him, but all their efforts ended in failure. Fu Shuiling stood aside with an extremely ugly expression. She didn't know if the child was doing it on purpose. Just a second ago, the crying seemed to be subsiding, but after glancing at her, the child immediately raised his voice, making everyone's efforts futile.
After several exchanges, Liu Yuelian noticed this and assumed that Fu Xiaofan was naturally intelligent and, being raised by a nanny, was sensitive to matters of family. Since the words came from her own daughter, she naturally had a bad impression of her. She frowned and told Fu Shuiling to stand further away.
"The child is crying like this and you still have the mood to take off your tie?!" Fu Hongjiang tried to reach out and take his eldest grandson, but his son refused and then pulled off the tie and hung it on the back of the chair.
"Daddy, Daddy, hug me..." Fu Xiaofan was originally huddled in Fu Hengzhi's arms, crying with snot and tears all over the collar of President Fu's house. When he saw Zhou Zhou walking over from the kitchen, he pitifully reached out his hands to be hugged.
Fu Xiaofan cried until his voice was hoarse, looking pitiful with snot and tears all over his face. Whether it was a system or not was another matter at this moment. At this moment, Zhou Zhou only regarded Fu Xiaofan as his own son, and his eyes were full of overflowing heartache. He reached out and hugged him, gently patting his back to comfort him.
"Don't cry, little Fan," Zhou Zhou coaxed gently. "Don't cry, tell Daddy what happened?"
Fu Hengzhi silently took out a tissue to wipe Fu Xiaofan's snot and tears, worried that he would wipe them all over his wife again.
The new tie my wife gave me has already been ruined.
"Don't let Daddy go, don't..." Fu Xiaofan buried his head in Zhou Zhou's chest, his voice soft but still audible to those around him. Zhou Zhou looked at Fu Hengzhi with surprise and asked with narrowed eyes.
Where are you going?
"We're not going anywhere," Fu Hengzhi explained, frowning.
Seeing his reaction, Duan Yun assumed that Zhou Zhou was unaware of the blind date. He thought it best to avoid trouble and not cause any more problems for the couple, so he quickly sent him away.
"Xiao Zhou, take the child to the yard and comfort him. There are too many people here, and the child will definitely feel uncomfortable looking at the crowd."
"Okay, then." Not knowing it was related to the blind date, Zhou Zhou simply nodded.
“I’ll go with you.” Fu Hengzhi had just finished speaking when Fu Hongjiang stopped him.
"You stay here and have some things to say to your grandparents."
"It's okay, I can manage on my own." Zhou Zhou smiled at Fu Hengzhi, who nodded.
Zhou Zhou carried Fu Xiaofan out the door, leaving the whole family some alone time.
"Fu Shuiling, come here." Fu Hongjiang sat down with a dark expression, with Fu Hengzhi and Duan Yun beside him. "We're all family. I don't want things to get too ugly. If we don't make things clear today, none of you will get any rest."
"What are you doing, brother? Who are you trying to impress?" Fu Hongjiang was once a prominent figure in the business world, but Fu Shuiling was still a little intimidated by his display of power. She couldn't show her lack of confidence, so she muttered under her breath.
"Is it really worth it for an outsider...?"
"Outsider! You keep calling me an outsider! What do you consider to be one of your own?!" Fu Hongjiang slammed his fist on the table, making several loud bangs. Duan Yun, disturbed by the noise, turned his head away and frowned. He glanced at Aunt Feng, who was standing by the kitchen door, and gave her a look. Aunt Feng understood and nodded, then took off her apron and went back to her room to close the door.
"Don't talk about your sister like that." After all, she was the youngest daughter, and seeing how fierce he was, Liu Yuelian couldn't help but defend Fu Shuiling.