“Xiao Fan will make a fuss if she stays far away from me and Zhou Zhou. Let’s go back together as a family tonight.”
Although Fu Hongjiang didn't think the smiling little Fu Xiaofan looked like the type to cause trouble, he agreed just in case. Before leaving, he took a lot of pictures of Fu Xiaofan to take back to Duan Yunxian to talk to his grandson.
After seeing Fu Hongjiang off, Zhou Zhou's face immediately fell, and she gave Fu Hengzhi a forced smile and a couple of half-hearted laughs.
"What's wrong?" Although President Fu was confused by the question, he had been good at coaxing his wife for a long time, and seeing her reaction, he knew that sticking to her would be the right thing to do.
"President Fu." Zhou Zhou had originally planned to go upstairs, but now that the other man had his arm around her waist, she couldn't take a step. She could only stop and squint at him, saying, "Do you know Xie Ying?"
"Xie Ying?" Fu Hengzhi actually thought for a while. He had a good memory; he could always remember someone who mentioned her. "..."
President Fu remained silent.
Zhou Zhou resisted the other person's attempt to nuzzle her neck affectionately, and said with amusement, "Isn't it a coincidence? The person who saved me in the underground parking garage last time was Xie Ying, and today I happened to run into her at the mall and treated her to a meal. And then there's an even bigger coincidence—"
Zhou Zhou drew out the last syllable and asked with a smile, "President Fu, do you know where the 'even more coincidence' lies?"
"..." Fu Hengzhi knew, but dared not speak. He held his wife's waist tightly and did not let go. After a moment, he said, "I just don't want you to be distracted by this kind of thing. I can handle it."
“Fu Hengzhi.” Zhou Zhou’s face suddenly turned cold. “We are a legally married couple. We’re the kind of couple where you’d sign my death certificate if I were critically ill. You went on a blind date without telling me. Don’t you trust me?”
"I didn't," Fu Hengzhi answered the question very seriously. "The blind date was arranged by my aunt through my grandparents. My parents refused, but my grandparents were difficult to deal with, so they told me to find a way to get through it."
“I didn’t intend to hide it, but…” Fu Hengzhi paused, his tone lowering further, and said in a muffled voice, “…I’m sorry, I should have told you sooner.”
"..." Zhou Zhou stared blankly at the head below him, reached out and cupped the other's chin, and said softly, "I trust you, so I believe you wouldn't betray our relationship, but I'm also very angry. You should have told me about this from the beginning, and then we could have dealt with it together, sigh..."
Zhou Zhou suddenly sighed, tiptoed over and kissed the other person's forehead, "Seriously, don't do it again next time, otherwise you'll really have to go next door and keep Fu Xiaofan company from now on."
Fu Hengzhi's eyes lit up, and he tentatively asked, "You're not angry anymore?"
“…At first I wanted to be angry.” Zhou Zhou hated himself for being soft-hearted. He couldn’t get angry at all when faced with Fu Hengzhi who had softened his stance. “You’d better think about what else you’re hiding from me.”
Even President Fu himself wasn't sure, "There probably aren't any left."
[Author's Note: Oh, and oh, President Fu, think about what's on the right side of the driver's seat in that black car you always drive! (Mom's roar)]
】
Chapter 96 What kind of talk is it to let an outsider help you?
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The two elders of the Fu family arrived in J City close to nightfall. Because they didn't know when Fu Hongjiang would call and ask them to come over, they didn't start cooking even though it was dinner time.
Fu Hengzhi didn't go to the company that afternoon, choosing to stay home with his wife and children. Zhou Zhou also took a rare break from being a stay-at-home dad, taking the clothes he brought from the Zhou family's old house, along with the newly bought children's clothes, to the laundry room to wash and dry. When he got the shopping bag, he noticed the exquisite dark blue packaging that stood out from the other bags and remembered the tie.
"For you."
Inside the large villa were only the father and his two sons. President Fu was worried that his wife was still angry, so he held Fu Xiaofan in his arms and followed her wherever she went. When a long package was handed to him, he was slightly taken aback and did not take it for a long time.
Seeing his reaction, Zhou Zhou raised an eyebrow and asked, "What? You don't like it?"
"I like it, I like it." Fu Hengzhi immediately took the gift box, holding Fu Xiaofan in one arm and holding the box in the other without opening it, just examining it carefully over and over.
Zhou Zhou found his expression amusing and chuckled, "Do you know what it is? Just like it there."
"I like anything you give me."
Caught between the two men, Fu Xiaofan rolled her eyes when she heard this, out of Fu Hengzhi's sight.
Thanks, I'm feeling a bit sick of it.
To show his appreciation for the gift, President Fu changed into a matching outfit for the banquet and even had Zhou Zhou personally tie his tie for him.
Later that evening, a call came from the old house. It was Duan Yun calling, saying that the old man and the others were almost there and that Zhou Zhou should also set off quickly. He also specifically instructed that the child should be brought along. There was an indescribable excitement on the other end of the phone when the child was mentioned, and Aunt Feng's nagging voice could be heard in the background.
As the car drove on the road, the closer they got to their destination, the more inexplicably nervous Zhou Zhou felt. He hadn't experienced the feeling of an ugly daughter-in-law having to meet her in-laws when he first met Duan Yun and Fu Hongjiang, but now he was experiencing it. He attributed this feeling to the Fu family elders he was about to meet.
The car windows were tightly closed, and the wind whistled against the metal exterior of the car as it sped along the ring road. The sky was dark, and melodious classical music played inside, creating a sense of tranquility.
As the car drove into the old house courtyard, Zhou Zhou could see Duan Yun looking expectantly in this direction from afar. Before the car had even come to a complete stop, Duan Yun jogged over to greet him, his face showing excitement and his eyes filled with anticipation. Zhou Zhou knew without even thinking why.
Because of the child, he could only sit in the back seat of the car. At this time, Fu Xiaofan was still sitting on his lap, curled up in his arms, fast asleep.
No matter what, it's still a human child's body. No matter how strong the system's will is, it can't resist the child's physiological needs. Besides, there's no need for him to fight against these needs, since he's now the young master of the Fu family, born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
Zhou Zhou revealed an extremely gentle expression, reaching out to gently rub his face with her knuckles. Fu Hengzhi saw this scene through the rearview mirror and the corners of his mouth also lifted slightly.
Duan Yun ran too fast and stopped immediately in front of the car to tidy herself up. She wanted to make a good first impression on her grandson. She brushed the stray hairs that had been scattered by the wind behind her ears, crossed her arms in front of her, and put on an elegant demeanor. Just as she was about to reach for the car door, Zhou Zhou opened it from the inside first.
"Xiao Zhou, the child is..." Duan Yun's voice suddenly stopped. She covered her mouth with one hand and whispered, "Asleep?"
Zhou Zhou nodded slightly first, then called out to the other person, "Mom."
Duan Yun had originally intended to say something to him, but it was impossible for her not to be angry after learning that the young couple had been raising a child behind her back. However, upon seeing how well-behaved and adorable her little grandson was, her anger vanished completely.
"Alright, enough with the apologies." Duan Yun tapped Zhou Zhou's forehead with his finger and said reproachfully, "Luckily, your dad said the child is very lively and cheerful. If the child had been wronged because of your youthful ignorance, I would never forgive you."
"I know, Mom," Zhou Zhou said with a helpless smile.
Fu Hengzhi parked the car, walked over to Duan Yun, and softly called out, "Mom."
His response was a crisp sound as Duan Yun struck his arm.
"You brat, I asked you to tutor Xiaozhou, and you ended up having a child with her." Duan Yun felt that this was most likely her son's doing. Zhou Zhou was the cheerful and innocent type, while her son was the quiet type who was actually doing big things in silence. After all, he was unwilling to marry her. Duan Yun's anger, which had just subsided, surged up again, and she slapped his arm in anger.
With a crisp 'snap', Fu Xiaofan, who was in Zhou Zhou's arms, trembled and slowly opened her eyes.
"Mmm~" Fu Xiaofan stretched lazily in Zhou Zhou's arms, rubbing his sleepy eyes, and asked in a childish voice, "Daddy~ are we at Grandpa and Grandma's house yet?"
“We’ve arrived.” Zhou Zhou turned around so that Fu Xiaofan in his arms could face Duan Yun. “This is Grandma.”
"Hello, Grandma~" Fu Xiaofan said, yawning.
"Xiao Fan, is that right? So good~" Duan Yun reached out to hug him, and Fu Xiao Fan obediently let her hold him in her arms, his small, lotus-root-like arms hooking around Duan Yun's neck.
Duan Yun hadn't held such a big child in a long time. The chubby feel of the baby made her feel like she was young again. Overjoyed, she forgot about arguing with her son and carried Fu Xiaofan toward the villa, saying, "Come inside, come inside. There are mosquitoes in the yard. Don't let them bite my precious grandson."
Zhou Zhou suddenly understood why the system wanted to be the Fu family's grandson; who wouldn't want to be pampered and spoiled?
The aroma of food wafted through the villa. Fu Hongjiang sat in the living room, glasses perched on his nose, reading a newspaper. Fu Xiaofan, ever the quick-witted one, saw Fu Hongjiang and called out loudly, "Grandpa!"
"Hey! Hahahaha, my grandson."
Duan Yun and Fu Hongjiang were probably too lonely spending time together, so after having a grandson, they played with Fu Xiaofan on the sofa. Fu Hengzhi was given a company matter by Fu Hongjiang and went upstairs to the study.
Zhou Zhou didn't want to go to the study. After watching the elders and younger generation enjoying themselves in the living room for a while, she didn't find it interesting, so she simply went to the kitchen to help Aunt Feng.
I got up from the sofa and hadn't taken two steps when I vaguely heard a long, urgent car horn outside.
"Mom, I hear a car in the yard. Is that Grandpa and Grandma arriving?"
Duan Yun was feeding Fu Xiaofan a plump strawberry with his fingertips when he heard this. He was stunned and glanced at Fu Hongjiang, who was about to go upstairs to get the tiger leather rug for Fu Xiaofan, but he couldn't care less about that now.
"Xiao Zhou, come with me to the door to greet the elders." Fu Hongjiang got up and walked outside.
Zhou Zhou followed behind him at a leisurely pace.
The front door opened, and Zhou Zhou saw a black Mercedes-Benz parked in the yard. A woman with short to medium hair and a smart and capable appearance got out of the passenger seat. The woman noticed them and waved to Fu Hongjiang, who was walking towards her. Then, when she saw Zhou Zhou following behind, her face darkened, and she turned her head to say something to the person inside the car.
"Dad, Mom."
Grandpa Fu Xiong had served in the army in his early years, and even at nearly eighty years old, he still stood up straight. When he wasn't speaking, his lips were flat, giving him an air of authority without anger. Liu Yuelian, on the other hand, was a bit plump in her old age. When she saw Fu Hongjiang, she smiled and said "Hey!" when he called her name. But when her gaze fell on Zhou Zhou, her face immediately fell.
Fu Shuiling, supporting Liu Yuelian, looked at Fu Hongjiang and said, "Brother, go help Dad. What are you standing there for?"
Upon hearing this, Fu Hongjiang turned to Zhou Zhou, winked at her, and said, "Xiao Zhou, go help Grandpa."
“Okay.” Zhou Zhou had just taken a step when he heard Fu Shuiling say with dissatisfaction.
"Brother, you help Dad up. What kind of talk is it to let a stranger help him?"
Chapter Ninety-Seven: Getting Shot While Lying Down
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The atmosphere instantly turned icy. Zhou Zhou had taken half a step forward, but now he was caught in a dilemma, unsure whether to stop or leave. He had expected some difficulties, but he hadn't anticipated them coming so quickly.
Looking up at Fu Xiong and Liu Yuelian, the two elders ignored him completely. Zhou Zhou felt like he was nothing more than air in their eyes, or even less than air. At least people can't breathe without air.
Fortunately, Fu Hongjiang reacted quickly.
“What outsider? Xiaozhou is the legal daughter-in-law of the Fu family.” Fu Hongjiang’s face fell, and he said seriously to Fu Shuiling, “The official seal of the state is still printed on their marriage certificate.”
Knowing her older brother would argue with her, Fu Shuiling snorted coldly. Liu Yuelian, who was being helped, turned to her daughter, her brows furrowed, and said, "We're all family, why are you getting angry with your sister?"
"Mom, what's wrong with me getting angry?"
"What's all the noise about!" Fu Xiong's shout silenced the entire room. His face flushed red, he flung his arm away and walked towards the villa's entrance with his hands behind his back. "No need for help!"
Fu Xiong was still very healthy and efficient, and he didn't seem like he needed anyone to help him. He even stirred up a gust of wind as he passed by Zhou Zhou.
Zhou Zhou lowered his gaze slightly, avoiding looking directly at the old man's face.
“Brother, we’ve just arrived. If you’re not happy with us, you can let Mom and Dad stay at my place.” Fu Shuiling’s tone was ambiguous as she said, “My place is a bit small, but at least Mom and Dad won’t have to suffer.”
"Why are you upset? If you had just said less, this wouldn't have happened." The old father had just arrived and there was already a disagreement. All he did was ask Zhou Zhou to come out and greet the elders. Before anything else had even happened, Fu Hongjiang frowned and couldn't help but scold Fu Shuiling. His sister had really been strong-willed since childhood, and she didn't know when to stop or how to behave properly.
"I'll say less? If you hadn't left outsiders here, we would have been all happy together long ago! Now you think I'm superfluous here?" Fu Shuiling's unforgiving tone made Zhou Zhou frown. At least the two elders he thought disliked hadn't said anything particularly targeted, but it was Fu Hengzhi, his aunt.
Zhou Zhou glanced at Fu Shuiling indifferently. Had he offended her in the past?
"Oh dear, Dad's already inside, why are you still standing here?" The siblings were on the verge of a fight, but Duan Yun stepped in to smooth things over. He came down the stairs and quickly walked towards Liu Yuelian, subtly brushing Fu Shuiling's hand away and taking over to help his mother-in-law up.
"Mom, we recently hired workers to tidy up the greenery in the yard, and the mosquitoes haven't been driven away yet. Let's go inside quickly." Duan Yun smiled brightly and said affectionately to Liu Yuelian, "Sister Feng has prepared a table full of dishes, but the squirrel-shaped mandarin fish that you like the most is made by me. You must eat more."
"Really? Then I have to try it." Liu Yuelian really liked her eldest daughter-in-law. When Duan Yun first married into the Fu family, she was lively, sweet-talking, and a great cook, which made her, her mother-in-law, very happy.
Duan Yun helped Liu Yuelian walk ahead, while Zhou Zhou followed behind at a leisurely pace. He was separated from Fu Shuiling only by Fu Hongjiang. In the short distance from the courtyard to the house, he heard Fu Shuiling snort coldly several times.
"......" Why is it so annoying?
Zhou Zhou isn't stupid, and he's too lazy to fawn over anyone. He certainly respects his elders, but respect doesn't have to be equal; it should at least be mutual. As for someone like Fu Shuiling, he just wants to have less contact with her.
As Zhou Zhou entered the room, Fu Xiong's angry roar suddenly rang in his ears, so powerful that it startled him.
The old man had a loud voice and a large lung capacity. Zhou Zhou felt that even a young man like him would have his heart skip a beat if he was yelled at like that. How could Liu Yuelian, who was so old, stand it?
Out of concern for his elder, Zhou Zhou took a few steps diagonally forward. Seeing that Liu Yuelian's expression remained unchanged, he breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that he had worried too much. The two had lived together for most of their lives, and she was probably already used to his loud voice.
"Fu Hongjiang! You come here!" Fu Xiong shouted loudly, and Zhou Zhou saw Fu Hengzhi sitting on the sofa directly opposite Fu Xiong. Fu Xiaofan, who was in his father's arms, had his ears covered by his father's big hands and was looking at Fu Xiong with his bright black eyes.
It's over.