Mrs. Fu, please be mindful of the appropriate boundaries.

Their heads collided. Xu Qingcheng covered her head with one hand and patted him, saying, "It hurts so much, your head is so hard."

The smile that curved between her brows captivated whose heart?

His gaze followed her outside.

Xu Qingcheng ran over, "Mom."

Xu Shengchang was pushed up in a wheelchair. His limbs were stiff like a doll. When he saw her from inside the wheelchair, he forced a smile.

Xu Qingcheng was about to cry when Zhao Lan nudged her, "Don't cry, it's a good day."

Xu Qingcheng smiled, "I didn't cry." She whispered, "Dad, let's go home."

Zhao Lan smiled along with her. The room was no longer cold and quiet because it was filled with the aroma of food. All the smells and sounds blended together, and this was what a home should be like.

"I told Wang Ma to go home and rest; she's been working hard lately. Today it's just the family, so we'll cook for ourselves." She walked towards the kitchen, rolled up her sleeves, and looked at Fu Jingting with a smile in her eyes. "Jingting, you go out and let Qingcheng help me. It's the first time we're eating at home, how can I let you do the cooking?"

"No need. It'll be ready soon..." Fu Jingting pointed to the stove and couldn't finish his sentence.

The hotel had already prepared all the ingredients; how they managed to turn a kitchen into a scene of theft and robbery was another matter entirely.

"Alright, you can go now. Qingcheng has never been allowed to cook since she was little. She can handle simple things, but she can't manage anything complicated." Zhao Lan gave Xu Qingcheng a look that said, "Please bear with her," and then glanced at her. "You need to learn more. Once you're married, you're no longer a young lady. It's time to start thinking about the mundane things like firewood, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea."

Xu Qingcheng lowered her head and hurriedly tidied up the bottles and jars in the kitchen. Fu Jingting then discovered that this woman had no prickles at all in front of her elders. She was as soft as a ripe persimmon, ready to be squeezed at will.

He suppressed a laugh, "Auntie, you just got back, don't interfere anymore, it'll be almost healed."

Zhao Lan glared at him and said, "It's time to change your address."

Fu Jingting realized what was happening and quickly changed his tune, calling her "Mom" without any awkwardness.

Xu Qingcheng stole a glance at him, feeling a mix of emotions she couldn't quite describe. Her mother had actually become his mother.

They may agree verbally, but who knows what they're really thinking?

Seeing Zhao Lan's beaming face, Xu Qingcheng looked away. This was the result she wanted, so she couldn't complain. She should do her best to make everything go smoothly.

Even if we can't be a loving couple, we should at least be compatible partners, right?

Xu Qingcheng pushed Zhao Lan out, saying that they could handle it and that she should stay with her father for a while.

The kitchen's transparent sliding door closed, and Xu Qingcheng glanced at him. "Hurry up, what time is it? What are these dishes for? What are their names so I can look up the menu."

As soon as Zhao Lan left, her old energy returned, and she started bossing him around.

Fu Jingting clicked his tongue when he saw her like this, and without caring that he had just picked up a green chili pepper, he pinched it against her nose, making Xu Qingcheng choke. She was so angry that she punched him a few times.

It was a chaotic and hectic affair.

Zhao Lan noticed Xu Shengchang staring intently inside. She took a towel and wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth. "Your precious daughter is married. They look very well-matched, don't they?"

Xu Shengchang nodded, nodding vigorously.

Zhao Lan laughed along, and then watched as they turned around at the same time, bumping into each other.

He turned around so fast that Xu Qingcheng didn't notice for a moment and almost lost her balance before he grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

Fu Jingting released her hand and handed her the bowl of seasoning sauce. "Try it and see if you want to add some more salt."

Xu Qingcheng dipped her chopsticks in the chopsticks and placed them on the tip of her tongue. She curled her little tongue around the chopsticks, smacked her lips, and the man's eyes burned with rage.

Suddenly, some explicit images started flashing into my head.

"It's a bit bland, let's add a little more."

After she finished speaking, she saw him staring at her mouth, his eyes burning with desire.

Xu Qingcheng suddenly blushed, tossed the chopsticks in her hand to him, and said, "Just add a little more."

She turned to do something else, but the man stopped her.

Fu Jingting stood in front of her, his back facing the door. His broad shoulders and narrow hips completely blocked her view, so Xu Qingcheng couldn't be seen from behind.

He leaned down to kiss her, but Xu Qingcheng dodged, and the man's lips pressed against the corner of her lips.

"What are you doing?" Xu Qingcheng was so agitated that her face turned red. Her parents were right in the living room, and he was still acting like this.

Fu Jingting pressed his forehead against hers, pinched her chin with his fingers, pressed his lips to hers, hooked her escaping little tongue and sucked on it, his voice soft as it lingered between her lips and teeth, "Don't move, they can't see you."

The heat was rising up my face and into my eyes.

The door was suddenly pushed open, and Zhao Lan's voice came from outside, "Are you done?"

Xu Qingcheng felt like digging a hole and burying herself. She hurriedly turned her back, her whole face flushed red, and her ears felt like they were burning.

Fu Jingting shielded the person behind him, cleared his throat, and said, "Right away."

Zhao Lan was also taken aback, then suddenly smiled and withdrew without asking any more questions.

Xu Qingcheng was so embarrassed that she wanted to kick him.

The meal was very enjoyable. The chef at Silver Bay Hotel had excellent knife skills and the ingredients were perfectly prepared, but the presentation of the food was not even up to the standard of a third-rate hotel.

But it was still a very enjoyable experience.

Zhao Lan couldn't help but sigh, "If Qingyao were here, our family would be complete."

Xu Qingcheng tightened her grip on the chopsticks involuntarily. She hummed in response, "Mom, don't worry, Qingyao is doing well, and he's gotten much stronger."

Fu Jingting couldn't help but look up at her.

Under the table, Xu Qingcheng kicked him, signaling him not to talk nonsense.

Zhao Lan was unaware of Qingyao's accident. Now that he was out of danger, Qingcheng didn't want to cause any more trouble.

This accident was orchestrated by the Ye family, and Xu Qingcheng understood their intentions perfectly well; they simply wanted to scare her away.

Qingyao was a pawn they used to threaten her.

But they shouldn't have used Qingyao to pressure her. Xu Qingcheng isn't the type to let someone cross her bottom line and not fight back.

She lowered her eyes and ate. Fu Jingting saw the coldness that flashed in her eyes for a moment, and he remembered that night when she walked up to Ye Wenhan under the moonlight.

She's both wild and alluring.

After dinner, while clearing the dishes, Fu Jingting blocked her in front of the sink, saying, "In a little while, you can tidy up your usual things."

Why?

Fu Jingting raised an eyebrow. "You don't think we'll continue living the same way after we get married, do you?"

"..."

Xu Qingcheng was silent for a moment, then said, "The wedding hasn't been held yet."

Living together increases the likelihood of being caught.

Xu Qingcheng was having a headache. She wanted to postpone it until the wedding, when she would have a solution.

Accidents always happen unexpectedly, don't they?

"Will it have any impact? A marriage certificate has more legal force, and you don't think you can just stay at your parents' house by yourself while you're pregnant, do you?" Fu Jingting scoffed. "Should you go and talk to them later, or should I do it for you?"

"I'll say it myself."

Xu Qingcheng told Zhao Lan, and she didn't object. "They definitely care. It's better this way. I'm busy taking care of your father and can't take care of you much during the week. They can take good care of you over there."

Then they asked, "Have you had any symptoms lately? Is the baby being naughty in your belly?"

Xu Qingcheng quickly changed the subject; every time this topic came up, she felt... very guilty.

Xu Qingcheng was going to the Fu family's house for dinner that evening. She had never actually eaten with her in-laws before, and she was a little nervous.

Zhao Lan disliked her clothes and urged her to change. After trying on several outfits, she finally settled on a hand-embroidered, milky apricot-colored sequined fairy dress.

Xu Qingcheng frowned. "Mom, this doesn't look good."

"What's wrong with it?"

"This is too artsy. It doesn't suit me." Xu Qingcheng frowned. "It would be better for a younger girl."

The dress is beautiful, sparkly and shimmering, with layers of tulle skirt that reach to the ankles, giving it a retro and artistic feel, and an ethereal look.

Xu Qingcheng knew she was beautiful, but her beauty didn't match her sweet and ethereal appearance.

"Who do you think you are?" Zhao Lan glanced at her.

Xu Qingcheng thought about it and realized that it was true. She was only twenty-four years old after the New Year, but in the past year or so, she had experienced so many things that made her seem much more mature all at once.

She tied her hair up in a half-updo style, secured with ribbons, the two long ribbons hanging casually down her back like strands of hair.

Fu Jingting glanced over, his eyes narrowing as if he had unlocked her new image.

She's so innocent that it doesn't seem like her at all.

After arranging for Xu Shengchang and the others to leave for the hospital, Zhao Lan instructed Qingcheng, "Now that you're married, you need to control your temper and get along well with others. Don't always throw tantrums. The most important thing in a marriage is mutual consideration and understanding. And do you know that a woman has a crucial weapon?"

Xu Qingcheng shook her head, and Zhao Lan laughed, "You're just being coquettish." Then she looked at Fu Jingting, "Try it on him if you don't believe me."

"Mom." Xu Qingcheng blushed, feeling flustered.

There was nothing wrong with what her mother said; it was just a gentle reminder and a lighthearted remark to the young couple, but Xu Qingcheng felt extremely uncomfortable about it.

This kind of affectionate behavior is suitable for couples or spouses who are truly in love, but not for them.

So it sounds awkward.

Unfortunately, Fu Jingting was perfectly fine.

Xu Qingcheng felt that this man was probably laughing at her in his heart.

After talking about Qingcheng, Zhao Lan pointed to Fu Jingting and said, "Qingcheng has been spoiled by me and her father. She has a lot of temper tantrums. If she does something wrong, it's because I didn't teach her well. Jingting, you have to be more tolerant of her. Her behavior has caused her a lot of trouble, but I know my own daughter. She's very simple and doesn't have many ulterior motives."

Fu Jingting said, "I know."

Then he looked at her with a crooked eye.

Xu Qingcheng turned her head away, pretending not to see anything. Her mother's praise made her blush.

After seeing Zhao Lan and her husband off, Fu Jingting helped her put her luggage in the car, then glanced at her and said, "Mrs. Fu is simple-minded and straightforward, isn't she?"