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

"What's wrong?" Zhao Lan asked, turning around.

Xu Qingcheng didn't bother to reply. Actually, her morning sickness wasn't severe at all this time; it was just that sometimes it would suddenly come out for no apparent reason.

It felt like my internal organs were in a crazy sports meet, and my chest and abdomen felt like they were being pulled and pressed into my body by a force, swelling and tightening, which was so stimulating that tears came out.

As soon as Xu Qingcheng started gagging, Fu Jingting noticed and quickly got up and came over.

Pushing open the kitchen sliding door, the fishy smell of shrimp, the aroma of vegetables, the fragrance of rice, and the smell of raw meat all mingled together.

Fu Jingting reached out and patted Xu Qingcheng on the back. "Can you get up? You should go out first; the kitchen smells too strong."

After such a tumultuous ordeal, I did recover a bit, but I still feel really uncomfortable.

Xu Qingcheng grabbed his outstretched hand for support and stood up, gently shaking her head, "It's alright."

Tears welled in her eyes from the discomfort. The man pressed his finger against the corner of her eye and said, "Go out first and have some water to calm down."

He gave the instructions softly.

Xu Qingcheng didn't move, but reached out and gripped his arm tightly, giving him a signal and reminding him.

"What's wrong with you?" Zhao Lan's voice turned cold.

"It's nothing, I just don't have a good appetite," Xu Qingcheng interrupted before Fu Jingting could speak.

"No appetite? Xu Qingcheng, say it again." Zhao Lan's expression grew even colder.

Zhao Lan had just cut raw meat and was still holding the knife in her hand, not putting it down, and just stared at him coldly.

Xu Qingcheng couldn't help but shrink back timidly. Just as she was about to speak, Fu Jingting stopped her, "You go out first."

Xu Qingcheng shook her head and refused, so Fu Jingting had no choice but to put her behind his back. He gently squeezed her wrist and told her that he would speak for her.

Xu Qingcheng stood behind him. The two little ones in her belly were still restless, and she couldn't get rid of the nausea, but she could still bear it.

He stood in front of her, his broad back like an impenetrable wall. He had a faint, cool fragrance about him, which smelled wonderful. With him protecting her like this, she felt completely at ease and filled with indescribable emotions.

She originally wanted to get her mother to accept him first, and then let things calm down in a few days. Who knew she would be so weak and give herself away so easily?

Fu Jingting had no intention of hiding anything. The truth was better than any lie, even if he was kicked out now, it was better than the harm caused by deception.

Besides, she probably can't hide her pregnancy any longer; it's only a matter of time, so she might as well do it sooner rather than later.

Fu Jingting glanced at the kitchen knife in Zhao Lan's hand... and organized his thoughts.

"Auntie, I've been wanting to tell you this for a while, but I haven't had the chance. I'm here today to tell you and Uncle the truth. Qingcheng is pregnant, and it's twins."

Zhao Lan's forehead was taut, her head throbbed with pain, and her hand gripping the cleaver trembled. "Say that again!"

"Mom. Mom, do you want to put the knife down first?" Xu Qingcheng poked her head out from behind him to remind him.

Zhao Lan's forehead was taut, and her fiery gaze shot straight at Xu Qingcheng. Suddenly, she turned around and slammed the kitchen knife in her hand onto the cutting board.

With a snap.

Xu Qingcheng shuddered in fright and clung tightly to Fu Jingting's back.

Fu Jingting, "..."

He now felt that Xu Qingcheng was right, and that they should wait a while before talking about her pregnancy.

Xu Qingyao was playing with Xu Yuan when the three of them heard the noise and looked towards the kitchen.

Xu Shengchang couldn't sit still any longer and ordered Xu Qingyao, "Go and see what's going on. Let's talk things out."

As soon as Xu Qingyao arrived, he saw Xu Qingcheng being pushed out of the kitchen by Fu Jingting, and the man turned around and closed the sliding door.

Only he and Zhao Lan remained in the kitchen.

Xu Qingcheng stood outside, somewhat anxious and unsure what to say. Seeing Xu Qingyao approach, she asked, "What should we do? Mom is really angry."

"What are you angry about?" Xu Qingyao looked at her, questioning her as if she had done something wrong again.

Xu Qingcheng glared at him, then felt she should make an ally, "Don't be so hostile towards him, he's not that bad."

"I don't see what's so great about it either." Xu Qingyao snorted. "Have you forgotten what you were like when he got engaged to Wen Fei?"

"No. They weren't engaged." Xu Qingcheng stamped her foot; some misunderstandings were indeed...

"You believe everything he says, you deserve to be heartbroken." Xu Qingyao pried her hand off his sleeve. "I shouldn't have felt sorry for you."

"Then you should feel sorry for me now." Xu Qingcheng persisted, pulling the other person back. "I'm just worried that your brother-in-law will be all alone, and Mom and Dad will definitely be very angry. You should say something nice to him once in a while, or at least don't kick him when he's down."

Xu Qingyao turned to look at her, "Brother-in-law? You two got married behind your family's back?"

"What nonsense are you talking about! How could you keep that from your family?" Xu Qingcheng slapped him.

"Then what kind of brother-in-law is he? Oh, ex-brother-in-law. Xu Qingcheng, it's not even a proper match yet, and you're already rushing to marry him off." Xu Qingyao's refined face was cold, and his words were full of sarcasm.

Xu Qingcheng pinched him hard, "You brat, you speak so rudely."

Xu Qingyao was pinched and it hurt, but he didn't dare to shake her off. He endured it with a straight face and asked, "Tell me first what made Mom so angry."

Xu Qingcheng blushed and whispered, "You're going to be an uncle again."

again?

Xu Qingyao's mind went blank for a moment, and she subconsciously glanced at Xu Yuan.

Look at Xu Qingcheng's appearance now.

He almost blurted out, "You were born in the Year of the Pig, how come you're so fertile?"

Xu Qingcheng was so angry she was about to vomit blood. Her face was flushed red, and her anger outweighed her embarrassment. She slapped Xu Qingyao on the back without any hesitation. "What did you say! Xu Qingyao, this is the second time today that you've called me a pig in a roundabout way! Do you think I can't tell?"

Xu Qingyao could only hide when he was beaten. From childhood to adulthood, he was the one who was bullied by his sister. During his rebellious teenage years, he was also furious. He thought she was pretentious and troublesome, and that she was lawless because her father spoiled her. She didn't take care of anyone at all. After all, he was the younger brother.

So one time, in the heat of the moment, he said something too harsh, and Xu Qingcheng cried. He was terrified, afraid she'd come home crying, since he knew his dad would always beat him no matter what.

Xu Qingyao used a month's allowance to stop her from crying, and then for that entire month she had to beg Xu Qingcheng for even a single piece of candy.

The trauma from his youth was so deep that he could only occasionally indulge in verbal sparring; when she got truly angry, he lost all temper.

"You're really something. Are all the men in the world dead? You're still clinging to him." Xu Qingyao asked her in a softer voice.

"I want to too, but what if I can't forget?"

"Ye Tinghong, you've let it go too." Xu Qingyao wasn't really trying to provoke her; she was just curious.

Back then, she was so decisive and swift in her actions.

Fu Jingting remained silent for two years, and she still willingly bore him a child.

As soon as Fu Jingting returned, she rushed over to him. Xu Qingcheng was a very proud person.

Xu Qingyao had never seen her like that before.

People didn't want her, and she cried, crying so pitifully.

If it weren't for the fact that she's his sister, and he would have cursed her to death for throwing herself at a man like that.

She's talented and beautiful; there's no place where you can't find someone who adores her.

Xu Qingcheng glared at him. "Is Ye Tinghong more important than my brother?"

Xu Qingyao, "..."

"Fu Jingting is not as important as you."

Xu Qingyao, "..." He'd be a fool to believe her!

But these words sound so comforting, inside and out.

Xu Qingyao coughed lightly. "What do you want me to do?"

"Say a few good words for him, don't be so hostile towards him. He helped you a lot when you were in prison." Xu Qingcheng shook Xu Qingyao's arm.

"Okay." Xu Qingyao said irritably, pulling his arm back and looking at Xu Qingcheng. "Don't act all cute with me, or I'll get indigestion."

Xu Qingcheng clenched her fist, ready to punch him.

Xu Qingyao darted away, calling to Xu Yuan, "Yuanyuan, come here, let's see what delicious food Grandma is making."

Xu Qingcheng, "..."

In the kitchen, Fu Jingting admitted his mistake, "Please don't be angry, getting angry will harm your health. Qingcheng didn't mean to hide it from you; she just found out a while ago. This is my fault, so please take all the blame on me."

Zhao Lan closed her eyes tightly. The last time she saw her vomit, she only said that she had no appetite. She never mentioned it again. Moreover, Zhao Lan saw that her mood seemed to be getting better little by little, so she didn't ask any more questions.

As it turned out, a bomb was waiting for her.

How far along are you in the pregnancy?

"It's been three and a half months now. It was already three months when it was diagnosed. Because Qingcheng hesitated, we haven't told you yet."

Three and a half months?!

Twins?!

Zhao Lan couldn't even tell what she was feeling anymore. This wasn't the first time Qingcheng had been pregnant, and she only found out now that the child was so big.

Moreover, three months ago, he didn't know about Xu Yuan, which means that the two of them had never broken up.

She knew it; that brat couldn't let go.

"Hesitated?" Zhao Lan was furious. She looked coldly at Fu Jingting. "Do you know what happened when she gave birth to Xu Yuan? Do you know that if she had a miscarriage, she might not be able to get pregnant again?"

"I know." Fu Jingting listened to Zhao Lan's reprimand with a serious expression.

"You know, you know you're still hesitating, hesitating to tell her to give up, to have an abortion? To make her suffer again?!" Zhao Lan was so angry that she clutched her chest.

Fu Jingting rushed over to help her up, feeling anxious himself. "Auntie, please don't be angry. It's all my fault, I wasn't thoughtful enough."

"Fu Jingting, Qingcheng has both a father and a mother. She was also raised with the love and care of her father. Our family has been through a lot, both good and bad, and the children have all borne the brunt of it. She has shouldered more than Qingyao. You should know that the only wish of parents is for their children to be safe and happy."

Zhao Lan paused for a moment, then placed one hand on the table. "Tell me, what are your plans?"

"Auntie, please believe me. I love her, and I'm willing to dedicate the rest of my life to loving her, cherishing her, and pitying her. I will give her everything I have to ensure she doesn't suffer the slightest grievance. I want to marry her and make her my wife." Fu Jingting paused, "I will be her husband, the father of Xu Yuan and our future children, your and Uncle's son-in-law, and Qingyao's brother-in-law. I will shoulder my responsibilities, and I will take on Qingcheng's responsibilities for her. I hope you and Uncle can agree to let her marry me, so that I can protect her for you."

He said what he thought.

A sincere request.

We hope to obtain her parents' consent.

Calm and sincere, without the slightest falsehood.

Zhao Lan stared at him. His words touched her deeply, but this man was too outstanding, and Qingcheng loved him too deeply.

Zhao Lan dared not think about hurting her again, or what would happen to Qingcheng in the future.

"My daughter has been spoiled since she was little. She has a lot of bad habits. You two were together for a while before, but a short period of time may not be enough to fully understand each other. Life is all about the mundane things like food, oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, and tea. She is young and beautiful now, but she will grow old and have wrinkles. She won't be able to compare with so many young and alluring girls outside. Men all have their flaws, especially men like you."

Zhao Lan pursed her lips. Even Xu Shengchang had his share of ambiguous affairs; they just hadn't been discovered yet.

"Auntie, I understand what you're saying, but you might not believe me even if I make a promise. In the future, I will definitely be careful with my words and actions and will not let Qingcheng suffer any injustice."

"You don't need to make any promises to me. I'm just telling you, Qingcheng has a family. Even if we're gone, she still has her younger brother. Even if I bring her back again, you can forget about ever stepping into the Xu family again." Zhao Lan's tone was firm, and she wanted to make her point clear from the outset.

Xu Qingyao stood outside the kitchen door with Xu Yuan, and when Zhao Lan said not to open the door in a hurry.

Xu Yuan tried to open the sliding door, but Xu Qingyao carried her away again.

When Xu Qingcheng saw him return, she hurriedly asked, "Why didn't you go inside?"

"Mom's scolding you, what are you going in there for?" He put Xu Yuan down, handed her a Rubik's Cube, and taught her how to solve it.

Xu Qingcheng was about to get up when Xu Shengchang stopped her, saying, "Your mother can't eat him."

"dad!"

Xu Qingcheng called out in a coquettish tone, but didn't get up. Instead, she sat down and poured tea for Xu Shengchang.

Xu Shengchang looked at her and asked, "You like him that much?"

Xu Qingcheng didn't say anything, but poured tea for Xu Shengchang and then gently hummed in agreement.

Xu Shengchang sighed, feeling a sense of unease, as if the flowers he had planted had been stolen.

Does he love you?

"pain."

"Dad can't move anymore, so if he bullies you in the future, I won't be able to beat him up."

"Dad, he won't bully me." Xu Qingcheng leaned against Xu Shengchang.

"Don't be so sure of yourself." Xu Qingyao glanced at her, only to be glared at by Xu Qingcheng.

"Shut up."

Xu Qingyao picked up his teacup and drank. "Dad, if you can't beat him, I'll do it for you."

"Can you beat me?" Xu Qingcheng snorted.

"..." Xu Qingyao's forehead twitched. "Should I drag him out and give him a fight?"

"Have your tea!"

Hearing the protective tone in her words, Xu Shengchang reached out and touched Xu Qingcheng's hair.

big.

She was no longer the little girl he held in his arms.

My heart belongs to someone else.

The father felt very disappointed.

Zhao Lan took off her apron; after this ordeal, she had lost all interest in cooking.

"Remember what you said today. But marriage is a big deal; it's not something I can agree to just because you say a few words today."

The implication is that it needs to be investigated and conducted formally.

Fu Jingting quickly agreed, "Yes, my parents would also like to know when you and Uncle are free to visit us."

"We'll see."

Zhao Lan opened the kitchen door and went out. She said she would talk about it later, but she knew in her heart that she couldn't delay any longer. It had been three and a half months, two months, and her belly would probably be very obvious in another month.

Could they really let Qingcheng have a child out of wedlock?!

"Come here!"

Zhao Lan called Fu Jingting out, and when they arrived in the living room, they prepared to have a family meeting.

When Xu Qingcheng saw them coming, she hurriedly tried to move closer to Fu Jingting, but Zhao Lan glared at her, so she obediently sat down next to Xu Shengchang and didn't move.

"Why are you so angry?" Xu Shengchang looked at his wife and couldn't help but comfort her.

"Your daughter is pregnant again," Zhao Lan said irritably.

Xu Shengchang opened his mouth, looked at Xu Qingcheng, and after a long while, he finally said "Oh".

Xu Qingcheng blushed and lowered her head without saying a word.

This kind of thing is quite common, but ultimately it's embarrassing and awkward because it's not something that can be done openly and legitimately.

"I was being foolish. I'll accept whatever you do to me, Uncle and Aunt," Fu Jingting said hastily, unable to bear others saying anything bad about her. But he still had to respect his parents-in-law.

Xu Shengchang gripped the sofa armrest tightly, veins bulging on the back of his hand. His face darkened. "You brat!"

"You're not only thinking of marrying my sister because of the baby in her belly, are you?" Xu Qingyao asked.

Xu Qingcheng kicked him from the side, not only not helping him but also sabotaging him.

Xu Qingyao moved her leg so that she couldn't kick it. "We can afford to support you. If that's your reason, then forget it."

Fu Jingting pressed his temples; it was truly a case of questioning both the old and the young together.

"No, I'll marry her whether she has children or not."

She looked up and met the man's gaze. Her face flushed and she looked away.

Zhao Lan reached out and placed her hand on Xu Shengchang's hand to calm him down.

Xu Shengchang gestured for Fu Jingting to come over, and Fu Jingting got up and walked to his side, "Uncle."

Xu Shengchang grabbed the crutch and struck him on the leg.

Xu Qingcheng gasped.

Fu Jingting frowned slightly, but remained standing still.

Xu Shengchang pointed at Xu Yuan and said, "The day Xiao Yuan gets tricked by some brat, you'll know how I'll feel."

Fu Jingting looked at Xu Yuan, his heart tightening.

He suddenly bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle, his expression serious. "Uncle, I will treat Qingcheng well and take care of her for the rest of my life. Please rest assured that you can entrust her to me."

Xu Qingcheng's eyes reddened as he promised her parents that he would treat her well and take care of her.

I want to cry.

I really want to hug him.

Zhao Lan didn't want to cook, so she asked Xu Qingyao to order food and have it delivered.

Fu Jingting volunteered to go into the kitchen to clean up, and Xu Qingyao followed him in to help.

Neither of them spoke, yet they were remarkably in sync.

Fu Jingting has been serving meals to Xu Qingcheng and her daughter lately, and his cooking skills have improved considerably. After preparing the fish slices, he asked Xu Qingyao, "Do you have any pickled cabbage? Your sister likes spicy and sour food lately."

Xu Qingyao rummaged through the refrigerator, found the sauerkraut seasoning packet, and handed it to him.

"I haven't forgiven you yet. But my sister likes you, so I won't say anything more. Just be nicer to her in the future," Xu Qingyao said.

"Um."

"She may seem fierce and intimidating, but that's only because she's forced into it. Deep down, she's a fussy and demanding woman, but she's easily appeased and has a soft heart. If she gets angry, just coax her a bit and that'll be fine; don't ignore her." Xu Qingyao paused.

"She loves someone without reservation and doesn't know how to protect herself. If she gets hurt, she'll be hurt badly. This is the last time. If you're going to marry her, don't let her get hurt again." Xu Qingyao smashed the cucumber in his hand with a knife.

Fu Jingting, "..."

Fu Jingting glanced at him and said, "You'll have your day too."

"I won't." Xu Qingyao said firmly.

But he didn't expect that one day in the future he would actually be proven wrong.

Zhao Lan called Xu Qingcheng to her side, tapped her head with her finger, and said, "Aren't you ashamed? He hadn't even accepted you yet, and you were already with him..."

Xu Qingcheng blushed and took Zhao Lan's arm. "Mom, please stop nagging me. It was an accident."

What are you thinking?