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

"Um?"

"Hmm what? I asked you what you thought, and he said he wanted to marry you. I'm afraid you can't hide your pregnancy for much longer." Zhao Lan reached out and touched her belly.

Xu Qingcheng was wearing a loose dress, so it wasn't very noticeable, but you could tell by touching it.

"Are you going to let people gossip about you getting pregnant out of wedlock from now on? I really don't know what to say about your face. You're so beautiful, the slightest thing makes the rumors spread like wildfire."

Xu Qingcheng twirled her fingers without saying a word.

Zhao Lan tapped her forehead, knowing what she was thinking without saying a word.

"Let me tell you, this time when you two remarry, the Fu family won't skip any of the proper formalities. Consider this my way of being a good mother-in-law," Zhao Lan sighed. "Get the marriage certificate before having the baby. I don't want anyone to say a bad word about you. This time you don't need to say anything; I'll say it for you."

"I don't need you to tell me either." Xu Qingcheng took Zhao Lan's arm. "If he doesn't think things through, I won't marry him."

Zhao Lan glanced at her, "If I really don't let you marry, you'll definitely cry in front of me again."

Xu Qingcheng smiled, her face flushed.

Seeing her like this, Zhao Lan chuckled, "You, the older you get, the more you act like a child."

"Mom," Xu Qingcheng suddenly called out to her, "Back then, did you and Dad think about each other day and night?"

Zhao Lan suddenly laughed. "No, at first I neither liked nor disliked him. He was just a nouveau riche. But your grandfather took a liking to him. Back then, we weren't as open-minded as we are now. My upbringing was so different from his, it was difficult to get along at first, but no matter how angry I got, he never held it against me. I didn't like going out with him to meet his friends either; I always felt they were full of money and lacked class. Then one time he got drunk, and his friends asked me to pick him up. I was furious on the way. When I got there, I found out he wasn't drunk at all; his friends had lied to me. He bet with his friends I wouldn't come. When he saw me, he smiled so foolishly, so incredibly foolishly. My heart softened immediately. Once someone's heart is settled, they discover many good things about them that they hadn't noticed before."

"Qingcheng, you inherited all the good qualities from your father and all the bad qualities from me." Zhao Lan pinched her cheek. "Two people need to be tolerant of each other. Mom hopes he will love and pamper you, but relationships are mutual. You also need to know how to love him. That's how a relationship can last. Don't let conflicts linger overnight, don't bottle them up. It's okay to throw a little tantrum now and then, but don't take his tolerance for granted."

"Okay, I've got it."

……

The dinner was quite pleasant. Fu Jingting took care of everyone, young and old, and was busy all night, so he barely ate anything himself.

Zhao Lan bluntly stated her request, and Fu Jingting could only nod and agree.

It was quite late when we left Jinliu Bay. Xu Yuan was at bedtime, and no one paid any attention to the adults talking. She just lay down on the bed and fell asleep.

Zhao Lan then asked Xu Qingcheng to stay and sleep with them.

But she still needed to go to Xinghewan to get some information, so Zhao Lan left Xu Yuan behind.

Before leaving, Zhao Lan whispered to her, "You're pregnant now, so there are some things you need to be careful about."

Xu Qingcheng's face flushed instantly. "I know."

As she got into the car, Fu Jingting asked her, "What did your auntie say to you?"

"He didn't say anything."

"Why are you blushing when I didn't say anything?" Fu Jingting reached out and pinched her earlobe.

"Let's not do that," Xu Qingcheng muttered.

"What?"

He leaned closer, which made Xu Qingcheng so angry that she slapped him.

Fu Jingting smiled, started the car, and drove away, letting out a sigh of relief.

Xu Qingcheng looked at him and smiled.

Fu Jingting clicked his tongue, reached out and grasped her hand, "Your palms are all sweaty."

"You know how to be nervous."

"I'm nervous. I'm afraid they'll kick me out, afraid they won't approve of me pursuing you, afraid they won't approve of me marrying you."

"Even if they agree, I might not." Xu Qingcheng snorted.

"Difficulties must be overcome one by one." Fu Jingting looked at her face, "A beauty that could topple empires."

"Um?"

He chuckled and pinched her cheek. "It's nothing, I just wanted to call out to you."

"You're so annoying." She laughed and scolded, her heart melting completely. She loved it when he called her by her name.

"Does your leg hurt? Do you want to buy some medicine?"

Xu Shengchang used considerable force with that cane.

"What, are you feeling sorry for me?" Fu Jingting asked her, raising an eyebrow.

"Who cares about you?" She pointed to the pharmacy next door. "Park your car and go buy some."

"No, it doesn't hurt much."

He drove past the pharmacy, turned to her, and asked, "You've been so busy lately, is there still work you haven't finished?"

Xu Qingcheng remained silent.

Going back to Xinghewan to get the documents was just an excuse, but she didn't want to be separated from him tonight.

Xu Qingcheng bit her lip lightly. She had been busy lately, and so had he. In fact, the time they had to meet was very short.

"No." Xu Qingcheng turned her head slightly, the streetlights shining in and illuminating her rosy face.

Fu Jingting glanced over, but said nothing more.

The car stopped, and the two got out and went up the elevator. He held her hand, their fingers intertwined, and neither of them spoke.

Xu Qingcheng looked at their intertwined fingers, one deep and one shallow, an ambiguous feeling growing between them.

The door was opened, and the light from outside briefly shone into the room before being shut out by the closed door.

Fu Jingting reached out and pulled the person into his arms.

Xu Qingcheng was pinned against the door. She reached out and touched his face. "You didn't eat much tonight. Do you want me to cook something else?"

He turned his head to kiss her hand that landed on his face, his voice husky and alluring, "I'm not hungry."

"But I want to eat you."

As soon as he finished speaking, he kissed her lips, his hands caressing and roaming over her waist.

Xu Qingcheng hummed in response, then wrapped her arms around his neck and nestled softly in his embrace.

The night was quiet and deep, with no lights. The light from outside streamed in through the window, so the room wasn't completely dark, but it was still a blurry darkness.

The suppressed, low breathing stirred up a wave in the silence.

She nibbled at his earlobe, teasing him while simultaneously refusing, "No, it's too dangerous right now."

Fu Jingting's forehead was taut. He pressed his forehead against hers, feeling frustrated and helpless, and hummed in response.

They are so pitiful.

Xu Qingcheng smiled, her eyes crinkling. She hooked her fingers around the buttons of his shirt, unbuttoning them, and her fingertips brushed lightly against his skin, as if being gently brushed by a feather.

She also pulled out the hem of her shirt.

The soft click of the belt buckle was exceptionally clear in my ears.

The man's temple throbbed, and he couldn't help but curse.

Xu Qingcheng suddenly laughed, like a little devil. She gently bit his lip, her eyes and brows full of cunning, her voice soft and seductive as she said, "I want you."

"Say it again." The man's voice was hoarse and he was gritting his teeth.

The darkness concealed all shyness, providing fertile ground for all suppressed desires and affections to flourish.

She truly loved him, and longed to be loved by him. All words seemed to lose their meaning, leaving only pure, direct, and undisguised greed.

I want to be his.

I want him to be mine.

They've gone mad, shameless and devoid of any sense of decency.

Her eyes were wet, and she gently bit his Adam's apple with her teeth. "I want to devour you."

Fu Jingting closed his eyes tightly for a moment, and when he opened them again, his eyes were filled with an uncontrollable fire.

He grabbed her waist tightly, grinding his teeth as he warned her, "Don't mess with me!"

"So what if I mess with you?"

"..." means there's nothing you can do.

The woman's low laughter was both coquettish and seductive, as if she was certain he wouldn't go too far. She was tempting him like a little vixen, watching him lose control and break down, yet she had to endure it.

His heart was full of love. He said he wanted to marry her, and he wasn't angry even when his parents gave him a hard time.

She knew her parents loved her, but she couldn't help feeling sorry for him.

Fu Jingting had a bruise on his leg; the blow had hit the bone, and it must have hurt, but he gritted his teeth and didn't utter a sound.

Xu Qingcheng wanted to apply medicine to him, but he refused, saying that Yunnan Baiyao was not good for pregnant women.

"It's not for me to use, it's for you to use."

Fu Jingting tossed it aside, "I don't know if the smell will have any effect, so I won't use it."

Xu Qingcheng looked at him and smiled, her eyes crinkling into a charming smile.

Fu Jingting clicked his tongue and pulled the person over. "What are you laughing at?"

She knelt in front of him, her hands resting on his shoulders, her loose nightgown draped over her body, giving her an exceptionally warm and cozy homey look.

Xu Qingcheng traced his brow bone, nose bridge, and facial contours with her fingers.

It's the way she likes it.

I love the way he raises his eyebrows, that unconventional, wicked, and wild look, like a wolf in the wilderness, fierce, powerful, and full of life.

She suddenly lowered her head and kissed him, softly calling his name.

Longing and deep affection.

"Jing Ting".

Fu Jingting's bones were almost numb, and he suddenly lost control and hugged her tightly.

She used too much force, and Xu Qingcheng let out a soft "uh".

He quickly loosened his arms. The man's eyes were dark and deep, as if they held a thousand waves. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and his voice was hoarse. "Shout it again."

She was embarrassed and smiled as she reached out to cover his eyes, saying, "No."

"Say it again." He laughed and tickled her.

She was ticklish and screamed as she tried to escape, but he caught her and held her in his arms.

He hugged her tightly, holding her close. "I can't wait to marry you. What else do you want? I'll take it all."

Xu Qingcheng bit her lip, her eyes filled with sparse, shimmering light, intoxicatingly beautiful.

I want to date you.

I wanted to get to know you without any ulterior motives, just a simple and straightforward process.

We have not wasted any time.

I want to start our relationship by holding hands; let's not get the order wrong.

She knew that what she said was really pretentious.

But she just wanted to tell him that she really wanted to.

Fu Jingting kissed her eyes, wiping away the tears that had welled up in her eyes.

"Let's get our marriage certificate first, so I can be a real dad, so I can have the right to name the baby, and so I can hear you call me 'husband' again." Fu Jingting refused to be led astray by her.

Men's thought processes always lean towards rationality. He'll take her home first, and then he'll agree to everything else. He wants to give her the stamp of Mrs. Fu.

Xu Qingcheng reached out and patted him.

He tricked her again.

……

Xu Qingcheng's photos flooded the internet, and Jiang Xin felt incredibly pleased as she flipped through the articles criticizing Xu Qingcheng's chaotic private life.

Although the photos differed slightly from what she had previously provided, it didn't affect the overall impression much.

Anyway, they are all photos of her with men. Although they are not exactly revealing, the poses are intimate and alluring.

Xu Qingcheng was busy with her design drafts for the competition and didn't have time to browse gossip. When she went to Gu's Premium Design to submit her design drafts, Chen Lu looked at her with a half-smile and said, "Miss Xu is quite something."

"What can I do?"

"Didn't you see the news?" Chen Lu tossed her the phone.

When Xu Qingcheng saw the photos, she was so angry that her scalp tingled. What were these photos?

She sat on the man's lap, she tiptoed to kiss him, she nestled in his arms in her pajamas, she pressed herself against him in the car, and she lay on his lap...

In every photo, her features are clearly visible, but the men are either half of their bodies in the frame, or their backs, waists, abdomens, arms, or legs—in short, they never appear in large portions of the frame, only in close-ups.

Even so, one could still discern an unusual ambiguity in her expression and the way the other person embraced her.

There's so much to interpret here.

She's shameless.

It is said that she was entangled with multiple men.

They say she's a third party who interferes in other people's relationships.

Xu Qingcheng pursed her lips, her face extremely cold. She didn't remember when these photos were taken, but she could confirm that they were indeed of her and that they were not photoshopped.

However, she couldn't tell whether the man in the photo was a fake.

Chen Lu observed Xu Qingcheng's expression, clicked her tongue, and put her phone away. "It really is you, not photoshopped."

Xu Qingcheng remained silent.

Chen Lu, however, stared at the photos with great interest, saying, "Miss Xu has a keen eye for men; these men all look top-notch."

"Your scandal spread so quickly thanks to men like you. Just seeing an arm or half a body in the picture is enough to make netizens scream and dig up information about who it is."

Chen Lu smiled.

Chen Lu's words implied that she was indeed in close relationships with different men.

Xu Qingcheng took out her phone, which was on silent mode because of the conversation. Sure enough, there were several missed calls on her phone.

Including Fu Jingting's.

Xu Qingcheng swiped her finger across the phone screen a few times, but still didn't dare to press the call button to give him a call.

Fu Jingting's call suddenly came in, startling Xu Qingcheng, who almost instinctively hung up the phone.

Her temples throbbed. The press releases were full of vulgar language and were so offensive that she could only skim through them. She couldn't read them calmly, and her chest ached with bloating.

Xu Qingcheng composed herself and first called Xu Qingyao, "You have the technical skills to tell that those photos of me online are photoshopped, right? Please help me clarify this."

Xu Qingyao remained silent on the other end of the phone call.

"Qingyao?" Xu Qingcheng pretended not to hear.

Xu Qingyao pressed his temples. He had been comparing these photos since he first discovered them, and he had already matched more than half of them.

"It's not photoshopped; there are no signs of it being composited."

Xu Qingyao's words struck Xu Qingcheng like a thunderbolt. "This is impossible! I could never do this with someone else!"

"Sister, don't worry. Think about the circumstances under which you took these photos. Some of them look like they were taken at home." Xu Qingyao naturally believed Xu Qingcheng.

But the photos are definitely not fake.

The direction of public opinion is very strange.

The comments from netizens weren't criticizing her for being shameless, but rather discussing who the man was.

Some netizens even added details to these incomplete photos, drawing complete bodies and faces on the men who never appeared.

Although it's a cartoon character, the repair work is pretty good.

Xu Qingyao stared at the arm wrapped around the woman's waist in the photo, and he had a vague guess.

"Sis, have you called Fu Jingting?"

"Not yet." Xu Qingcheng pursed her lips. "I originally wanted to confirm with you first."

and many more.

Xu Qingcheng suddenly hung up the phone and searched for the photos again on her phone.

Her gaze fell on the man in the photo.

Although it's just a small part, it looks increasingly familiar the more you look at it.

Chen Lu suddenly clicked her tongue twice, "Hey, who do we have here?"

Xu Qingcheng glanced sideways.

"This year's netizens are really amazing. They pieced it together in just half an hour. Miss Xu, please confirm if this is correct?" Chen Lu shoved her phone in front of Xu Qingcheng's face.

When Xu Qingcheng saw the complete photo pieced together by netizens, she closed her eyes tightly.