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

"How old? Si Chen said he's open to anyone under twelve," Zhong Wanxiu said. "No older than that."

Upon hearing Zhong Wanxiu's words, Xu Qingcheng chuckled inwardly. Her sister-in-law had already given her mother a heads-up.

Fu Jingting was less polite, lifting his eyelids to look at Fu Sichen, who avoided eye contact with his second brother.

"Not too old, the same age as Jingting."

"That's a seven-year age difference." Zhong Wanxiu looked at Fu Sichen, then at Fu Pinghui, as if seeking his opinion. "That's alright, not too much of a difference."

Fu Pinghui frowned, glanced at Fu Jingting, and seeing that his second son was eating seriously without even a glance, he gave a faint "hmm".

Having received a positive answer, Zhong Wanxiu continued, "Stop beating around the bush and just tell me who it is!"

Xu Qingcheng smiled and said, "Mom and Dad, you know them too. Si Chen knows them too. Yu Shinan."

The scene fell silent suddenly, and the atmosphere froze instantly.

Even the man who hadn't spoken before finally spoke up, "Yu Shinan?"

Fu Pingxiu looked directly at Fu Jingting and said, "Are you familiar with him?"

Fu Jingting hummed in response, without saying anything more.

Now he knew how to keep quiet. Xu Qingcheng kicked his leg to get him to say more, but the man remained silent.

Fu Jingting was kicked hard in the shin again. He took the full force of the kick, lowered his head, took a sip of soup, and didn't react.

Xu Qingcheng had no choice but to smooth things over. She didn't need to elaborate on Yu Shinan's situation; everyone in the family knew about it. With a smile, she shifted the conversation to Fu Sichen, "We're very close. There's no need to scrutinize his character; we're just too close. Sichen used to treat him like an older brother. In fact, to be honest, we're practically childhood sweethearts. He's mature and steady at this age, and he knows how to take care of people. It just depends on whether Sichen wants to give it a try."

Fu Sichen bit her lip, lowered her eyes shyly, and called out "Second Sister-in-law" in a gentle tone, clearly indicating that the little girl had some ideas.

Zhong Wanxiu couldn't help but glance at her again.

The others remained silent, and the scene was extremely quiet. Tang Tang then chimed in, "In that case, it really is quite a good match. He can cook and he's caring; it's really hard to find a man like that."

Upon hearing this, Fu Pingxiu couldn't help but glance at her, his chopsticks stopping on the plate in front of him.

I can cook.

He will not.

Fu Sichen was practically moved to tears, and secretly winked at his sister-in-law, practically giving her a thumbs up.

Fu Pingxiu gave her a cold look, which startled Fu Sichen so much that she quickly composed herself.

The two sisters-in-law were talking back and forth, and Zhong Wanxiu clearly sensed something was amiss, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

Shi Nan —

It's not that Shi Nanren is a bad person. He has a close relationship with Jing Ting, and Zhong Wanxiu often sees him and often troubles him, but he has never contacted his own daughter.

Moreover, it mainly concerns his family.

Zhong Wanxiu glanced at her husband, and as expected, Fu Pinghui directly rejected the idea, saying, "His family background is too complicated; it's not suitable."

"Where is it not—"

Fu Sichen's question was stuck in his throat, but was shut down by a glare from his second brother.

"The Yu family's affairs have no direct connection to him, otherwise he wouldn't be so safe and sound now," Fu Jingting said in a deep voice. "However, the Yu family has a criminal record, and Dad is right. But he has been trying to clear his name for the past few years, so it can't be said that it has no impact at all, but it's negligible."

Xu Qingcheng couldn't help but glance at him. This person hadn't spoken at all just now, so why did he take the initiative to speak now?

"You're familiar with him, what's going on? Tell me in detail," Fu Pingxiu asked, putting down his chopsticks.

"Chen Huaping's case involves many people, and the news broke some time ago but was then suppressed," Fu Jingting briefly pointed out.

A high-ranking official who has fallen from grace. He was targeted by the disciplinary authorities, who uncovered a long-standing case involving bribery and corruption, which exploded one shocking revelation after another, implicating a string of people, some minor and some major.

The heaviest burden fell on Wei Jingwu.

"Did Song Xingzhi get involved in this?" Fu Pingxiu suddenly asked. "I heard that the Qin family suffered heavy losses in this incident." The head of the Qin family had been working hard for many years and was about to be promoted, but he was suppressed and demoted instead of promoted. The entire family suffered serious damage and now they can only keep a low profile.

Fu Jingting smiled, neither confirming nor denying.

Fu Pingxiu glanced at him but said nothing more.

It was just a casual discussion about finding a blind date for my sister-in-law, but it turned into a heavy political and economic discussion.

Fu Sichen remained silent, as did Xu Qingcheng and Tang Tang.

These women, whether delicate or soft, gentle or charming, are not without brains. They know when to say what, and they also know that these seemingly unrelated events are closely connected.

Just like Song Xingzhi and Yu Shinan, two people who have no connection at all and seem to have different goals, they will join forces on one thing.

Song Xingzhi wants to deal with the Qin family.

Yu Shinan intends to completely launder the Yu family's original assets.

Wei Jingwu was destined to be a pawn.

The links are interconnected, and what may seem unrelated may actually be connected.

Xu Qingcheng glanced at her husband, sensing that he was hiding something from her.

After dinner, the nanny cleaned up, and Xu Qingcheng walked out. She had just seen Jingting leave and wanted to ask him a question.

As soon as I went outside, I saw him standing with his older brother.

Fu Pingxiu asked him, "Were you involved in this too?"

"Not really." Fu Jingting smiled slightly. "It's just that Tang Jinchao happened to have funds involved and shorted the market heavily. At most, it was just adding fuel to the fire."

Fu Pingxiu didn't ask any more questions, since it wasn't really related to the Fu family as a whole.

"What I care about is whether you got involved purely because of friendship, or—" Fu Pingxiu paused, not saying a word, but he knew he understood.

Fu Jingting stubbed out his cigarette and frankly admitted, "I have both."

"I see."

Fu Pingxiu remained silent, said no more, and turned back.

Xu Qingcheng respectfully greeted, "Big Brother."

Fu Pingxiu nodded and walked inside. Fu Shaoxing, who was running out of the house, immediately dodged to the side when he saw him. He darted away very quickly. Fu Qinghan saw something rushing towards him and the clever little devil nimbly dodged to the side. He laughed and watched Fu Shaoxing and Fu Yanzheng collide.

Xiao Yanzheng was smaller and shorter than them, but he was sturdy and strong. Fu Shaoxing bumped into him and bounced, losing his balance and falling to the side.

Yan Zheng was knocked back and managed to brake the car.

Fu Qinghan let out a miserable scream as Fu Shaoxing pinned him down.

Fu Pingxiu, "..."

Xu Qingcheng and Fu Jingting turned around and saw Fu Shaoxing scrambling to his feet, trying to pull his younger brother up, but Fu Qinghan slapped his hand away.

Looking at her mother beside her, who had been trying to hold back her laughter but couldn't help bursting out, she pushed herself up with her little hands on the ground, tears welling up in her eyes from the pain, but still elegantly patting the dirt off her bottom.

Xu Qingcheng grabbed Fu Jingting's arm, laughing so hard she couldn't stand up straight. "I can't take it anymore, I'm dying of laughter! Qinghan thought he was clever enough to dodge, but he ended up getting pinned down instead."

For a fleeting moment, just a second, Fu Jingting felt a pang of sympathy for his own son.

Fu Pingxiu shook his head, not really caring about the little girls. He walked inside and saw Tang Tang, so he stopped her.

The woman tiptoed and whispered a few words in his ear.

The man's eyes widened, and he looked back at Fu Yanzheng in surprise.

As the clues came together, Fu Pingxiu pursed his lips. The woman beside him shook his arm, and he lowered his eyes to look at the second son and his wife again, and then he understood.

When the banquet ended, Zhong Wanxiu asked Fu Sichen to stay behind, saying, "Wait a moment before you leave. I have something to ask you."

Xu Qingcheng glanced at him sideways and quietly patted Si Chen on the back to encourage him.

Once everyone left, Zhong Wanxiu asked Fu Sichen directly, "Are you interested in him?"

Fu Sichen thought her mother was going to interrogate her about something, but she didn't expect this question. Her face flushed instantly. "Is it that obvious?"

Zhong Wanxiu, "..."

It's that easy, you don't even need to use any preamble.

She pressed her aching temples. "You want your sister-in-law and second sister-in-law to act as intermediaries? Do you think I can't see through it?"

Fu Sichen lowered his head and remained silent. Listening to his mother's scolding, he added quietly, "What good is it if I like you? Does Nan-ge have to like me too?"

"Why would he look down on you?" Fu Pinghui couldn't stand hearing this; his daughter was the best.

Given the complicated situation of the Yu family, he didn't want to get married there from the bottom of his heart.

However, Jing Ting's words made it clear that background shouldn't be a problem, which made Fu Pinghui feel somewhat relieved.

Although he was the second brother's friend, Jingting's words were, frankly speaking, rather neutral.

"Dad, that's different. I still have a child to take care of." Fu Sichen shook Fu Pinghui's hand. No matter how much you love your child, you have to look at reality.

Fu Pinghui pursed his lips tightly. "Si Chen, remember this: no matter who you marry, the child will not be a burden to you, nor will it become a hindrance in your choice of a spouse."

If the other party looks down on her because of the child, then it's better not to marry her.

Fu Sichen's eyes suddenly welled up with tears. She wrapped her arms around Fu Pinghui's, gazing at his arm with her eyes, "Dad, how can you be so good to me?"

In this world, the people who love their children the most are probably their own parents.

Fu Sichen looked at his mother with teary eyes, "Mom, just look for someone like Dad. If you find someone who fits the criteria, introduce me to ten and I'll meet them all."

Fu Pinghui felt very comfortable with her flattery and couldn't help but laugh.

Fu Sichen did not bring up Yu Shinan's matter again. Haste makes waste. Today, his second sister-in-law had already thrown out the bait, and his parents would be aware of her relationship with Nan-ge. This would prevent things from really exploding when the truth came out.

Although her parents love her very much, they may not necessarily let her have her way when it comes to marriage, especially since she had a fake marriage with Han Yi before.

When I told him the truth, my grandfather gave me a severe scolding.

The next time, it wasn't as easy as she thought.

But this was the man she really wanted to marry, so Miss Fu had to pave the way for her future husband.

That night, before going to bed, Zhong Wanxiu asked her husband, "I've thought about it carefully, and these two... aren't necessarily a bad match. Jingting also said that their family situation won't have too much of an impact. What do you think?"

Fu Pinghui frowned. "They're all setting us up."

Some are obvious, some are not.

Do you really think he can't see it?

"Why didn't you just leave the second son behind and ask him? You didn't even ask him," Zhong Wanxiu complained.

"What are you asking?" Fu Pinghui sneered. "If you were going to say it, you should have said it long ago."

"But Si Chen seems to..."

Zhong Wanxiu was about to say something when Fu Pinghui stopped her, saying, "There's a nice child here. Let them meet and talk first."

"Huh? Who is it?" Zhong Wanxiu asked in surprise. She had been saying there were no suitable candidates before, so why is there suddenly someone else?

"The third son of the Cheng Lee Group."

"Lou Mingjian?" Zhong Wanxiu suppressed her surprise. "Didn't you say last time that this kid was arrogant and caused trouble, and that Old Lou would have to clean up his mess sooner or later?"

"Um."

The man lay down, turned off the light, and said, "Let Si Chen see him first."

"What are you looking at...?" Zhong Wanxiu was pulled down onto the bed by her husband, who carefully covered her with a blanket in the dim light.

Zhong Wanxiu suddenly burst out laughing, "Aren't you wicked? They have that kind of idea, and you just have to do the opposite!"

There was no sound in the darkness. After a long while, Zhong Wanxiu was about to fall asleep when she suddenly heard a man's clear and alert voice, "Keep the household registration book safe."

Zhong Wanxiu, "..."

……

Yan Zheng fell asleep, and so did An Ma.

The entire villa was dark and quiet. Fu Sichen picked up his phone and looked at it, wondering whether he should call Brother Nan, but he was afraid of disturbing him.

He's been very busy lately, working day and night. Often, by the time he finishes his work, she's already asleep.

Aside from exchanging a few words on the phone, it was difficult to meet in person. Fu Sichen didn't ask a single question about what he was doing. It wasn't that she didn't care, but rather that she couldn't help even if she asked. Even if Nan-ge didn't say anything, she knew what he was busy with.

She wouldn't be sentimental and stop him from doing those things just because she felt sorry for him. It's like having a festering sore on your body; no matter how painful it is, you have to cut it out so that the rotten flesh can slowly heal.

The elders wouldn't open up about family matters just because they doted on her, since it involved the entire Fu family. Even if Fu Sichen was a carefree little princess, she understood everything she needed to know.

But she wanted to be with him, so for the sake of the future, she kept quiet. Even knowing he was struggling, she pretended not to know.

Fu Sichen's phone suddenly rang. He picked it up and saw that it was Nan Ge calling.

She answered the phone hastily, and her sweet "Brother Nan" made Yu Shinan unable to help but smile.

"Still not asleep?" The man's voice was deep, and there seemed to be the sound of wind coming through the receiver.

"I can't sleep," Fu Sichen said coquettishly. "When are you going to finish work? I want you to hold me while I sleep."

"Soon." The man's voice was noticeably hoarse, like sand grinding against his heart.

Go to bed early.

He was about to hang up, but Fu Sichen didn't want him to. She missed him; she only thought about him when she couldn't hear his voice, but once she heard it, she missed him terribly.

How can she be so dramatic? The two of them aren't separated by thousands of miles. It's not like she can't see him; at most, he just doesn't have time to deal with her.

Thinking of this, Fu Sichen suddenly asked, "Brother Nan, where are you now? Can I come find you?"

Fearing he might refuse, the woman's voice was soft and alluring, "I want you to hug me and kiss me, right now, I can't wait."

The man seemed to chuckle softly. "Come out."

Fu Sichen was stunned for a moment. She almost jumped out of bed and pulled back the curtains to look outside.

Her eyes lit up, and she ran outside as soon as she hung up the phone, not caring that she was only wearing a nightgown.

Yu Shinan stood leaning against the car door, both he and the car hidden in the shadows. If he hadn't just walked under the streetlight, she probably wouldn't have seen him at all.

She lost her slippers while going downstairs, and Fu Sichen turned around and slipped them on again. She laughed at herself, feeling like a little princess in a tower who was secretly in love with someone. But she wasn't completely ignorant about love between men and women; she had already had a child with him.

But...

Fu Sichen opened the villa door and rushed straight towards the man standing by the roadside.

Yu Shinan quickly caught the little girl who jumped onto him with both hands, and held her by the bottom.

Fu Sichen wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. Her laughter filled the air and reached his ears. She pressed her cheek against his neck and nuzzled him affectionately, "Brother Nan."

Yu Shinan's chest also chuckled as he held her firmly in his arms, "Like a little child."

"I'm not that old to begin with," she said coquettishly, clinging to him and refusing to get down.

The night breeze was a bit chilly, and the coolness made her feel a little cold as she hugged his arm, but he was warm, like a furnace, pressing against her.

Fu Sichen asked him, "Shall we go in? Yan Zheng is asleep."

"No, I'll come see him another day." Yu Shinan kissed her cheek, his voice hoarse and deep. "Today, I just wanted to see you."

It's been almost ten days since they last saw each other.

Her period came and went.

Fu Sichen kissed his lips, biting his lower lip with her canines, and twisted her body against him. "Is it just for looking?"

Yu Shinan tightened his grip on her arm, a fire igniting in his dark eyes. The flame seemed to flicker in the wind, but he suppressed it firmly, preventing it from rising.

She was unwilling to give up and didn't want to let him go. She moved her teeth from his mouth towards his ear, "Brother Nan, it's so dark, can you even see me?"

"Sweetie, wait until I'm done." Yu Shinan patted her bottom. "It's a bit cold, let's go back."

"I'm not cold, I'm hot."

She pinched the bare skin on his neck with her fingers, tapping it lightly with her fingertips, then leaned down and sucked on it with her mouth.

"Brother Nan, you're so hot, everything's hard."

The man's skin tightened inch by inch, becoming as hard as iron.

He couldn't utter the words "stop fooling around," his seemingly respectable exterior masking an uncontrollable desire. He was even addicted to her unruly behavior, his chest pounding with each beat.

He held her in his arms, then suddenly turned around, opened the car door behind him, and threw her inside.

Fu Sichen hesitated for a moment, in front of his own house, in a car with someone... but in less than a second, that worry and shyness were replaced by curiosity and enthusiasm.

She was like an extremely alluring little enchantress, with long hair cascading down her back, falling over her fair skin, with a few strands hanging in front of her.

The moonlight was so bright that he could see her clearly. Her black hair and white skin created a striking visual contrast, and her soft hair clung to her skin, rising and falling with her breath.

……

Yu Shinan felt he must be crazy to have let her bewitch him so much, and so he just went along with her nonsense.

The man carried her back. When An's mother heard the commotion, she came out to take a look, but after recognizing the man, she retreated back into the room without saying a word.

Fu Sichen nestled in his arms. She loved it when he held her; his broad chest and strong arms made her feel safe and carefree with him by her side.

Yu Shinan carried her directly into the bathroom. He helped her wash up and applied shower gel to her body. Fu Sichen couldn't help but groan.

The man looked down at her and saw that she was looking up at him, her lower lip slightly bitten, and her eyes were wet.

Yu Shinan took a deep breath, his chest tightening, and quickly washed them both. He carried her back to bed, covered her with a light blanket, and kissed her. "Sichen, I can't wait to marry you."

A chaotic and passionate kiss ensued, and Fu Sichen let out a soft moan, wrapping her arms around his and asking with a smile, "How much longer do I have to wait?"

Because of her words, the man's eyes and brows were full of smiles. He kissed her indistinctly, "Soon."

Fu Sichen laughed and hooked her arm around his neck to kiss him again. That's just how unreserved she was. She longed to marry him and didn't hesitate to let him know. She didn't even hesitate to let everyone know.

Fu Sichen just wants to get married.

He didn't want her, but she still shamelessly married him.

She's so recklessly seducing him, does she really think he can control himself every time?!

Yu Shinan pinned the man to the bed, but ultimately, they couldn't avoid another accidental encounter.

Fu Sichen immediately fell into a deep sleep.

When she got up to wash up, Miss Fu suddenly stared wide-eyed. She stared at her hands in the mirror and foolishly tried to wipe the water vapor off the mirror, wanting to clean them to see if she was seeing things.

A moment later, she realized why she was looking in the mirror; she should have been looking at her hands.

She wore a diamond ring on the ring finger of her left hand.

The size fits perfectly.

Fu Sichen laughed out loud, his eyes narrowing.

She tried calling Brother Nan, but for some reason, she couldn't get through.

Fu Sichen assumed he was busy and didn't pay any attention.

During the meal, Fu Sichen held up her hand to Yan Zheng's face, showing it off to him, "Isn't it beautiful?"

"nice."

Yan Zheng was very supportive, but unfortunately his eyes didn't linger on it for even a second. He was busy attacking the braised pork in his bowl, the fatty kind, the lean kind that would get stuck in your teeth.

Fu Sichen felt ignored. Someone tapped his bowl with their chopsticks. "Eat less meat, eat more vegetables!"

Fu Sichen received Zhong Wanxiu's call around noon. Zhong Wanxiu's tone was stern: "Fu Sichen, you, get back here right now!"

Tell her to go back?!

That word choice isn't quite right!

Fu Sichen had no idea what had happened, and Zhong Wanxiu hadn't revealed a single word, which made her a little panicked.

He instinctively called Xu Qingcheng first, "Second sister-in-law, Mom just called and asked me to go..."

"Your second brother and I are on our way there," Xu Qingcheng interrupted her, "You should hurry over too."

He also casually instructed, "Take Yan Zheng with you."

???

Fu Sichen's mind went blank for a moment, then he suddenly came to his senses.

"Sichen, will you marry me?"

She nodded, sobbing.

He patiently pestered her, "I'll go and propose to your parents, and get them to agree to let you marry me, okay?"

She just nodded haphazardly, her fingers gripping him tightly, begging for a quick end.

Fu Sichen shuddered. She ran out and dragged Yan Zheng, who was still crying and wanting to play with his toy cars, into the car. "You can play with them when we get back."

When Fu Sichen arrived, his second brother and sister-in-law had not yet arrived.

I did see Yu Qian at the entrance.

"Why are you here too?" Fu Sichen asked, puzzled.

"My uncle and my dad came, as well as my cousin. They didn't tell me anything, they just told me to wait outside." But I was quite tense the whole way.

Without saying a word, Fu Sichen picked up Yan Zheng and headed into the villa.

The atmosphere in the living room was tense.

Fu Pinghui was furious, while Zhong Wanxiu kept trying to calm him down.

Two elders and Brother Nan were sitting opposite me.

Fu Sichen spotted the man immediately. He hadn't mentioned coming over today when she was entangled with him last night.

She had already told him that they could start with blind dates, so why was he so direct... so very direct...?

She was about to speak when Zhong Wanxiu stopped her with a look. The nanny next to her stepped forward to stop Fu Sichen, took the child from her arms, and whispered, "Madam wants you to wait outside for a while."

“We’re all getting old, and the Yu family has declined. That’s just how things are! The past is the past. Now Shi Nan has found another path. It might be a bit chaotic right now, but everything is getting better.” Yu Shi Nan’s uncle said, “Shi Nan has also told us that he wants to wait until everything is more stable before proceeding. But our family also feels that since the children are interested, although it’s okay to take it slow, both sets of parents should be informed and assess whether Shi Nan is reliable.”

"Yes. You know about the child's situation, so I won't say much. If the two younger relatives have any ideas, let them talk it over. You can also observe and investigate further, after all, marriage is a major life event."

Yu Qian's father followed up.

Anyway, I'm here to humble myself and act like a servant this time. My sister-in-law has made it clear that it's normal for her to be angry.

you do not say.

Someone else's precious daughter got an older woman pregnant, and the young woman took the child and hid abroad for several years. Anyone who thinks about it would be furious.

Yu Qian's father kicked Yu Shinan, "Speak."

"Uncle and Aunt," Yu Shinan said respectfully, "It's my fault for not taking good care of Sichen, making her sad and leaving her alone abroad with Yanzheng, which has also made you worry! But please give me a chance to take care of her, pamper her for the rest of my life, and love only her for all eternity."

He is not good at expressing himself; everything he says is a promise.

Fu Pinghui didn't say anything, but he was so angry that his chest heaved. He thought that the others had teamed up to act as intermediaries, just to bring the two of them together.

Today, this turned out to be a bombshell for him; Fu Sichen had been hiding his true intentions quite well.

Not only that, the whole family knows, but they kept it from the two elderly people!

Fu Pinghui and his wife were furious. They immediately blamed Yu Shinan.

"Given your situation today, finding someone you like shouldn't be difficult. Si Chen is still young, and we don't need her to eat," Zhong Wanxiu said calmly. "She got through the hardest times back then, so what's this? The children are grown up now, and taking care of them will be easier."

"Mom! I just love Brother Nan!" Fu Sichen couldn't hold back any longer and rushed in from the doorway.

"Shut up!" Zhong Wanxiu said sharply. "Is this the time to let you have your way? To let you do whatever you want? I've spoiled you too much, and that's why you've gotten into all this nonsense!"

"mom!"

Zhong Wanxiu ignored her.

Fu Sichen shook her father's arm again, "Dad..."

Unfortunately, she was thrown away as soon as she touched Fu Pinghui's arm. Fu Sichen did not expect her father to be so magnanimous, and she stumbled as she was thrown.

Yu Shinan quickly stood up, put his hand behind her waist to support her, and put his arm around her waist to help her up.

Fu Sichen wanted to go over, but Yu Shinan hooked his arm around her waist and pulled her back. The man frowned and looked at her, "Let me do it, don't interrupt."

At times like these, the elderly are often in a fit of anger, and whatever they say is not quite right. Yu Shinan had already made full mental preparations.

Fu Sichen wanted to endure it, but then his father brought up the Yu family's past, saying that the Yu family's current situation was a mess, that they were involved in too many things and were not strong, and that their future would be a complete mess. He was practically pointing his finger at them and saying that they were not good enough for him.

Yu Shinan knew in her heart that her uncle and aunt didn't really look down on her. If they did, they wouldn't have been friendly with her. To be honest, they just felt that their daughter was a beautiful flower stuck in cow dung.

They always have to see if the cow dung can still provide any nutrients.

So, not only Yu Shinan, but even his uncle and aunt smiled and didn't say anything. You're taking away someone's daughter who they've raised for over twenty years, and you can't even allow them to say a few unpleasant things?

But Fu Sichen couldn't stand it anymore; she found it grating.

If she only considered family background, then Nan Ge would definitely not be her choice. But what she was attracted to was the person. No one else could make her so devoted to Nan Ge that she wanted to give him everything she had.

"Dad, how come you've become so materialistic? You only care about money! No wonder you looked down on Mom when you married her!"

Fu Sichen spoke without thinking.

Zhong Wanxiu exclaimed in surprise, "Pinghui!" and watched as Fu Pinghui slapped her across the face.

Fu Sichen was also scared, and closed his eyes, waiting for the slap to fall.

With a snap.

The sound of a slap rang out, but it didn't land on her face.

Yu Shinan held the person tightly, unable to stop his future father-in-law's hand, and could only take the slap himself.

"Fu Sichen, I've been too lenient with you! I've never hit you since you were little, which has fostered your habit of speaking without restraint!" Fu Pinghui was truly angered by her.

"Uncle, please don't be angry. Si Chen is still young and didn't know how to speak properly." Yu Shinan explained for her, taking the slap himself without even touching his own face, only protecting Fu Si Chen firmly.

"She's called young? She's just immature!"

Fu Sichen's heart was pounding with fear, and she felt wronged, tears welling up in her eyes. "What do you mean I'm being unreasonable? Dad, what you just said was really hurtful. You look down on me..."

"Fu Sichen!"

Zhong Wanxiu was so angry she wanted to sew her mouth shut. Why pour oil on her at a time like this?!

Yu Shinan couldn't help but cover her mouth, and Fu Sichen bit him hard. It was all his fault for not telling her beforehand and catching her off guard.

Fu Pinghui was furious. He rolled up his sleeves and said, "I think I have no choice but to give her a beating."

Upon hearing this, Zhong Wanxiu turned around and went to find something. She pulled out a bamboo pole and handed it to Fu Pinghui.

Fu Sichen's eyelids twitched, and he shouted loudly, "Mom! Don't..."

A few days ago, her dad brought a bamboo pole back from outside, and she asked him what he was going to do with it.

Dad said that hitting someone with a bamboo pole hurts a lot but won't leave a mark.

At the time, Fu Sichen was still laughing and saying, "If my eldest and second brothers aren't being naughty anymore, who will we hit?"

When his mother looked at Yan Zheng, she smiled and said, "Isn't there still a younger one?"

Fu Sichen laughed along. Yes, these little rascals were bound to get a scolding from their grandparents, just like how they used to be more afraid of their grandparents than their parents.

But I never expected it would be used on myself.

However, before she could finish speaking, there was a loud slap.

The bamboo pole struck Yu Shinan directly on the back. He groaned and didn't even stop, only protecting Fu Sichen. He suddenly turned around, and the bamboo pole hit his arm. Seeing the veins on his arm bulge instantly, Fu Sichen's eyelids twitched in pain.

Uncle Yu stood up and hurriedly tried to persuade the child, saying that he was just being naive and shouldn't take it seriously. However, every swing of the stick hit Shi Nan.

Yu Qian's father touched his nose and glanced at his older brother. The two exchanged a look and remained silent.

Zhong Wanxiu personally poured tea for the two of them and invited them to sit down. "Sit down, sit down. Children speak without thinking. If you don't give them a good beating, they'll do it again next time."

"Yes, yes, young man, a few slaps won't hurt."

When Fu Jingting and Xu Qingcheng arrived, they witnessed this bizarre scene: two people were being beaten up while the other three were enjoying tea and watching the beating.

Fu Sichen burst into tears. She tried to reach out to cover herself, but Yu Shinan held her tightly, preventing her from showing even a little bit of skin.

"Dad, Dad, I was wrong. Please don't hit me anymore. I was just being reckless and thoughtless. I won't do it again."

"Is that all you've done wrong?" Fu Pinghui asked angrily.

"My pregnancy and childbirth were my own willfulness and had nothing to do with Brother Nan. He didn't know that Yan Zheng was his child."

"Now you know to speak up?" Fu Pinghui sneered. "Why didn't you ask your second brother and sister-in-law to introduce you to someone?"

"I was wrong, I was really wrong. I should have told you first."

Xu Qingcheng reached out and pushed the man who was standing aside watching the commotion, urging him to quickly stop them.

傅靖霆啧了声，他挨揍的时候不也没人管吗。

"Dad, are you tired? Let me do a few strokes for you?" Fu Jingting leaned over with a grin, only to be glared at by Fu Pinghui.

The bamboo pole in his hand was tossed into Fu Jingting's hands.

The man chuckled, hoisted the bamboo pole in his hand, and walked over to Yu Shinan. He slapped Yu Shinan on the shoulder, and before he could say anything, a hissing sound was heard.

He silently released his grip; it seemed his father hadn't shown any mercy.

Fu Jingting turned around and glanced at Xu Qingcheng.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Xu Qingcheng snatched the bamboo pole from his hand and threw it aside.

"It's nothing." Fu Jingting coughed and whispered in her ear, "Your father-in-law was actually showing mercy back then."

Xu Qingcheng glanced at him. "My dad was already immobile back then. Try meeting me a few years earlier."

Fu Jingting stared at her profile and secretly put his arm around her waist. "If I could have met you a few years earlier, it would have been worth getting a beating."

The woman's face flushed instantly. She nudged him away with her elbow, "Did you drink honey today? Your mouth is so sweet!"

Meanwhile, Fu Sichen couldn't stop her tears, asking, "Does it hurt? Is it extremely painful?"

"No. It doesn't hurt." Yu Shinan reached out and wiped away her tears, coaxing her softly, "Don't cry, it really doesn't hurt."

"Your eyes are all swollen, people will laugh at you. My uncles and aunts are all here." The man lowered his voice, knowing that it would be futile to persuade her, and that she wouldn't care in front of her own family, so he simply used his relatives as an example.

Sure enough, Fu Sichen bit her lip, trying to control her tears, though she was still sobbing uncontrollably.

Zhong Wanxiu poured Fu Pinghui a cup of tea. "It's okay to let it go after she's vented her anger. They're all your own children, why bother arguing with her?"

Fu Pinghui accepted the tea, sat down, and his anger subsided considerably. "I'm sorry you had to see this."

"Hey, that's normal. If our kids misbehave, we get a few slaps too," Uncle Yu Shinan said with a smile. "But girls have delicate skin, so you'll feel bad after you've hit them. Next time, we'll find someone who can take a beating."

Fu Sichen pouted as she listened to her elder's words, buried her face in his chest, and wiped her tears and snot all over him.

The man didn't mind, and gently patted her back to comfort her, stroking her hair with his hand.

Extremely meticulous and patient.

Xu Qingcheng felt a pang of sadness as she watched. She pinched Fu Jingting's waist with her finger, signaling him to look at the other person!

"That's what you call coaxing."

Fu Jingting glanced at her, scoffed, and as she went to refill her tea leaves, he leaned over, whispered in her ear, and placed one hand on her waist, speaking in a affected tone, "Baby, don't cry. Your husband is wrong. How can that little vixen compare to you?"

Xu Qingcheng couldn't hold back and stomped her high heels hard on his foot!

Fu Jingting cursed and quickly dodged.

The woman glanced over and said, "What's wrong with you?"

"Did you get goosebumps all over?" Fu Jingting touched her arm and took the teacup from her hand. "That kind of thing doesn't suit you. This kind of thing suits you better."

Xu Qingcheng, "..." This person is insane!

Seeing him take the initiative to refill the elders' tea, Xu Qingcheng chuckled, turned around and walked towards the two lovey-dovey people, "Alright, we haven't talked about serious matters yet. Si Chen, come out with me for a moment first."

Yu Shinan loosened his grip.

Xu Qingcheng grabbed Fu Sichen and headed outside.

"Second sister-in-law?"

"Your brother Nan definitely wants to finalize things today, so your plan is definitely going to fall through." Xu Qingcheng glanced at her. "You think you've got a brain? Your second brother said that lying to Mom and Dad like this will definitely backfire. Luckily, your chef brother isn't as stupid as you; he knew to come and apologize."

However, this rendered Fu Pinghui and his wife's unconventional strategy useless.

In short, everything was unexpected.

Fu Sichen pouted and remained silent.

Seeing her constantly peering into the house, Xu Qingcheng smiled and said, "Stop looking. The fight's over. We won't make things difficult for him. Your second brother is here too."

"Second brother is untrustworthy." Fu Sichen clung to her arm, acting coquettishly, "Second sister-in-law is more trustworthy."

"Haven't you heard of a couple working together in harmony?!" Xu Qingcheng teased her with a laugh. "Aren't you and your chef brother on the same page?"

Fu Sichen chuckled and covered his face, finally regaining some energy. "Mom and Dad won't object, right?"

"Relax." Xu Qingcheng glanced at her. "However, it won't be easy to resolve his family's affairs in a day or two. The wedding probably won't be so easy anytime soon."

"That's alright." Fu Sichen smiled and moved closer to Xu Qingcheng. "You and my second brother had three babies before you got married, right? Although I really want to wear a wedding dress and marry him, and I really want him to put the ring on my finger in front of everyone, the most important thing is that I want to be with him."

Fu Sichen raised her hand, and the diamonds on her hand sparkled in the sunlight.

Xu Qingcheng asked in surprise, "You proposed? Why were you so quiet?"

There was no proposal.

"He put it on me secretly," Fu Sichen said, cupping her face in her hands with a smile.

Seeing her shy and happy expression, Xu Qingcheng smiled; happiness is contagious.

"I'm so glad I met your second brother."

"I'm so glad that Brother Nan loves me too."

……

The seventeenth day of the first lunar month is Sichen's birthday.

Yu Shinan got up very early and pulled Fu Sichen out of bed.

In winter, she lingers in bed, unwilling to get up.

Her feet were icy cold and she kept stepping on him, so the man simply pulled her feet in front of him to warm them up.

The man kissed her forehead. "Happy birthday."

"Ah!" Fu Sichen suddenly opened his eyes. "It's my birthday today! I thought it was tomorrow!"

"Oh no, oh no! I haven't ordered the cake yet, and I still need to pick up my present. We ordered it and were told I'd pick it up a day early. My birthday is also the day my mom suffered, so I have to celebrate it for her. Ugh, I'm going to get yelled at by my dad again!"

Yu Shinan laughed at her flustered appearance. "I picked it up for you on my way yesterday, and the cake has been ordered too."

"Hmm? Then I don't need to rush?" Fu Sichen slumped back down. She had promised to do illustrations for someone before the New Year.

But she forgot that she had also taken on several published character illustrations. With several jobs piled up and deadlines coming up before and after the New Year, she was so busy that she didn't even have a proper New Year.

Fortunately, Brother Nan has been doing a bit better lately and isn't as busy. He takes care of Yan Zheng, or he leaves him with his grandmother to play.

"Hurry up and get ready, we need to go out for a bit." The man pulled her up.

"Where are we going?"

Fu Sichen looked at him with a puzzled expression, her finger pointing to his unusually neat white shirt.

His appearance suddenly reminded her of the day he came to propose marriage.

Fu Sichen turned his head and saw a red velvet dress at the foot of the bed, adorned with small pearls, simple and elegant.

She suddenly realized what he meant, her eyes crinkling into crescent moons, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. "The household registration book is with Mom and Dad."

"I brought some things to my parents yesterday and also picked up your household registration book."

"Who are your parents! We're not even married yet!" Fu Sichen said with a smile, pinching his lips.

The man didn't seem to mind, his eyes filled with a doting smile.

Fu Sichen got up with a smile and started packing. She originally wanted to get the marriage certificate first and then talk about the wedding after Brother Nan had settled everything.

But his parents disagreed and insisted that he handle everything himself.

Fu Sichen asked her mother, "What if Nan-ge doesn't want me anymore? Why don't you marry me off now?"

Zhong Wanxiu scolded her without giving her any face.

This process dragged on for more than half a year.

On the marriage certificate, her smile was radiant, while he still had a stern face, though the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned.

The day they got their marriage certificate was her birthday.

Moreover, it snowed lightly that day.

The two didn't rush to get in the car and leave. They asked the driver to wait ahead, and he held her hand as they walked for a while in the snow.

Yu Shinan brushed the snowflakes off her hair, took her hand in his pocket, and asked, "Why do you like me?"

Fu Sichen tilted his head.

She suddenly stood on tiptoe and kissed him on the lips.

"I don't know why I like you. In all my years, the people and things I've seen and experienced over the past twenty years have taught my brain that you are the one I like."

(End of the article)

Easter eggs:

One day, Yu Qian was interviewed and one of the questions was to explain the special meaning behind the name "Shuguang Farm".

He consulted his cousin Yu Shinan beforehand.

"The goddess who crowing at dawn, she awakens people and brings the light of day..."

She awakened him, bringing light and happiness to his bleak life.

Yu Qian was inexplicably fed a mouthful of dog food!