Chapter 10, Misunderstanding of the Front Edge

They have been guarding against this day

The girls who have been trafficked by human traffickers, as shown in television programs, are mostly sold to rural areas in the southwest to become brides

Nan Ma's gaze was filled with suspicion, as if doubting what she had said. Nan Xi turned her head away, scanned the surroundings, and asked: "Is he going to the company again so early in the morning?"

Nanxi stood behind Father Fu and Mother Nan, appearing indifferent to the situation

As if sensing her gaze, Fu Qingquan suddenly turned his body and looked at her through the glass sliding door of the kitchen

At the moment Fu Qingquan kissed her, Nanxi finally understood what that warm, hazy, and timid feeling was. She finally understood why she would blush when Fu Qingquan gazed at her intently; she finally understood why the female classmate who disliked him in high school would call their home... She finally realized that she had always liked Fu Qingquan.

This move indeed proved effective on Fu Qingquan, as he opened his mouth to speak but hesitated. After a long moment of contemplation, he suddenly extended his arms and embraced Nanxi.

As she spoke, she walked down the stairs, but was halted by Fu Qingquan: "You go back up!"

What newspaper

Father Fu and Mother Nan naturally praised endlessly, while Nan Xi pouted, thinking that even if Fu Qingquan served them a plate of arsenic, they would still commend him. She rested her chin on her hand, unable to decide where to start with her chopsticks for a long time. Fu Qingquan had already served her soup, his gaze earnest and sincere: "Drink while it's fresh." Nan Xi merely lowered her head to eat a few bites of plain rice, then whispered in his ear in an extremely low voice: "When I think about how this fish died, I can't eat anymore." She noticed Fu Qingquan's expression darken and smugly added, "I am still young; I need to accumulate good karma for myself."

Sometimes when encountering a water truck on the road, Fu Qingquan would deliberately twist the steering wheel in front and exclaim: "Ah— the water truck is coming!"

Both teachers possess profound expertise and exhibit a remarkable synergy, making it impossible to discern that they have never collaborated before. Before Nanxi could finish speaking, Nanma exclaimed, "Xiaoxi, what happened to your forehead? Did something happen on the way?" As she spoke, Nanma stood up and pulled Nanxi over for a closer inspection. Nanxi slightly turned her head to conceal the truth, saying, "I was too lazy to turn on the light when entering the room and bumped into the table."

"Where did this come from!" Father Pin interrupted her, "This morning sun was clearly introduced by Qingquan."

Fu Qingquan hurriedly rushed down the stairs, while Ji Chenyang was sitting on the sofa in the living room on the first floor, looking somewhat impatient. Upon seeing Fu Qingquan come down alone, he curiously leaned his head to look upstairs. Fu Qingquan pouted and smiled, saying: "What are you looking at? Stop looking, Xiaoxi will not see you again in the future."

Then she gently pressed her finger against her lower lip, only to spring back as if shocked, realizing that this feeling is called a kiss

Ji Chenyang was momentarily stunned, his mouth agape as he struggled to regain his composure. However, he noticed that behind Fu Qingquan, Nan Ma was helping Fu Ba down the stairs. Fu Ba's expression was grim as he asked: "What is true?"

Nanxi would also retaliate by tightening his waist, then cooperatively scream: "Ah... Ah... Ah..."

Nanxi curled her lips and chuckled twice, then after sitting for two minutes, she sought an opportunity to go downstairs. Standing at the stairway entrance, she looked down from a height at Fu Qingquan, who was busy in the kitchen.

The atmosphere in the living room abruptly shifted from a raging storm to a deathly silence

Fu Qingquan studied for two years earlier than her. At that time, she was attending a university by the Yangtze River. She heard her say over the phone that her parents were all anxious about her college entrance examination, which made her a bit nervous as well. Immediately, she skipped class and rushed back to Hangzhou, claiming that she was there to accompany her for the exam. She understood Fu Qingquan's intention; he reminded her every day over the phone to apply to the school he was attending, and feeling uneasy, he insisted on returning to personally supervise her.

The layer of glass sliding door in between seemed to transform into the silver river of stars, stretching thousands of miles away

It was originally agreed that Nan Ma would go to the hotel to accompany Nan Xi for her studies. However, after Fu Qingquan returned, he took the initiative to volunteer, and surprisingly, both Fu's father and Nan Ma agreed to let him go to the hotel to accompany Nan Xi for her exam

A person's growth often occurs in just a moment

"Let me go, you reek of alcohol..."

"Now is not the time to discuss when to bring it up?" Mother Nan has always been gentle and soft-spoken, but today she suddenly raised her voice, "From the moment I stepped through the door of this house, I knew he never intended for me to have a good time! In front of you, he is naturally polite to me, but what about behind the scenes? Don't think I don't know; from the very beginning, you never regarded me as part of your family! Over the years, I have come to understand, and I have let go. I do not expect that one day you will treat me as your own mother, nor do I expect you to take care of me in my old age. Let's just keep our distance and coexist peacefully from now on." Don't think I don't know; from the very beginning, you never regarded me as part of your family! Over the years, I have come to understand, and I have let go. I do not expect that one day you will treat me as your own mother, nor do I expect you to take care of me in my old age. Let's just keep our distance and coexist peacefully from now on.

Before the college entrance examination, Nanxi replied calmly and淡淡地.

Where is the television

But the next second, she broke into a silly smile, for she began to understand why she was reluctant to call him "brother," why she did not like Xiao Xian coming to the Fu family to play, why she did not like those girls asking Fu Qingquan to play tennis, why...

Fu Qingquan kissed her

When unable to endure any longer, I suddenly heard Sister Yang coming up the stairs, saying: "Xiao Xi, Xiao Ji is looking for you!"

Fu Qingquan smiled awkwardly, as if he understood what she meant, yet also seemed not to understand. He sat down and began to eat, spending more than half of the meal staring at her while she ate

Several outsiders intercepted her and Fu Qingquan in the hotel lobby, some claiming to be her uncle, others claiming to be her uncle by marriage, all speaking at once, insisting that she accompany them

Mother Nan was momentarily speechless by his words. Turning her head, she found Nan Xi's expression to be calm and unperturbed, as if she were not surprised at all by the argument. Father Fu's thunderous anger was also frozen by this statement, and after a long pause, he asked: "You know... Xiao Xi, you too, when did you all find out?"

What does it matter?

Mother Nan humorously patted her and said, "How can you speak like that? Your brother's cooking is far superior to yours!"

Fu Qingquan's expression was unusually fierce, yet Nanxi felt no fear at all. Later, she thought that it was her ignorance that had caused her trouble. Fu Qingquan grasped her head, and she felt a bit of pain, frowning as she complained to him: "What is the matter with you suddenly bringing this up? I have an exam tomorrow!"

What do you want to say

At that time, there were indeed many doubts, such as why Fu Ba and Nan Ma did not blame Fu Qingquan for skipping class; for instance, while the parents of other students accompanied them to the exam in pairs, Fu Ba and Nan Ma initially only arranged for Nan Ma to accompany her... All the doubts can be satisfactorily explained upon reflection many years later, but at that time, being in the midst of it, no one could see clearly or understand.

Nanxi suddenly felt a sense of dullness; in fact, Fu Qingquan's skills today were quite good. However, Fu Qingquan's gaze seemed to envelop her like a shadow, and even with her head lowered, she could still feel a pair of magical hands gently caressing her body inch by inch

Fu Qingquan's complexion was cool and calm, and he chuckled twice in a neutral manner: "Recently, a television drama has become popular, featuring a son caught between his mother and his wife, facing difficulties from both sides, and ultimately, he accidentally kills his wife."

Father Fu chuckled and said, "Ask him if he has eaten; if not, he can come up and eat with us." Before Father Fu's words had finished, Fu Qingquan had already jumped up and said, "Let him wait downstairs first; I have something to discuss with him!"

She completely held her breath, not realizing she needed to breathe. It was only when she felt suffocated that she suddenly understood the situation. Anxiously, she pushed Fu Qingquan away and jumped off the sofa: "I’m not playing with you anymore; I still need to take a shower, go to bed early, and I have a Chinese exam tomorrow morning!"

Fu Qingquan's expression changed suddenly; he frowned and turned to chop scallions, ginger, garlic, and other seasonings. This change did not escape Nanxi's notice, yet she merely smiled nonchalantly and strolled into the kitchen, saying: "There will be plenty of time to learn in the future. Today, my brother wants to showcase his culinary skills, and I won't steal his thunder, lest anything goes wrong and I get blamed for it." Fu Qingquan glanced at her again, and that gaze was surprisingly different from usual, actually making Nanxi feel a hint of warmth and gentleness.

In that moment, the moonlight was bright and the breeze gentle, in that moment, the birds sang in the serene mountains, in that moment, the flowers of the entire world bloomed silently

My father has been dead for a long time!" Nanxi said dismissively, as it was well known that her father had passed away over ten years ago.

"Enough, enough, is there any point in biting back and forth?" Fu Qingquan said with a cold smile, "And let's not bring up uncles and aunts anymore, I will just ask one question." He turned to face Nan Ma, his expression cold and mocking, "Is Nan Xi really a posthumous child? Or... is it that someone despises poverty and loves wealth, and is determined to divorce her useless husband even while heavily pregnant?"

The muscles on Fu Qingquan's face twitched slightly, and after listening to her boast for quite a while, she slowly said: "Your father is dead"

Fu Qingquan looked up and gazed at Nanxi, yet showed no intention of rising to take his leave. His deep and distant eyes resembled stars scattered across a pitch-black sky, and that gaze filled with resentment and regret finally settled on the corner of Nanxi's forehead. Nanxi furrowed her brows and lowered her gaze, laughing softly as she said, "Aren't you leaving yet? If you don't leave soon, everyone downstairs will be awakened by our noise."

Indeed, I am grateful to him for being so considerate. Since Mother Nan has already spoken, it would be better to express everything clearly at once, to vent the resentment that has accumulated in my heart for many years. Your son, in front of you, calls me "Auntie," yet turns his back and doesn't know how to insult me in his heart! Does he care for Xiaoxi? I see that he not only does not want me to live a good life, but also does not want my daughter, whom I have painstakingly raised, to have a good life! You even told me before that they had a good relationship when they were young, and that they knew each other well, so why not bring them together? I see that he not only does not want me to live a good life, but also does not want my daughter, whom I have painstakingly raised, to have a good life! You even told me before that they had a good relationship when they were young, and that they knew each other well, so why not bring them together? If Xiaoxi were to be with your precious son, that would truly be a karmic retribution from a past life!

Ji Chenyang then became anxious: "What are you all up to?"

Indeed, I was puzzled at first, wondering how he could change his nature! Now I understand, it was you who stabbed in the back regarding the matter between Chen Yang and Xiao Xi, wasn't it? Why would anyone unjustly accuse Xiao Xi of having an abortion? Your sister has grown up without ever having a serious relationship, yet you curse her so vehemently! Do you dare say this has nothing to do with you? If it weren't for someone close, would the Ji family dare to unjustly place such a blame on Xiao Xi?" Mother Nan became increasingly agitated, "I know what you're up to; you want to take this opportunity to let the Ji family spread such rumors, so that Xiao Xi will have trouble finding a good partner in the future! Am I wrong? Why don't you tell me what wrongs we, mother and daughter, have done to you? I pity you for losing your mother at such a young age, and for all these years, haven't I taken care of you in every possible way? So tell me, what wrongs have we, mother and daughter, done to you?"

Ah?" Nanxi looked at Father Fu in astonishment and blurted out, "Can we still eat today's meal?"

She cautiously extended the tip of her tongue, lightly flicking it across her lips like a dragonfly skimming the water, and then quickly pressed her lips together, as if afraid that someone might glimpse her secret in this confined space

Fu Qingquan kissed her

Fu Qingquan allowed her to stay at the hotel to study in peace, while he went to deal with that group of outsiders. In the evening, he returned, alone, quietly sitting on the sofa, looking at her with eyes as if he were gazing at a stranger

Sister Yang opened the door and smiled at Nanxi, saying: "Your brother is making mushroom tofu. Come and learn, so you can show off your skills to that little Ji next time!"

Fu Qingquan kissed her

Nanxi let out a painful groan, wanting to forcibly close the lid of the box. Thus, just as Pandora sealed away the last hope within her magic box, Nanxi tightly sealed away her final glimmer of expectation for Fu Qingquan.

"You are overly sensitive all day long, acting neurotic. When has Qingquan ever not regarded you as family?" Father Fu, seeing that Mother Nan had brought up the issues they had privately quarreled about, felt somewhat embarrassed and angry, and did not want to continue on this topic. "If he didn't regard you as family, would he have been so concerned about Xiaoxi's matters all these years?"

Damn it! Father Fu was furious, "Whom are you directing such insinuations at? Thanks to whom—what do you want to say? So it turns out your aunt said you are always wary of her, and I didn't believe it. After all this time, you actually want to say that I drove your mother to her death, right? No need to say it, I already know it was your ungrateful uncles who were stirring up trouble behind the scenes! When your mother was alive, they treated her like a cash cow. Later, I took over the company and arranged jobs for them to prevent them from idling around, and what did they do? No need to say it, I already know it was your ungrateful uncles who were stirring up trouble behind the scenes! When your mother was alive, they treated her like a cash cow. Later, I took over the company and arranged jobs for them to prevent them from idling around, and what did they do? They transferred the company's funds to Macau and lost everything! I can't fill this bottomless pit, I sent them off with dignity, and this group of ungrateful bastards started spreading rumors everywhere! Hand me the phone, I want to see which bastard dares to confront me face to face!

Fu Qingquan took a deep breath, as if making a resolute decision, and raised his head to say to Ji Chenyang: "Chenyang, you go back first; I will discuss this matter with you later."

Ji Chenyang was in a state of anxiety, rushing over to apologize to Nanxi. Nanxi, with a calm expression, said: "You should go back first; I will clarify things with you later."

Nanxi was completely unaware of what that group of people was talking about, but her instinct told her that they were fraudsters. Since she was very young, Father Fu and Mother Nan had frightened her with various stories about child trafficking, warning her not to talk to strangers she encountered on the road, not to respond if a stranger asked for directions, and certainly not to let strangers know her name... Of course, later on, Nanxi understood why they were so persistent in advising her against interacting with strangers.

Nanxi raised her head and smiled at Fu Qingquan in a defiant manner, only to see Fu Qingquan glaring at her with a sullen expression: "You eat first."

Mother Nan's face was as pale as paper, and she murmured, "Have they found you again?"

Nanxi still remembers that year when the examination center for the college entrance examination was a considerable distance from home. Although it was not far to drive her there, Father Fu and Mother Nan suggested renting a suite at a hotel near the examination center, reasoning that it would help her adapt to the examination environment in advance. Other classmates also did the same, with their parents renting nearby hotel rooms to accompany them during the exams, which was quite common at the time. However, Father Fu and Mother Nan booked the hotel two weeks in advance, which made Nanxi unable to help but criticize them for being overly anxious.

Fu Qingquan pulled her over with one hand, pressing her head towards his face, which reeked of alcohol, and said: "Did you hear that? Your father is dead!"

A sleepless night, many repressed memories from years past, like various evils buried in Pandora's box, rushed out with claws bared and fangs bared.

Nanxi struggled to recall the taste of that kiss just now. Girls at school had told her that nowadays, when people kiss, they would stick their tongues into each other's mouths. At that time, she had stuck out her tongue and exclaimed, "Ah, that's so disgusting!" But what about just now? All she knew was that she had tightly clenched her teeth, feeling anxious and at a loss, as if... as if his tongue had pressed against her lips without missing a single spot. Yet... she only knew that she had tightly clenched her teeth, feeling anxious and at a loss, as if... as if his tongue had pressed against her lips without missing a single spot. But... she felt a bit disappointed, wondering why she had to be so nervous in the first place.

Is tomorrow's exam more important than your father's life and death

Nanxi remembers that Fu Qingquan's culinary skills were actually quite decent, but that was many years ago. When they were still neighbors, their parents had to go to work and sometimes couldn't take care of the children, so they would let the two kids manage a meal at home by themselves. Over time, Fu Qingquan was able to stir-fry a few simple dishes, such as spinach, green beans, eggplant, and eggs. He had the ability to steam rice and stir-fry vegetables.

Haven't you read the newspaper

Nanxi, oblivious to the situation, jokingly said, "Could it really be human traffickers..." She squatted barefoot on the sofa, leaned in with a smile, and asked, "How much do you think I could be sold for in the rural areas of Yunnan?"

His profile is also quite tall and straight, with distinct facial contours, and his knife skills are very adept as he cuts the tofu

The unexpected kiss silenced all of Nanxi's grievances, as she fell into Fu Qingquan's embrace, her entire being seemingly frozen, allowing him to linger and seek on her lips

Nanxi smiled dismissively: "What a joke, are you going to judge me now? Am I not even allowed to attend as a spectator?" She stood her ground, refusing to back down. Ji Chenyang, seeing that the entire Fu family had been alerted, felt extremely troubled. Noticing their clear intention to hold a family meeting, he could only apologize and take his leave, finally turning to Nanxi and saying: "Remember to give me a call"

Father Fu trembled with anger and said in a deep voice: "You all need to clarify for me what is true!"

Your brother is downstairs, saying that he will personally cook today

Fu Qingquan pressed her lips tightly together, gazing thoughtfully at Ji Chenyang. After a long while, she finally said softly: "Your mother indeed cannot intimidate me, but in any case, the outcome remains the same"

Is that so? Then what if it is true? The clear spring in her eyes is as cold as the light of ice. If it is true, what will you do?

Father Fu was clearly very angry, and Mother Nan helped him sit down, pouring him water and giving him medicine. Nan Xi slightly turned her face, casting a defiant glance at Fu Qingquan, only to see a light in his eyes that she found difficult to describe, as if he was preparing to undertake some kind of adventure. Her heart trembled slightly, unsure of Fu Qingquan's intentions, but she vaguely felt that the look in his eyes, akin to a determination to fight to the last, frightened her.

No one spoke first, but the surprisingly quiet stepmother Nan Ma gently asked Fu Qingquan: "Qingquan, I know you have never liked me. Of course, being a stepmother is a thankless job. I originally hoped that time would reveal a person's true character, and I cannot say that I have done particularly well in my role as a stepmother, but I don't think I can be considered derelict in my duties, can I?"

Do you not care at all

Nanxi looked at Fu Qingquan with suspicion, not understanding why he was so indignant. Her father had long since passed away, and she knew nothing about the reasons for his death or where it had occurred. As a child, she had been puzzled and had speculated, but she realized that whenever this topic was brought up, her mother would become unhappy. Moreover, with Fu's father and mother taking care of her, she did not feel that anything was lacking

Fu Qingquan listened to Nan Ma's impassioned accusations without rebuttal, merely curling his lips into a smile with a highly sarcastic curve. Once Nan Ma finished her tirade, he coldly replied: "After pretending to be a virtuous wife and mother for so many years, are you tired now? If you hadn't mentioned my mother, I would have turned a blind eye, but since you have brought it up, I would like to ask, who is responsible for my mother's death at such a young age?"

Nanxi never expected that Father Fu and Mother Nan had such thoughts in their early years. She looked at Fu Qingquan in disbelief, who was also very shocked. After a long pause, he said in a muffled voice: "Aunt, why do you have to speak so definitively?"

Ji Chenyang realized the seriousness of the issue, leaning slightly forward, and asked in confusion: "What exactly are you playing at? It was you who introduced Nanxi to me in the first place, and now you are the one who is meddling in our relationship!"

Sister Yang appeared awkward, glancing at Fu Qingquan, then at Nanxi, and finally, under the stern gaze of Father Fu, she hesitantly began to recount the conversation that had just taken place between the two.

Nanxi made a round in the kitchen before going upstairs. Before long, the dishes were brought up one by one. Every time Sister Yang served a dish, she would specifically remind Nanxi: "This is your favorite, eight-treasure yam puree," or "This is your favorite, stewed for a whole morning." Fu Qingquan stood to the side, waiting for Sister Yang to finish serving the dishes, looking around with great satisfaction as if admiring her own creations. Finally, her gaze fell on Nanxi, as if waiting for the most distinguished food critic to give her approval: "Why don't you give it a try?"

At that time, Nanxi was quite picky about her food, refusing to eat this and that. She always had to haggle with Fu Qingquan. Each of them would have a bowl of steamed egg, and only after Fu Qingquan's coercion and persuasion would she reluctantly finish half a bowl mixed with rice. The remaining half bowl naturally belonged to Fu Qingquan, who never minded that it had been eaten by her. He would quickly finish the leftovers in no time, and then ride his bicycle to take her to school

Ji Chenyang took a long time to come to his senses, finally understanding what Fu Qingquan meant, feeling both amused and exasperated: "Brother, you can't be so overdramatic, can you? My mother is a bit... well, I know she was wrong this time, but isn't it just Zhang's one-sided opinion? Besides, I asked Dr. Zhang, and she said it was based on her experience—experience can be deadly! Nowadays, every dentist thinks everyone has bad teeth, every traditional Chinese medicine doctor sees everyone as having dark complexions and deficient qi and blood, and gynecologists must think everyone has had abortions or undergone scraping! Come on, at least let me clarify this matter with Nanxi, think of a way to properly enlighten my mother, and then won't this be resolved?"

Did your aunt not tell you

After Sister Yang saw off Ji Chenyang, she consciously closed the door, leaving the family of four on the second floor for a three-way interrogation.

Nanxi gazed at the person in the mirror with dazed eyes, her mind occupied by a single thought

In the washroom, steam was rising, and Nanxi rested her face on her hands as she gazed at her reflection in the mirror. Her entire face was flushed a deep red. She vigorously patted her cheeks and repeatedly told herself: It is the steam that has made me red, it is the steam that has made me red

Nanxi did not understand why she suddenly recalled these memories, which she had not thought of for many years, now flooding back to her as if it were just yesterday. At that time, Fu Qingquan would smile gently and say, "Ah—open your mouth," and then he would shove a large spoonful of steamed egg mixed with rice into her mouth. After that, he would glare at her fiercely as if performing a face-changing act, saying, "You must not spit it out; you are not allowed to go to school until you finish your meal!"

"Do not think that your silence leaves me without options," Father Fu said, noticing that Fu Qingquan and Ji Chenyang were stubbornly keeping quiet. He turned to Aunt Yang and shouted, "Aunt Yang, what were those two just saying? Repeat every word to me honestly!"

It was only later that she understood that Father Fu and Mother Nan were not overly anxious, but rather trying to prevent her from meeting certain individuals

"What?" Nanxi was utterly confused, only catching the smell of alcohol on him. She covered her nose and pushed him away, "Fu Qingquan, you have been drinking! It stinks, it stinks! When Dad calls later, I am going to tell on you!"

The entire family was taken aback by Mama Nan's sudden question. Father Fu's gaze fell upon Fu Qingquan, and then he looked at Mama Nan with a puzzled expression, as if he understood something, his demeanor slightly irritated: "Why bring this up now?"

Ji Chenyang noticed that the two elders were alarmed and realized that the situation had escalated. He hurriedly explained, "It's a misunderstanding, Uncle, please don't get angry, it's just a misunderstanding..."

Nanxi heard his heartbeat, and it seemed that even his embrace was trembling. He whispered softly in her ear, "I'm sorry," his cool lips brushing against her earlobe. Nanxi reached out and gently pushed him away, smiling as she said, "There's no need for repentance; let's consider it settled between us. It's late, and I need to rest."

He naturally refers to Fu Qingquan. To escape from home so early in the morning, one can imagine... one can imagine he does not know how to wrap things up, leaving such a mess for her. Nanxi secretly laughed to herself, realizing that when faced with a situation, Fu Qingquan's performance is really no different.

After a long day of running around, she slept until nearly noon, and strangely, Aunt Yang did not come up to wake her. After washing up, she went downstairs and found Dad Fu and Mom Nan had already finished their morning exercise and were watching a health program on television. When Dad Fu saw Nanxi come down, he smiled and asked, "How was yesterday's performance?"

"Am I the one who has gone too far? Was it not you who took things too far first?" Mother Nan said indignantly, "It's one thing for you to dislike me as a stepmother, but what has Xiaoxi done to deserve this? I just want to find her a good marriage so that I can feel fulfilled in this life. What about you? You are just behind the scenes causing trouble..."

My mother said you have promised her that you will no longer allow Nanxi and me to associate with each other!" Ji Chenyang rolled his eyes in anger, "I said, buddy, your courage is as small as a grain of rice. You actually believe my mother when she scares you a little? Have you wasted all these years? My father wouldn't dare to provoke a taxpayer like you now!