Chapter 4, advancing step by step.

"Truly heartless, I came here specifically for you. Next time, I will remember to wear a mask to cover my face." Xia Junning felt helpless, but more so, there was tenderness and indulgence in her tone

It is truly not cute at all

Hmm. What is it? Do you want to go together? Fu Qingliu cast a slow glance at him, leisurely picking up food and eating.

Chi Fei looked at the carefree woman, then glanced at the utterly spoiled Xia Junning, feeling exasperated. "President Xia, could you please say a few good words about her? Don't forget that those people came here because of your request. She just casually stands them up, her audacity is outrageous! She has been spoiled by you!"

Zhang Zhengcai did not obtain a marriage certificate nor hold a wedding banquet, yet Li Yanyang, who has always regarded herself as Zhang Zhengcai's wife, wore a beautiful and festive red dress. In her thirties, she was well-maintained, looking as radiant as a large red flower that exudes the fragrance of pollen, attracting bees and butterflies at any moment, both stunning and gaudy

"Oh dear, please don't take it to heart, it's all my fault for often telling her to avoid strangers touching her when she goes to kindergarten. I suppose she has developed a habit of it by now, I apologize, I truly apologize." Li Yanyang quickly said, and her explanation was so appropriate that everyone could only think that she was teaching her daughter well, and that at such a young age, she understood how to protect herself. Who would feel the embarrassment of being rebutted?

Fu Qingliu merely looked at him with a smile that was neither here nor there. Those eyes, which usually appeared indifferent and shallow even when smiling, possessed an indescribable exquisite color at this moment, yet also carried a hint of haziness, like a silk veil that reflected different hues from every angle, ready to envelop you and your very soul, leaving you nowhere to escape.

Fu Qingliu bent down and tugged at Zhang Liuliu's cheek, smiling as he said: "You must be Liuliu, how truly..."

Listen carefully to what people say, you jerk

Is there nothing for me to handle? If not, I will be going home. Fu Qingliu picked up a paintbrush from the desk, slowly twirling it in his hand, his voice languid, as always, giving off an impression of being carefree and unconcerned.

Xia Junning paused for a few seconds, cleared her throat, lowered her head to eat, and fell silent, yet her heartbeat was so loud that it seemed to echo in the quiet apartment

Lan City

Xia Juning looked at the invitation, as well as the smile at the corner of Fu Qingliu's lips, her brows furrowing and her gaze deepening.

Ah! With an exaggerated scream, Chi Fei rushed in front of Xia Junning and snatched away the stinky socks still hanging on him. He reached out and wiped his shirt, saying, "Great God, I didn't mean it! You must forgive me! I was actually going to throw it away, not you! Believe me!"

Fu Qingliu looked at the invitation, his eyes dimming slightly. He slowly raised his hand to pick up the invitation, and the smile at the corner of his lips deepened a bit, revealing a hint of strangeness. Ha, it seems this is fate.

At this moment, Xia Junning was busy in the kitchen, while Fu Qingliu held the invitation card between her delicate, fair fingers. The red paper was stained with some yellowish-white marks, resembling some wilted and unsightly petals. It was an invitation to the four-year birthday party of Zhang Zhengcai's daughter, inviting her, the half-sister, to attend. Hehe, she certainly did not believe that Li Yanyang and Zhang Zhengcai would be pleased to see her, which indicated that this invitation was definitely not sent by them. Of course, the fact that it was discarded in the trash before it even reached her hands was quite thought-provoking.

"It’s alright." Xia Junning gently grasped Chi Fei's hand, which was taking liberties with him, and said, "It doesn’t matter if something falls on me, but if it falls on Qing Liu..."

"Let's go." Fu Qingliu cast a vague glance at Xia Junning, put away the invitation, and turned to leave, his steps light and silent, like a cat.

What am I going to do?" Xia Junning suddenly leaned in closer, "Or do you want to introduce me to your family?

Fu Qingliu glanced at the red mark on his hand, his smiling expression unchanged. He slowly stood up and completed the sentence he had just left unfinished: "Indeed, it is quite vulgar and uncultured, just like you."

Miss Li truly has a remarkable way of teaching her daughters A languid female voice, neither too far nor too close, suddenly rang out Although the voice was not loud, it seemed to possess great penetrating power, causing everyone to pause their actions and turn to look As they did, they saw a faint yet striking color approaching slowly, moving with a grace akin to that of a cat Yet it also resembled a mischievous cat that had stolen a sip of wine, evoking a sense of lightness and unsteadiness that instinctively made one want to reach out and steady it

"You shouldn't skip work and come here for no reason; my paintings have all become mere accessories to you, and that truly makes me unhappy." Fu Qingliu glanced at the female guests who were captivated by Xia Junning.

Wait! Chi Fei suddenly thought of something and pulled out an invitation from the desk. "I found this while cleaning up the trash at your place yesterday afternoon, in the trash bin on your floor. I don't know if you threw it away or if it fell out by accident, but when I saw your name on it, I picked it up for you."

The tender yet sharp voice of the child suddenly rendered the scene eerily silent, as everyone looked at Zhang Liuliu with expressions of shock. They could hardly believe that a child from an upper-class family would speak in such a manner. Even if this was the infamous young lady of the Fu family, who had once caused a scandal throughout the city, it was hardly appropriate for a four-year-old to curse! What about upbringing? Even if this was the infamous young lady of the Fu family, who had once caused a scandal throughout the city, it was hardly appropriate for a four-year-old to curse! What about upbringing?

So is all of this my fault? Chi Fei felt a sharp pain in his lungs.

Ying! Chi Fei's entire body bristled, as if he saw the black starlight flickering around Xia Junning.

Li Yanyang truly embodies a woman who has spent many years immersed in the upper echelons of society, despite her unremarkable status. She completely disregarded Fu Qingliu's repeated address of her as "Miss Li," a reminder of her position as an unnamed cohabitant. Instantly, she revealed a surprised and touched smile, took a few steps forward to grasp Fu Qingliu's hand, her voice rising a few notches in excitement, "Oh! Qingliu is back! This is wonderful, I thought you wouldn't come! Your father was just saying how you never return home. There shouldn't be any overnight grudges between a father and daughter. Those past events made your father furious, which is why he scolded you like that; he has long regretted it! This is truly wonderful! Liu Liu, come here, this is your sister, quickly call her sister." She pulled the little girl beside her, and her few words brought back memories of the past, causing the expressions of those who had just shown surprise to shift dramatically.

"Go away! Don't touch me! You despicable thing!" Zhang Liuliu swatted away Fu Qingliu's hand. This child, though only four years old, was quite chubby and strong. Despite her young age, her grip was quite powerful, and when it struck Fu Qingliu's hand, it left a distinct red mark.

As they walked around the gallery and entered the staff office area, Fu Qingliu led the way, followed closely by Xia Junning, whose tall and handsome figure exuded a gentle charm, like a large tail swaying left and right. Several employees, busy organizing catalogs and materials, exchanged knowing smiles upon seeing Xia Junning and Fu Qingliu.

Fu Qingliu had just opened the office door when a stinky sock came flying towards her. She instinctively sidestepped, and the stinky sock hit Xia Juning, who was behind her.

Fu Qingliu smiled at Li Yanyang, then turned to look at the little chubby one

Of course there is! "Why did you suddenly run out yesterday? Don't you know what kind of people they are?"

President Fu, Zhang Zheng, can be considered to have a daughter late in life. He cherishes his four-year-old daughter immensely, and the birthday celebration was quite grand, inviting only business partners or prominent figures in Lan City to their home.

Good! Xia Junning immediately smiled again, her big tail swaying back and forth behind her

A chubby little girl, four years old, with her hair styled in two horn braids and dressed in a bright-colored outfit, stood beside Li Yanyang. Occasionally, she was politely patted and praised, but despite her young age, she displayed signs of impatience on her face. Her round face, with single eyelids, made her eyes appear squinty and fierce. Whenever someone touched her face, she would swat their hand away and glare fiercely, saying, "Don't touch me, you creep!"

Miss Li seems rather unwilling to see me. Fu Qingliu approached Li Yanyang, lazily smiling at her.

Zhang Liuliu glanced at Fu Qingliu, but did not call out; her small eyes were surprisingly filled with disdain

This is a high-end apartment building with a comprehensive and well-developed security system. The residents living here are mostly affluent individuals, and there are several big celebrities residing in this building as well. Xia Junning lives next door to Fu Qingliu, and due to his excellent culinary skills, Fu Qingliu often goes to his home for meals

"We will first go to the market to buy groceries and then return..." said Xia Junning, holding Fu Qingliu's bag.

It perfectly preserves my mysterious image. Moreover, that was invited by you without my consent, not by me

Well

Fu Qingliu approached leisurely with a bag in hand. He turned his head and saw her, stood up, and his smile was so gentle it could almost drown someone.

Alright, the situation is as it is, and further debate is pointless. Qingliu, I will prepare a new dish for you that I learned at noon.

Li Yanyang was initially puzzled, but then recognized that Fu Qingliu's expression suddenly turned unpleasant

I thought you would be back in a few days. Are you tired? What do you want to eat for lunch? He took the bag from Fu Qingliu's hand, bustling around like a loyal dog wagging its tail.

"So you are going to Lan City tomorrow?" asked Xia Junning, who was sitting opposite Fu Qingliu at the dining table

On the surface, it is the Fu family, but in reality, it has been renamed to the Zhang family. The large villa is brightly lit, with BMWs and luxury cars, and the guests are elegantly dressed, creating a lively atmosphere