Fu Wenzhou’s eyes darkened instantly. A cold, blade-like gaze landed on An Ruyi, who had come to pass along Su Mai’s message.
An Ruyi suddenly felt a chill crawl down her spine.
But when she looked again, she only saw Fu Wenzhou’s calm and indifferent expression.
Strange… was that feeling of being stared at by a venomous snake just now an illusion?
She suppressed her suspicion, sat on the edge of the bed, and looked at Ruan Qiaoqiao.
“I won’t tell Su Mai anything about you. He thinks that little bitch Duan Fangya has no ulterior motives anyway, right? Then let him keep spinning around her. When he finally regrets it one day, we’ll tell him you’ve already remarried—enough to make him die of anger!”
She added seriously, “And I’m not telling him, so you shouldn’t either. Otherwise it won’t be satisfying.”
“Alright.” Ruan Qiaoqiao didn’t really understand Su Mai that well, but she was certain Duan Fangya’s act would eventually fall apart. She was actually looking forward to seeing Su Mai regret it.
An Ruyi grinned. “So what about him wanting to see you?”
“I’m not going.”
“Su Mai probably expected that too. He said if you don’t want to meet, it’s fine. He just wants me to pass on a message—this Sunday is his mother’s birthday. He wants to invite you to celebrate with them.”
Ruan Qiaoqiao looked speechless. “His mother’s birthday has nothing to do with me. I’m not going.”
An Ruyi hesitated before speaking again.
“You’ve lost your memory, so you don’t know this… but over the years, his family has actually treated you pretty well. Every time you two argued because of Duan Fangya, his family always stood on your side.
“You also used to like them a lot. When his mother was seriously ill, you were the one taking care of her. His eldest sister often bought you gifts. You once told me you felt his mother treated you even better than your own mother.”
Ruan Qiaoqiao was genuinely surprised.
“I didn’t know that.”
“Then… does his family know you two are already divorced?” she asked.
An Ruyi shook her head. “His mother is in poor health. If she found out, she’d probably collapse from anger.”
Ruan Qiaoqiao: “……”
“Even if they treated me well, I don’t have any memories of them. To me, they’re just strangers. Going there would just be awkward. And since the divorce is already a fact, I’m not his wife anymore—I have no reason to go act in a play with him. He should handle it himself. I’m not going.”
Hearing her completely detached tone, An Ruyi thought it made sense.
After all, she was already divorced. It was impossible for her to keep pretending forever.
“Alright, I’ll reject him for you if he comes looking for me again.”
Fu Wenzhou, who had been listening nearby, felt unexpectedly satisfied upon hearing that she refused to attend her ex-mother-in-law’s birthday banquet.
That evening, Ruan Qiaoqiao invited An Ruyi to stay for dinner.
Now that she had money, she naturally wanted to treat her best friend properly.
She went down the mountain to buy a chicken from a villager, personally stewed chicken soup, and even added a slice of ginseng separately for Kangkang’s health.
She also made braised pork and smashed cucumber salad.
This time, An Ruyi did not hold back at all.
After eating and drinking her fill, she left.
Ruan Qiaoqiao paid Uncle Liu Bangguo to borrow a bull cart and send An Ruyi back to the city.
After returning home, she entered the bedroom and saw Fu Wenzhou handing her a small stack of loose cash, with two crisp ten-yuan bills at the bottom.
She was puzzled.
“Why are you giving me money again?”
“Yesterday’s herbs sold in town. Total: thirty-four yuan and sixty cents. That ginseng alone sold for twenty-eight.”
Only then did she remember.
“We’re not short on money now. You keep it as pocket money.”
In just a few days, she had gone from broke to having over a thousand yuan in savings.
Honestly speaking, this level of wealth already put her above most families in the city. Now that she had money, she naturally wouldn’t mistreat Fu Wenzhou—after all, she still planned to rely on his “thick thigh” to get richer in the future.
Fu Wenzhou took her hand and pressed the money into her palm.
“You hold it. I don’t need it either.”
Ruan Qiaoqiao: “……”
What kind of man gives away money and still refuses to keep any for himself?
Thinking of his situation, she didn’t insist and simply accepted it.
“Fine. If you need it, just ask me. Oh right, can I borrow your paper and pen? I promised Aunt Meihua I’d draw the medicinal plants I found in the mountains. I shouldn’t delay it.”
She also had another purpose—using the drawings to ask Aunt Meihua to help her deal with a little matter and vent some frustration.
Fu Wenzhou tore a few sheets of paper from his desk and handed them to her.
Sitting at the desk, Ruan Qiaoqiao carefully sketched ginseng and polygonatum on the reverse side of the paper.
Fu Wenzhou leaned against the desk, watching her draw stroke by stroke.
Unexpectedly, her drawing was excellent.
And she herself… even more beautiful.
The two of them shared the same quiet space, and for the first time in three years of exile, Fu Wenzhou felt a rare sense of peace.
When she finished, she looked up and met his gaze.
“Why are you staring at me?”
Fu Wenzhou lowered his head slightly, his lazy eyes carrying a hint of careless charm. He gently lifted her chin with his finger.
“My Jiao Jiao really is quite talented. I’d better keep an eye on you properly… otherwise what if someone takes you away?”
He paused slightly.
“Speaking of which… my Jiao Jiao wouldn’t actually run off with someone else, would she?”
Ruan Qiaoqiao: “……”
She just drew some herbs—how did the topic turn into whether she’d be kidnapped?
This man’s thoughts jumped so fast she couldn’t even keep up on horseback.
“Who would bother kidnapping a married woman? Are they trying to get arrested and fed peanuts in prison?”
She didn’t continue the strange conversation and stood up.
“I’m going to Aunt Meihua’s house. I’ll be back soon.”
“Go on.”
Watching her leave, a faint smile curved on Fu Wenzhou’s lips.
Ruan Qiaoqiao arrived at Liu Bangguo’s house.
He had gone to send An Ruyi off, and the children were out playing. Only Liu Meihua was washing clothes in the yard.
“Auntie, I brought the herb drawings I promised you.”
Liu Meihua quickly wiped her wet hands on her apron and came over.
She glanced at the drawings and immediately praised them.
“Oh my, Qiaoqiao, these are beautifully drawn. You can recognize them at a glance.”
Ruan Qiaoqiao smiled.
“As long as they’re recognizable, it’s fine. Ginseng is rare in the mountains, but I saw quite a bit of polygonatum. It’s valuable—you should look for it.”
“Alright, alright. Want to go together after work tomorrow?”
“Sure, no problem. I’ll take you.”
She smiled gently as she spoke, but her mind had already shifted—today’s real purpose was about to begin.