The two of them arrived at the door. Lin Qing pressed her fingerprint, and the door lock opened.
Auntie Zhang was tidying up the shoe cabinet.
Seeing Lin Qing and Fu Sinian, she said excitedly, “Oh my, Miss is back! And Mr. Fu came too, how wonderful!”
“Come, come, let me help you carry those.”
The two entered the house.
Lin Nanshan happened to be in the living room. Hearing the noise, he quickly came out to greet them.
“Xiaoqing, Sinian, you’re here.”
Lin Nanshan beamed with joy.
“Dad.”
“Hello, Uncle Lin.”
Sun Miaoyun also came out from the kitchen, wiping her hands with a tissue. She smiled warmly and said, “You’re here, come in, sit down.”
“Hello, Auntie Sun,” Fu Sinian greeted politely.
Lin Nanshan and Sun Miaoyun were nothing like their usual selves — they warmly welcomed Fu Sinian.
Lin Qing silently cursed in her heart.
So fake. Too fake.
“Sit, sit, Sinian,” Lin Nanshan said, pointing to the seat beside him.
Fu Sinian pulled Lin Qing along and sat down together.
As Lin Nanshan poured tea, he said, “Sinian, I truly didn’t expect you and Xiaoqing would end up together. Because of past matters between our families, I did have some prejudice against you. I hope you won’t take it to heart.”
Fu Sinian took the teacup with a smile and said, “You’re being too kind, Uncle. As long as our families can get along well from now on, that’s all that matters.”
Lin Qing cleared her throat lightly and said seriously,
“Dad, Sinian and I are planning to get married.”
“Married?!”
Lin Nanshan’s eyes immediately lit up. He clapped his hands together,
“Great, great! Getting married is wonderful!”
Lin Qing rolled her eyes inwardly.
She knew her dad would react like this.
It was Sun Miaoyun, however, who paused slightly while placing the fruit platter on the table.
Lin Qing, with her sharp eyes, keenly caught a hint of displeasure in her stepmother’s expression.
She immediately linked arms with Fu Sinian and smiled at Sun Miaoyun.
“Aunt Sun, I’m getting married. Are you happy for me?”
Sun Miaoyun curved her lips slightly.
“Of course I’m happy.”
Fu Sinian glanced at Lin Qing’s arm tightly wrapped around his and then looked over at Sun Miaoyun. His gaze darkened slightly, as if he had understood something.
Lin Nanshan beamed.
“Since you’ve decided to get married, both families should meet and discuss the wedding.”
“Don’t worry, Uncle Lin,” Fu Sinian replied. “I’m taking Lin Qing to meet my family tonight. I’ll also arrange the meeting between our families as soon as possible.”
“Good, good, that’s great.”
After some small talk, Lin Nanshan and Fu Sinian began to discuss the company’s equity and investment terms. Lin Qing didn’t understand much about financing, so she said,
“Dad, I’ll go upstairs and check on Grandma.”
She left the living room to them and went upstairs to visit the elderly Madam Lin, who had just been discharged from the hospital.
Upstairs in the villa, Madam Lin was resting in bed.
Lin Qing gently opened the door and peeked in.
The elderly woman was a light sleeper. Hearing the movement, she opened her eyes and asked in a hoarse voice,
“Qingqing, is that you?”
“Yes, Grandma, it’s me.”
Lin Qing walked to the bedside and held the old lady’s outstretched hand.
The moment Madam Lin saw her, her eyes welled up with tears. She spoke emotionally,
“Qingqing, we’re so thankful to you for your father’s situation. You’re truly your grandmother’s good girl. I only said those things before because I had no choice. I hope you won’t take them to heart.”
She gripped Lin Qing’s hand tightly and gently stroked her hair, her touch full of affection.
“Grandma, I understand what you went through. I don’t blame you.”
Lin Qing smiled at her and said,
“I have something to tell you — Fu Sinian and I are getting married.”
“Getting married?”
Madam Lin frowned, her expression shifting. Thinking of the money lent to the company, she immediately understood what was going on.
“Is it because of the loan? Are you being forced to marry him?” she asked anxiously, worried her granddaughter was under pressure.
“No, no,” Lin Qing quickly denied it.
After a pause, she lowered her voice and said,
“Grandma… I’m pregnant.”
Madam Lin’s expression shifted from concern to joy.
“Really?”
“How far along?”
“A little over a month.”
Lin Qing added,
“It’s not even three months yet. Please help me keep it a secret for now — don’t tell Dad or Aunt Sun.”
Given Lin Nanshan’s personality, Lin Qing worried he might get too excited and make unreasonable demands of Fu Sinian.
Madam Lin gently touched her still-flat belly, eyes full of emotion.
“Oh, that’s wonderful. Since you’re expecting, it’s only right to get married soon.”
“Are you feeling okay? Can you still eat properly?”
“I’m okay — I just get nauseous in the mornings, but I’m fine the rest of the day.”
Madam Lin reminded her gently,
“You’re still early in the pregnancy. Be sure to take care of yourself. Don’t overwork. Even if you don’t have much appetite, you need to eat more.”
Lin Qing nodded and said okay, nestling herself in her grandmother’s arms.
Madam Lin stroked her hair, sighing,
“Time flies… My little Qingqing is going to be a mom.”
“And Grandma has to stay healthy too — my baby’s waiting to call you great-grandma.”
Lin Qing said sweetly, acting spoiled.
……
After a while, Fu Sinian also came upstairs to visit Grandma Lin.
Grandma Lin held his hand and spoke earnestly,
“Grandma knows you’re a good boy. Now that you and Qingqing are about to get married, I hope you’ll take good care of her and never let her be wronged.”
Her words carried deep concern for Lin Qing and the relationship between the two families.
Fu Sinian gently squeezed her hand and solemnly promised,
“Grandma, I’ll definitely take good care of Qingqing and our baby. You can rest assured.”
As he finished, he glanced at Lin Qing, his gaze tender and full of affection.
When Lin Qing heard him call her “Qingqing,” she got goosebumps all over.
This man… when he acts, even her own mother wouldn’t be able to tell he’s pretending.
They stayed a little while longer in Grandma Lin’s room, then went back downstairs.
Lin Nanshan asked,
“Are you two staying for dinner tonight?”
Fu Sinian replied,
“No, I’m taking Qingqing back to the Fu house for dinner.”
At that moment, the phone rang.
Fu Sinian glanced at the screen,
“It’s my mom calling.”
He picked up.
“Hi Mom, we should be there in about ten minutes.”
After hanging up, Fu Sinian took Lin Qing’s hand and headed toward the door, saying to Lin Nanshan and Sun Miaoyun,
“Uncle Lin, Aunt Sun, we’ll be heading out now.”
“Alright.”
Lin Qing noticed that Lin Nanshan was clearly less enthusiastic than when they had first arrived. She didn’t know what Fu Sinian had said to him downstairs.
Fu Sinian held Lin Qing’s hand as they walked out the front door. It was drizzling outside.
The sky was gray and overcast. The neighborhood was very quiet. Fat raindrops fell to the ground with a steady pitter-patter, sharp and insistent.
With one hand, Fu Sinian held the gift bag Lin Qing had bought. With the other, he held an umbrella as they walked toward the Fu house.
Curious about what had been discussed earlier, Lin Qing asked,
“Hey, what were you and my dad talking about downstairs? He didn’t look too happy afterward.”
Fu Sinian turned his head and looked at her, eyes full of amusement.
“You really want to know?”
Lin Qing nodded.
“Mm-hmm.”
Fu Sinian crooked his finger, motioning for her to come closer.
Lin Qing took a couple of steps to stand next to him.
“Closer,” he said, not satisfied yet.
Step by step, until her sneakers bumped against his leather shoes.
Then Fu Sinian leaned down and whispered in her ear:
“That’s a secret.”
His lips were so close, his warm breath tickled her ear, making it itch.
As soon as Lin Qing heard the word “secret,” she exploded.
“Fu Sinian, you tricked me!” she yelled, trying to pinch his arm. Then she threw herself onto his back, slapping and hitting him playfully.
“Hey hey hey! Don’t mess around!”
Amid playful bickering, they continued walking forward.
Fu Sinian suddenly stopped walking, his expression turning serious as he looked straight ahead.
Lin Qing didn’t know what was happening and followed his gaze.
A man was standing in front of the Fu family villa, holding several large gift bags. He wasn’t using an umbrella, and raindrops were falling steadily on his neatly pressed dark blue suit.
Within seconds, the suit was soaked through.
The man looked to be in his fifties, his hair graying, and he wore a desolate expression.
“Dad, please give me one more chance. Dad, I know I was wrong,” the man called out loudly.
The Fu family’s gates remained tightly shut.
That one word—“Dad”—paired with his attire made it very clear: this was Fu Sinian’s uncle, Fu Yiwei, the chairman of Dongxin.
“That’s your uncle, right?” Lin Qing asked in a low voice.
“Yes.”
The two of them stood at a short distance, silently watching, without stepping forward.
Soon, the sound of a car engine approached—dudududu.
A black Land Rover pulled up in front of the villa, and a young man got out. Holding an umbrella, he walked up to Fu Yiwei.
“Dad, you just got out of the hospital. You can’t be standing in the rain like this. Grandpa won’t open the door—just give it up,” said the young man, Fu Siyan.
Fu Yiwei shook his head and pushed Fu Siyan away.
“I don’t believe it. Your grandfather can’t possibly be that heartless.”
“Dad, please, forgive me. I was just confused at the time—I made a terrible mistake,” Fu Yiwei shouted into the rain, but there was no response.
After a moment, he began coughing uncontrollably.
“Cough—cough—cough—”
“Dad, let’s go. Yelling like this won’t help,” Fu Siyan tried to persuade him again and again.
From a short distance away, Fu Sinian watched the scene with tightly pressed lips. He finally took a step forward.
Lin Qing followed him silently.
When they heard footsteps, both Fu Siyan and Fu Yiwei turned to look.
Their gazes met—tense, filled with mutual scrutiny and judgment.
Fu Sinian’s voice was calm:
“Uncle, you should go back. What’s done is done, and it’s too late to undo it. If Grandpa doesn’t want to see you, then staying here will do nothing.”
Fu Yiwei turned around, pleading with Fu Sinian:
“Sinian, for the sake of our uncle-nephew relationship, please speak to your grandfather for me. Ask him to forgive me. The company was my life’s work—you can’t just take it away like this!”
His voice was full of desperate pleading. Fu Sinian looked at the man kneeling on the ground—though he felt a hint of pity, he still said to Fu Siyan,
“Take your dad home.”
Then he turned to Lin Qing,
“Let’s go in.”
“Okay,” she replied.
They started walking toward the villa.
Fu Siyan stared at their backs, bitterness rising in his chest as he thought about Dongxin being taken over. He couldn’t hold back anymore:
“Fu Sinian, are you really this heartless?!”
Fu Sinian paused.
At those words, his expression darkened.
Lin Qing, standing beside him, didn’t dare to speak.
Fu Sinian slowly turned his head and looked at Fu Siyan, enunciating each word:
“You’re the last person qualified to say that.”
The rain intensified, and the sky grew darker.
The wind howled around them, and Lin Qing, feeling cold, stepped behind Fu Sinian for shelter.
The man standing before her spoke with a voice as cold as frost.
Fu Siyan looked up at him, and a chill ran through his entire body.
“Don’t think I don’t know who’s been stirring up trouble lately. Just because I’m not saying anything doesn’t mean I won’t hold you accountable. You’d better watch yourselves.”
After Fu Sinian finished speaking, he glanced at Lin Qing, who was hiding behind him.
Her nose was red, and she was rubbing her arms for warmth. He took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders, his tone immediately softening:
“If you were cold, why didn’t you say anything? Standing here freezing like this—if you catch a cold later, it’ll be a problem.”
The suit jacket carried a clean, fresh cedarwood scent—it smelled really nice.
Lin Qing pulled the coat tighter around her.
Fu Sinian placed her hand in the crook of his arm.
“Let’s go inside.”
“Okay.”
He unlocked the door with his fingerprint.
Ding—the villa door opened.
A few seconds later, it shut behind them.
Fu Siyan watched their backs disappear into the house, his gaze growing darker and more unreadable.
“Dad, let’s go. There’s no point in doing this anymore. We need to start thinking of other options.”
Fu Yiwei coughed continuously, then looked up at the villa and let out a long sigh. In the end, he stood up and got into the car to leave.
The two of them walked inside.
The garden path was paved with bluestone, and lotus flowers stood gracefully in the small pond. Fish swam freely among the lilies, occasionally leaping above the surface and splashing drops of water. The exterior of the villa was in traditional Chinese style, with two magnolia trees on either side, filling the air with a strong floral fragrance.
The front door of the villa was already open.
Fu Sinian’s mother, Jiang Li, heard the sound and hurried to the entrance to greet them.
“Oh my, Xiaoqing, hurry and come in, the wind is strong outside.”
Lin Qing took off the suit jacket and casually draped it over her arm. Smiling, she greeted Jiang Li, “Hello, Auntie Jiang.”
“Good, good, good.”
“Such a polite child. Why did you bring so many things?”
Jiang Li warmly took Lin Qing’s hand and led her into the house.
In the living room, Fu Sinian’s father, Fu Yiqing, was sitting on the sofa brewing tea.
Lin Qing greeted, “Hello, Uncle Fu.”
Fu Yiqing smiled kindly, “Have a seat.”
Fu Sinian and Lin Qing sat down on the sofa.
Not long after, the sound of footsteps echoed from the staircase.
Grandpa Fu, holding a cane, was coming down the stairs with the help of Aunt Chen.
Fu Sinian and Lin Qing quickly stood up and went over to help him.
Aunt Chen tactfully stepped aside to give them space.
Lin Qing politely said, “Hello, Grandpa Fu,” and reached out to support him.
Grandpa Fu waved her off, refusing her help. “Enough, I can walk on my own. I’m not so old I can’t move yet.”
His tone was a bit stern.
Lin Qing withdrew her hand.
The atmosphere grew a little awkward.
Everyone sat down on the sofa.
Just as Jiang Li was about to speak, a crisp female voice rang out from outside the door.
“Dad, Mom, Grandpa, I’m back!”
A young woman stepped in wearing a white dress, short brown hair, a bear-shaped backpack on her waist, and pulling two suitcases behind her.
Her features bore some resemblance to Fu Sinian’s—perhaps 40 to 50 percent.
“Xiaoyan, you’re back!”
Jiang Li took the suitcases from her daughter and asked, “You were on a flight for more than ten hours—tired?”
“I’m okay.”
Fu Yan walked into the living room and, upon seeing Lin Qing, paused with a slight frown. “Why are you here?”
Her tone was not very friendly.
Fu Sinian explained, “I brought her.”
“Xiaoyan, Lin Qing and I are getting married. She’ll be your sister-in-law.”
Fu Yan’s eyes widened. “What? Are you crazy? You’re marrying her?”
Fu Yiqing’s face darkened. “Mind your manners.”
Fu Yan pouted. “Fine.”
Lin Qing wasn’t very familiar with Fu Yan. All she knew was that Fu Sinian’s younger sister had studied in the UK with Song Shuyao, and the two were close—so it made sense that Fu Yan didn’t like her.
Fu Yan brought her luggage upstairs.
Before dinner, Grandpa Fu said to Lin Qing, “Come to my study. I have something to talk to you about.”
Lin Qing was taken aback and looked at Fu Sinian.
He seemed surprised too.
“Grandpa—” Fu Sinian sounded concerned.
“Don’t worry. I won’t make things difficult for her.” Grandpa Fu waved at Lin Qing. “Come with me.”
“Okay.”
Lin Qing followed him up to the second-floor study.
In the study, Grandpa Fu sat in his chair, silent for a while as he sized up Lin Qing.
His gaze was probing and oppressive.
Lin Qing was unafraid and met his eyes. “Grandpa, you asked me to come up. What do you want to talk about?”
She knew Grandpa Fu had always disliked the Lin family, so she had a pretty good idea of what this conversation was about.
“Do you know that your grandfather once had a grudge with the Fu family?”
“I know.”
“Then why are you still so determined to marry into our Fu family?”
Lin Qing suddenly smiled. “Grandpa, it was your grandson who first proposed marriage. I just don’t want my child to be born illegitimate. I won’t lie to you—my grandfather dotes on me. I don’t want to see the company he spent half his life building fall into someone else’s hands. I need money to get through this crisis, and Sinian agreed to lend it to me. So I agreed to marry him.”
She paused, then added, “Whether you agree or not, I have to go through with this marriage.”
The girl standing before him looked resolute and firm in her stance.
Grandpa Fu raised an eyebrow with interest. “And what if I insist on stopping your marriage?”
Ah, so that’s his game.
Lin Qing sneered inwardly. This old man really held a deep grudge against her family.
“Grandpa, if you insist on stopping the marriage, there’s nothing I can do. The child will have to take my surname, Lin. If my family goes bankrupt and the company fails, then your great-grandchild will suffer with me. I’m not afraid of hardship, but I’d hate for your great-grandchild to suffer. Either you agree to let me marry Sinian, or I raise the child on my own. Pick one, Grandpa. Two options. Choose.”
Lin Qing didn’t back down at all.
After all, she had nothing to lose.
If he refused to let her marry Fu Sinian, then the child would be hers alone.
If he didn’t let her marry but also tried to fight for the child—well, that was wishful thinking.
There’s no such thing as having it both ways in this world.
Grandpa Fu’s eyes darkened as he looked at her.
Lin Qing simply stood there, waiting for his response.
The air grew tense.
No one spoke.
A silent standoff stretched between them.
After a moment, Grandpa Fu let out a dry chuckle and pointed at Lin Qing. “You’re quite something for a young girl. Alright then, help me up.”
A hand reached out toward her.
Lin Qing was stunned.
She hadn’t expected that.
Grandpa Fu grew impatient. “What are you standing there for? Help me up, let’s go down for dinner.”
Understanding what he meant, Lin Qing’s face lit up with joy. She quickly helped him up. “Okay, Grandpa.”
She supported him down the stairs.
Just as they were stepping onto the staircase, they heard Fu Yan’s voice from the living room.
“Brother, why would you give up Sister Shuyao for someone with the last name Lin?”
Fu Sinian, who was sipping tea, sternly rebuked her: “Fu Yan! Watch your words. She’s your sister-in-law.”
Fu Yan hugged a pillow and sulked on the sofa. “I don’t acknowledge her as my sister-in-law.”
“Cough, cough—” A coughing sound came from the stairs.
Grandpa Fu tapped his cane on the ground with a loud thump thump.
Everyone in the living room immediately looked toward the staircase.
Grandpa Fu said sternly, “From now on, no gossiping in this house. If I hear more nonsense, I’ll send you back to the UK for another two years of school.”
“Grandpa!” Fu Yan cried out, extremely aggrieved.
“Enough. Let’s eat.” Grandpa Fu said.
A few minutes later, the family was seated around the long dining table.
The dishes prepared by Aunt Chen were both rich and refined. Since Lin Qing was pregnant, the food was especially light and mild. She took a few bites—it was very tasty and suited her palate well.
Jiang Li sat next to her, picking food into her bowl, and asked in a low voice, “Have you been vomiting a lot lately?”
Lin Qing smiled. “It’s been manageable.”
“You need to eat more and gain some weight. I heard from Sinian’s father that Sinian put you in charge of the acquisition project. That boy… knowing your condition and still assigning you such a tiring task.”
Fu Sinian, overhearing this, turned to Lin Qing. “If it really feels too much, I’ll tell Lawyer Jiang to reassign it.”
Lin Qing quickly said, “Auntie, this project was decided a long time ago and it’s already in motion. Changing people now might not be appropriate. I know my body best.”
Since Lin Qing said that, Jiang Li didn’t press further.
Halfway through the meal, Grandpa Fu spoke up. “You two should pick a date and get your marriage certificate first. Then arrange for both families to meet and start preparing the wedding.”
At that, Lin Qing said, “Grandpa, can we delay the wedding for now?”
Grandpa Fu’s face darkened. “No wedding? If not now, then when?”
Fu Sinian said, “Grandpa, Lin Qing and I are both very busy with the acquisition case. Plus, her health isn’t great—she just went to the hospital a few days ago, and the doctor advised her to rest more. A wedding is too exhausting. We’d rather wait until after the baby is born.”
Fu Yiqing added, “Dad, let them register first. Right now, Lin Qing’s family is dealing with a lot, and Sinian’s project is at a critical stage. He can’t step away. How about this—on the day they get the certificate, the two families can have a meal together. The wedding can be held next year when they’re both more free. Let them handle it themselves. Young people like to plan their own weddings—they think that’s more perfect.”
Jiang Li agreed, “Yes, Dad. No need to rush. Both our families are well-respected, so the wedding should be grand. Lin Qing is in a crucial stage of pregnancy and needs to rest properly.”
As someone who had gone through pregnancy herself, Jiang Li understood the hardship and didn’t recommend having a wedding now.
With most of the family against holding the wedding right away, Grandpa Fu had no choice but to give in.
“Alright, let’s do it your way.”
Fu Yan quietly ate her food and muttered under her breath, “So delicate…”
After dinner, Grandpa Fu went upstairs to rest, while Fu Yiqing and Fu Sinian played chess nearby. Fu Yan, who didn’t like Lin Qing, had already gone back to her room early to unpack her luggage.
Looking at the brand-new, high-quality agate and jade chessboard, Fu Yiqing, an avid chess enthusiast, was very pleased. He praised Lin Qing, “Xiao Qing, you really have an eye for picking chessboards.”
Lin Qing smiled, “As long as you like it, Uncle.”
Jiang Li came downstairs from the second floor holding a box and sat down in front of Lin Qing.
She opened the box. Inside was a jade bracelet—
its texture and color were excellent, clearly very valuable.
“Xiao Qing, this is a welcome gift from me. See if you like it?”
Jiang Li began sliding the bracelet onto Lin Qing’s wrist.
Lin Qing tried to decline, “Auntie, this is too expensive. I can’t accept it.”
Jiang Li let out a quick “Eh” and firmly held Lin Qing’s hand, slipping the bracelet on.
“Just take it as a gift from your future mother-in-law. You brought so many gifts for us—of course we have to give something in return. This bracelet was given to me by Sinian’s grandmother when I married your uncle. It’ll be yours from now on. I hope you and Sinian live a good life together. Let’s put all the unpleasantness between our families in the past.”
Once Lin Qing heard it was a family heirloom, she couldn’t refuse any longer and accepted it. “Then I’ll accept it. Thank you, Auntie.”
“Good girl.”
Jiang Li grew increasingly fond of Lin Qing—everything about her felt just right.
Through this short interaction, Lin Qing also formed a good impression of her future mother-in-law.
When she was younger—before the two families fell out—she used to play at the Fu house often. Back then, Fu Sinian’s mother always held her while admiring the magnolia trees in the courtyard and would give her candy each time she visited.
She had assumed that after the families turned against each other, Jiang Li would resent her. But clearly, she had been overthinking it.
Outside, the rain was pouring heavily.
Fu Sinian originally planned to drive back to Jinmao Mansion once the rain stopped.
But by 9:00 p.m., the rain hadn’t let up—in fact, it had grown heavier.
Jiang Li said, “Sinian, why don’t you just stay here tonight? Driving back now will take over an hour, and it’s not safe to drive in heavy rain at night.”
Jinmao Mansion was in the south of the city; Jinxiu Manor was in the west.
The round trip took more than an hour.
Seeing it was getting late, Jiang Li encouraged them to stay the night.
Lin Qing, hearing this, was about to refuse, but Fu Sinian said to her, “Let’s just stay the night. Jinxiu Manor is closer to Huading—it’ll be more convenient for you to get to work tomorrow.”
Jiang Li added, “Yes, stay the night.”
With her future mother-in-law gently urging her, Lin Qing didn’t dare say no. She could only grit her teeth and agree.
She made a call to Aunt Zhang, asking her to bring over some of her change of clothes.
10:00 p.m., third floor of the villa, inside the room.
Lin Qing glanced at the man sitting at the desk reading. She wanted to say something but hesitated.
Fu Sinian sneaked a look at her and said, “Stop spacing out. Go shower already—pregnant women should sleep early, no staying up late.”
“Okay.”
Lin Qing took her change of clothes and went into the bathroom.
Twenty minutes later, she came out.
Fu Sinian was still reading.
The large room only had one bed.
Lin Qing sat on the edge of the bed, towel-drying her hair, and asked Fu Sinian:
“So… how are we sleeping tonight?”