Hearing the words “very experienced,” Jiang Youqing felt a pang in her heart. “Your father is really no good. You’re so young, and he has you helping others raise their grandchildren.”
Fu Yunzhu stepped forward and picked up Hanghang. “It’s all in the past. If they hadn’t treated me that way, I might never have thought to come find you so quickly.”
“Wait a moment,” Jiang Youqing said, turning to leave.
Before long, she returned with two peaches and handed them to Fu Yunzhu. “Eat these while playing.”
Fu Yunzhu took them. “Thank you, Mom. You go handle your things.”
Jiang Youqing went back to the kitchen and prepared two dishes that Xiao Jingchuan loved. When the food was ready, she cleaned the living room table and then heard the sound of a car stopping outside.
Xiao Tianwen had returned. He washed his face and stepped out of the bathroom when Jiang Youqing approached him. “Director Xiao, the meal is ready. Are you waiting for the eldest son to come back, or shall we eat now?”
Xiao Tianwen glanced at his watch. “Let’s eat.”
“All right,” Jiang Youqing replied, about to turn back to prepare the food, but Xiao Tianwen called her again. “You said you were going to the train station to pick up your daughter. Did you get her?”
“Yes, I did.”
Xiao Tianwen smiled. “Good. That settles a worry for you. Call the girl over to eat.”
“All right. Thank you, Director Xiao.”
Jiang Youqing returned to the kitchen to serve the dishes, with another aunt helping.
Once everything was on the table, she went to call Fu Yunzhu. Liu Aunt asked, “Director Xiao, didn’t the eldest son say he would return today to eat together?”
“Yes,” Xiao Tianwen nodded. “But don’t wait for him. It’s this late, and it’s Yunzhu’s first time at the Xiao family’s house. We can’t let her go hungry.”
Liu Aunt said no more.
Soon, Jiang Youqing led Fu Yunzhu in.
It was Fu Yunzhu’s first time meeting Xiao Tianwen. He had sharp features, a strong jawline, and an aura of authority that commanded respect even when sitting silently. Forty-plus years had left him with a sense of dignified authority.
Fu Yunzhu greeted him calmly. “Hello, my name is Fu Yunzhu. Thank you for allowing me to stay here for a while. I just came from the countryside, and there’s much I don’t understand. If I overstep, please point it out directly. I will improve.”
“Haha! You should say, ‘Please forgive me if I overstep,’” Xiao Tianwen said, looking at this plainly dressed girl. He didn’t expect someone so humble and poised just like Jiang Youqing.
Fu Yunzhu smiled and said nothing more. She hadn’t expected Director Xiao to be so approachable.
She had grown up navigating money and power, seeing all kinds of people, and knew what to say and do depending on her position lessons her father had once ensured she learned.
“All right, let’s eat quickly don’t starve,” Xiao Tianwen said, picking up Hanghang and holding him close.
The Xiao family only had two men, and since they often didn’t eat at home, there weren’t many rules.
Jiang Youqing led Fu Yunzhu to the table and helped her sit. She served soup to Xiao Tianwen, then gave a bowl to Fu Yunzhu and Liu Aunt. Only then did she sit down herself.
Xiao Tianwen was easygoing but quiet; when he ate, he simply ate.
Jiang Youqing occasionally served more food to Fu Yunzhu, but in reality, Fu Yunzhu had only eaten a bowl of noodles earlier. She wasn’t that hungry but didn’t want to offend her mother, so she ate slowly.
The only sound at the table came from Hanghang. Whenever he wanted food, he would tug Xiao Tianwen’s hand in its direction, squealing nonstop.
Xiao Tianwen patiently got up to serve him.
Jiang Youqing went over. “Let me take care of Hanghang. You eat.”
“No need.”
Fu Yunzhu observed the child carefully, noting his every movement, but remained silent.
After the meal, Liu Aunt washed the dishes. Xiao Tianwen called out to Jiang Youqing, who was about to take Hanghang, “Play a game of Go with me.”
This was Xiao Tianwen’s habit.
Fu Yunzhu quickly took the child from Jiang Youqing. “Mom, I’ll take care of Hanghang.”
Jiang Youqing hesitated a moment, then handed him over. “Yunzhu, tonight I’ll teach you Go.”
“All right.”
As usual, Jiang Youqing set up the board and began playing. Halfway through, Xiao Tianwen smiled. “You seem distracted today. Don’t worry once Liu Aunt finishes washing, I’ll have her look after Hanghang.”
Jiang Youqing relaxed. “Thank you, Director Xiao.”
Soon, Jiang Youqing got fully into the game, and the two played back and forth. Liu Aunt, finishing the dishes, was called by Xiao Tianwen, “Liu Aunt, go take care of Hanghang.”
She hesitated but finally obeyed.
In the backyard, she muttered under her breath, “Relying on her looks to charm men, taking shortcuts.”
Her voice was low, but Fu Yunzhu heard it clearly. Liu Aunt meant her words for Fu Yunzhu.
It wasn’t just Liu Aunt Wang Aunt, who cared for Hanghang, also resented Jiang Youqing. Why should Jiang Youqing leisurely cook two meals, play Go, chat, and earn the same as them?
Especially Wang Aunt, who was exhausted from childcare and had taken extended leave for it. She couldn’t believe Jiang Youqing had time to play Go with the Director while caring for the child.
But when she looked up, she met Fu Yunzhu’s dark, steady gaze.
She froze and muttered quietly, “A real fox spirit giving birth to a little fox spirit.”
Fu Yunzhu tugged her lips but said nothing. Everything was still unfamiliar, and she didn’t want to cause trouble for her mother.
Liu Aunt asked, “Shall I take Hanghang?”
“No, I can handle him just fine. You go do other things,” Fu Yunzhu said. Hanghang tugged her toward a trellis.
Liu Aunt, already annoyed, turned and left.
Fu Yunzhu followed Hanghang to the trellis, saw a ceramic bowl, crouched down, held his hand, and guided his index finger. She pointed at the bowl and said, “Next time, if you want something to eat or play with, point with your index finger for sister to see, then you’ll get it.”
Hanghang didn’t understand the words, but he knew that to get what he wanted, he had to point his finger.
Fu Yunzhu took a small piece of peach from the bowl and handed it to him. “Good job, Hanghang.”
Indeed, Fu Yunzhu had studied child behavior research in university and for her master’s. During her graduate studies, she had even published a paper in the field that won an award. But she had married right after graduating and never applied her knowledge.
From the novel, Hanghang had only a few lines, but she immediately realized he likely had mild autism or developmental delays.
In the story, his role was merely to create obstacles for Xiao Jingchuan’s future love interest, but now he was right in front of her not a fictional character, but a living, real child.
A child who couldn’t hear, speak, or point properly, unable to communicate with anyone, calling out alone in his world it made her heart ache.
“Hanghang.”
Fu Yunzhu turned at the voice and saw a tall, upright figure silhouetted by the sunset. At that moment, she recalled the book’s description: his shoulders and neck relaxed like silk warmed by the spring sun, his brow smooth and expansive like distant mountains, strikingly handsome.