A man of average height around 170 centimeters, with ordinary features, raised a smiling face: “Yes, it’s me, Professor. You and your family have suffered.”
Fu Laoda was still somewhat stunned: “How did you get here?”
Zhang Jianguo wore a simple, honest expression, scratching the back of his head as he smiled: “A few of us classmates heard about your situation and have been wanting to help. But as you know, we’re just ordinary students, and classes are suspended right now. We want to help but can’t do much.
We could only pool some money together to buy some food and necessities for you. It’s not much, but please don’t mind it.”
Zhang Jianguo handed over a small bundle containing a few pieces of clothing and some steamed buns and mantou—indeed not much.
Fu Laoda felt his nose sting. This student had been given a major demerit by him for cheating on an exam.
He never expected that at this critical moment, when others were eager to cut ties with him, this student would pull strings to visit him.
These items weren’t much, but getting permission to enter required considerable effort and expense.
They were all poor students with hardly any money to spare.
“Good child, thank you, thank you all. Please convey my gratitude to everyone.
From now on, take care of yourselves. Don’t run around for my sake anymore, lest you get implicated.”
Fu Laoda taught biology at the university. He was a biology professor and the only one in the Fu Family who had inherited Old Master Fu’s legacy.
Fu Laoda had a gentle temperament but was deeply devoted to academics, meticulous and quite strict in scholarly matters.
When the Fu Family encountered trouble, students who had once been severely criticized by him took the opportunity to kick him while he was down, adding numerous accusations to his name.
He never imagined that this student, whom he had nearly expelled, would go to such lengths for him.
So, truly conscientious people would surely understand his well-intentioned efforts.
Zhang Jianguo repeatedly waved his hands: “It’s nothing. There’s not much we can do, just a small token of our hearts.
Professor, you must be hungry. Please eat while it’s still warm. I can’t stay long, but I’ll come see you again when I have the chance.
If you need anything, just let me know. I’ll do my best to help.”
Zhang Jianguo hurriedly distributed the steamed buns and mantou in his hands.
The Fu Family members were deeply grateful—adversity reveals true hearts.
“Stinky stinky.” When it was Little Fufu’s turn, the chubby toddler slapped the bun out of Zhang Jianguo’s hand, then stood up and tried to stomp on it with her little feet.
She slipped and landed hard on her bottom.
The chubby toddler…
Turned her plump head in confusion. How did she end up sitting?
The Fu Family found it both amusing and exasperating.
Fourth Brother Fu picked up his chubby daughter with concern: “Did Fufu get hurt from the fall? Sweetie, that was food Big Brother specially brought for us. It’s precious. You can’t throw it on the ground and stomp on it. That’s not right.
Quick, go apologize to Big Brother.”
The toddler tilted her chubby head upward, looking utterly bewildered.
Zhang Jianguo concealed the gloom in his eyes and quickly waved his hands: “It’s fine, it’s okay. She’s still young and doesn’t understand anything.
If she doesn’t like the buns, how about some mantou? The mixed-grain mantou is fragrant too.”
Fourth Brother Fu accepted the mantou with an apologetic smile: “Student Zhang, I’m truly sorry. I apologize on Fufu’s behalf.
And thank you for the things.
Fufu, smell this. Isn’t it fragrant? Big Brother specially brought it for us.”
The toddler blinked her big eyes, stretched her little neck forward to sniff, then instantly scrunched her little face into bun-like wrinkles, slapping the mantou away again: “Stinky stinky.”
Fourth Brother Fu moved quickly, preventing the chubby toddler from knocking it away.
He felt that the father wasn’t teaching the child properly—how could she be so impolite? He put on a stern face, ready to properly teach his daughter.
Baba… how could it not teach well? It teaches excellently. It’s you, this old sly one, who understands nothing.
The little master is so clever. Anything inedible, she’ll call it stinky. This thing is clearly not edible.
Qingqing Yin rushed over, scooping up her daughter in a protective embrace, eyeing Fourth Brother Fu warily.
Fourth Brother Fu…
Old Master Fu pushed Fourth Brother Fu aside, smiling warmly at Zhang Jianguo: “Classmate Zhang, don’t mind it. The child doesn’t understand. Please don’t take it to heart. We’ll teach her properly.”
“Thank you for the things. We’ll eat them well and not let everyone’s kindness go to waste.”
“Those people outside are probably getting impatient. You should head back now. Take good care of yourself from now on, and don’t take risks again.”
“Also, thank the other classmates for us.”
Zhang Jianguo really couldn’t stay long. He glanced at the items in his hand and handed them to the old master: “Alright, Professor. If you need anything, you must tell me. Don’t stand on ceremony.”
The door closed. Old Second Fu leaned silently against the back of the door for a full three minutes before nodding and speaking up: “No one’s there.”
Old Master Fu looked at the items in his hand—a few ordinary, half-new, half-old clothes. Nothing unusual.
He broke open each bun and steamed bun but found nothing.
Old Master Fu sniffed them; they just smelled like food itself.
Third Master Fu asked: “Dad, did you notice something off?”
Third Master Fu was in politics, with more schemes than a sieve has holes.
The old master glanced at him and passed the items over.
Third Master Fu examined them left and right but also found nothing.
His eyes shifted as he asked Fu Laoda: “Big brother, what’s the story with this student of yours?”
Fu Laoda was still immersed in emotion and didn’t understand the question: “No story. He’s from a rural family, managed to test his way out with great difficulty.”
“He’s usually very hardworking, keeps a low profile, honest and steady in character.”
“But maybe he had a momentary lapse in judgment. He cheated during a major exam, and when caught red-handed, instead of reflecting, he tried to shift blame. I got angry and planned to expel him.”
“Later, many people pleaded for him. He himself said it was just a momentary impulse and he’d never do it again, so I gave him a major demerit.”
“It seems he really was just impulsive at the time. Now he’s come to his senses and is a good kid again.”
Third Master Fu curled his lips, his smile not reaching his eyes. All so-called “momentary impulses” are either sudden eruptions of hidden malicious traits or premeditated outbursts.
His old big brother was forever this naive.
“Fufu, come to Third Uncle.”
Pang Fu toddled over, fixing Third Master Fu with her big, dark eyes.
Third Master Fu chuckled, pulling the chubby little ball into his arms. All this time, he’d only managed to grab a chubby little leg for a squeeze and hadn’t held her yet.
Soft and squishy, really comfortable.
“Fufu, smell this. Is it still stinky?”
Chubby Fufu pouted and leaned back, refusing to sniff. Stinky, big stinky.
Third Master Fu brought the clothes closer to the chubby ball: “Fufu, smell the clothes. Are they stinky?”
The little ball knew without sniffing: “Not stinky.”
Third Master Fu and the old master exchanged a look, curiosity and suspicion in their eyes.
Third Master Fu: “Second Sister-in-law, take a sniff. See if you can detect anything.”
Second Sister-in-law Fu was a nurse, but she couldn’t smell anything either.
Old Master Fu: “Let’s not eat these things for now. Everyone, bear with it.”
Although Little Fufu was a two-year-old toddler who had just returned, no one in the Fu Family looked down on her, not even for mischievous acts like swatting away food and calling it stinky.
Children don’t do things without reason, meaning there must be something off about these items.
Although the grandchildren of the Fu Family didn’t understand, they remained silent, obediently handing back the buns and steamed buns they had been given.
“Tummy hungry,” chubby Fufu said, patting her belly and asking for food, not understanding the situation.
Everyone felt troubled. Chubby Fufu was only two years old—how could she endure this?
The old lady felt sorry for her grandchildren. “Should we give up some benefits to get some food for the children?”
Old Master Fu shook his head. “We can’t start this. Otherwise, all our previous preparations will be in vain. Besides, since they’ve already sent these things, they won’t give us anything else.”
These “stinking” things—they had to eat them whether they wanted to or not.
“Fufu, Fufu…” Qingqing Yin suddenly shouted.
“What’s wrong?” Fourth Brother Fu followed the sound and looked over.
Qingqing Yin was crouched by a small hole in the corner, shouting outside.
Everyone searched around but couldn’t find chubby Fufu.
Old Master Fu asked anxiously, “Did Fufu go out?”
Qingqing Yin ignored him, continuing to shout for Fufu.
Seeing this, everyone understood—Fufu must have gone out.
“Qingqing, move aside and let me see. I’ll go find Fufu. I’ll bring Fufu back.”
Qingqing Yin refused to move, and Fourth Brother Fu grew anxious.
Old Master Fu said gravely, “The hole is too small. Only Fufu can fit through. Looking won’t help.”
Fourth Brother Fu scratched his head anxiously. “Then what should we do?”
He glanced at the tightly locked door, ran over, and banged on it loudly. “Open the door! Open the door! Let us out…”
The people outside remained as silent as death.