Fu Jingshu sat in his chair, head bowed, hands clasped, saying nothing.
Xixi’s heart ached. "Brother Fu, don't be sad. I believe good fortune will favor the righteous. She'll be fine."
Fu Jingshu still didn't acknowledge her.
Xixi frowned slightly, her concern evident. "Don't be like this, Brother Fu. I know..."
"Can you please be quiet?"
Xixi froze.
Fu Jingshu slowly raised his head, his gaze dark and devoid of any light. "Please, be quiet."
Xixi was taken aback.
This was the first time she had seen Fu Jingshu like this since she met him. His cold eyes were terrifying.
She flinched and dared not speak again.
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed in the corridor. Old Madam Fu, with the two children, rushed over, all three faces etched with worry.
"Daddy, how's Mommy?"
Xixi was the first to rush forward, grabbing Fu Jingshu’s hand, her voice filled with anxiety.
Chenchen also came closer. Although he didn’t speak, his face was full of concern.
Fu Jingshu pulled the two children into his embrace, holding them without a word. His handsome face was expressionless, and he merely glanced at Old Madam Fu.
Old Madam Fu sighed. "These two children are so smart, you know that. I couldn't hide it from them. They kept asking about Qingqing..."
The main issue was Xixi. Chenchen was fine; he was introverted and didn't talk much. Even if he asked, once he got an answer, he wouldn't press further.
But Xixi was different. He was intelligent. If you told him a lie, he'd discover it immediately. Old Madam Fu was at her wit's end.
Xixi pouted. "Daddy, how did you protect Mommy?"
Fu Jingshu remained silent.
Xixi began to demand an explanation. "Didn't you say when you came back last time that you would protect Mommy from now on? Then how did Mommy get hurt?!"
Fu Jingshu gritted his teeth and said, "I'm sorry. It's all my fault."
His swift admission of fault surprised Xixi.
Having spent time with him, she had some understanding of Fu Jingshu. This man wasn't just arrogant on the outside; his heart was like a celestial snow lotus, lofty and unattainable.
But it turned out that when facing his children, he could be so gentle.
Xixi was relentless. "If I had known you couldn't protect Mommy well, I would have stayed with Mommy. I would never have handed Mommy over to you!"
Fu Jingshu’s hand, resting on his knee, tightened slightly.
Seeing him like this, Xixi felt a pang of sympathy. But thinking of Mommy inside, and not knowing how badly she was injured, filled him with distress and a need to vent. Daddy naturally became his outlet.
Chenchen glanced at Xixi and whispered, "Daddy really made a mistake this time."
Fu Jingshu slowly raised his head and said hoarsely, "You're right. It's all my fault. I promise you both, from now on, I will never let your mother get hurt again."
The two children exchanged glances. Chenchen still trusted his father, but Xixi was different; he wasn't too convinced.
"We'll see."
As they spoke freely, creating a strong sense of family, Xixi, standing by the side, couldn't interject at all.
At this moment, she suddenly realized that she was the outsider. Although she had felt close to Fu Jingshu on several occasions before, as if she could reach out and touch him, that sense of distance had never truly disappeared.
Old Madam Fu glanced at Xixi, who looked dejected, a cold glint flashing in her eyes. "Girl, are you my grandson's friend?"
Xixi was startled. The next second, realizing that it was Fu Jingshu's elder speaking to her, she quickly straightened her back and adopted a more docile attitude. "Madam, hello. I am Brother Fu's friend. We've known each other for some time. I've long heard that you personally raised Brother Fu. Although you are a woman, you are as valiant as any man. I've wanted to meet you for a long time, but I've never had the chance..."
She prattled on, and after finishing, she realized she might have talked too much, and quickly stopped, feeling a bit awkward.
"Madam, I've admired you for a long time. Please don't think I'm being too talkative. I..."
Old Madam Fu smiled warmly. "Not at all. I don't dislike you. For an old woman like me, to have a young lady like you admire me, I'm only too happy."
Her attitude was as kind as if she were treating her own descendant. Xixi’s heart filled with hope. Did Old Madam Fu's attitude indicate that she was satisfied with her?
Unexpectedly, Old Madam Fu then shifted her tone.
"However, I believe that in life, it's not just about emotions, but also about responsibility. One must live uprightly, don't you think?"
Xixi froze. Then, the color slowly drained from her face.
Her words were a warning.
Old Madam Fu's attitude remained gentle. "I'm glad you came to visit my granddaughter-in-law. I'll forward your concern to her later."
The Madam's meaning was now perfectly clear. Her heart held only Shen Qingqing as her granddaughter-in-law. Every word was distancing herself from Xixi.
Xixi forced a smile. "Thank you, Madam. You're too kind. Regarding Miss Shen..."
Old Madam Fu just looked at her.
Xixi stopped mid-sentence. For some reason, although Old Madam Fu was smiling, Xixi felt a chill deep in her heart.
She pursed her lips and changed her words. "Mrs. Fu has also been very friendly to me. We met at a banquet last time and exchanged greetings, so we know each other. Of course, I'm worried."
She wasn't sure what she was saying anymore, because she saw Old Madam Fu’s gentle, harmless, and even benevolent smile reappear on her face.
Her mind was in a mess.
It seemed Old Madam Fu truly loved Shen Qingqing and was very satisfied with this granddaughter-in-law.
Xixi suddenly felt suffocated and no longer wanted to speak with Old Madam Fu. She turned and saw Xixi still complaining about Fu Jingshu, who listened without a word, showing no signs of displeasure.
Xixi couldn't bear to listen any longer. "Your Daddy really loves your Mommy, little one. You can't blame him like that."
She knelt down in front of Xixi, her pure and delicate face conveying a perfectly calibrated gentleness, her voice exceptionally soft.
"You should also be understanding of your father."
Xixi looked at her askance. "Who are you?"
Xixi froze and patiently explained, "I'm your Daddy's friend."
She cast a gentle glance at Fu Jingshu.
Xixi narrowed his eyes slightly, looking from his Daddy to her. "When did Daddy get a friend like you? I didn't know."
Xixi said softly, "Your father is an adult, after all. He has many friends, and there must be many you haven't met."
"You like my Daddy, don't you!"
Xixi blurted out.
Xixi’s face turned completely red. She never imagined that her feelings would be revealed by a child one day.