The general manager had intended to intercede, but upon considering the other party's identity, he realized that neither money nor favors could sway them. Thus, words held little sway.
The police arrived swiftly.
As the assistant manager was being escorted away by the officers, he suddenly exclaimed, "You have no right to take me. Even if the surveillance shows I stood under the umbrella for a minute, you should at least collect fingerprints. You need to find conclusive evidence to prove it was me who acted!"
The police officers, accustomed to all sorts of cunning culprits, remained unfazed.
"Please rest assured, we will investigate thoroughly. If this matter truly involves you, we will not let any criminal go free. However, if you are innocent, we will not wrongly accuse anyone."
The assistant manager was rendered speechless. He glanced at Shen Qingqing, feeling indignant. "Why would you suspect me? I even saved your child!"
His intention was precisely to use this act to clear himself of suspicion.
Shen Qingqing stated calmly, "It was precisely because of that action that you exposed yourself."
The assistant manager did not understand. "Why?"
Shen Qingqing raised an eyebrow slightly. "If you had rushed to save them the moment the incident began, I might have believed you. But after the incident had concluded, and my two children were already out of danger, you then rushed over to protect them..."
She paused, a hint of coldness in her eyes.
"It seemed a bit too deliberate."
"So that's how it is..." The assistant manager finally understood. He had overdone it. The more he tried to prove his innocence, the more contrived he appeared.
Unfortunately, it was too late to realize this.
He was taken away by the police.
Shen Qingqing turned to the general manager. "Your security system is truly questionable. I cannot feel at ease holding my children's birthday banquet here."
The general manager immediately snapped out of his melancholic mood. "Mrs. Fu, I understand your feelings, but please do not take your children away. This birthday banquet has been in preparation for too long, and everything is ready, just waiting for the event to begin. If you were to switch hotels now, everything would have to be redecorated, and there wouldn't be enough time."
Shen Qingqing looked at Chenchen and Shen Jinxi.
The two children looked at her with eyes full of dependence, seemingly having no objections to the matter, leaving it entirely up to her decision.
"Let's forget it. No matter how well it's decorated, if it threatens my children's safety, I won't feel comfortable letting them celebrate their birthday here."
"Mrs. Fu!"
Seeing Shen Qingqing turn to leave, the general manager hurried after her, pleading with all his might.
"Please reconsider, Mrs. Fu. Time is running out until the two young masters' birthday. If you abandon this venue now, all the decorations and your efforts over this period will be in vain!"
"Mrs. Fu! For the sake of your two children, you must reconsider!"
However, no matter how earnestly the general manager pleaded, Shen Qingqing remained unmoved. "My mind is made up. There's no need to persuade me further. Moreover, if my husband knew about what happened today, he would not agree to hold the birthday banquet here."
Mentioning Master Fu, the general manager's face fell. He knew that with Fu Jingshu's temperament, he would certainly not forgive their hotel.
"Mrs. Fu, could I trouble you to persuade Master Fu not to hold a grudge against us... This was truly an accident, and no one intended to harm the young masters!" the general manager said with utmost sincerity. "If you are willing to stay, I will personally oversee this birthday banquet for you."
"What happened?"
As soon as the words were spoken, Fu Jingshu's voice echoed, and the general manager's body stiffened.
He who had been so eloquent moments ago could now not utter a single word.
Shen Qingqing saw Fu Jingshu walking towards them with the two children. Fu Jingshu, unaware of the situation, instinctively opened his arms to embrace his wife and their two sons.
He lowered his head and asked in his wife's ear, "What's wrong?"
Shen Qingqing shook her head.
While she appeared strong and composed in front of outsiders, only in front of this man could she allow herself to reveal her vulnerability and fear.
She was truly frightened, imagining what would have happened if her two children had been harmed at that moment...
She truly didn't know what she would have done.
Fu Jingshu frowned slightly and looked up at the general manager, his gaze cold and sharp. "Tell me, what exactly happened?"
The general manager stammered.
"If you don't tell me, this hotel might as well close down," Fu Jingshu stated nonchalantly, as if commenting on the pleasant weather.
Cold sweat broke out on the general manager's back. He dared not lie and recounted the entire incident, "But Master Fu, please listen to my explanation. Truly, no one meant any harm. It was all a series of unfortunate coincidences!"
"Silence,"
Fu Jingshu reprimanded him coldly.
The general manager instinctively closed his mouth.
Fu Jingshu, holding his wife and two children, turned to leave. Honestly, with three people in his arms, his turning motion was slow and somewhat strenuous.
He decisively let go of Chenchen and Shen Jinxi and gave the two young men a look.
The children genuinely didn't feel too bothered, as they hadn't been hurt.
Thus, they walked hand in hand, following their parents.
As for Shen Qingqing, Fu Jingshu never let go of her. He escorted her to the car, and the two children also sat beside them.
The journey was silent.
The atmosphere in the car was heavy with unspoken thoughts. Upon alighting, the two children, hand in hand, did not wait for their parents. Knowing they might have something to discuss, they entered the living room first.
Shen Qingqing, with Fu Jingshu's arm loosely around her shoulder, walked slowly behind.
"Don't blame yourself," he suddenly said.
Shen Qingqing looked at him. "How did you know I was blaming myself?"
"You're not the kind of person who would be defeated by a small setback," Fu Jingshu said, watching a strand of hair being blown by the wind. He reached out and wound it around his finger. "Unless you're consumed by guilt."
His gaze held a trace of tenderness.
Shen Qingqing bit her lip, and the next second, her lips were met with his. Fu Jingshu frowned slightly. "How many times have I told you, don't bite your lips."
Whenever she was feeling heavy or conflicted, she would unconsciously bite her lip, sometimes until it bled.
Shen Qingqing obediently stopped biting, but without that outlet for distraction, she felt a flicker of irritation. "I just feel like I didn't protect my children well enough."
If only she had been more vigilant this morning and checked the umbrella herself...
"I understand. If it were me, I would feel guilty too, but it's not your fault."
Fu Jingshu recalled the loud bang he had heard on the phone at the time. His heart had skipped a beat then, let alone his wife, who was at the scene.
He had tried calling again afterward, but to no avail, which was why he had gone there himself.
Shen Qingqing pouted. "I know you'll always say that..."
Fu Jingshu cupped her face, lowered his head, and looked earnestly into her eyes. Her eyes were truly beautiful, dark and bright, crystal clear.
It was as if starlight was hidden within their depths.