Chapter 175: What Are the Fu Family Planning
Chapter 175: Chapter 175: What Are the Fu Family Planning
Fu Xiaoxiao took the dried black fungus out of the sack, washed it clean and soaked it in water, while Lu Feng took out the dried chicken and chopped it into pieces.
"By the way, what happened with your mission? I thought this one would keep you out for a long time!" Fu Xiaoxiao asked as she worked on the ingredients.
"Something went wrong internally, the operation was called off." Lu Feng gave a rough explanation, and Fu Xiaoxiao nodded.
"So there won’t be any missions for now?" Fu Xiaoxiao asked.
"No, we’ll probably head out the day after tomorrow." Lu Feng shook his head. It was just a temporary delay; there was no way they’d cancel the operation.
Fu Xiaoxiao understood. It meant Lu Feng could stay home with them for two days.
"There’s another small thing I think you should know about." Lu Feng looked at Fu Xiaoxiao and spoke softly.
"What is it?" Fu Xiaoxiao’s hands didn’t stop moving as she asked calmly.
"The Fu Family had someone track you down," Lu Feng turned back to look at Fu Xiaoxiao and said seriously. "And they’re acting like they regret what they did."
"The Fu Family? Regret?" To Fu Xiaoxiao it sounded like a fantasy tale—those selfish people would feel regret?
"I already asked a comrade to look into it. I don’t know why they suddenly started putting on this act, but there has to be a reason." Lu Feng knew the pain in Fu Xiaoxiao’s heart. He stepped forward and held her, distressed for her.
"I’m fine. I have you all now, they can’t hurt me anymore." Leaning against Lu Feng’s chest, listening to his strong, powerful heartbeat, Fu Xiaoxiao felt utterly at ease.
She no longer needed the Fu Family. After seeing their true colors, the original Fu Xiaoxiao had already given up on them completely.
And Fu Xiaoxiao was even less likely to take them seriously.
"Xiao Xiao, I picked some vegetables... ah! Sorry, I’m interrupting, you two go on!" Lin Qiu came into the kitchen with the vegetables and walked right into the scene of the two of them snuggled together happily. She hurriedly hugged the vegetables to her chest and turned to run out.
"Didn’t expect their relationship to progress this fast." Lin Qiu patted her own cheeks. She and Fu Cheng had hugged before too, but that feeling was completely different from what she saw between Fu Xiaoxiao and Lu Feng.
Fu Cheng hugged her because he was afraid she’d be cold or something like that, his arms full of care as he looked after her.
Whereas Fu Xiaoxiao and Lu Feng were leaning into each other with easy intimacy.
Startled by Lin Qiu barging in, Fu Xiaoxiao hurriedly stepped out of Lu Feng’s arms, her face flushed as she grabbed the kitchen knife and chopped away.
Lu Feng looked at the reddening tips of her ears, chuckled softly, and went back to the water vat to continue working.
Thinking of how Fu Xiaoxiao had just leaned against his chest, how she depended on him, Lu Feng’s mood lifted; the corners of his mouth curled up without him even realizing.
She was leaning on him—that had to be a good sign.
Lightly licking his lips, Lu Feng suppressed the desire in his eyes. If Lin Qiu hadn’t barged in, just now he could have...
Such a pity.
Fu Xiaoxiao had no idea Lu Feng’s head was full of thoughts about how he wanted to kiss her. Forcing herself to calm down, she began analyzing why the Fu Family would suddenly make a move like this.
The Fu Family had no reason to come looking for her. So what if they knew she’d married a soldier? They definitely knew she’d never acknowledge them again, so...
The fact that they were so eager to find her was rather intriguing.
Lin Qiu poked her head into the kitchen. Seeing the two of them cooking in earnest, she brought the washed vegetables over to Fu Xiaoxiao’s side.
"Xiao Xiao, these are all washed. Is there anything else you need me to help with?" Lin Qiu asked.
"Sister Lin Qiu, that’s it. They should be about done, right? I’ll finish up dinner, you go call them in!" Fu Xiaoxiao said with a smile.
"Training’s over." Lu Feng checked his watch and confirmed.
"Then I’ll go call them now." Lin Qiu nodded, wiped her hands, and went off to call Lin Xue and Fu Cheng.
Lu Feng sat down at the stove and lit the fire with practiced ease. Fu Xiaoxiao stir-fried the dishes. Working together, they turned out dish after dish, the fragrance wafting out, spreading through the family compound, filling every corner with mouthwatering aromas.
Lu Lin and Lu Chen smelled the food and clung to the kitchen door, sniffing nonstop, their little bellies growling and grumbling.
By the time Lin Qiu brought Lin Xue and Fu Cheng over, the table was already covered with dishes.
"You’re here, the food’s all done. Just wash your hands and we can eat." Fu Xiaoxiao came out with a dish in her hands, bumping right into them, and smiled.
"We’re in for a treat today! You’re really my lucky star." Lin Xue was overjoyed and hurried off with the two kids to wash their hands.
Fu Cheng glanced at the dishes on the table and nodded to Fu Xiaoxiao. "These aren’t very plump. Next time I’ll go catch you some fatter ones."
Fu Cheng had lived in the mountains for years; he was intimately familiar with wild mountain produce. Though the quality of these wasn’t the best, that was nothing. As long as he got back to the mountains, he’d definitely bring back a big sack for her, and he’d make sure they were fatter and better than these.
"Okay!" Fu Xiaoxiao replied with a smile.
Lin Qiu patted Fu Cheng and laughed.
"If only we had some wine." Fu Xiaoxiao always felt that for gatherings like this, a bit of beer would make it perfect.
"You like drinking? I know how to brew." Lin Qiu looked over at Fu Xiaoxiao and smiled. "Once spring comes, I’ll make you some fruit wine."
"Then I’ll really be looking forward to it." Fu Xiaoxiao’s eyes lit up.
"Time really flies. Without realizing it, I’ve already been on base for several months..." Lin Qiu couldn’t help sighing. Thinking back to that time at the Liu Family, every day had felt unbearably long.
After leaving the Liu Family and coming here, it was like she’d blinked and several months had passed.
"Happy days are always short. Everything you went through before is over now. From here on out, you’re only going to be happier." Fu Xiaoxiao said, smiling as she picked up some food and put it in Lin Qiu’s bowl.
"You’re right!" Lin Qiu laughed.
"I won’t let you suffer any more grievances." After several months of training, Fu Cheng’s speech had become much more fluent. Over these months, the look in his eyes whenever he faced Lin Qiu had grown more and more resolute.
"I believe you." Facing Fu Cheng, Lin Qiu’s cheeks flushed as she nodded.
She trusted him. He never lied to her.
"I’ve never really said this to you properly: thank you. It’s because of your help that she and I can have what we have today." Fu Cheng looked at Fu Xiaoxiao and Lu Feng, the harshness that was usually in his face softening.
Life in the army, plus the things the people around him told him, had opened his eyes to a lot.
The more clearly he understood, the more he realized that everything he had now was thanks to Fu Xiaoxiao and Lu Feng’s help.
"As long as you and Lin Qiu live well and don’t let us down, that’s enough to make it all worthwhile." Fu Xiaoxiao met Fu Cheng’s gaze and spoke earnestly.
"Back then, we chose to help you because you were unpredictable. If we hadn’t helped, and you’d rushed in on your own, acting on impulse, it would have only led to the worst outcome." Lu Feng looked at Fu Cheng and put it more bluntly.
"I know." Fu Cheng held out his fist to Lu Feng, understanding perfectly what he meant.
Lu Feng’s lips curved as he bumped fists with Fu Cheng.
Between men, friendship often starts with a fight.
"Gege, I want to do it too." Seeing them bump fists, Lu Chen’s eyes lit up. He raised his hand to Lu Lin, imitating Fu Cheng.
"...Childish." Lu Lin refused.
"Uuuh..." Lu Chen’s lips trembled and he was about to start wailing.
"Shut up." Lu Lin clamped a hand over his mouth and resignedly held out his fist to bump his. "There, okay now?"
"You should’ve just done it from the start, instead of making me bawl." Lu Chen snorted triumphantly.
Everyone was amused by how adorable they were, and for a moment the courtyard was full of warmth.