Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor:EndlessFantasy Translation
“My dear sister.” Leaning against Su Ruowan’s ear, Su Muyan chuckled as his face grew menacing like a demon. Following the statement, he retreated.
Then.
He threw the ignited lighter at Su Ruowan.
Doused in gasoline, Su Ruowan was set on fire. Her painful and anguished cries ensued.
Su Muyan did not leave immediately. Pulling a chair to a spot far away, he sat down to admire and enjoy her struggles and painful screams.
With Su Ruowan good as dead, Shen Xi was next. Su Muyan could spare her life if Shen Xi helped him. In the event Shen Xi refused, he would send her to hell to keep Dad company like Su Ruowan.
Suddenly, the person on fire stood up and ran toward him. She came on so swiftly that Su Muyan could not get away fast enough. Soon, he was held from the back.
Amid tormented screams, Su Muyan tried to break free, but the arms around him clasped onto him like cast irons. He could feel the blazing flame burning his clothes and into his flesh. Everything became scorching and hazy.
Outside.
Along with the falling snow, the pure white snowflakes covered up many tracks on the ground.
The snow was knee-deep by the next morning, It was silver scenery out there.
The TV in the living room was turned on to the morning news.
“The police uncovered two charred remains in the underground parking of Su residence at seven o’clock this morning. The bodies have not been identified. Investigations are still underway.”
Fu Qingli sat on the sofa to watch the morning news. Tilting his head, he caught a glimpse of Shen Xi standing outside her bedroom door upstairs. He smiled at her. “Morning, my dear sister.”
Shen Xi nodded in response. She was walking out of her room when she picked up on the news. Sighing with emotion, she wondered if that was the end of the Su family. Who were the two dead bodies in the underground garage?
She had not opened her mouth, nor had she the time to search the news on her phone.
Fu Qingli jumped i
Shen Xi looked deep into Fu Qingli’s eyes. For him to be so sure, Fu Qingli must be the driving force behind it all.
“Tread the comments that the charred bodies belong to Su Ruowan and Su Muyan.”
Fu Qingli looked away. He seemed to be waiting for her to get up from bed and tell her the news because he then changed the channel to National Idol.
Shen Xi could ascertain from his behavior that he played some part in this. However, it did not matter to her how he did it. The Su family deserved it for turning against each other.
The others were out of bed by the time she woke up. There was chatter coming from the yard. She turned her head to the source of noise and saw everyone, except Fu Qingli who was watching TV, walking into the house with breakfast in hand.
Her student, Ruan Sisi, followed in the back. She was not around last night.
Ruan Sisi was the first to come up to Shen Xi. She went upstairs and dragged Shen Xi into a bedroom. After shutting the door, Ruan Sisi looked at Shen Xi. “Shen Xi, Zhou Zhen wants to see you.”
Shen Xi frowned. She had only met Zhou Zhen twice. It was likely Zhou Zhen wanted to talk to her about the Su family.
“She is Su Yi and Li Jingran’s daughter.” Ruan Sisi cleared her throat in embarrassment. “I guess you already know that. She wants to meet you to talk about the Su family. It’s fine if you don’t want to see her, I’ll tell her.”
“Til meet her.” Shen Xi agreed and asked, “Set a time.”
Ruan Sisi came prepared as Zhou Zhen had set up the time and place. “Ten o’clock. I’ll drive you there.”
Shen Xi nodded her head. “Sure.”
Since Fu Qingli located Zhou Zhen’s whereabouts, Shen Xi had no idea what they talked about. It was not like she would ask Fu Qingli or was interested to find out anyway. However, she could meet Zhou Zhen at her request.
With that out of the way, Ruan Sisi replied to Zhou Zhen’s text message.
Breakfast was laid out when Shen Xi went back downstairs. The food was bought from the neighborhood’s morning market. There was soy milk, fried breadsticks, bao, fruit pancakes, sweet porridge, salty congee, with the works. It was no different than having the whole row of breakfast stalls in their
house.
Grabbing the fruit crepe, Fu Qingxuan took half and gave Shen Xi the other half. His smile bore joy and ingratiation. “My darling sister, you could’ve slept in.”
Shen Xi was not used to the form of address, albeit Fu Qingxuan got comfortable with the term right away. Taking the pancake, she expressed her thanks.
During breakfast, Shen Xi was showered with special attention like never before. Everyone took tumns in giving her food and feeding her as if she was a bottomless pit. The last straw was when Shangguan Yanqiu fed her a shrimp dumpling. Protesting, she extended her arms and put on a helpless look.
“Mom, Dad, I have hands. I can eat myself. You don’t have to worry that I don’t eat enough.”
She was not a child. She could very well feed herself.
Shangguan Yangiu tenderly grinned. “Okay. Got it.”
Fu Handing smiled dotingly at her and nodded.
While no one was looking, Fu Qingli quietly retrieved a durian puff he put on Shen Xi’s plate. Smothered by the smell, he furrowed his brows and discarded it on Fu Qingxuan’s plate in disdain.
Fu Qingxuan was at a loss for words. Was he a dumpster? For real?
Yun Jinping sat furthest to Shen Xi to give her some space with the Fu family. Holding Shen Zhangging’s hand, Yun Jinping was filled with relief and sadness. She should be happy since the precious daughter she raised found her birth parents. However, she had to admit that she was jealous to see the
family so close.
Shen Zhangging squeezed Yun Jinping’s hand and looked at her half-full bowl of porridge. “Are you going to finish that? I can have it if you’re full.”
Yu Jinping uttered, “You can finish it.”
Having gotten consent, Shen Zhangging took the porridge and drank from the bowl.
The door to the entrance was opened. It was the long-overdue Fu Qingye. He opened the door to find the lively bunch in the living. Stopping in his tracks, he scanned for Shen Xi with his affectionate eyes before walking ahead without hesitation.
Having noticed his presence, the whole family held their breaths as he walked in. Even Yun Jinping and Shen Zhangging did not get up to greet him.
Standing at the door, Fu Qingye smiled warmly, but his eyes were watery. He looked at Shen Xi and murmured in a raspy voice, “Xixi..”
