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  Upon Fu Cheng's return, everyone cleared out a sofa for their family of three.

  Niannian sat in the middle with Fang Yunyao and Fu Cheng on either side.

  The current Fang Yunyao still looked overly taxed. She seemed a little shy and awkward too as she did not speak much. Fu Cheng was evidently in greater spirits, being more mature and reliable too. Young though he might be, he would be 22 with the passing of the new year. He would soon commence his fourth year of university and then graduate.

  Regarding looking for a house, Fang Yunyao's career and the arrangements for Little Niannian, Xu Tingsheng had said that it could all be left for after this Lunar New Year.

  Looking at the comfortable scene before him right now, eyeing the sweet in Little Niannian's hand, Xu Tingsheng felt a little envious. He had never been the ambitious, competent sort of person. Rather than that, he simply sought a stable, happy life.

  Still, for Fu Cheng, all this was well deserved. As compared to his unwavering persistence of two lifetimes, Xu Tingsheng was far inferior to him.

  As warm, happy vibes filled the air, Niannian decisively wet herself again.

  "I'll do it," Fu Cheng got up and said, "I can do all of it now.”


  “Stop bragging! You’re always flipping Niannian around like an athlete. I commented so many times on your Weibo, teaching you the steps and the posture, but you just wouldn’t go read it……” Fang Yunyao chided exasperatedly as she scooped up Niannian.

  “So you were watching all along? And commenting too. But how could I know which was you? So many people, how was I supposed to read them all?!” Fu Cheng retorted.

  As his handphone vibrated a few times, Fu Cheng took it out for a look. Reading the text messages, his expression turned a little strange.

  He had already ignored his parents’ calls for the past couple of days. As a result, he had received texts this time.

  Mr Fu’s text read: What happened? Why did Niannian get a fever? Have you seen a doctor? Is her temperature high?

  Mrs Fu’s text read: Little kids can’t randomly get injections! Better speak to the doctor properly. Also, how’s Niannian’s condition now?

  The two of them should be at work now rather than together. Therefore, the texts had been sent individually.

  Fu Cheng’s feelings were actually quite complicated at this moment. Earlier, Xu Tingsheng had said that they would wreck the hearts of the fans, Fang Yunyao and his parents. From the looks of it now, his parents had indeed been watching, and had most likely suffered an emotional blow as intended.

  They were blood-related kin, after all. If they had still been able to suppress their concern and pain before due to their anger and pride, when they saw the latest Weibo post which said that Niannian had a fever, these two elders of the Fu family were finally defeated. A child having a fever was no minor matter.

  “It’s nothing. Her temperature isn’t high. We’ve already seen the doctor, and he says she’ll be fine very soon,” Fu Cheng told his parents, this being his first time interacting with her in a bit.

  After a while, Mr Fu offered, “How can you take care of a child alone? Bring her back home for the New Year. It’s just around the corner. We can find a nanny for her.”


  This might be the greatest concession that Mr Fu was willing to give. He had even chosen to forgive Fu Cheng for destroying his ‘glorious masterplan’ and refrained from mentioning it.

  Fu Cheng hesitated a little. He did not send a reply.

  Remembering that his Weibo fans might still be feeling worried, he posted something immediately: Everything’s okay. Niannian’s mother is back. Thank you, everybody.

  Not long after he posted this, another text arrived from Mr Fu: In that case, you don’t have to come back. We’ll never allow that woman to take a single step into our family.

  After learning that Niannian was fine and Fang Yunyao was back……Mr Fu’s attitude completely changed once more. Once again, it was anger, fury and resentment which got the better of him.

  “Alright. Happy New Year,” Fu Cheng texted back.

  There was no further reply from Mr Fu……

  The master bedroom in Xu Tingsheng’s flat was not that big. Thus, the guest room was actually not small. Previously, he had already changed the bed for a larger one and put a cot beside it.

  Even so, Fu Cheng still slept on the sofa in the living room at night.

  This situation persisted for the next few days. Xu Tingsheng did not ask if he wanted to sleep together with him, because it was actually obvious what any guy would be thinking here. The more Fu Cheng slept pitifully on the sofa every night, the more of a chance he would have of moving into ‘that room’ a little earlier.

  As soon as Fang Yunyao could not bear to let him suffer so anymore.

  “Also, I’ll be able to lend a hand whenever Niannian is crying in the middle of the night a little more than usual,” Fu Cheng said.

  Xu Tingsheng got up from bed that night and went to the living room, giving Fu Cheng a kick.

  “Do you really intend on spending the New Year here?” Xu Tingsheng asked.

  “Yes. When are you going back?” Fu Cheng asked Xu Tingsheng.

  “In a few days,” Xu Tingsheng said, “Your parents called me and asked for my address here. I think they’ll probably be visiting before the New Year. You have to face it sooner or later. Do you think you can handle it?”


  “I, I can still handle it,” Fu Cheng hesitated for a bit before continuing, “But I’m not so sure about Ms Fang……”


  “She also has to face it sooner or later. Relax, it’s fine. Your parents can’t do anything serious in my house,” Xu Tingsheng patted Fu Cheng’s shoulder and smiled……

  In 2006, the last day of the lunar year fell on the 29th. It was on the 28th that Fu Cheng’s parents arrived in Yanzhou.

  Xu Tingsheng picked them up at the station.

  It was Fu Cheng who opened the door.

  He opened his mouth to ask after them……

  “Before things are settled, watch your words,” Mr Fu extended a hand and stopped him.

  Fang Yunyao was carrying Niannian as she stood beside the sofa in the living room.

  Mr and Mrs Fu did not sit down too as they just stood there.

  Fang Yunyao hesitated for a moment. She did not speak, only setting Little Niannian down on the ground. As Niannian turned to look at her, she smiled as she pushed her shoulder, urging her forward. Niannian had seen so many strangers who cared for her and loved her recently. Thus, she was actually not so scared of unfamiliar faces.

  Still, everyone was rather surprised when she now started walking towards Mr and Mrs Fu.

  An even greater surprise was waiting for them.

  “Grandpa……”


  “Grandma……”


  They were indistinct and garbled, but it was definitely those two words.

  Everyone felt at a loss as to when Niannian had learnt them. Even when calling Dad, she only did so when she was playing with toy cars as she let out a long string of Dadadadada.

  Even so, Fu Cheng would be over the moon and acknowledge her every time for however long the car drove. It was like he wanted to catch each and every single one of them, afraid that they would fall onto the floor.

  Hearing what Niannian had uttered, Fu Cheng turned to look at Fang Yunyao, his eyes turning red in an instant.

  Regarding his parents’ visit, Fu Cheng was most worried about Fang Yunyao. He was afraid that she would feel afraid and thus avoid the problem. Unbeknownst to him, however, Fang Yunyao had actually been teaching Niannian these two words for quite some time.

  “Grandpa, Grandma.”


  This was not an easy feat to have accomplished. Just teaching Niannian the words alone posed a challenge, and she even had to say them at the right time and place. Fang Yunyao’s mentality was really commendable here. One could see how courageous she was in fighting for what she wanted despite the fact that she should be feeling wronged too.

  Today, Little Niannian was still wearing her yellow woolen hat. Besides that, she was wearing a red down jacket, black pants and white cotton shoes……she looked just like a beautiful little genie.

  She also had a pair of big, bright, jet-black eyes.

  Her head was raised upwards as she gazed with her beautiful eyes at the slightly fierce-looking Mr and Mrs Fu……

  It was quite obvious that Mr and Mrs Fu were forcibly suppressing their emotions to prevent anything from showing on their faces.

  “Carry,” Niannian opened her arms wide and requested.

  Mr and Mrs Fu’s defences evidently wavered for a bit. Still, they adamantly persisted in not showing any response.

  “Eat.”


  Niannian proffered a sweet which had been in her mouth. She only ate one of these at most everyday……now, she took the sweet out from her mouth and held it out, her palm raised high.

  Now this had definitely not been taught by Fang Yunyao. Children couldn’t learn such things.

  The scene fixed on this moment, Little Niannian’s hand extended as she held out her sweet……

  Mr and Mrs Fu averted their gazes, simply refusing to look at it……

  “Mummy……” Her hand still raised, Little Niannian turned back to look at Fang Yunyao a bit sorrowfully and pitifully, perhaps thinking just how fierce these two people were……

  Over this period of time, who had not joyfully picked Niannian up when she asked to be carried? Who would not act super enthusiastic when she said ‘eat’? The answer was no one. Even Xu Tingsheng, even Huang Yaming, even Ye Qing who would frequently drop by here, they all would do so……

  Feeling like she had been bullied, Niannian pouted, pouted again as she looked just so pitiful……tears started flowing down her face.

  Whose heart wouldn’t ache like this?

  Even Little Xiang Ning was pinching Xu Tingsheng’s arm in anger.

  “This……”


  Feeling guilty, Mr Fu was just about to bend down and pick Niannian up……

  Mrs Fu grabbed him before he could do so.

  “Don’t you fall for that,” She said.