Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  The meal ended after half an hour.

  After dinner, no one immediately left.

  Everyone moved to the hall. The elders sat together, chatted, and drank tea. Some of the youngsters went to the second floor’s card room to play cards, while others sat on the sofa and played with their phones to browse Weibo. Qiao Jiusheng and Fang Yusheng chose a quiet spot to stay at.

  Qiao Jiusheng handed a cup of hot tea to Fang Yusheng.

  Fang Yusheng took a sip and asked, “You didn’t poison it?”


  Qiao Jiusheng smiled. “I did.”


  “As long as my wife gives it to me, I’ll even drink arsenic.” After saying that, Fang Yusheng raised his head and drank tea.

  Qiao Jiuyin, who was passing by, heard this conversation and sighed. “Big Brother, you really dote on Big Sister-In-Law.” After saying that, Qiao Jiuyin simply handed a plate of pastries to them. Qiao Jiusheng took it and thanked her. She looked down at the exquisite pastries and praised Qiao Jiuyin. “Sister-in-law, you’re really virtuous. These pastries look delicious. Second Brother is really lucky.”


  A genuine smile appeared in Qiao Jiuyin’s eyes as she politely replied, “Big Brother is also very fortunate to have met someone as understanding as you.”


  Qiao Jiusheng picked up a piece of osmanthus cake and took a bite. When she saw Fang Mu walking over, she passed the plate to Fang Mu and said, “Second Brother, quickly try the osmanthus cake Sister-in-law made. Sister-in-law is really skillful. She must have learned such good skills for a long time.”


  Fang Mu picked up a piece of pastry and brought it to his mouth. When he heard these words, he suddenly tilted his head and asked Qiao Jiuyin, “Xiao Sheng, when did you learn how to bake?” He remembered that Xiao Sheng did not know how to make pastries. In fact, she had once said that she hated going into the kitchen the most. Whenever she was forced to learn cooking, she always remained lazy and slacked off.

  Qiao Jiuyin panicked for two seconds before replying, “I learned it recently.”


  Fang Mu took a bite of the pastry. It tasted good.

  He patted Qiao Jiuyin’s head and praised her. “Xiao Sheng, you’re really amazing.”


  Qiao Jiuyin smiled and lowered her head. A hint of uneasiness quickly gathered in her eyes.

  How could she have forgotten that Xiao Sheng was not good at baking? The biscuits and pastries she made were either too dry or too moist.

  “Weiwei and the rest are preparing to barbecue tonight. I’ll go and see if there’s anything I can help with.” Qiao Jiuyin clapped her hands and walked toward the courtyard in her long dress. Fang Mu looked at his busy cousins in the courtyard and turned back to Qiao Jiusheng. “Sister-in-law, I have something to do. Let’s meet again another day.”


  Without waiting for Qiao Jiusheng and Fang Yusheng to reply, Fang Mu left first.

  As he passed by the kitchen and saw that the chef was still cooking supper, Fang Mu suddenly stopped and walked inside.

  “Second Young Master.”


  Seeing Fang Mu enter the kitchen, Chef Liu Fei wiped his hands and quickly made way for him.

  Fang Mu looked at the supper on the kitchen counter and casually asked, “Who made the pastries tonight? They’re quite delicious.”


  This surprised Liu Fei, and he asked, “Don’t you know, Second Young Master? All the pastries tonight were made by Second Young Madam.”


  “Oh?”


  Some unfinished pastries lay on the table. Fang Mu picked a cranberry biscuit and tasted it. He frowned and said, “She can’t stay idle and likes to create trouble. She didn’t cause any trouble for you, right?”


  Liu Fei shook his head and said, “Second Young Master, what are you talking about? Second Young Madam’s pastries are as good as professional pastries. The pastries she makes are delicious. How can she cause trouble?” Then, Liu Fei sighed again. “Not only is Second Young Madam beautiful, but her hands are also nimble and virtuous. These pastries look like they have been made by a professionally trained person. Without two to three years of hard work, one couldn’t make such beautiful pastries.”


  As Liu Fei spoke, he did not notice Fang Mu’s change in expression.

  When he finished speaking, he realized that Fang Mu had already walked out of the kitchen.

  Fang Mu stood in the courtyard and looked at Qiao Jiuyin, who was helping Fang Yuqing pick the chicken wings, from afar. His eyes were a little lost. He stood at the same spot for a long time before walking over. Then, he took a few sticks of squid and two sticks of pork and roasted them. Finished with that, he took the roasted meat and walked over to Qiao Jiuyin.

  “For you.”


  Fang Mu handed all the barbecued meat to Qiao Jiuyin.

  Qiao Jiuyin was stunned. She looked at Fang Mu with a strange expression. She seemed agitated yet touched. Fang Mu could not understand her emotions.

  “Thank you.” Qiao Jiuyin took two skewers of pork belly.

  Fang Mu watched her eat the pork belly and asked, “You don’t have to thank me. Didn’t you like to see me fuss over you in the past? Now that we’re married, why are you so distant?”


  Qiao Jiuyin tilted her head and faintly smiled. She mischievously said, “This is not enough. I still want more. Hurry up and roast it!”


  The girl in front of him had a familiar beautiful and bright smile on her face.

  Fang Mu stared at Qiao Jiuyin for a long time.

  When Qiao Jiuyin saw that Fang Mu was staring at her, she became a little puzzled. She asked, “Why are you looking at me?”


  Fang Mu reached out to wipe the grease off the corner of Qiao Jiuyin’s mouth. He stared at the woman he had known for many years and asked in a deep voice, “Xiao Sheng, don’t you like eating squid the most?”


  Qiao Jiuyin’s smile froze.

  The pork belly in her hands that she had yet to finish became a hot potato.

  Fang Mu’s gaze darkened. He caressed Qiao Jiuyin’s cheek. At first, his movements were gentle, but in the end, he became forceful. Qiao Jiuyin felt her cheek muscles aching. She wanted to cry out in pain when she heard Fang Mu ask, “Xiao Sheng, when did you learn to make pastries?”


  Fang Mu’s tone was not harsh, but Qiao Jiuyin knew that he was angry. He was so angry that he was about to explode.

  Qiao Jiuyin’s heart turned cold.

  “Xiao Sheng.” Fang Mu’s hand landed beside Qiao Jiuyin’s eyes. He gently touched her eyes and expressionlessly asked, “What are you feeling guilty about?”


  Qiao Jiuyin’s body began to tremble.

  In the house, Qiao Jiusheng stood by the window and watched this scene with a smile.

  Just as Fang Mu’s hand was about to touch Qiao Jiuyin’s throat, Qiao Jiuyin suddenly opened her mouth and vomited.

  Both of them were stunned.

  Immediately after, Qiao Jiuyin pushed Fang Mu away and ran to the flowers. She bent down and vomited even more.

  After regaining his senses, Fang Mu ran after her. He stood behind Qiao Jiuyin as his eyes flickered.

  This disturbance was too great, and it drew everyone’s attention.

  “Second Sister-in-law, what’s wrong?” Fang Yupei asked.

  Fang Yuqing covered her mouth and exclaimed, “Could she be pregnant?”


  The word ‘pregnant’ shocked everyone.

  Fang Mu quickly bent down to help Qiao Jiuyin up and carried her into the hall. Xu Pingfei and Fang Qingyun, her eldest sister-in-law, quickly came over and asked Qiao Jiuyin how she felt. Qiao Jiuyin gently touched her stomach and said with an uncomfortable expression, “It’s probably because my stomach wasn’t feeling good. I ate some greasy food and felt nauseous.”


  Qiao Jiuyin smelled something, so she raised her head and looked around. Finally, she said to her cousin Fang Yukang, who was standing behind Fang Mu, “Yukang, can you remove the squid in your hand?” After she finished speaking, Qiao Jiuyin started retching again.

  Fang Yukang was dumbfounded. He looked at his father.

  “Throw it away!” Fang Ping glared at his son, Fang Yukang.

  Fang Yukang immediately turned around and ran out.

  When Fang Mu saw this scene, all the doubts in his heart disappeared.?

  This explained her previous behavior.

  After thinking everything through, Fang Mu said to Wan Lang, “Butler Wan, call Dr. Xu.”


  When she confirmed that Fang Mu no longer doubted her, Qiao Jiuyin secretly heaved a sigh of relief.

  ***

  Fang Yusheng and Qiao Jiusheng had initially planned to leave.

  However, Qiao Jiuyin had suddenly vomited, so the two of them decided to stay and take a look.

  Fang Yusheng touched the prayer beads in his hand. He looked up at the woman standing beside him and asked, “Ah Sheng, do you think Sister-in-law has gastric problems, or is there something else?”


  Qiao Jiusheng chuckled and said, “Miss Qiao lives like a princess. How could she have gastric problems?”


  “Do you know?” Fang Yusheng asked without rhyme or reason. Without waiting for Qiao Jiusheng to answer, he answered his own question. “Bodhisattva said that people who are guilty must think of all means to make themselves feel at ease.”


  Qiao Jiusheng stopped laughing and took a deep breath before saying, “Yusheng, which Bodhisattva do you believe in? You’re really full of words. I’ll pay my respects to God another day.”