Chapter 18 - Family: He passed away six years ago.

The next day was the opening day of the science and technology exhibition, so I set my alarm an hour earlier than usual.

In recent years, Lin Xi has been prone to anxiety.

If I have something to do the next day, I will have insomnia and be easily startled awake the night before.

But this time, I slept until the alarm clock rang.

Instead of feeling tired from waking up early, I felt refreshed, as I do after a good deep sleep.

Turning off the phone alarm will immediately redirect you back to the chat interface.

Around 2 or 3 a.m., two new messages appeared.

[Ting: Video call duration 2:39:22]

【Ting: Xixi, goodnight.】

She was a little confused, but after looking at the previous chat, she was sure she hadn't made a mistake.

It's Fu Qingli; she suddenly changed her nickname.

Ting, listen?

My thoughts were wandering a bit, and when I came to my senses, I realized that muscle memory was at play, and I replied with a message just like I used to.

[Murmure: Good morning, you slept so late.]

That statement seems inappropriate nowadays, as it carries a somewhat restrictive connotation.

Lin Xi hesitated whether to retract and resend the message, only to see her nickname at the top quickly change to "typing...".

It would seem even stranger to withdraw at this point.

She gave up struggling, took her phone into the bathroom, and waited for Fu Qingli's reply while washing up.

A short while later, two messages popped up on my phone.

[Ting: Good morning. Something came up yesterday, I'll try to go to bed earlier from now on.]

[Ting: Are you getting up so early, going straight to the science museum?]

[Murmure: Yes, we need to check it one more time before starting.]

After sending it, Lin Xi pouted awkwardly.

For various reasons, Lin Xi has had limited energy in recent years and hasn't had much energy to maintain interpersonal relationships. So, apart from work, she rarely has in-depth conversations with people and keeps them brief whenever possible.

But when she was with Fu Qingli, she suddenly felt an inexplicable urge to confide in him and wanted to tell him more about herself.

Fortunately, Fu Qingli, as always, wouldn't make her feel that what he said was unimportant.

[Ting: Are you checking the exhibition area that Group Two is responsible for?]

[Murmure: Yes, my colleague checked it for me yesterday, but I'd like to double-check.]

[Ting: Xiaoxi is very conscientious and responsible.]

[Ting: Thumbs up.jpg]

Xiaoxi blushed slightly and pursed her lips in response to his praise.

I'm not like I was when I was a child, needing his praise all the time.

She pretended not to see it and changed the subject.

[Murmure: I've finished washing up and am getting ready to go out.]

[Ting: Okay, I'm downstairs]

Is he downstairs?

Lin Xi checked the time in disbelief. Only fifteen minutes had passed since she woke up and sent him the message. It wasn't long enough for him to get over.

Was he waiting downstairs before I woke up? But didn't he only go to sleep at two or three in the morning?

In a panic, she quickly changed her shoes and went out.

As soon as she stepped out of the door, she saw Fu Qingli dressed in white shirt and black pants, standing casually by the car, his cool and handsome face facing her.

At the same time she saw him, he saw her too.

In an instant, his cold demeanor vanished, his deep-set eyes softened, and the smile on his lips became gentle, appearing warm and tender in the warm yellow morning light.

Seeing her jogging down the steps, Fu Qingli straightened up and said gently, "Xiaoxi, slow down, no rush."

Lin Xi quickly reached him across the five or six-meter-wide community path, and said with a slight breathlessness, "You came very early? Actually, I could have taken the subway, it's very convenient."

"I'm going there today too, and it's on my way."

As she spoke, Fu Qingli casually reached out and gently tucked a stray lock of hair that had fallen unruly behind her ear.

Warm fingertips lightly brushed across my earlobe, bringing a slight tickle, and the familiar scent of snowwood filled my nostrils.

Lin Xi's body stiffened, and the spot he touched quickly began to burn.

Compared to her shyness, Fu Qingli didn't seem to think the gesture was too intimate.

He calmly withdrew his hand, turned around, and opened the passenger door.

It's the same car as last night.

But when Lin Xi got into the car last night, she was so nervous that she couldn't pay attention to anything else.

Only now did I take a proper look at the entire car.

This is a Maybach.

Previously, the general manager of the Jiangcheng branch drove a Maybach, and every time his colleagues saw it, they would look at him with envy.

She didn't know much about cars, but Fu Qingli's car looked more luxurious.

The interior is plain black, yet it exudes exquisite attention to detail.

This must be his usual car; it shows obvious signs of daily life, and some work documents were also placed inside.

His things were arranged neatly, which was his consistent cleanliness.

The only incongruous thing on the bus was the pair of giant pandas rocking on the control panel.

She also had a pair, which she glued to the company computer monitor; they only cost about twenty or thirty yuan.

It really doesn't match this expensive car.

At this time, Gun Gun was still sleeping on the back seat.

I feel like panda-related elements appear around him quite frequently. Does he also like pandas?

Just then, Fu Qingli went around to the driver's seat and got in the car, handing her the bag she had taken from the back seat: "The breakfast packed from the hotel tastes pretty good, have something to eat first."

Lin Xi asked, somewhat puzzled, "A hotel?"

“Yes,” Fu Qingli explained as she started the car, “I haven’t found a place to live since I got back to China, so I’m staying in a hotel for now.”

Lin Xi opened the takeout box and casually asked, "When did you return to China?"

"Mid-June."

Lin Xi paused, her hand still moving.

It's almost the end of July now, and he's been staying in a hotel for over a month?

Is it because her relationship with that man is still strained that she can't go home?

Just a couple of days ago, I was thinking that now that he has family and loved ones by his side, he will never feel lonely again.

But it turns out he was still that boy who lost his mother and couldn't go home.

Back then, Shen Yu moved into a sanatorium with her seven-year-old son, Fu Qingli, due to illness.

Not long after, Fu Wenxun moved into the former marital home with Shen Yu, bringing his long-term lover who didn't ask for any official status with him.

Since then, Fu Qingli has never gone back to that home.

With Shen Yu's passing, he lost his place of belonging.

Lin Fengyuan knew the inside story and felt extremely sorry for Fu Qingli.

At an age when he should have been spoiled and willful by his parents' side, he grew up alone from the age of seven, accompanying his mother through thirteen long years in the hospital.

So after Shen Yu's funeral, he brought Fu Qingli back to Nanqing to make up for the absence of family in his life and to make sure he was no longer alone.

But now...

Lin Xi placed her hand on the bag's opening but hesitated to open it. The edge of the bag was gripped tightly in her palm, making a rustling sound as her knuckles tightened.

Noticing her unusual behavior, Fu Qingli asked with concern, "Don't you want to eat? Then how about we eat in the car..."

Before he could finish speaking, Lin Xi suddenly interrupted, "My father, he..."

Fu Qingli was surprised that she would suddenly bring up Lin Fengyuan. Her grip on the steering wheel tightened abruptly, causing the car to veer off course.

He quickly regained control of his strength and direction, worried about Lin Xi but not daring to speak rashly.

Lin Xi paused for a few seconds before continuing, her voice even lower than before, "He passed away six years ago."

Fu Qingli gave a very soft "Mmm": "I know."

However, he did not explain how he knew it.

Lin Xi remembered that last night he said "I've been waiting for you" instead of "you all," which meant he must have known about his father's passing long ago.

However, since his father's obituary was published, it's normal for him to know about it.

She didn't know how to express her thoughts, as it seemed that whatever she said would touch upon his cold family relationships.

Although Fu Qingli never expressed his longing for family, his relationship with his father was one of trust and reliance.

A note from the author:

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