Chapter 49 Bonus Points: "Let Me Show Off"

49

As soon as he finished speaking, a frivolous smile appeared on Fang Yanxiu's face. He stepped forward and extended his hand, saying casually, "So it's your sister-in-law."

Meng Yao was pondering whether she needed to maintain a semblance of harmony when, before his hand could even touch her, Fang Huaixu's actions were already faster than her thoughts.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't planning to introduce you to them."

Fang Huaixu's voice was so calm that there was no room for negotiation. At the same time, a gentle yet irresistible force wrapped around her shoulder, instantly pulling her away from Fang Yanxiu's frontal range and half-protecting her to his side.

Meng Yao leaned against him, feeling his strong arm and the warmth of his body seeping through the thin fabric of his clothes, bringing a reassuring sense of stability.

There was a moment of stillness in the air.

Fang Yanxiu slowly drew a small arc in the air with his outstretched hand and naturally withdrew it, as if he had just casually moved his wrist, and the smile on his face did not diminish in the slightest.

A faint, cold glint flashed in his eyes as he looked directly at Fang Huaixu, his tone mocking: "I never expected Xiaoxu to be the first among us to get married... Oh dear, wasn't I, as your older brother, trying to create a facade of brotherly affection for you? You haven't even brought her home to meet the lady yet, and you're already showing her our terrible family atmosphere. Aren't you afraid she'll feel uncomfortable?"

He glanced meaningfully around, and Fang Huaijin, who was beside him, lit another cigarette at some point, chuckled softly, and continued to puff on the cigarette, saying sarcastically, "What the hell are you looking at me for? Don't I look friendly? You're the one who looks the least like a good person."

A mocking smile played on his lips as he turned his gaze back to Meng Yao's face, which had momentarily tensed up: "Sister-in-law, don't mind, this is just the way we talk in our family."

Meng Yao felt a lump in her throat for a moment, speechless at the blunt and twisted family atmosphere, but it was something she had expected and not entirely unexpected.

But what was Fang Yanxiu doing? Was it self-deprecation or a more sophisticated form of mockery? The attack power was far too weak.

But when she looked up, she was surprised to see the tension in Fang Huaixu's expression.

No way, it actually works?

Fang Huaixu wasn't really afraid that she would feel uncomfortable because of these words, was he?

A soft feeling welled up in her heart, and without much thought, she changed the subject for Fang Huaixu, looking up at him and completely ignoring the two very noticeable older siblings beside her: "The meeting is over? What are the plans next?"

Fang Huaixu was taken aback by her question, but his eyes quickly softened: "If nothing unexpected happens, we should go back to the hospital to change the dressing."

“Okay, let’s go then,” she nodded readily, then turned and politely nodded to Fang Huaijin and Fang Yanxiu: “Brother, sister, we won’t disturb you any longer, we’ll be going now.”

Fang Huaixu also prepared to leave with her.

"Wait a minute," Fang Huaijin suddenly spoke, stubbing out his cigarette, his voice carrying his usual impatience: "Xiao Xu, don't forget Dad's 76th birthday next month. Remember to come home."

Fang Huaixu paused, without turning around, his voice cold: "Tell them I don't have time."

"That won't work."

Fang Huaijin's tone left no room for argument: "Dad's health has been deteriorating over the years. Every time we see him, it's one less time we'll have. He hasn't been home for so long, isn't that enough?"

Fang Yanxiu chimed in, his words laced with sarcasm: "The old man is getting on in years, and he's still worried about you not coming home. You're going to hold a grudge against your own father over such a trivial matter from the past. Can't you give him a break?"

“Yes, they’re all just hanging around me all day, they don’t even notice you anymore,” Fang Huaixu’s face darkened, but he didn’t lose his momentum: “I’m afraid if I really go back, there will be other people who will be unhappy.”

He clearly didn't want to say anything more, and didn't even bother to give her a glance. He simply took Meng Yao and left, saying, "You don't need to worry about my affairs."

Meng Yao could feel the oppressive aura emanating from him. She quietly followed his steps without turning around, but she could still clearly feel the two pairs of eyes staring at her from behind.

The atmosphere on the way back to the hospital was somewhat somber. The doctor performed the routine check-up and changed the dressing, but Fang Huaixu remained silent with his lips pursed, whether he was enduring pain or thinking about something else was unclear.

Meng Yao stayed by his side until the doctor left, then couldn't help but scold him: "You're sick and you don't get proper treatment. All you do is work, work, work. Work is never-ending, but your health is your own responsibility."

Upon hearing this, Fang Huaixu lowered his eyes, his expression instantly changing from serious to innocent, and explained, "Today's meeting is really important, I have to go."

He paused for a moment, seemingly feeling that his explanation was not detailed enough and not convincing enough, so he simply explained the situation along with the details: "The press conference for the special drug was held some time ago, but the market response... wasn't good. Fang Yanxiu and others on the board of directors questioned the high R&D investment and the long payback period. Recently, there have also been some articles in the media that are pessimistic and question the pricing, so we must first determine the subsequent response strategy and stabilize the internal situation."

Although he spoke calmly, Meng Yao could sense that he was under a lot of pressure. Seeing the weariness that he couldn't hide between his brows, she quickly softened.

"Now that you have time, take a good rest," she said softly. Before he could answer, she reached out her fingers and gently massaged his temples with moderate pressure.

"It's alright, no need..."

Fang Huaixu's body stiffened, and his ears instantly turned a light red. He subconsciously wanted to turn his head away, but Meng Yao gently pressed him down to stop him: "Don't move."

He looked up at her nervously, and she smiled gently: "I don't understand much about your work, so this is all I can do to help you."

Her fingertips were slightly cool, but her movements were very gentle, gradually dispelling his tense emotions.

Fang Huaixu hesitated for a moment, but eventually relaxed and said hesitantly, "I don't need you to do anything... I'm still pursuing you, and making you happy is what I should do, let alone doing these things for you."

"Are you pursuing me?" Meng Yao was amused by his words. Remembering the equity agreement from that morning, she said gently, "So the contract from this morning was a bribe to win me over? I wouldn't dare accept it."

“It’s not a bribe,” Fang Huaixu explained matter-of-factly. “It’s just a basic guarantee for me to pursue you. We’re so much older than each other, so it’s fair that you have to get something from me.”

"Don't test me with money."

Meng Yao tapped his head, her expression serious: "Don't think of me as some kind of great person who doesn't care about material things. It was very difficult for me to make this decision. I'm just a vulgar person who loves money to death. It was very difficult to make this decision in order to prevent my originally pure emotional judgment from being mixed with the factor of money."

Meng Yao really didn't intend to accept it. The two of them had only just begun to test their relationship, and she was really struggling to handle such a generous gift.

But Fang Huaixu didn't think so. Under Meng Yao's fingertips, he felt a little anxious, afraid that she wouldn't accept it, and also afraid that she would be unhappy because of his insistence. He hesitated for a few moments, and finally said with a bit of recklessness, "Isn't it better to mix it in..."

Meng Yao was taken aback: "Huh?"

Since he'd already said it, Fang Huaixu simply finished speaking: "You like money, and I happen to have money too. Wouldn't it be nice to have another advantage?"

Meng Yao was speechless for a moment. Seeing his clumsy yet sincere appearance, a surge of joy suddenly welled up inside her.

"My God... how can you be so cute?"

Acting faster than thinking, she leaned in and gave him a loud kiss on the cheek.

Fang Huaixu instantly turned pale, his eyes widened slightly, as if a pause button had been pressed, and a blush quickly spread from his ears to his cheeks.

"Don't……"

Although he verbally refused, he didn't dodge; he just stood there, letting her kiss him, incredibly obedient.

Only when his eyes became somewhat unfocused did he seem to find his voice again, and he whispered to stop him: "I'm still pursuing you, you need to carefully observe for a while longer... I can't reward you just because of a few words."

Meng Yao was in a great mood, and couldn't help but pinch his cheek to show her strength: "What's wrong with it? Don't I, the one being pursued, have the final say? I think your performance just now deserves a reward, is that not allowed?"

Fang Huaixu's heart pounded like a drum, his face flushed, but his heart was filled with an unprecedented sense of satisfaction and joy.

He couldn't hide the smile on his face, his voice muffled but filled with undisguised joy: "Okay."

Meng Yao happily rubbed her cheek against his. After Fang Huaixu calmed down, he asked about his concerns: "Today... I'm sorry, you saw the joke about my family. Our family relationships are indeed a bit complicated. If you want to know, I can tell you everything."

Meng Yao was actually a little embarrassed, as she had already heard most of what Zhou Yi had said: "Actually, I already know most of it without you telling me. It's about how your older brother and sister might not be your biological siblings, and your second brother is away from home most of the time? And then there's what you told me before about why you left home... But I don't mind these things, so you don't need to worry."

Fang Huaixu was surprised for a moment, but quickly calmed down and sighed with relief. He didn't ask her how she knew, but just held her hand tightly: "I will definitely protect you."

Meng Yao felt a warmth in her heart, relieved that he hadn't chosen to run away from the situation this time. She gripped his hand tightly and gently patted the back of his hand with her fingertips: "I know."

She looked at him quietly, noticing a slight hint of confusion in his eyes, and asked directly, "Why do you still look so worried? Is there something else?"

Fang Huaixu looked up at her, his gaze complex, but he finally decided to be honest and nodded: "Yes, there is."

He seemed to gather his thoughts: "I'm a bit slow on the uptake, so I'm not good at judging whether certain decisions are appropriate or not. It was only when they brought it up today that I realized I haven't been back for five or six years."

“My dad… he’s definitely not a good person, neither in his career nor in his life. But from childhood to adulthood, he’s been incredibly good to me, almost always granting my every wish and showering me with resources to raise me. I wouldn’t be where I am today without his support and indulgence. I can’t believe how fast time flies; he’s already seventy-six. I’ve always known his health isn’t good…”

After Fang Huaixu finished speaking, his expression became somewhat complicated: "I'm hesitating about whether or not I should go back."