Song Yushuang's laughter, though not loud, felt like a slap across Xu Runli's face.
Just as she was about to say something more polite, Fu Yucheng walked in wearing a military uniform, his military boots making a steady sound on the blue brick floor.
"Acheng's back?" Song Yushuang immediately stood up. "Hurry up and wash your hands. We'll eat in a bit. I specially stewed some ribs for you today."
Fu Yucheng's gaze swept across the main room, lingering for a moment on Yun Tangyin, who was picking green beans not far away, before moving away: "Mom, we received two jin of fine grains today, and I brought them back."
"You brought things home again." Song Yushuang smiled as she took the grain bag. "Please sit down."
Xu Runli's gaze remained fixed on Fu Yucheng the entire time. Although it wasn't exactly intense, it was still impossible to ignore her.
Fu Yucheng simply nodded slightly as a greeting, without saying a single word to her.
That attitude was as if they were dealing with an unfamiliar neighbor who was just dropping by.
In fact... they're not that different.
Jiang Jianhua, with his sharp eyes, noticed a red silk ribbon peeking out of Fu Yucheng's military trouser pocket. He leaned over to touch it, asking, "What's this? A new certificate of merit?"
"Second sister-in-law, this is for Yinyin." Fu Yucheng avoided her hand and took out a red cloth bag from his pocket. He opened it and found a pair of silver bracelets inside: "They're made from old silver. She can wear them to play with."
As soon as Yun Tangyin sat down, Yu Xia reminded her to look over. The bracelet was engraved with intricate intertwined floral patterns, a style she had casually mentioned liking before.
She walked over, and her fingertips had just touched the bracelet when Jiang Jianhua interrupted her.
"What's so special about a silver bracelet?" Jiang Jianhua pursed his lips and muttered under his breath, "Runli's watch is from Shanghai, it's more valuable than silver!"
Xu Runli immediately raised her wrist in agreement, the watch chain glittering in the sunlight: "It's not anything special, it's just that Zhicheng thought it would be convenient for me to check the time in the Northeast, so he picked it out for me, and I got a coupon for it."
Fu Yucheng had already taken the initiative to serve Yun Tangyin a bowl of pork rib soup, and said lightly, "Well, I don't know anything about these things, I just think that getting two bracelets would please Yinyin."
These words left Jiang Jianhua speechless for a long time, while Xu Runli's face turned red.
She could easily tell that Fu Yucheng was being sarcastic.
When it was time to eat, Xu Runli deliberately sat down next to Fu Yucheng, then smiled at Yun Tangyin on the other side and said, "Sis, if you don't want to sit next to me, then I'll sit next to my brother-in-law, okay?"
Yun Tangyin raised the corners of her lips and looked at Fu Yucheng: "Then why don't you just ask Fu Yucheng if he'd like to sit next to you?"
Before she could finish speaking, and before Fu Yucheng could say anything, Fu Yuanshan stood up with his bowl in hand: "It's alright, if Acheng doesn't want to, I do. I'll sit down."
It seemed like he was deliberately trying to break the awkward atmosphere, but in reality... Fu Yuanshan just wanted to take the opportunity to sit next to Yun Tangyin.
Jiang Jianhua was furious but couldn't say anything. He stepped on Fu Yuanshan's instep and bit his lip hard.
Fu Yucheng looked up and said, "No need. It's easier for me to serve food to Yinyin and take care of her if I'm closer to her."
Fu Yuanshan's foot was throbbing from being stepped on, and he was about to retaliate when he saw Fu Yucheng move his stool closer to Yun Tangyin, so that the two of them were close enough to share a bowl.
He could only sit back down in his original seat, his chopsticks making a loud clattering sound as they poked at the rim of the bowl.
Xu Runli's fingers left several marks on the tablecloth. She had deliberately sat down here to make Yun Tangyin uncomfortable, but she didn't expect to become a laughing stock instead.
"Let's eat." Song Yushuang distributed ribs to everyone. "It's Runli's first time visiting our home, so she should eat more."
As soon as a piece of pork rib landed in Xu Runli's bowl, she smiled and put it into Fu Yucheng's bowl: "Brother Yucheng, you've worked hard. This pork rib is stewed until it's very tender. You should eat more."
Fu Yucheng's chopsticks steadily blocked the way: "No need, Yinyin likes to eat this."
He then handed the ribs to Yun Tangyin, saying, "Slow down, be careful it's hot."
Yun Tangyin took a bite of the rib, and out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Xu Runli's tense profile. She slowly said, "If Runli wants to serve food to someone, why not serve Second Sister-in-law? She must have used a lot of strength when she stepped on Second Brother just now, she needs to make up for it."
Jiang Jianhua's face flushed red: "What are you saying?"
Yun Tangyin scooped up a spoonful of soup: "Your second brother loves you so much. He doesn't even say a word when he's stepped on. You must protect this affection, sister-in-law."
Fu Yuanshan's ears burned from what he was being told, and he shoveled down two large mouthfuls of rice in silence.
As Xu Runli watched this scene, she suddenly felt that the chopsticks in her hand were unusually heavy, as if everyone at the table was against her.
Xu Runli put her chopsticks down on the bowl, a smile still on her face, but her words were barbed: "The way you say that makes it sound like Second Sister-in-law is so fierce. I think Second Brother is willing to let Second Sister-in-law step on him, that's true affection."
“Of course.” Yun Tangyin picked up a piece of corn and handed it to Fu Yucheng’s bowl. “That’s genuine affection, unlike some people who have to specifically ask for coupons when giving gifts, as if they’re afraid others won’t know they have industrial coupons.”
Xu Runli's face turned pale instantly. She had deliberately brought up industrial vouchers to make Yun Tangyin seem unsophisticated, but she never expected to be manipulated instead.
"That's not what I meant," she argued, gripping her chopsticks. "I just felt that Zhicheng was thoughtful."
“He really does care.” Jiang Jianhua finally found a way to start the conversation: “He’s much better than Fu Yuanshan. I asked him to buy me a piece of floral fabric, and he said he needed to save money to buy cigarettes and alcohol. He doesn’t care about me at all; he’s focused on other people.”
Whether intentional or unintentional, Jiang Jianhua's words made the atmosphere at the dinner table even more awkward.
Fu Yuanshan suddenly looked up: "When did I say that? Don't talk nonsense!"
The moment those words were spoken, the entire table fell silent.
Song Yushuang slammed her chopsticks on the table: "Even eating can't shut you up! You've completely disgraced the Fu family!"
Xu Runli's eyes darted around, and she was just about to speak up and win over the only person at the table who was on her side.
Before he could even speak, Yun Tangyin interrupted him: "Second sister-in-law, if you keep being so aggressive, how can second brother live with you? You know perfectly well who you care about, don't you?"
Whether this was meant to defuse the situation or incite conflict, it left Xu Runli speechless, unable to utter a word or vent her anger...
Jiang Jianhua looked at Yun Tangyin, his lips pressed tightly together.
Only Fu Yuanshan looked at Yun Tangyin with a grateful expression.
Xu Runli was furious at the unexpected turn of events. How come every time she tried to cause trouble, Yun Tangyin could easily suppress her?
"Actually, Second Brother treats Second Sister-in-law very well." Yun Tangyin put a piece of spare rib on Jiang Jianhua's plate: "Second Sister-in-law, cherish it."
Fu Yuanshan nodded stiffly: "Exactly."
Yun Tangyin's expression was gentle, but she sneered inwardly, finding this pair of fools unbearable.
Looking at this harmonious family, Xu Runli felt like an outsider.
She picked up a piece of pork rib from the bowl and handed it to Fu Yucheng, but before she could reach it, Fu Yucheng blocked her with his elbow. He was busy peeling shrimp for Yun Tangyin, and his movements were natural and intimate.
Xu Runli's hand froze in mid-air as she watched Fu Yucheng place the shrimp on Yun Tangyin's rice, and finally understood...
In the Fu family, she doesn't even have the right to cause trouble for others.
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