The Mid-Autumn Festival is followed quickly by the Beginning of Winter, and the weather gets colder day by day.
Jiang Huai is wearing more and more layers, and wherever he goes, he looks like a rolling ball.
This child doesn't like being held; he prefers to hold onto tables and chairs and waddle around with his short legs.
That day, he followed the tables in the corridor to the steps, lost his footing, and fell forward.
A pair of long legs reached out in time and stopped him.
Jiang Huai, hugging his long legs, shuffled along until he reached a potted tea tree at the bottom of the steps. He then reached out, plucked a flower, and held it high above his head.
"Xianxian, Xianxian!" Jiang Huai exclaimed happily, drooling as he stretched out his hands toward Fu Qiyuan.
Fu Qiyuan picked up Jiang Huai, gently stroked his little face, and smiled warmly, "Why did you run out all by yourself? Where's your mother?"
Jiang Huai turned around and peeked into the house, calling out, "Xianxian, Xianxian!"
Fu Qiyuan glanced inside, then carried the child inside.
Jiang Shan was studying a new recipe when the room suddenly dimmed, forcing her to look up.
Fu Qiyuan stood at the door, holding Jiang Huai in his arms, gazing at Jiang Shan with a deep and shallow look.
How long has it been since they last saw each other? Twenty-two days!
How long has it been since we had a proper conversation? One month and five days!
He simply couldn't believe that she wasn't deliberately avoiding him!
Meeting Fu Qiyuan's deep gaze, Jiang Shan looked away and said calmly, "It's blocking the light!"
Fu Qiyuan took a deep breath, suppressing a trace of frustration in his heart, and stepped forward, saying, "Let's talk!"
Jiang Shan, without looking up, said, "I have to go out later to discuss a business deal with the grain shop manager. Let's do it another day!"
Fu Qiyuan gently took her hand. "Shan'er, say a few words to me. It'll be over in a bit."
His voice carried a hint of pleading, gently rippling through my heart, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake.
Jiang Shan looked down at their clasped hands, gently and without hesitation pulled them back, and turned to walk away.
The two entered the living room one after the other. Jiang Shan reached out to take Jiang Huai's hand, but Jiang Huai ruthlessly pushed him away and instead offered the ravaged camellia in his hand to Jiang Shan's head.
"Sheep, fairy!"
Jiang Shan smiled gently, took the camellia and tucked it haphazardly into her hair, tilting her head to ask Jiang Huai, "Does it look good? Thank you, Huai'er!"
Jiang Huai chuckled, hugged Fu Qiyuan's neck, turned around, and leaned outwards forcefully.
Fu Qiyuan stood still, his gaze fixed on Jiang Shan's face.
Jiang Huai likes you very much!
Jiang Shan sighed softly, "He's like me; he doesn't easily give his feelings to others. But if he really likes someone, he'll be very proactive and won't know how to hide it."
As they were talking, Jiang Huai had already wiggled his butt and kissed Fu Qiyuan's face several times.
This is what Jiangshan taught us: if you love her, you must kiss her.
A strange light flashed in Fu Qiyuan's eyes. He placed the restless Jiang Huai on his lap, took out a delicate little wooden horse from his body, and successfully diverted his attention.
"Did I do something wrong that makes you suspect you've misplaced your feelings?" Fu Qiyuan asked pointedly.
Jiang Shan lowered his head slightly, a hint of confusion in his expression.
“It’s not that you did anything wrong, it’s that you shouldn’t waste your feelings on me anymore. We’re not on the same path. The concept of ‘marrying someone of equal social standing’ has never been just a casual saying. Jiang Huai is an illegitimate child, and I’m an abandoned orphan. We are incompatible with wealthy and powerful families.”
"Is this the problem you've been worried about? It's not that you don't care about me, it's just because of my status?" Fu Qiyuan's deep eyes seemed to hold a vortex, staring intently at Jiang Shan, not missing a single expression on her face.
Jiang Shan thought about it seriously for a moment, then looked directly into Fu Qiyuan's dark eyes. "Let's be honest with each other. I did like you, but that liking can't withstand even the slightest deception. Do you understand?"
Fu Qiyuan's face turned pale. He struggled to look away from Jiang Shan's face. "I... I will never let you and your son suffer any more harm. I will treat Jiang Huai as my own flesh and blood. I will never betray you again in this life!"
Jiang Shan smiled slightly, patted Fu Qiyuan's shoulder, and said, "Lord Fu, there's really no need for this! You saved me and Jiang Huai, and you've been truly kind to my mother. I'm already incredibly grateful. You have your difficulties, and I have my principles; we're just on different paths."
Fu Qiyuan watched as the delicate white hand moved away from his shoulder, and couldn't help but grab it. "Huai'er needs a father, and you'll eventually get married, so why can't it be me?"
This time, Jiang Shan didn't pull her hand away immediately. She looked at Fu Qiyuan's flushed face with a half-smile and said, "Why does Jiang Huai have to have a father? I gave birth to him, I raised him, and I'm his mother. What does he need a father for? If he really wants a father someday, I can find him one. If I'm going to get married, the person I marry will definitely be someone I can entrust my life to. It has absolutely nothing to do with whether he's Jiang Huai's father or not. Do you understand?"
Fu Qiyuan's eyes turned cold. "You've thought about getting married, but you've never thought about marrying me. You're willing to find a father for Huai'er, but that person won't be me, will they?"
To put it more bluntly, Jiang Shan didn't like him that much, much less to the point of being determined to marry him! She even considered finding another man to be Huai'er's father!
Jiang Shan was speechless. Was he about to start a fight with her?
"Fine, if that's really what you think, then so be it!"
Fu Qiyuan was so angry that his heart ached. His woman, his son, right under his nose, kept saying that she wanted to marry another man and find another man to be the father of his son. Dream on!
Jiang Shan's hand was squeezed painfully by Fu Qiyuan. She frowned and said through gritted teeth, "My lord, it's getting late, I have to go!"
Fu Qiyuan slowly released his hand, his thin lips pressed tightly together, and an unreadable emotion surging in his eyes.
Jiang Shan rubbed his wrist and turned to walk out.
Fu Qiyuan watched Jiang Shan's figure disappear from sight, his dark eyes deep and unreadable.
After a long while, he took Jiang Huai's hand, stared into his large, dark eyes, and said, word by word, "Jiang Huai, listen to me, I am your father, and you can only be my son for the rest of your life! Protect your mother for me, and don't let her marry someone else, do you hear me!"
Jiang Huai let out two "ya ya" sounds, revealing a few tiny teeth, and chuckled.
It was already dark when Fu Qiyuan returned to the county government office, and Fu Shu followed him into the study.
A dark figure appeared behind Fu Qiyuan at some point.
"The Pei family lost more than 200,000 taels of silver and also lost many priceless treasures, but managed to save the line to the capital."
"Whose idea was this? The Pei family couldn't have made this decision so quickly. Who's helping them behind the scenes?"
"That aunt of the Pei family, Madam Cheng, your maternal grandmother!"
Fu Qiyuan suddenly turned around and looked at the person hidden in the shadows.
"Have An San keep an eye on Madam Cheng, and if necessary, have Father step in and keep her occupied! After all, she is an elder, and we, as the younger generation, should not interfere too much."
An Yi paused slightly and glanced back at Fu Qiyuan.
Even your father was one of that person's juniors!
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