C10 10

The marriage was a done deal. Chiang Nan knew that her grievances against Fu Chijing were pointless, so she could only offer Tong Qing her blessings with reluctance, then quietly warned Fu Chijing not to mistreat Tong Qing. Fu Chijing gave a slight nod in acknowledgment. Chiang Nan still had work that afternoon and could not stay long. After taking a phone call, she left. The ward fell silent. Fu Chijing sat by Shen Wanqiu's bedside, his gaze cool and detached. Tong Qing studied his sharply defined profile and thought of how Chiang Nan had bared her teeth at him earlier. She spoke softly, "Nan is just like that. Please don't take what she said to heart." Chiang Nan did not know how well he treated Tong Qing, which was why she was so anxious, but Tong Qing knew. Fu Chijing was good, exceptionally good. Her eyes glistened as she looked at him with a gentle, obedient expression, her voice so soft it barely carried. For some reason, Fu Chijing's throat moved as if he had swallowed back a thought. "Mm." Tong Qing let out a quiet breath and asked, "How did you know I was in the hospital?" Fu Chijing did not answer. Instead, he asked, "Did you go back to the Tong family today?" Tong Qing froze, then nodded, guilt flickering across her face. "Did they bully you?" Her eyes brightened at the question. Was he worried she had been mistreated? "No," Tong Qing said, her tone lifting with confidence. "No one there can bully me." If anyone had been bullied, it was Tong Nianyu. Remembering Tong Nianyu rolling on the floor with her face swollen, Tong Qing's mood lifted. Then she abruptly looked back at Fu Chijing. How did he know she was in the hospital, and how did he know she had gone back to the Tong family? Thinking of the nurse's sudden change in attitude and the two attendants who had arrived, Tong Qing was not foolish. She quickly put it together. "Were the attendants arranged by you?" Fu Chijing did not hide it. He nodded. He had Soong Shi bring in a basin of warm water, then began wiping Shen Wanqiu's face and hands, his movements practiced and gentle.

Fu Chijing, having completed his task, turned to meet Tong Qing's gaze, which was filled with emotion. She bit her lip and whispered, "Thank you." Years ago, Shen Wanqiu's affair with Tong Hongliang was exposed, and she suffered a beating and berating at the hands of Yao Qing, leaving her with a lasting illness. Later, giving birth to Tong Qing drained her health completely. To support her daughter, Shen Wanqiu did everything she could. Regrettably, by the time Tong Qing was old enough to understand, Shen Wanqiu had fallen gravely ill and had been in a deep sleep ever since. For many years, Tong Qing had cared for her mother alone. She never expected that someone else would come to care as deeply as she did. Fu Chijing frowned in displeasure at the young girl's earnest enthusiasm and gratitude. "Qing." His voice carried a note of irritation. Confused by his sudden discontent, Tong Qing grew anxious. "What's... what's wrong?" "Come here," he said, setting the towel aside. Tong Qing moved closer. In an instant, Fu Chijing grabbed her hand and pulled her into his arms. Her eyes rounded in surprise, like a startled rabbit. Hadn't their agreement stated he wouldn't initiate a hug? Could he have forgotten? Fu Chijing hadn't forgotten. He was simply irrationally irritated and couldn't resist teasing her. He gripped her waist, preventing her from fleeing, and asked sternly, "Who am I?" Puzzled, Tong Qing answered, "Mr. Fu." "Wrong." "Fu Chijing." "Try again." Nothing was right. Tong Qing's anxiety was palpable. She had no idea what Fu Chijing was trying to ask, nor what answer he was seeking. When she failed to respond correctly, Fu Chijing pinched her earlobe as if to punish her. She shivered, her voice softening. "I... I don't know." The pain brought tears to her eyes, and she pleaded silently for mercy. Fu Chijing inhaled deeply and, in a rare act of kindness, prompted her, "Who is Fu Chijing to you?" "I..." What was it? Tong Qing finally realized what Fu Chijing was prompting her to say. Yet, out of embarrassment, she found herself at a loss for words. Fu Chijing was not inclined to let her off the hook so easily. With a deep, deliberate voice, he instructed her, "It's your husband."

Tong Qing's face turned beet red in an instant. Fu Chijing assertively lifted her face from his embrace to meet his intense gaze. "Qing, we are husband and wife. Your mother is my mother. It is my duty and privilege to treat her well, so you do not owe me any thanks." Tong Qing's eyes darted away, too bashful to meet his stare. "Furthermore, if you encounter any issues in the future, contact me right away. Even though I know you might handle them on your own, selfishly, I would prefer you lean on me more. Understand?" In her past life, she kept too many secrets from him, only for him to find out after he had lost her. This time around, he was determined to make it clear that she was never alone. No matter what, she always had his support. So she could unabashedly depend on him, trust him, and love him.

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