In the end, after being teased by the middle-aged female doctor, the two left empty-handed just like the day before, without even getting a tube of ointment.
As they walked home one behind the other, Qiao Shu suddenly thought of the gifts Feng Xiao had prepared for her family.
“Um, thank you. Actually, you didn’t need to buy them so many things. My family might be in the countryside, but we have everything we need, and we’re pretty well-off. The things you bought are so expensive; they might not even dare to use them.”
Hearing the little girl’s soft mumbling, Feng Xiao’s lips curved up slightly.
“It’s nothing; it didn’t cost much. We’ll be family soon, so there’s no need to fuss over it.”
Qiao Shu, who had felt a bit embarrassed at first, suddenly thought it made sense after hearing Feng Xiao’s words.
The rest of the Feng Family aside, Feng Xiao was her future husband. Whether theirs was a sham marriage or not, in the eyes of outsiders, he was nominally the Qiao Family’s son-in-law.
So, it was only right for a son-in-law to show filial respect to his in-laws.
Thus, Qiao Shu, who had felt a bit uneasy before, immediately perked up.
“Don’t worry; once I start earning money, I’ll buy lots and lots of things for your family too.”
Seeing the little girl lift her head, puff out her chest, and look so earnest, Feng Xiao pressed his lips together, struggling to hold back the urge to pat her soft-looking head.
“Good.”
Feng Xiao said in a low voice, full of tenderness.
However, Qiao Shu, who was rather obtuse about emotions and never paid them much mind, didn’t notice the excessive gentleness in Feng Xiao’s expression and voice.
Under the setting sun, their shadows stretched long. With the gentle breeze by their ears and the chirping of insects and birds in the woods.
Feng Xiao felt a peace and happiness in his heart that he had never experienced before.
For a moment, he couldn’t hold back and nearly reached for Qiao Shu’s fair and delicate little hand.
“Comrade Qiao Shu, what a coincidence.”
Suddenly, a voice interrupted Feng Xiao’s gaze on Qiao Shu. He looked up and saw Shen Muqian, whom he had met once before.
“Oh, it’s Comrade Shen.”
Qiao Shu, who had been relaxing in a daze, snapped back and saw Shen Muqian walking toward them.
Initially, when she thought Shen Muqian had no interest in her, she had a good impression of him, finding him polite, gentlemanly, gentle, and easy to get along with.
But who knew this man harbored romantic feelings for her too.
Even more, at the Feng Family home, right in front of her “partner” Feng Xiao, he had directly said he wanted to date her, which had scared her.
So now, seeing Shen Muqian again, she no longer felt as unguarded toward him as before; there was no rejection, but caution.
She even felt he was a bit dangerous—clearly liking her, yet able to pretend in front of her that he didn’t.
Especially after Regiment Leader Feng had exposed Shen Muqian’s “sinister intentions,” Qiao Shu felt she should keep her distance from him from now on!
“Coincidence? I remember Comrade Shen lives not here, but in the Air Force Compound, some distance away.”
Feng Xiao glanced faintly at Shen Muqian; he saw through the little schemes in the other’s heart clearly.
Though he knew the little girl wouldn’t have anything with him, thinking back to how happily they had chatted that day still made him uneasy.
Good thing he was back this time.
Otherwise… his little wife might really have been lured away by this big bad wolf Shen Muqian.
After all, they were both from military academies. Though not classmates, they were top performers in their fields and fields of study, so they had heard of each other.
Shen Muqian appeared mild and harmless, like a refined young noble, but in truth, the guy had a fair face and a black heart, and black hands too.
He was good at disguising himself, so in Feng Xiao’s eyes, he was someone not to be trifled with.
And now, he had set his sights on Qiao Shu…
At this thought, Feng Xiao frowned slightly.
“Heh, yes, the Air Force Compound is quite far. I’m here to visit an elder today. What’s this, Regiment Leader Feng, are you going to ask which elder?”
Shen Muqian smiled at Feng Xiao, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes.
If not for his excellent control of his emotions, his brows would have been furrowed enough to crush a fly right now!
Because his worst fear had come true.
When he had seen Feng Xiao return, he had straightforwardly mentioned the matchmaking with Qiao Shu, calculating that Feng Xiao, with his strong sense of morality, would give her up out of that ridiculous notion of “doing what’s best for others.”
It might sound unbelievable to others—who would give up such a beautiful and excellent girl? Only a blind man would.
But Shen Muqian, also a military academy graduate like Feng Xiao, knew Feng Xiao was exactly that kind of “blind man.”
Though not in the same year, he had heard plenty about him.
Feng Xiao was an exceptionally outstanding soldier; even he had to admit he admired him greatly.
Even if he himself used a facade of mild friendliness to become a trusted leader among many.
But the unsmiling Feng Xiao had used his personal charisma and exceptional professionalism to become a figure admired by the entire school.
This was something even his proud self had to concede.
But admiration was admiration; when it came to the girl he liked, he had no intention of yielding.
He had originally planned to break them up based on Feng Xiao’s personality.
But unfortunately… he had failed.
It seemed Feng Xiao had truly fallen for her this time, completely smitten with the little girl Qiao Shu.
Even his principles had given way for her.
But…
Shen Muqian suddenly let out a wry smile.
Who wasn’t like that? He had truly fallen too, but unfortunately… he didn’t have an influential grandfather like Elder Feng…
“Oh.”
Feng Xiao ignored Shen Muqian’s words. He nodded faintly, then took Qiao Shu’s hand right in front of him.
“Let’s go home.”
When Feng Xiao’s large hand grasped Qiao Shu’s small one, both their palms trembled slightly.
Even Feng Xiao held her hand loosely at first, not daring to touch the little girl’s skin rashly.
But to his surprise, Qiao Shu firmly gripped his hand in return.
“Mm, let’s go home.”
Qiao Shu looked up at Feng Xiao with a brilliant smile, saying sweetly.
And so, Feng Xiao was dazed by Qiao Shu’s smile and the warm, soft little hand in his, led forward like a big dog by the much shorter girl.
“Comrade Shen, my partner and I are heading home! Bye~!”
This sentence made the already dazed Feng Xiao even more so!
While Shen Muqian was struck thoroughly. He had thought as long as they weren’t married, he could pursue Qiao Shu and compete fairly.
But seeing the little girl’s attitude now, how could someone as smart as him not understand?
She was deliberately showing it to him, to make him give up and dispel those improper thoughts…
Actually, he had understood from the start her wariness toward unfamiliar men, so he had pretended to have no interest, planning to start as friends, boil the frog in warm water, gradually enter her life until she couldn’t leave him.
But… who could have predicted Feng Xiao would come back halfway.
“Sigh, what a pity. Feng Xiao really came back at the worst time…”
Shen Muqian turned around, watching the petite Qiao Shu lead Feng Xiao away. He gave a wry sigh.
Knowing her resistance to him now, he could only bury his feelings deep, no longer deliberately seeking her out to add to her troubles…
Back home, when the Feng Family heard Qiao Shu’s face had become like this solely because of the mask she wore when going out that day, they were heartbroken—especially He Hong, who had personally put the mask on her and now blamed herself endlessly.
“Sigh! It’s all my fault! If I hadn’t made Shushu wear the mask, her face wouldn’t be like this!”
Seeing how guilty He Hong looked, Qiao Shu hurriedly comforted her.
“Mom, it’s not your fault. Blame my sensitive skin if anything. And don’t worry, my skin is fragile but recovers quickly!”
With that, Qiao Shu held up her wrist. “See, yesterday Feng Xiao pinched my wrist red and swollen, but today there’s hardly any mark; it’s almost back to normal!”
Qiao Shu’s explanation only made things worse. The Feng Family Members all shot unkind looks at Feng Xiao.
They began criticizing how he could lay hands on Qiao Shu…
Seeing the family’s attention shift to Feng Xiao, Qiao Shu blinked and glanced at him.
But as soon as she did, Feng Xiao caught her.
Feeling guilty, Qiao Shu quickly slipped back to her study.
Watching the little girl’s guilty retreat, Feng Xiao’s lips curved up, a smile in his eyes.
He found his little girl utterly adorable no matter how he looked at her.
Back in the study, Qiao Shu quickly put Feng Xiao out of her mind.
She was preoccupied with how the Feng Family had spent sixty thousand yuan to buy her a courtyard house, so now she only thought about earning more money to repay them.
After much thought, she realized her only skill for making money was writing novels!
So, the long children’s fairy tale she had temporarily set aside was now back on the agenda.
She thought maybe she shouldn’t put all her eggs in one basket with Happy Children Magazine.
Perhaps… she should try submitting to other children’s magazines.
After all, there were so many in the country.
She had chosen Happy Children Magazine initially because it was local to the Capital, so mailing and replies were fast.
No long waits.
But after reading the sample issue Weng Kanya sent, she found the stories in this magazine worryingly poor.
It felt like the magazine wouldn’t last long.
And just as Qiao Shu pondered which other children’s magazine to submit to, a few days later she received a reply from Weng Kanya. This time, since it was a mid-length fairy tale, half-written at five thousand words, her payment was twenty yuan.