"Why should I leave?" Lin Minglan had finally managed to get some alone time with Fu Jingshu and was unwilling to go. "You have no evidence; this is slander."
Her eyes flickered. Seeing someone approaching, two lines of tears streamed from her eyes.
"Xixi, I know you don't like me, but you can't lie. How can you speak carelessly? I haven't offended you."
The three of them were already handsome and beautiful. Passersby couldn't help but glance at them. When they saw Lin Minglan crying pitifully, as if being bullied by a family of three, people couldn't help but stop.
Lin Minglan said no more, simply lowering her head and weeping silently.
However, even in the face of everyone's strange gazes, Fu Jingshu remained unshaken, his tone calm and steady, "You should go."
Disbelief flashed in Lin Minglan's eyes. "Are you really kicking me out?"
Fu Jingshu looked at her as if she were an idiot, not even bothering to answer her question. After she finished speaking, he took the soft hand of the person beside him. "Let's go."
"Jingshu! Please don't make me leave, okay?"
Lin Minglan's voice came from behind. She was getting anxious.
Fu Jingshu did not stop, not wanting to waste any more time on her. However, the woman behind him shouted in frustration.
"If you leave now, don't regret it!"
Seeing the man walking further and further away, Lin Minglan had to be blunt. "If you drive me away today, you'll never know her whereabouts!"
Fu Jingshu's steps abruptly stopped. He slowly turned to look at Lin Minglan, his gaze obscure and unreadable.
"You know her."
This was not a question but a statement. Lin Minglan's anxious heart settled. So, this person was truly that important to him. She glanced triumphantly at Shen Qingqing. "Yes, I do. If you let me stay, I can tell you Lu Wanying's whereabouts."
Fu Jingshu's thin lips pressed into a tight line, his facial features taut. "You can stay."
As soon as he said this, Shen Qingqing and Shen Jinxi looked at him in surprise.
But he didn't look at either of them. His eyes were filled with a complex emotion that made it impossible to discern his thoughts. Shen Qingqing stared at him for a moment before slowly turning her head to look at Lin Minglan.
"Who is Lu Wanying?"
"So you don't know," Lin Minglan said, looking at her with pity. "She is... a very important person."
She didn't say important to whom, but Shen Qingqing understood. Besides Fu Jingshu, who else could it be? Didn't she see him compromising for that Lu Wanying!
But she felt uncomfortable, extremely uncomfortable!
She turned to look at Fu Jingshu, her suppressed voice carrying a hint of emotion. "Don't you have anything to say?"
Fu Jingshu's expression was cold. "No."
It seemed that after hearing Lu Wanying's name, he had changed, abandoning all warmth and tenderness, becoming cold and aloof.
Shen Qingqing's desire to get to the bottom of it vanished in the face of his attitude. "Fine. If you don't want to talk about it, then you don't have to from now on."
With that, she turned and left, holding Shen Jinxi.
She walked about ten steps before her pace gradually slowed. Her excellent hearing detected no footsteps behind her. So, he hadn't followed.
The corners of her mouth curled up, forming a sarcastic and icy smile.
She had really given him too much leeway.
She took Shen Jinxi's hand and left without hesitation.
Lin Minglan watched the two of them be driven apart so easily by a single name, feeling immense satisfaction. However, Fu Jingshu's expression was currently grim.
She wisely refrained from showing any signs of triumph and softened her tone, making herself appear harmless as she slowly approached him.
"Jingshu, you..."
Before she could finish, the tall, stern man turned and walked away, leaving her with a cold back.
Lin Minglan gritted her teeth in anger and stomped her foot. Seeing people watching the drama, she wanted to scold them. But remembering she needed to maintain her image here, she couldn't hide her sadness and feigned strength as she nodded at them.
This effort earned her some favor.
...
There were teachers in this school, a man and a woman. Although not many, they were knowledgeable and fond of children, so they had stayed here.
They were very fond of Shen Jinxi and Chenchen, and equally fond of their mother, Shen Qingqing.
"Miss Shen, you're back. We're just about to go up the mountain to chop firewood. Do you want to come along? Consider it an experience."
The male teacher invited her enthusiastically.
The female teacher, however, glared at him. "Miss Shen is from the city; she doesn't need to do this kind of rough work."
Shen Qingqing smiled and said, "It's alright. Since I'm here, there's no difference between city and countryside. Aren't we all equal?"
The male teacher nodded emphatically. "Yes, Miss Shen is right!"
Even the female teacher smiled and invited her, "Then come with us. There are many fruits on the mountain, and they are very sweet. I'll take you to eat them."
As soon as they heard about picking fruit, Shen Jinxi and Chenchen eagerly led the way. The other children also liked to cling to the teachers and Shen Qingqing.
Because this auntie was beautiful and looked clean, like... a fairy!
They all liked to surround her.
So, in the end, three adults led a large group of children to the mountain. As soon as they entered the forest, the children scattered.
Shen Qingqing was a little worried. "Will they be alright if they run around?"
The male teacher shook his head. "No, they grew up here. They've run around everywhere and know every nook and cranny. If we get lost, they won't."
"That's good."
Shen Qingqing had never chopped firewood before. Even in her most difficult times, she hadn't done such work. The male teacher patiently taught her.
He also worried that she wouldn't have enough strength. "Try it. If you feel you can't do it, just leave it there. Don't force yourself."
After all, Miss Shen looked thin and delicate, not like someone who could wield an axe. He was prepared for her to be unable to chop.
Unexpectedly, she held the axe with one hand and brought it down with ease!
With a "crack!"
The small tree, as thick as her wrist, was cut in half. The male teacher was stunned. He was a man who had chopped wood for a long time, and it was easy for him to chop it.
But this was her first time chopping wood, and she was a delicate young lady from the city who couldn't do rough work!
Are people in the city this capable now?!
The female teacher was also impressed. "Amazing!"
Shen Qingqing smiled and began chopping wood with agile movements. She not only could chop it but also did so quickly. In a short while, she had cut down several small trees.
After chopping, they had to be brought back and split into firewood for burning.
Shen Qingqing, having nothing else to do, volunteered to help. This was not difficult. She caught sight of Fu Jingshu sitting not far away, watching her.
The moment she looked over, his gaze shifted away.
She paused, then nonchalantly withdrew her gaze and continued chopping wood, but her movements were too hurried. The chopping knife slipped from the firewood and headed towards her hand.
The scene made everyone's eyes widen.
But luckily, Shen Qingqing reacted extremely quickly. Her left hand dodged swiftly, but the back of her hand was still scratched. The fair skin was covered in blood, looking shocking.