"Young master?"
The servant hesitated. "Yes, the old madam brought back two identical children from who knows where, claiming they were our young master, and played games with them. Then..."
From upstairs, Chenchen and Shen Jinxi poked out their heads, as if observing their surroundings and the situation.
Fu Jingshu's eyes widened in shock at the sight of the two children's identical faces. Although he had seen Shen Jinxi's photo before, seeing the real person was a different kind of impact.
He beckoned, "Come down."
The two children exchanged glances, then walked down hand in hand.
Fu Jingshu sat on the sofa and had the two children stand in front of him. He observed them closely; they were truly identical, with only minor differences in their hair.
But even those weren't very noticeable. If they hadn't been standing side by side for comparison, it would have been impossible to tell them apart.
"How did Grandma hurt her waist?"
Chenchen remained silent.
Shen Jinxi pouted and said, "It has nothing to do with us. She snatched us back. She broke the law. But we're family, and I couldn't call the police. So, I had to punish her like this, to let her know she can't do such things again!"
"Were you with Mommy before?"
Seeing them appear together, Fu Jingshu had a guess.
Shen Jinxi's eyes darted around, his face full of cunning. Before he could speak, Fu Jingshu said, "Don't have any ulterior motives. Tell the truth!"
He didn't want to anger his supposed father at this time, so he nodded obediently.
But he refused to say anything more. For example, how Chenchen ended up with Shen Qingqing.
If he wouldn't speak, there was no hope of getting anything out of Chenchen, who never liked to talk, let alone reveal anything. Fu Jingshu simply stopped asking.
"You two stay put at home. I'm going to the hospital to see Grandma."
"It really wasn't our fault," Shen Jinxi nodded obediently, but he couldn't help but add, "She insisted on bringing us back and then hit my sister. I don't know how my sister is. I haven't even seen her yet, and I don't know how she is."
Fu Jingshu frowned. "I understand. You two go rest first."
The two children went upstairs together. He turned, picked up his coat, and headed to the hospital.
When he entered the ward, Fu Tingyi was sitting by the window, while Fang Ruo lay on the bed, covering her waist with one hand, muttering.
"What kind of fate is this? I just wanted to get along with my son and grandson and have a happy family reunion, but it ended up like this. I really don't know what sins I committed in my past life! To bring back such disobedient grandsons."
"Aren't you the one who brought this upon yourself?"
Fu Jingshu walked in slowly, carrying a fruit basket. It was meant for her, but now, seeing the situation... with almost no hesitation, he placed the fruit basket on the bedside table of another bed.
The patient in that bed was out and hadn't returned yet.
Fang Ruo glared at him. "What do you mean by that?"
Fu Jingshu walked to the window and looked down at her. "You know what you did."
Fang Ruo's eyes flickered. "What did I do? Wasn't it all for you? They're clearly your children, but you couldn't bring them back. Now, there's one more, and now both are gone. You couldn't bring them back, so is it wrong for me to help you bring the children back?"
As she spoke, she began to feel wronged.
"All my good intentions have been wasted!"
"Stop deceiving yourself," Fu Jingshu wasn't fooled. Fang Ruo had always been like this for years, and he was tired of it. "It wasn't for me, and it wasn't for this family. It was for yourself. When you snatched the children, did you ever consider the harm your actions might cause them?"
"What snatching children?" Fu Tingyi looked bewildered.
Fu Jingshu hadn't expected him to be unaware of it and chuckled. "You truly are my good mother!"
Fang Ruo's face flushed. "Wasn't it all for this family? Why don't you understand me?"
Although Fu Tingyi didn't understand what was going on, he instinctively defended Fang Ruo. After all, they were on the same side, while his son had been opposed to them for years.
"Alright, alright. Arguing like this at the hospital will only make us a laughingstock!"
Fu Jingshu took a deep breath and said, "From now on, I am me, and you are you."
"What do you mean?" Fu Tingyi sensed something was wrong. "Jingshu, you're speaking very distantly. We are a family, and I am your father."
He reminded Fu Jingshu that no matter how distant, blood ties couldn't be severed.
Fu Jingshu said coldly, "That was before. But after this incident, I see clearly. The two of you are selfish and impulsive."
He narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze filled only with coldness and unfamiliarity, devoid of any familial affection or warmth.
"As for blood ties, they aren't unbreakable."
Fu Tingyi suddenly stood up, anger flashing across his face. "What nonsense are you spouting? Are you going to sever ties with us? You were born to us. Even if our bones are broken, our tendons are still connected. You have our blood flowing through you. Tell me, how can we completely cut off our relationship with you?"
Fang Ruo, ignoring her waist pain, also sat up. "Jingshu, take back your words."
Fu Jingshu refused, and the three were locked in a stalemate. The atmosphere in the ward was heavy and strange, as if on the verge of explosion, until the arrival of Madam Fu broke the silence.
"Jingshu, do you know what they're saying outside?"
Fu Jingshu remained silent.
Seeing his reaction, Madam Fu knew he was still unaware. She tapped the ground with her cane. "Someone started a rumor that you and Qingqing broke off your engagement, and Qingqing's child is yours. Now you've been labeled as irresponsible and lacking backbone!"
Fu Jingshu didn't refute it.
From his perspective, he indeed was. There was nothing to refute.
Seeing his ashen face, Madam Fu sighed. Although she didn't know what had happened, she couldn't bear to see her grandson lose his happiness. She said, "I'll ask you one thing. Have your feelings for Qingqing changed?"
Fu Jingshu finally spoke. "No."
Ever since he entered the ward, every word he spoke carried anger and sharpness. Only this sentence was spoken in a low voice, with a hint of inexplicable tenderness and firmness.
Madam Fu breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. Then the engagement will continue. Get married soon, for your sake, for my great-grandchild, and to silence the gossips."
The rumors outside were so unpleasant they made her blood pressure rise.
Fu Jingshu said softly, "Okay."
Fang Ruo and Fu Tingyi immediately became anxious, but before they could speak, Madam Fu glared at them, her aged face expressionless.
"I have made my decision. No one is to object further."