Rebirth from the Ashes

Song Wenye was a petite girl. When she hugged herself like that, she shrunk into a tiny ball and looked like an abandoned child that was forgotten by the world. She was enveloped in sadness, so much so that Yu Yuanxi felt heartbroken seeing her like this.

The girl was so immersed in her little sad and lonely world that she did not notice Yu Yuanxi standing in front of her.

After a long time.

Yu Yuanxi finally spoke, “Song Wenye.”

Song Wenye suddenly looked up and met the teenager’s clear and warm eyes. This warmth spread through her heart and she almost could not control herself from crying. She smiled at him brightly. “Why did you come here?”

Yu Yuanxi looked at her and said in a hoarse and warm voice, “Grandma asked you to come over to celebrate the New Year. Let’s go.”

Pei Xu called Yu Yuanxi today to wish him and his grandmother a happy new year. He even said that he was abroad.

Yu Yuanxi recalled that Song Wenye said she would spend New Year’s Eve with Pei Xu. If Pei Xu was not around, then she would definitely spend New Year’s Eve alone.

It was sad for anyone to spend such a festive holiday alone. The more he thought about it, the more heartbroken he felt, so he asked Pei Xu for Song Wenye’s home address and came over to see her.

“I’m not alone,” Song Wenye looked at him seriously, turned around, and shouted, “Song Kele, Song Xiaose, Song Xiaomi!”

After she said that, Yu Yuanxi saw three little ones leaping out from the door. The smaller dog looked at him warily and barked at him. After a moment of bewilderment, he could not help but laugh out loud and said, “Bring them along to my house for the New Year!”

Song Wenye dragged her family with her. She leashed Song Kele and Song Xiaose, then put Song Xiaomi in the cat backpack.

Yu Yuanxi looked at her and said, “Give me Song Xiaomi.”

Song Wenye turned her head. “How do you know its name is Song Xiaomi?”

Yu Yuan Xi smiled. “Is it not?”

“Yes, it is.” Song Wenye obediently gave him Song Xiaomi and warned him seriously. “Don’t walk too fast. Song Xiaomi will throw a tantrum.”

“Okay,” Yu Yuanxi nodded his head.

The two walked side by side.

Song Wenye muttered in a low voice, “I’m only going because Grandma told me to.”

Yu Yuanxi replied, “Mm.”

Soon, it started to snow.

Two people, two dogs, and a cat disappeared into the night.

“It’s snowing!” Shen Feng shouted in excitement. “Shen Xi, Fu Qingxuan, come out quickly! It’s snowing!”

Shen Xi leaned against the door and took pity on him, “You should come live at my house next winter.”

Fu Qingxuan did not know what was so great about the snow and glanced at Shen Feng like he was retarded. “Have you not seen snow before?”

Shen Feng looked at them both who had the same expressions and pointed at them with displeasure. “You two are twins!”

“Who’s twins with him?!”

“Who’s twins with her?!”

Both of them spoke in unison and looked at each other with disgust.

“Yeah, that look. Keep that look!” Shen Feng pointed at them and shouted, “Auntie, come over and take a look! Come and see if they have the same exact expression.”

“Stupid.”

The two of them spoke in unison again.

Shen Xi was annoyed. “Don’t copy me!”

Fu Qingxuan yelled at her, “Clearly you’re the one who’s talking like me!”

“What are you guys doing? Hurry up and come over for the reunion dinner.” Shen Tang heard them bickering and called out to them with a smile.

The New Year’s Eve dinner was very sumptuous with a large table of dishes aplenty. Everyone wrapped the dumplings together, so they were all not uniformed. There were all kinds of sizes and strange shapes, but it looked very festive.

The oddly shaped ones were naturally made by Shen Xi and Shen Feng.

The TV was playing a Spring Festival program while the whole family was gathered around for dinner. It was lively with laughter filling the air.

This was the first time Fu Qingxuan felt such an atmosphere on New Year’s Eve. For a moment, his eyes felt a little sore.

After the reunion dinner, the whole family watched the Spring Festival program together and chatted.

Shen Feng looked at Shen Xi, then threw her some cash and asked her to run an errand. “Go and buy ten yuan of spicy tofu skins.”

Shen Xi threw him a blank stare. “Why don’t you go?”

Shen Feng said righteously, “I’m the older brother.”

Shen Xi replied, “I’m not going.”

Shen Feng turned his head and gave the money to Fu Qingxuan. “Fu Qingxuan, you go!”

Fu Qingxuan did not say anything, only gave him a look.

Shen Feng compromised and said, “Rock-paper-scissors, fair and square.”

Fu Qingxuan and Shen Xi agreed.

The three of them played rock-paper-scissors.

Fu Qingxuan and Shen Feng were rocks, while Shen Xi was paper.

Shen Feng clapped his hands smugly and laughed loudly. “The winner will buy the spicy tofu skins!”

Shen Xi was speechless.

‘Scoundrel!’

Fu Qingxuan agreed and smiled at her. “Go along and come back quickly.”

Shen Xi glared at them viciously and complained, “Mom! Dad! They’re both bullying me!”

Yun Jinping put on her scarf and said, “Qingxuan’s a guest and isn’t familiar with the roads here. Mommy will go with you.”

Shen Xi replied, “I can go by myself.”

It was snowing lightly outside and a thin layer of snow covered the ground. There were firecrackers and laughter everywhere, and Shen Xi could hear the Spring Festival program playing in every house.

Shen Xi just turned the corner and bumped into a man head-on.

The man was in an exquisitely tailored black suit. The moment he saw her, he seemed to pause in his footsteps, and his long, narrow, deep eyes were sizing her up.

Shen Xi also swept him a glance.

The man was incomparably handsome. His handsome chiseled face was like a sculpture with delicate features, sharp eyebrows, a high nose, and thin lips that looked cold. His body was exuding a murderous kingly aura.

The moment the two brushed past each other, a cold gust of wind blew over.

She caught a whiff of fragrance in the air, like a fleeting smell of orchids in the night. It was bone-chillingly cold.

The man was just looking at her, but she did not know him.

She was wondering what such a big shot was doing in her small town, and there was no telling who he was here to see.

The man heard her footsteps fading away and looked back again. The girl disappeared, leaving only a trail of tiny footprints in the snow.

Fu Qingxuan hurried over. The moment he saw the man, he seemed a little weaker and looked at him guiltily. “Big brother, why are you here?”

“Now that you’re all grown up, you’ve learned to lie?” Fu Qingli’s deep sharp eyes were looking at Fu Qingxuan. His voice was cold and low as he continued, “I thought you’re dead!”

‘He did not even go home for New Year’s Eve for a girl.’

‘I haven’t even asked him what he’s doing here!’

‘Didn’t he know that Mom would only be more upset if he didn’t go home?’

‘Second Brother even helped him to hide it from me!’

“Big Brother, let’s talk somewhere else,” Fu Qingxuan looked at him pleadingly.

Meanie went to buy spicy tofu skins at the store just around the corner and would be back soon.

When Shen Xi left earlier, Fu Qingxuan received a call from his eldest brother. He did not know if Big Brother had run into her.

“Come home with me now,” Fu Qingli looked at him coldly.

‘Are they both crazy?’

‘Just because of Li Jingran’s daughter, this one lied about doing an important experiment and ended up following her back for New Year’s Eve, while the other one helped to cover for him.’