Rebirth from the Ashes

Shangguan Yanqiu pushed the room door open to find Fu Qingxuan dressing his wound on the sofa. She quickly made her way over. “What’s wrong? I was only gone for a few minutes. What happened to you while I was away?”

“Oh, Mom. I lost my grip and dropped the teapot on my foot.” Fu Qingxuan grimaced and gasped in pain while looking at his toes. What rotten luck. The teapot slipped from his hand and fell on his foot.

“Let me see. Is the tea hot or cold?” Shangguan Yanqiu slapped his hand away. Furrowing her brows, she wrapped the bandage for him.

“Cold. Who would drink hot tea at this hour?” Fu Qingxuan drew a sharp breath and exclaimed, “Be gentle, Mom. The pain is killing me. Am I your son? I would’ve lost my foot if this was hot.”

Letting out a sigh, Shangguan Yanqiu expressed her heartache. “You’re so absent-minded. Why are you like Xixi?”

Xixi nearly fell from looking at her phone while walking up the stairs.

“Shen Xi?” Fu Qingxuan frowned, no longer howling in pain. “What happened to her?”

If he remembered it correctly, Mom only met Meanie once. Why was Meanie dragged into this?

“She nearly fell.” Shangguan Yanqiu was still shaken up just thinking about it. What if she really fell down the stairs?

“Is she here too?” Fu Qingxuan had not told Shen Xi that he brought Mom along for a change of scenery. “Did she come here for us? Where is she?”

“No, her whole family is dining here.” Shangguan Yanqiu observed him getting all worked up. “Do you want to head there and say hello later? Her parents are around as well.”

“Yes, of course!” Fu Qingxuan understood that Meanie was not here for him, but it did not hurt to pretend that it was.

“We’ll head there after our meal.” Shangguan Yanqiu did not want to be a bother.

“No.” Shaking his head, Fu Qingxuan took a hard look at her. “Mom, hurry up with the bandage. Let’s go there now and eat with them. The more the merrier.”

Shangguan Yanqiu replied, “It isn’t nice to crash their dinner.”

Fu Qingxuan uttered, “Mr. and Mrs. Shen are nice people. They think of me as their son. They don’t care about that.”

There was no talking Fu Qingxuan out of it. Shangguan Yanqiu shook her head and smiled. “Oh, you.”

This child was always distant to outsiders, yet he was close with Xixi’s family. Shangguan Yanqiu found out from Ye that Xuan was at Xixi’s place during the few times he went missing. Her eldest son forbade him from bringing it up to her.

“Mom, can we?” Fu Qingxuan sought her opinion.

“Are you sure they are okay with this?” Shangguan Yanqiu was still concerned. She could tell that Xixi’s family was nice. In fact, she and Xixi’s mother really got on well. Still, they should not be bothering the family after only meeting once. It was simply improper.

“Yes, yes, yes. Mr. and Mrs. Shen will be very happy.” Fu Qingxuan then inquired who else was there. He could already guess by the descriptions. Hence, he cheerfully retorted, “All the more that it’s fine. It’s not just Xixi’s family but Song Wenye, Yu Yuanxi, and Granny Yu are there too.”

He could work out this bunch, but he had no idea who the last girl was.

The food was just served for Shen Xi’s group when there was a knock on their door.

With Yun Jinping giving permission to enter, Fu Qingxuan hobbled in with the help of Shangguan Yanqiu. He waved at them with a bright smile. “Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Shen.”

Shen Xi, “…”

Song Wenye’s eyes lit up as she gleefully waved back.

Ruan Sisi was ogling. F*ck! He was a dreamboat, more handsome than Yu Yuanxi. The guy topped the list of beaus she had seen in her life.

Yun Jinping nervously stared at him. “What’s wrong with your leg?”

“I’m okay. I got into a bit of an accident.” Fu Qingxuan needed no introduction as he went over and pulled a chair from the side for Shangguan Yanqiu to sit.

Shangguan Yanqiu was glad and embarrassed to see her son not being a stranger at all. She flashed her pearly whites at everyone present. “I brought Xuan here to say hello.”

She did not approve of Fu Qingxuan’s manner due to her upbringing in strict etiquette. She would never impose another visit if she were on her own. Nevertheless, Shangguan Yanqiu gave in to her desire to meet Shen Xi again.

“Come and join us since you’re here.” Yun Jinping was afraid that their circumstance might strike an emotional chord in Shangguan Yanqiu, so she did not invite them to dinner in the first place. However, they might as well enjoy some time together since they were already here.

Shen Xi swept a glance at Fu Qingxuan, focusing on his limp. She was convinced that the boy was trying to gain sympathy by hobbling in with a limp.

“Thank you, Mrs. Shen. My mom and I have never been to this place. We didn’t know what to order!” Fu Qingxuan made himself at home.

Shangguan Yanqiu let out a grin. At this point, she might as well accept the invitation. “Pardon the intrusion.”

Instead of sitting on the chair Fu Qingxuan pulled out for her, she went next to Shen Xi and smiled.

Shen Xi immediately got up and gave up her seat. “Please sit, Madam Fu.”

Before Shangguan Yanqiu had a chance to say anything, Shen Xi turned to pull another chair to sit beside her. She could feel warm tingles in her heart.

The girl was so thoughtful.

Tilting her head, Song Wenye quietly observed the two. Xixi had an uncanny resemblance to Li Jingran while Madam Fu was a carbon-copy of Li Jingran apart from their bearings. In other words, Xixi was a spitting image of Madam Fu.

That was not right. Xixi carried herself more like Madam Fu. It was the in-bred poise and nobility that struck a jarring difference to the hypocritical grace of Li Jingran. Madam Fu was truly refined and polished.

It was not just Song Wenye, but even the accompanying Ruan Sisi was shocked by Li Jingran’s presence. It took a while before she realized that the woman was not Li Jingran as the lady introduced herself as Shangguan at the staircase encounter.

Why did she look identical to Li Jingran though? Looks aside, why did she have an uncanny resemblance to her teacher?

Ruan Sisi turned to Song Wenye and Yu Yuanxi for an answer. It was a pity that she was not close with them and was ranked the youngest to ask such private questions.

Overwhelmed with curiosity and questions, she had nowhere to turn to for answers.

Granny Yu had no clue about Shen Xi’s family history. Yu Yuanxi was not one to spill the beans while Song Wenye did a good job keeping the secret from her. With everyone taking a seat, she spoke, “Yuanxi, I’m happy you’re reunited with your birth parents at last.”

With that, Fu Qingxuan widened his eyes in shock and stared at Yu Yuanxi. What did she mean? What birth parents?