Rebirth from the Ashes

“Fu Qingxuan!” Fu Qingli scoffed coldly while his gaze was fixated on his brother. “Where do you think you’re hiding?”

With tears all over his face, Fu Qingxuan sniffled and stuck his neck out. “Who’s hiding? I’m not hiding. Why would I hide?”

Without giving him another look, Fu Qingli approached Shangguan Yanqiu who was lying on the bed. His calm and grim eyes finally cracked as worry seeped through. He furiously looked at Fu Qingxuan and questioned him. “What happened to Mom?”

Fu Qingxuan really did it this time. Fu Qingli might be able to lay him off for taking Mom out, but what was Mom doing lying in bed? Was she sick? What was wrong?

Intimidated by the glare, Fu Qingxuan was shaken and it showed in his voice. “S-she… p-passed out.”

With a raised brow, Fu Qingli’s complexion grew chillingly scary.

Fu Qingxuan kept to himself and merely moved his gaze to Jin Yu.

It finally got to Fu Qingli’s head that there was someone else in the room. His sharp eyes darted toward Jin Yu as if to cut through him. His eyes reflected all sorts of emotions as a sense of familiarity swept over him. Yet, his voice remained as flat as ever, just like his whole being would be unaffected no matter where and when. “Who are you?”

While he was sizing Jin Yu up, Jin Yu was doing the same. He had learned bits and pieces about Fu Qingli from Li Yuan but had never bothered about what he looked like or what kind of person he was.

Perhaps, had Jin Yu grown interested in Fu Qingli sooner, they would not have had to wait till now to cross paths.

Jin Yu was about to speak.

Fu Qingxuan suddenly stood up and protectively jumped in front of Jin Yu. His tone was firm as he relayed every word. “He’s Dad!”

Hiding the scowl in his eyes, Fu Qingli clenched his fists tight as every inch of his being was screaming and trembling. Still, he kept his cool. “He told you?”

The man before him had similar or even identical bearings to Dad.

However, his face was utmost unfamiliar. It was a face he had never seen before.

“Mom recognized him.” Fu Qingxuan mustered all his courage to look Fu Qingli in the eye. “I can be sure that he is our father.”

At this very moment, Jin Yu was caught in an interplay of emotions.

For Fu Qingxuan to come to his defense without hesitation, Jin Yu was embraced with warmth and happiness.

Although he was relieved by Fu Qingli’s aloofness and composure, he was also saddened by it.

Indeed, Fu Qingli’s response was normal toward a person whose identity had not been backed by proof but only intuition.

Yet, Jin Yu felt sorry for Fu Qingli to have the self-control that he had.

“Oh, really?” Fu Qingli took a good look at Jin Yu before turning to Fu Qingxuan. “Whether it’s true or not, we shall wait for a DNA test to tell.”

He sat by the bed and lowered his gaze to shield the fleeting complicated feelings and woes in his vision.

Infuriated by his heartless words, Fu Qingxuan was huffing in rage. Turning bloodshot in the eyes once more, he hissed through clenched teeth. “Do you not believe Mom or me?”

What was the meaning of this?

Who was he trying to insult?

DNA test? Why was there a need for a DNA test?

“Okay, we’ll do a DNA test.” Jin Yu pulled Fu Qingxuan aside and told Fu Qingli.

The child was different from Qingxuan. Between sentiment and sense, he chose the latter. Fu Qingli’s ruthless rationale may give others the impression that he was stone cold and inhuman.

Nevertheless, he did the right thing. It was all thanks to his rationale that the Fu family was able to forge ahead over the years and he was able to protect those he loved. He carried a weight on his shoulders and the burden was nothing but heavy.

Still lying unconscious in bed, Shangguan Yanqiu started hyperventilating restlessly. She was experiencing night terrors and mumbling incoherently, “Hubby, hubby…”

“Mom.” Blocking everyone else from his mind, Fu Qingli focused solely on holding her hand and soothing her. “Mom, mom. Wake up.”

“Hubby!” Shangguan Yanqiu let out another cry of forlorn before she jolted awake the next second.

Jin Yu came to her side and looked into her unnerved eyes as he gently and pacifyingly grinned and said, “I’m here.”

Biting her lip, Shangguan Yanqiu fixed her gaze on him to imprint every line on his face into her mind as the fear wore off and tears took over.

Fu Qingli read her expression and stood up as he glanced at Fu Qingxuan.

Fu Qingxuan returned a dirty look while staying put.

Fu Qingli marched over and dragged him out of there.

He might be wrong and Qingxuan the idiot may also confuse the guy for their dad, but Mom would never go wrong.

Once outside.

Fu Qingxuan spitefully faced Fu Qingli. “What’s the meaning of this? Why do you need a DNA test?”

Did he know how hurtful that sounded? They were breaking Dad’s heart for their inability to recognize him!

Fu Qingli scoffed coldly. “How am I supposed to know if he truly is our father when you pull him out of nowhere and call him our dad? Don’t be naïve, Fu Qingxuan. It’s all about proofs.”

Glaring at Fu Qingli, Fu Qingxuan scored a right jab to his heart. “They’re right. You’re heartless!”

Without refuting, Fu Qingli gave him a warning look. “Get yourself together and wipe away your tears. Don’t embarrass yourself.”

He then took off to the courtyard.

Shen Xi sighed and gave Fu Qingli a dirty look as Fu Qingxuan went after Fu Qingli in raging tears. She had no words to describe this man. Was he absurdly rational for his own good or simply cold-blooded?

Li Yuan watched Fu Qingli leave. It was unclear whether he was murmuring to himself or clearing Shen Xi’s doubts. “He won’t leave the room if he doesn’t believe it.”

Fu Qingli had recognized Jin Yu and firmly believed that the man was his father. Otherwise, he would not leave Madam Fu alone with a strange man.

One thing was for sure, there were times when enemies knew each other more than friends would.

Li Yuan was not a stranger to dealing with Fu Qingli. The latter displayed inordinate logical reasoning to protect the vast Fu household from bureaucratic conflicts and clashes of interest.