Rebirth from the Ashes

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Song Wenye might be quick with her hands, but Shen Xi’s facial muscles were quicker. Alas, she only captured Shen Xi’s smiling face. Song Wenye regrettably pursed her lips. “You really did look alike!”

Xixi was a spitting image of Fu Qingli in the photo when she was looking out the window. Their identical looks made Song Wenye suspect they were biological siblings.

Talking about it only put Song Wenye in a foul mood. She always lamented why Xixi was not the long-lost daughter of the Fu family. If Xixi was the Fu brothers’ sister, Song Wenye could also be considered their sister since she was best friends with Xixi.

Just thinking of the position she would be in gave Song Wenye a rush. Besides, Qingye was her favorite idol. She could walk on air if she could call Qingye her brother.

Shen Xi was not the least bit interested in the conversation. Settling against the backseat, she closed her eyes to get some shut-eye.

Taking the hint, Song Wenye quit the yapping. Since it was dangerous to dance on a minefield, she decided to stay out of it. Hence, she went on to gossip in the group chat. Nevertheless, Xixi, who was usually calm and indifferent, would get worked up at the mention of Fu Qingli. Sure, she said she did not care for him, yet her actions said otherwise.

Once they were back, Song Wenye carried her suitcase to Shen Xi’s bedroom without help.

Shen Xi was right at home and left Song Wenye be since she did not see Song Wenye as a stranger. There was no dirty secret lying around the house anyway. Shen Xi sat on the sofa and helped herself to a plate of fruits.

“Xixi, come and wash the dishes.” Yun Jinping cried from the kitchen.

Putting down her fork, Shen Xi was about to get up when Song Wenye trotted down the stairs. She was not shy to say, “My mom wants you in the kitchen.”

Up for the task, Song Wenye ran over. Her voice traveled to the kitchen faster than her feet. “Mrs. Shen, what can I help with?”

She arrived in the kitchen to find only Yun Jinping and Yu Yuanxi there. Her eyes wandered a bit before fixating them on Yun Jinping.

Yun Jinping was surprised to see Lil’ Ye even though she called for her own daughter. She nagged for Lil’ Ye to leave the kitchen. “Go and watch TV in the living room. Get Xixi in here.”

Lil’ Ye had been working too hard lately. Her tiny face was skin and bones now from throwing herself into deadlines and work. Yun Jinping did not have the heart to ask Lil’ Ye to do anything.

“It’s okay. I’m not tired.” Song Wenye looked at Yun Jinping with a smile. “Shall I wash the vegetables? Pick the greens? Oh, right! I joined a program recently and learned to make a dish called shredded sweet potato. Let me cook that, Mrs. Shen.”

“Go and wash the dishes with Yuanxi first.” Knowing that she would not be able to dampen Lil’ Ye’s enthusiasm, Yun Jinping assigned her a task.

Shen Xi was eavesdropping from the living room with coyness in her eyes. It was not that she was lazy and unwilling to do the work, she was only trying to create an opportunity for the pair to spend time together. It was a great idea.

Madam Yun, Yu Yuanxi, and now Song Wenye were the only ones in the kitchen as Old Shen had taken Granny Yu to collect Song Xiaose and the other pets. Madam Yun was too busy cooking to pay attention to the couple.

Nevertheless, Shen Xi had too high of regards for Lil’ Ye. She thought that Lil’ Ye would pounce like a tiger and confess her love right away the moment she fell in love, but she shrunk into her shell instead. Nervous just watching at the sidelines, Shen Xi had to give them a push. Otherwise, their relationship would never see the light of day.

Back in the kitchen.

While chopping the vegetables, Yun Jinping would glance at the two children on washing duty every now and then. The more she observed them, the more she thought they were made for each other. They were equal in looks and their personalities complemented each other.

She always believed a wild child like Lil’ Ye should look for a quiet and mild-mannered boy. Yun Jinping thought they were a perfect match before knowing Yuanxi was her son.

The thought had not changed even now. It could not be better if Lil’ Ye could be her daughter-in-law.

“Mrs. Shen, do I put the plates here?” Song Wenye held the clean plates in her hands and asked.

“Put them here.” Snapping out of her thoughts, Yun Jinping pointed somewhere in front of her.

Song Wenye took one step before she slipped. Following a squeal, she resigned to closing her eyes and clutched the plates against her chest amid the tension.

With Yu Yuanxi’s pupils dilating, he intuitively reached out to steady her by the waist. However, his hands shifted and before he knew it, he was holding the girl tightly in his arms.

Song Wenye clung onto the plates and shut her eyes tightly, waiting for the pain that never came. Opening her eyes to meet the mixed emotions in the young man’s eyes, she cleared her throat and rubbed the plates to ease her nerves before smiling at him. “Thank God the plates are okay.”

Oh, Yu Yuanxi was boiling. His generally unruffled eyes carried signs of anger as he stared at her hugging the plates. Because of these plates, he nearly missed the catch!

Was she stupid? Why were the plates the first thing she held onto when she was about to trip? Which was more important, the plates or she?

Yun Jinping nervously ran over and examined Song Wenye in distress. “Thank goodness you’re alright.”

It almost scared the hell out of her. Song Wenye would get hurt if she fell on top of the broken plates. Good thing Yuanxi was there to save her.

Having heard the commotion, Shen Xi rushed to the scene and found Yu Yuanxi carrying Song Wenye in his arms. With a complicated look on her face, she wondered what was with their pose.

Then came Song Wenye’s comment about saving the plates from the fall and the helplessness in Yu Yuanxi’s eyes.

Song Wenye certainly knew nothing about reading the room. She was beyond help. Seriously, the plates were her main concern? Any normal human being would be shaken and sobbing for a kiss and a hug up high.

Pulling away from Yu Yuanxi’s grasp, Song Wenye could feel her heart thumping followed by her body temperature rising. With her cheeks flushed, she could not look anyone in the eye and placed the plates on the counter to excuse herself to the loo.

Yu Yuanxi caught Song Wenye making her escape and the look Shen Xi was giving him before resuming his washing duty. His movement froze when his fingers touched the cool plates as his mind flashed back to the girl’s touch of tender warmth. He turned red-faced and his heart began to race.

Clearing her throat, Shen Xi asked if anyone needed help but was driven out of there by Yun Jinping. She was caught snickering after another glance at Yu Yuanxi’s reddened ears.

That was quite a delayed reaction. Why did he blush now when Song Wenye had run away?

It did not take long before Shen Zhangqing and Granny Yu returned together with Song Wenye’s beloved pets. The house was filled with a bustle.

Song Wenye’s pets made themselves at home in Shen Xi’s house. Even though they stayed with Granny Yu for a week, Song Dalang led Song Xiaose to dart into the kitchen in search of a certain somebody.

Unlike the two mongrels, the noble Song Xiaomi arrogantly lifted its head high and scanned the living room with a swaying tail, as if to look for something.

Shen Xi approached Song Xiaomi and carried it to the sofa before tapping its tiny head. “I’ll get Toffeecito to play with you.”

With that, Shen Xi headed out to the courtyard and began calling for Toffeecito. Soon, Toffecito was heard meowing back from the other side of the wall.

Through the window, Yun Jinping observed Shen Xi running into the courtyard and climbing up the ladder. Her eyes under her furrowed brows reflected growing worry.

Not too long later, Shen Xi was seen standing on the ladder talking to the neighbor. The sunset hit Shen Xi’s face and body, giving Yun Jinping a clear view of her daughter’s bright and warm smile like a little sunshine.

At that very moment, Yun Jinping’s heart sank to the pit of her stomach. She had never seen her daughter plastered with such a big smile in front of anyone other than her and Old Shen. Xixi had the kind of glow to her that Yun Jinping and Old Shen had never seen before.

That was right.

Xixi was glowing. She was sparkling from head to toe, and all of this was because of the man next door..