He quickly changed his shoes and tiptoed over.
His wife was asleep.
He squatted down and reached out to caress her black hair that was hanging down from the sofa, his eyes filled with a tenderness that was evident in the quiet living room.
He gently picked up his wife. She seemed to stir slightly, her body moving and a soft murmur escaping her lips.
But her voice was too soft and too indistinct for Fu Jingshu to hear clearly. He pursed his lips slightly and gave his wife a gentle kiss on the forehead.
As if sensing the safe presence and warmth, Shen Qingqing slowly quieted down, her fair and delicate face resting obediently against his chest.
She drifted back to sleep.
Morning.
Shen Qingqing slowly woke up, groggy as she sat up. She rubbed her cheeks and felt more alert. She glanced at the time.
It was already 8:00 AM.
She went to the bathroom to wash up and change into a white casual outfit before heading downstairs. As soon as she reached the first floor, she saw her husband and children sitting at the dining table.
But no one had started breakfast.
Xixi asked, "Daddy, when can we eat?"
"When Mommy wakes up."
Fu Jingshu calmly flipped a page of his magazine.
Xixi said "oh."
Although they didn't know when Mommy would wake up, they sat patiently at the table, willing to wait.
Seeing this, Shen Qingqing's lips curved upwards. She walked over and said, "Good morning."
The one adult and two children turned to look at her simultaneously.
Xixi and Chenchen said in unison, "Good morning, Mommy!"
Fu Jingshu's lips curved slightly. "Morning."
Shen Qingqing sat down next to him and looked at the other empty chairs. "Where are Grandma and Grandpa? Why aren't they coming down for breakfast?"
"They've already eaten and have gone for a walk."
Fu Jingshu picked up his chopsticks, picked out a still-warm xiaolongbao, and placed it on his wife's plate before giving one to each of the children.
Then, he took one for himself.
Xixi and Chenchen had no complaints. They were used to it; in Daddy's eyes, Mommy was always the most important.
Of course, in their eyes, it was the same.
Shen Qingqing ate little and quickly. However, she didn't leave after putting down her chopsticks. She remained seated, watching her husband and children, and asked, resting her chin on her hand, "You brought me back to my room yesterday, didn't you?"
She only now remembered being held as she drifted in and out of consciousness yesterday. But in this house, the only person who could hold her so intimately was her husband.
Fu Jingshu had just finished eating. He took a napkin and slowly wiped his mouth, giving her a look of disapproval. "I told you on the phone yesterday to go rest and not wait for me."
He was a little vexed by his wife's disobedience.
Shen Qingqing blinked. "I didn't intend to wait for you. I just thought I couldn't sleep upstairs, so I lay down downstairs for a while and then fell asleep."
Fu Jingshu took her hand. "You are not allowed to wait for me downstairs anymore."
He paused, his expression becoming subtle.
"If you really want to wait for me..." he leaned close to Shen Qingqing's ear, lowering his voice, deep and magnetic, "then wait for me in bed."
It was a simple sentence, but he made it sound incredibly suggestive. Shen Qingqing's face felt hot, and with the children present, she didn't have the same thick skin as her husband...
"Stop talking nonsense," she said, gently pushing him.
"Then don't wait for me downstairs next time," Fu Jingshu said again, this time not teasing her, but the heat in his eyes was unmistakable.
Shen Qingqing pursed her lips. "I know."
Fu Jingshu smiled slightly and turned to look at the two children who were still eating, but he kept holding his wife's hand.
Shen Qingqing asked, "You still haven't told me what happened at the company yesterday."
Fu Jingshu said calmly, "There's a project recently. A piece of land in Dongcheng is up for auction. It's for the renovation of old houses and is related to the city's appearance. This plot of land is very important and highly sought after."
He had worked late into the night yesterday having people create auction price lists for this bid, but to his surprise, none of them satisfied him after half the night's work.
His expression had been very bad when he left yesterday.
This had made the employees working overtime feel apprehensive and uneasy.
Shen Qingqing propped her chin on her hand. "What will be built after the demolition? High-rise buildings?"
Fu Jingshu shook his head. "It's tentatively planned as an amusement park or a resort. Although it's an old district, the scenery around it is beautiful, and the air is fresh. If it can be developed into a tourist attraction..."
It would definitely make a fortune.
Shen Qingqing nodded and casually asked, "There are still many areas in the old district that haven't been demolished. Which plot of land are you bidding for this time?"
"Old district, 52nd street."
Shen Qingqing froze.
Fu Jingshu sensed something was wrong and looked at her fair, jade-like face. "What's wrong?"
Shen Qingqing shook her head.
Fu Jingshu pressed, "Is there something you can't tell me?"
Shen Qingqing chuckled. "It's really nothing. I just remembered this place. It sounds a bit familiar, I must have heard someone mention it before."
Fu Jingshu stared at her for a while longer, and seeing that she wasn't lying, he let it go.
After breakfast, Fu Jingshu went to the company again. Before leaving, he gave his wife a kiss. Today was Monday, and Shen Qingqing subsequently took the two children to their art class.
Afterward, she went to the mall, bought some gifts and supplements, and drove to the old district.
She had indeed heard about it before, and the person living in the old district was none other than the former orphanage director – Yuan Fang.
Yuan Fang was knitting a sweater for her son at home. When she heard the knock, she opened the door and dropped the ball of yarn in her hand when she saw Shen Qingqing. "Qingqing, why are you here?! Quick, quick. Come in!"
She enthusiastically brought her into the house, then busied herself collecting the yarn and needles before going to the kitchen to pour a cup of hot water.
"I don't have any drinks here, and I don't know what you like, so I poured you some hot water. If you like any drinks, like juice or something, just tell me and I'll go buy it for you."
Even though she knew that Shen Qingqing was no longer the same child she once was, that she was capable, competent, and even richer than her, she still instinctively treated her as a child.
Shen Qingqing felt warmth in her heart and pulled the director to sit beside her. "Please don't trouble yourself. I came today just to see you and talk to you. If you get tired from all this running around, I'll feel guilty. I won't dare to come again."
"Don't say that. Please do come." Yuan Fang finally quieted down after hearing this and stopped fussing. "I just feel that you've come to my home so rarely, and I'm afraid I won't entertain you well."
"If you consider me family, you don't need to worry about that."
Shen Qingqing didn't want the director to dwell on it anymore, so she took out the gifts she had bought. "These are for you to replenish your health. I saw you didn't seem well last time, and you were coughing."
Yuan Fang smiled and said, "Those are just old ailments. I didn't take care of myself when I was young, and now in my old age, they've all caught up. Please don't worry about me."
Shen Qingqing sighed softly. "Director Mom, I hope you live a long and healthy life."