"I'll talk to you when we get back." Fu Jingfan didn't speak directly, no longer wanting to linger alone with Su Huaiming, and turned to leave.
Su Huaiming watched Fu Jingfan's retreating figure, but instead of chasing after him, he subconsciously rubbed his exposed arms.
Fu Jingfan's gaze just now made him feel, for a moment, like a weak prey being targeted by a wild beast, and he almost couldn't help but shiver in the sweltering heat of the beach.
He recalled Fu Jingfan's words and expression, and felt that what he had said was definitely not a good thing.
But he and Fu Jingfan are currently keeping to themselves, so what bad things could possibly happen to him?
Su Huaiming was completely baffled and kept thinking about it.
After returning home, Fu Jingfan immediately packed his luggage. Everyone saw him to the door and only looked away after the car had driven away.
Afterwards, Su Huaiming helped prepare for the proposal ceremony and even gave his first performance on a variety show.
The proposal was incredibly touching. Before the shy young man could even speak, his eyes welled up with tears, and his voice choked with emotion. Yet, he spoke each word clearly and distinctly, conveying his deep love and his plans for the future.
His girlfriend was also deeply moved, tears welling up in her eyes, and she smiled as she reached out her hand.
The moment they put on the rings, the two embraced passionately, and everyone cheered and applauded.
Sun Siyuan, this magnified version of a brat, who seemed to lack any human emotions, was suddenly moved to tears and secretly turned away to wipe them away. This startled Su Huaiming and Yu Ruicheng, who thought he had been bewitched.
After the proposal, everyone held a bonfire party on the beach, and passersby joined in.
The children were having a blast, seemingly with inexhaustible energy, constantly jumping and bouncing, their laughter audible from a great distance.
Sun Siyuan and his friends couldn't live without drinking, and each of them had five or six bottles of beer next to them. Su Huaiming was afraid of being caught in the crossfire, so he secretly found a quiet corner to sit in, trying to minimize his presence.
Ji Mingzhe and Su Huaiming got along best. Sitting next to him, looking at the lively scene in the distance, Ji Mingzhe sighed, "Time flies. We've already recorded four episodes of the variety show, and a lot has happened during this time."
These words were like a pebble falling on Su Huaiming's heart, stirring up ripples, and that ethereal thought finally took shape.
He knew what Fu Jingfan wanted to say to him!
He and Fu Jingfan had a marriage of convenience, which lasted for six months. In a few days, the agreed-upon time would be up.
Thinking of this, Su Huaiming felt somewhat conflicted.
When he first transmigrated into the book, he couldn't wait for the time to come so he could take the divorce settlement from Fu Jingfan and run away to live a carefree life.
But as time went on, his state of mind also changed.
Fu Xiaoxiao was initially very resistant to him, but she has become more obedient now. However, judging from her behavior, Fu Xiaoxiao still doesn't like him very much.
Even if he leaves, Fu Xiaoxiao will feel uncomfortable at first, but since this little guy loves to eat so much, she'll probably forget about him quickly after being coaxed.
Children have poor memories, and after a while, they will completely forget that they ever had a stepfather.
He and Fu Jingfan kept to themselves, maintaining a respectful distance. Fu Jingfan valued profit and efficiency and wouldn't bother with people or things that weren't worth his attention. He probably wouldn't even react to his departure.
As for the housekeeper and the old lady, they have spent so much time together and have developed a deep friendship. They can keep in touch in the future, but it's uncertain whether Fu Jingfan will allow it.
Su Huaiming sat on the beach, hugging his knees, looking at the dark sea, his thoughts slowly sinking.
He had a heart of flesh and blood too. The details of their time together and the friendship they had formed over the past six months made him nostalgic and reluctant to part with her, especially Fu Xiaoxiao. This little rascal was initially difficult to deal with, but now she was quite adorable. He had just begun to experience the joy of playing with a child, and now his "stepfather experience card" was about to be taken back.
After a long while, Su Huaiming let out a long sigh of relief, and his expression relaxed.
He can't solve this problem, so he shouldn't dwell on it anymore. Whether or not to contact him later depends on the specific circumstances; there's no use in him overthinking it now.
After putting these things aside, Su Huaiming's thoughts drifted away, and he began to plan his life after he left.
Ji Mingzhe noticed that Su Huaiming's expression was off, and seeing that he hadn't spoken, he patted his shoulder worriedly and asked, "Are you alright?"
Su Huaiming's thoughts were interrupted. He turned to look at Ji Mingzhe, smiled, and said, "I'm fine."
His gaze slowly shifted from Ji Mingzhe to Sun Siyuan others, and the smile on his lips grew wider and wider.
He was given a second chance, and all he wanted was to fully experience the beauty of life. He also unexpectedly made some good friends.
These past six months have been precious and meaningful for him.
Thinking this, Su Huaiming pulled Ji Mingzhe along to join the group dancing around the bonfire.
*****
After the recording of the fourth episode of the variety show ended, Su Huaiming and Fu Xiaoxiao boarded their return flight.
As usual, the two slept soundly, their sleep quality was astonishing, leading the butler to suspect that they had developed a condition where they "must sleep on public transport."
This time, instead of returning to their City Center apartment, they went back to the estate.
It just so happens that most of Su Huaiming's belongings are here, making it convenient for him to pack his luggage.
Su Huaiming kept everything related to the Fu family. He wasn't short of money and didn't want any financial entanglements after they parted ways.
He made his preparations slowly, but after three days, Fu Jingfan still hadn't come to tell him about it.
Su Huaiming pondered for a few seconds, realizing that this was the last day of the agreement and could not be delayed any longer, so he took the initiative to go to Fu Jingfan.
He stood outside the study door and gently knocked.
"Come in." A deep voice came from inside the house.
Fu Jingfan smiled as he looked at Su Huaiming standing at the door and asked, "Did you come to bring me a late-night snack?"
Su Huaiming was stunned for a moment before he remembered the scene of him delivering late-night snacks in the past.
The same scene, the same time, almost exactly the same.
Su Huaiming laughed along and habitually sat down on the small sofa next to him. Before he could speak, Fu Jingfan had already walked over and sat down on the other side in a relaxed manner.
Now that it was time to get down to business, Su Huaiming, lacking experience, coughed twice to try and project an air of authority. "Didn't you have something to tell me earlier?"
Fu Jingfan's smile froze, quite surprised. He stared at Su Huaiming for a few seconds. "Why did you suddenly bring this up?"
Su Huaiming: "..."
He found the question strange and retorted, "It's already this late, how could I not know?"
"You know?" Fu Jingfan frowned slightly.
The study was dimly lit by only a small desk lamp, illuminating only the left half of Fu Jingfan's face. A heavy shadow was cast on the bridge of his nose, making his eyes, hidden in the darkness, appear even more profound.
Su Huaiming nodded and said matter-of-factly, "Of course I know."
When Fu Jingfan first heard Su Huaiming's words, he thought that his plans had been exposed, but Su Huaiming's reaction became increasingly strange, making him think more about it.
Seeing that Fu Jingfan remained silent for a full minute, Su Huaiming couldn't help but ask, "Is there a problem? I can help."
Fu Jingfan suppressed his feelings and asked calmly, "It's alright, you go first."
Su Huaiming nodded and said what he had prepared beforehand, "The six months are up, the agreement has expired, and I will cooperate with your arrangements according to the contract, giving the outside world a suitable reason. After that, I will leave and gradually fade from public view. If you are unwilling, I will not contact Xiao Xiao again."
Su Huaiming paused, then continued, "But I hope you can give Xiao Xiao time to adjust. He's young and doesn't understand what happened between us. I don't want this to affect him..."
With each word Su Huaiming uttered, Fu Jingfan's expression grew increasingly grim, the emotions churning within him almost uncontrollable.
Before Su Huaiming could finish speaking, he was startled by the aura emanating from Fu Jingfan.
"Did I... did I say something wrong?" Su Huaiming asked tentatively, unable to find the reason.
Fu Jingfan did not answer directly, but quietly looked at Su Huaiming.
Su Huaiming felt a chill run down his spine as he was stared at, and a bone-chilling coldness surged up his tailbone, making his exposed skin feel as if it had been pricked by needles.
Su Huaiming shrank his shoulders, suppressing the urge to escape, and hugged the soft pillow next to him tightly to gain a sense of security and the courage to stay.
"Have you been thinking about these things all this time?" When Fu Jingfan spoke again, his voice became dry and hoarse, his tone flat and emotionless, yet it was full of a dangerous undertone.
Fu Jingfan's behavior was completely different from what he had expected. Su Huaiming couldn't figure it out. After thinking for a few seconds, he carefully chose his words and tentatively said, "Yes, I've thought about it seriously, but I don't have any experience in this area. If I do anything wrong, you can point it out, and I will do my best to cooperate."
To demonstrate his sincerity, Su Huaiming continued, "Don't worry, I won't violate the contract, nor will I cause any trouble or negative impact on your reputation or interests."
Fu Jingfan remained silent for a few seconds, then forced himself to laugh in exasperation.
He was preparing to propose, Su Huaiming had been thinking about these things all day!
Ha, Su Huaiming did consider a lot, thinking of him in every way, and even compromising and backing down, but everything he did was to get away from him as soon as possible!
He considered Fu Xiaoxiao's feelings and said so much, but he didn't think about him at all...
To Su Huaiming, he was so unimportant that he could be discarded at any time.
Fu Jingfan's violent emotions surged even more intensely. The beast was also violently ramming against the cage, roaring incessantly, trying to break free, pounce on Su Huaiming, bite his throat, and completely claim this disobedient prey as its own territory.
His hand, placed to one side, clenched into a fist, veins bulging on the back of his hand, and his arm trembling slightly. But the darkness concealed Fu Jingfan's reactions, and Su Huaiming was completely unaware of them.
Fu Jingfan's last shred of rationality stopped him. He took a deep breath and tried his best to appear calm, not wanting to frighten Su Huaiming.
"Let's get back to the point," Fu Jingfan squeezed out through gritted teeth.
Su Huaiming moved away from Fu Jingfan, his back pressed against the sofa, trying to minimize his presence, as if he wanted to disappear into the sofa.
He hadn't understood Fu Jingfan's reaction before, but upon hearing this, he suddenly understood.
Fu Jingfan is a very shrewd and arrogant person who likes to control everything and does not allow anything to deviate from his expectations in the slightest, and this matter is no exception.
However, he deviated from Fu Jingfan's plan, brought up these matters on his own initiative, and said some very unprofessional things, which angered Fu Jingfan.
... But why did Fu Jingfan react so strongly to all this?
But apart from that, Su Huaiming couldn't think of any other reason.
He nodded immediately, but seeing that Fu Jingfan's expression was truly frightening, he tried to reassure him, "You, you can pretend I never said that, and proceed with your plan. I'll wait for your reply."
Fu Jingfan stood in front of Su Huaiming, tall and broad-shouldered, almost blocking all the light, and the shadow completely enveloped Su Huaiming.
Su Huaiming sat on the sofa, small and delicate, with a slender neck and thin shoulders. His eyes were clear and clean, like a weak herbivore, fragile and innocent, with no means of self-defense, only able to beg for the pity of its predators.
But this was all an illusion; Su Huaiming was bold enough to try and get over him.
Fu Jingfan's breathing became heavier, all the blood in his body rushed to his head, possessiveness shattered his reason, and he roared incessantly, his violence urging him to raise his hand and grab Su Huaiming's fragile neck.
Since the prey is disobedient, the only option is to completely control it.
The stalemate lasted for a full five minutes. In the end, Fu Jingfan did nothing. He stared intently at Su Huaiming, etching his image and appearance into the deepest part of his heart.
"You... very good!" Fu Jingfan scoffed, his anger turning into a terrifying laugh, like a demon crawling out of hell. "Very good!"
After saying that, Fu Jingfan strode towards the door, slammed it shut, and left.
Chapter 77