Chapter 62

Chapter 62

“You call him Uncle Nine?” Fang Rong looked Shen Yanchen up and down in surprise.

The man looked like he was only in his twenties. Why was her daughter addressing him like he was so old?

Xia Sheng explained, “This is Shen Ze’s Uncle Nine, Shen Yanchen. Shen Ze and I are classmates, so naturally, that’s how the seniority works.”

After hearing Xia Sheng’s explanation, the trace of wariness Fang Rong had toward Shen Yanchen vanished.

So he was Shen Ze’s Uncle Nine.

Since he was an elder, he couldn’t possibly be a pig trying to root up her precious daughter. There was no need to guard against him so closely.

At that thought, Fang Rong’s gaze toward Shen Yanchen softened considerably. “So Mr. Shen and I are of the same generation. My name is Fang Rong, and I’m Sheng’er’s mother. From now on, you can just call me Sister Fang.”

At the words “Sister Fang,” Shen Yanchen’s eyelid twitched.

Uncle He, who was sitting in the driver’s seat, burst out laughing like a squealing pig.

Shen Yanchen turned to glance at Uncle He, and Uncle He immediately choked back his laughter and sat up straight.

Shen Yanchen looked again at the young girl standing beside him, wanting to speak but stopping himself.

In the end, he skipped over the topic of seniority and said helplessly to Xia Sheng, “I’m leaving. Get some rest early.”

Xia Sheng nodded, then pulled Fang Rong along and went back inside.

Shen Yanchen stood where he was, watching the little girl’s retreating figure as she left without the slightest reluctance, and let out a deep sigh.

Heartless little thing.

She didn’t even have the slightest intention of asking him to stay.

……

Early the next morning, Xia Sheng received the money transferred over by the Xia Family.

The Xia Family wasn’t considered one of the top wealthy families in Capital City to begin with. The company’s liquid assets only amounted to a few hundred million in total, so transferring out one hundred million was the same as carving a huge chunk of flesh from the Xia Family.

Xia Sheng handed the bank card to Fang Rong and, while she was at it, told her what had happened the night before.

After listening, Fang Rong felt a little conflicted.

In the past, she had thought the Xia Family was the sky itself, a massive power she had no way of resisting.

But now, her own daughter had played several members of the Xia Family in the palm of her hand and helped her vent a deep, vicious breath of resentment.

Thinking back on the painful experiences that had filled the first half of her life, Fang Rong couldn’t help hugging Xia Sheng. Her eyes grew slightly wet. “Sheng’er, thank you…”

If not for her daughter, she was afraid she would have lived under the shadow of the Xia Family for the rest of her life.

Sensing Fang Rong’s sorrow, Xia Sheng raised a hand and patted her back, coaxing her in a somewhat stiff and clumsy way. “It’s all in the past. Things will only get better from now on.”

Fang Rong nodded, wiped away her tears, and said, “You earned this money yourself. Mom can’t take it. I’ll save it for you first, and when you get married in the future, I’ll use it to prepare your dowry.”

Xia Sheng still wanted to persuade her to accept it, but Fang Rong didn’t give her a chance to speak and turned to the kitchen to make breakfast.

Xia Sheng had no choice but to let it go.

In any case, what was hers was Fang Rong’s.

It made no difference who held on to the money.

After Fang Rong went off to get busy, Xia Sheng called Jiang Zhongqing, hoping to ask him to find a few people to test the virility medicine she had made.

Last time, she had asked Shen Yanchen to test its effects, but it didn’t seem to have done anything. She still needed to find a few ordinary people and try it again.

After hearing what Xia Sheng said, Jiang Zhongqing replied, “I happen to have time right now. I’ll come over and get the medicine from you.”

Xia Sheng said, “I’ll go find you instead.”

After all, she was the one asking for a favor. She couldn’t very well make him come all the way over just for that.

But Jiang Zhongqing said, “It’s fine. I’m passing by anyway. I’ll come take a look.”

Take a look?
What was he looking at?

Xia Sheng realized something and glanced back at Fang Rong, who was busy in the kitchen. Understanding dawned on her at once.

“All right, I’ll wait for you.”

After hanging up, Xia Sheng walked into the kitchen and said to Fang Rong, “Mom, Mr. Jiang will be coming over to our place in a bit.”

At that, Fang Rong’s hands paused in the middle of washing the vegetables. “When is he coming?”

“Probably in half an hour.”

“…Oh.”

Fang Rong answered casually, then looked down at her cotton-linen pajamas. Suddenly, she said, “I just remembered I have to go out later. I’ll go change first.”

A woman dressed up for the one she liked.

Xia Sheng guessed what was on her mind and did not expose her. Still, a smile tugged at her eyes. “Go change. I’ll make breakfast.”

Although the atmosphere between Fang Rong and Jiang Zhongqing had occasionally carried a hint of ambiguity before, Fang Rong had never shown so plainly that she cared about him.

It seemed that during her time working at Jiang’s, the two of them had made quite a bit of progress.

Fang Rong felt a little uncomfortable under her daughter’s teasing gaze. She hurriedly washed her hands and went into the bedroom.

Twenty minutes later, Fang Rong had changed into a gentle, off-white long dress and put on some light makeup.

She rarely wore makeup, so being dressed up all of a sudden made her feel oddly uneasy. She worried that she might look strange to other people.

She walked into the kitchen and asked Xia Sheng nervously, “Sheng’er, do I look strange like this?”

“Not at all. You’re very beautiful,” Xia Sheng praised sincerely.

Hearing her daughter’s compliment put Fang Rong a little more at ease. Then she smiled and chided, “You child. Whenever I ask you anything, you always say things just to make me happy.”

“I’m not just saying that. You really are beautiful.”

Xia Sheng looked at Fang Rong with a serious, earnest expression.

Fang Rong grew embarrassed under her gaze. Just then, the doorbell rang, giving Fang Rong the perfect excuse. “I’ll get the door.”

Outside the door, after pressing the bell, Jiang Zhongqing straightened his clothes again.

After waiting a dozen seconds or so, the door in front of him opened from the inside.

When he saw the woman standing in the doorway, a flash of amazement crossed Jiang Zhongqing’s eyes.

Fang Rong felt shy under his gaze and instinctively looked away. “Mr. Jiang, please come in.”

Jiang Zhongqing came back to himself and realized that staring at Fang Rong like that had been rather impolite. He immediately steadied his thoughts and said in a calm, even voice, “Sorry to intrude.”

Once he entered, Xia Sheng handed him the pills she had prepared in advance. “These are for nourishing the kidneys and replenishing essence. They can also treat impotence and premature ejaculation, with no side effects. Take them back and find a few friends to test the effects for me first. Let me know how it works afterward.”

Hearing Xia Sheng say words like “impotence and premature ejaculation” without so much as blinking, Fang Rong’s face turned a little red. Jiang Zhongqing also coughed and said, “All right.”

After explaining what needed to be done, Xia Sheng slung her little cloth bag over her shoulder and prepared to head out to set up her stall.

Fang Rong said, “Eat breakfast before you go.”

Xia Sheng replied, “I don’t want to be a third wheel. I’ll eat outside.”

At that, both Jiang Zhongqing and Fang Rong blushed.

Fang Rong said, “Uncle Jiang and I aren’t in that kind of relationship right now.”

Xia Sheng asked, “Not right now, but what about later?”

Fang Rong fell silent, the shyness on her face deepening.

Xia Sheng laughed despite herself. She stopped teasing them, turned, and headed out to tell fortunes at her stall.