Chapter 82 : Feeding Her Pears

“Indeed, it’s disgusting.”

Liang Qingqing furrowed her brows, a trace of disgust flashing in her eyes. She had no sympathy for men who cheated, and it even made her feel nauseous. However, she couldn’t believe that Fan Yanxing was that kind of person.

She knew better than anyone the situation with the Fan family. She could guess some reasons why Fan Yanxing hadn’t introduced her to his family, and she herself wasn’t eager to meet them too soon. If the other side was adamant about breaking them up, considering Fan Yanxing’s current status as a young and inexperienced man, it was uncertain whether he could handle the pressure from his family.

If it turned out to be a wild goose chase, she would indeed go mad.

Most importantly, Fan Yanxing didn’t seem like the type to abandon someone or be irresponsible.

“Yali, thanks for the reminder, but I believe Fan Yanxing has made proper plans for our future. He treats me well and he won’t let me down.” Liang Qingqing lowered her head, smiling slightly, the curve of her lips slowly spreading across her face.

The man, who was just about to explain as he entered the house, stopped in his tracks. Hearing the gentle and firm words floating from inside, he felt the softest part of his heart being touched, followed by a faint sweetness spreading through him.

His anxious expression instantly relaxed.

Li Qingfeng, who was about to pick some chilies from the garden, was startled when she saw someone standing in the yard. She almost screamed, covering her chest for a moment. After squinting and seeing his face clearly, she finally sighed in relief, “You must be Qingqing’s partner?”

“Yes, I came to find Qingqing.”

Hearing this, Fan Yanxing turned to Li Qingfeng, politely greeting her, “Sister Feng, I went to the dorm earlier. Qingqing’s roommate told me she was at your house, so I came here following the address.”

He then handed over the items he was carrying, “This is a small gift some snacks and fruits I bought. Please accept it as a token of my appreciation.”

“Oh, no need to bring anything,” Li Qingfeng said, her face reddening, feeling awkward about accepting the gift.

The young couple seemed to have this habit of giving gifts every time they met. She had already received peaches and watermelons from them last time. Now that she had finally managed to invite them over for a meal to return the favor, they had brought more gifts.

If she accepted this time, it would seem like she was being too forward.

As she was caught in this dilemma, Liang Qingqing and Huang Yali, with Xiuer, quickly walked out of the house after hearing the commotion inside. Their expressions varied upon seeing Fan Yanxing.

“What are you doing here? Today isn’t a holiday,” Liang Qingqing asked in surprise, her eyes wide but filled with joy. Her tone was slightly elevated, clearly delighted.

She had left the address as a precaution, never expecting he would actually come to the county to see her. Now that the “just in case” had become a reality, she felt a dizzying sense of surprise.

Huang Yali swallowed nervously and quickly reviewed what she had just said in her mind. Oh no, how long has Qingqing’s partner been here? How much did he overhear? He wouldn’t think she’s trying to stir up trouble, would he?

In her anxiety, Huang Yali mustered up the courage to look up, only to meet Fan Yanxing’s cold, distant gaze. His eyes were as murky as the night, which made his sharply defined face look even more imposing.

Huang Yali instinctively took a step back and the next moment, a slender figure blocked her view of Fan Yanxing. Seeing this, she let out a heavy sigh of relief and gently patted her chest, still feeling a bit shaken.

Qingqing’s partner usually seemed taciturn, but when he got angry, it was something else entirely.

“I took leave to come here.” Seeing Liang Qingqing’s warning gaze, Fan Yanxing shot her a somewhat aggrieved look. It was clear he had been wronged, but now it seemed he was being painted as the bad guy.

Liang Qingqing pretended not to notice Fan Yanxing’s complaint and cleared her throat. “You came on the earliest bus?”

“Mm.” Fan Yanxing nodded quickly, continuing as if seeking credit, “I came straight to find you as soon as I got to the county, but you weren’t here.”

Liang Qingqing blinked, her smile growing warmer as she cheerfully explained, “We’re off today and don’t have any training. Sister Feng said she’d treat us to a meal, so I came over.”

“It’s hot and sunny outside. You two go inside and chat slowly. Since your partner is here, he might as well stay for dinner. We bought a lot of food today, more than enough.” Seeing the sweet interaction between the couple, Li Qingfeng couldn’t help but reminisce about her own past and teased them lightly with a smile.

The enthusiastic invitation left them with no room to refuse. Even though they wanted to cherish their time together, Fan Yanxing and Liang Qingqing exchanged a glance and agreed to stay.

“Alright then, wil bother you.”

Liang Qingqing took the snacks and fruit from Fan Yanxing’s hands and said, “Sister Feng, make sure the kids eat more fruit to grow healthy.”

With these words, the items were essentially handed over to the children, leaving Li Qingfeng, as an adult, in a difficult position to refuse. She sighed inwardly at Liang Qingqing’s cleverness and stubbornness, finally accepting their gesture.

With a plan in mind, she smiled and said, “I’ll have your brother-in-law bring out the food so we can all eat together.”

“Okay.”

“Come inside quickly, it’s too sunny out here.”

Once they were all inside, Li Qingfeng called for Yang Maolin, took out some money and receipts, and instructed, “Go to the supply and marketing cooperative right now and buy a can of malted milk. Make sure to prepare a cup for everyone later.”

Yang Maolin always complied with Li Qingfeng’s instructions without question. After taking the money and receipts, he hurried off to the cooperative.

After watching Yang Maolin leave, Li Qingfeng felt a bit relieved. She quickly picked some chili peppers and went back to the kitchen.

In the living room, the four people stared at each other with a sense of awkwardness hanging in the air, until Xiu’er, being the considerate one, broke the silence by handing out some malt candy.

“It must have been tough with the training recently, right? I noticed you’ve…”

Fan Yanxing glanced at Liang Qingqing from one side to the other but couldn’t bring himself to say the word “thinner.”

Liang Qingqing awkwardly took a small bite of the malt candy and forced a smile. “It’s okay. The teachers are pretty nice to us and haven’t made things difficult.”

The food at the broadcasting station was far better than what they had in Daping Village. There was meat in every meal, and instead of losing weight, Liang Qingqing felt she had gained a bit. She discreetly pinched her own cheek and, finding it still proportionate as before, felt reassured.

Fan Yanxing kept a close eye on Liang Qingqing, and he noticed her small actions. Seeing this, he couldn’t help but smile slightly. His gaze deepened, but he knew he shouldn’t dwell on this issue too much, or she might get upset. So, he changed the subject, “Has anything else happened? Is anyone bullying you?”

Hearing this, Liang Qingqing had plenty to say. She threw the remaining malt candy into her mouth and, with her speech slightly muffled by the candy and her emotional state, Fan Yanxing could only catch bits and pieces. The more he listened, the more his frown deepened.

Huang Yali, who had been keeping a low profile, couldn’t bear to listen to Liang Qingqing’s vague description and couldn’t resist jumping in. While she might have embellished a bit, the overall story was accurate.

Water throwing, scolding…

Hearing these words, Fan Yanxing’s face visibly darkened. His hands, crossed into fists on his knees, made a barely audible cracking sound. He furrowed his brow and remained silent for a long time.

“I’ll handle this. Qingqing, just focus on your training,” Fan Yanxing said firmly.

Liang Qingqing was surprised. She hadn’t expected Fan Yanxing to intervene. She had only intended to be a bit coquettish and find something to talk about. She didn’t expect him to directly offer to deal with Hu Peiyun.

Liang Qingqing wasn’t sure how influential Fan Yanxing’s connections were, but she knew they were significant.

Since he said so, he must be confident he can resolve the issue.

Liang Qingqing blinked her long lashes and suddenly felt a strange sense of being protected under the wings of a big shot. It was like the feeling of her parents giving her financial support with a wave of their hands in a previous life, though it didn’t quite feel the same.

Could this be the joy of clinging to someone powerful? Not having to do anything, just speak up and someone helps solve your problems!

Ah, it’s wonderful.

“Okay, I’ll listen to you. Hehe.”

Liang Qingqing didn’t ask how Fan Yanxing planned to handle it. Instead, she playfully handed him a piece of sliced pear. “This is sweet. I’ve tried it.”

“You should try it too.” Fan Yanxing appreciated Liang Qingqing’s thoughtful gesture. His mood improved noticeably as he instinctively placed the pear piece in her mouth, his finger brushing her lips. He lingered for a moment before pulling his hand back.

Startled by his bold action, Liang Qingqing hadn’t had a chance to react when she heard a wail nearby.

“Ahhh, you two are so affectionate. Are you trying to make me, a single woman, envious?” Huang Yali covered Xiu’er’s eyes with a face full of despair. Then, a determined look crossed her face. “I want to find a partner too!”

She then looked at Liang Qingqing with bright eyes. “Are there any good-looking young men in your village? Can you introduce one to me?”

Liang Qingqing shot a glance at Fan Yanxing, her cheeks flushing. She raised her hands in a pleading gesture, “Such things are all about fate. I never meddle in matchmaking.”

“That’s true,” Huang Yali sighed wistfully. “When will my destined partner arrive? I can’t wait any longer.”

Liang Qingqing, who rarely saw such an unreserved girl in this era, covered her lips with a smile and reassured her, “Heaven must be able to hear your call. You might just find your perfect match in the next few days.”

Liang Qingqing had no idea that her offhand remark would come true, but that’s a story for later.

“Thank you for your kind words.” Huang Yali knew that such matters couldn’t be rushed, so she changed the subject.

Before long, Yang Maolin brought in several bowls of malted milk. Soon, the whole living room was filled with a rich, creamy aroma. When he saw that everyone had a bowl in front of them, he finally showed a modest, shy smile. “It’s very hot, so let it cool down before drinking.”

“Thank you, Brother-in-law.”

Malted milk is a high-quality product, rich in various nutrients and not cheap. Ordinary families wouldn’t use it to entertain guests, which showed how much importance Li Qingfeng and her husband placed on them.