The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife-Chapter 531 - 534. Mr. Fu is romantic

Anan went to summer camp, and for a while, Qinglan found herself unaccustomed to the change. The absence of Anan’s chirpy voice made life seem a little less fun.

"Missing Anan?" As soon as Fu Hengyi saw Qinglan’s mood, he knew what she was thinking. He spoke softly, now taking every chance to come back home.

Qinglan nodded honestly, "Yes, I wonder if he can adapt to life there." Although Qinglan had left Anan at home a few times since his birth for Chu Yunrong to help take care of, this time was different. After all, this was Anan’s first real trip away from home.

"Qinglan, this day was bound to come sooner or later. When Anan grows up, he will be even further away from us. You need to get used to it," Fu Hengyi comforted her.

Qinglan naturally understood this reasoning, "I know, but I just can’t help worrying. Maybe I won’t be so anxious when he’s a little older." She attributed her worries to Anan being too young.

"If you don’t know what to do, come with me and help trim the flowers and plants in the yard. The flowers in grandpa’s greenhouse need pruning," Fu Hengyi said, trying to divert Qinglan’s attention.

After thinking for a moment, Qinglan nodded, and was about to stand up when Fu Hengyi was already there, supporting her arm. Qinglan looked at him silently. This man had recently been treating her like a porcelain doll, always so careful.

"It’s always good to be careful," Fu Hengyi said gently.

Knowing that arguing with Fu Hengyi was pointless, Qinglan spoke lightly, "Let’s go."

It was summertime, and the garden was in full bloom, with the faint scent of gardenias in the air.

Qinglan stood in front of a flourishing gardenia, a touch of nostalgia in her eyes. This had been her grandmother’s favorite flower.

"Fu Hengyi, look, the flowers are blooming again this year." Qinglan said wistfully. Fu Hengyi wrapped his arm around her shoulder, "Granny Shen, looking down from heaven and seeing how happy you are now, would be at peace too."

Qinglan smiled slightly, "I know." It was her granny who had always been most concerned about her. Now that Qinglan’s life was so fulfilling, Granny Shen would naturally be at peace. It was just that the memory of the old woman’s kindness made Qinglan reminisce.

The variety of plants in Old Sir Fu’s greenhouse was not as numerous as in the Shen Family home, consisting just of a few scattered plants, and one of them had even withered from lack of care.

"Fu Hengyi, take this plant out," Qinglan said, pointing at the withered plant.

Fu Hengyi stepped forward to move it, but Qinglan stopped him, "Wait."

Fu Hengyi paused and asked, "Should I move it?"

"Don’t move it just yet. Dig out this withered plant first," she had a better idea just now.

Whatever Qinglan said, Fu Hengyi would do. He found some tools and, as per Qinglan’s instructions, dug out the withered plant along with its soil, leaving an empty pot behind.

Qinglan walked over to a periwinkle that was thriving so much it almost couldn’t fit in its pot. She picked up the scissors and decisively snipped off a few stems, then directed Fu Hengyi to fill the empty pot with soil and planted the periwinkle stems into it, watering them afterward.

"Periwinkles are very easy to keep alive; they just need some soil and sunlight, and in a while, we’ll have a new pot full," Qinglan said indifferently. She was originally not interested in these plants but learned some about them because Granny Shen liked them.

"Just leave it like this?" Fu Hengyi asked her.

Qinglan nodded, "Just leave it. It will take some time for it to grow roots."

As they pruned the plants and chatted casually, Qinglan temporarily put Anan out of her mind. There weren’t many plants in the greenhouse, and the two quickly finished their work.

"Let’s go on a trip tomorrow," Fu Hengyi suddenly suggested as they left the greenhouse.

Qinglan turned her gaze toward him, "Traveling? Do you have vacation time?" Fu Hengyi’s vacations were generally very short, no more than three days.

"I’ve taken a week off this time. I’ll take you out tomorrow for a few days, and by the time we return, Anan’s summer camp will have just ended," Fu Hengyi said. Staying at home, Qinglan unavoidably would think of Anan. It might be better to go out, and incidentally, they could enjoy some time alone together.

Qinglan thought for a moment; she didn’t really have anything else to do recently, and it had been a long time since she and Fu Hengyi had gone out together. So, she smiled and nodded, her eyes filled with anticipation, "Where to?"

"I haven’t decided yet. I’ll look it up tonight and tell you tomorrow." The trip was a spontaneous decision, and Fu Hengyi hadn’t figured out the destination yet.

Qinglan’s eyes twinkled, "If you haven’t decided, why don’t we go to Hang City? I have been there once before, and the scenery was quite nice." She had visited Hang City a few years ago and had a good impression of the place. She had always wanted to go back for another visit, but for many years, she had been preoccupied with trivial matters and had not made the trip.

"Okay, let’s do as you say. I’ll go book the hotel and the flights now." Fu Hengyi was one to act promptly.

And so, the journey was set.

During dinner, Fu Hengyi mentioned their plans to Old Sir Fu. Since Fu Hengyi would be with her, Old Sir Fu didn’t have any concerns, but he still cautioned, "Qinglan is expecting now, so you must take extra care of her when you take her out."

"Grandfather, I am aware of the precautions."

Fu Hengyi had booked a flight for the next noon. By the time they arrived in Hang City, it was already two in the afternoon. Since he had already rented a car in advance, once Fu Hengyi had claimed their luggage, he went to the car rental to pick up the vehicle.

Qinglan didn’t need to do anything; all she had to do was to follow Fu Hengyi.

First, they went to the hotel to drop off their luggage. After that, Fu Hengyi pulled out a map, "I’ve never been here either, so take a look and see where you’d like to go."

"Let’s go boating on the lake," Qinglan said, pointing to the patch of blue on the map, "When I came here by myself last time, I only walked around the lakeside and didn’t go to the center of the lake. This time, let’s go to the heart of the lake together."

"Alright." Fu Hengyi had no objections.

Compared to her last visit, Hang City had changed even more, and Qinglan felt as if it were a different world. After asking the hotel receptionist, she learned that there were light shows in many places in Hang City at night. So, after dinner, she took Fu Hengyi out.

The expanse of the Qiantang River was still vast. Standing by the river, one could see the distinct strip of lights across the river, where the buildings on the other side were adorned with a colorful light show.

"I didn’t see any of this the last time I was here," Qinglan said softly.

"Do you have a good impression of this city?" Fu Hengyi asked her.

Qinglan nodded, "It’s a very gentle city." This had been her most profound impression of Hang City from her visit years before.

"The pace of life here is very slow. People walk with a leisurely air, unlike in Beijing, where even in an elevator, everyone hurries," Qinglan spoke softly, slowly sharing her initial impressions of the city.

"Fu Hengyi, if possible, I would love to retire in a place like this in the future."

Fu Hengyi held her hand as they strolled along the riverbank, the river breeze carrying the warmth of summer mixed with the coolness of the night, not at all stifling, and blowing through Qinglan’s long hair. Fu Hengyi turned to look at her, his eyes warm and gentle, smiling faintly, "There will be."

"Did you eat anything last time that you’ve been craving since? I’ll take you to eat it tomorrow," Fu Hengyi said as they walked.

Qinglan thought for a moment, recalling the osmanthus cake she had eaten in that small alleyway that year, "There is something, but I’m not sure if that old lady is still there."

"We’ll find out tomorrow."

The two walked along the riverbank for almost an hour before Fu Hengyi, concerned about Shen Qinglan’s health, refused to allow her to continue and they returned to the hotel. They lay down and fell asleep as soon as they got back. The next morning, Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi went to West Lake.

It wasn’t the peak tourist season, and the area around West Lake wasn’t crowded. Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi headed straight for the dock.

"Would you two like to take a boat?" the boatman asked as he approached.

Shen Qinglan nodded, and Fu Hengyi, holding her hand, helped her onto the boat. "To Three Pools Mirroring the Moon," he said.

The couple chose a rowboat, with the boatman rowing at the bow, while Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi sat in the cabin. The small boat gently swayed on the lake’s surface.

The sun wasn’t too harsh at that moment, and Shen Qinglan suddenly felt playful. She leaned slightly to the side and dipped her hand into the water. Fu Hengyi sat beside her, balancing the weight of the boat to prevent it from tilting and Shen Qinglan from falling in.

The cool sensation of water passing through her palm felt pleasant, and Shen Qinglan lifted her hand, her fingertips still beaded with drops. Her eyes shifted gently and with a slight flick, a water droplet flew toward Fu Hengyi’s face.

Fu Hengyi only saw the shallow smile at the corner of her mouth, innocent like a child’s, and he smiled tenderly back, completely unfazed by the water that landed on his face.

When the boat reached the shore, Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi stepped onto the small island at the center of the lake.

"Fu Hengyi, don’t you think it’s wonderful to have this green, tranquil land amidst the city?" Standing at the center of the lake, Shen Qinglan smiled at the surrounding mountains and spoke to Fu Hengyi beside her.

Fu Hengyi didn’t have any special feelings about this. He just nodded and said, "It’s okay," because Shen Qinglan liked it.

Shen Qinglan couldn’t help but laugh. "Is that all you have to say about it?" After all, Hang City is a nationally famous tourist city, yet it seemed so ordinary coming from Fu Hengyi.

Fu Hengyi looked at her. "In my eyes, there are sceneries more beautiful than this city."

Shen Qinglan’s heart skipped a beat. This man’s sweet nothings were becoming second nature. She turned her head slightly to avoid Fu Hengyi’s intense gaze and looked toward the water’s surface, where she caught sight of a pair of mandarin ducks nestled together.

The island wasn’t very large; it took less than half an hour for Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi to walk around it. The boatman hadn’t left and was waiting on the shore to take them back once they were done sightseeing.

As the sun rose higher and the temperature increased, Fu Hengyi, worried that Shen Qinglan might suffer from the heat, didn’t let her continue to be exposed and instead took her to a teahouse by the shore, where they could see the entire lake.

In front of Shen Qinglan was a plate of exquisite pastries. She picked up a piece and tasted it, then frowned slightly.

Seeing her reaction, Fu Hengyi asked softly, "Don’t like it?"

"It’s too sweet." She preferred the osmanthus cake made by the elderly woman.

Fu Hengyi knew what she was thinking about. After getting the address, he stood up and took her in search of that particular delicacy.

He held an umbrella in his hand, mostly shading Shen Qinglan’s head. The two of them followed the route in Shen Qinglan’s memory and entered a narrow alley.

"Excuse me, is there an elderly lady who makes osmanthus cakes around here?" Shen Qinglan stopped a passerby and asked.

The passerby gave Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi a glance, a flash of amazement crossing his eyes at the attractive couple. "I’m sorry, I’m here on vacation and I’m not familiar with this area," he said apologetically, scratching his head.

Shen Qinglan smiled faintly, "Sorry to bother you."

Fu Hengyi looked around and asked an older local for directions. The local pointed ahead, "Keep going forward, a few dozen meters, and you’ll be there. However, the old lady has passed away. It’s her daughter who makes the cakes now."

Upon hearing his words, a trace of melancholy flashed in Qinglan’s eyes.

"Are we still going?" Fu Hengyi asked her.

Qinglan nodded, "Having come this far, let’s have a look."

Less than 50 meters ahead, they saw a tiny storefront. It wasn’t the address from her memory, but the decor was unmistakably the same.

Qinglan walked in. There was only a woman, around fifty, inside the shop. Qinglan recognized her at first glance; she was the old lady’s daughter they had met once before.

However, the woman had no memory of her. Seeing the new customers, she stood up and warmly greeted them, "What would you two like to buy?"

Looking at the array of pastries on the counter, Qinglan pointed to one and said, "I’ll have some of this."

"This is our signature, the taste is absolutely authentic Hang City," the woman enthusiastically claimed. To prove her point, she even cut a piece of cake into little chunks, "You can try it first. If you like it, feel free to buy more."

Qinglan courteously took a small piece with a toothpick. The cake melted in her mouth, still tasting as she remembered, though with minor differences. Nonetheless, it was nine parts similar to her memory.

"I’ll buy two kilograms," Qinglan said.

"Alright, one moment please."

While waiting for the woman to package the pastries, Qinglan casually asked, "I remember that this shop used to be in a different location, didn’t it?"

The woman looked up at Qinglan upon hearing her question, "Oh, you’re a returning customer! Yes, the shop wasn’t originally here. It was further up the road, used to be my mother’s. But after my mom passed away, the house went to my brother; this is my house. I love making pastries, so I decided to reopen my mother’s shop."

"A few years ago when I visited Hang City, I had your mother’s pastries and I’ve been thinking about them ever since. This time passing through Hang City with my husband, I made a point to come to buy some."

The smile on the woman’s face grew more intense, "Although the pastries I make are not as delicious as my mother’s, the taste is absolutely the most authentic in Hang City, which you would know since you’ve tasted them before."

Qinglan nodded with a smile, "You’ve truly inherited your mother’s skills; they’re delicious indeed."

As they were talking, the woman finished wrapping up the pastries. Fu Hengyi took them and thanked her.

Qinglan walked to the end of the alley, her eyes clouded with sadness as she took in the familiar streets. "The last time I was here was when I saved Ya Xi," she said softly, looking at the street corner.

Fu Hengyi put his arm around her shoulder, "Qinglan, what happened with Ya Xi is not your fault. Don’t overthink it." The matter with Ya Xi had always been a wound in Qinglan’s heart; unless Ya Xi got better, the wound wouldn’t heal.

"I know," Qinglan nodded. "It’s just that revisiting this place brought her to mind suddenly. I wonder how she is doing now." Qinglan hadn’t visited Ya Xi for a long time, not because she didn’t want to, but because Ya Xi did not want to see any of her old acquaintances.

"Ya Xi has Doug by her side. He’ll accompany her, so don’t worry." Compared to Qinglan, Fu Hengyi wasn’t very attached to Ya Xi. While he did sympathize with the girl’s situation, ultimately, the hardships that Qinglan had gone through during those years were not much better than Ya Xi’s. The reason Ya Xi couldn’t move on was due to her lack of strength. Perhaps this sounded too callous, but Fu Hengyi really couldn’t spare much emotion for any woman other than Qinglan.

To prevent Qinglan from dwelling on the past, Fu Hengyi took her away from that spot. "Let’s go eat some local delicacies. They say eating can lift one’s spirits."

At that, Qinglan laughed and looked at him, "I can hardly believe you said that."

"Do you feel like I’ve become more considerate?" Fu Hengyi asked with a smile. It was meant to be a joke, but Qinglan took it seriously and nodded, "Yes, Fu Hengyi, you’ve always been very considerate."

Fu Hengyi slightly raised his eyebrows, "Are you complimenting me?"

"Isn’t that the case?" Shen Qinglan’s lips curved lightly, and the fleeting melancholy that had arisen in her heart just now had dissipated.

Having had their fill, the two strolled along Nanshan Road. The allure of Nanshan Road at night was even greater than during the day. Shen Qinglan looked at their interlocked fingers, then slightly raised her eyes to gaze at the tall figure of Fu Hengyi ahead, "Fu Hengyi, what’s the one thing you most want to do?"

"To be with you until old age," Fu Hengyi said without hesitation. That was the sole thought in his heart.

"I’m being serious."

"So am I. Qinglan, to me, spending the rest of my life watching our children being born, grow up, and being with you as we age is the thing I want to do the most." Before he knew it, Fu Hengyi had stopped walking, his head lowered to look at Shen Qinglan with a serious expression.

Meeting his gaze, Shen Qinglan’s beautiful eyes flickered. She glanced around, then suddenly stood on tiptoe and planted a kiss on Fu Hengyi’s face, much like a bashful young girl, brief and swift, before walking forward as if nothing had happened.

Fu Hengyi reached up to touch the spot where she had kissed him and slowly smiled, picking up his pace to catch up with her.

They stayed in Hang City for three days. On the fourth morning, Fu Hengyi took Shen Qinglan out again, "Where are we going this time?" Shen Qinglan asked while they were on the road.

Fu Hengyi smiled, "You’ll know when we get there."

Seeing him act mysteriously, Shen Qinglan did not ask further but instead turned to look out the window. The scenery swiftly receded behind them. Shen Qinglan spoke again, "Are you taking me into the mountains?" The car was driving into ever more remote areas; it seemed they were headed into the mountains.

"Are you still afraid I’ll sell you off?" Fu Hengyi joked.

Shen Qinglan saw he still wouldn’t tell, so she simply shut her mouth. The scenery along the road was quite beautiful, and it was nice to enjoy the view. Seeing that she was interested in the scenery along the way, Fu Hengyi slowed down the car; after all, they were not in a hurry.

Fu Hengyi’s phone rang during the drive, "Qinglan, help me answer that."

Shen Qinglan took out the phone from his pocket. It was an unfamiliar number. She answered, "Hello, may I ask who’s calling?"

A deep male voice came from the other end, "Is Fu Hengyi there?"

Shen Qinglan paused for a second, "Hold on." She passed the phone to Fu Hengyi’s ear. Whatever the person on the other side said, Fu Hengyi’s eyes turned icy, "I’m on leave right now. If there’s an issue, go directly to the commander."

After speaking, he took the phone and hung up, then turned it off and casually placed it aside. Fu Hengyi’s expression slowly returned to normal.

"Is there an emergency in the Military Region?" Shen Qinglan asked.

Fu Hengyi shook his head, "It’s nothing to bother about, not something only I can handle."

"If it’s an emergency, we can come again next time." Shen Qinglan was already very content that Fu Hengyi was able to accompany her out, and she was not insistent on staying any longer.

"It’s really okay. It’s just some people who can’t take responsibility for their own mistakes and want me to plead on their behalf. I can’t be bothered with such matters."

Hearing that it had nothing to do with Fu Hengyi, Shen Qinglan immediately felt relieved. She closed her eyes to rest, feeling a bit sleepy.

Seeing this, Fu Hengyi reached for a thin blanket, "Cover yourself, don’t catch a cold."

Shen Qinglan opened her eyes and glanced at the blazing sun outside the window, then looked back at Fu Hengyi, "Fu Hengyi, it’s thirty-seven degrees Celsius outside today." He actually wanted her to cover up with a blanket!

"Just in case—you’re not as strong as you used to be, and we’ve turned on the air conditioning in the car," Fu Hengyi said softly. "Besides, we are still an hour and a half from our destination, you can take a nap."

Shen Qinglan had planned to rest her eyes for a while, but upon hearing there was still over an hour of travel left, she stared at the blanket for two seconds before silently covering herself with it.

The road grew increasingly bumpy, and Shen Qinglan was shaken awake. When she opened her eyes, she saw vast expanses of green—it was rice paddies, stretching as far as the eye could see without end.

A village soon came into view, and Shen Qinglan realized this must be their destination.

"Awake?" Fu Hengyi glanced at her, and Shen Qinglan blinked, her eyes instantly regaining clarity, "Where is this?"

"Yangjia Village."

Shen Qinglan was unfamiliar with the name and had no idea how the man beside her had found this village. Fu Hengyi didn’t offer a detailed explanation either, taking out his phone and dialing a number, "Yes, we’ve arrived. Alright... Yes, I see it, we’ll leave it at that."

The car stopped in front of a house, and Shen Qinglan saw a tall man with dark skin standing in front—looking at them with a nervous face.

Fu Hengyi opened the car door, and Shen Qinglan followed suit. She saw the man stand to attention and salute Fu Hengyi, "Captain, good to see you."

Fu Hengyi’s expression was indifferent, yet his eyes were kind, "We’re not at the base here; just call me Brother Fu."

"Yes, Brother Fu," the man replied loudly, turning his gaze to Shen Qinglan, "Sister-in-law, good to see you. My name is Li Min, I was a soldier under Brother Fu."

Shen Qinglan gave a slight smile, "Nice to meet you." She hadn’t expected Fu Hengyi to be recognized by someone even after coming to the South.

"Brother Fu, the room is all ready for you. Would you like to rest a bit first?" Li Min sought Fu Hengyi’s opinion, and Fu Hengyi nodded, "Thank you for your trouble."

A genuine, simple smile appeared on Li Min’s face, "I’m very happy to have you at my home, Brother Fu. There’s no trouble at all." As he spoke, Li Min had already led them to a room on the third floor. The room was very clean, with all items neatly arranged, obviously specially tidied up.

"Brother Fu, Sister-in-law, my wife is making food. You can rest for a while, and we’ll be ready to eat soon."

Fu Hengyi set down the luggage and glanced at the room, "Thank you."

"You don’t have to be so formal with me, Brother Fu. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be where I am today," Li Min said cheerfully.

Once Li Min had left the room, Shen Qinglan finally asked, "Was he one of your soldiers?"

Fu Hengyi nodded, "Yes, he was one of the first soldiers I trained. Li Min was the best among them, but he was seriously injured during a mission and wasn’t suited to stay in the army, so he had to return to his hometown. A few years back, I heard about his situation from others and gave him some advice."

Shen Qinglan immediately understood. When she had arrived, she had noticed that this house was quite prominent in the entire village. It seemed that Li Min had made a fortune thanks to Fu Hengyi’s advice.

"We came to Hang City this time, and on a whim, I thought it’s close by, so I brought you to have a look," Fu Hengyi said softly, of course, it also meant to visit his old comrade-in-arms.

"This place is truly beautiful." It was far from the city, even the air was fragrant, surrounded by green mountains and waters; everywhere you looked, there was either smoke from cooking fires or swathes of greenery—the environment was indeed good.

"We can stay here for a couple of days."

Li Min quickly came back up, this time to call them for a meal.

Li Min’s wife was a very ordinary woman, but she was very smiley. When she laughed, shallow dimples appeared on her face, making her look very approachable, "Brother Fu, Sister-in-law, please have a seat."

Shen Qinglan looked at the table full of dishes, with chicken, duck, fish, and meat—all sorts were present. The presentation might not be exquisite, but everything was rich in color and fragrance. Li Min’s wife said with a smile, "There’s not much to eat in the countryside, just some home-raised chicken and duck. I hope the two of you won’t mind."

Shen Qinglan smiled faintly, "That’s quite rare; in the city, you can’t find such delicacies." The whole of Beijing now has no live poultry; only those that have been slaughtered.

"Once you’ve left, I’ll ask Li Min to catch a few for you to take away. They’re all home-raised, we don’t feed them any rubbish, they are absolutely safe and green."

Shen Qinglan’s lips curved slightly, "We appreciate your kindness, but we’re going back by plane, and the plane doesn’t allow us to bring these."

Li Min’s wife felt a bit of regret, "Then you should eat more this time." She enthusiastically urged them.

"Brother Fu, we haven’t seen each other for so many years. Now that we finally have a chance to meet, we must have a good drink." Li Min was very excited.

Fu Hengyi didn’t refuse. The rice wine that Li Min brought out was homemade, he poured a cup for Fu Hengyi, and as he was about to pour one for Shen Qinglan, Fu Hengyi stopped him, "She’s pregnant now and can’t drink."

"Your wife is pregnant? Congratulations, Brother Fu." Li Min was very happy; his smile was sincere.

Shen Qinglan had a light smile on her face the whole time, and when Li Min’s wife heard the news, she moved a bowl of soup to in front of her, "Sister-in-law, you’re pregnant, you should drink more of this chicken soup. This hen is one I’ve raised for several years; it’s very nourishing." She served a bowl for Shen Qinglan.

Shen Qinglan didn’t like soup, but it was hard to refuse such kindness, "Thank you, I’ll do it myself." She took a sip; the chicken soup was very fresh and didn’t have too many spices. It tasted quite good, and even Shen Qinglan, who was unwilling to drink soup, finished the whole bowl.

When men drink, they tend to talk more. Li Min chatted with Fu Hengyi about the old days in the army while drinking. Fu Hengyi mostly listened to Li Min, only occasionally chiming in.

Although they were drinking and chatting, Fu Hengyi did not neglect Shen Qinglan. He glanced at her from time to time and seeing she was eating well without any discomfort, he was reassured.

Li Min’s wife noticed this scene and could not help but feel a bit envious. Although this couple seemed to have a significant age difference, it was clear that Fu Hengyi loved his wife deeply and their marital affection was very good.

Meeting an old friend in a foreign place, Li Min, being too cheerful, drank too much. Fu Hengyi helped his wife escort him to a room. Li Min’s wife looked apologetically at Fu Hengyi, "Brother Fu, I am really sorry."

Fu Hengyi smiled lightly, "No worries, let him sleep. I’ll take my wife for a walk nearby."

"I can accompany you."

"No need, we’ll just walk nearby, Li Min is quite drunk, you should give him something to sober up."

"Then I’ll not accompany you, please feel free to go. The scenery nearby is quite nice."

Even though he drank with Li Min, Fu Hengyi was very restrained and didn’t get drunk. He held Shen Qinglan’s hand and led her out.

"It’s very quiet here." Shen Qinglan spoke up, her gaze falling in the distance. Unlike the small town in Beijing, this was truly quiet. Walking on the road, you could see the villagers leisurely returning from the fields with hoes on their shoulders.

The village wasn’t large, and outsiders like Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi, being uncommonly attractive, naturally attracted many curious looks as they walked; however, those looks were curious, not malicious.

"Is this what they call the traditional lifestyle of men farming and women weaving?" Shen Qinglan cocked her head, looking at Fu Hengyi with a faint smile on her lips.

Fu Hengyi smiled lightly, "Do you like it here?"

"Um, it’s quite fresh." Although Shen Qinglan had endured many hardships before, this kind of rural life was still unfamiliar to her. Plus, the South is completely different from the North, so at first glance, she naturally felt a sense of novelty.

"It gets even more beautiful here at night." Fu Hengyi smiled mysteriously.

Shen Qinglan was somewhat puzzled; were there any activities here at night? It wasn’t until nightfall that she understood what Fu Hengyi meant by beauty.

Night fell, darkness enveloped the entire village. After dinner, Fu Hengyi took Shen Qinglan out again, holding a slender bamboo pole in his hand.

Walking through the fields, what reached Shen Qinglan’s ears were the croaking of frogs, accompanied by the occasional chirp of crickets—nature’s own summer rhapsody.

"What are we going to do?" Shen Qinglan asked the man before her.

"You’ll know in a bit," Fu Hengyi said, keeping her in suspense.

Shen Qinglan remained silent, simply following beside Fu Hengyi, with the soothing croaks of frogs before her, feeling an unprecedented sense of calm. Suddenly, she saw twinkling lights appearing before her, and upon closer observation, realized they were fireflies.

Fireflies flitted among the rice paddies, emitting a faint glow.

"Wait here," Fu Hengyi whispered, and he himself walked towards that patch of paddy fields.

With a gentle sweep of the bamboo pole over the fields, clusters of fireflies rose, twinkling like stars, as if mirroring the stars in the sky.

Shen Qinglan’s eyes were filled with astonishment; the scene was like a shot from a movie.

The weather today was fair, the sky clear and the firmament studded with stars, complemented by the terrestrial twinkle of fireflies.

Shen Qinglan stood at the edge of the field, looking distantly at Fu Hengyi. She couldn’t clearly discern his features but could imagine the tender, affectionate expression on his face.

"Do you like it?" Fu Hengyi approached Shen Qinglan and asked softly.

Shen Qinglan nodded, "It’s beautiful," it felt as if she were in a fairy tale world.

Fu Hengyi extended his hand before her, a firefly in his palm, its tail flickering. Sensing the opportunity to escape, the firefly flapped its wings and flew away.

"Let’s go," said Fu Hengyi.

"Are we going back?" Shen Qinglan was reluctant to leave.

Fu Hengyi smiled, "Let me show you something else."

Hearing this, Shen Qinglan felt a subtle sense of anticipation and followed beside Fu Hengyi, not asking where he might be taking her.

Fu Hengyi led her to a small river where a rowboat lay quietly moored at the bank. Fu Hengyi jumped onto the boat first, then extended his hand, "Come on."

Shen Qinglan took his hand and easily boarded the boat. Fu Hengyi rowed, and the boat gently swayed in the water.

Not expecting Fu Hengyi’s skill at rowing, Shen Qinglan arched her eyebrows in surprise. She wouldn’t have been shocked if Fu Hengyi could pilot a warship, but a rowboat... she was curious what else he couldn’t do.

The ripples danced lightly on the water, and where they passed, fireflies took flight from the paddies and bushes along the banks. Some fireflies, seemingly fearless, came close to her. Shen Qinglan watched intently, her gaze fixed not on them but on the man rowing, whose eyes brimmed with gentle tenderness.

The boat gently drifted in a loop. The scent of paddy blossoms wafted to her nose, and the croaking of frogs filled her ears. Shen Qinglan gently closed her eyes and leaned back against the gunwale, while Fu Hengyi shifted to balance the boat.

Without the moonlight tonight, the view was obscured except for the brightness of fireflies and stars. But Fu Hengyi could almost see the tranquility on Shen Qinglan’s face, smiling slightly. His desires were always simple—all he needed was for the woman before him to be happy.

When the boat reached the shore again, Shen Qinglan couldn’t tell how much time had passed. She only remembered the mutual radiance of stars and fireflies that night, and the fairy tale Fu Hengyi had given her was very beautiful.