"You're an ungrateful ingrate, a wolf in sheep's clothing. We should never have..." Mrs. Fu's face was red with anger, poking at Fu Xiaoxiao's head, but just as she was about to say the words, Fu Minghua coughed, signaling her not to continue.
"Because of what?" Fu Xiaoxiao quickly grasped the loophole in Mrs. Fu's words. According to her, Fu Xiaoxiao wasn't her biological child but seemed to have been adopted from elsewhere.
Mrs. Fu was held back by Fu Minghua and stopped talking, looking at Fu Xiaoxiao with a cold expression and turning her head away.
"Let's put everything out in the open today. If I'm really not a child of the Fu Family, then just say it clearly." Normally, others might let it go, but Fu Xiaoxiao had no affection for this family. If she was indeed not of the Fu Family, it was best to clarify it now.
"You're overthinking it. Your mom was just speaking nonsense in anger..." Fu Minghua was ready to calm things down, taking two hundred yuan and some food coupons from the room, preparing to hand them to Fu Xiaoxiao.
"Why give them to her? If you give them all away, what will we eat in the future?" Mrs. Fu was immediately displeased upon seeing how much Fu Minghua was offering.
Turning to Fu Xiaoxiao, she ignored Fu Minghua's protest, ran back to the room, and threw a metal box at Fu Xiaoxiao.
"You're right, you're not my biological child. You were merely left here by someone else. Your mother left two hundred yuan and ran away back then, and we took you in out of pity! Now take your stuff and scram. Don't ever come back." Mrs. Fu's words made Fu Xiaoxiao pause and look at Fu Minghua.
Seeing that his wife had already revealed the truth, Fu Minghua no longer hid it.
"That's correct. We've provided for you all these years without neglect. We've done our part. Now that you're grown up, it's better to make things clear!" Fu Minghua spoke slowly and took the two hundred yuan back from Mrs. Gu, placing it in Fu Xiaoxiao's hands.
Mrs. Fu wanted to flare up, but Fu Minghua gave her a long look, and she dared not speak out.
"Your biological mother gave us two hundred yuan back then, so here is your two hundred yuan now, and we'll consider our accounts settled." Fu Minghua's shamelessness made Fu Xiaoxiao smile.
Eighteen years ago, two hundred yuan and today's two hundred yuan—are they the same?
"Fine! From now on, we'll have nothing to do with each other, separate ways it is." Fu Xiaoxiao accepted, taking the two hundred yuan and food coupons.
Fu Xiaoxiao felt a pain in her chest, a sense from the original owner. No wonder she never felt at home in this family; being not born to them explained everything.
Upon hearing Fu Xiaoxiao agree without having a tantrum, the Fu Family breathed a sigh of relief.
Fu Xiaoxiao glanced at the home she'd spent twenty years in, gathered her few belongings, and holding the metal box, left without any lingering attachments.
"Dad, Mom, now it's great, the burden's finally gone..." Fu Xiaocui's gleeful laughter came from the Fu Family.
Carrying her stuff, Fu Xiaoxiao stepped out the door and saw two men standing at the entrance.
One was Lu Feng, the other...
Fu Xiaojun looked at Fu Xiaoxiao with a complex expression.
"Brother." Fu Xiaoxiao called softly.
In this family, only Fu Xiaojun treated her decently.
"When you're in the countryside, write to me if anything happens." Fu Xiaojun took two hundred yuan from his pocket and stuffed it into Fu Xiaoxiao's pocket.
Fu Xiaoxiao gave Fu Xiaojun a look, stopping his action and shaking her head. "No need, I can't take your money."
They weren't relatives, and she had no reason to take his money.
Fu Xiaojun pursed his lips, wanting to say something yet unable to articulate.
For this sister, he didn't know what words of comfort could be offered, so he went back inside the house in silence.
The corridor of the communal building was narrow. Fu Xiaojun had just stood at the Fu Family's doorway, blocking Lu Feng.
Lu Feng couldn't pass and was forced to listen to everything while standing at the Fu Family's door, now meeting Fu Xiaoxiao's gaze. Suddenly, Lu Feng felt the gift in his hand was a bit hot to handle.
He felt disinclined to give it to the Fu Family.
"Let's go!" Fu Xiaoxiao spoke first, motioning for Lu Feng to head downstairs.
"...Mm." Lu Feng looked at Fu Xiaoxiao, turned, and carried his things down the stairs, with Fu Xiaoxiao, holding her meager clothes, following behind.
The aunties outside the communal building watched as Lu Feng carried things up, then down, Fu Xiaoxiao trailing him, with curious eyes.
Fu Xiaoxiao paid them no mind, quietly following Lu Feng, leaving this cold place.
Lu Feng sort of understood why Fu Xiaoxiao was eager to get married. With such a family, marriage surprisingly seemed like the best option.
Lu Feng brought Fu Xiaoxiao to the guesthouse, got her a room, and the staff, seeing the marriage application he showed, allowed them entry together.
"Sorry for making you witness that." Fu Xiaoxiao spoke upon reaching the guesthouse room.
"You don't need to apologize." Lu Feng pursed his lips. He originally planned to take these items to visit the Yue Family, but now, it seemed better to buy Fu Xiaoxiao some more clothes instead.
With such few clothes, she'd freeze at the base.
"Rest a bit, I'll go return these things." Lu Feng surveyed Fu Xiaoxiao for a moment, then took the things and stepped out.
Fu Xiaoxiao looked at her pitiful luggage. Her feelings towards the Fu Family weren't great; mostly, she felt it was unfair to the original owner.
She felt like she was a burden to the Fu Family; now, by being sent to the countryside, the burden was gone.
Lu Feng returned all the high-end gifts, arriving at the women's clothing counter.
"This set and this set, I'll take both." Lu Feng glanced at the two sets of clothes, thinking of Fu Xiaoxiao's size, likely fitting her.
Swiftly paying with fabric coupons and money, Lu Feng then bought two boxes of snow cream, shoes, new cotton bedding, a basin, towel, toothbrush, and one of each item he thought of.
When Fu Xiaoxiao saw Lu Feng with bags all over him, blinking in astonishment.
"Did you raid a mall? So many things?"
Lu Feng gave her a look, amused.
"These are all for you. I returned the things meant for your parents. It's better to spend the money on you than on them." Lu Feng's words warmed Fu Xiaoxiao's heart.
She didn't expect to find warmth from a stranger after coming to this world.
"Thank you." Fu Xiaoxiao sincerely expressed her gratitude, determined to nurture his two children well.
"I've already sent the marriage report back, and they're processing it urgently. Tomorrow, you'll follow me back to the base. Don't worry, you married me, so from now on, I'll be your support. Count on me for everything." Lu Feng looked at Fu Xiaoxiao. Though he couldn't offer her a typical marriage, he'd protect her and not let anyone bully her.
Fu Xiaoxiao smiled and nodded.
Despite being unable to consummate, Lu Feng was a reliable man, mature and dependable.
After placing the items for Fu Xiaoxiao, Lu Feng left the guesthouse, his face darkening upon exit.
The Fu Family people indeed were trash.