Chapter 20: CH 20

Chapter 20 – Take You Home

Wen Ruan trembled slightly and then turned around.

There was a hint of a smile in Fu Zhihuan’s eyes.  Although it was just a word, it sounded like it had quite a profound meaning to it when it came out of his mouth.

“Why are you here?”  Wen Ruan asked.

Fu Zhihan raised his thumb then pointed it at the car behind him and said indifferently.

“To take you home.”

Take you home…….

This sentence instantly made Wen Ruan’s heart jump crazily like a deer.

It sounded like the two of them have a close relationship.

With this, it can be considered as they have confirmed their relationship!

Wen Ruan suddenly remembered the question that Fu Zhihuan asked just now.

“Mr. Qin and I are indeed acquaintances.  He was my senior in university.”

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Speaking up to this point, she paused for a while and then turned to look at Qin Ziran with a smile.

“However, I didn’t recognize him at first.”

“I indeed felt sad.”  When Qin Ziran said this, his tone sounded like he did not mind.

He laughed and touched his hair as he recalled the past.

“At that time, many juniors asked me for your contact but I didn’t give it to any of them.”

“……?……”

Wen Ruan:  “Quite proud of it, aren’t you?  No wonder my peach blossom luck was so bad during that time.”

When Fu Zhihuan saw Wen Ruan’s face showing a bright smile, he became inexplicably agitated.

The two people chatted with each other happily in front of Fu Zhihuan like a pair of twittering sparrows and even fluttered their wings without any consideration for others.

He frowned slightly and his whole body overflowed with impatience.

Actually, whoever Wen Ruan knew or whoever her schoolmate is had nothing to do with him at all.  But he did not know why there seemed to be a thorn-like burning fire embedded at the bottom of his heart and it gave him a feeling of extreme discomfort.

Very annoying!

Jiang Zishen who was standing at the side rolled his eyes around over the faces of the three people.  Suddenly, he widened his eyes as if he had discovered something and his eyes suddenly brightened……..

Oh!

So that’s it!

Sure enough, adults have complicated minds!

Qin Ziran was the first to react and laughing heartily, he extended a hand towards Fu Zhihuan as a greeting.

“Mr. Fu, it’s a long time since we last met.  Are you here to pick up Jiang Zishen?”

In fact, Qin Ziran had met Fu Zhihuan before.  It was because Jiang Zishen’s father had to travel all year round and work overtime, so on numerous occasions, this gentleman had come in his eye-catching Porsche to pick up the child.

As a teacher, he had to take into consideration such influence, therefore, Qin Ziran had once mentioned that it was best not to drive such a flashy car to pick up the child so as not to make the children feel vain and compete with each other.

Fu Zhihuan expressed his understanding, so the next day he came to the school in a car borrowed from a friend……..a pink beetle that was covered with cartoon stickers.

As a result, the school gate was completely blocked when a huge group of children gathered around the car to admire it.

On the same day, Qin Ziran said to Fu Zhihuan.

“It’s better that you change back to the Porsche.”

At this moment, Fu Zhihuan was looking down at the hand Qin Ziran had extended, and chuckling softly, he reached out his hand to shake it.

He leaned forward slightly then lifted his head with narrowed eyes and the corners of his lips curved as he said slowly.

“Thank you, Teacher Qin…….for your care.”

Qin Ziran:  “……You don’t have to thank me, this is what I should do.”

The remark sounded normal and polite, but why does it feel like intimidation?

However, Wen Ruan did not seem to be aware of the rising smoke over there.  Holding Jiang Zishen’s hand, she moved to Fu Zhihuan’s side and asked casually.

“Work is over so early?”

“Mm…….it was completed earlier than expected.”

Only then did Fu Zhihuan release his hand and when he straightened up, his face appeared as calm as ever.

Qin Ziran quietly rubbed his sore hand and when he looked up Wen Ruan was already leaving, so he hurriedly shouted.

“Ai, don’t forget about that matter!”

“Don’t worry.”  Wen Ruan laughed.  “We’ll meet again in a few days.”

A few days?

Meet?

Fu Zhihuan’s eyes darkened slightly but he remained silent.  He only lifted his head slowly and swept his eyes over Qin Ziran’s face.

Qin Ziran was caught off guard by the icy gaze and felt a chill run down his back.

…….Why does it feel like he is being intimidated again?

Wen Ruan was still looking around to find out where the car was parked and did not pay attention to Fu Zhihuan’s gaze.

However, Jiang Zishen who was standing at the side once again had a panoramic view of everything.  With the small schoolbag on his back, he quickly took in the spectacular show without moving his gaze…….

Wow!

As expected, it’s a war of adults!

However, when Jiang Zishen was eagerly preparing to continue watching the show unfold, Fu Zhihuan lowered his eyes and their gazes clashed abruptly.

Fu Zhihuan raised his eyebrows.

“Do you feel happy watching?”

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Jiang Zishen immediately stood at attention with a well-behaved expression and shouted.

“Good afternoon, Uncle Fu Zhihuan!”

Just as Wen Ruan turned her head around, she happened to hear him.

Instantly, the gloominess she felt the whole afternoon disappeared.

No matter how good-looking you look, you’re still called an uncle by the little kid!

However, Fu Zhihuan did not show any reaction and just looked down quietly at the child for a while.  Then he squatted down and stretched out his hand to rub the child’s head.

Although Fu Zhihuan’s tone had a trace of mirth, he lowered his voice and said word by word.

“Call me brother and I’ll take you home.”

Although it was just an ordinary sentence, Wen Ruan could hear an inexplicable threat.

Sure enough, before Jiang Zishen could speak, Fu Zhihuan added.

“Or else, you can follow and run behind the car.”

A blatant threat.

The child shrank his neck.

“Good afternoon, Brother Fu…….”

After he finished speaking, he ran on his short legs and disappeared into the car like a wisp of smoke.

So fierce to the little child……this is too much, isn’t it?

Wen Ruan approached Fu Zhihuan and with her hands on her waist, she said indignantly to uphold justice.

“Even threatening a little child?  You’re truly hateful!”

“Little child?”

Fu Zhihuan straightened up, glanced over at Wen Ruan, and then let out a laugh.

“Later, you’ll regret speaking up for him.”

***☆☆☆***

The car started to move.

At this time, it was the after-work rush hour and it was also the time that the Parent-Teacher Meeting ended.  As a result, there was a jam and the road was impassable.

However, just as the car had moved a short distance away, Jiang Zishen who was sitting in the back passenger seat suddenly remembered something.

“Uncle Fu, stop the car!  I remember that I haven’t bought the exercise book that the teacher requested.”

Fu Zhihuan hummed an acknowledgment and stopped the car at the side.

“Do you need me to go with you?”  Wen Ruan asked.

“That’s not necessary, Auntie Wen.  The bookshop is just nearby.  I can go there by myself.”

As he spoke, he opened the car door, jumped down from the car, and sped off.

“……?……”

The smile on Wen Ruan’s face disappeared.

Fu Zhihuan snorted softly and commented.  “Amazing.”

Wen Ruan:  “Shut up!”

She already felt she had gone numb.

Today, Wen Ruan who initially showed resistance to being called ‘Auntie’ had finally accepted this title.

She was silent for a while and then turned her head to look at Fu Zhihuan.  Gritting her teeth, she asked.

“Today, the record for the number of times I was called ‘auntie’ in my whole life has been broken.  However, I have a question.  How did Simon develop this bad habit?”

He leaned back on the seat and his right hand was resting on the steering wheel tapping a rhythm with his index finger.

“He did it on purpose.”

“On purpose?”

“Mm…….”

Fu Zhihuan turned his head to look at the small figure standing in front of the bookshop and said in a deep voice.

“Since Simon was a child, he lacked the company of relatives. To follow his father, he had to keep moving and transferring schools and doesn’t have any good friends.”

“Therefore, he purposely did that to attract attention and leave an impression on others.”

Jiang Zishen always felt that he was dispensable.

He was disliked and hated by his relatives and never had a close friend.  He was fostered by many different families and had always been alone.

That was the reason why he used this method to gain the attention of others.

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After Wen Ruan understood the situation, she suddenly felt sad.

However, before her motherly feelings could start to rise, she heard Fu Zhihuan’s voice that carried a warning…….

“However, my advice is not to show him sympathy because of this.”

He explained slowly.  “He is very much smarter than you think.”

She did not believe him.

“Are you sure you’re not saying this just to take revenge on him for calling you ‘uncle’?”

Fu Zhihuan:  “……”

While they talking, Jiang Zishen had already bought the book he needed.  He climbed back into the car and sat obediently hugging his schoolbag on his lap.

“I’ve bought the book.  Thank you for waiting.”

So well-mannered!

Sure enough, Fu Zhihuan must be prejudiced against such a cute and well-behaved child just because the child called him ‘uncle’.

“What do you want to eat?”  Fu Zhihuan fastened the seat belt once again and started the car.  “I’ll send you to the judo class after dinner.”

Today is Friday and Jiang Zishen has a judo class at night.

When Jiang Zishen heard this sentence, his eyes lit up.

“I want to eat pizza!”

“No.”  Fu Zhihuan quickly rejected the idea.  “You’ve been eating fast food too many times recently.”

Once Jiang Zishen heard the answer, he instantly wilted like an eggplant beaten by the frost.  Then he turned his head to look at Wen Ruan with a pitiful expression as if trying to impress her.

She refused righteously.

“I think your Brother Fu is right.  Children like you should eat less fast food.”

Silence descended for a few seconds and only the rustling of cool air from the car air-conditioner could be heard.

Jiang Zishen stared at Wen Ruan for a while, then withdrew the pitiful expression on his face.  He calmly opened the schoolbag and pulled out a sketchbook from it.

Suddenly, Wen Ruan had a bad feeling.

As expected, the next second, Jiang Zishen turned to a certain page in the sketchbook……..

It showed the picture that Wen Ruan drew during the Parent-Teacher Meeting.

Then, Jiang Zishen lifted his head and looked at the person in the driver’s seat.  Then he took a slow deep breath as if he was going to speak…….

“Wait, wait!’

In a panic, Wen Ruan hurriedly covered the sketchbook.

“I think that children should be given whatever they want to eat!  Why deprive children of their happiness?!”

Fu Zhihuan paused.  He lifted his eyes and then turned his eyes slightly sideways to look at Wen Ruan through the rearview mirror with squinted eyes.

“What did you say?”

Jiang Zishen calmly put away the sketchbook and stared at Wen Ruan in front of him with his round eyes.

Wen Ruan took a deep breath and gritted her teeth.

“I said that Simon should be taken to eat pizza.  We should give children happiness and not restrain them.”

*Hiss*

Fu Zhihuan felt a slight headache and raised his hand to pinch his brows.  Stopping at the traffic light, he turned his head around to look at the child and adult in the back seat.

“Wen Ruan?……..”

The low husky voice questioned.

Wen Ruan put her palms together and said in a very soft voice.

“Please, please, just this time.”

“……Alright.”

Perhaps Wen Ruan’s begging eyes were too heated, Fu Zhihuan’s throat rolled and the words were all swallowed back.

After a long silence, he said.  “Just this time.”

Jiang Zishen’s eyes lighted up again and at the same time, he said sweetly.  “Thank you, Sister…….Sister is so nice!”

Wen Ruan gave him a fierce look.

So, now he is calling her ‘sister’?

Sure enough, Fu Zhihuan is correct!

This child is no ordinary terror!