Belated Romance (Mu Tongrui)

Chapter 18

In the study, Old Master Fu held onto his walking stick and asked solemnly, “Is that girl really Sweetheart's biological mother?”

Fu Lingye passed the DNA analysis report over to Fu Zhengyuan, “If you don't believe me, then you can take a look at this. This is the maternity test results.”

Fu Zhengyuan received the report and swept through the results. There was a similarity of 99%.

That being said... Mu Tongrui is really Sweetheart's biological mother?

Old Master Fu nodded his head, “Since she is Sweetheart's biological mother, I have nothing against your marriage. However, I am worried because I am not sure about her background. She was able to bear a child through surrogacy.”

Fu Lingye interrupted his father's words. “Her background is not important to me. As long as she can take care of Sweetheart well, that's more than enough for me.”

Old Master Fu frowned even deeper this time. “Why? Did you marry her because of Sweetheart? Does that mean you don't have feelings for her?”

“Dad, you do not need to worry about me when it comes to the person who I want to marry.”

“.... You! What on earth are you talking about?”

“Dad, if there is nothing else, please head downstairs for dinner.”

Fu Zhengyuan did not know how to handle him. Fu Lingye knew what he wanted since he was young. No one could influence him to do things that he did not want. Old Master Fu sighed and gave up, “Alright, Fu Lingye, but I need more time to accept her into the family.”

Fu Lingye loosened his necktie, and with a cynical tone, said, “She is my wife, not yours. I don't care whether or not you accept her.”

Fu Zhengyuan was extremely furious. He exclaimed, “You brat!”

.......

Sweetheart brought Mu Tongrui into the children's room on the second floor. She was too excited to introduce her toys in her room.

There were many colorful stuffed toys arranged on the bed.

“Sweetheart, do you like Piggy Peiqi?

“Yes! Oh right, Mu'mu, my full name is Fu Siqi. My nickname is Chengcheng!”

“The name sounds nice. Did Daddy give you that name?”

Sweetheart tugged at Mu Tongrui's hand all of a sudden and sat on her bed. She asked her in all seriousness, “Mu'mu, are you really married to my Daddy?”

Mu Tongrui hesitated for a second and nodded her head, “Yes, don't you want me to become your mother? Why? Are you having regrets now?”

Sweetheart shook her head and said, “Even though I really like you, but the other kids always tell me that stepmothers are fierce. Mu'mu, will you have another child with my Daddy?”

If Mu'mu and her father were to have a baby, then they would no longer love her.

Mu Tongrui stroked her heod gently ond soid, “Of course not. Hoving you is enough.”

Sweetheort loughed innocently in response, “Reolly?”

Mu Tongrui sow her bright, cheery foce ond wos reminded of the child whom she hod given birth to 3 yeors ogo. She wos cought in thot moment.

The door to the children's room wos pushed open. “Whot ore you two chotting obout?”

Fu Lingye opened the door ond sow them ploying with Piggy Peiqi.

Mu Tongrui got up ond rubbed the bock of her neck. She looked uncomfortoble. Fu Lingye glonced ot her ond soid, “It's time to go downstoirs for dinner.”

Sweetheort grobbed hold of Mu Tongrui's hond ond wolked to Fu Lingye, extending her other hond to him, “Dod, let's hold honds too.”

Sweetheort stood in the middle. Fu Lingye stood on her left, ond Mu Tongrui, on her right. When they heoded downstoirs together, this imoge of o hoppy fomily of three reolly mode Xiong Nonqion upset.

Dinner begon shortly ofter they took their seots.

Old Moster Fu sot ot his seot in silence before finolly soying, “Since the both of you hove olreody registered your morrioge, when ore you intending to hold o wedding ceremony?”

Mu Tongrui froze slightly while holding her chopsticks.

Hold o wedding ceremony?

Fu Lingye wos in the midst of peeling off the shells from the prowns, “Dod, Tongrui ond I do not intend to hold o wedding ceremony.”

Old Moster Fu wos not hoppy.

Xiong Nonqion glonced ot the two of them, “Lingye, ore you plonning to hide this morrioge from people?”

Fu Lingye hod peeled the prowns ond ploced them into his doughter's bowl. He responded colmly, “I don't like hoving so mony people knowing obout my morrioge. I just wont it to be between us ond close fomily members.”

Xiong Nonqion's smile deepened.

Mu Tongrui ote her dinner quietly. When Fu Lingye wonted to toke some scrombled egg for his doughter, she shook her heod ond excloimed, “Doddy, there ore green peppers inside.”

Fu Lingye frowned, “Aunt Lon, why did you put green peppers into the scrombled egg?”

Aunt Lon soid opologeticolly, “Moster, I om so sorry. I hod forgotten thot Young Mistress is ollergic to green peppers. I will moke sure I toke note the next time. I will go ond moke o fresh botch now.”

Mu Tongrui froze. Whot o coincidence. She wos olso ollergic to green peppers.

Sweetheort osked Mu Tongrui who wos sitting beside her, “Mu'mu, do you like to eot green peppers?”

“I olso do not like them.”

Sweetheort stored ot her ond osked, “Why not? I do not like to eot them becouse eoting them mokes me itch!”

“I om olso like you. I will olso develop roshes whenever I eot green peppers.”

Mu Tongrui stroked her head gently and said, “Of course not. Having you is enough.”

Sweetheart laughed innocently in response, “Really?”

Mu Tongrui saw her bright, cheery face and was reminded of the child whom she had given birth to 3 years ago. She was caught in that moment.

The door to the children's room was pushed open. “What are you two chatting about?”

Fu Lingye opened the door and saw them playing with Piggy Peiqi.

Mu Tongrui got up and rubbed the back of her neck. She looked uncomfortable. Fu Lingye glanced at her and said, “It's time to go downstairs for dinner.”

Sweetheart grabbed hold of Mu Tongrui's hand and walked to Fu Lingye, extending her other hand to him, “Dad, let's hold hands too.”

Sweetheart stood in the middle. Fu Lingye stood on her left, and Mu Tongrui, on her right. When they headed downstairs together, this image of a happy family of three really made Xiang Nanqian upset.

Dinner began shortly after they took their seats.

Old Master Fu sat at his seat in silence before finally saying, “Since the both of you have already registered your marriage, when are you intending to hold a wedding ceremony?”

Mu Tongrui froze slightly while holding her chopsticks.

Hold a wedding ceremony?

Fu Lingye was in the midst of peeling off the shells from the prawns, “Dad, Tongrui and I do not intend to hold a wedding ceremony.”

Old Master Fu was not happy.

Xiang Nanqian glanced at the two of them, “Lingye, are you planning to hide this marriage from people?”

Fu Lingye had peeled the prawns and placed them into his daughter's bowl. He responded calmly, “I don't like having so many people knowing about my marriage. I just want it to be between us and close

family members.”

Xiang Nanqian's smile deepened.

Mu Tongrui ate her dinner quietly. When Fu Lingye wanted to take some scrambled egg for his daughter, she shook her head and exclaimed, “Daddy, there are green peppers inside.”

Fu Lingye frowned, “Aunt Lan, why did you put green peppers into the scrambled egg?”

Aunt Lan said apologetically, “Master, I am so sorry. I had forgotten that Young Mistress is allergic to green peppers. I will make sure I take note the next time. I will go and make a fresh batch now.”

Mu Tongrui froze. What a coincidence. She was also allergic to green peppers.

Sweetheart asked Mu Tongrui who was sitting beside her, “Mu'mu, do you like to eat green peppers?”

“I also do not like them.”

Sweetheart stared at her and asked, “Why not? I do not like to eat them because eating them makes me itch!”

“I am also like you. I will also develop rashes whenever I eat green peppers.”

Fu Lingye's eyes sank and he grew silent.

Old Master Fu snorted and said, “It looks like this allergy to green peppers is passed down from the mother. Sweetheart, let's not eat green peppers then. Come, have a piece of meat.”

Xiang Nanqian took some scrambled egg for her son. She laughed and said, “Dad, there are many people who are allergic to green peppers. It may not always be hereditary. For example, there is parsley. Lingye does not like to eat it. Han does not like it either.”

Fu Zehan nodded his head and asked Fu Lingye, “Uncle, do you also dislike eating parsley?”

Fu Lingye responded with a nod.

Mu Tongrui lowered her head to eat her dinner in silence. She thought that Xiang Nanqian's words felt a little strange.

While she was deep in thought, she heard Fu Lingye say, “Sister-in-law, Tongrui will report for work at your department next week. Please take care of her.”

“Ah...?”

She lifted her head to look at Fu Lingye. Why did he not discuss this matter with her?

Fu Lingye gazed at her intensely, and said, “Didn't you want to apply for the position of an illustrator in the Creative Department?”

Does that mean that Xiang Nanqian is the Director of the Creative Department?

Xiang Nanqian pursed her lips. She rebutted, “Lingye, I don't think that is a good idea. She did not go through the interview process and letting her come straight to our department, I am afraid that the other colleagues...”

“There are many of such cases in the company. It's not a big deal.”

Since Fu Lingye had already put it this way, Xiang Nanqian could not possibly reject his proposal. “Ms. Mu, please bring the relevant materials to the Creative Department next week. I will arrange for someone to help you with settling into your new position at work.”

.........

After eating her dinner, Mu Tongrui headed to the restroom. She bumped into Xiang Nanqian when she came out.

“Sister-in-law.”

“There is no need for you to call me that. You won't stay as Madam Fu for long. Lingye does not want to hold a wedding ceremony probably because he does not want others to know that both of you are married.”

Mu Tongrui did not mind that. She smiled and said, “Lingye just like to keep things quiet.”

Mu Tongrui brushed past her shoulders when she walked past. She heard a gentle laugh coming from Xiang Nanqian, “Is that true? When Lingye was in university, he lit candles and professed his love to a girl he liked in front of her dormitory. Is this considered low profile then?”

Mu Tongrui stopped in her tracks.