Chapter 14

At the dining table, Fu Weicheng sat on one side, while Song Yuntang and the two children sat on the other. Niannian and An’an clung closely to Song Yuntang, keeping a clear boundary between themselves and Fu Weicheng—as if divided by an invisible line.

The twins were deeply in sync with each other’s emotions.

An’an didn’t understand Niannian’s complicated thoughts, but she knew one thing—if her brother didn’t like this uncle, then she wouldn’t like him either. Even though he had looked very impressive earlier when catching the bad guys.

Besides… was this man really her father?

An’an had never had a father before. She didn’t know what a father was supposed to be like.

But when Fu Weicheng opened the lunch boxes, the image of “father” in An’an’s mind suddenly became very concrete—

It was the fragrant braised pork belly.

The dishes placed before Song Yuntang and the children weren’t simple cafeteria meals. Fu Weicheng had specifically asked someone to order from a small restaurant outside, paying for freshly cooked dishes.

From the moment he brought the three of them back from the train station, he had never intended to let them leave.

There was braised pork belly, green beans with potatoes and pork ribs, stir-fried greens with Chinese yam, kelp and winter melon soup, and a silky smooth steamed egg custard.

It smelled amazing.

If the atmosphere hadn’t been so quiet, An’an would have gasped out loud. She had never seen so much delicious food at once. It smelled so, so good—even better than her freshly washed hands with soap.

Fu Weicheng didn’t pick up his chopsticks. His deep, dark eyes were fixed on Song Yuntang. Beside her, Niannian and An’an also looked at her, waiting for her to give the signal.

Song Yuntang said,
“Why are you all staring at me? Eat. Food tastes best when it’s hot—if you wait any longer, it’ll get cold.”

She picked up her chopsticks first, placing a piece of braised pork into each child’s bowl, then took one for herself.

“This one is An’an’s, this one is Niannian’s, and this one is Mom’s.”

Fu Weicheng moved slightly, as if about to pass his bowl over, but Song Yuntang didn’t even glance at him. She had already started eating in big bites—nothing should interrupt a good meal.

Since she still intended to divorce him, she kept her distance.

His outstretched hand fell back awkwardly.

He pushed the steamed egg custard toward An’an instead. It was obvious from her eyes that she liked it.

“Eat more if you like it,” he said gently.

An’an timidly glanced up at him, sneaking a look. Thinking Song Yuntang hadn’t noticed, she gave a shy smile before quickly lowering her head and eating seriously.

Mom had said—whether Dad was good or bad, she should feel it herself.

And she felt that he didn’t seem like a bad person… because he noticed she wanted the egg custard.

Fu Weicheng then tried to serve Niannian some food, but the boy was more guarded. Unlike his sister, he didn’t accept it.

Fu Weicheng wasn’t discouraged. He believed that with time, he would grow closer to his children.

Maybe… he could also grow closer to her.

He glanced at Song Yuntang, then quietly lowered his head to eat.

The meal was truly delicious. Song Yuntang and the children ate heartily, especially the braised pork—the rich sauce mixed with rice was irresistible. In her moment of indulgence, Song Yuntang forgot to remind the children to control their portions, and they ended up with round, overstuffed bellies.

She quickly took out some spiritual spring water for them to drink, helping ease the discomfort.

As for Fu Weicheng, he hadn’t eaten little either. At first, he ate slowly, but once the three of them were nearly done, he suddenly sped up, sweeping through the remaining food and finishing everything cleanly.

Song Yuntang was a bit surprised—she hadn’t expected him to be this considerate.

His eating habits were likely shaped by the military—fast and in big bites.

Using this moment, she turned it into a lesson for the children:
“Niannian, An’an, when we eat, we should chew slowly—not too fast, not too slow. Eating at a steady pace is healthiest. If you eat too quickly, it’s bad for your stomach and can make you uncomfortable, understand?”

Before the children could respond, a low cough sounded from the side.

“Cough, cough!”

Fu Weicheng choked slightly on his food—was she indirectly scolding him?

He wasn’t offended, but when the children turned their bright eyes toward him, his face felt a little warm.

“I… just choked a bit,” he explained awkwardly, setting down his chopsticks and standing up. “Are you done? I’ll clean up.”

Three pairs of eyes followed him as he efficiently cleared the table and wiped it down. For such a refined man, he was surprisingly capable.

…

After dinner, the sky outside had turned dark, bringing up a new question.

Song Yuntang wasn’t one to overthink things. She looked directly at him and asked,
“Fu Weicheng, where are you sleeping tonight?”

He paused while packing up the lunch boxes and replied,
“There’s a meeting at the military headquarters tonight. It’ll run late—I’ll just stay in the office.”

Song Yuntang nodded, thinking he was being reasonable and not overstepping.

They were planning to divorce—there was no way they’d be sharing a bed.

From her expression, Fu Weicheng could guess what she was thinking. When he spoke again, there was a hint of helplessness in his tone.

“Don’t worry. Unless you agree, I won’t cross any boundaries. This is the family compound—it’s very safe at night. You can stay here with the children without concern.”

Her thoughts had been seen through and even spoken aloud. Song Yuntang blinked innocently, pretending not to understand.

After that, Fu Weicheng put on his uniform neatly, adjusted his cap, prepared hot water for them, and then left.

Soon after, Song Yuntang took the children to bathe. She placed them in a large red rubber basin, warm steam rising as she carefully washed them, revealing their soft, delicate skin.

She was satisfied with everything about them—except how thin they were. Holding their slender arms made her heart ache.

“It would be even better if you gained a bit more weight,” she sighed.

An’an happily patted her full little belly. “Mom, I already gained weight here—feel it, it’s round!”

Song Yuntang played along, gently rubbing her soft tummy.
“Wow… you really did gain some.”

“Hahaha…”
An’an giggled, her laughter mingling with the warm steam.

After washing them clean, she tucked them into bed.

A wide bed, soft blankets, a house that sheltered them from wind and rain, their bodies warm and clean—and their mother by their side.

Snuggling close to her, they asked softly,
“Mom, can we really live here? It feels like a dream…”

Even as they fell asleep, their little flushed faces still carried smiles.

After settling them, Song Yuntang returned to the bathroom.

After such a long train journey, she felt grimy. Though she could clean up in her special space, nothing compared to washing with real hot water.

There was plenty of hot water left. She spent nearly an hour bathing—washing her hair and body thoroughly. Finally refreshed, she changed into a soft cotton floral nightgown, her damp hair hanging loose, wrapped in a towel as she stepped out, drying it.

She had barely taken a few steps—

Click.

The sound of the door opening.

Just moments ago, Fu Weicheng had said the compound was safe—yet someone dared to sneak in under the cover of darkness. Whoever it was had some nerve.

Song Yuntang wasn’t afraid at all. She grabbed a broom handle, moving quietly, reaching for the light switch.

The moment the light came on, she intended to strike—hard enough to crack the intruder’s head open. A lone mother with children was not to be bullied.

In the darkness, they clashed at close range.

She flipped on the light—

And in that instant, both of them were startled.

“It’s me.”

Fu Weicheng spoke at the same time.