Twenty minutes later, Feng Tingshen and the others returned.
The Old Madam didn't even glance at Feng Tingshen. Instead, she waved kindly to Feng Jingxin, smiling. "Xinxin is back?"
"Great-grandmother!" Feng Jingxin ran toward her. After being embraced and having her head rubbed for a while, she finally came over to Rong Ci. "Mommy."
"Mhm." As Rong Ci hugged Feng Jingxin, she caught a very faint scent on her clothes the same perfume Lin Wu had been wearing earlier.
She didn't point it out; she simply pushed the girl away gently.
Feng Tingshen sat down beside the Old Madam and handed her a box. "An apology gift."
It was a variety of Snow Tea that the Old Madam was extremely fond of. It was rare on the market and nearly impossible to acquire even for a high price.
The Old Madam knew he was apologizing for breaking his promise regarding their previous trip to the Hot Spring Resort.
She gave a harrumph. "So you know to prepare a gift for this old woman, but what about Rong Ci? Have you prepared an apology gift for her?"
Feng Tingshen smiled faintly but said nothing, casting a glance at Rong Ci.
It was a simple look, devoid of any other emotion.
The Old Madam's intention was to stand up for her and encourage Feng Tingshen to care for her more. However, in Rong Ci's eyes, all of this had become unnecessary.
She didn't look at Feng Tingshen, merely offering a faint smile as she spoke. "Grandmother, the food is going to get cold. Let's eat first."
The Old Madam assumed Rong Ci was changing the subject because she didn't want her to keep scolding Feng Tingshen. After all, whenever Feng Tingshen had neglected her in the past and the Old Madam tried to reprimand him, Rong Ci would always step in to make excuses for him.
The Old Madam sighed helplessly. "You... you always take his side."
Rong Ci smiled but remained silent.
Feng Tingshen's expression stayed cold and indifferent; his face didn't change even though she had spoken up to help him.
It was getting late, and it was indeed time for dinner.
The Old Madam stood up and took Feng Jingxin's hand. "Xinxin hasn't sat with her great-grandmother for a meal in a long time. Why don't you sit with me in a bit, okay?"
Feng Jingxin nodded obediently. "Okay."
"Good girl." As the Old Madam spoke, she shot a look at Feng Tingshen. Her meaning was clear without being said.
Rong Ci knew the Old Madam was trying to play matchmaker for them again. She didn't wait to see Feng Tingshen's reaction and followed the Old Madam into the dining room.
As she sat down opposite the Old Madam and Feng Jingxin, she noticed out of the corner of her eye that Feng Tingshen had pulled out the chair next to her and sat down.
The Old Madam was finally somewhat satisfied. Once the dishes were served, she told Feng Tingshen, "Serve some food to Rong Ci."
Rong Ci didn't look at him, speaking up first. "No need, Grandmother, I can"
Before she could finish, Feng Tingshen had already placed a piece of her favorite stir fried pork into her bowl.
Rong Ci paused. "...Thank you."
Feng Tingshen said nothing.
When the Old Madam told Feng Tingshen to serve her, she didn't just mean a single bite; she meant for him to look after her throughout the entire meal. Thus, whenever the food in Rong Ci's bowl was nearly gone, Feng Tingshen would add something new, and every dish he picked happened to be something she liked.
However, this didn't mean anything. After all, this had happened several times over the past few years. With Feng Tingshen's memory, he would remember these preferences even without consciously trying to.
After dinner, Feng Tingshen stayed to chat with the Old Madam. Rong Ci sat to the side and listened, rarely joining in. She didn't initiate any conversation with Feng Tingshen and hardly even looked him in the eye.
Seeing that the couple still had so little interaction after all these years, the Old Madam sighed in resignation.
Past nine o'clock, the Old Madam grew tired and waved them off, telling them to go upstairs and rest.
Rong Ci gave Feng Jingxin a bath and dried her hair. Feng Jingxin watched her mother as she worked in silence, suddenly realizing that her mother hadn't been very talkative lately. In the past, her mother would always find many topics to chat with her about.
Noticing Feng Jingxin's thoughtful stare, Rong Ci asked, "What is it?"
Feng Jingxin shook her head. "Nothing."
She figured she was probably overthinking it. Or perhaps her mother just had a lot on her mind and didn't feel like talking.
Once her hair was dry, Feng Jingxin rolled around on the bed and asked, "Mommy, are you sleeping with me again tonight?"
Rong Ci hesitated. "Do you want me to sleep with you?"
"I don't mind either way. But Mommy hasn't spent time with Daddy in a long while. Aren't you going to go sleep with him?"
"I'll head back in a moment."
Her divorce from Feng Tingshen hadn't been finalized yet. If she stayed here without Feng Jingxin specifically asking her to, and the Old Madam found out, it would likely cause another fuss.
She left Feng Jingxin's room. When she returned to their bedroom, the light was still on. Feng Tingshen was sitting to the side with his laptop open, busy with unknown work.
He glanced at her when she entered. Rong Ci looked away and went straight to the walk-in closet to find her pajamas before heading into the bathroom to shower.
When she came out, Feng Tingshen was still typing away at his keyboard. Rong Ci sat at the head of the bed in her nightgown. After finishing her skincare routine and seeing it was still early, she leaned against the headboard to read.
The two of them remained quiet in the bedroom, each attending to their own tasks. Not a single word passed between them.
Close to midnight, Rong Ci grew sleepy. She put down her book, turned off the lamp on her side of the bed, and lay down to sleep. She had expected to have trouble falling asleep. After all, she and Feng Tingshen hadn't shared a bed in a long time.
However, she then realized that once Feng Tingshen was done with his work, he would likely leave to go be with Lin Wu. He wasn't necessarily staying the night.
With that thought, her consciousness began to fade, and she soon drifted off to the intermittent sound of the keyboard.
She slept quite well. The blankets felt warm and cozy, making her very comfortable. Rong Ci was about to get up when she felt a warm breath tickling her ear. Moreover, she seemed to be holding onto someone...
Realizing what was happening, her entire body went stiff. Her mind cleared instantly.
Rong Ci opened her eyes only to find herself lying on her side, nestled in Feng Tingshen's embrace. He was holding her with both arms, his legs tangled with hers, sleeping soundly. They were pressed tightly together, with almost no distance between them. Rong Ci could clearly feel the heat from his chest and his large hands...
Rong Ci knew she was usually a very still sleeper. Before falling asleep last night, she had intentionally stayed near the edge of the bed, thinking that even if they shared the mattress, there would be a large gap between them and they wouldn't touch.
Therefore, it was highly unlikely that she had rolled into his arms after falling asleep.
Unless...
Unless Feng Tingshen had grown accustomed to sleeping while holding Lin Wu during the time she was away. In his half-asleep state last night, he must have thought she was Lin Wu and pulled her into his arms...
At that thought, the hand Rong Ci had resting on Feng Tingshen's chest retracted, slowly curling into a tight fist. She shifted her body, attempting to pull away from him.
Perhaps her movements disturbed him, for she felt the arms around her tighten, drawing her even deeper into his embrace.
Rong Ci was stunned. Just then, a kiss landed on her forehead.
"Sleep a little longer."
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