Chapter 134: The Warmth He Gave

"People who refuse to look for the cause of their failure within themselves will end up in ruins no matter how much they struggle." Her voice was cold. "Think carefully: did you lose your job because you were fond of Xi Rou'er and allowed your personal feelings to interfere with your work, or because of me?"

"..."

When dealing with someone so arrogant yet useless, Yun Fu barely needed to look him in the eye. She knew that many others shared the same thoughts as that man; they simply lacked the courage to voice them.

"In the future, when you fail, learn to look for the cause within yourself, because you are truly replaceable. You aren't worth anyone's effort to target you."

With that, she walked away with an untamed, haughty stride, and those around her hurried to follow. Behind her, a group of people stood with faces flushing red, then pale, then dark—a complete palette of shifting colors. The president of Xunmo let out a sigh of relief, but having witnessed her temper, his anxiety spiked again.

Only after they were in the car did he finally have a chance to speak to her. "Miss Yun Fu, I am truly sorry about what happened today. Please rest assured, I will handle it properly."

Yun Fu was busy replying to a message on her phone and gave a lazy, indifferent response.

Upon arriving at the filming location, the crew scattered to their respective stations, and shooting began almost immediately. No one had expected that a single Yun Fu could stir up so much commotion; they no longer dared to underestimate her.

When the shoot finally wrapped, it was nearly dinner time. Fang Li packed away his camera, walked over to Yun Fu, and after a thousand unspoken words, finally asked, "Would you like to get dinner together?"

"I have other plans. Let's do it another time. Give me your contact information."

With that one sentence, everything was pulled back to the past, as if they had never experienced the tragedy of separation. Fang Li smiled, took out his phone, and thought to himself: This is the Yun Fu I know.

It is good that she is back.

When he first received the news from Yi Huansheng, he had been incredibly surprised and delighted. But the moment he saw her just now, he felt at peace. She was not someone who would linger on the past, and it was not a place worth dwelling on, so he, too, would not remain stuck in place. They both needed to move forward.

"If you need someone to film for you in the future, just call me. Besides playing with cameras, I have no other skills."

Yun Fu continued to nod lazily.

The others behind them who heard the master claim he had no other skills: "..." Fine, if you have no skills, then compared to you, we are nothing more than amoebas.

Qiao An stayed behind to handle the remaining tasks, while a car belonging to Lian Hanqi was already waiting for Yun Fu.

***

"Grandma said she hasn't seen you in a long time. Do you have time to drop by?"

Yun Fu looked up from her game, trying to catch a flicker of anxiety in the man's eyes, but there was none. She clicked her tongue in her mind. "Mm, I'm busy lately. I'll let you know when I have time."

"All right. Let's go get dinner first."

This time, Lian Hanqi took her to a small courtyard. It was the only house in the vicinity, flanked by a vegetable greenhouse, and a few lychee trees grew in the yard.

A man in his sixties or seventies emerged from the house. He was vigorous and spirited, with none of the lethargy associated with old age. The old man looked at Lian Hanqi... and then at Yun Fu, his face glowing with warmth.

"What is this young lady's name? She is truly beautiful. You'll stay for dinner tonight. If you want anything, go pick it from the greenhouse yourself."

"...Thank you." Yun Fu felt the old man's enthusiasm once again; the first person to treat her this way had been Lian Hanqi's grandmother.

"This is Grandpa Fan, a friend of my grandmother's. Grandpa Fan is a master cook; the chefs at Jukezhai are all his apprentices."

So impressive. Yun Fu’s eyes lit up.

After the old man greeted them, he went inside to check on the soup he was simmering, assisted by a woman who appeared to be a live-in caretaker. Lian Hanqi took Yun Fu's hand and led her toward the greenhouse.

Once inside, Yun Fu saw two rows of strawberries. With the new year approaching, it was the perfect season for them. Lian Hanqi handed her a basket and began picking strawberries with practiced ease. "Grandpa Fan's family were imperial chefs. During the tumultuous decade, his whole family moved abroad, but Grandpa Fan refused to go. That was also when Grandma Fan left, and it was around that time he met my grandparents. Later, Grandpa Fan trained several apprentices, which led to the creation of Jukezhai..."

He chatted about the past as he harvested vegetables. He wasn't in a suit today, but wearing casual sportswear, looking quite similar to her own usual style. As he rambled on, time seemed to slow down.

Yun Fu clutched the basket, watching his profile. On a whim, she reached out and brushed against his cheek. Lian Hanqi looked up, staring at her, stunned.

"You have... mud on your face."

Lian Hanqi glanced at the ground, then back at Yun Fu, and smiled. He went back to his work, whether or not he believed her. Yun Fu frowned, chasing away the faint sense of guilt in her heart, and bent down to pick some vegetables herself.

As she reached out, her hand was caught by Lian Hanqi.

"?"

"These aren't fully grown yet. Look, you can pick the ones next to them; their leaves are spread out..."

Lian Hanqi held her hand as he explained, patient and gentle.

Grandpa Fan's cooking was indeed delicious—even better than the "Sea Siren" dish at Jukezhai. Yun Fu ended up eating an extra bowl.

Grandpa Fan was delighted. "That’s the spirit! Don't be like those young women who scream about dieting all day until they're nothing but skin and bones. It’s unsightly."

Yun Fu couldn't help but chuckle. The meal was incredibly warm and cozy.

When they left after dinner, Grandpa Fan insisted on putting a crate of vegetables and strawberries into the trunk of Lian Hanqi's car. He said sternly to Lian Hanqi, "Those are for little Fu! You don't get any!"

"..." Lian Hanqi laughed helplessly. "Fine, I will make sure they all get to Xiao Fu's kitchen."

Yun Fu waved her hand and said softly, "Goodbye, Grandpa Fan."

Watching her, Lian Hanqi felt his heart soften further. He thought, if he could let her feel more of the world's warmth, perhaps it could mend the coldness she had once endured.

Yun Fu sat in the car, watching the streetlights illuminate the night—couples under the lights, a family of three, an elderly couple walking hand in hand... She thought that Yi Huansheng was right; things were good now, and there was no reason to go back to that cold place from her past.

The car suddenly pulled over. Yun Fu turned to look at him, puzzled.

Lian Hanqi brushed her hair. "Wait here." He stepped out of the car and walked into a shop by the roadside.

Yun Fu leaned toward the window and took a look; it appeared to be a milk tea shop. Before she could wonder who he was buying for, Lian Hanqi returned. He handed her the cup. "You ate a lot today. I heard the lemon tea here helps with digestion. Have some."

Yun Fu looked at the cup held out before her, her eyes swirling with emotion...