Chapter 50: Tang Xiaoyu's Trouble
  Fang Qing held onto Wen Ling and shook her head weakly. "It's my fault. I've already learned it, but I panicked when my leg cramped. I'm sorry I scared you all..."

  The young man standing in the back of the crowd, watching Fang Qing, felt incredibly guilty. He tried to say something, but was met with a cold gaze from Wen Ning. Recalling the image of him holding Fang Qing, his eyes dimmed. He glanced at Fang Qing again and turned away.

  After Fang Qing choked on water, Wen Ling and Wen Ning refused to let her go back in. Watching others happily swim, Fang Qing could only sit on the shore, face crossed, dazed.

  Standing in the distance, Tang Xiaoyu gritted her teeth at Fang Qing, knowing she was restless. To attract Brother Ning's attention, she'd even resorted to self-torture. Humph! How dare she do that to herself?

  Tang Xiaoyu suddenly changed her mind about Fang Qing. This woman wasn't just beautiful, she was also intelligent, and most importantly, she was incredibly courageous. If someone like that stayed with Brother Ning, she'd sooner or later become his rival! No, she had to find a way to make Brother Ning like her first.

  So, over the next few days, Fang Qing noticed Tang Xiaoyu acting like a madman, constantly making trouble.

  One moment, she'd demand to learn how to cook, nearly setting the Wen family's kitchen on fire. Then, she'd want to do Wen Ning's laundry, only to tear a huge hole in his shirt. Finally, she'd want to dance for everyone, but because the space was too small, she'd kicked over the table...

  Wen's mother used to love this lively little girl, but within a week, she'd destroyed nearly all the furniture. Seeing Tang Xiaoyu trying to learn how to make a dress herself, Fang's mother became frightened. She snatched the fabric and scissors from her hands, and after a long, earnest plea, finally convinced the girl to give up.

  Devastated, Tang Xiaoyu felt rejected. For the first time, her strong pride felt like she didn't belong here. She glared at the Wen family with resentment and ran out, her face in her hands.

  Concerned about Tang Xiaoyu going out alone, her mother quickly sent her son after her. But the girl vanished in a flash. Fearing she'd gotten lost, the Wen family began searching for her.

  Tang Xiaoyu ran with her head down, only to realize she was lost when she tired.

  It was already dark, and the desolate cornfields and deserted paths around her finally filled her with fear. She had forgotten the direction she'd come from and could only pick a random path forward, but the desolation grew ever more desolate. She hurried back, spotting a few lights in the distance. She got excited, but just as she reached a street, she was blocked by a group of thugs.

  "Hey, what a pretty girl! You're all alone? Did you ask your brothers to take you home?"

  Tang Xiaoyu, spoiled and pampered, had never seen such a scene before. She panicked, scolding the thugs and trying to leave. But they refused, grabbing her hands and dragging her into a nearby alley. Finally terrified, Tang Xiaoyu screamed and struggled, but was quickly gagged.

  Suddenly, two dogs barked in the distance, and a figure ran over quickly. Seeing the big wolfhound rushing over, the gangsters finally fled in all directions, leaving behind the frightened Tang Xiaoyu.

  After moving to a new house, Fang Qing's father was worried about her mother being alone at home, so he went to get two wolfhounds. Now the puppies have grown into big dogs, taller than Fang Qing when they stand up, and they have to be taken out for a run every day by their family.

  Just now, Fang Qing passed by this street and heard a scream from afar. The two dogs under his feet pricked up their ears and yelled in that direction. Fang Qing felt something was wrong, so he immediately loosened the rope and let the dogs run over, and unexpectedly saved Tang Xiaoyu.

  Sitting on a park bench, Fang Qing took out a handkerchief and asked Tang Xiaoyu to wipe the dirt off her body, but she slapped it away.

  "Stop pretending like that. You're laughing your ass off seeing me like this, aren't you? Humph, I'm fine. None of your business!"

  Fang Qing was speechless, watching the unreasonable Tang Xiaoyu before him. "Really? Then I'm leaving?"

  Seeing Tang Xiaoyu twist her neck, Fang Qing nodded. "Okay, then. Go back soon. Small places like ours aren't as safe as you big cities. You could run into bad guys all the time. You're so pretty, you better be careful."

  With that, Fang Qing actually left with the two large dogs. Tang Xiaoyu, sitting alone in a chair, looked around at the eerie park and suddenly felt frightened. Gritting her teeth, she stood up and followed Fang Qing in his direction.

  "You vicious woman, you actually left me here? Don't leave. We haven't finished talking yet..."

  In the Fang family's living room.

  Tang Xiaoyu, who had followed Fang Qing all the way back, shouting and cursing, finally ran out of energy. She hadn't eaten since she ran out that afternoon, and after all this time, she was starving. Fang's mother had just made some noodles with soybean paste. Seeing Fang Qing bring a little girl home, she asked about the whole situation and immediately invited her to stay for dinner.

  At first, Tang Xiaoyu was a little disgusted, but she shut up once she entered Fang Qing's house. She hadn't expected Fang Qing, who usually looked plainly dressed, to have such a luxurious home. Tang Xiaoyu looked around and commented as she looked, "Are you the servants of that big family? This decoration style is not something that can be found in a small place like yours."

  Fang Qing changed his clothes and washed his hands. He raised his eyebrows in surprise when he heard Tang Xiaoyu's words, "Have you seen this style?"

  Tang Xiaoyu nodded proudly, "Huh, of course. When I was in the capital, a professor's house had this style. Although it's not exactly the same, it's basically the same. You don't have any powerful relatives, do

  you?" Fang Qing was indifferent to Tang Xiaoyu's insinuations, "Our family has been peasants for three generations. How could there be any powerful relatives? The noodles are about to clump. Do you want to eat it or not?"

  Tang Xiaoyu was no longer disgusted at this time. She sat down swiftly. Without anyone's help, she added various vegetables and seasonings by herself, and began to wolf down the big bowl.

  After Fang Qing and her mother finished one bowl, they watched as Tang Xiaoyu ordered two more, until she could eat no more and leaned back in her chair. "Thank you, Auntie! You're such a great cook! This is the first time I've ever had noodles this chewy."

  Seeing the girl's praise, Fang's mother's eyes narrowed into slits. She cleared the dishes and sent the two of them out for a walk. Fang Qing glanced at the electronic clock on the wall and stood up to take Tang Xiaoyu home.

  But Tang Xiaoyu had just made a fool of herself that afternoon and refused to leave, insisting on staying the night at Fang Qing's place. Just as her eldest brother Fang Ming was getting off work, Fang Qing asked him to go to the Wen family to report the news, and then took Tang Xiaoyu to wash up.

  After changing into clean pajamas, Tang Xiaoyu sat carefree in Fang Qing's study, looking around curiously.

  (End of this chapter)