Zhen Bao's "Cinderella" story was exposed by the Big V who posted the photos of her with Fu Ming Shi.
Zhen Bao's father, Zhen Yong, had a childhood sweetheart from a neighboring village when he was young. They were very much in love and their families were about to arrange their marriage, but the girl unfortunately passed away in an accident. Zhen Yong was a sentimental man who never married until his mother fell ill and arranged meetings with potential partners for him.
With the help of Mr. Fu in the past, the Zhen family was quite well-off in the village. Although already in his forties, Zhen Yong was tall and sturdy, with chiseled features, so his handsome looks combined with the family's wealth immediately attracted many women who came to meet him, including those from the Wang family.
So the forty-something Zhen Yong married the twenty-year-old Wang Xiu. Mr. Fu even traveled a long way to attend their wedding banquet. Zhen Bao was born the next year. Unfortunately, Zhen Yong was too old and honest, unwilling to leave his homeland to move to the city. Wang Xiu was increasingly dissatisfied staying in the countryside with Mr. Fu's huge sum of money in her hands. One day, she finally took the money and ran off with another man, whose identity remains unknown. Where Wang Xiu went is also still a mystery.
But the Big V worked efficiently - as soon as he received the anonymous tip, he dispatched people to Zhen Bao's hometown to dig up news. Not only did they uncover the inside story of Mr. Fu's comradeship with Zhen Bao's grandfather, they also learned about her parents' marital circumstances from chatting with the neighbors, and even snapped a photo of the couple's wedding photo from Wang Xiu's family.
It was a two-inch black and white photo. Zhen Yong looked very young in it, with sword-like brows and bright eyes - he would definitely be a big hunk if it was taken today. But Zhen Yong's eyes were very calm, like the placid waters of an unknown lake amidst the beautiful but secluded countryside. Zhen Bao's eyes took after her father's. Other than the eyes, Zhen Bao resembled her mother in everything else. Wang Xiu was also beautiful, but her eyes seemed shrewd, with a hint of worldliness.
Leaning against the bed, Zhen Bao stared blankly at the old photo in her hand.
She didn't bring much luggage from the capital city. The wedding photo was one of the few things she packed.
Her mother left when she was only three. Zhen Bao had no impression of her at all. What she knew about her mother's personality came from relatives and neighbors; her impression of her mother's looks came solely from this photo. She never expected to see the same photo online one day.
After looking at the photo, Zhen Bao scrolled down to read the Big V's commentary.
"Wang Xiu must have married into the Zhen family for money. Poor man was too honest and got tricked by her."
"Zhen Bao looks like Wang Xiu. Her fate is similar too, hooking up with a rich man."
"Relying on one's father is so outdated. Nowadays it's about relying on your grandfather-in-law."
"Wang Xiu is so shameless! I hope someone exposes her whereabouts and sees how she still dares to mingle!"
...
Most of the comments were condemning Wang Xiu. Discussion about her and Fu Ming Shi was surprisingly little. Zhen Bao couldn't describe her feelings. She had never met her nominal mother. Her father had raised her alone. Life wasn't affluent but she never went hungry. Her father never resented her mother's betrayal, as if she didn't exist at all. Father and daughter lived an ordinary, uneventful farm life. Zhen Bao often thought about her mother when she was little, but her memories held no hatred.
Now, a bunch of strangers were fiercely criticizing Wang Xiu, her mother, online.
Zhen Bao didn't hate her mother. She didn't have deep mother-daughter affection for Wang Xiu either, and had no intention of defending her. But she disliked her family affairs becoming gossip fodder and the so-called sympathy...
Yet Fu Ming Shi said, as long as they were together, such exposures would only increase.
Zhen Bao closed her laptop and lay flat on the bed. Moon Cake meowed and jumped up to snuggle and rub against her face. She stroked its round furry head and held it to her chest. The two looked at each other. Moon Cake had grown two sizes bigger than last year, chubbier, and the green in its eyes had faded somewhat, showing signs of turning sky blue. Both colors were beautiful.
Zhen Bao smiled and kissed it. Moon Cake raised a paw to wipe the spot, as if disgusted.
Zhen Bao suddenly forgot her worries, fully focused on playing with the cat.
Fu Ming Shi walked in and raised his brows in surprise to see his fiancée in high spirits playing with the cat.
Zhen Bao stopped playing with Moon Cake, who was still swiping at her, and sat at the edge of the bed.
Fu Ming Shi walked over and crouched down on one knee to scrutinize her face.
Zhen Bao instinctively touched her face and asked puzzledly, "What's wrong?"
Fu Ming Shi smiled. "Just checking if you've been crying on the sly."
Zhen Bao lowered her head and breathed a sigh of relief. "It's fine. My elementary and middle school classmates all knew about my family circumstances. I'm used to it."
Dating Fu Ming Shi and being exposed by the media was her first experience, but hearing others discuss her parents was nothing new for Zhen Bao. When she was little, it made her heart ache and she would hide under the covers to cry secretly, crying about why her mother abandoned them. As she grew up, she stopped thinking about it. After all, she had her father who loved her so much...
As her father's image floated into mind, a surge of sadness suddenly washed over Zhen Bao.
She desperately missed her father all of a sudden.
Fu Ming Shi sat down beside her and naturally pulled his fiancée into his embrace, feeling her slender shoulders tremble. This time, Fu Ming Shi truly felt heartache. When the relationship was exposed, he only worried about whether she could withstand the media pressure since she had no experience. He could teach her, but now what Zhen Bao faced was not the media, but her mother's abandonment and father's absence.
Fu Ming Shi recalled Zhen Bao's hometown - a shabby two-story house with a stone balcony railing on the second floor that looked like it would crumble with a kick. Zhen Bao had lived alone in that house for two years, cooking and eating by herself.
"Do you miss your dad, or her?"
Fu Ming Shi lowered his head and softly asked.
Zhen Bao's voice choked. "I miss my dad..."
Fu Ming Shi kissed her hair. "After your summer break starts, I'll go back with you."
Zhen Bao nodded.
Fu Ming Shi gently stroked her hair. After a while, he tentatively asked, "If you want to see her, I can help."
Zhen Bao immediately shook her head, her tears gradually stopping as she leaned against his chest. "We should all go on with our own lives. Let it go."
See her? To recognize the mother or get revenge?
Zhen Bao wanted neither. Wang Xiu had cheated her father out of money, but he didn't resent it, so she didn't either. As for their mother-daughter relationship, Wang Xiu didn't want her, so she considered herself motherless. Emotionally, they had no debts to each other.
In a high-rise apartment in City S, a woman in her forties with meticulous make-up sat in front of a computer, continuously browsing Weibo. Seeing the barrage of criticisms and condemnations, the woman turned ghastly pale. When she saw the intimate photos Fu Ming Shi posted, her eyes grew complicated as she enlarged them for a clearer look.
The Zhen Bao in the photo looked pure, sweet and very beautiful.
Wang Xiu stared fixedly at the photo. Memories she had suppressed came surging forth layer by layer.
"Mommy, I'm hungry!"
"Mommy, I don't want to sleep..."
"Mommy, I want Daddy..."
Three-year-old Feng Bao's face was chubby, with large, bright eyes. All the adults who saw her praised her for being adorable. She took great pride in her daughter being as pretty as her. She wanted to give her the best life, but Zhen Yong stubbornly refused to move to the city, leaving the 2 million yuan untouched in the bank. Wang Xiu couldn't take it anymore and couldn't get through a single day...
In that desolate backwater, the only one she was reluctant to part with was her daughter. But she couldn't bring her along. If she ran away herself, Zhen Yong wouldn't come chasing her, but he might report it to the police if she took their daughter too.
Arriving in City S, she had money and a smart man. She changed her ID name. Her man did business and they even had a son and daughter. Life got better and better. Occasionally Wang Xiu would think of her daughter in City C, but having two more children kept her preoccupied so she no longer yearned painfully, or dreamed of her night after night.
Just when she was about to completely forget the past, her daughter became famous.
"Mom, we're home!" Her son's voice came from outside. Wang Xiu immediately closed the Weibo page, quickly touched up her make-up, and walked out of the bedroom.
Six-year-old Liu Hao happily showed his mother the toy car he was holding. Behind him, Liu Wei carried a shopping bag full of vegetables. Their teenage daughter was still in high school, busy studying for the upcoming college entrance exam.
Zhen Bao went about her business cooking and spending time with her son as if nothing had happened. After her son fell asleep, she called Liu Wei into the bedroom, closed the door, and showed him the photos on Weibo.
Liu Wei was in his fifties, and thanks to his shrewd business acumen and the seed money provided by Wang Xiu, he now had tens of millions to his name and would be addressed as Chairman Liu when he went out. Because the money came from the Fu family, Liu Wei had kept an eye on them over the years. As soon as he saw the photos, he recognized Fu Ming Shi.
After looking through the related content, his expression changed several times.
"Are you thinking of acknowledging Feng Bao?" Liu Wei probed as he observed his wife, knowing Wang Xiu had always been thinking of her daughter.
Wang Xiu gave a wry smile. Looking at the shy smile of her daughter in the photo, she said, "What face do I have to acknowledge her after all these years of not caring or asking?" Even if she did try to acknowledge Feng Bao, her daughter might not be willing to accept her.
Liu Wei breathed a sigh of relief and held his wife's hand. "That photo is so old, it looks nothing like you now that you've changed your name. As long as we don't say anything, no one will know. If you acknowledge Feng Bao, it'll be spread around and we won't be able to show our faces. The kids will be scolded too. Let's just forget it."
Wang Xiu silently nodded. This was the only way.
For Zhen Bao's birthday, Fu Ming Shi ordered a beautiful cake. With all the lights off except for the flickering candlelight, the living room took on a romantic ambience.
So much had happened in one day that Zhen Bao didn't really feel like celebrating her birthday. But she didn't have the heart to waste Fu Ming Shi's efforts, so she tried her best to put on a happy face. She gently blew out the candles on the cake, then closed her eyes to make a wish under Fu Ming Shi's urging.
What should she wish for? Wishes were usually difficult to fulfill. Zhen Bao hadn't celebrated her birthday since her father passed away. When she was home alone, her birthday was no different than any other day. But tonight, sitting across from her was a man named Fu Ming Shi who cared for her and wanted her to be happy.
Zhen Bao knew what she wanted now. The corners of her lips curled up as she silently made her wish.
"What did you wish for?" Fu Ming Shi asked in a low voice from across the candlelit dinner table, the flickering flames reflected in his dark eyes.
Zhen Bao shook her head and smiled. "It won't come true if I say it out loud."
Fu Ming Shi didn't push her and helped cut the cake instead.
With reporters gathered outside, the two of them couldn't go anywhere. But Zhen Bao didn't want to either. She leaned against Fu Ming Shi as they watched a movie together. Since the first movie ended at 9 pm, they decided to watch another one to avoid thinking about the gossip online.
When the second movie finished at 11 pm, Zhen Bao was wide awake and energetic.
"Keep watching?" Fu Ming Shi looked down at his fiancée's bright eyes and proposed with a smile. Zhen Bao hadn't seen many classic movies before coming to the capital from a place without internet access. The two movies they just watched happened to be from the same series, and there were still two more parts left.
Zhen Bao's eyes lit up in delight.
Fu Ming Shi queued up the third part to accompany her in doing what she wanted.
After the third part, it was 1 am. Zhen Bao was getting sleepy, so Fu Ming Shi simply picked her up and carried her upstairs. Being swept off her feet reminded Zhen Bao of their earlier agreement - Fu Ming Shi had said he would be intimate with her on her birthday night.
Her drowsiness vanished as Zhen Bao was seized by nervous anticipation, her throat going dry.
Fu Ming Shi noticed the changes in his fiancée's body and saw her flushed cheeks. Carrying Zhen Bao down the familiar hallway into the bedroom, he gently placed her on the large bed. Zhen Bao closed her eyes and waited foolishly for him to go further.
But Fu Ming Shi could tell she was willing to fulfill the agreement while preoccupied. Dissatisfied with the mood today and making love when she had a lot on her mind,
he sat on the edge of the bed and leaned over until his face nearly touched hers. "Why are your eyes closed?"
Zhen Bao turned her head in embarrassment, her face growing redder. He knew very well.
His silly fiancée was too adorable. Fu Ming Shi couldn't resist stealing a kiss, then held her earlobe and sighed, "Go to sleep. Tonight is special. No more late nights from now on."
Zhen Bao's eyes flew open in shock. Fu Ming Shi laughed gently above her, but it wasn't a tender, affectionate laugh. Instead, it reminded her of her father's warmth and care for his child. Stunned, Zhen Bao wanted to discern further but Fu Ming Shi suddenly leaned in to plant a kiss on her forehead, his lips lingering softly.
"Good night," he murmured. The simple familiar words carried a strangely comforting power tonight.
Zhen Bao suddenly felt reluctant to part. Seeing Fu Ming Shi about to leave, she reflexively grabbed his sleeve.
Fu Ming Shi had already started to get up but sat back down firmly when Zhen Bao pulled him. He stroked her forehead. "Can't sleep?"
Zhen Bao's cheeks flushed crimson, unable to speak her desire for him to stay.
Fu Ming Shi patiently held her gaze, unsure of what she wanted.
Zhen Bao's lips quivered as she thought of Fu Ming Shi's question and nodded slightly.
Thinking she really couldn't sleep, Fu Ming Shi smiled. "Keep watching movies?"
Zhen Bao couldn't help laughing.
Fu Ming Shi ruffled her hair and went to get his laptop from his room. He came back, took off his shoes, and climbed onto the bed beside Zhen Bao to continue their movie marathon. Already tired, Zhen Bao comfortably leaned against Fu Ming Shi's shoulder. She struggled to stay awake for a while but eventually succumbed to sleep, her head nodding down bit by bit.
Fu Ming Shi turned to look and saw Zhen Bao had fallen asleep. He closed the laptop and slowly helped Zhen Bao lie down properly.
Zhen Bao was sleeping lightly and woke up as he moved her, but she was still groggy. Her reason overpowered by emotion, afraid that Fu Ming Shi would leave, Zhen Bao took advantage of her sleepy state to hug his waist and mumbled softly, "Don't go..."
Fu Ming Shi's heart stirred, wondering if he had misheard.
But Zhen Bao's head was pillowed on his leg and she clung to him pleadingly, clearly wanting him to stay.
Fu Ming Shi finally understood Zhen Bao's earlier blushing - she wanted him to stay but was too shy to say it outright.
He stroked her hair, put the laptop on the nightstand, and slowly took off his shirt.
Satisfied, Zhen Bao settled back into her original spot, listening to the sound of Fu Ming Shi's belt buckle as her heart raced wildly again.
But Fu Ming Shi only held her in his embrace, innocently kissing her face without doing anything more intimate.
Breathing in Fu Ming Shi's uniquely masculine scent, Zhen Bao slept especially soundly that night.
On Sunday afternoon, Zhen Bao had to return to school since she had already taken time off her part-time job and had classes the next day.
When they left, reporters were still staking out the villa. Amazingly, there were also reporters blocking the school gates. Fu Ming Shi got out of the car first. Sitting in the passenger seat, Zhen Bao saw the curious stares of gathered students, all eyeing this direction. She felt completely uncomfortable, able to ignore online gossip but not the scrutiny of those around her like Fu Ming Shi could.
As she watched, the reporters near the car actually started leaving one by one.
"Get out of the car," Fu Ming Shi said, opening the passenger door and bending down to smile at her.
"What did you say to them?" Zhen Bao asked blankly.
Fu Ming Shi took her hand, closed the car door, and casually replied, "Nothing much, don't worry. No one will come bother you at school again."
Zhen Bao looked back at the reporters lurking in the distance taking photos but not approaching. She was starting to believe him.
On the way to her dorm building, the two continued attracting countless gazes.
Zhen Bao stared at the ground, looking nowhere else.
"You're beautiful," Fu Ming Shi suddenly stopped and held her shoulders, bending to meet her eyes directly.
Zhen Bao blinked blankly, not understanding why he was praising her so abruptly.
"Really, even in the most unfashionable clothes, you're still a beauty in others' eyes." Fu Ming Shi spoke seriously, his gaze serious as well.
Zhen Bao's ears grew hot. Why was he complimenting her more and more outrageously for no reason?
"Am I ugly?" Fu Ming Shi asked solemnly, looking utterly deranged.
Zhen Bao couldn't help laughing.
Fu Ming Shi's expression was severe. "Answer me, am I ugly or not?"
Zhen Bao held in her laughter and shook her head.
"So being with me doesn't make you lose face?" Fu Ming Shi persisted.
Zhen Bao shook her head again, but understood his meaning.
"Since it's not embarrassing, why fear people looking at us?" Fu Ming Shi stared at her closely.
"I get it," Zhen Bao didn't want to keep listening to his lecturing and walked away, but she had just turned when she was suddenly hugged around the legs. The next moment, Fu Ming Shi had slung her over his shoulder!
All eyes on the street were on them. Zhen Bao anxiously patted Fu Ming Shi's back, turning to plead with him, "Put me down..."
Fu Ming Shi looked in the direction of the dorm building, smiling as he said, "To deal with your shamelessness, I can only fight poison with poison."
Zhen Bao didn't want his poison. She hung her head low to urge him, "Stop messing around..."
Fu Ming Shi pretended not to hear.
Zhen Bao was a little angry now. For the first time, she called out his full name, "Fu Ming Shi!"
The man finally stopped in his tracks.
Thinking her threatening tone had worked, Zhen Bao quickly followed up, "Put me down."
Fu Ming Shi turned his head, "Call it one more time."
Zhen Bao punched his shoulder.
As they walked, Fu Ming Shi patted her calves to negotiate, "Call it one more time, and I'll put you down."
Zhen Bao bit her lip. After a few seconds, she mumbled reluctantly, "Fu Ming Shi."
Fu Ming Shi was true to his word and set her back down on the ground. Then he grabbed his unwilling fiancée and pulled her into his embrace, kissing her on the lips in front of the groups of college students ahead of them and behind them. Zhen Bao was furious with embarrassment. She pushed hard against him, but before Fu Ming Shi's lips left hers, he laughed first. Taking advantage while Zhen Bao was about to scold him, he moved to her ear and sweet-talked:
"I like you."
He wished the whole world knew.
