Chapter 281: The Light of Humanity

Outside the snow was falling in thick flurries, but the room was warm as spring. Fang Hong hadn't taken off his thick clothes, while Liu Tianxian had her long hair pinned up and was wearing casual loungewear, looking very relaxed.

Liu Xiaoli was also wearing only a plain thin shirt. Watching the two of them leaning against each other, she didn't stop them; instead she felt a bit of relief.

It was simply because the two of them could walk side by side, leaning on each other — both were people of feeling.

Fang Hong held Liu Tianxian's shoulders, wiped the tears from her face, and comforted her: "What's there to feel sorry about? Those were just passers-by in your life. Don't think about them."

"I'm feeling sorry for you two." Liu Tianxian looked at Fang Hong, then turned to look at her mother.

She felt sorry for Fang Hong, felt sorry for her mother — for her sake they had busied themselves running here and there, not caring about personal honor or disgrace, willing to dirty their hands and play the villain.

She didn't feel sorry for anyone else, nor for herself; she didn't think there was anything about herself worth feeling sorry for.

And both Fang Hong and Liu Xiaoli were feeling sorry for Liu Tianxian.

"Then you have to live well — eat well, sleep well, live well. Live brilliantly for those who targeted you to see, and then none of us will have to worry." Liu Xiaoli lectured.

"Right. The best way to slap their faces is to live brilliantly for others to see." Fang Hong agreed.

The mother-in-law still had her own way of educating her daughter.

In her previous life, Liu Tianxian later lived very brilliantly — not caring about the world's noise and bustle, not caring about others' opinions.

Liu Tianxian looked at the man before her: "I just don't want you to step into the role of a villain because of me. That would be a kind of harm to you, and I'd feel guilty inside."

Always using underhanded tricks, scheming and plotting to frame others — it gives people a very bad impression, makes them think you're a scoundrel.

"This is what I'm willing to do."

Fang Hong cupped her fair, delicate hands in both of his: "I'm willing to be your black glove out there, to wrap you up and keep you pure and flawless."

"But—"

"There's nothing to 'but' about. Some things have to be done by someone, so let me do them." Fang Hong said.

Hearing this, Liu Xiaoli turned and left the room, closing the door properly behind her, leaving the two of them to chat and open their hearts alone.

Her daughter needed exactly this kind of person — someone to do the dirty work for her. And Xiao Fang had brains, had guts, and had emotional ties; nothing could be better.

Only separating Hongxingwu from Liu Tianxian to look at it, this point wasn't good.

"I don't want you to be like this. I'd rather bear it myself than see you get hurt, or the people around you get hurt."

Liu Tianxian looked at him, her gaze soft: "Do you think I'm very silly, very naive?"

"No. I think your humanity shines brightly — always thinking of others, valuing affection and loyalty. I can't compare to you. Facing you, I feel I shrink a lot; I'm the selfish one." Fang Hong said.

This quality of hers — even if he rode a horse he couldn't catch up to it.

Liu Tianxian pressed her lips together and smiled lightly.

"You're always considering others, always not wanting to hurt anyone. Just on this point alone, no one in the whole circle can compare to you. In their eyes there's only profit." Fang Hong added.

"I'm not as good as you say."

Liu Tianxian felt embarrassed being praised like that.

She also had her guard up, also became cold and indifferent toward people after being hurt, ignoring them, minding her own business and not getting involved in anything — she wasn't as good as imagined.

She just didn't want to be the one who hurt others, didn't want to argue, didn't want to quarrel. If others were good to her, she'd be good to them.

"Then tell me — in this circle, who can compare to you? Who isn't after profit? Who doesn't want to eliminate the people blocking their way and rise up themselves? Who considers anyone else? Who cares if anyone lives or dies?" Fang Hong asked her.

These words left Liu Tianxian silent. Everything she saw was scheming and deception, all struggles over profit.

Where was any true sincerity? It was all false affection, one face in public and another behind their backs.

Of course not everyone — just most people were like that.

Fang Hong placed one hand on her cheek, stroking her smooth, tender face, and looked at her seriously: "You know what? I'm the lucky one."

The meaning was: finding a girl with such good character as Liu Tianxian, he was the lucky one — he was reaching above his station.

"Don't say it like that. You have your strengths too. We're all equal." Liu Tianxian didn't want anyone to be higher or lower.

"Then what are my strengths?" Fang Hong said.

"Your strength is your strong self-control." Liu Tianxian said it seriously.

This man's self-control was very strong — working year after year without change, not fooling around, not messing about, always knowing what he wanted.

"Not that I'm handsome?" Fang Hong teased her.

"Yes, you are!"

Liu Tianxian laughed playfully and leaned into his arms.

Fang Hong took the opportunity to put his arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead: "Am I very handsome?"

"Very handsome, extremely handsome — handsome as a cricket." Liu Tianxian teased him back.

"What's wrong with a cricket? Crickets can be handsome too." Fang Hong talked nonsense.

Liu Tianxian found it funny, snuggled deeper into his arms, and felt something bulging and hard. She reached her hand inside his clothes.

Fang Hong was wearing a windbreaker — it was still quite thick.

Liu Tianxian pulled out a red apple from inside, puzzled: "Why did you put this here?"

"Today's Christmas. I bought it for you to eat. It's cold outside, so I kept it against my chest to warm it." Fang Hong explained.

Liu Tianxian smiled happily, took a bite of the apple, and said while eating: "So sweet."

"I didn't wash it." Fang Hong said.

"It's fine — it won't poison me."

Liu Tianxian spoke directly; she seemed to be doing much better.

She held the apple up to Fang Hong's mouth. Without hesitation Fang Hong opened his mouth and took a bite. She asked: "Is it good?"

"It's good." Fang Hong nodded.

Liu Tianxian bit off a piece of fruit flesh, then leaned in and kissed him, sharing the fruit flesh and juice in her mouth with the man.

Then the two pulled apart. She asked: "What does it taste like?" "Very sweet."

Fang Hong wiped the juice running down his chin.

Liu Tianxian laughed softly, took another bite of the apple, and straddled him as she kissed him.

In that position, Fang Hong could only slowly lie back.

Just now Liu Tianxian had been sitting on the carpet while Fang Hong was squatting; now Liu Tianxian was pressing down on top of Fang Hong.

The carpet was the fluffy, very soft kind, and very clean too—after all, it was where Liu Tianxian rolled around.

The two of them lost themselves in the moment; Liu Tianxian kissed him very hard.

Because Fang Hong was lying down, the juices they shared overflowed and could only run down his cheek, then drip onto the carpet.

Liu Tianxian was wearing loungewear pajamas, the very lightweight kind; Fang Hong wrapped his arm around her waist and slipped his hand in through the hem of her top at the back.

Her skin felt tender and smooth, very delicate—he was just about to move further up.

"Smack!" The door was suddenly flung open, and that hand instantly withdrew.

Liu Tianxian was alert too; she immediately got off Fang Hong, looked at the person standing in the doorway, and said, exasperated: "Mom, don't you knock before coming in?"

Her face was flushed, her lips plump and very red, with a touch of shyness, as if her embarrassing act had been caught.

"You're not married yet, why would I knock?"

Liu Xiaoli shot back in one sentence.

She looked the two of them over—one had liquid on his face, the other's lips were swollen—and clicked her tongue in disgust: truly shameless.

Especially her daughter, who had even straddled the guy—absolutely no restraint at all.

Fang Hong sat up, too embarrassed to speak, and didn't know whether Liu Xiaoli had noticed him slipping his hand inside her daughter's clothes, groping around her back.

And Liu Xiaoli's meaning was to remind the two of them not to overstep like this, not to be so wanton—you haven't reached that step yet.

"Then I'll just get married, no privacy at all." Liu Tianxian waved a hand, puffed up with anger.

"I'm begging you, hurry up and marry, save me the worry." Liu Xiaoli pressed her palms together in a prayer gesture, giving her daughter no face at all.

Liu Tianxian turned her head to the side, pouted her lips, and couldn't be bothered to deal with her mom.

The mother and daughter had quite an interesting way of getting along.

Of course, this was also because Liu Xiaoli saw her daughter was fine now, which was why she could be so uninhibited.

Liu Xiaoli looked at Fang Hong and said: "Fang, stay and eat here?"

"I won't eat, I still have things to handle." Fang Hong stood up.

Liu Tianxian tilted her chin up: "What things do you have?"

"That matter has to be dealt with, there has to be a result." Fang Hong lowered his head, speaking of Zeng's matter.

"You don't even have time for a meal?" Liu Tianxian asked again.

"People over there are waiting for me, I have to go back, otherwise no one can make the call." Fang Hong explained.

He had come over today first to soothe Liu Tianxian before making his move; once the task was done, there had to be a conclusion.

One could say that through this matter, he had not only gained Liu Xiaoli's trust—at least she saw him kissing Liu Tianxian blind and didn't get that angry.

He had also brought his and Liu Tianxian's hearts one step closer.

At least Liu Tianxian, seeing him do something bad, wasn't that angry anymore, wasn't that resistant either, but tried to understand, to care.

As for Zeng's matter, as long as there were no constraints, for Fang Hong it was only a small thing.

If your heart isn't ruthless, you can only be wronged—that's how this world is.

"If you have things to do, go handle them first; next time you come over to eat, you can give me a call." Liu Xiaoli also knew what he was going for, and that matter really couldn't be delayed.

Fang Hong nodded: "Okay."

"Then I'll see you out."

Liu Tianxian got up and followed the two of them downstairs.

The three of them walked downstairs; Liu Xiaoli took a pink long down jacket and handed it to her daughter.

Liu Tianxian slipped on the down jacket, put on the hood, stepped into pink shoes, and went out the door with Fang Hong.

The two walked side by side through the snow; Liu Tianxian still asked with concern: "Don't go too far, leave people some room—that'll be better for you too."

Going too far would easily break the law, easily make people resent Fang Hong—that was something she didn't want to see.

"I promise you, as long as the other party knows when to stop, I will absolutely hold my hand, try not to hurt anyone." Fang Hong raised his hand.

"That's for the best." Liu Tianxian nodded.

Fang Hong pulled open the car door, just about to step up into the car, when Liu Tianxian pulled him back.

"Is there anything else?" Fang Hong asked, puzzled.

"A hug." Liu Tianxian opened her arms.

Fang Hong smiled, then hugged her at once; the two held each other tightly, feeling each other's warmth.

It's just that they were dressed too thickly—if only it were summer.

They hugged for quite a while; heavy snow had already covered a layer on them before the two finally parted.

Fang Hong got in the car, closed the door: "Go on in, don't catch cold."

"My body's perfectly fine, I won't catch cold."

Liu Tianxian only felt her heart was warm, and her body was warm too; she waved her hand: "You go, I'll watch you leave."

(End of chapter)