Chapter 033: Family Gathering

Fu Xing glanced at his young wife, his voice low, "It's not fear, it's respect."

"Haha!" Lin Fu couldn't help but laugh, thinking to herself, Where did you get that confidence?

"Are you sure?" she asked with ill intent.

"You're sure." He raised an eyebrow, lightly echoing the three words Lin Fu had just spoken. Although it sounded indifferent, even a fool could sense the underlying oppressive force.

Lin Fu quickly shook her head, "No... you're right. It really is respect, not fear."

So, respect could also be understood this way, she learned something new.

"And you?" he asked.

"I admire you," Lin Fu said obediently, "You are my…"

"Stop!" Fu Xing promptly cut her off, "We still have to eat later."

At first, Lin Fu didn't understand, then it hit her, what did he mean by that?

While walking side by side, their natural conversation was quiet, but the intimate atmosphere was obvious. Fu Tian, walking behind them, was so shocked his eyeballs nearly popped out, even exaggeratingly rubbing his eyes.

Fu Yue couldn't maintain his cool expression either, looking as if he'd seen a ghost.

Ding Xuan gnashed her teeth angrily, clutching her hands tightly, feeling both fear and jealousy gnawing at her like countless ants. It was all her fault, she'd impulsively crossed the family line. Not only had she failed to drive this lowly commoner away, but she had also not fared well herself.

Fortunately, the butler hadn't done anything to her, and the Major General had even broken tradition by inviting her to his first family dinner upon his return, indicating that he did care about her in his heart.

"Hmph!" she thought. How could a lowly commoner ever match her?

Her adoptive father was the Major General's biological uncle, the Imperial First-Class Admiral.

Lin Fu was merely a farmer's daughter, what was she?

Only the butler looked on with satisfaction at the two figures ahead, but when he turned to see Lina trembling at the back, his gentle smile immediately faded.

"Butler." Lina knew she couldn't avoid him any longer and stepped forward to greet him bravely.

Luckily, the Lady had taken her in.

"Now that the Lady has taken you in, serve her loyally for life. That's your honor."

"Yes! I will."

The butler's inscrutable eyes glared at Lina once more before he turned and left.

Yet Lina's back was soaked with sweat again.

****

Lin Fu was oblivious to the butler's warning. Coming back with Fu Xing this time felt completely different from when she had lived here before. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but it felt as if the man by her side could handle anything, no longer giving her the previous sense of insecurity surrounded by enemies.

The Fu Family's household atmosphere was nowhere near relaxed or warm.

Returning home felt more daunting than attending a meeting at the Military Department.

Fu Tian and Fu Yue were more nervous than new soldiers meeting the Supreme Commander, always tense, though occasionally, the siblings would cast complex, suspicious, and admiring glances at Lin Fu.

"Today is just a family dinner; there's no need to be tense. We don't need to act like we're in the military," he finally realized the pressure he was causing.

"Haha, that's right," Fu Tian laughed, which was rather forced, but it eased the conversation and lightened the atmosphere considerably, "Sister-in-law, I heard big brother took you to school today, how did it feel?"

"It was nothing special!"

"Do your classmates know that you are my brother's wife?"