Severed ties and living in a dilapidated house? No worries, the poor thing has a space.

Fang Yu returned and stood at the entrance of the tent, looking around. Fang Xin came up from behind and took her arm: "Sister, what are you looking at? Dinner's ready."

Fang Yu casually said, "Let's add an extra set of chopsticks and a bowl tonight, and I'll introduce you to someone."

"Someone?" Madam Li came over from behind. "Yu'er, is a guest coming? Where is he?"

Li looked around carefully, but didn't see a single person.

Fang Yu turned her gaze to a certain direction and spoke again calmly, "Come out and have dinner."

Fu Ju was actually a little hesitant about whether to go out, as he hadn't had this kind of meal with friends in a long time.

Just as Fang Yu was about to speak again, Fu Zhou slowly walked out.

Fang Xin didn't recognize him at first glance. After all, she had only ever seen Fu Zhou with a dusty face and a stubble beard, and had never seen him with delicate features.

When Ms. Li saw the guest's expectant gaze, she visibly froze for a moment when she saw that it was a strange man, but only for a brief instant before she understood.

They are different now than when they were in the Fang family. Although their daughters are not yet married, she knows that Fang Yu is aware of the situation.

Fu Ju walked over and calmly bowed to Madam Li with the courtesy due to a junior: "Junior Fu Ju greets Madam."

When he turned to Fang Xin, a glint flashed in his eyes, but his expression dimmed again when he saw the wound on her fingertip.

Fang Xin frowned involuntarily as she looked him over, because she felt that he looked familiar, but she couldn't quite place where she had seen him before.

Fang Xin leaned close to Fang Yu's ear and whispered, "Sister, who is he? I don't think I've ever seen him before."

Fang Xin knew more or less about who Fang Yu had been in contact with during this time, but she couldn't quite place the person.

"Don't stand in the doorway, sit down and talk."

Fang Yu went in first, while Fang Xin's gaze was still fixed on Fu Ju.

Li pulled her inside, saying, "Xin'er, let's eat first."

With a stranger suddenly appearing in their home, Li and Fang Xin were clearly a little uncomfortable.

Fu Ju stood to the side without moving, while Fang Yu, who had already sat down, looked up at him and said, "Sit down. You are not a servant, and we are not masters. Sit down and eat."

Although he agreed to sell himself to Fang Yu, Fang Yu kept quiet about the indenture.

Fu Ju remained silent for a while, and under the gaze of three pairs of eyes, he slowly sat down, but his whole body exuded an atmosphere of unease.

Fang Yu picked up a piece of meat for him: "Eat it."

Fang Yu then said, "Mother, Xin'er, Fu Ju will be considered a member of our family from now on. He doesn't usually show his face in public; he only protects you in secret, so you don't need to worry about him."

"Protect us?" Madam Li suddenly looked up: "Yu'er, has something happened?"

She also thought about how Fang Xin had acted strangely when she came back today, and coupled with the injury on her hand, she felt that the two sisters must be hiding something from her.

Fang Xin pursed her lips. Naturally, she didn't want to tell her mother about being kidnapped today. If her mother knew, she would definitely not feel at ease letting her go out to sell barbecue in the future.

Fang Yu understood with just a glance from Fang Xin. Fang Yu then placed a piece of meat on Li Shi's plate, a faint smile on her face.

"Mother, you have no idea how many people are eyeing our barbecue. Many people are chasing after us to cooperate. Inevitably, there will be some people with ulterior motives to cause trouble, so I am taking precautions."

“Besides, Fuju is also homeless, and our family is not short of food. So my daughter took the liberty of letting him stay. He is quite skilled, and with him around, my daughter feels more at ease.”

Li initially harbored some resentment, but upon hearing that Fuju was homeless, she recalled the situation where she and her two daughters were forced to leave the Fang family, and naturally felt a sense of sympathy for Fuju.

Homeless. Upon hearing these words, Fang Xin thought of the beggar. She took a deep breath and said, "I'll do whatever my sister says."

Li nodded and said, "Okay, from now on you can treat this place as your own home. Don't be shy. Let's eat."

This was the best meal Fu Zhou had eaten in months, and Fang Yu was right; he was indeed homeless.

Ironically, this tent, which barely provides shelter from the wind and rain, allows him to experience the feeling of home.

After the meal, Fu Ju disappeared, while Fang Yu went out to collect taro one last time.

Li assumed that Fuju had gone out with her, so she wasn't worried at all.

Fang Yu left on her own, without taking Fu Zhou with her. Fang Xin seemed to have guessed this. She excused herself to go to the outhouse, walked to the distance of the tent, and whispered into the dark air, "Are you there?"

After a long silence, Fang Xin turned around somewhat dejectedly. The sudden appearance of Fu Zhou in her line of sight startled her, causing her to tremble.

"Where...where did you come from?"

Fu Ju nodded apologetically: "Second Miss Fang, is there something you need from me?"

Before Fang Xin could speak, she noticed the water pouch at his waist that he hadn't had time to put away.

Noticing Fang Xin's gaze, Fu Ju was visibly startled. He hurriedly tried to cover the water pouch, but Fang Xin snatched it away and questioned him, "How did this end up with you?"

Fu Ju lowered his eyes, not daring to look at Fang Xin, as he pondered how to begin.

Fang Xin suddenly tilted her head and leaned closer to him, so close that he could see a hint of surprise in her eyes. She said, "Are you that beggar?"

Her expectant gaze seemed to urge him to speak. He pressed his chin down before nodding slightly: "Yes, it was Miss Fang's benevolent heart that saved me."

"It was your sister who saved you. I'm so glad you're alright. You're a good person. You can stay here from now on. I'll cook whatever you like to eat."

Fu Ju deliberately looked away: "I'm fine with anything. It's cold and dewy outside, Second Miss, you should go back and rest."

Fang Xin glanced around and asked, "So where will you be resting tonight?"

"Use the sky as a canopy and the earth as a dwelling."

Fang Xin took out a wrapped pastry from her bosom and gave it to him: "Here, this is for you to have as a midnight snack."

……

Fang Yu had finished harvesting all the taro in the field, and as usual, she went to the cave to soak in the hot spring.

Just as I entered the water, I heard unusual footsteps coming from the cave entrance.

However, Fang Yu did not make a move. Instead, he closed his eyes and leisurely enjoyed the moment. After a while, he said, "In the middle of the night, Lord Xiao, your eyes are not functioning well. Why would you come here?"

Xiao Jingqi thought he had hidden it well, but he didn't expect that she would still find out.

Hearing the sound of splashing water, Xiao Jingqi went outside, unaware that Fang Yu was taking a bath.

He fabricated a reason for himself: "I received reliable information that one of Governor Zhang's accomplices had fled here, and Mo Jiu went to chase after him, so..."

Fang Yu picked up where he left off: "Lord Xiao went there personally, so did you manage to catch the person?"

Xiao Jingqi coughed: "I'm too late, the person has already run away. I just didn't expect to run into Miss Fang. It's late at night, I wonder what Miss Fang is doing here?"