Ever since Ye Qiu was hospitalized, Fang Bingwen clearly felt that she had become much colder toward him. He didn’t understand what he had done wrong, or was it because he was too close to Song Qing? But the child wanted his mom—could he really stop that?

Or perhaps she blamed him for abandoning her when there were bandits? But it was she who asked him to stop calling the police. If the police hadn’t arrived in time, who knows what might have happened!

Though he thought this way, he couldn’t shake the feeling of guilt when facing her. Was it really like Song Qing said—that he had fallen in love with Ye Qiu?

Was that possible?

He quietly reflected for a moment, thinking it wasn’t true because he hadn’t completely forgotten Song Qing. Whenever he saw her frown, he couldn’t help but worry about her. When he saw she was living in a bad place, he immediately helped her find a new home. He also enjoyed the time they spent together as a family of three, as if he and Song Qing had never divorced. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

So, his feelings for Ye Qiu should only be gratitude for her contribution to him and Xiao Xu, and guilt for agreeing to marriage without giving her love!

He had considered divorce, but Ye Qiu loved him so deeply. Wouldn’t proposing a divorce be an even greater blow to her? Wouldn’t he be letting her down even more?

He knew he couldn’t repay the love Ye Qiu gave him, so he could only be as good to her as possible. Even though these days she no longer clung to him as she used to, he chose to endure it.

"What would you like to eat tomorrow? I’ll make it early and bring it to you," he said gently, his eyes full of concern.

Ye Qiu thought, maybe her former self was trapped in such feigned tenderness! Just when she felt she couldn’t hold on any longer, he would suddenly start treating her well.

"No need, eating here at the hospital is just fine. The nutrition is balanced and the taste isn’t bad," she declined somewhat coldly.

Fang Bingwen seemed accustomed to this, helping her put the dishes away, and then lowering her bed and tucking her in: "Get some rest; I’m here to keep you company. Since you don’t want to eat the food I’ve made, I’ll go downstairs later and buy some of the fruits you like."

"Do you know what I like to eat?" Ye Qiu suddenly asked.

Fang Bingwen was taken aback and instinctively replied, "Isn’t it cherries and strawberries?"

"That’s what Xiao Xu and you like to eat," Ye Qiu stared into his eyes. "I like durian."

Upon hearing the word ’durian,’ Fang Bingwen seemed to smell the stink already and lightly frowned, but his thoughts drifted elsewhere. He was accustomed to hardship since childhood; having fruit was already a great happiness, and every kind was his favorite. He had never specifically liked cherries or strawberries.

As for why the family later only bought cherries and strawberries, it seemed to be because Song Qing liked them, and subsequently, Xiao Xu liked them too.

Back when they were students, neither of them had much money. Their biggest joy was buying a small box of cherries after temporary work or going to the strawberry field with Song Qing to pick strawberries.

Since Ye Qiu married him, the family had only those two kinds of fruit—was it not because she liked them too, but rather because she accommodated him and his son?

Fang Bingwen’s feeling of guilt intensified, and he no longer despised the smell of durian, agreeing whole-heartedly: "Alright, I’ll buy it for you."

Yet, Ye Qiu didn’t know whether it was because she had become accustomed to abuse in her past life or what. It was as if the emotions from her previous incarnation lingered, and she suddenly wanted to cry, choking out an "Okay."

Fang Bingwen’s guilt grew stronger, even questioning whether he was too close to Song Qing, apologizing to Ye Qiu.

While Fang Bingwen seriously reflected on himself, Ye Qiu’s prolonged absence from livestreams made many fans worried—had there been a problem in their marriage?

Of course, if they were really getting divorced, fans would be glad. They just feared Ye Qiu being wronged. Thus, online rumors about a famous professor from A University cheating with his ex-wife intensified, and some A University students even started inquiring about Ye Qiu’s situation.

Fu Lei somehow learned about Ye Qiu’s encounter with bandits, but Fang Bingwen abandoned his current wife to protect his ex-wife and son, spreading the message with a heartbroken look.

This stirred up a hornet’s nest—claiming you feared dealing with the bandits and might cause greater casualties was not wrong, but why were you not with your current wife at that time and instead in the same car as your ex-wife?

Also, after calling the police, you could have asked your ex-wife and son to stay put and followed them with your car; why didn’t you?

Based on his previous actions, at this moment, in the minds of A University students and staff, his image had plummeted, successfully turning into an unbearable scumbag.

Revisiting the streamer’s past livestreams, see how well she treated him. When all the netizens thought he was unworthy of Ye Qiu because he was divorced and had a child, it was Ye Qiu who told everyone that he was a remarkable person, and Ye Qiu who belittled herself, saying she was uneducated and not a match for him.

At that time, when she spoke of him, there was a sparkle in her eyes that only truly loving someone would bring.

For him, she changed her lavish lifestyle, made efforts to curb her Eldest Lady temperament, even in that family, she could be said to have swallowed all dignity to please the father and son, just losing all her pride.

Fans unwillingly sighed, feeling resentment, but seeing her happy with it, they gradually accepted it—as long as she was happy.

However, all this was based on the belief that complete devotion would have returns. Everyone originally thought even if Fang Bingwen didn’t love Ye Qiu as deeply, at least he would treat her well.

But what was the result?

The result was that he could disregard her feelings for his son, abandon her safety for his ex-wife—even if they were not a married couple, even if they were regular friends—how could you just brush off your son’s mistakes?

Being married should mean staying committed, but tangling with your ex-wife—then why did you originally divorce, and why agree to Ye Qiu’s proposal?

Could it be that all of this, as some netizens suggested, was a conspiracy? Was the divorce fake, the encounter fake, everything delicately arranged for Ye Qiu’s money?

Then why pretend to be noble in the beginning, asking for nothing but to continue living well for the son’s studies? Why is that?

Was it to set a long line to catch a big fish, make Ye Qiu fall deeper and deeper?

Your goal had been reached—if you didn’t entangle with your ex-wife, believe that with the streamer’s deep love for you, she would give you whatever you asked. Why couldn’t you resist now?

Not only couldn’t the netizens understand, but neither could the students and staff at A University. Although, compared to the netizens’ conspiracy theories, they were more inclined to believe Fang Bingwen couldn’t forget his ex-wife.

But no matter how you look at it, Fang Bingwen is undoubtedly a scumbag.