The Fu residence became lively quickly. Song Jingyu rushed to Fu Chengyan, but he glared at her. “Can’t you see I’m helping Aunt?”
Song Jingyu bit her lip and glanced at Ning Xin. She felt irritated just looking at Ning Xin’s frail expression. However, she couldn’t show her displeasure in front of Fu Chengyan. She could only smile toward Ning Xin. “Aunt, it’s been a while. How are you?”
“Didn’t we just see each other yesterday?” It was obvious to Ning Xin that Song Jingyu wasn’t sincere. And she knew Song Jingyu didn’t like her too.
“That’s right. Just look at my poor memory. The days felt like an eternity. It must be because I missed you too much,” Song Jingyu lied through her teeth. “Aunt, let me help you in.”
“You don’t have to. Yan can do it!” Ning Xin declined Song Jingyu’s offer. “Yan, I can walk by myself now. Why don’t you go back first? Didn’t you say that you were busy with something?”
“Yes, will you be alright?”
“Why aren’t you even entering the house, given that you’re here. What do you have that’s so important? You have time to send your aunt home but no time to visit your own mother?” Song Zhenyan had rushed out in anticipation but didn’t expect to hear Ning Xin asking Fu Chengyan to leave instead. She wouldn’t tolerate such behavior. “Ning, he’s not your son. You won’t know how upsetting it is! He must be tired from sending you home, so why can’t you let him take a break or drink some water?”
“This…” Ning Xin felt awkward after hearing Song Zhenyan’s criticism. That wasn’t what she meant, but she knew what Song Zhenyan was really trying to say. Despite that, she couldn’t help but feel somewhat embarrassed.
She considered that Shi Nuan was still in the car and that Fu Chengyan would not have returned willingly if not for her.
“What else are you trying to say? It’s obvious to me you have an agenda. Your own daughter left home and disappeared for three years. And now you’re trying to stop my son from seeing me?” Song Zhenyan was increasingly rude and berated Ning Xin mercilessly.
“Enough!” Fu Chengyan stepped in when he heard Song Zhenyan’s ridiculous words. He furrowed his brows and said, “Mother, do you not see that I’m standing right here?”
“I…” When Song Zhenyan heard how Fu Chengyan spoke to her, it only made her angrier. “Yan, I’m your mother. How can you speak to me like that? That woman…”
“What woman? She’s my aunt who brought me up since I was little. She’s my mother!” Fu Chengyan interrupted Song Zhenyan angrily. “During the ten years you were away, she was the one who took care of me. Everything she did was for my sake. You shouldn’t belittle her.” Fu Chengyan patted the back of Ning Xin’s hand and said, “Aunt, you must be tired from standing out here, let me help you in!”
Fu Chengyan ignored Song Zhenyan and Song Jingyu after that. He helped Ning Xin into the house with one hand while carrying her luggage with the other.
When the butler saw Fu Chengyan enter, he approached them joyfully. “Sir, you’re back. Hand me the bags!”
“Sorry to trouble you!” Fu Chengyan passed the luggage to the butler and said, “Leave them in uncle’s room.”
“Sure,” the butler replied and proceeded to carry the bags up. Fu Chengyan helped Ning Xin up the steps. “I hope that you don’t mind what just happened.”
“Foolish child, I’m not that petty, am I? However, what she said was right. She’s still your real mother, I…”
“Aunt, you don’t have to belittle your own sacrifices. To me, you are already my mother in all ways except in name. Anyway, uncle is still not back yet. I’m worried that they might still cause you trouble. If there’s nothing important, I think it’s better for you to stay in the room.”
“Okay, I understand. I’m feeling tired too. I’ll go get some rest now.” Ning Xin understood Fu Chengyan’s character. He had a gentle heart despite the tough facade. She always knew what he was thinking as she was the one who brought him up. “Alright, Nuan is in the car alone. You shouldn’t let her wait for too long.”
Fu Chengyan let out a gentle smile. His eyes carried with it a tinge of warmth. “I’ll go back first then. Come and visit us anytime you’re free. May and I will always welcome you!”
When Fu Chengyan walked out of Ning Xin’s room, Song Zhenyan and Song Jingyu were there at the door.
Although Song Zhenyan was still angry at how Fu Chengyan treated her just now, she couldn’t afford to be keeping score at the moment. Her priority now was to get Fu Chengyan to stay. She would have to set aside her grudge against Ning Xin for the time being.
Song Zhenyan rubbed her hands as she looked desperate. “Yan, since you’re already home, why don’t you have dinner before leaving? Or better yet, why don’t you stay the night? There are a lot of rooms in the house for you to choose from anyway. How about your own room instead? I had it cleaned just in case you came back!”
Fu Chengyan shot a fierce glance at Song Zhenyan and replied coldly. “I won’t be staying. I’m busy with something, so I have to go!”
Fu Chengyan walked past Song Zhenyan as he descended the stairs. She was stunned for a moment before giving chase. “Yan, what is so important that you need to deal with it now? It’s already late, and Jingyu told me that the office is closed for two days. You don’t even need to work! Are you leaving in such a hurry just because you don’t want to see me?”
Fu Chengyan had his back facing Song Zhenyan. His lips twitched but he didn’t respond. Song Zhenyan was so angry that she didn’t mince her words. “Stand right there, you bastard! How can you treat your own mother like that? I carried you for ten months, and yet you show me this attitude? I’ve swallowed my pride to plead with you. If you still have a conscience, can’t you just have dinner with me? Tell me, did the woman upstairs teach you to be like that? Is it her? Why is she so shameless? Even her own daughter abandoned her. Given that she’s left alone, now she wants you for herself. She had already snatched someone else’s husband away. Is she going to take away another person’s son too?”
“Enough!” Fu Chengyan turned around angrily. His eyes were cold and frightening. “You are a lady from a prominent family and yet you don’t even act like one. How can you say such terrible things? My decision to leave has nothing to do with Aunt. I’m leaving because I just don’t want to see you and that precious niece of yours. If you still know what’s good for you, you should leave the Fu clan immediately and return to Jiang City. Then I’ll be able to come home more often!”
“You…”
Song Zhenyan turned pale instantly. She almost choked and could hardly breathe right now. She didn’t expect Fu Chengyan’s hate for her to be so entrenched. “Yan, I’m your mother. You…”
“Do you only realize that now? When I needed you the most, you treated me like I was a burden. I know I wasn’t the child you had with the man you loved the most. Hence, you easily abandoned both father and me. After that, you avoided us like the plague. Since you made your decision to leave us, you should stick to it and not bother us now. You should be aware that leaving your name in the Fu family register is the only thing I can tolerate. So don’t try and challenge my patience anymore!”
“Yan, it was your father who cheated on me then. He had a mistress outside. Fu Ling is the proof of his betrayal. Have you forgotten that? That girl, she…”
“Enough! I’m only tolerating you now because you’re my mother. Or else how do you think you’re still a member of the Fu clan? Ling couldn’t be part of the family because of you. The debt you owe Ling and her mother can never be repaid in this lifetime.”
“No, how was it possible for me to accept her? She was the one who wrecked our family apart. She was shameless!”
Fu Chengyan rubbed between his brows. “I don’t want to argue with you anymore. This is my final warning to you. Don’t disturb Aunt or threaten Father. Or else, I will lose what little patience I have left for you.”
Fu Chengyan looked away from her. When he saw the butler, he asked, “Uncle, where’s Granddad?”
“Sir, Old Master has gone out. He is meeting some friends and hasn’t returned.” The butler looked around at everyone and hesitated before asking. “Sir, are you leaving soon?”
“Yes, I still have something to attend to. Since Granddad and Father are both not in, please take care of Aunt. Uncle is still busy, and it might be a while before he returns.” Fu Chengyan instructed carefully, “Aunt is resting in her room. Send someone to keep watch. No one is to disturb her until Uncle comes home. Or else they will be punished!”
“Yes, sir. Please have a safe journey.”
After sending Fu Chengyan off, the butler looked towards Song Jingyu and Song Zhenyan. “Mdm. Song and Ms. Song, I will go on check on Mdm. Ning. If you’re feeling tired or hungry, please let the other servants know.”
“Hmph!” Song Zhenyan snorted behind the butler’s back. “Damn you!”
Song Jingyu was still gaping in shock after she had watched the whole exchange between Fu Chengyan and Song Zhenyan. She realized that she didn’t even know what to say. When she saw Fu Chengyan leave, only then did she recover her senses and called out, “Aunt Song, Yan has left!”
“So be it, didn’t you hear what he said just now? He wants us to return to the capital!” Song Zhenyan complained as she was still angry with her son.
Song Jingyu couldn’t help but frown. “Aunt Song, why are you scolding me? How can you say this to me? You promised earlier that you would help matchmake me with Yan. I don’t care. I’m going to stop him.”
Song Jingyu dashed out of the house and chased after Fu Chengyan. She ran as fast as she could. “Yan, wait! Don’t go!”
Song Jingyu managed to grab hold of Fu Chengyan’s sleeve just as he was about to open the car door. “Yan, why are you leaving so quickly? Isn’t this your home? I’ve already arrived for a few months now, yet you didn’t spend any time with me. Yan, I’m still your fiancée!” Song Jingyu hugged Fu Chengyan’s waist as she spoke coquettishly, “Yan, please stay! If not, take me with you. We can go out and have dinner together. After that, I’ll go over to your place. How about that?”
