“Why are you spaced out?”
Shi Nuan walked over and passed Fu Chengyan his coat. “Put it on! I know you’re strong, but the weather has been very cold lately. So, it’s better to put on a few more layers to prevent yourself from falling sick during the New Year. It would be unfortunate if that happens.”
Shi Nuan had a lot to say today as she kept chattering on and on beside Fu Chengyan. She seemed like a magpie that chirped non-stop. Fu Chengyan didn’t find it annoying. Rather, he found it quite soothing.
When Shi Nuan saw Fu Chengyan spacing out, she couldn’t help but laugh. She opened up his coat and put it over his shoulders. Fu Chengyan reached out and held her hand while smiling at her lovingly. He patted her hands and said, “May, do we look like we’re wearing couple outfit?”
Couple outfit?
Shi Nuan hesitated a moment before looking at Fu Chengyan’s coat and then back at hers. She couldn’t help but burst out in laughter. “It appears so!”
“Let’s go!” Fu Chengyan’s tone grew gentler. He held Shi Nuan’s hand and they walked out together.
They went to pick up Ning Xin at the Fu residence. It was a lot more peaceful now without Song Jingyu around. Shi Nuan waited in the car for Fu Chengyan as he entered the house to pick Ning Xin up.
Ning Xin was all dressed up and waiting for them. When she heard a car turn in, she walked towards the entrance and saw Fu Chengyan coming in. “I heard a car and guessed that it was you.”
“Aunt Ning.” Fu Chengyan helped to support her. She said, “I hope it’s not too much trouble for you to accompany us two ladies out!”
“Of course not!” Fu Chengyan laughed. “I’ve not been very busy and was at home with May anyway. She must have been bored staying with me the whole day, that’s why she invited you out!”
“Oh, you’re such a sweetheart!” Ning Xin couldn’t help but shake her head. “Don’t think that I don’t know you.” She knew he was just being nice. It was obvious to her that they were very much in love with each other. Shi Nuan was definitely not feeling bored. “I think she is more worried about me being bored at home!” Ning Xin added.
Fu Chengyan just smiled. “Aunt Ning, mind the steps!”
As Shi Nuan was waiting in the car, she chatted with Su Yian and Song Rongrong within their group chat to pass the time. In a short while, she saw Fu Chengyan and Ning Xin come out. She opened the door and greeted, “Aunt Ning!”
“Oh! Nuan, you child, get in quick!”
Ning Xin didn’t forget that Shi Nuan and Fu Chengyan’s relationship was still a secret. She was worried that Shi Nuan would be seen by one of the servants, as they were still at the Fu residence.
Shi Nuan laughed instead, and retreated into the car. “Aunt Ning, I hope I’m not disturbing you by asking you out!”
“How could you think that? I can’t be happier when you invited me out! Your uncle has been busy recently. Why don’t I go to Wutong Residence for the next two days? I hope I won’t be in the way!”
“Of course not!”
Fu Chengyan helped Ning Xin into the back seat. Shi Nuan was worried that Ning Xin would be bored, so she volunteered to sit at the back with her.
They chatted happily along the journey. They talked about how both of them were doing and also about Song Jingyu’s incident. “It was a huge drama that night, and it made everyone nervous.”
Ning Xin looked towards Fu Chengyan as she spoke. “It seems better this way. I heard from your uncle that Song Jingyu has left, so no one stands between the two of you now.”
Fu Chengyan grinned and replied, “What you say is true.”
Fu Chengyan drove up the highway and headed towards Ruyi Tea House.
Shi Nuan had noticed it and asked, “This is the way to…”
“Ruyi Tea House.”
Shi Nuan nodded and glanced at Ning Xin. “Aunt Ning, I’m sure you’re not yet aware, but Ruyi Tea House is owned by me and a good friend of mine. Are you interested to take a look?”
“Sure!” Ning Xin nodded. “A teahouse, huh? What made you think about running one?”
“Interest. When I was young, my grandpa taught me how to make tea while my friend loves good tea.”
They arrived at Ruyi Tea House as they spoke. Shi Nuan helped Ning Xin out, as Fu Chengyan followed closely behind.
Su Yian, who had just been chatting with Shi Nuan, saw them appear at the teahouse suddenly and was pleasantly surprised. She turned to look at the middle-aged woman beside Shi Nuan and raised her eyebrows. “Nuan, this is…?”
“Aunt Ning,” Shi Nuan replied, “Yan’s aunt.”
“Hello, Aunt Ning!” Su Yian greeted Ning Xin politely and said, “Please come in!”
Ning Xin laughed and nodded in cheerfully. “Nuan, this must be the good friend of yours that you mentioned just now!”
“You’re right, her name is Su Yian.”
Ning Xin laughed as the three of them went in. Su Yian asked, “Nuan, just the two of you?”
“No, Yan is parking and would be here soon!” Just as she spoke, Fu Chengyan walked in and nodded at Su Yian. “Ms. Su.”
Su Yian smiled. “Please head to the private room first. It’s the room right at the back which is solely reserved for Nuan. Nuan, you know the way!”
Shi Nuan nodded. “Of course.”
“In that case, I’ll go get my staff to be prepared!” Su Yian then left.
Shi Nuan looked back and smiled. She then led Ning Xin and Fu Chengyan to the discreet private room.
Shi Nuan and Su Yian started the teahouse purely out of interest; they never expected it to turn into a full-fledged business. Every month or two, Shi Nuan would meet Su Yian to go through the accounts of the teahouse. This was what was agreed by them when they started.
Although they were friends, Su Yian treated the partnership professionally. She felt that Shi Nuan had to always be kept updated on the business. Shi Nuan felt that there was no need for Su Yian to be so rigid about informing her; however, Su Yian insisted that they operate this way.
As the three of them entered the room, it was love at first sight for Ning Xin. She couldn’t stop praising it. “Nuan, did you do up the place yourselves?”
Shi Nuan nodded and replied, “Yes, we did.” She then explained the decor to Ning Xin while Fu Chengyan sat by the side quietly. The only thing he did was make a call midway.
After some time, Su Yian entered the room carrying the tea set. “We just procured this tea set right before the New Year. Shi Nuan herself chose it. However, she wasn’t at Jiang City during that time. By the time she sent it to me, I had no chance to use it. Now that you’re here, I think it’s a wonderful opportunity to try it out!”
“This is…” Ning Xin’s gaze fell upon the tea set as her eyes beamed with admiration. “The craftsmanship is exquisite, so it must have been made by a very skilled master!”
Shi Nuan laughed and said, “I had forgotten about it. Looks like it was with you all this while.” Shi Nuan sat down next to Fu Chengyan and picked up the tea set for a closer look. “To be honest, I don’t really know much about these things. However, my grandpa loves them, so I asked for his opinion and purchased this set based on his comments.”
Ning Xin nodded and replied, “Your Grandpa has a good eye.” Although Ning Xin had not met Jiang Shizheng before, she had heard of him many times. It was because he was Fu Chengyan’s teacher and had made a big impression on the latter.
Ning Xin then glanced at Fu Chengyan who raised his eyebrow and smiled. He took over the tea set from Shi Nuan’s hands and started washing them. He said, “Grandpa always has a good eye.”
Shi Nuan laughed and teased, “Why do I get the feeling someone is trying to flatter himself?”
Fu Chengyan chuckled in return. “You’re always right!”
Ning Xin and Su Yian both laughed when they heard their banter.
Suddenly, they heard footsteps approaching in their direction.
Shi Nuan thought it strange when she heard the footsteps stopping at their door, and it was followed by a knock. She looked at Fu Chengyan in surprise but saw him stand up casually and opened the door instead.
An elegant man stood by the door and looked like he had rushed here. However, he was in a state of calm. His usually hostile vibe was nowhere to be felt today.
Shi Nuan wasn’t surprised to see Li Heng. The ones who were surprised instead were Ning Xin and Su Yian.
Su Yian had not expected Li Heng to come, but after some thought, it wasn’t strange to her at all since Shi Nuan and Fu Chengyan were here. They must have invited him. She then gave Shi Nuan a tacit glance and left.
Ning Xin, on the other hand, was surprised to see Li Heng suddenly appearing right in front of them, especially in a place like this.
When she saw Fu Chengyan and Shi Nuan’s expressions, she immediately understood what it was all about. This meeting must have been arranged by Fu Chengyan and Shi Nuan. Are they doing this for Li Heng?
Or does Li Heng want to see me? It is likely about Huan.
Ning Xin’s expression was ambivalent as she didn’t really have anything against Li Heng. When Li Heng and Pei Huan got together, she approved of their relationship and was optimistic about them. However, the reality was that they were incompatible with each other. A lot had happened when they were together. Pei Huan had bruises all over her body, and Ning Xin came to realize that they were not suited to each other.
That was the reason for her not stopping Pei Huan from leaving.
She felt that there was no real need for them to meet.
For the past three years, Ning Xin didn’t purposely try to avoid Li Heng, but since he and Pei Huan didn’t work out, there was just no point for them to keep in touch.
Fu Chengyan glanced at Shi Nuan who immediately said, “Aunt Ning, Li Heng has something to discuss with you. However… since it was Yan and I who invited you, we can ask him to leave if you don’t want to see him.”
They placed the decision in Ning Xin’s hands. Although Li Heng was a powerful and ruthless man outside, he wasn’t going to use the same approach against Ning Xin.
Li Heng remained at the door and waited for a response from Ning Xin. If he didn’t have her permission, he would not enter.
When Shi Nuan didn’t hear an answer from Ning Xin, she started to worry. However, she knew she couldn’t blame Ning Xin as they were the ones at fault for jumping the gun. “I’m sorry, Aunt Ning. Perhaps we didn’t think this through properly. It’s just that Li Heng… Never mind. I’ll ask him to leave if you don’t want to see him!”
Fu Chengyan, too, squinted as his gaze fell on Ning Xin. After a long while, he turned to look at Li Heng and said, “I’m sorry, but Aunt Ning still can’t accept it now. Perhaps next time…”
“There’s no need. Let him come in!”
