Everyone kept their thoughts to themselves during dinner. The presence of Shi Nuan and Shen Shixiu only made the mood even more bizarre. Fu Zhengyun didn’t like Shi Nuan and showed his displeasure toward her at the dinner table, but she handled it calmly and didn’t let him get to her.
After dinner, Shen Shixiu wanted to bring Shen Qianan away but she didn’t want to leave. Eventually, Fu Zhengyun invited Shen Shixiu to stay at the Fu Residence for the night. Surprisingly, Shen Shixiu didn’t reject him.
Shi Nuan was rather shameless. Since the Fu family already knew about her relationship with Fu Chengyan, Shi Nuan took the initiative and asked to stay at the Fu Residence. Hence, the Fu Residence suddenly became a more lively place.
At night, Shen Shixiu scanned Shen Qianan’s room and his gaze eventually fell on the child in her arms. “Who let you come back?”
Hugging the child, Shen Qianan stiffened as she knitted her brows before looking at Shen Shixiu with a smile. “Shixiu, you don’t seem happy that I’m back!”
Shen Shixiu frowned. “You shouldn’t be staying here.”
“Then where should I be staying? Please tell me.” Shen Qianan hugged Yu and said angrily. “C Country? K Nation? Or the capital? You know that those places are just like hell to me!”
“Fu Chengyan is already married. There’s nothing you can do to change that. Besides, you already have a child.” Shen Shixiu said sternly, but Shen Qianan’s expression didn’t change. He continued, “You should know that the Fu family will never accept you. Since you made that decision three years ago, you and Fu Chengyan will never have a happy ending!”
“No, you don’t understand. You don’t understand anything. Back then, I was forced to do that. Even though Yan was my fiancé, he was never intimate with me. He…” Shen Qianan’s mouth twitched. “He didn’t want to marry me, so he left me with no choice. I tried various methods, but he was still indifferent towards me.” Shen Qianan hugged Yu tighter. “He has always treated me differently. I just don’t understand why he doesn’t want me!”
“So?” Shen Qianan said coldly. “Three years ago, I already told you that you’re not compatible with Fu Chengyan. Is it really worth leaving the capital and the Shen family for him?” Shen Shixiu looked down at her. Her face hadn’t changed, but her temperament did.
He reached out his hand wanting to pat her head, but eventually put it down. “If you knew things would turn out this way, you should have just stayed abroad and not come back!”
“But I don’t want to continue like this anymore. Shixiu, please help me. I know that Yan still cares about me. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have sent me abroad three years ago and have someone protect me, or married a woman who looks just like me. Shixiu, I beg you, please help me.”
“You really think that Fu Chengyan married Shi Nuan because she looks like you?” Shen Shixiu curled his lips and said icily, “I only came to bring you away. And you should know that I’ll do that whether you like it or not. I’ll be staying in Jiang City for a while. When I leave, you’d better come with me back to the capital. There’s no room for negotiation!”
With that, Shen Shixiu walked out of Shen Qianan’s room. Shen Qianan collapsed onto the sofa and hugged Yu tightly, her eyes filled with hopelessness.
After leaving, Shen Shixiu stood outside Shen Qianan’s room for a while before returning to his own room. Just then, he unexpectedly caught sight of someone.
Shi Nuan’s back was facing Shen Shixiu and all he could see was her beautiful figure. Pacing around anxiously, she seemed to be waiting for him.
Sensing that there was someone behind her, Shi Nuan turned around and saw Shen Shixiu. She stammered, “Mr…Mr. Shen!”
Eyes twinkling, Shen Shixiu’s lips curled up into a smile. “Mrs. Fu!”
Shi Nuan’s expression darkened and her mouth twitched. “Mr. Shen, can we talk?”
Shen Shixiu raised an eyebrow and smiled politely, making Shi Nuan feel a little embarrassed. Taking in a deep breath, she repeated, “Mr. Shen, can we talk?”
“Okay!” Shen Shixiu smiled faintly. “What do you want to talk to me about?” Shen Shixiu’s tone was rather distant as if he were reminding Shi Nuan that she was a married woman.
Shi Nuan smiled awkwardly. “Mr. Shen, don’t worry. Even though there is a misunderstanding between your sister and me, I assure you I’m not that kind of person!”
Shen Shixiu raised an eyebrow. “Let’s take a stroll, then!” He pointed at the garden downstairs. “After you.”
Shi Nuan nodded. “Mr. Shen, could I ask if you have been overseas previously? Or…”
“Mrs. Fu, are you saying I look similar to Mr. Shi?” Shen Shixiu interrupted. Shi Nuan froze for a moment, then nodded. “I’m not implying anything. Just that…” Just that Shen Shixiu really looked exactly identical to Shi Yu.
Even though she hadn’t seen Shi Yu in a long time, Shi Nuan still remembered what he looked like.
Back then, before Shi Nuan met Fu Chengyan, she had three men that she would forever remember: Granddad, Grandpa, and Shi Yu. Even though Shi Nuan and Shi Yu were not related by blood, Shi Yu had taken care of her since young and had always treated her well.
And Shi Nuan had always treated him like family. Shi Yu only left the Shi family a few years ago, and it was because of Shi Jingzheng. After so many years, she would be lying if she said she didn’t miss him. Yet Shen Shixiu claimed that he wasn’t Shi Yu.
“Actually, you don’t need to be so formal. Just call me Shi Nuan or Nuan!”
Shen Shixiu narrowed his eyes slightly, but they were still gleaming. His gaze fell onto Shi Nuan and his lips curled up into a smile. “Alright, Shi Nuan!”
Smiling faintly, Shi Nuan walked toward the direction Shen Shixiu was pointing in. “Mr. Shen, do you really not know Shi Yu?”
Shen Shixiu said frostily, “No.”
“Alright then!” Shi Nuan sighed. If Shen Shixiu said he didn’t know him, she couldn’t possibly force him to say he did. Furthermore, she wasn’t completely sure if Shen Shixiu was really Shi Yu.
Besides, Shi Yu had a sense of warmth around him while Shen Shixiu didn’t.
At a glance, Shi Nuan sensed that Shen Shixiu was the same kind of person as Fu Chengyan, or even worse!
At least Fu Chengyan treats me well. Come to think of it, Shen Shixiu and Shen Qianan don’t seem to be close siblings… ”Mr. Shen, may I ask you a question?”
“Sure!”
“Ms. Shen…”
Shen Shixiu’s eyes flashed. “Qianan has caused much trouble for you. I will take care of this. I’ll be staying in Jiang City for a short while. When I leave, I will bring Qianan and the child with me!”
Shi Nuan didn’t let out a sigh of relief. While what Shen Shixiu had just said would be beneficial to her, Shi Nuan still felt that Shen Shixiu was hiding something.
“Mr. Shen, thank you.”
“You’re welcome. After all, I managed to come to Jiang City so quickly because of Mr. Fu.” Shen Shixiu said as he glanced at Shi Nuan’s demure face.
Shi Nuan was gazing at the fountain in the garden and smiling wistfully. A flicker of light crossed Shen Shixiu’s eyes, but he quickly turned away.
Shi Nuan was slightly surprised by Shen Shixiu’s words. “You are saying that Yan asked you to come to Jiang City?”
Shen Shixiu’s lips curled into a smile. “Mr. Fu is a clever man. You are very smart, too!”
“You’re too kind, Mr. Shen!”
“It’s getting late. I shall not bother you any longer.” As he spoke, Shen Shixiu stared at an approaching figure.
Shi Nuan turned to look in the same direction as Shen Shixiu and saw Fu Chengyan heading over, holding her jacket.
Shen Shixiu nodded at Fu Chengyan. “It’s getting late. I’ll go rest now. Goodbye!”
“Goodbye!”
After Fu Chengyan watched Shen Shixiu leave, he turned back to Shi Nuan and handed her the jacket. “Why didn’t you bring your jacket with you?”
“It’s not cold!” Even though Shi Nuan said this, she still took over the jacket from Fu Chengyan. “Why don’t you just ask me why I came to speak to Shen Shixiu alone?”
Fu Chengyan frowned. “Shi Yu!”
Shi Nuan was astounded. “How did you know?”
“You would only care so much about someone important to you, and there aren’t that many important people in your life!” As Fu Chengyan spoke, he walked beside Shi Nuan and touched her hand. “You still say it’s not cold? Then why is your hand so cold?”
Fu Chengyan wrapped his hands around Shi Nuan’s hands. Only then did Shi Nuan start to feel that it was rather chilly outside. With Fu Chengyan’s hands around hers, she started to scratch at his hands playfully.
Fu Chengyan looked away from her helplessly. Shi Nuan was already an adult, yet she still behaved like a child sometimes. But he didn’t stop her, and looking at how cute she was, he smiled.
“Hey!”
Shi Nuan laughed heartily. “Actually, I wasn’t cold before you arrived. Now that you’re here, I’m starting to feel cold!” Shi Nuan wrapped her hands around Fu Chengyan’s waist and stuck her hands into his clothes. Fu Chengyan didn’t have an ounce of fat around his waist!
Leaning against Fu Chengyan’s chest, Shi Nuan said, “What spell did you cast on me? Why do I feel like being in your embrace every time I see you?”
