“Yes. I’m shameless. What about you? Do you still want this shameless man?”
After a long silence, Su Shaoqing’s faint voice sounded in Fu Ling’s ear. It felt like a breeze had just brushed across her heart. She blinked and stared at Su Shaoqing strangely before chuckling.
Taking Su Shaoqing’s hand, she inched nearer to him. Su Shaoqing retreated backward. Narrowing her gaze, Fu Ling forced Su Shaoqing to a corner and placed her hand against the wall. A warm smile appeared on her lips as she leaned nearer and breathed right beside his ear. As Su Shaoqing’s ear turned red, she grinned. Parting her lips, she bit on his earlobe, enough to make him wince in pain.
When Su Shaoqing clenched his fists as if he were trying to stop himself from losing control, Fu Ling smirked evilly. She licked his earlobe seductively and whispered in his ear, “Su Shaoqing, do you want me?”
Trembling, Su Shaoqing opened his mouth to say something. Right then, Fu Ling screamed, “Go to hell!” Upon seeing the man stunned by her outburst, she grabbed the opportunity to kick his balls. Shoving him away, she grinned devilishly. “Do you think I’m the same person from three years ago? You can no longer do anything you want. Su Shaoqing, pay close attention. I have nothing to do with you now. Leave me alone, or else I’ll beat you up every time I see you!”
Fu Ling glared at him after her announcement. Su Shaoqing curled into a ball uncomfortably. A flash of discomfort appeared in his gaze. Fu Ling was about to go to him when she noticed someone from the corner of her eyes. Grinning, she declared, “I need to go now. Goodbye, Mr. Su!”
“Ling!” A deep voice rang out.
Fu Ling couldn’t escape in time as someone had already stood in front of her, blocking her escape.
As the man came nearer to her, she silently groaned. She had elsewhere to go, so she looked up and forced a smile. “Mr. Fu!”
Fu Chengyan squinted at her. “Ling, long time no see!”
“Yes, indeed. I’ve been away from Jiang City for at least three years. How are you doing, Mr. Fu?” Fu Ling’s gaze settled on him before she noticed the woman coming to him. Surprise flashed across her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure. Grinning, she inquired, “Won’t you introduce us?”
Fu Chengyan waved Shi Nuan over. “May!”
Shi Nuan walked over to him. She was rather astonished to see Fu Ling because she had witnessed how the latter had kicked Su Shaoqing forcefully. Strangely, the man didn’t retaliate.
Smiling, Shi Nuan stretched her hand out. “Hello. I’m Shi Nuan!”
Fu Ling arched a brow. “I’m Gu Ling!” Both Fu Chengyan and Su Shaoqing were dumbfounded by how she introduced herself. Fu Chengyan’s expression clouded over. “When did you come back?”
“Not long ago.” Fu Ling chuckled faintly. “Mr. Fu, is this your wife?”
This wasn’t the first time Fu Ling had seen Shi Nuan. Back then, she had seen Shi Nuan from afar when she fought with Su Shaoqing. She had also seen Shi Nuan at the riverside that day. But on both occasions, she didn’t get to see Shi Nuan’s face clearly. When she finally got to see Shi Nuan, she was shocked to see how much Shi Nuan resembled Shen Qianan. However, they were undoubtedly two different people.
“If you’re back, why didn’t you come home?”
“Home? You must’ve forgotten that I don’t live in Jiang City.” The smile on Fu Ling’s lips faded. “Okay, I’ve met everyone. I need to leave now. Goodbye!”
Fu Ling quickly spun around and left. She tried to keep her cool, but her rapid footsteps betrayed her feelings.
After Fu Ling left, Shi Nuan walked up to Su Shaoqing. “Shaoqing, are you alright?”
A pale Su Shaoqing shook his head. “I’m fine.” Fu Ling must’ve exhausted all her energy to kick me. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be so painful. At the thought of her harsh words, however, his face turned paler.
Putting an arm on the wall to steady himself, he looked up at Fu Chengyan. “Looks like she hates you too.”
Fu Chengyan’s gaze glinted before he pulled Shi Nuan over to him. Gazing at Su Shaoqing icily, he uttered, “Since you gave her up three years ago, stop bothering her anymore. I’ll deal with her myself. You don’t have to worry.”
“Chengyan!” Su Shaoqing came back to his senses and took a deep breath. “She’s back. Do you regret what you did to her?”
Fu Chengyan narrowed his gaze viciously at him. “No. If history repeats itself, I’ll send her away without hesitation. She isn’t a good fit for you and the Fu clan. She should stay away.” He looked at Su Shaoqing right in the eye. “As you didn’t love her back then, you shouldn’t feel guilty now. I think Ling doesn’t need your guilt.”
After saying that, Fu Chengyan left, hand in hand with Shi Nuan. The latter looked back and saw Su Shaoqing standing alone during the chilly, spring night. Shi Nuan had no idea what he was thinking about, but the man seemed strangely sorrowful. That was the first time Shi Nuan had ever seen Su Shaoqing that upset. Her heart softened as she uttered, “Yan, Shaoqing—”
“Let’s go. This is between him and Ling.” Fu Chengyan shook his head. “No one else can help them.”
“But I think Shaoqing loves Fu Ling. Why did they break up three years ago?” Shi Nuan asked uncertainly. Fu Ling seems to despise Su Shaoqing. But she loved him so much back then! ”Did Shaoqing do something that led to a misunderstanding? Or did he disappoint her?”
“It’s not that simple,” Fu Chengyan replied as they left Prosperous Dynasty. He shuddered in the cold weather for the first time, signifying the end of spring in Jiang City. “Ling aborted Shaoqing’s child back then.”
“What?” Shi Nuan was stunned. “They—”
“Shaoqing doesn’t love Ling. He’s simply overwhelmed by guilt. Well, their story isn’t a short one. I don’t think Shaoqing will give up this time now that Ling is back.”
Fu Chengyan knew his friend well.
No one could change Su Shaoqing’s mind once he was dead set on something. Back then, he gave up on inheriting his family business and became a doctor stubbornly.
Su Shaoqing might seem like a happy-go-lucky person, but he was, in fact, a cruel one.
He was hung up over the incident three years ago because he felt that it was his fault. Hence, although there were plenty of women around him, he had never touched any of them. Fu Chengyan was aware of everything, but guilt and pity didn’t equate to love. Su Shaoqing and Fu Ling just weren’t meant to be.
“But I think Shaoqing’s expression when he gazed at Fu Ling doesn’t show his guilt as you’ve said. He…” Shi Nuan exhaled a breath and paused. After all, she didn’t know Fu Ling before this. “But what happened between you and Fu Ling?”
As Fu Ling had just addressed him as “Mr. Fu,” she sensed something was amiss.
“Ling does that to everyone in the Fu clan, except for Pei Huan.” Fu Chengyan pulled Shi Nuan closer and wrapped his coat around her. “Do you feel warmer?”
“Yep!” Shi Nuan inclined her head. “Fu Ling and Pei Huan? Are they close to each other?”
“Yes, they’re besties. They were university mates before Pei Huan returned to the Fu clan.”
“Okay. But did Fu Ling introduce herself as Gu Ling? It seems like she wants to cut all ties with the Fu clan.”
“Her mother’s surname is Gu. No wonder she changed her surname. The Fu clan has never accepted her. I feel sorry for her.”
Fu Chengyan seemed dejected, so Shi Nuan reached out and held his hands. Rubbing them affectionately, she said, “I feel much warmer now. Yan, don’t worry. She must be back to deal with something. She didn’t seem that happy to see you earlier, though. Be patient. As long as she’s here, you will get to ease your relationship with her.”
“Mm!” Fu Chengyan and Shi Nuan made their way to the car. Opening the door, he pushed Shi Nuan in gently. “Buckle up!”
He went to the other side and got in, too. Then, he called Zhou Zheng. “Find out when Fu Ling came back. Also, find out the reason she’s back.” After hanging up, Fu Chengyan glanced at Shi Nuan. “Where do you want to go now?”
“Hmm, let’s go watch a movie!” Shi Nuan hooked Fu Chengyan’s arm and suggested. “It’s still early, right?”
“Sure!” Fu Chengyan nodded. “Buckle up.”
They headed to the cinema. Shi Nuan took out her phone to buy the tickets in advance and muttered, “Yan, what do you want to watch?”
Meanwhile, Su Shaoqing exited Prosperous Dynasty. He was limping as Jiang Hu appeared at the entrance. “Mr. Su! Was that Ms. Fu Ling?”
Su Shaoqing squinted at the man. “What is it?”
Jiang Hu thought Su Shaoqing was behaving strangely. Why is he staring at me so frostily? ”Oh, nothing. I just saw Fu Ling entering Mr. Qin’s room through the CCTV and overheard their conversation.”
“Mm?”
