Luo Yunmian pushed Fu Yanchi away and turned to retrieve her high heels.
Fu Yanchi’s clenched fists creaked audibly.
Was she really that reluctant to part with the shoes he had given her?
He strode forward, bending down smoothly as his arm swept firmly across the back of her knees, lifting Luo Yunmian into a horizontal carry. Without hesitation, he headed straight for the business car parked ahead.
“What are you doing? Let me go!”
Luo Yunmian was both startled and furious, pounding her fists against Fu Yanchi’s chest.
The young man’s face was cold and stern, his eyes icy, yet the faint redness around them betrayed the emotions churning within him.
“Stop struggling,” he growled.
It was the first time Luo Yunmian had seen him so angry, and she swallowed the words she had been about to say.
Fu Yanchi walked silently to the car, pulled open the door, and placed Luo Yunmian on the seat.
He knelt down, grasped her ankle, and pulled a bandage from his pocket, deftly tearing it open.
“Mianmian-jie, you’re all grown up now—how come you still don’t know how to take care of yourself?”
As he spoke, Fu Yanchi gently applied the bandage to her wound.
Luo Yunmian felt a sudden warmth at the injured spot and instinctively tried to pull her foot back, but he tightened his grip on her ankle, his hold growing firmer.
“Mianmian-jie, is there any part of you I haven’t touched before? What are you shy about?”
“Stop talking nonsense here.”
Flustered and embarrassed, Luo Yunmian glanced nervously at the driver in the business car, her face burning as if it were on fire.
“Do you really like those high heels that much?” Fu Yanchi looked up, meeting Luo Yunmian’s eyes.
“Were you angry with me earlier because of this?” Luo Yunmian chuckled softly, suddenly understanding his childish behavior.
Fu Yanchi remained silent, but his stubborn expression still gave away his thoughts.
“Yan Chi, aren’t you being childish? I was carrying the high heels because I didn’t have any other shoes to change into.”
“Then, do you still like my brother?”
“I still like the things I’ve always liked, but I no longer want to possess them.”
A faint smile curved Fu Yanchi’s lips, his eyes sparkling like stars.
Luo Yunmian heard him say, “Mianmian-jie will have the best.”
She lowered her head, staring blankly at the bandage on her ankle. Back when she was twenty, she had believed Fu Tingshen was the best.
At that time, Fu Tingshen was twenty-three, as youthful and radiant as Fu Yanchi, though more reserved.
It was just a fleeting glimpse of him on the sports field, yet it had etched itself into her heart.
They met again at her grandmother’s birthday banquet. He wore a tailored suit, his figure tall and slender, his eyes deep behind gold-rimmed glasses, his hair neatly swept back, exuding an air of cool elegance.
He politely invited her to dance, and she gladly accepted. As they twirled across the dance floor, a different kind of emotion seemed to stir within her.
Later, in the backyard, she spotted the fruit on the pomegranate tree and, on a whim, climbed up to pick it. But she lost her footing and fell, twisting her ankle in the panic.
He rushed over, a flicker of concern in his eyes, and without hesitation, picked her up and took her to the hospital.
What she hadn’t expected was that it was all just a beautiful misunderstanding.
His kindness toward her was only because her eyes held a resemblance to his “white moonlight,” which had drawn him closer to her in the beginning.
“Still thinking about my brother?”
Fu Yanchi’s slightly jealous, low voice pulled her back from her memories.
“Yan Chi, I’m tired, let’s go back!”
Luo Yunmian looked ahead with clear eyes, changing the subject.
She was not only physically exhausted, but even more so mentally.
The car slowly started, his gaze fixed on the woman beside him.
In the dim light, half of her profile was concealed, revealing only the graceful curve of her silhouette. Her eyes were fixed on the window, still carrying a hint of distance and vigilance. Her entire body leaned slightly toward the car door, deliberately keeping her distance from him.
When Luo Yunmian woke up, the car was parked in the hotel parking space. She rubbed her forehead, surprised that she had actually fallen asleep.
She inadvertently looked up, her gaze piercing through the car window, catching sight of a figure not far away.
He leaned lazily against the side, a cigarette held between his slender fingers. He tilted his head slightly, took a light puff, and the smoke curled upward.
For a moment, Luo Yunmian was stunned. In her memory, this seemed to be the first time she had seen him smoke. His eyes held a trace of confusion, along with a faint hint of sorrow.
Luo Yunmian couldn’t understand how someone at the age of twenty-three could have such a complex expression.
Unable to help herself, she softly called out, “Yan Chi.”
Hearing her voice, he turned around. Their eyes met, and he immediately extinguished the cigarette in his hand before walking over.
The car door opened, and Fu Yanchi’s gaze fell on the girl’s fair feet.
He bent down, one arm wrapping around her waist while the other slid beneath her knees. With a slight exertion, he lifted her steadily from the seat.
Instinctively, Luo Yunmian wrapped her arms around his neck.
Just as she was about to speak, Fu Yanchi’s low, magnetic voice whispered close to her ear.
“This is a high-end hotel. If you walk in barefoot, people will definitely talk.”
He then glanced down at the woman in his arms. Her body remained tense, still resistant toward him.
He sighed softly. That day, she had been bold enough to suggest sleeping with him, yet now she was acting like a timid quail, shrinking away.
Luo Yunmian’s eyes swept around, as if sensing her worry, he chuckled softly.
“My brother and Shen Xin’er haven’t returned yet, don’t worry.”
Having her thoughts exposed, Luo Yunmian felt embarrassed. She looked directly at Fu Yanchi. “The relationship between a sister-in-law and a brother-in-law is already awkward enough. Don’t you—”
Fu Yanchi stepped forward to press the elevator button, scoffing at her words.
“If Sister Mianmian wants to play roleplay and seek excitement, I’ll gladly accompany you.”
Just then, the elevator doors opened. Fu Yanchi stepped inside and pressed the floor button. The confined space of the elevator felt somewhat awkward.
The awkwardness mainly belonged to Luo Yunmian. Indeed, that day she had only wanted revenge against Fu Tingshen, but she had underestimated Fu Yanchi’s strong psychological resolve. He was stubborn and possessed an obsessive desire to possess her.
“That’s bandit logic. I don’t want to make things more complicated.”
As the elevator dinged open, Luo Yunmian broke free from his embrace and walked out barefoot.
She quickly took a card from her bag, opened the door, and was about to close it when Fu Yanchi pressed against it, stopping her.
“Sister Mianmian, you’re trying to leave me behind again. I’m thirsty.”
Luo Yunmian glanced warily down the hallway, afraid of being seen by others.
She abruptly reached out, grabbed his collar, and pulled him inside. With a loud “bang,” the door slammed shut.
She turned on the light and pointed toward the bar area. “Help yourself. By the way, which hotel are you staying at?”
She changed into slippers and looked up at him.
After he slammed the door and stormed out yesterday, he must have found another place to stay. I doubt he’d shamelessly stick around.
Fu Yanchi strolled over unhurriedly, reached for a bottle of mineral water, twisted off the cap, and took a few gulps as he tilted his head back.
Luo Yunmian’s gaze inadvertently fell on the young man. She noticed the seductive bob of his Adam’s apple as he swallowed, and even the simple act of drinking water seemed strangely alluring.
A few droplets slid down his jawline, dripped onto his throat, and then vanished into the shadows of his collar.
She clicked her tongue softly.
Even drinking water could be this sensual—what a devil.
She quietly averted her eyes.