When Luo Yunmian dragged her exhausted body back to the villa in the harbor area, it was already 9:30 p.m.
Seeing the lights still on in the villa’s living room, the warm yellow glow spilling from the windows, her heart lifted with joy. Carrying her suitcase, she quickened her pace toward the living room.
“Dad, Mom,” Luo Yunmian’s face blossomed into a bright smile. Hearing the commotion, the few people sitting on the sofa all turned their heads.
Si Lan, Luo Yunmian’s mother, was the first to stand up, her eyes filled with affection. “My Yunmian, you’re finally back from this business trip.”
Luo Yunmian set down her luggage and threw herself into Si Lan’s arms, coquettishly saying, “Mom, I missed you so much.”
Si Lan smiled and gently patted her back, teasing, “You’re all grown up now, yet you still love to act spoiled.”
Only then did Luo Yunmian pull back from Si Lan’s embrace. “Has Grandma come back?”
Si Lan nodded, her smile fading slightly, tinged with worry. “She’s back, but she’s not feeling too well, so she’s already asleep upstairs. You don’t need to disturb her for now.”
Hearing this, Luo Yunmian couldn’t help but frown and quickly asked, “How is Grandma’s condition?”
Si Lan sighed. “Grandma kept saying you’re about to get engaged, so she came back early. After your engagement, your dad and I will take her to see the doctor again and properly arrange for her surgery. She insists on attending your engagement banquet.”
Mentioning the engagement banquet, Luo Yunmian swallowed the words she was about to say.
She would wait until she talked with Fu Tingshen tomorrow.
“Alright, Yunmian must be tired from the flight. Go rest first,” Luo Huaichuan, Luo Yunmian’s father, spoke up.
The next day, evening.
The two families had long agreed to have dinner together. Luo Yunmian carefully supported her grandmother as they walked toward Fu Tingshen’s home.
“Grandma, why didn’t you listen to Mom? You should have had the surgery earlier. An engagement isn’t such an important occasion,” Luo Yunmian gently complained.
Duan Hua was not pleased to hear this and immediately retorted, “How is it not important? My Yunmian is about to get married. If I don’t see it with my own eyes, I’d rather die…”
Before she could finish, Luo Yunmian hurriedly interrupted her. “Grandma, don’t say that. You’ll live a long life.”
Seeing her anxious expression, Duan Hua’s face immediately lit up with a smile, nodding repeatedly in agreement. “Alright, alright, I’ll live a long life. I still have to help raise our Yunmian’s children.”
Hearing this, Luo Yunmian’s face flushed slightly. She leaned her head against her grandmother’s shoulder in a spoiled manner, muttering, “Grandma…”
And so, chatting and laughing warmly, they soon arrived at the entrance of Fu Tingshen’s family villa.
Fu Yanchi’s father, Fu Shengzong, and mother, Gu Qingxu, had also made a rare trip back from abroad.
Luo Yunmian obediently greeted everyone one by one. At that moment, Gu Qingxu smiled and took Luo Yunmian’s hand, praising her.
“Yunmian, you’ve grown more and more beautiful. That scoundrel Tingshen is really getting lucky.”
“Mom, am I not good-looking?”
Luo Yunmian instinctively looked up and saw Fu Yanchi standing at the corner of the second floor, one hand in his pocket. Wearing sportswear, he exuded a roguish charm as he slowly walked downstairs.
“That brat, if you were a girl I’d be happy, but a boy growing up like this—tell me, what kind of girlfriend would you even find?”
Fu Yanchi seemed to think it over seriously for a moment, then his gaze unconsciously landed on Luo Yunmian’s face, his tone carrying a hint of determination.
“Someone like Sister Mianmian, I suppose.”
Gu Qingxu laughed heartily upon hearing this. “Looks like we share the same taste. I also think someone like Yunmian would be quite nice.”
Luo Yunmian twitched the corner of her mouth. Fu Yanchi’s words were undoubtedly meant for her ears.
Amidst the chatter and laughter, the group had already made their way to the dining room and taken their seats.
Fu Tingshen had just entered through the door, greeting everyone one by one before apologizing, “I had a late meeting at the company today.”
Si Lan teased with a smile, “We know you’re busy.”
The two families were old acquaintances, so once seated, the conversation naturally flowed more freely. The men drank wine, while the women’s side mostly revolved around Luo Yunmian’s upcoming engagement.
Sitting there, Luo Yunmian felt utterly uncomfortable, as if sitting on pins and needles.
A certain gaze was too intense and scorching, making her too afraid to meet it. She could only lower her head and sip the soup from her bowl.
After dinner, everyone gathered in the living room to chat on the sofa. Fu Tingshen’s mother, He Qiulan, was about to get up to prepare some fruit when Luo Yunmian stood up first.
“Auntie, please sit. I’ll take care of it.”
With that, she headed toward the kitchen.
Little did she expect that Fu Yanchi would appear while she was preparing the fruit. Luo Yunmian’s hands, busy washing the fruit, paused, and she glanced nervously toward the living room.
Lowering her voice, she asked, “What are you doing in the kitchen?”
Fu Yanchi walked unhurriedly to the counter opposite her.
“Sister Mianmian, this is my home. Isn’t it normal for me to go wherever I please?”
“Anyway, you’re not allowed to look at me with that kind of gaze anymore.”
Luo Yunmian truly couldn’t stand his pitiful expression.
Fu Yanchi leaned in closer, a sly glint flashing in his smiling eyes.
“Sister Mianmian, what kind of gaze are you talking about? I don’t understand.”
“I…” Luo Yunmian felt as if something was stuck in her throat.
Just then, the maid, Sister Yun, walked in. Fu Yanchi straightened up and took a natural step back.
“What’s the matter, Sister Yun?”
“Miss Luo, since you’re here, could you take this hangover soup to the eldest young master?”
Luo Yunmian thought that she really needed to have a proper talk with Fu Tingshen about the engagement. She dried her hands and took the bowl.
Fu Yanchi watched quietly as Luo Yunmian took the hangover soup from Sister Yun, then hurried toward the staircase on the second floor as if fleeing. He couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle before leisurely following her.
Luo Yunmian walked along the staircase, passed through the long corridor, and headed straight for Fu Tingshen’s bedroom.
She had come for dinner today and was wearing thick-soled house slippers, which made soft sounds as she walked.
When she reached the bedroom door, she was about to raise her hand to knock when she noticed it was slightly ajar. Just as she hesitated, the voices from inside froze her in place.
“Tingshen, are you really going to have a child with Yunmian and raise it for me?”
“Xin’er, your body is no longer suitable for pregnancy, so…”
Fu Tingshen’s words felt like a sharp blade, piercing straight into Luo Yunmian’s heart.
“Yunmian looks somewhat like you. I think any child she gives birth to would surely be very beautiful.”
Luo Yunmian’s grip on the hangover soup suddenly loosened, nearly causing it to fall. Fu Yanchi, quick-eyed and swift-handed, reached out just in time to catch it, though a few drops still splashed out.
He watched Luo Yunmian standing there as if under a Freezing Spell, her body stiff, tears uncontrollably sliding down one by one. The woman’s body trembled slightly, clearly struggling to hold back with all her might.
Luo Yunmian had never imagined that Fu Tingshen could stoop to such despicable depths. She had originally come today to tell him that their engagement banquet was canceled.
But now, hearing these words, she felt as if her heart had been brutally crushed.
Fu Yanchi took hold of the woman’s slightly cold hand and whispered, “I’ll go beat him up for you.”
As he spoke, he moved to push the door open, but Luo Yunmian grabbed him and pulled him back. Still, the door was pushed open slightly, making a sound.
“Who’s there?”
Fu Tingshen stood up, walked out of the bedroom, and pushed the door open.
He looked at the person standing at the doorway.
“What is it?”