After waiting all night, Fu Chengyan waited for most of the next day.
At 5:50 PM, he finally received the little girl’s approval of his friend request.
Fu Chengyan, who had just finished a meeting, picked up his phone with an unusual sense of—eagerness.
His assistant was puzzled. When had the boss become so obsessed with his phone?
Hadn’t he said that phones were useless except for sending messages and making calls?
y.: [Little Mute]
Xu Zhizhi stared expressionlessly at her phone for three seconds.
(o): [ ]
y.: [You took the initiative to strike up a conversation, then dumped me as soon as the task was done.]
This was strange. As an excellent MA, Xu Zhizhi pondered it for a minute and still found it odd.
(o): [I didn’t strike up a conversation.]
Fu Chengyan replied quickly.
y.: [You didn’t strike up a conversation? Throwing yourself into my arms doesn’t count as striking up a conversation?]
Indeed, she was special.
y.: [What’s your surname?]
Xu Zhizhi recalled when she first met Lin Xitang. She clearly remembered that Lin Xitang had asked for her full name.
She couldn’t help but wonder: [Why only ask for the surname?]
y.: [Basic social etiquette and rules. I didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable or think I was some shady person checking your background.]
Is that so?
(o): [Xu]
Fu Chengyan opened the transfer page. The last character was—Zhi.
y.: [Can I call you Xu Zhizhi?]
Xu Zhizhi gasped softly. As expected, people you meet in bars couldn’t be good.
With a stern face, she seriously blacklisted y.
Society truly was terrifying.
After waiting ten minutes without a reply, Fu Chengyan sent another message, only to be met with a red exclamation mark.
Fine, fine. She had personality.
In the underground garage, a low-key Porsche had been started for at least eight minutes but hadn’t moved an inch.
Fu Chengyan leaned back in his seat, his forearm resting casually on the car window, a faint glow at his fingertips.
“Smoking isn’t allowed in the underground garage,” the assistant said, standing beside the car.
Fu Chengyan loosened his tie, annoyed. “Who made that rule?”
“You did, boss.”
The entire building belonged to Fu Chengyan. At twenty, he had just returned from abroad. He appeared humble, elegant, and cultured. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, thinking the new CEO had a good temper.
But after a few days, their hopes were dashed.
Fu Chengyan had severe OCD and was extremely meticulous and strict. He laid out a long list of rules, which the secretary printed on ten sheets of A4 paper.
He frowned, thinking. Indeed, he had set that rule himself. When he first took over, he saw a pregnant female employee coming to work, walking alongside a few young men from the company who were smoking, the fumes making her face pale.
That day, Fu Chengyan established many rules.
He slowly exhaled a puff of smoke and stubbed it out in the ashtray. “I’ll drive myself. You can go home.”
The assistant smiled. “Yes, boss. Have a pleasant evening.”
“Mm, you too.”
Once freed from overtime, the assistant’s steps lightened considerably. As soon as Fu Chengyan’s car left, he started his own and followed closely behind.
Later, Fu Chengyan refused to give up. It was rare for him to feel even a flicker of interest in a girl, and he really didn’t want to let it go so easily.
Even prisoners facing execution were told what crime they committed, but she just deleted him without a word.
Fu Chengyan sent two more friend requests but finally gave up.
The car drove into an invaluable villa district, passing through the courtyard before stopping at the entrance of the main building.
The servant took the keys and drove the car to park it. Butler Liu stepped forward, “Young master, you’re back. Sir and Madam have arrived.”
Upon reaching the entrance hall, the chattering voices of two children could be heard. Fu Chengyan felt a headache coming on—his nephew and niece had come too.
Three years old was precisely the age where they were disliked by everyone, even dogs…
“Uncle, uncle, you’re back! I missed you so much~”
Two little runny-nosed toddlers rushed up to him, each clinging to one of his legs, calling “Uncle, uncle!” nonstop.
“Is Fu Chengli ever coming back? I’m going to sell his son and daughter by the pound.”
The two elders of the Fu family had long been immune to such empty threats. Go ahead and sell them if you dare.
“Fu Xuanlang, wipe your nose.”
Fu Xuanlang obediently wiped it on his suit pants.
A deathly silence fell. Fu Chengyan’s parents immediately gathered their things, each grabbing one of the little troublemakers, and made a swift exit.
Fu Chengyan stared at the stain on his pants—dirty and smeared with some unidentifiable fluid—for a moment, his eyes aching from the sight.
Seeing his displeasure, Butler Liu tried to console him, “Young master, the children are still young. Why don’t you change your clothes first? The eldest young master of the Li family has invited you to dinner tonight.”
Fu Chengyan gave a noncommittal hum and headed toward the elevator.
He ended up throwing the clothes away entirely and issued an order: Fu Xuanlang and his sister were not allowed to visit for a month.
He really had no idea how Fu Chengli, as a father, was raising these kids—no sense of hygiene at all.
Deep in the mountains filming, Fu Chengli sneezed loudly. His assistant quickly draped a coat over his shoulders and handed him a hand warmer and ginger tea.
Fu Chengli smiled slightly. Without a doubt, his adorable younger brother must be missing him.
Truly, brotherly love ran deep!
No need to say more—he had to finish filming quickly and return home. This dreadful weather was getting colder by the day.
By the time Li Zhuo arrived, Fu Chengyan had just come downstairs. The two entered the reception room, and after the servant served tea, they left.
Fu Chengyan took a sip. “New tea. Try it.”
Li Zhuo glanced at it and chuckled. “Second Master Fu is truly generous, using newly acquired Jin’gua tribute tea to entertain me.”
This tea was something Fu Chengyan had bid for just last month.
“Indeed. If your brother came, I’d only serve him plain water.”
Li Zhuo didn’t mind. What couldn’t he drink? During his field training, the cleanest water he’d had was rainwater. “Plain water is healthy.”
“If you like it, take it with you,” Fu Chengyan said. He wasn’t particularly fond of tea—he just enjoyed collecting it.
“Forget it. This high-end stuff isn’t for me either.” A single taste was enough.
Li Zhuo was a soldier, accustomed to a simple life. A T-shirt could last him eight years, and he’d even patch it up if it got a hole. Aside from sports drinks for replenishing energy, he drank only plain water or untreated water all year round.
His younger brother, Li Xin, was the same.
He Qinrui once described them as: the eco-friendly duo.
“I’ll have to leave again soon.”
Fu Chengyan asked, “Used up your leave?”
“Yeah. Just wanted to see you before I go.”
Fu Chengyan kicked him lightly. “Spit it out if you have something to say.”
“My grandfather is about to retire. My father is still stationed in another province, and Xinzi is being transferred to Puxin District soon. I’m worried.”
Puxin District was an area incorporated into Shengjing this past March. While officially part of Shengjing, it was practically outside the city limits.
No official news had come down from above yet, but once Grandfather Li retired, with Father Li not in the city, the Li family would have only Li Xin left as their sole pillar.
Though the older generation’s connections remained, there were too many people below eyeing a piece of the pie.
It was hard to guarantee no one would try to mess with him.
Fu Chengyan nodded in agreement. “Understood. I’ve asked Aunt Liu to prepare a meal. Eat before you leave.”
“Alright.”
Following Fu Chengyan to the restaurant, he casually asked, “I heard He Qinrui has opened another nightclub that’s neither Western nor ghostly.”