Lin Qing glanced at the man beside her. From his slightly uneasy expression, she could read what he was really thinking deep down.
Her expression turned annoyed, and she gave a cold snort.
“President Fu, are you that scared I might be pregnant with your child? Or are you afraid I’d use the child to blackmail you?”
What happened that night was a mistake they both made. She hadn’t even blamed him for not using protection—yet here he was, questioning whether she had taken the morning-after pill.
Fu Sinian paused, realizing his earlier tone had been inappropriate, causing Lin Qing to misunderstand his intentions.
“You’ve got it wrong. That’s not what I meant. If nothing happened, that would be best. But if something really did happen… I’d take responsibility with you.”
His calm and steady voice echoed in Lin Qing’s ears.
The man spoke quietly, hoarsely, his expression still composed.
But the faint bulging veins on the back of his hand betrayed the tension inside him.
The air between them turned still.
Their eyes locked. Fu Sinian stood completely still, watching her.
The silence stretched. In that final second before the elevator reached the first floor, he heard Lin Qing say:
“You’re overthinking it. Your fears won’t come true. And if I really were pregnant—I wouldn’t keep it.”
The elevator doors opened.
Lin Qing picked up her briefcase and strode out quickly.
Fu Sinian stood behind, watching her retreating figure. His gaze was dark and unreadable.
“If I really were pregnant—I wouldn’t keep it.”
Her words were like a thorn, pricking uncomfortably at his heart.
He stepped out of the Ruifeng Group building and pulled a cigarette pack from the pocket of his slacks.
With a flick of his lighter, smoke curled around his fingers.
Employees came and went. Each time someone passed him, they respectfully greeted him:
“Good afternoon, President Fu.”
Fu Sinian looked up at the towering building above him, a dull frustration simmering inside.
He prided himself on being able to solve any problem in the business world. Every matter at the company, big or small, was handled flawlessly under his direction. No one dared challenge his decisions. In life, everything ran smoothly and according to his plan.
Everything—except Lin Qing. She was the one exception.
Just one sentence from her could completely throw him off balance.
From youth until now, it had always been this way.
He stood at the front of the building, quietly smoking.
Moments later, Jiang Yuan pulled the car up in front of him.
Fu Sinian finished his cigarette before finally getting in.
The car sped off toward the Jinxiu Estate.
Inside the Jinxiu Estate, the servants didn’t dare make a sound.
Everyone knew well how bad-tempered Old Master Fu could be.
Downstairs in the living room, Jiang Li, Fu Sinian’s mother, paced back and forth, glancing anxiously upstairs from time to time, clearly distressed.
By contrast, Fu Yiqing looked perfectly calm as he brewed himself a cup of tea.
“Your son caused such a big mess, and you still have the mood to drink tea?” Jiang Li glared at her husband.
Fu Yiqing replied casually,
“You don’t need to worry so much. My father knows what he’s doing. He won’t really go too far with Sinian. At most, it’ll be some punishment to teach him a lesson.”
Jiang Li sighed.
“I really don’t understand what happened with those two kids. One moment they’re engaged, and the next the engagement is off—just like that. And we, the elders, didn’t even get a heads-up. Has the Song family said anything?”
Jiang Li was concerned this would affect the long-standing relationship between their family and the Song family, especially since Fu Yiqing and Song Linfeng had always been close.
“I spoke to Linfeng on the phone. He was angry, yes, but still reasonable. He asked Shuyao, and she said the two of them found out they weren’t compatible while spending time together, so they mutually agreed to break up. There’s no other reason.”
Jiang Li finally let out a breath of relief.
At least it was an amicable split, and not caused by a third party.
Inside the study.
Fu Sinian was kneeling in front of a long huanghuali (rosewood) table, while a long disciplinary ruler came down hard on his back.
Once.
Twice.
Five times in total.
Old Master Fu stood glaring at his grandson, seething with anger.
Although the Fu family no longer needed to rely on marriage alliances to secure their position in high society, this engagement with the Song family had been personally arranged by him two years ago. Song Shuyao had grown up before his eyes—beautiful, intelligent, and of impeccable character.
A union with the Song family had nothing but benefits.
Yet his proudest grandson had now, for the first time, defied his will.
It was deeply disappointing.
Old Master Fu tried to suppress his fury and asked:
“Why exactly don’t you want this marriage?”
“Do you have someone else out there?”
Fu Sinian lowered his head and replied calmly,
“Grandfather, I swear to the heavens, Shuyao and I broke up peacefully. There is no third party involved.”
“You were given two whole years to get to know each other! The wedding invitations have already gone out, and now you say you’re incompatible? Why didn’t you realize that earlier?”
Fu Sinian explained steadily,
“Grandfather, Shuyao only returned from the UK six months ago. I’ve been busy with work, and the total time we spent together adds up to less than three months. I didn’t know her well enough. It was only during the recent wedding preparations that I realized we have very different worldviews and values. A melon forcibly picked isn’t sweet. You of all people should understand that—it’s not wise to tie together two people who aren’t suited for each other.”
He calmly and thoroughly explained the reason for the breakup.
Old Master Fu was still furious, but he knew his grandson well. Fu Sinian wasn’t someone who lied easily.
Though upset, he eventually took in what was said.
“What’s done is done. No point staying angry now. Get up.”
“Yes, Grandfather.”
Fu Sinian stood up from the floor and rubbed his sore knees.
Old Master Fu said slowly and clearly,
“Don’t act so impulsively in the future. Marriage is no joke. When making important decisions, you need to consult with your family—don’t be so arbitrary.”
Fu Sinian respectfully replied,
“You’re right, Grandfather. I was wrong.”
“Fine. Ask your mother to start looking around again. See if there are any other suitable girls in our circle. I refuse to believe there’s no one out there you’ll like.”
“Grandfather, I’m not thinking about marriage right now.”
“You’ll be thirty next year! What, do you plan to live alone forever? At your father’s age, you were already born! There’s no negotiating about this—you’re going on blind dates.”
Fu Sinian sighed inwardly. Unable to argue with his grandfather, he could only agree for now.
But then Old Master Fu thought of something else and warned him sternly,
“You can take your time meeting other girls in our circle—eventually, you’ll find someone you like. But there’s one thing you need to remember: You must not get involved with that girl from the Lin family!”
His expression was especially serious, and his tone was firm.
Fu Sinian’s heart skipped a beat.
“Why, Grandpa?”
“Grandpa Lin has been dead for over five years. Why are you still holding onto something from back then?”
Old Master Fu snapped,
“What do you know? If he hadn’t gone back on his word and entered that bidding competition, the commercial development project in the south of the city would have been ours! Such a great expansion opportunity was snatched away by the Lin family. I’ve never been able to swallow that loss.”
He stared hard at Fu Sinian and warned him again,
“Did you hear what I said?”
Fu Sinian was silent for a moment, then nodded.
“Yes, Grandpa.”
Old Master Fu sat back down in his chair and let out a long sigh.
Fu Sinian took the opportunity to change the subject and steer the conversation back to business.
“Grandpa, I’ve already begun preparing the acquisition of Dongxin.”
Upon hearing that, Old Master Fu looked up, eyes full of surprise and shock.
The study fell completely silent.
No one spoke for a long while.
After Fu Sinian’s announcement, it was as if all the energy had been drained from the old man. He sat in his chair, dazed, staring at a family photo on the desk.
The photo was taken more than twenty years ago, a portrait of the whole family. It had yellowed with age and clearly had been there a long time.
Old Master Fu seemed lost in memories.
After a while, he let out a deep sigh and waved his hand wearily.
“If you’ve made up your mind, so be it. I’ve already entrusted the company to you. Go on now—tell your father to come in.”
“Yes, Grandpa.”
Fu Sinian left the study and called Fu Yiqing upstairs.
Whenever Old Master Fu scolded Fu Sinian, it was always accompanied by corporal punishment—especially palms and back. Ever since he was a child, the mischievous Fu Sinian had taken plenty of beatings.
Jiang Li quickly went over to her son and gently touched his back.
The moment she touched the wound, Fu Sinian flinched in pain, his brow tightening. He quickly grabbed her hand.
“Mom, I’m fine. Don’t touch it.”
“Don’t make me worry. Are you really okay?”
“Really.”
Then he added,
“I still have some things to take care of at the company. I need to go back.”
“I won’t be staying here tonight.”
With that, Fu Sinian picked up his car keys and headed outside the villa.
Jiang Li watched her son’s back and muttered,
“This child never gives me a moment’s peace.”
At 3 p.m., Fu Sinian returned to Ruifeng Group from Jinxiu Estate.
Jiang Yuan, driving, glanced in the rearview mirror at Fu Sinian, who was resting with his eyes closed in the backseat. Unable to hold it in, he asked,
“President Fu, are you really not going to tell Old Master Fu about Miss Lin?”
Fu Sinian slowly opened his eyes.
“Grandpa’s attitude makes it clear—he won’t accept anyone from the Lin family. Whether I tell him or not, it won’t change anything. It’s better to avoid unnecessary complications. Now that the cancellation of the engagement with the Song family has already been announced in advance, whoever’s behind this trying to use my relationship with Lin Qing to stir trouble between the Fu and Song families… they’ll fail.”
“In the next few days, keep a close watch on the media. If they try to sell any private videos, we must buy them out at a high price to minimize the damage.”
Just thinking about what might happen gave Fu Sinian a headache.
If those private videos were ever made public, both he and Lin Qing would face an overwhelming storm of scandal.
Canceling the engagement with Song Shuyao in advance was his way of protecting Lin Qing—so that, when the truth came out, she wouldn’t be dragged into a media frenzy as “the other woman.”
Meanwhile, after work, Lin Qing returned home and ordered some takeout for herself.
After eating, she did some light cleaning around the house.
While tidying up the desk, she saw the Levonorgestrel tablets (emergency contraception) and picked them up to toss in the trash.
As she turned the box in her hand, the warning and instructions on the side happened to face her. She glanced down—and her heart skipped a beat.
One line stood out clearly:
“For best results, take a second pill 12 hours after the first dose.”
Lin Qing stared at the box in horror, then let out a miserable cry.
“I’m doomed. I’m completely doomed!”