17
I Think This Has Nothing to Do with You
Lin Yuxi tidied up her appearance and stepped out of the restroom, only to unexpectedly bump into a familiar figure.
Fu Tingchuan was leaning against the wall, typing on his phone. Hearing the noise from her direction, he glanced up.
Lin Yuxi pretended not to see him and continued walking forward. As she passed by him, he called out to her.
“That child…”
“President Fu, I believe this is none of your concern,” Lin Yuxi stopped in her tracks.
Recalling the black-and-white divorce agreement, she took a deep breath and couldn’t help but remind him, “My time is precious too. Please don’t waste it on irrelevant matters.”
Fu Tingchuan didn’t understand and was taken aback by her tone. Frowning, he said, “Lin Yuxi, there’s no need for such hostility toward me.”
“…”
Was she the one who started with the hostility?
Besides, he was about to divorce her and marry someone else. Did he still expect them to act friendly?
She couldn’t do it.
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going now,” Lin Yuxi said before walking away.
Even after her figure disappeared at the end of the hallway, Fu Tingchuan’s frown remained.
He opened his phone and dialed Feng Zixu.
The other end seemed to be in a bar, with a noisy background. “Old Fu, I never thought I’d see the day you’d call me first. Truly, you live long enough to witness anything.”
Fu Tingchuan ignored his small talk and got straight to the point. “Are there many young children in the Shen family?”
“The Shen family?”
Fu Tingchuan continued, “Are there any children around six or seven years old?”
Feng Zixu was puzzled. “Why are you suddenly asking about this?”
Fu Tingchuan and Shen Mochen’s relationship wasn’t particularly close, but they often crossed paths at various social events.
Of course, things were different now.
After meeting Xiaoxiao, he and Shen Mochen had grown much closer.
Fu Tingchuan’s patience was wearing thin. “Just answer the question.”
Feng Zixu racked his brains, trying to recall the younger members of the Shen family he had encountered during his visits and their respective ages.
“Shen Mochen seems to have a young niece who just started kindergarten this year.”
Fu Tingchuan raised his hand and rubbed his temples. “A boy.”
Feng Zixu scratched his head. “I don’t think there are any boys around six or seven…”
Fu Tingchuan fell silent.
“Oh, right!” Feng Zixu suddenly exclaimed. “When I visited before, a distant relative of the Shen family was also there. I think they had a boy who was just over five years old.”
“…”
The age didn’t seem to match.
Feng Zixu spoke earnestly, “Old Fu, did some kid from the Shen family offend you? Let me apologize on their behalf. Please don’t ruin my marriage plans.”
“I’m not that idle.”
“Right, right.” Hearing someone call him for a drink, Feng Zixu quickened his pace. “If you want to know about some kid, you might as well ask Shen Mochen directly. I’ve got something to attend to here.”
Before hanging up, Feng Zixu casually added, “Who knows, Shen Mochen might have a love child out there somewhere.”
Listening to the dial tone on the other end, Fu Tingchuan’s frown deepened.
A love child?
Who looked like Lin Yuxi?
The French meal was lavish.
Lin Chenghao, to maintain his figure as a child model, usually only ate until he was seventy percent full. This time was a rare exception.
Lin Yuxi called the server and ordered an extra set meal to go, asking Shen Mochen to bring it to Xiaoxiao on his way back.
“Sorry to trouble you.”
Shen Mochen took the bag from her. “No trouble at all.”
The two walked out of the restaurant side by side.
Shen Mochen offered, “Let me walk you back.”
It wasn’t far to Maple Grove Estates, but Xiaoxiao’s photoshoot studio was in the completely opposite direction.
Lin Yuxi politely declined, “No need, Haohao and I can take the bus.”
Shen Mochen replied, “Alright.”
The two adults walked ahead, while Lin Chenghao deliberately stayed behind. Lin Yuxi walked for a while before realizing her son was no longer in sight.
“Haohao?”
Lin Chenghao popped out from behind a car, “Mommy, I ate too much. I’ll walk slowly. Don’t worry about me.”
Lin Yuxi glanced at his stomach, “Do you want me to carry you?”
Lin Chenghao felt a bit exasperated, “Walking helps digestion. If someone carries me, I might throw up from the jostling.”
It didn’t sound like something her son would usually say, but Lin Yuxi didn’t press further, “Alright, but if you feel unwell, tell Mommy right away.”
Lin Chenghao replied, “Of course.”
The autumn temperature was just right. Lin Yuxi had only applied light makeup before heading out, and from the side, she exuded an understated elegance.
As they approached the bus stop, Shen Muchen carefully chose his words, “I heard Fu Tingchuan is back.”
Lin Yuxi’s expression remained unchanged, “Yes, he’s back.”
“How are things… between you two?”
Lin Yuxi smiled bitterly, “Soon, there won’t be an ‘us’ anymore.”
Shen Mochen immediately understood the situation between them.
No one knew why Fu Tingchuan had suddenly returned from the United States after seven years. Outsiders speculated it was because of Qin Ruoshi.
“Yuxi, about Haohao… I can help.”
Lin Yuxi wasn’t surprised to hear this.
Last time, she had asked Xiaoxiao to modify the hospital records. As the head of Shen Medical Group, it was natural for Shen Mochen to know.
Lin Yuxi probed, “Brother Mochen, do you have someone you like?”
Shen Mochen withdrew his gaze and looked toward the distant bus stop sign, “No.”
Lin Yuxi felt somewhat relieved, “If it becomes necessary later, I might consider finding someone to help cover things up.”
Shen Mochen nodded, “It’s safer to involve someone who already knows.”
Lin Yuxi pursed her lips, “Mm.”
If it really came to that, she seemed to have few options.
“Watch out!”
A sudden force pulled Lin Yuxi in the opposite direction, causing her to stumble unexpectedly into someone’s arms.
It turned out a reckless electric scooter had nearly run her over.
Fortunately, Shen Mochen had pulled her aside.
“Yuxi, are you okay? Are you hurt?”
Lin Yuxi rubbed her forehead and checked herself over. Seeing no injuries, her heartbeat gradually slowed, “I’m fine.”
Only then did she belatedly realize she was in Shen Mochen’s arms, breaching the usual social distance.
The last time she had crossed that boundary was during a meal with Shen Mochen.
A server had tripped, and boiling water nearly spilled on her. Shen Mochen had shielded her.
Unexpectedly, some low-tier media had captured the moment and sensationalized it.
Shen Mochen was nearly thirty, and the elders in the Shen family were eager for him to marry and have children. If this gossip were to spread, it would only cause misunderstandings.
Lin Yuxi stepped back, straightened up, and sincerely thanked him.
“Mommy!”
Lin Chenghao ran up from a distance, carefully inspecting her from head to toe. Only after ensuring Lin Yuxi was unharmed did he relax.
Lin Yuxi took his hand and held it tightly, “Mommy’s fine.”
Just as the bus arrived, Lin Chenghao waved goodbye, “Uncle Shen, Mom and I are heading off now. See you next time.”
Shen Mochen: “Goodbye.”
Watching the pair—one tall, one small—walk away, he then turned and made his way toward the parking lot.