2
This Is Not Your Concern
Lin Yuxi stood outside the car, hesitated for a moment, and took a step to the side.
Next… probably the back seat, right?
She settled into the rear seat.
As her back touched the leather upholstery, it seemed to still carry a lingering warmth.
Fu Tingchuan’s gaze fell on Lin Yuxi’s face through the rearview mirror, his brow imperceptibly furrowing.
The car slowly started moving.
Lin Yuxi looked out the window, wondering when she should send her car in for repairs.
Before the New Year, while out shopping, she had noticed subsidies for electric vehicles and decided to sell her old gas-powered car to switch to an electric one.
But just a few months later, it had been damaged in a collision—a frustration she couldn’t even voice.
“Yuxi, how have you been these past seven years?” Qin Ruoshi suddenly asked.
Lin Yuxi was taken aback.
During their school days, Qin Ruoshi had never paid her any mind, speaking to her no more than three times in total. Now, seven years later, she was acting unusually familiar.
“I’ve been fine.”
Qin Ruoshi nodded. “If I remember correctly, you majored in artificial intelligence for your undergraduate degree. Did you end up working in a related field after graduation?”
Sort of, but not entirely.
After graduating, Lin Yuxi had sent her resume to many AI companies.
As an outstanding graduate of Jing University with a high GPA, she had easily passed the interviews.
But once she joined a company, she found that the entire department was almost entirely male. As the only woman, she was marginalized.
Neither her superiors nor her colleagues believed a woman could achieve much, assigning her tasks that were more like odd jobs.
On top of that, taking maternity leave had cost her many opportunities to change jobs.
Lin Yuxi replied, “I’m in the R&D department at Yuntu Tech.”
Qin Ruoshi nodded in agreement. “That’s a well-known company.”
She then looked ahead and said, “Tingchuan, I believe you’ve invested in Yuntu, haven’t you?”
Lin Yuxi looked over in surprise.
He was an investor in Yuntu?!
In seven years at the company, she had never known about this.
Fu Tingchuan gave a faint “Mm,” confirming Qin Ruoshi’s words.
Lin Yuxi’s heart raced wildly.
Did he know, then, that she had taken maternity leave?
After the chaos seven years ago, she had discovered she was unexpectedly pregnant.
By then, Fu Tingchuan had already gone abroad.
She had called him countless times, but the line always showed that the other party was busy.
Eventually, she realized her number had been blocked.
Fu Tingchuan despised her—how could he possibly allow her to keep the child?
Back then, Lin Yuxi had shut herself indoors for three full days, refusing to see anyone.
Having lost both parents in her childhood and her grandparents during college, she had no family left in this world.
This tiny life felt like the last trace of warmth heaven had granted her.
When she finally stepped out again, Lin Yuxi went to the hospital for a prenatal checkup and picked up supplements.
She wanted a family.
A family of her own.
And so, hiding it from everyone in the Fu family, she secretly gave birth to Haohao.
…
For the rest of the ride, Lin Yuxi kept stealing glances at Fu Tingchuan’s profile, trying to gauge whether he knew about the child.
He probably didn’t.
Otherwise, he would have confronted her long ago.
Truth be told, Lin Yuxi had no intention of letting him find out.
She was afraid Fu Tingchuan would fight her for custody of Haohao.
A mother barely making ends meet versus a wealthy, influential father—there was no question how a judge would rule.
She couldn’t possibly win.
Qin Ruoshi soon got off in the western suburbs, bending down to thank them. “Tingchuan, see you tonight without fail.”
She paused for a moment before asking again, “Yuxi, there’s a welcome party at the downtown bar tonight. Would you like to come?”
The welcome party was likely arranged for Fu Tingchuan.
Lin Yuxi had never been fond of such occasions, and attending would only make her feel like a clown.
She preferred to keep things quiet. “I have plans tonight. You all go ahead and enjoy yourselves.”
“Alright, we’ll catch up another time then.”
Qin Ruoshi closed the car door, pulling her purple suitcase as she walked away.
Her retreating figure was bold and unrestrained.
Lin Yuxi knew that kind of confidence came from a privileged upbringing—something she herself lacked.
Now only two people remained in the car.
Fu Tingchuan hadn’t started the engine yet, as if waiting for something.
Summoning her courage, Lin Yuxi began, “Seven years ago…”
“Sit in the front.”
Fu Tingchuan cut her off.
“Oh.”
So when he had told her to sit elsewhere, he meant the passenger seat.
Lin Yuxi moved to the front.
Throughout the drive, she kept her head down, fidgeting with the charm on her bag.
Once interrupted, the courage to speak seemed hard to regain.
“Where do you live?”
Lin Yuxi snapped her head toward Fu Tingchuan and quickly waved her hands. “No need, I can drive myself back later.”
Her jumpy demeanor inexplicably irritated him. “I have time to spare.”
Reluctantly, Lin Yuxi gave her address.
Fu Tingchuan drove with practiced ease, as if he had been driving himself all these years in the U.S.
But Lin Yuxi knew that couldn’t be true—he would never lack for a driver.
“What were you going to say earlier?” Fu Tingchuan brought up the earlier topic again.
Lin Yuxi pressed her lips together, debating whether to explain what happened seven years ago or… bring up divorce.
She had thought that Fu Tingchuan’s return meant his resentment toward her had lessened.
But after seeing Qin Ruoshi, she realized she had been too optimistic.
Fu Tingchuan probably wanted a divorce so he could be with Qin Ruoshi openly.
Either way, Lin Yuxi felt she needed to offer an explanation.
“That incident seven years ago when I was drunk—it wasn’t my doing.”
As if afraid he wouldn’t believe her, she added, “If I had wanted to profit from this marriage, I would have made a move long before now.”
If he had bothered to check, he would have seen that this marriage had brought her far more harm than good.
A long time passed without a single word from Fu Tingchuan.
She had no idea whether he believed her or not.
“You and Qin Ruoshi…”
“That’s none of your concern.” Fu Tingchuan cut her off, his tone sharp. “Why aren’t you living in the house at Songhu Bay?”
That house was their marital home.
Lin Yuxi had moved out after discovering she was pregnant.
Not wanting to reveal Hao Hao’s existence, she replied softly, “I don’t like it.”
Fu Tingchuan’s expression darkened.
Hah. Don’t like it.
“Get out.”
Lin Yuxi’s eyelashes fluttered. Only then did she glance outside and realize they had already arrived at the entrance of Maple Grove Residence.
Why was she the one getting out?
Fu Tingchuan rarely offered explanations, but he did so now: “Someone will return the car tomorrow after it’s repaired.”
Lin Yuxi stared at him in surprise.
“Get out,” Fu Tingchuan repeated. “You can’t park here for long.”
Confused but compliant, Lin Yuxi pushed the car door open and leaned in to say, “I’ll pay you back as soon as possible.”
Her only reply was the white electric car speeding away, leaving behind a trail of exhaust.