On the way back, Su Luoyan received a call from Fu Cheng Shen’s aunt, Fu Shen Nan.
“Aunt.”
“Yan Yan, if it weren’t for Xiao Si accidentally letting it slip yesterday, would you have kept your return a secret from us?”
Hearing Fu Shen Nan’s accusation, Su Luoyan quickly explained, “Aunt, you’ve misunderstood. I had a job interview today and planned to visit the Fu residence in a couple of days when I had some free time.”
Upon hearing that she was job hunting, Fu Shen Nan asked a few more questions, “Have you found anything yet? Would you consider working at my magazine?”
Su Luoyan replied, “Aunt, don’t joke around. I studied fashion design, not literature or media.”
“Just teasing you,” Fu Shen Nan continued, “Do you have any companies in mind? I can recommend you.”
As the president of a fashion magazine, Fu Shen Nan was well-connected with many brand designers and executives, giving her access to numerous resources. Her recommendation would carry more weight than any certificate.
“No need, Aunt! I can handle it myself.” Su Luoyan knew Fu Shen Nan was sincere, but she didn’t want to rely on her aunt’s connections.
Her senior had kindly introduced her to a job, but it had already caused enough unpleasantness. She didn’t want a repeat of that, or she’d truly become nothing more than a decorative vase, relying solely on others for opportunities.
“Alright then, I won’t interfere. If you’re free this afternoon, come over to the old residence for lunch.”
“Sure, I’ll head over now.”
Su Luoyan had nothing planned for the afternoon, so she set the navigation to the Fu residence. It had been a long time since she’d seen Grandfather anyway.
The car wound its way up the mountain road toward the affluent district. As they drove, the number of vehicles dwindled, with only the occasional luxury car passing by.
At one point, a Porsche pulled up close to her car. In the passenger seat sat a young boy with dyed green hair, wearing a leather jacket—the picture of a rebellious youth. He rolled down the window and whistled at her.
Su Luoyan wished there were traffic police on the road so she could report him immediately. In such cold weather, leaving the window open like that was just asking for trouble.
Eventually, Su Luoyan decided to engage in a bit of a race with them. Her driving skills had been personally taught by Fu Cheng Shen, and she wasn’t afraid of anyone.
In the end, the provocative Porsche was left far behind.
What a joke, overestimating themselves.
The Fu family’s old residence was enormous. The first time Su Luoyan visited, she was utterly astonished, wondering if it was a tourist attraction. Just walking from the main gate to the house took nearly half an hour. At the entrance stood a grand fountain, while the backyard housed koi ponds, an indoor swimming pool, a billiards table, and other recreational facilities.
The security guard opened the gate for Su Luoyan, and she drove along the driveway into the underground garage, which was filled with luxury cars.
The Fu family’s love for cars truly ran in the blood, from the oldest to the youngest. The most vintage among them was likely the Red Flag, which Grandfather had purchased in his early years and now kept in the garage as an antique.
After parking, Su Luoyan, too lazy to walk, took the elevator directly to the ground floor. Uncle Chong, the butler, was carrying a flowerpot toward the backyard when he recognized her.
Uncle Chong took a closer look before daring to confirm her identity, exclaiming with delight, “Miss Su, you’re back!”
“Uncle Chong, it’s been a long time,” Su Luoyan greeted him with a nod.Uncle Chong had watched Su Luoyan grow up, and seeing her now, he felt a wave of emotion. “You’ve grown more and more beautiful. I almost didn’t recognize you just now. But you’ve lost weight—life abroad must have been tough. I hear foreigners love eating things like hamburgers and ham. How could that stuff be nutritious?”
Uncle Chong rambled on, but his words made her nose sting. Back when she lived with the Fu family, Uncle Chong had always doted on her, and even now, he still did.
Su Luoyan smiled at him. “Uncle Chong, there are other foods abroad too—Chinese restaurants, lots of Chinese people. I lived quite well.”
Uncle Chong felt relieved. “That’s good, that’s good. Will you stay for lunch today?”
Su Luoyan nodded. “I’ll stay today to have lunch with Aunt and Grandpa Fu.”
“Great. I’ll tell the kitchen to prepare a few more of your favorite dishes.”
“Thank you, Uncle Chong.” Su Luoyan flashed a sweet smile.
“No need to be so polite with me. Hurry inside to see Grandfather and Miss Shen Nan.”
“Alright, I’ll go in now. See you later.”
As Su Luoyan reached the doorway, she felt a sense of trepidation, as if returning home after a long absence. She stood there for a moment before pushing the door open.
Fu Shen Nan knew she was coming and had been waiting in the living room. She was now lounging on a leather sofa worth over a hundred thousand yuan, flipping through a magazine.
Hearing footsteps, she gracefully placed the magazine back on the table, sat up from the sofa, and adjusted her shawl. Every movement exuded the charm of a mature woman.
“Aunt, I’m back.” Without even putting down her bag, Su Luoyan went straight to Fu Shen Nan and hugged her, wrapping her arms around her neck and acting coquettishly, just like when she was a child.
Fu Shen Nan looked up and touched her face. “Still just like when you were little, always so fond of acting spoiled.”
Her words sounded dismissive, but her face was full of indulgence. In the entire Fu family, aside from Fu Cheng Shen, Fu Shen Nan was the one who spoiled Su Luoyan the most, almost treating her as her own child, which in a way made up for a regret in her heart.
“When I’m with Aunt, I just want to be a little girl.”
“Alright, then be a little girl when you’re with Aunt,” she said, turning to look at Su Luoyan, her dark eyes filled with complex emotions.
Su Luoyan knew that Aunt was looking at her as if seeing someone else—someone she deeply loved but could never return.
Not wanting Fu Shen Nan to dwell in such emotions, Su Luoyan deliberately glanced around. “Aunt, where’s Grandpa Fu? I don’t see him.”
“Grandfather heard you were coming and waited downstairs for a long time. His body couldn’t hold up, so he went upstairs to rest.”
“Is Grandpa Fu doing alright now?” Su Luoyan asked with concern.
Fu Shen Nan smiled gently. “He’s doing well, full of energy every day, collecting information on eligible young ladies to introduce to Cheng Shen. Cheng Shen is so afraid of it that he doesn’t dare come back now.”
Hearing this, Su Luoyan felt a pang in her heart, but she tried her best to maintain a calm expression on the surface.
She said something contrary to her feelings, “Blind dates? That’s good. Brother Shen isn’t young anymore.”
“Yes, now that you’re back, you probably won’t escape it either.” Since Grandfather retired, he hasn’t had any other hobbies—he just loves meddling in the younger generation’s marriages.
Whether it’s his own grandson or the younger relatives from the extended family, whenever they visit Grandfather, no one can avoid this topic.
“Aunt, I’m still young.”
Fu Shen Nan wasn’t buying it and smirked mischievously. “Tell that to Grandfather.”He sighed, “Grandfather is too lonely; you should come and keep him company more often when you have time.”