The two parted on less than amicable terms. Su Luoyan sat on the rug beside the bed, feeling dejected. Clutching her black-screened phone, a sour ache welled up inside her, choking her voice. A chill seemed to seep into her bones.
She burrowed under the covers, just like she used to as a child—whenever something troubled her, she would hide beneath the blankets, hoping a good sleep would make it all go away.
In the afternoon, Grandfather returned from fishing with his old friend. A servant came upstairs to notify her, and only then did she emerge from the covers, get dressed, and go downstairs.
When she descended, Fu Cheng Shen was sitting on the sofa, one leg crossed over the other, leaning back against the cushions. One arm rested along the top of the sofa back, and on his lap lay a magazine—the same one Fu Shen Nan had been reading at noon. Fu Cheng Shen flipped through the pages, occasionally exchanging a few words with Grandfather.
At the staircase landing, their eyes met. Fu Cheng Shen gave her a deep, inscrutable glance before returning his attention to the magazine, leaving his thoughts entirely unreadable.
Su Luoyan noticed he had changed into loungewear. When he arrived, he had been wearing a dark blue pinstripe suit with a black overcoat, which accentuated his tall, straight figure and commanding presence. Now, he wore a gray sweater and casual pants, giving him a much more approachable, almost boyish look—more like a graduate student on campus than a corporate executive.
As she drew closer, she could hear Grandfather discussing the evening’s dinner.
“How about steamed fish? I remember Yan Yan loves it. That child can’t handle anything too spicy.”
“Anything is fine. Whatever you prefer, Grandfather.”
Seeing Su Luoyan come downstairs, Grandfather waved her over. She took the single armchair to his right, while Fu Cheng Shen sat directly across from her. She tried her best not to look his way.
“Grandpa Fu, what were you talking about?”
“Yan Yan, perfect timing. I caught a few fish today. Would you prefer them braised or steamed?”
Su Luoyan placed her hands on her knees and turned slightly toward Grandfather. “How about steamed? It’s lighter, and better for your health at your age.”
Grandfather nodded with a smile. “Then let’s tell the kitchen to prepare them steamed.”
Just then, Fu Shen Nan also came downstairs, holding what looked like an album or a scrapbook.
Spotting Fu Cheng Shen on the sofa, Fu Shen Nan teased, “Well, if it isn’t our CEO Fu. What brings you back home?”
Fu Cheng Shen glanced up at her, sensing an underlying tone in her words. “Just came to see Grandfather.”
Fu Shen Nan handed the album to Grandfather and sat down beside him. She crossed her legs, adjusted the shawl over her shoulders, and with her hair pinned up loosely with a hairpin, she exuded a relaxed, almost languid air. “Perfect timing. You can help give some input too.”
Her gaze then shifted to Su Luoyan. “Yan Yan, you’ll have to choose carefully today.”
Su Luoyan looked puzzled. “Aunt, what do you mean?”
Grandfather chuckled and explained, “I went fishing with Old Man Li at noon. It turns out his granddaughter is also of marriageable age. We got to talking, and he mentioned that a matchmaker recently sent him some ‘good material.’ I borrowed it from him for a few days.”
Su Luoyan leaned in for a closer look as Grandfather opened the first page of the album. This wasn’t just an album—it was practically a dossier of personal profiles.The man’s photo, height, age, education, hobbies, and even zodiac sign were clearly listed. Not only that, but besides the ID photo, there were also unedited candid shots.
Su Luoyan was stunned. Matchmakers these days were truly formidable—they could dig up every detail of your romantic history and even uncover disciplinary records from elementary school. With such skills, it would be a shame not to work as a paparazzo.
Old Master Fu, wearing reading glasses, was fully focused on the photos. “This one’s looks are too ugly… This one looks good, but he was detained for drunk driving—that won’t do… This one seems fine, he’s in the same industry as Yan Yan, but he’s already had seven relationships at such a young age. Too fickle… What about this one?”
Su Luoyan: “…”
Grandfather turned to look at Fu Cheng Shen, who was acting as if it had nothing to do with him. “Cheng Shen, come take a look too. This concerns your sister’s lifelong happiness.”
Fu Shen Nan’s gaze shifted between the two of them with a knowing smile. “That’s right, Cheng Shen. Help Yan Yan consider her options. After all, you young people interact more, and you have a better understanding of their character and personality. All the promising young talents of Jingbei are here.”
Fu Cheng Shen remained calm and composed. He leaned forward slightly and uncrossed his legs. “Promising young talents of Jingbei? Then we really should choose carefully. If there’s a suitable one, on the wedding day, as her brother, I will surely send my sister off in grand style.”
Though the words sounded like a blessing, Su Luoyan heard them as a clear threat. If she dared to actually pick one, he would dare to make sure the wedding never happened.
To make matters worse, Grandfather added fuel to the fire. “Yan Yan, you should pick one too. If you find someone you like, we can invite them over for a meal another day.”
Su Luoyan: “…”
She felt as if she were selecting a consort in ancient times.
“Grandpa Fu, you said these are the promising young talents of Jingbei. They surely don’t lack female admirers. What if I take a liking to someone and invite them home, and they happen to like me too? Then it’s mutual affection. But if they don’t, wouldn’t I just be making a fool of myself, appearing too eager? If word gets out, I might not mind, but gossip is a fearsome thing. I’d become the subject of idle chatter over tea.”
Grandfather thought about it and realized there was some truth to that. When choosing a wife, one looks for virtue—not only domestic skills but also a good reputation.
“Well, that’s no problem. Let’s first see which ones are more suitable. Once we find someone, we can figure out what to do next.”
Su Luoyan gave Fu Cheng Shen a pitiful look, hoping he would help resolve the situation.
Fu Cheng Shen glanced at her with an inscrutable expression and took the photo album from Grandfather’s hands. “Grandfather, Yan Yan just returned to Jingbei, and she’s still young. Let her stay at home and keep you company for a couple more years. That way, she can also get to know the promising young talents of Jingbei better.”
Grandfather, however, was not at all pleased with Fu Cheng Shen’s words. “If you want to remain a bachelor, don’t drag your sister into it.”
Fu Cheng Shen: “…”
“What about this one? He’s three years older than Yan Yan, attended the same high school, comes from a good family, and even won some kind of technology newcomer award…”
Seeing Grandfather’s enthusiasm, Su Luoyan sighed silently to herself. It seemed Grandfather was determined to find her a husband.