After dinner, Grandfather and Fu Cheng Shen went to the study to discuss matters, while Fu Shen Nan had plans with friends and left first.
Su Luoyan sat on the sofa and picked up the magazine that Fu Cheng Shen and Fu Shen Nan had been reading earlier. What was so magical about it that both of them had been so engrossed?
She realized it was the latest issue of GIRLS. Founded in 1998, GIRLS was originally a magazine published by a subsidiary of the Fu Group. In 2005, Fu Shen Nan officially took over and implemented sweeping reforms, revamping the magazine’s content from top to bottom. Focusing on women’s issues from a contemporary perspective, it ultimately achieved a sales miracle that year. In 2015, it officially became independent from the group company, with Fu Shen Nan as its legal representative, granting it absolute autonomy.
Today, GIRLS is one of China’s top-tier magazines and one of the three major women’s publications, with countless celebrities vying to grace its monthly cover.
Fu Shen Nan has publicly stated that the founding principle of GIRLS is to empower more women to be themselves, independent of the tainted world, and to transmit this strength to every woman through the magazine.
To this day, GIRLS continues to uphold this philosophy. In addition to featuring entertainment stars and fashion trends, it includes a section called “The Second Sex,” inspired by Simone de Beauvoir’s book of the same name. This section interviews ordinary women—whether salesclerks or scientists—regardless of their status or identity, emphasizing that every woman has the equal right to pursue her true self.
During Su Luoyan’s school days, almost every girl in her class owned a copy of GIRLS. It seemed that if you hadn’t read the latest issue, you weren’t fit to join their circle.
Thanks to her connection with Fu Shen Nan, Su Luoyan often had access to sample copies at home before the magazine was even released. Occasionally, her classmates would ask her about the latest theme or which female celebrity was featured in the current issue.
Su Luoyan flipped to “The Second Sex” section. This issue’s interview featured a clothing designer who was also a cultural inheritor of qipao craftsmanship. The interviewee was 52 years old, having started as an apprentice at 15 and continuing to sew qipaos to this day.
She mentioned that in her era, there was no concept of a “fashion designer”—they were called “tailors.” They were taught hands-on by master craftsmen, and when she completed her first qipao, her master told her, “You have graduated.”
At that moment, she experienced the joy of being a tailor. When a customer tried on and purchased a qipao she had made in the shop, the sense of accomplishment surpassed even the happiness of earning money.
A sense of accomplishment…
Su Luoyan stared at these words, lost in thought. What exactly was a sense of accomplishment? ANN had mentioned this term to her before, but she still couldn’t grasp it.
As she was lost in thought, her phone vibrated. Su Luoyan checked WeChat and saw a message from Sun Yuyu, asking her to meet with the costume director of the film crew next week.
Su Luoyan replied, “Okay.”
Then she put down the magazine. It seemed she needed to prepare materials for her meeting with the costume director next week.
The lights in Su Luoyan’s room were off. After entering and closing the door, she reached out to turn them on.The result was being pulled by the wrist, turned around, held by the hand, with her arm pressed against the wall. A familiar scent enveloped her—a faint hint of smoke mixed with the fragrance of freesia, very similar to the scent on her.
In this ambiguous and silent space, their breaths mingled together, and Su Luoyan’s breathing was particularly noticeable.
Su Luoyan twisted her wrist, trying to break free from his restraint, her voice low and quiet. “We’re in the Fu residence. We can’t act recklessly.”
After she spoke, her wrist was gripped even tighter. She heard a low chuckle, followed by a teasing remark, “What will you do if I don’t let go?”
What could she do?
Su Luoyan thought about it and realized she couldn’t do much.
Feeling a bit wronged, she accused him, “Fu Cheng Shen, are you just taking advantage of the fact that I don’t dare to do anything?”
“You think I’m obedient and easy to control.”
Another low chuckle. Su Luoyan couldn’t move her hands, but her legs were free, so she kicked out directly. A pained groan followed.
“Now you’re trying to murder your husband, huh?”
Fu Cheng Shen released her. Su Luoyan wanted to ask if he was okay, if it hurt, but the words never left her mouth. Relying on memory, she turned on the wall switch, and the entire room lit up. The fluorescent light spilled over both of them, casting two shadows on the floor that seemed to be kissing.
Su Luoyan laughed mockingly to herself. Husband? They weren’t even boyfriend and girlfriend, so where did “husband” come from?
“You should leave.”
Su Luoyan brushed past him and sat by the bed, plugging in her phone to charge.
Fu Cheng Shen walked over, half-kneeling in front of her, and lifted his hand to pinch her chin, forcing her eyes to meet his.
Su Luoyan made no effort to hide her resentment and hurt.
“Are you upset?”
Su Luoyan didn’t respond.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have kissed you in the backyard this afternoon.”
“…” Su Luoyan felt like she was about to explode. “Is that the problem?”
Fu Cheng Shen looked at her pouting face and couldn’t resist pinching her cheek. Su Luoyan had already removed her makeup, her face fresh and clean, soft and tender, with a delightful texture.
Su Luoyan slapped away his hand. “Don’t change the subject.”
“Don’t be angry, okay?” Fu Cheng Shen took her hand, which was resting on her knee. Because she often painted, Su Luoyan rarely did her nails. They were clean, pink, and delicate—her fingers were beautiful.
“I don’t dare to be angry. I just don’t want Grandpa Fu to be upset.” Having grown up under someone else’s roof, she knew that the hardest thing in the world to repay was a favor.
“Yan Er, leave everything to me, okay?”
Su Luoyan looked at him, her eyes asking what he meant.
Fu Cheng Shen didn’t answer. Instead of half-kneeling, he sat on the bed, wrapping an arm around Su Luoyan’s shoulder while still holding her hand with the other.
“When are you going home?”
“Next week. I’ll stay here this weekend to keep Aunt company.”
“Okay.”
After saying this, he kissed the back of her hand. “Leave the door open for me tonight.”