6 – Protecting Her?
Fu Chenyan propped his head on one hand, quietly watching Sang Ran eat. He seemed very patient, or perhaps he was looking at something else—he narrowed his eyes and didn’t look away for a long time.
Sang Ran finally finished the last steamed dumpling and let out a small burp. This was the fullest she’d ever been after a meal.
Fu Chenyan seemed to think it wasn’t enough and added a piece of snowflake steak to her bowl.
“Eat.”
The doll-like girl in front of him seemed upset. She looked up, her dark, almond-shaped eyes misting over. Her pink lips pouted slightly as she gave Fu Chenyan a wronged look.
“I don’t want to eat anymore.”
She lowered her head and said in a small voice.
“Hm?”
“Not eating anymore?”
Fu Chenyan’s tone was slightly cool, his final syllable suddenly rising.
Sang Ran’s lashes trembled. She looked up to sneak a glance at Fu Chenyan, then immediately lowered her eyes, both hands nervously clutching the hem of her skirt.
“Mm, I’m full. I don’t want to eat anymore.”
Fu Chenyan curved his lips slightly—so faintly it might have been an illusion.
“You’re full after eating so little?”
“Mm, I don’t want any more.”
Sang Ran lowered her head to look at her own toes, then her gaze drifted to Fu Chenyan’s black leather shoes. She lifted her foot and lightly stepped on them, but didn’t dare press too hard, quickly pulling her leg back.
Just step on Fu Chenyan—let him bully her, making her eat so much she was about to burst.
Fu Chenyan was a bad person. She was going to tell her dad that Fu Chenyan was the worst and that he bullied her.
Fu Chenyan took in the girl’s little actions, a trace of amusement flashing through his eyes, though his tone remained indifferent. “Hm? What were you doing just now?”
“Nothing. I didn’t do anything.”
Sang Ran shook her head like a rattle-drum, her round eyes innocent and pitiful.
“Really?”
“Mm.”
Sang Ran nodded, pushing the bowl toward Fu Chenyan’s hand. Her soft, sweet voice rang out, “You eat it. It’s really good.”
Fu Chenyan picked up a steamed dumpling from Sang Ran’s bowl and took a bite. Beside him, Li Yi’s eyes suddenly widened, as if he’d witnessed something unbelievable.
Fu Chenyan finished everything left in Sang Ran’s bowl, then stood up. “Let’s go. Time to see my father.”
“Okay.”
Fu Chenyan stopped again, staring at Sang Ran’s hair for a long while. Her slightly wavy hair was a mess, the ends tangled into a chaotic clump.
“Your hair.”
“I already combed it.”
“Combed it?”
Fu Chenyan smoothed down Sang Ran’s sticking-up bangs, then searched the room for a long time without finding a comb. It seemed there were no women’s items here.
“Li Yi, have someone prepare some things for her use. I want to see everything when I return today.”
“Yes, Fifth Master.”
Fu Chenyan led Sang Ran into the car. Sang Ran shifted her body to the side, trying to put as much distance as possible between herself and Fu Chenyan.
“Afraid of me?”
Sang Ran didn’t speak, only pouting her pink lips, looking none too happy. Though Fu Chenyan had never seen her in a good mood anyway.
He reached out and touched the girl’s soft cheek. For some reason, seeing her like this made him want to bully her in the worst way.
And Fu Chenyan did exactly that.
Sang Ran’s face was gently tugged again, hurting a little. She furrowed her delicate brows and looked at the culprit before her, but he seemed to have no reaction at all—he simply tugged her cheek again.
He even warned her in a cold voice, “Don’t cry.”
Sang Ran rubbed her eyes in grievance, holding back her tears, crystal droplets clinging to her curled lashes.
She didn’t know why Fu Chenyan was so mean, why he loved bullying her so much.
Fu Chenyan said, “Don’t cry. If you cry again, I’ll throw you out of here.”
Li Yi: “…”
Their Fifth Master seemed to especially enjoy bullying this young mistress…
Sang Ran sat there obediently, not daring to cry anymore. She just sniffled in grievance, then picked up her phone to tattle—only to have the phone snatched away too.
“Going to tattle to someone?”
Fu Chenyan idly toyed with the phone in his hand, his fingertips brushing lightly over the pink rabbit phone case. In his hand, the pink phone looked completely out of place.
“Give me back my phone.”
Sang Ran’s voice was a little urgent. She reached out to grab her phone, but at the sight of that icy face and those pupils like a cold pool, she withdrew her hand.
“Behave yourself for a while, and I’ll give your phone back.”
With that, Fu Chenyan put the phone in his pocket, right next to his own.
The two phones were the exact same model—one deep blue, the other pink.
Sang Ran furrowed her delicate brows, cursing Fu Chenyan out in her mind many times over.
“Is Grandpa Fu feeling better?” Sang Ran asked again.
“Grandpa?”
Fu Chenyan glanced sideways at the woman beside him. Well, that was fair—the old man was old enough to be her grandfather and then some.
“From now on, call him Dad. Don’t get the generation wrong.”
Sang Ran was silent for two seconds, then obediently said, “Okay.”
Fu Chenyan gave a few more instructions, though given Sang Ran’s status, she wouldn’t suffer much bullying anyway.
The car came to a stop at the old estate. The massive building stood on prime land, overlooking all the smaller structures around it.
Sang Ran got out of the car and followed behind Fu Chenyan. His legs were long, and once again, she was left far behind him.
Many members of the media captured this scene from a distance, and some even boldly approached Sang Ran.
“Miss Sang, may we ask—was this marriage of convenience voluntary on your part?”
“Miss Sang, netizens are saying you should let Fifth Master go. What are your thoughts on that?”
“Miss Sang, do you think you’re worthy of Fifth Master?”
“We heard there’s already a divorce countdown trending online. What do you think about that, Miss Sang? Care to share with us?”
Sang Ran faced the cameras for the first time, surrounded by so many strangers. Her lashes fluttered nervously as she was startled into stepping back, a mist of tears forming in her doe-like eyes.
Just then, Fu Chenyan stepped in front of her. His large hand wrapped around her wrist—his hand was hot, warm, and his back seemed to offer a sense of safety.
He looked down at the media with a cold, condescending gaze, his voice icy. “She’s not accepting any interviews.”
Immediately after, the black-suited bodyguards beside Fu Chenyan blocked the media from getting closer.
“Fifth Master, was this marriage of convenience voluntary on your part?”
“What do you think about the divorce countdown trending online?”
Fu Chenyan turned his head coldly. “There won’t be a divorce.” Then he pulled Sang Ran into the old estate.
Sang Ran looked at her wrist—Fu Chenyan was still holding it, leading her along. But his legs were too long, and Sang Ran’s body stumbled, crashing directly into Fu Chenyan’s back.
“Mm…”
Sang Ran clutched her forehead, which had been knocked sore, her eyes welling up with tears.
Fu Chenyan turned around. “Don’t cry. You’re hopelessly clumsy.”
“It’s because you walk too fast,” Sang Ran muttered softly, one hand pressing against her aching forehead.
Fu Chenyan’s entire body was rock hard—every time she bumped into him, it was like hitting a wall!!
Suddenly, Sang Ran felt her whole body become weightless as she was lifted up. Almost instinctively, she wrapped her arms around Fu Chenyan’s neck.