The winter temperatures in Beizhou are highly unpredictable.
Just a few days ago, it was windy and snowy, but this morning, the temperature soared by nearly twenty degrees.
8 a.m., first floor of the villa.
Aunt Hui emerged from the dining room. “Sir, breakfast is ready.”
Fu Jinglan, already dressed in a crisp suit, was sitting on the center of the sofa sipping coffee. “We’ll start a bit later.”
He set down his coffee cup, stood up, and went upstairs to the second floor.
The bedroom curtains slowly opened.
In the distance, the sea below the mountain shimmered with golden light; closer by, the Lu Manor was as warm and vibrant as a spring day.
Closer still, Shen Lingxi lay sprawled in the middle of the large bed, still fast asleep.
Fu Jinglan walked over, bent down, and pinched Shen Lingxi’s cheek.
“Little bunny, time to get up and have breakfast.”
Shen Lingxi lazily fluttered her eyelashes, then rolled over, her morning grumpiness hitting her full force. “Hmph!”
Hmph?
“Shen Lingxi.”
Fu Jinglan straightened up. “You’d better not waste time. We have important matters to attend to today.”
Perhaps it was because Fu Jinglan’s bed was too comfortable.
The quilt was as light as feathers and could automatically adjust its temperature, always maintaining the most comfortable level for the body. Shen Lingxi simply couldn’t wake up.
Fu Jinglan glanced at his wristwatch. “Shen Lingxi, I’m giving you three minutes.”
At first, Shen Lingxi didn’t move a muscle.
Until a not-too-light, not-too-heavy “smack!”
Shen Lingxi flinched. Whether it was out of excessive alertness or not, she seemed to hear the sound of a belt buckle being undone.
Then came Fu Jinglan’s question, “Are you getting up or not?”
“Fine, I’ll get up.”
Shen Lingxi, her eyes half-closed, lazily rolled toward Fu Jinglan.
Finally, she knelt on the bed, wrapped her arms around his neck, and whined.
“I can get up, but you have to give me back my old phone and help me find Xiao Shushu’s contact information.”
Fu Jinglan’s shirt was impeccably pressed, his trousers perfectly straight, and his hair meticulously styled.
In contrast, Shen Lingxi clinging to him looked like a stubborn little pest.
“Shen Lingxi, skipping breakfast is bad for your health. Who exactly are you trying to threaten?”
Shen Lingxi kept her eyes shut, refusing to budge.
“I don’t care. This is your bed, after all. If I don’t get up, it’s you who’ll be annoyed.”
What kind of twisted logic was that?
Fu Jinglan picked up the phone he had given Shen Lingxi and entered a string of numbers.
“I can only agree to one condition.”
“Change into outdoor clothes and come downstairs for breakfast as soon as possible.”
Without another word, Fu Jinglan peeled off the clingy nuisance attached to him and left the bedroom.
…
“Shen Er.”
Shen Lingxi sat on the edge of the bed, pouting as she spoke to Shen Lanting on the phone.
Shen Lanting’s lips curled into a lazy smile. “Sweetheart, where are your manners? Is Fu Jinglan spoiling you too much?”
Shen Lingxi lifted her chin proudly. “Of course. No matter where I am, people adore me.”
“But what about you? Where are you? What have you been up to?”
Shen Lanting was in Nanzhou, where everything—every blade of grass and every tree—felt unfamiliar.
“Just trying to make a living.”
“And also trying to have a son. Otherwise, when will I ever manage to father eighty of them?”
Shen Lanting hadn’t forgotten his niece’s venomous curse.
The more relaxed her uncle sounded, the more uneasy Shen Lingxi felt. “Does your little puppy still want you?”
Shen Lanting chuckled into the wind.
“I told her my family went bankrupt and asked if she’d be okay with a monthly allowance of one million from now on. The little puppy just turned and ran away.”
Shen Lingxi’s mood suddenly sank. Shen Lanting must be heartbroken.
“Well, your little puppy doesn’t want you anymore.”
Shen Lanting remained as unserious as ever. “It’s fine. I’ll just find a new one.”
Shen Lingxi remembered Fu Jinglan telling her to hurry downstairs for breakfast.
She immediately asked the next question, “Uncle, do you actually know who destroyed our family?”
Shen Lanting looked at the unfamiliar Nanzhou. “I don’t know. Your father handled all the family business. How would I know who he offended this time?”
Shen Lingxi said, “Uncle, don’t do anything dangerous on your own.”
“Got it, sweetheart. That’s all for now. I’ll miss you.”
Shen Lanting ended the call and walked toward Jiang Qingyi, who was crying.
She was crouching under a tree in the hillside park.
The girl had an incredibly cute, youthful doll-like face, with long French Barbie curls, resembling a fluffy little puppy.
“Little one, doesn’t that hurt?”
The razor blade in Jiang Qingyi’s hand fell to the ground in fright.
Turning around, she saw a man standing behind the tree.
His hair was slicked back with a wolf-cut tail, gold-rimmed glasses—handsome, roguish, and slightly mature.
The watch beneath his shirt cuff peeked out, reflecting a dazzling light, while a silver ring adorned the middle finger of his left hand.
A mark of someone above the age threshold.
Jiang Qingyi wiped her tears. “Who are you? Why did you call me ‘little one’?”
“I’m a law professor at your university.” Shen Lanting approached and crouched down beside Jiang Qingyi. “Tell me, what’s troubling you?”
Jiang Qingyi couldn’t see the danger hidden in the professor’s eyes.
Shen Lingxi’s OOTD was a JK schoolgirl style.
A white shirt under a double-breasted, black waist-cinching blazer, paired with a plaid mini skirt and black stockings.
She hurried down from the second floor in her little leather shoes.
Her long black hair was styled with natural-looking waves that playfully bounced on her shoulders.
Her light, straight bangs swayed above her eyebrows.
Hearing the footsteps, Fu Jinglan turned his head, pausing for a few seconds.
Shen Lingxi was really… so beautiful, the kind of vibrant, lively beauty.
“Why are you running? The food isn’t cold yet,” Fu Jinglan asked.
Truly a rabbit, darting off as soon as she could.
“I didn’t want to keep you waiting.”
Shen Lingxi entered the dining room, smoothed her skirt, and sat down, immediately forking a piece of Wagyu beef into her mouth.
Fu Jinglan clearly noticed her eyes lighting up instantly.
Who was she afraid of keeping waiting? More like her stomach.
Little glutton.
Shen Lingxi ate happily, cheeks puffed as she asked Fu Jinglan, “Oh, ancient Greek god of beauty, where are we going today?”
Shen Lingxi always came up with all sorts of nicknames.
Fu Jinglan was somewhat used to it. He was cutting his steak, not lifting his eyes, and replied casually:
“Beiling Temple.”
“Oh, it’s Sunday, and the weather’s warm. It’ll probably be crowded.”
Shen Lingxi knew of Beiling Temple, the most popular temple in Beizhou.
It was always packed with visitors, especially on weekends when it was even more bustling.
But Shen Lingxi couldn’t imagine what Fu Jinglan would seek at Beiling Temple.
He seemed to have everything one could desire in this world.
What else could he possibly ask for?
Twenty minutes later, a black extended Bentley pulled up in front of the villa.
Mu Suizhou rolled down the driver’s side window and couldn’t help but remark, “What lovely weather.”
He and Fu Jinglan had rarely seen the sun as children.
Fu Jinglan walked out of the villa first, with Shen Lingxi following behind him like a child, applying lip gloss as she walked.
Mu Suizhou distinctly felt the air turn milky and sweet.
“Good morning,” he greeted with a smile.
“Morning,” Fu Jinglan replied simply. The two were so familiar that their interactions were casual.
Just then, Shen Lingxi peeked out from behind Fu Jinglan, her hair blown by the wind, and cheerfully said, “Good morning, thanks for your hard work.”
Fu Jinglan glanced back at Shen Lingxi.
With such a sweet mouth, she was already providing emotional support.
“Shen Lingxi, he’s my secretary-general, not yours.”
“Ah, I know.” Shen Lingxi said while pushing Fu Jinglan toward the passenger seat, “I’m not trying to steal him from you.”
It would be much nicer for her to sit alone in the back and play on her phone.
Her little phone was the most fun.
But Shen Lingxi didn’t notice that Fu Jinglan seemed to be getting upset.
…
The journey from Lu Manor to Beiling Temple took over two hours.
After descending the mountain, the car followed the coastal road, offering an open view, but all that could be seen was the shimmering sea.
So much so that Shen Lingxi increasingly felt the need to use the restroom.
The car was very quiet. She reached out and tapped Fu Jinglan’s shoulder.
He didn’t turn around.
Shen Lingxi then poked the back of Fu Jinglan’s neck with her fingertip.
He remained completely still.
The person sitting in front wasn’t a wax figure—clearly, Fu Jinglan was doing this on purpose.
What’s wrong now, Miss Fu!
Shen Lingxi couldn’t care less. She grabbed Fu Jinglan’s arm with both hands and shook it, calling out in a sweet, cooing voice,
“d-^^y,” then drawing out the ending, “d-^^y~”
Mu Suizhou seemed to suffer a sudden shock, frantically tapping the brakes. The extended Bentley lurched to a sudden halt.
Fu Jinglan finally turned around with a cold expression.
Reluctantly, he asked, “What do you want?”
Shen Lingxi leaned forward, pressing close to Fu Jinglan’s ear, and whispered softly.
“I need to go.”