The moment her words landed, Shang Wan suddenly raised her hand and pushed over the entire champagne tower beside her.
Hundreds of exquisitely crafted crystal glasses shattered in response, emitting a piercing, resonant clatter.
Countless streams of champagne splashed and sprayed, scattering like celestial blossoms toward Miss Dong, who was closely following behind Fu Chen—
Splattering and soaking the hem of her dress.
This elegant heiress experienced for the first time in her life what it meant to be utterly disheveled.
Shang Wan calmly took a napkin from nearby, raised her hand to wipe away the few droplets of champagne that had splashed onto Miss Dong’s cheek, and said to her, “Sorry, I’m a very jealous person. I don’t like other girls getting too close to my boyfriend. I hope you understand.”
The crowd fell silent.
Fu Chen also froze.
Before this, although Fu Chen had experienced something as outrageous as Shang Nanzhi drugging him, he truly hadn’t imagined that Shang Nanzhi was someone who could go to such lengths.
Miss Dong stared blankly at Shang Wan.
Her mind was a tangled mess, yet she instinctively asked the question she most wanted to know: “You… you and Fu Chen are dating?”
Shang Wan tilted her head and smiled:
“Yes—
“So, someone who has a girlfriend yet secretly goes on a blind date with you is likely to cheat even after marriage. I suggest you don’t try to compete with me.”
Miss Dong: “…”
Fu Chen: “…”
The commotion was too loud. At the center of the crowd, the elders of both families had already furrowed their brows tightly.
Fu Chen’s father, Fu Jiayan, as the host of the evening banquet, was the first to step forward.
Fu Jiayan expressionlessly surveyed the chaotic scene before him, ignoring the disheartened Miss Dong and the instigator, Shang Wan. He simply stared calmly at Fu Chen and said, “Fu Chen, explain.”
This condescending attitude immediately provoked Fu Chen’s defiance.
He raised his eyes, about to speak, but Shang Wan, who had been ignored, spoke before him.
Shang Wan looked up at Fu Jiayan and retorted, “What’s there to explain about dating? We’re together, so he doesn’t need a marriage alliance partner. That’s all.”
Fu Chen: “…”
He had still underestimated the lengths Shang Nanzhi was willing to go.
Fu Jiayan’s expression darkened almost the moment Shang Wan’s words landed. Shang Wan met his gaze without a hint of concern, carrying a touch of personal grudge.
Seriously, Fu Chen had already agreed to use his Protagonist Halo to protect her—she wasn’t afraid at all now, okay?
Moreover, someone like Fu Jiayan, a defeated antagonist of the male lead and scum of human society—why hesitate to confront him? Did she need to pick a specific day?
If you asked Star Path readers who the biggest villain in the original story was,
About half out of ten might hesitantly answer, “Didn’t the synopsis say it? It’s Gu Xun.”
The remaining nine and a half would firmly shout, “It’s Fu Jiayan, absolutely Fu Jiayan!”
Fu Jiayan married three wives in his lifetime.
His first wife was a marriage alliance partner arranged by the Fu family elders. He exploited her remaining value to the fullest, swallowed her family’s business, and caused her family’s ruin.
His second wife was Fu Chen’s mother—
Fu Jiayan fell in love with Fu Chen’s mother at first sight and, disregarding her wishes, used every means to seize her, imprisoning her until her death.
His third wife was Fu Duo’s mother.
Fu Duo’s mother came from a song and dance troupe, young and beautiful with a graceful figure. After giving birth to Fu Duo, she transformed from a mistress into the lady of the Fu family’s old mansion.
This was clearly a woman chosen entirely according to his preferences. However, when the grand finale of Star Path arrived, Fu Jiayan, to ensure Fu Chen could take over the company without any worries, personally drove his last wife to her death.
There was no room for redemption—Fu Jiayan was the root of all evil in Star Path.
If not for Fu Jiayan’s deliberate provocation, Fu Chen and Fu Duo would not have fought to the death.
If not for Fu Jiayan inviting the wolf into the house, Gu Xun would not have so easily become the blade that honed Fu Chen, turning them against each other in a life-or-death struggle.
If Fu Jiayan did not exist, many tragedies in Star Path would never have occurred.
Shang Wan looked at Fu Jiayan and thought he truly looked respectable on the surface but was utterly detestable.
She shared this sentiment with the Fu brothers.
Almost the moment she confronted Fu Jiayan, the Bond Points for both Fu Chen and Fu Duo soared dramatically.
System: “Hello, Host. It has been detected that the male lead Fu Chen’s Bond Points have risen to 22.68, and the male supporting character Fu Duo’s Bond Points have risen to 9.27. This is truly a commendable improvement. Please continue your efforts!”
Shang Wan: …What filial sons.
She asked the System, “Xiao Duo is here too? Why isn’t he showing himself? Where is he hiding to watch the show?”
System: …
How does this Shang woman call Xiao Duo so naturally?
A few seconds later, the System replied calmly, “Fu Duo is observing you and Fu Chen from the second floor. Sitting with him and enjoying your performance is Gu Xun.”
Hearing that Gu Xun was also there, Shang Wan immediately became displeased.
She lamented with deep concern, “Everyone else is gaining Bond Points. Why is Gu Xun being so special? Doesn’t he know he’s being unsociable?”
System: “…”
It wondered—would a villain who blended in still be called a villain?
Shang Wan glanced somewhat dissatisfied at Gu Xun’s Bond Points, sighed, refocused, and looked at Fu Chen again.
Forget it, she should concentrate on the present first.
Amidst the complex gazes filling the banquet hall, Shang Wan took a deep breath, stepped forward, and actively took Fu Chen’s hand.
Interlacing their fingers, Fu Chen stiffened.
In the next moment, still holding Fu Chen’s hand, Shang Wan fearlessly met Fu Jiayan’s gaze, which was so dark it seemed to drip with malice. She said, “A-Chen, let’s go.”
Fu Chen: …
Didn’t his assistant tell him that Shang Nanzhi’s acting was terrible?
Why was this person in front of him so deeply immersed in her role?
Fu Chen looked at Shang Wan with a headache, about to tell her to tone it down, when Fu Jiayan, who had remained silent for a long time, spoke again.
Fu Jiayan completely ignored Shang Wan, treating her as if she were air, garbage, or a puddle of filthy water on the roadside—insignificant and unworthy of attention.
He only looked at Fu Chen, his gaze so calm it was unbearable.
He said, “Fu Chen, think carefully about the price you will pay for leaving the Fu family tonight.”
Fu Chen’s knuckles tightened instantly.
Shang Wan’s hand ached from his grip.
She bit her lip hard, almost unable to hold back a cry.
Damn it!
Why does the male lead have such a strong grip?!
A few seconds later, Shang Wan decided to vent all her anger on the culprit.
She glared at Fu Jiayan, her eyes seeming to flicker with flowing flames: “Old Mr. Fu, even without your Fu family, A-Chen would still be outstanding. And even if he weren’t outstanding, there’s still me! I’d be happy to support him for a lifetime—no need for you to threaten us.”
As she spoke, she grabbed Fu Chen and walked out of the Fu residence without looking back.
She left behind the astonished gazes of the banquet attendees and the System’s rapid-fire Capture Progress notifications echoing in her mind.
Ten minutes later, Shang Wan, still wearing nine-centimeter heels, let out a long sigh and stopped only when the banquet hall was completely out of sight.
Releasing Fu Chen’s hand, she said to him with relief, “Mr. Fu, the task is complete. Remember, you owe me a favor.”
Fu Chen’s fingers instinctively curled slightly.
The warmth from where Shang Wan had held his hand still lingered there.
As if bewitched, when Shang Wan had taken his hand earlier, arguing fiercely with his father right before his eyes, he hadn’t shaken her off. Instead, he had let her drag him along for ten minutes.
Fu Chen felt his current state was somewhat off.
But what arrived even before this sense of unease was a faint, almost imperceptible disappointment.
In front of Fu Jiayan, Shang Wan had declared confidently, “Even if Fu Chen isn’t outstanding, I’d be happy to support him.”
Yet, once out of Fu Jiayan’s sight, Shang Wan only looked at him with professional detachment, saying, “Mr. Fu, remember you owe me a favor.”
It was as if her bold charge at the banquet and her deliberate seduction a month ago were nothing but his illusions.
Only he remained lost in the lingering warmth of her palm.
The New Year’s evening breeze was cold.
Shang Wan wore only a burgundy evening gown, off-shoulder and sleeveless. Without the gentle warmth of the banquet hall, she couldn’t help but shiver.
Shang Wan trembled and said, “Ugh, it’s so cold. I’m leaving now.”
A straightforward announcement.
As soon as the words left her mouth, Fu Chen instinctively reached out and grabbed her arm.
He blurted out, “Three months.”
Shang Wan was stunned: “What?”
In Fu Chen’s grasp was a cold arm, its smooth skin marred by a slight, uneven texture—
It was a scar Shang Wan had made on her own arm with broken glass a month ago.
Fu Chen felt as if his palm had been scalded by that scar.
He suddenly remembered that afternoon at the Fu residence when Shang Wan had apologized to him.
At the time, he thought, Shang Nanzhi has finally settled down.
But one night later, he unexpectedly recalled the hand Shang Wan had used to cover his eyes in the hotel.
It carried the scent of blood, almost overlapping with a vague fragment of memory.
Fu Chen had to admit that his murderous intent vanished in that instant.
He wasn’t sure what these occasional distractions meant.
So, he had Fu Duo invite Shang Wan to the Fu Group’s banquet.
He needed to see Shang Wan again to clarify his feelings.
Moreover, Fu Jiayan was repeating his old tricks, intending for him to use marriage to slowly swallow up the Dong family—a plan that disgusted him.
He happened to need a handy tool to help him escape this farce.
Shang Wan was the perfect candidate.
And she had undoubtedly performed excellently.
She helped tear off the face he couldn’t bring himself to rip away, not only stripping Fu Jiayan of all dignity but also completely extinguishing whatever negligible goodwill Miss Dong had toward him.
Fu Chen looked at Shang Wan.
She had just offended a room full of high-society figures and was shivering in the cold wind, yet her eyes remained bright and clear, without a trace of gloom.
He released his grip and said, “You’ll pretend to be my girlfriend for three months.”
Shang Wan: “…”
Wait, let her process this.
Shang Wan urgently summoned the System in her mind: “Tongtong, quickly check if the male lead hasn’t been body-snatched or something?”
The System: “…”
Its Host never failed to make outrageous remarks time and again!
It replied, “The backend shows everything is normal.”
Shang Wan: This doesn’t make sense!
This time, the System had learned its lesson and didn’t ask what didn’t make sense.
But Shang Wan still forcibly answered the question she had raised: “Fu Chen couldn’t possibly be that kind of romance novel scumbag—the type who doesn’t care when the female lead fawns over him but gets dissatisfied when she stops, right?”
The System: …
It was tired of saying this, truly exhausted.
Shang Wan fell silent for a moment, then opened the Bond Points collection progress panel to carefully examine the changes in Fu Chen’s Bond Points.
After her acting skills went into overdrive all night, Fu Chen’s Bond Points had reached an astonishing 35.98.
The System’s series of congratulatory messages had nearly flooded the backend notifications.
Shang Wan said, “Tongtong, check the historical data to see when Fu Chen’s Bond Points changed most dramatically.”
Bond Points were not equivalent to affection points.
Affection was a momentary spark bursting from the soul.
But bonds were threads flowing like a gentle stream, intricate entanglements densely woven into the fabric of life.
Shang Wan had to figure out in which aspects she had formed deep bonds with Fu Chen to determine how to proceed with her Capture plan.
In almost the blink of an eye, the System gave Shang Wan the answer.
The System: “Host, the query shows that Fu Chen’s Bond Points increased the most during the two times you directly confronted Fu Jiayan. Especially the second time, when you publicly humiliated Fu Jiayan, Fu Chen’s Bond Points surged by 10 points.
The System’s comprehensive assessment result is—the enemy of my enemy is my friend.”
Shang Wan: “…”
As expected, Fu Chen was still the same as in the book.
Filial to an extreme, terrifyingly filial.
Throughout the entire book, only two things could bring him joy—
Gaining Shen Hui’s love.
Taking Fu Jiayan’s life.
In the evening breeze, Fu Chen’s gaze remained fixed on Shang Wan.
He said, “The marriage alliance between the Fu and Dong families hasn’t been completely dissolved yet. I need to publicly announce our relationship as boyfriend and girlfriend. Within three months, you’ll help me deal with external doubts. After three months, I’ll handle everything between the Fu and Dong families.”
Fu Chen’s words were solemn and serious.
Shang Wan thought it over carefully for half a second, then said, “No.”