The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 129. We are not familiar (part four)

Chapter 129: 129. We are not familiar (part four)

Fu Hengyi was not willing to let Shen Qinglan’s efforts go to waste, so he stopped fooling around and picked up his bowl and chopsticks.

"Is it good?" Shen Qinglan sat opposite him and asked, her usual cool demeanor intact, but the hand that slightly clenched her chopsticks betrayed her inner nervousness.

"It’s very good, the best dish I’ve ever tasted," Fu Hengyi said with a smile.

Shen Qinglan let out a sigh of relief, "If you like it, eat more."

At noon, Fu Hengyi really did finish off the four dishes and one soup that Shen Qinglan had made, and, as a result, he overate for the first time.

Fu Hengyi washed the dishes, and Shen Qinglan took the opportunity to take a bath in the bathroom. She had been in the kitchen all morning and was covered in the smell of cooking.

After tidying up the kitchen, Fu Hengyi came out to find Shen Qinglan had also finished her bath. With freshly washed hair still dripping, Fu Hengyi, feeling somewhat helpless, walked over, took the towel from her hands, and dutifully dried her hair. Sometimes, Fu Hengyi would have the illusion that he hadn’t married a wife but rather had taken in a daughter, as he always worried whether Shen Qinglan took good care of herself when he was not around.

Last time they agreed to find a cook, but that person ended up moving into the dormitory. After returning, Shen Qinglan didn’t bring up the topic of the cook again, and the matter was left unsettled. Fu Hengyi knew that Shen Qinglan disliked strangers coming in and out of the house, so he eventually stopped mentioning it as well.

After finishing up, Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi went back to the Fu Family compound.

"Hengyi, Qinglan, you’re back." Aunt Zhao opened the door, very happy to see the young couple.

Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi greeted Aunt Zhao, but just as they reached the living room, they saw a person sitting on the sofa. Shen Qinglan glanced at Aunt Zhao, wondering why she was here.

"Miss Shen said she hadn’t visited Old Sir Shen for a long time, so she came to visit," Aunt Zhao explained.

"Grandfather," Shen Qinglan called out, and Old Sir Fu nodded with a smile, then beckoned Shen Qinglan over, "Qinglan girl, come and sit."

"Hengyi, long time no see," Shen Xitong stood up to greet him. Her smile was gentle, but her eyes stuck to Fu Hengyi, greedily gazing at his face, revealing her undisguised affection and longing.

Fu Hengyi’s expression cooled, and he gave a curt nod before sitting beside Shen Qinglan. "Grandfather."

Old Sir Fu glanced at his grandson, who looked healthy and not emaciated. "How many days will you be staying this time?" Fu Hengyi’s vacation time was always unpredictable, so Old Sir Fu’s first question upon seeing his grandson return was always this.

"Three and a half days."

Old Sir Fu nodded with satisfaction. Indeed, the demeanor of a married man was different from before when he would go years without bringing the family home even once.

"Hengyi, I just found out today is your birthday, and I didn’t prepare any birthday presents, I’m sorry," Shen Xitong said with an apologetic look. However, she had known it was Fu Hengyi’s birthday from the first day and had found out that he would return today, which was precisely why she made a special trip to the Fu Family.

"I wasn’t planning to celebrate it anyway," Fu Hengyi replied indifferently.

"A birthday only comes once a year. In previous years you never came back this time, but this year you did, so you should celebrate it. How about this: I’ll host and book a hotel, and both families can have dinner together," Shen Xitong pressed on with her own agenda, revealing the purpose of her visit today.

Fu Hengyi was about to decline, but it was Shen Qinglan who accepted the invitation, "Alright." Fu Hengyi closed his mouth; he certainly wouldn’t undermine his own wife’s stance.

Shen Xitong looked at Shen Qinglan, a flash of jealousy in her eyes. If it weren’t for Shen Qinglan stealing her love, she would be the one sitting next to Fu Hengyi today.

Thus, what was originally just the Fu Family’s family dinner turned into a joint meal with the Shen Family.

Shen Xitong had booked a hotel in the city center, and knowing it was Fu Hengyi’s birthday, she even ordered a very large birthday cake. However, Fu Hengyi didn’t even take a bite of the cake.

At the dinner table, Fu Hengyi, Old Sir Fu, Old Sir Shen, and Shen Junyu drank quite a bit. His alcohol tolerance wasn’t bad, but today’s wine was brought out from Old Sir Shen’s cellar, and it was quite strong. Fu Hengyi drank quite a lot and felt a bit tipsy.

"Are you alright?" Shen Qinglan asked softly.

Fu Hengyi pinched her hand, signaling he was fine, and feeling the softness in his palm, he didn’t let go.

"I’m going to step out for a moment," Fu Hengyi stood up and said.

Shen Qinglan knew he probably needed to sober up and didn’t say anything. She just coldly glanced at her brother, who had been the most enthusiastic in urging drinks just now.

Shen Junyu was puzzled by his sister’s stare and looked back at her innocently, but Shen Qinglan had already shifted her gaze away to talk to Old Sir Shen.

When Fu Hengyi came out of the restroom, he saw Shen Xitong waiting outside and tried to pass by her to return to the private room, but Shen Xitong grabbed his sleeve, "Hengyi, wait a second."

Fu Hengyi stopped, looking at her, "What is it?"

Shen Xitong took out a delicate little box from her pocket, containing a men’s watch. "This is my birthday gift to you, I hope you like it." She had picked it out especially for him during her last trip overseas with Chu Yunrong.

Fu Hengyi didn’t reach out, and Shen Xitong’s hand remained stretched out there embarrassingly, but she stubbornly refused to retract it.

"I appreciate the thought, but please take your gift back."

The smile on Shen Xitong’s face stiffened, "Hengyi, I chose this especially for you."

"I don’t need it," Fu Hengyi’s voice was cool.

Shen Xitong’s gaze lingered on his face, "Hengyi, do you really have to be so cold to me? After all, we grew up together since we were little."

Ever since the first time Shen Xitong saw Fu Hengyi at the age of nine, she’d set her eyes on him. Yet Fu Hengyi never had her in his eyes. Although Shen Xitong was disappointed, she wasn’t heartbroken, as he didn’t have any other woman in his eyes either. But now, witnessing the care Fu Hengyi showed Shen Qinglan, Shen Xitong’s heart was close to breaking.

Especially just now at the dinner table, when Fu Hengyi peeled shrimp for Shen Qinglan and picked out fish bones with such focus, if she hadn’t had strong self-control, she would have probably cried on the spot.

"We aren’t close," Fu Hengyi spoke, his tone cold.

Shen Xitong’s mouth twitched, "Not close? We’ve known each other for seventeen years, and you say we aren’t close? Am I a plague to you? Do you have to avoid me like this?"

Fu Hengyi didn’t like women making unreasonable scenes, and in his eyes, Shen Xitong’s behavior was just that.

He lifted his foot to leave but was once again grabbed by the hem of his clothing by Shen Xitong, "Fu Hengyi, am I really so invisible to you?"

There was an impatience in Fu Hengyi’s eyes. He was never a patient man to begin with, and with Shen Xitong’s repeated pestering, his patience was nearly depleted.