The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 196 - 197. Owe nothing to each other

Chapter 196: 197. Owe nothing to each other

The Wen Family is a centennial family with deep roots, and there are many outstanding descendants among them, a massive branch and leaf network apparent in the military, political, and business sectors. Wen Xiyao is the daughter of the current Family Head of the Hai City Wen Family, and in her generation, there are few direct descendants. Above her are three brothers, but she is the sole daughter, which explains the degree of favoritism she receives.

"Qinglan," Fu Hengyi walked in and did not see Shen Qinglan, so he glanced toward the corner, and indeed, found her right away, smiled helplessly, and walked over.

Wen Xiyao, looking at the man in front of her and sizing up Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi, instantly understood and winked at Shen Qinglan with a hint of mischief, girl, you’ve got good taste, that man is impressive.

Shen Qinglan smiled, "This is my husband, Fu Hengyi; this is my senior, Wen Xiyao."

Wen Xiyao smiled warmly and greeted Fu Hengyi politely.

After all, she was a daughter of the Wen Family, and naturally, she had impeccable etiquette. Just that, given the surname Fu, he didn’t seem like an ordinary person. She looked at Shen Qinglan skeptically and finally, belatedly realized that her little junior’s status was anything but simple.

"Senior Xi Yao, my elders are calling for me, so I’ll head over there first and contact you another day."

Wen Xiyao nodded with a smile, noting the direction Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi headed and indeed saw the Shen Family members. She chuckled to herself, not expecting that her junior acquaintance of many years was actually a member of the Shen Family... Wait a moment... Shen Family members, does that mean Shen Qinglan and Shen Junyu are siblings?

Wen Xiyao felt like cursing at that moment, shook her head, and tossed those uncivilized thoughts that had entered her mind.

The birthday banquet had already begun, and it was Chu Yunrong who found seats for the two of them. Wen Xiyao’s seat was quite far from the Shen and Fu families, and Shen Qinglan didn’t see her.

There were many attendees at this birthday banquet. The Shen and Fu families had a deep relationship with the Zhou Family, thus their seats were naturally at the front, and given the status of Old Sir Shen and Old Sir Fu, their presence there was completely justified.

The birthday banquet was divided into two parts: the first half was a traditional Chinese banquet, and the second half was more like a ball. After the first half ended, many guests moved down to the lower floor. This time, the Zous had booked the top and bottom floors of this hotel, quite the lavish expenditure.

"Qinglan, Hengyi, you both go and have fun. Let us few old folks stay here and chat," said Old Sir Fu, who was sitting and talking with some others, when he saw Fu Hengyi and Shen Qinglan sitting to one side.

"Yes, you young people should go and enjoy yourselves; we old folks haven’t seen each other in a long while and might as well take this opportunity to catch up," Old Master Zhou said with a smile and then turned to his grandson, Zhou Cheng, "And don’t just stand here, go have some fun too."

Zhou Cheng nodded with a smile, greeted the elders, and went down with Fu Hengyi and the others.

Old Sir Shen watched Zhou Cheng leave and asked Old Master Zhou, "Cheng is twenty-seven this year, right?"

"Yes, indeed, twenty-seven. Recently his mother has been anxious about his marriage, but he himself doesn’t seem to be in a hurry."

"Young people nowadays are different from our time, getting married later. We’re old, and we should let our children and grandchildren handle their own affairs, no need to worry so much," Old Sir Shen seemed rather open-minded; Shen Junyu was already thirty this year, but he had not been rushed. However, Chu Yunrong would sometimes nag him about it.

"Brother Shen is right, the children and grandchildren will have their own fortune."

Old Sir Fu had been silent all this time, which was a bit out of character for him. Old Sir Shen and Old Master Zhou had been talking for a while before they realized something was amiss and looked over at him. They saw Old Sir Fu holding a smartphone, tinkering with something.

"Brother Fu, what are you up to?" Old Master Zhou asked curiously, trying to have a look but not quite understanding.

Old Sir Fu chuckled, "I’ve been studying WeChat lately. Young people nowadays all like to use it, and although we’re old, we must keep up with the times and not be left behind by the era."

This WeChat account was recently set up by Shen Qinglan for Old Sir Fu, for which she specifically went out and bought a smartphone for him.

"I can’t get the hang of these things for young people," Old Master Zhou shook his head, the pace of technological development was too fast for him to keep up with.

"Don’t mind this old man, he’s just taken by the novelty. Give it a few days and he’ll stop using it," Old Sir Shen scoffed, knowing Old Sir Fu’s personality very well.

Old Sir Fu snorted lightly, "You’re just jealous and envious because Qinglan girl bought me a smartphone and set up WeChat for me, and now you’re green with envy. I’ve never seen an old man so petty."

Old Sir Shen’s face turned slightly green, "Old Man Fu, looking for a fight, are you?"

"Bring it on."

Old Master Zhou watched with a chuckle, his eyes brimming with memories. Back in the day, the three of them had fought on the battlefield together. They grew close because of their like-mindedness, and their relationship was exceptionally strong, even saving each other’s lives multiple times. Don’t be fooled by Old Sir Shen and Old Man Fu’s frequent bickering; their relationship was actually stronger than iron.

"I really do envy you two old brothers. Before long, your fourth generation will be born. It’s not like me; even a granddaughter-in-law is nowhere in sight," Old Master Zhou sighed. He truly envied them. The Shen’s granddaughter had been snatched away just like that. Thinking about it, he felt some regrets. If only he had settled in Beijing back then, being close to the water would’ve given him the first dibs, and who the Shen’s granddaughter ended up with might have been different.

"Heh, you can put that thought aside. Qinglan girl is part of our family; even if you keep wishing, she won’t become a member of the Zous," Old Sir Fu saw through Old Master Zhou’s thoughts and chuckled.

Old Master Zhou’s remark was just a fleeting sentiment, and he didn’t really take it to heart. Instead, he turned to Old Sir Shen, "The wedding is set for June of this year, right?"

"No, the wedding is set for September." Speaking of this, Old Sir Fu became excited, "I want to hold a traditional Chinese ceremony. We are Chinese, after all, and we can’t lose sight of our ancestors’ customs. The phoenix crown and wedding robe are so beautiful. Qinglan girl will definitely look gorgeous in them. If you ask me, we should hold a traditional Chinese wedding."

"It’s not your wedding, what good does your liking do?" Old Sir Shen retorted.

"Hmph, Old Shen, dare you say you don’t like traditional style?" Old Sir Fu scoffed.

Old Sir Shen fell silent; he indeed had a preference for traditional Chinese weddings.

"But if Qinglan girl likes a Western-style wedding, we can have two ceremonies: one traditional Chinese and one Western," Old Sir Fu mused to himself, his eyes shining. His only grandson was getting married, and to someone he was extremely pleased with. Naturally, he took this wedding to heart even more.

This time, Old Sir Shen didn’t contradict Old Sir Fu. Qinglan’s wedding had to be grand; he couldn’t let his only granddaughter be wronged. Even holding two weddings was acceptable.

"You two old brothers, when Qinglan and Hengyi get married, don’t forget about me. I must attend, and even if there’s no invitation, I’ll shamelessly show up to share in the joy," Old Master Zhou said with a smiley eyes.

"How could we forget you? We were even planning to ask you to be the officiator," Old Sir Shen said laughingly. The close relationship between their three families was well known to the outside world; making a big deal out of it was no matter.

Old Master Zhou beamed with joy.

While the three old gentlemen were enjoying their discussion about Fu Hengyi and Shen Qinglan’s wedding, the two subjects of their discussion weren’t in the downstairs hall, but had taken the opportunity to slip away.

"Where are you taking me?" Shen Qinglan followed behind Fu Hengyi and asked.

Fu Hengyi smiled and held her hand, "I’m taking you to a place."

Shen Qinglan didn’t ask further, as lately Fu Hengyi always enjoyed taking her around without disclosing the destination, to which she had become accustomed.

Following beside Fu Hengyi, she let him hold her hand, looking at their fingers interlocked; Shen Qinglan smiled faintly, for as long as she was with him, it didn’t matter where they went.

Fu Hengyi didn’t take her far, just nearby to what seemed to be a park. Shen Qinglan looked at him, puzzled, "What are we doing in the park in the middle of the night?"

Fu Hengyi just smiled and didn’t answer. Instead, he led her into the park by the hand. On a February night, there weren’t many people in the park, but there were still a few, and Shen Qinglan even spotted several photographers with their cameras.

Fu Hengyi glanced at the sign at the entrance and then led Shen Qinglan in a certain direction. She was wearing an evening gown that day, draped with Fu Hengyi’s suit jacket, which he had taken off to give to her as they left the hotel.

Fu Hengyi, clad only in a shirt, didn’t seem to feel the cold at all. Walking ahead, he would occasionally remind Shen Qinglan to watch her step.

She was wearing high heels, and the park was paved with bluestone slabs; he was worried that she might fall if the path was uneven.

"Fu Hengyi, I’m not a child," Shen Qinglan said helplessly. Even though it was eight o’clock at night, the streetlights were still on, illuminating the path clearly. Though she was in high heels, she wasn’t about to fall after just a few steps.

Sometimes she felt that Fu Hengyi was too cautious with her, but what Shen Qinglan definitely couldn’t imagine then was how much more cautious Fu Hengyi would become once she was pregnant.

"We’re here," Fu Hengyi stated lightly, signaling to Shen Qinglan.

Following his gaze, Shen Qinglan finally understood why Fu Hengyi had brought her here. Not far ahead, a large patch of red plum blossoms was in full bloom, blazing like fire. Under the light, they carried an enchanting beauty, a sight that could not be seen during the daytime.

Shen Qinglan was somewhat captivated. She didn’t know how Fu Hengyi found out about this red plum grove and brought her here to see the plum blossoms, but this view was indeed what she liked.

"It’s said that the variety of these red plums is different from other places, and they look prettier at night than during the day. We happened to come by this time, and I thought you’d like it, so I brought you here to take a look. Do you like it?" Fu Hengyi asked gently as he stood by Shen Qinglan’s side.

He didn’t say that he had learned about it today during a chat with Zhou Cheng, who had mentioned it casually; Fu Hengyi then kept it in mind. He had known for a long time that Shen Qinglan liked traveling and beautiful scenery, but he didn’t have much time to accompany her, to travel the mountains and rivers with her. That was his greatest regret toward her.

Shen Qinglan nodded, then suddenly turned and hugged Fu Hengyi. "You really didn’t have to bring me here specifically." It would look bad if others discovered they had left the event halfway.

Hugging her back, Fu Hengyi said, "I’m often in the military and don’t have much time to accompany you. Now that I have the chance, I wanted to bring you here to see."

In Fu Hengyi’s arms, Shen Qinglan smiled warmly, "You don’t have to go out of your way to do this, nor feel sorry. When I chose to marry you, I knew what to expect, and I have never regretted it."

Fu Hengyi smiled tenderly, "I know." And because he knew, he felt even more regretful. Ever since their encounter in the border rainforest, Fu Hengyi could faintly sense that Shen Qinglan’s past might be more complex and difficult than he had imagined. This always caused a subtle ache in his heart, not very severe, like a needle’s gentle prick that could not be ignored.

When he had returned, he hadn’t inquired about her past first because he knew she wasn’t ready, and he didn’t want to uncover that past. Perhaps there was also a fear deep in his heart that even he hadn’t noticed.

Shen Qinglan stepped out of Fu Hengyi’s embrace, walked under a plum tree, and gently touched a blossom, looking closely. This variety of plum indeed differed from those in other areas; it wasn’t rose-red but was a fresh, blood-like red. The petals were stacked layer upon layer, and the stamens were yellow, emitting a faint fragrance similar to winter plum, yet lighter, only detectable up close.

She bowed her head and gently took in the scent, while Fu Hengyi stood not far away, watching her tenderly.

"Click," a shutter sound. Looking for the source, Fu Hengyi saw someone with a camera not far away, taking their picture. When the photographer saw Fu Hengyi looking over, they seemed rather embarrassed.

Fu Hengyi walked over, and the person clutched the camera in her hands a bit tighter, nervously saying, "I wasn’t trying to take photos of you on purpose." It was just that when she saw that scene earlier, she thought it was too beautiful, so she subconsciously raised her camera.

"I can delete the photos."

Fu Hengyi stretched out his hand in front of her and looked at her without saying anything.

The person was startled, and under Fu Hengyi’s imposing manner, handed the camera over to him, "I’m not a journalist. I’m just a photography enthusiast. The ’Blood Demoness’ flowers can only be photographed most beautifully at night, so that’s why I came over at night. I’m not following you. You can delete the photos of you inside, but you can’t smash my camera, okay?" This camera is very expensive. The last part of her sentence was swallowed down under Fu Hengyi’s gaze.

Fu Hengyi browsed through a few photos and then returned the camera to her, "The photos are good, can you take a few more for us?" He spoke very politely and warmly.

The person was stunned. When Fu Hengyi came over, she thought he was going to smash her camera, but she hadn’t expected such a dramatic turn in events.

The person, still dazed, looked at Fu Hengyi for a long time without speaking. Fu Hengyi’s brow furrowed slightly, "Is it inconvenient? If it’s inconvenient, then forget it."

"No, no, no... Not at all, it’s convenient, very convenient." The person quickly shook her head. She had just been too surprised. This couple was very good-looking, making them great subjects. Why would it be inconvenient? She couldn’t wish for more.

"Thank you." Fu Hengyi said warmly as he thanked her and walked over to Shen Qinglan, "Do we need to pose in any particular way?"

The person shook her head, "No need. Just be yourselves, I’ll capture candid shots." Candid photos often looked better.

Fu Hengyi was even more satisfied, glancing at Shen Qinglan with a smile in his eyes. Shen Qinglan met his gaze and smiled back.

The "click-clack" sound of the camera was incessant. The girl holding the camera was very happy, especially when looking at the scenes captured in her camera. It’s great when people are good-looking, even if they do nothing, just standing there, they became a painting.

"May I ask, how should I send these photos to you?" The girl approached and asked Shen Qinglan.

Shen Qinglan took out her phone and added the girl on WeChat.

"I’ll sort out the photos and send them to you later. Don’t worry, I won’t share these pictures with anyone else." The girl had already recognized Shen Qinglan, knowing that she was the young artist Leng Qingqiu.

Shen Qinglan thanked her, and then she and Fu Hengyi left together.

"How did you think of taking photos?" On the way back, Shen Qinglan asked with a smile. Because of the particular nature of his work, Fu Hengyi did not like taking photos. Even at home, there weren’t many of his pictures.

"It’s just that I wanted to have more photos together with you." Fu Hengyi said softly. They’d been married so long, yet they only had one photo together from their trip to Jiangnan last year.

Shen Qinglan chuckled, "Another day, I’ll have these photos developed and put together an album."

"If you like it, that’s good. When I have time, I’ll go on vacation with you and we can take more pictures. When we get too old to walk, we can sit on the porch rocking chair, flip through the album, and reminisce about the past."

Shen Qinglan imagined such a scene and couldn’t help but laugh out loud. She actually found it a bit hard to picture Fu Hengyi with white hair and a face full of wrinkles.

"Actually, even if we don’t go out, it’s okay. You can model for me." Shen Qinglan’s eyes twinkled as she spoke. She was still thinking about Fu Hengyi’s body, which was even more slender and strong than a model’s.

Fu Hengyi’s eyes darkened slightly, and he whispered in her ear with a voice laced with innuendo, "Okay, you can draw me however you want, I’ll cooperate." The hint of ambiguity in his voice turned Shen Qinglan’s ears red.

She glared at him with feigned annoyance, thinking just how thick-skinned this man could be.

When the two of them returned to the party, it hadn’t ended yet, and aside from Shen Junyu, nobody really noticed their departure. Shen Qinglan returned the suit jacket to Fu Hengyi and sat down beside Shen Junyu with a calm face.

Shen Junyu looked them over and asked, "Where did you two just go?"

"We were feeling stifled inside, so we stepped out for some fresh air," Shen Qinglan replied nonchalantly.

Fu Hengyi somehow found her a cup of warm water, "Have some water first."

Shen Qinglan took it and took a sip. Shen Junyu just smiled and didn’t probe further. His sister was married now; he couldn’t meddle in everything as her older brother.

**

After driving Du Nan away with her attitude, Wen Xiyao found herself somewhat bored at the party and hadn’t found Shen Qinglan. She thought she might as well leave early, since she was only there to make an appearance.

Just as she approached the entrance, she felt some discomfort in her stomach, so she headed to the restroom first. After attending to nature’s call, she was about to leave and ran into Shen Junyu, who was also there to use the facilities.

Cursing the coincidence under her breath, Wen Xiyao attempted to walk past Shen Junyu as if she didn’t know him. However, just a few steps away, a woman staggered toward them and, just as she was passing by Shen Junyu, coincidentally twisted her ankle and fell.

Shen Junyu instinctively reached out to catch her. The woman took advantage of the situation and collapsed into his arms, naturally draping her hands around his neck and resting her head on his shoulder, enveloping Shen Junyu with the strong scent of her perfume.

The corners of the woman’s mouth curled into a smirk, and with a dazed look in her eyes, she didn’t forget to rub her chest against him, which immediately darkened Shen Junyu’s expression.

Shen Junyu’s smile turned cold as he looked down at the woman in his arms, wondering if it would be ungentlemanly to let go at this moment.

Half-closing her eyes, the woman gazed at Shen Junyu with a hint of drunkenness and parted her red lips, "Handsome, I’m drunk, could you take me home?" She did carry a slight scent of alcohol, but it wasn’t unpleasant.

Shen Junyu’s amusement chilled.

Leaning against the wall, Wen Xiyao watched the drama unfold with relish. She could tell the woman was faking it, probably more pretending to be drunk than anything.

As she enjoyed the scene, she didn’t realize Shen Junyu had noticed her. His smile was faint as he called out, "Xi Yao," with a tone gentle as water.

Wen Xiyao’s expression froze, and she looked at Shen Junyu as though he was a lunatic. "Do I know you?" she thought, as he called her name so intimately, and she couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

Shen Junyu’s gaze carried a warning as he looked at Wen Xiyao. She mumbled and straightened up to walk over, and with one swift motion, she pulled the woman away from Shen Junyu’s embrace.

"I mean, miss, did you leave your eyes at home? You dare to flirt with my man, not even checking if you’re as pretty as me," Wen Xiyao said fiercely, glaring at the woman as if she were a homewrecker.

The woman was yanked by Wen Xiyao and fell to the ground, landing on her buttocks—likely quite painful, as she couldn’t help but cry out, "Who are you?"

Wen Xiyao bent forward slightly, leaning down to look at her, "Who am I? I’m this man’s girlfriend. In fact, I’d like to ask who you are. I merely went to the bathroom for a moment, and you pounced on him. You don’t seem very old, so why are you so desperately thirsty?"

The woman’s face turned an iron blue as Wen Xiyao spoke, pointing at Wen Xiyao and struggling for half a day to come up with a complete sentence.

Wen Xiyao reached out and opened the woman’s pointing finger—she hated it when people pointed at her, it was so impolite. "What ’you’? I’ll tell you, this man is mine. Don’t let me see you again. If I do, I won’t be so nice next time. I’m someone who can throw a punch."

Her eyes lingered on the woman’s chest, "Big sister, if you want to get it done, find a more reputable hospital next time, at least make it look natural. It’s obvious at first glance that they’re fake, filled with too much silicone. If one bursts, it’ll be a total loss."

Now, the woman’s face couldn’t even be described as iron blue; she was trembling all over from Wen Xiyao’s words. Failing to outtalk Wen Xiyao, she turned her gaze towards Shen Junyu with an expression that said, "Look at this woman, she’s like a tigress—where’s the slightest bit of kindness?"

Shen Junyu, on the other hand, looked at Wen Xiyao with tender affection, ignoring the accusing glances from the woman. The woman was so furious she nearly passed out.

Wen Xiyao felt the gaze upon her, shuddered, and really wanted to say, "Big brother, I’ve thrown away my image to help you, can’t you act a bit more normal?"

The woman got up from the ground, glared at Wen Xiyao as if she could eat her alive, then glanced at Shen Junyu and seeing no reaction from him, stomped away in her high heels, her steps steady, showing no sign of drunkenness.

"Big sister, next time remember to buy better perfume, stop using this cheap stuff, it makes you look so LOW," Wen Xiyao shouted after the woman’s retreating figure, not forgetting to seductively toss her own hair.

The woman stumbled a little, quickened her pace. Internally, she cursed her own bad luck. In fact, she was a guest’s plus-one at the party. It was understood that such an event required bringing one’s wife or official girlfriend, not a mistress. But as they say, in a big forest, there are all kinds of birds, naturally resulting in a few with poor judgment.

The man the woman was with was an old man, whom she had begged for a long time to bring her here. However, the attendees were all influential, and even if they chose a woman, they had their own tastes, naturally not fancying someone like her. She had spent all evening waiting for a chance to get close to Shen Junyu, only to bump into Cheng Yaojin.

Yes, in her eyes, Wen Xiyao was a Cheng Yaojin who appeared out of nowhere, fighting for Shen Junyu. She had watched Shen Junyu all evening and hadn’t seen Wen Xiyao by his side at all.

What went on in the woman’s mind was unknown to Wen Xiyao and Shen Junyu. Wen Xiyao heard Shen Junyu’s laughter, her face slightly darkened. Was this man mocking her fierceness?

"Hey, I helped you after all, what do you mean by laughing at me?" Wen Xiyao demanded with her hands on her hips.

Shen Junyu held back his laughter, restraining the smile on his face, "Sorry, I couldn’t help it. I just didn’t expect you to have such a... cute side." He had intended to say fierce but changed to a different word after some thought.

Wen Xiyao’s expression softened a bit, considering Shen Junyu’s words, "If you know you attract admirers, then don’t just reach out to anyone. That just causes trouble, doesn’t it?"

Shen Junyu nodded earnestly, "You make a lot of sense, I’ll remember that." He didn’t explain that he really had just reached out subconsciously a moment ago. A rare good deed indeed turned out to be a mistake.

Seeing that Shen Junyu was behaving well and considering that he was Shen Qinglan’s brother, Wen Xiyao’s anger towards him lessened, waving her hand dismissively, "Alright, since your issue is resolved, I’m going to leave. You helped me out tonight and I’ve helped you just now, so we’re even. No future meetings, bye."

With a wave, she headed out with a dash of flair, but Shen Junyu caught her wrist before she could leave, "Where are you going? I’ll take you as thanks for the help you gave me."

"No need, you helped me too, and I drove here myself, I don’t need you to take me." Wen Xiyao refused, not wanting to be with this man right now. She couldn’t understand it; Shen Qinglan was such an easy person to get along with, so why was her brother such a nasty character?

Shen Junyu had no idea of Wen Xiyao’s thoughts, and seeing her refusal, he didn’t insist, releasing her hand and making a gesture of invitation. Wen Xiyao flicked her hand and truly walked away this time.

Shen Junyu smiled, shook his head, and also left, without even going to the bathroom.

The banquet hadn’t ended, but the two old masters were, after all, advanced in age and couldn’t hold up, so they planned to leave.

The Fu Family and Shen Family entourage were waiting downstairs for Shen Junyu, and when they saw him returning, they decided to head back to the hotel together. It was too late to return to Beijing today, so they decided to stay here for the night before heading back.

"Grandpa Fu, Grandpa Shen, the rooms at home are ready for you. Why don’t you stay with us tonight?" Zhou Cheng insisted. He had come out to see off the guests since they were his grandfather’s close friends, and it wasn’t something he could take lightly. He left the upstairs guests to his parents to entertain.

Old Sir Shen smiled warmly, "No need, the hotel rooms are ready, and with so many of us, it wouldn’t be convenient to stay at your place. We won’t impose. When you have time, bring your grandpa to visit us in Beijing."

Zhou Cheng wasn’t insistent and smiled with a nod, "I’m sorry if this time the reception was lacking. Next time you and Grandpa Fu come, I’ll take you guys around Lin City."

"That’s enough, don’t be so polite back and forth, or it’ll be daylight by the time we’re done. Go back inside, we’re leaving." Old Sir Fu waved grandly and got into the car first.

Zhou Cheng waited until their car drove away and was out of sight before he went back inside.

Since the next day was Monday, Fu Hengyi and Shen Qian rushed back to the military base overnight.

Before leaving, Fu Hengyi looked at Shen Qinglan, a faint reluctance in his eyes, "I’m going. Take good care of yourself when you’re on your own, and call me if you need anything."

Shen Qinglan smiled and nodded, "Got it. Be careful driving late at night."

Fu Hengyi returned the smile, "Alright." He took a few steps, then turned back, pulling Shen Qinglan into a lingering kiss, which she responded to cooperatively.

Fu Hengyi let her go, chuckling, "Now I finally understand the meaning behind ’from now on, the emperor shuns the early court.’"

Shen Qinglan laughed. Fu Hengyi stroked her face, "I’m really going now. Take care of yourself. I won’t be back this weekend. I’ll have a three-day leave the following weekend, and we can go to the seaside for a vacation."

"Okay," Shen Qinglan nodded.

This time, Fu Hengyi really didn’t turn back. Shen Qinglan closed the door to her room and sat on the bed, but she didn’t feel the slightest bit sleepy. Just then, her phone lit up with a message notification. She picked it up and saw a WeChat message. She opened it.

It was from the girl she had met at the park that evening, sending over the pictures she had organized.

"Thank you," Shen Qinglan sent the simple reply.

The girl replied promptly, "No need to thank me. These photos are unprocessed; I’ve kept a copy here. Once I’ve finished editing them, I’ll send them to you."

After all, they were taken at night, and some issues with the lighting were inevitable. She wanted to adjust the colors to make the photos look better.

Shen Qinglan wasn’t in a hurry. She casually browsed through the girl’s Moments and found out she was a photographer. After some thought, she asked.

"Can your place print photos?"

"Yes, do you want to print photos?"

"I want to print the photos taken tonight. Tell me how much it costs, and I’ll transfer the money to you via WeChat."

"That’s okay. I had a good time meeting you tonight. Just tell me your address, and I’ll send the photos to you."

Shen Qinglan sent the address of Shangya Garden to her, then downloaded the photos the girl had sent over and looked through them one by one.

Many were frontal shots of her, with Fu Hengyi at her side, captured from the side. Only a few photos showed both of them facing the camera.

Shen Qinglan’s gaze lingered on one picture, in which Fu Hengyi embraced her from behind while she held a plum blossom in her hand, turning to say something to him with a warm smile. Fu Hengyi was looking down at her, his face full of indulgence.

She looked at the photo and gently curved her lips.

**

The next morning, Shen Qinglan and her group returned to Beijing. Shen Xitong had been well-behaved during this banquet, quietly staying by Chu Yunrong’s side and behaving appropriately, so Shen Qian didn’t say much, and since his return was rushed this time, he didn’t have the opportunity to talk properly with Chu Yunrong, thinking it would have to wait until next time.

After sending the two old gentlemen back to the compound, Shen Qinglan left. She had arranged to meet with Yu Xiaoxuan for a meal, as Yu Xiaoxuan had just finished filming her scenes, and this was a celebration of sorts.

She went home first, took a bath, changed clothes, and lying on the bed, she smelled Fu Hengyi’s faint scent in the house. Shen Qinglan gradually began to feel sleepy.

She had barely slept the night before and had driven for several hours. Now she was indeed a bit tired. The familiar environment lulled her quickly to sleep. When she woke up again, it was already afternoon, perfect timing to go out.

The meeting place was set at Charming Color. Since Gu Yang and Gu Kai had been sent to the military by Fu Hengyi, Han Yi and a few others rarely came here anymore, and their private room was left vacant.

Shen Qinglan had been here a few times, and with Han Yi’s special instructions, the manager led her directly to their private room upon seeing her.

"Miss Shen, Mr. Han has ordered that you can use this room directly when you come. If you need anything, just ring the bell," the manager said politely, knowing that Miss Shen was of high status and not someone he could afford to offend.

Shen Qinglan thanked him, and soon a waiter brought in a fruit platter. "Miss Shen, what would you like to drink today?"

Thinking of Yu Xiaoxuan’s penchant for alcohol, Shen Qinglan felt a headache coming on and shook her head, "No alcohol. I have a friend who hasn’t arrived yet. You go ahead with your work; I’ll call you when she’s here."

The manager smiled, nodded, and left, making sure to close the door behind him.

Fang Tong was the first to arrive, and as soon as she came in, she sprawled on the couch with a look of exhaustion.

"What’s the matter with you?" Shen Qinglan asked sideways.

Fang Tong waved her hand, "Nothing, just tired from overtime." She had been working overtime all weekend. Some people in the office targeted her subtly, but she couldn’t take it openly to Shen Junyu; if she really did go to him, it would only confirm the rumors about her unclear relationship with Shen Junyu. And she knew their relationship was purer than clear water.

"Is there that much work?" Shen Qinglan wondered. Fang Tong was just an intern—how could she be busier than Shen Junyu, the boss?

"I’m just a bit slow, alright? Tasks that others finish in an hour take me two or three hours. Don’t worry, it’s just temporary. I’m not dumb; I’ll get the hang of it soon," Fang Tong spoke nonchalantly.