The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 255. Unexpected Incident at the Engagement Party

Chapter 255: 255. Unexpected Incident at the Engagement Party

"In the future, listen to your dad and try to get close to Qinglan. Don’t keep causing her trouble; after all, she’s your sister," Lu Yaqin advised her son as she looked at him.

Shen Junze wanted to argue, but, meeting Lu Yaqin’s gaze, he found himself speechless. "Alright, alright, I’ll get along with her. Mom, let’s not talk about this now. Where’s dad? Why aren’t you by his side?"

Shen Rang currently needed someone by his side at all times due to his physical condition.

"Your dad is talking with your grandfather."

Hearing the name of Old Sir Shen, Shen Junze frowned. "Mom, I don’t like Grandpa. He doesn’t treat us like family at all, and he looks at me so fiercely."

Lu Yaqin gave a bitter smile; she was well aware that the old man didn’t like them. Given the uproar back then, it was already a great favor that Old Sir Shen even allowed her into the house.

"Enough, you’re grown up now but still speaking recklessly. Your grandfather is just stern, not that he doesn’t like you. Doesn’t he treat your male cousin the same way on a regular basis?" Lu Yaqin comforted her son.

Shen Junze stopped talking. The old man didn’t like him, and he didn’t like the old man either, hmph.

As dusk gradually fell, more guests began to arrive. Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi were responsible for greeting guests at the entrance.

"Auntie." From a distance, they heard the voice of Little Douding.

Shen Qinglan looked up and saw that Little Douding had come with Jiang Chenxi. Shen Qinglan glanced behind them and didn’t see Pei Yinong.

"Auntie, my mom hasn’t arrived yet; I came with Uncle Jiang," Little Douding ran to Shen Qinglan’s side, first calling out "Uncle" and then speaking to Shen Qinglan.

"Yining had something come up last minute; she’ll be a bit late," Jiang Chenxi explained after hearing Little Douding’s words.

Shen Qinglan nodded. "Go inside first; Gu Yang and Gu Kai are already here, talking with my granddad. You should go in and sit for a bit," Shen Qinglan said.

Jiang Chenxi, smiling, nodded and took Little Douding’s hand and went inside. Surprisingly, Little Douding did not insist on staying by Shen Qinglan’s side.

"Fu Hengyi, what do you think about Chenxi and my cousin?" Shen Qinglan asked.

Fu Hengyi raised an eyebrow. "Are you thinking of setting them up?"

Shen Qinglan shook her head; those two didn’t need her help.

"It’s their personal affair; it has nothing to do with me. My opinion isn’t important," Fu Hengyi said indifferently.

Shen Qinglan looked at him silently. Everyone said she was cold, but the real indifferent one was the man in front of her.

Not long after, Han Yi appeared with Yu Xiaoxuan. "Qinglan, I’m not late, am I?"

"Not at all; there’s still plenty of time before it starts. You guys go inside and chat with some people."

Yu Xiaoxuan nodded but didn’t go inside, instead choosing to stand by Shen Qinglan. "Why are you greeting the guests?"

"It’s too noisy inside; it’s quieter out here."

Seeing that Yu Xiaoxuan was going to stay with Shen Qinglan, Han Yi, and Fu Hengyi went inside. Yu Xiaoxuan was talking with Shen Qinglan when the Wen Family arrived.

"Sister Xiyao." As today’s leading lady, Wen Xiyao was naturally dressed up lavishly, with Shen Junyu walking by her side, followed by the members of the Wen Family.

Shen Qinglan had met the Wen Family before; they had dined together a couple of days ago when the Wen Family visited and exchanged greetings before entering first.

"What sort of people are in your future sister-in-law’s family? Why does everyone in her family have such a strong presence?" Yu Xiaoxuan quietly asked Shen Qinglan after the Wen Family had entered.

"They are from the Hai City Wen Family," Shen Qinglan said.

Yu Xiaoxuan was aware of the reputation of the Hai City Wen Family, "Your future sister-in-law is also the general manager of Xinhe International, so accomplished at such a young age. She really matches well with your brother." Yu Xiaoxuan exclaimed.

Shen Qinglan smiled, "They are in a love match, not an arranged marriage." The Shen Family never needed to rely on marriages to maintain relationships.

After waiting a little while longer and seeing that most of the guests had arrived, Shen Qinglan and Yu Xiaoxuan entered.

What Shen Qinglan did not see, however, was that after they went in, a man appeared at the entrance, none other than Du Nan, who had specifically rushed over from Hai City upon hearing about Wen Xiyao and Shen Junyu’s engagement.

"Uh!" Wen Xiyao had just gone to the restroom, and as she came out, someone covered her mouth from behind. She struggled violently, but the person behind her was too strong; she couldn’t break free. Most of the guests were in the garden, and no one was inside the villa to notice this scene.

Regardless of Wen Xiyao’s struggles, Du Nan dragged her into a nearby guest room and locked the door behind him. Upon seeing it was him, Wen Xiyao became furious, "Du Nan, what are you doing?"

Without saying a word, Du Nan knelt down, clinging to Wen Xiyao’s legs, "Xiyao, please don’t get engaged to him, can you? I am the one who loves you the most in this world. Didn’t we agree that when we grew up, you would marry me and be my bride?" His jaw was covered with stubble, and there were dark circles under his eyes, clearly from lack of proper rest.

Wen Xiyao tried to push him away, "Let go of me, Du Nan. That was just a childish game of house. How can you take it seriously?"

"But I took it seriously." Du Nan didn’t budge, unable to let Wen Xiyao marry Shen Junyu, "I have always thought of you as my bride ever since we were kids. I have always been by your side, waiting for you to grow up, Xiyao, don’t leave me. If you leave, I really will die."

Wen Xiyao’s expression showed great impatience, "Du Nan, enough is enough. I’ve told you we are not suitable. There is no future between us. You are the one unwilling to accept it."

"No, that’s not true," Du Nan shook his head, "Xiyao, you do have feelings for me. Weren’t we fine before Shen Junyu came along? All these years, you haven’t had a boyfriend, have you?"

"Have you gone mad, Du Nan? I might not have a boyfriend, but I have never acknowledged you as my boyfriend. Today is my engagement party. For old times’ sake, I hope you will let go now, or else I will call for help. My parents are here today. If they find out about your behavior, it will end the relationship between the Wen Family and the Du Family. Think it over."

"I don’t care, Xiyao, don’t get engaged to Shen Junyu. I love you more than he does. Come with me, please. I will treat you well in the future."

"I will not go with you." Wen Xiyao said sternly, "I love him. I want to marry him, bear his children, and grow old with him."

"No, you can’t be with him. What’s so good about Shen Junyu? I have everything he has, plus a heart that truly belongs to you. Xiyao, you cannot get engaged to him. Absolutely not." Du Nan’s expression was fierce.

Music faintly drifted in from the garden, indicating that the ceremony was about to begin. Wen Xiyao’s expression was cold, but there was a hint of urgency in the depth of her eyes. Du Nan continued to cling to her legs without any intention of letting go.

"Du Nan, the ceremony is about to start. Let me go."

"Let you go and get engaged to that man? Wen Xiyao, you must be dreaming. I would rather die than let the two of you be together. Absolutely not," Du Nan said firmly.

Seeing that Du Nan was stubbornly unyielding, Wen Xiyao’s remaining patience finally ran out. She began to struggle violently and even tried to kick Du Nan, but because he held her so tightly, she instead lost her balance and fell backward.

Fortunately, there was a bed behind her, and Wen Xiyao didn’t get hurt.

Du Nan got a fright, hurriedly stood up to check on her, but was met with a slap across his face from Wen Xiyao, "Get away from me."

Du Nan didn’t care at all, "Xi Yao, did you hurt yourself when you fell?"

Xi Yao didn’t say a word and stood up to leave. Du Nan hugged her from behind, "Xi Yao, I beg you, don’t get engaged to Shen Junyu, he really isn’t suitable for you."

Xi Yao struggled to pry his fingers off, but she couldn’t. In desperation, she said, "Du Nan, if you don’t let go, I’ll really scream for help." As she said this, she opened her mouth to scream, but Du Nan covered her mouth.

He pinned Xi Yao down on the bed, "Xi Yao, I won’t let you marry him, ever. You are mine, forever mine."

While muttering to himself, Du Nan bent down and kissed Xi Yao’s neck. Feeling the warmth and wetness there, Xi Yao’s eyes widened in shock. As soon as she realized what was happening, she began to struggle violently, punching Du Nan’s body, opened her mouth to scream for help, but Du Nan covered it again.

In order to stop Xi Yao from struggling, Du Nan had no choice but to remove his hand that was covering her mouth. Once she was free to speak, Xi Yao immediately started screaming, but unfortunately, the soundproofing of the room was too good and the garden outside was too noisy, no one heard her cries for help.

"Xi Yao, don’t yell, please be good, will you?" Du Nan whispered in Xi Yao’s ear soothingly.

"Xi Yao, once you become my woman, you won’t marry him. Yes, as long as you are my woman, you’ll be mine," seeming to have resolved in his mind, a touch of madness flashed through Du Nan’s eyes. He reached to remove Xi Yao’s clothes, but she dodged and picked up a pillow from the bed and threw it at him.

Then, taking advantage of the moment Du Nan was distracted, she tried to run to the door, but Du Nan had already locked it. In her panic, she couldn’t open it, and seeing Du Nan approaching, she screamed, "Du Nan, if you dare to do something to me, the Wen Family will not let you off."

However, Du Nan was already far gone into his madness by then; he couldn’t listen to her. Even if he had listened, he wouldn’t have taken it seriously. His mind was completely consumed with the thought of claiming Xi Yao, making her his woman and keeping her with him forever.

"Xi Yao, I will take responsibility for you, I will treat you well," Du Nan murmured.

Cold sweat covered Xi Yao’s forehead, and her eyes filled with sheer panic. Although she was decisive and ruthless in the business world, she was still fundamentally a woman who couldn’t defend herself and had never encountered such a situation. She was completely at a loss as to how to react.

As Du Nan’s hand almost reached her, Xi Yao screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Help, help me!"

**

"Lanlan, have you seen Xi Yao?" Shen Junyu asked Shen Qinglan.

Shen Qinglan was startled, "No, why?"

Shen Junyu frowned, "She just told me she was going to the restroom. The banquet is about to start, and Xi Yao hasn’t come back. It has been more than ten minutes."

"I’ll go check the restroom," Shen Qinglan said and handed her water glass to Fu Hengyi.

After searching the restroom without finding her, just as Shen Qinglan was about to go look in the garden, she faintly heard some noises coming from a nearby guest room. Her expression changed slightly, and she quickly walked over.

With a ripping sound, Xi Yao’s dress was torn in an instant. She had been wearing a strapless evening gown, and due to Du Nan’s action, a large area of her fair skin on the upper body was exposed. Xi Yao looked terrified, holding her hands desperately over her chest, "Du Nan, if you dare to do that to me, I will hate you for the rest of my life."

Hearing this, Du Nan’s expression changed slightly, and the corners of his mouth twitched, "It doesn’t matter, Xi Yao, as long as you are happy, even if you hate me for the rest of your life, it doesn’t matter. My love for you is enough."

As his hand moved towards Xi Yao’s chest, just about to touch her, suddenly there was a loud noise, and then he knew nothing as pain exploded in the back of his head.

Shen Qinglan coldly glanced at the man on the floor, then turned to the panic-stricken Xi Yao, "Sister Xi Yao, are you okay?"

Xi Yao looked dazedly at Shen Qinglan and suddenly hugged her, crying, "Qinglan, I was so scared."

Shen Qinglan gently comforted her, "It’s over, it’s over."

After Wen Xiyao’s emotions had stabilized, Shen Qinglan then glanced at her and noticed that her clothes were torn, so she grabbed a quilt from the side and draped it over her.

"Sister Xiyao, did he do anything to you?"

Wen Xiyao shook her head, her voice hoarse, "No, fortunately you arrived in time."

"I have a spare dress in my car, I’ll get it for you to change into, just wait here for a moment," Shen Qinglan said.

Wen Xiyao grabbed her, glancing at Du Nan lying unconscious on the floor, "He..."

"Sister Xiyao, don’t worry, he’s passed out and won’t wake up for now."

"Can we not tell Jun Yu about what happened today for now?" Wen Xiyao requested.

"Okay, I won’t tell big brother. Wait here, I’ll be right back."

Wen Xiyao nodded.

Shen Qinglan quickly returned, holding a light blue floor-length dress in her hand, "This dress is made to my size, and since our figures are similar, it should fit you. Change into this first, and then touch up your makeup."

Shen Qinglan handed her a simple makeup bag.

Wen Xiyao’s face was pale, and her hairstyle had become messed up due to the struggle. Indeed, she needed to tidy up. She stood up and walked directly into the bathroom inside the guest room.

Shen Qinglan glanced at the closed bathroom door, her gaze landing on Du Nan with a cold expression in her eyes. She went to find a piece of rope, tied up Du Nan’s hands and feet, then pulled off his socks, stuffed them into his mouth, and shoved him under the bed.

She then tidied up the guest room’s bed to make it look less messy. By the time she had finished, Wen Xiyao had also come out of the bathroom.

Wen Xiyao had applied some foundation to her face, which made her look less pale. The carefully designed hairstyle from the hairstylist had been messed up, and Wen Xiyao simply let her hair drape over her shoulders.

"Sister Xiyao, you need to smile," Shen Qinglan said.

Wen Xiyao tugged at the corners of her mouth, but her smile looked even worse than crying, "Qinglan, I can’t smile."

"Sister Xiyao, today is a big day for you and my brother, and there are so many people waiting outside for you. You don’t want everyone to worry, right?"

Wen Xiyao knew Shen Qinglan was right. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and tried hard to adjust her emotions. After all, she was experienced in the business world, and soon Wen Xiyao had managed to compose herself, at least outwardly.

Shen Qinglan and Wen Xiyao walked out together; just as they reached the entrance of the garden, they saw Shen Junyu waiting there, "Xiyao, where had you gone?" Noticing that she had changed into a different dress, Shen Junyu’s eyes narrowed slightly, "Did something happen?"

"Sister Xiyao accidentally got her dress wet while washing her hands, and she was really anxious about it. Luckily, I had a spare set of clothes, so changing took a little time," Shen Qinglan said lightly.

Shen Junyu looked at her skeptically, saw that her expression bore no signs of abnormality, and Wen Xiyao also assuredly nodded. Shen Junyu let go of his worries, "It’s good that everything is fine. The banquet is about to start; let’s go. Lanlan, you should come quickly too."

Shen Qinglan replied, "Understood," but she did not immediately follow. Instead, she went back to the guest room, locked the door with a key, and then left, thankful that the door’s quality was good; it had withstood a fierce kick from Shen Qinglan just now.

Soon, the engagement party started. An engagement differed from a wedding; the ceremony was not complicated. After speeches from both families’ parents, Shen Junyu and Wen Xiyao exchanged engagement rings, which marked the completion; the rest of the time was spent dining, drinking, and chatting.

"Was there a problem just now?" Standing in a deserted corner, Fu Hengyi asked in a low voice.

"No." Shen Qinglan answered.

"Really?"

Shen Qinglan gave him a sideways look, "Do you want something to have happened to me?"

Fu Hengyi just smiled and did not speak anymore; since she did not want to talk about it, he let it go.

While Fu Hengyi was chatting with others, Shen Qinglan found Wen Sihan.

"Miss Shen, you were looking for me?" Wen Sihan was somewhat puzzled, not understanding why Shen Qinglan was looking for him.

"There’s no need to call me Miss Shen, just call me by my name," Shen Qinglan said indifferently.

Wen Sihan readily agreed since they were all family now; calling her Miss Shen did indeed sound a bit distant, "Then I will call you Qinglan like Xi Yao from now on."

"I want to take you to meet someone," Shen Qinglan stated.

Wen Sihan raised an eyebrow, but said nothing and followed Shen Qinglan into the villa. From a distance, Fu Hengyi saw this scene but did not follow.

Shen Qinglan led Wen Sihan directly to the guest room, "Qinglan, why have you brought me here?" Wen Sihan was merely curious, not thinking anything untoward.

Shen Qinglan did not speak, but gestured for him to look under the bed. Wen Sihan crouched down and was surprised to find someone under the bed, looking somewhat familiar.

He looked closely, frowned, and said, "Du Nan, what is he doing here?" Shen Junyu and Wen Xiyao’s engagement had not been mentioned to the Du Family; how did Du Nan find out?

Shen Qinglan did not conceal anything and explained the events of the evening. The more Wen Sihan listened, the darker his face became; by the end, it had become as dark as the bottom of a pan, with a storm brewing in his eyes.

Like Shen Junyu who treasured Shen Qinglan, Wen Sihan was also protective of his sister. Hearing that his sister had almost been hurt and her lifelong happiness destroyed, Wen Sihan’s look towards Du Nan was no longer just cold - if possible, he would have torn Du Nan’s heart out this very moment.

"Thank you for this," Wen Sihan sincerely expressed his gratitude. If Shen Qinglan had not arrived in time, Wen Sihan could not imagine the harm his sister might have faced, his own heart trembling at the thought.

"Sister Xi Yao is going to be my sister-in-law; we are family. There’s no need for thanks," Shen Qinglan said lightly.

Wen Sihan cracked a slight smile, no wonder his sister always mentioned Shen Qinglan in front of him. Although this girl appeared cold, her heart was indeed warm.

"Regardless, our Wen Family owes you a favor. If you ever need anything, just say the word, and I’ll definitely help if I can."

Shen Qinglan, however, had never thought about asking the Wen Family for any favors, "This person, I’ll leave to you."

"Alright."

"I should be leaving first. I won’t tell my brother about this, so you also shouldn’t mention it in front of him," Shen Qinglan added.

Wen Sihan’s gratitude towards Shen Qinglan deepened. He wasn’t worried about how Shen Junyu would view his sister, but indeed, the fewer people knew about this matter, the better.

After Shen Qinglan left, the gentle smile Wen Sihan had shown in front of her completely disappeared from his face, turning stern. He made a call to his own younger brother, Wen Xiyao’s second brother, Wen Sixian.

Wen Sixian came quickly, and after learning what had happened, he glared at Du Nan as if he wanted to devour him. He had never liked the man much, but had tolerated him because he treated Wen Xiyao well, and the families of Du and Wen had a good relationship.

What a damned scoundrel.

Wen Sixian clenched his fists so tight, wanting nothing more than to rush over and punch him twice. As a soldier with a fiery temper, he couldn’t stand seeing a woman being bullied.

"Don’t do it here," Wen Sihan stopped him.

Wen Sixian calmed down, realizing it wasn’t the right time to settle scores with Du Nan. After exchanging a glance with Wen Sihan, he dragged Du Nan up and helped him into the car parked outside. Then, he casually threw him in the back seat and drove off. As for where he took Du Nan, Wen Sihan didn’t ask. Wen Sixian, although seemingly impulsive, was very measured in his actions and wouldn’t cause a major incident.

Yet, after this incident, the friendship between the Du Family and the Wen Family was definitely over. Wen Sihan returned to the banquet and continued mingling with the guests.

**

Since it was the engagement party of the eldest grandson of the Shen Family, the Fu Family wouldn’t miss it. With Old Sir Fu absent, Fu Jingtong represented the Fu Family.

Fu Jingtong, upon seeing Shen Rang, showed no particular emotion and spoke to him as she would to anyone else. "Why do you look so pale?" she asked, noticing Shen Rang’s ashen face even under the light.

Shen Rang smiled, "I haven’t been feeling very well lately. I heard you’ve been transferred back to Beijing?"

"Yes, I’ve been back for a long time and don’t plan to leave anymore. What about you, are you back for good?"

"I’m old too, not planning to wander anymore. When leaves fall, they return to their roots," he said, his tone somewhat melancholic, but Fu Jingtong didn’t pick up on the implications. Although she continued talking to Shen Rang, her gaze occasionally drifted towards Gu Bowen, who was paying close attention to their conversation.

Shen Rang noticed her distraction and glanced toward Gu Bowen. "Jingtong, you and Bowen..."

"We’ve been divorced for many years. It’s better for incompatible people to separate sooner to give each other a release," she said meaningfully.

Shen Rang’s expression stiffened slightly, "I’m sorry about what happened back then."

"You don’t have to apologize, matters of the heart can’t be forced. Even if we had married back then, it wouldn’t have lasted long. And it’s been so many years; there’s no need to bring it up again," Fu Jingtong said, truly indifferent. The one who couldn’t let go had always been Shen Rang.

Shen Rang smiled, "Jingtong, you’re still as clear about love and hate as you were back then, free-spirited and magnanimous."

Fu Jingtong’s gaze was fixed on the distance; she didn’t hear Shen Rang’s words clearly. Gu Bowen was continuously watching her, and naturally, Gu Yang noticed.

Leaning close to Gu Bowen, Gu Yang asked curiously, "Dad, who’s that man chatting with Mom?"

"An old friend."

"You know him too?"

"Yes."

"Then why don’t you go over there? It would be a great chance for you to have a good chat with Mom. Watching like this won’t make her come over," Gu Yang expressed his disdain for Gu Bowen.

Gu Bowen’s eyes dimmed, "Your mom is catching up with someone; I don’t want to intrude."

"Come on, Dad, not to criticize, but with that attitude, if I were Mom, I wouldn’t choose you either. You’re taking too long. If that guy is someone you know too, why can’t you also catch up?"

Gu Bowen was somewhat swayed by what his son said, and Gu Yang added fuel to the fire, "I heard recently that someone at my mom’s workplace is pursuing her, and if you don’t take the initiative, I might really have to start calling someone else ’stepdad.’ Don’t cry then."

Gu Bowen was shocked upon hearing this, and immediately turned to his son, "Who told you this?"

"Uh..." Gu Yang hesitated, "The last time I came back for a break, I went to my mom’s workplace to find her, and then I saw her dining with someone. A passing colleague mentioned that the man dining with my mom wanted to pursue her."

"How could you not tell me such an important thing earlier!" Gu Bowen glared.

Gu Yang was dumbfounded, "You didn’t give me a chance to speak. Last time I tried to tell you this, but you said you had a meeting and hung up my call," Gu Yang said, sounding aggrieved.

With that, Gu Bowen also remembered, it seemed that there was such an incident.

"This is my fault, we’ll talk about it some other day, Dad’s going to greet an old friend first," saying so, Gu Bowen headed towards Fu Jingtong and Shen Rang.

Gu Yang watched his father’s retreating figure and snickered, surely, his mom was his dad’s Achilles’ heel. He couldn’t believe that even after playing his ace card, his dad could remain indifferent.

Actually, what had just been discussed was entirely fabricated by Gu Yang. He did go to see his mom, but he hadn’t seen Fu Jingtong dining with anyone, nor being pursued.

Anyone with clear eyes could see there was a sentiment between Fu Jingtong and Gu Bowen. It was only Gu Bowen who couldn’t see it, standing still without taking action. Thus, as his son, he had no choice but to nudge him along.

Seeing that Gu Bowen had already walked over, Gu Yang smiled proudly and went off to find Gu Kai. "Shen Rang, long time no see." Gu Bowen approached and started warmly.

Shen Rang had already spotted him, and smiled, "Yes, it must have been about twenty-five years. You still look so young. I am old, compared to you, I am just an old man."

Ever since Gu Bowen had come over, the slight smile on Fu Jingtong’s face had faded. Seeing them chatting, she spoke, "You guys catch up, I’ll leave first."

"Jingtong," Shen Rang stopped her, "It’s rare for the three of us to be together, let’s chat for a while."

Fu Jingtong paused, then sat back down on the chair. Seeing this, Gu Bowen was first delighted, then his expression darkened. Fu Jingtong really still cared about Shen Rang; as soon as Shen Rang spoke, she stayed.

If Fu Jingtong knew his thoughts, she would probably be furious.

Shen Rang glanced at Fu Jingtong, a glint of understanding flashing in his eyes, but even before they had exchanged a few words, Fu Jingtong found an excuse to leave. This time, even Shen Rang’s interjection was of no use.

"Jingtong," Gu Bowen called her, but Fu Jingtong seemed as if she hadn’t heard at all.

Gu Bowen watched Fu Jingtong’s departing figure, his expression forlorn.

"Gu Bowen, what happened between you and Jingtong?" Shen Rang asked.

Gu Bowen concealed the gloom on his face, speaking indifferently, "It’s nothing."

Seeing that he was unwilling to talk, Shen Rang didn’t press further. After all, Shen Rang had once been engaged to Fu Jingtong, and later Gu Bowen married her. It was normal for Gu Bowen to be displeased with him.

"You don’t look well; you should rest. I have other matters, so I’ll leave first," Gu Bowen said.

Knowing he didn’t want to talk, Shen Rang smiled and nodded.

After Gu Bowen left, he did not go looking for Fu Jingtong but just found a seat somewhere. His gaze scanned the crowd, searching for Fu Jingtong.

Shen Rang and Fu Jingting had grown up together as childhood sweethearts, and Gu Bowen met Shen Rang during high school, and then through Shen Rang, he met Fu Jingting.

Gu Bowen was attracted to Fu Jingting the first time he saw her—she was bright and fiery like a blooming rose, an unreachable existence for Gu Bowen. At that time, Shen Rang was also immensely talented. The two of them together looked like a perfect match, a golden couple. Gu Bowen buried his feelings deep in his heart, unknown to anyone, quietly caring for Fu Jingting.

In college, Fu Jingting attended a military academy; Gu Bowen wanted to join her, but his physical condition did not qualify him for military school. The three of them were not at the same school and met infrequently. Apart from sending a monthly letter to Fu Jingting, Gu Bowen had no other interaction with her. During their sophomore year, Fu Jingting got engaged to Shen Rang.

The news came unexpectedly, and Gu Bowen was deeply devastated. After graduating, he and Fu Jingting lost all contact, and just when Gu Bowen was about to give up, he suddenly learned that Fu Jingting and Shen Rang had called off their engagement, and it was Shen Rang who initiated it because he had found the love of his life.

In a fit of rage, Gu Bowen went to look for Shen Rang, resulting in a fight. Although Gu Bowen was no match for Shen Rang, he fought with all his might, and since Shen Rang didn’t fight back, he also ended up with numerous injuries. Finally, it was Fu Jingting who stepped in to separate them.

Till this day, Gu Bowen remembers the words Fu Jingting asked him as she pulled him away, "Gu Bowen, do you like me?"

With a flushed face and head hung low, Gu Bowen dared not look at Fu Jingting, but he heard her say, "Do you want to marry me?"

Gu Bowen looked up incredulously.

"Don’t wish to? If not, just forget I asked."

As Fu Jingting turned to leave, Gu Bowen grabbed her hand, "I’m willing."

That is how they started dating. Gu Bowen knew Fu Jingting didn’t like him, but it didn’t matter; he was determined to make her fall for him. However, less than a month into the relationship, Fu Jingting, after getting drunk one night, slept with Gu Bowen, which led to her pregnancy.

Since she was pregnant, Fu Jingting decided to keep the baby, and they got married. Although Old Sir Fu initially disagreed, he eventually gave in under Fu Jingting’s insistence.

What Gu Bowen did not expect was that shortly after giving birth to Gu Yang, Fu Jingting asked for a divorce saying, "Gu Bowen, let’s divorce. I don’t love you, even though you are nice to me, but my heart still belongs to Shen Rang."

"Then why did you start a relationship with me in the first place?" Gu Bowen asked her.

"For Gu Yang. I couldn’t let my child be born out of wedlock and without a known father. And..." Fu Jingting took out a stack of photos and placed them in front of Gu Bowen, making his facial expression change immediately.

The photos were intimate shots of him with another woman, on a bed. However, his eyes were closed in the photos, as if he were asleep.

"Jingting, I didn’t do anything with that woman, I was just too drunk," Gu Bowen tried to explain, but his words sounded feeble, and Fu Jingting was adamant about the divorce.

"Gu Bowen, you should know my nature. If it weren’t for this, even if I didn’t love you, I would have stayed and tried to love you. But betrayal is what I despise most. There’s no chance for us anymore, sign here."

Fu Jingting placed the divorce agreement in front of Gu Bowen, "I won’t take anything from the Gu family. I’ll leave Gu Yang to you, just sign here."

Gu Bowen looked at her, hurt, "For a divorce, you’re even willing to give up our child?"

Fu Jingting responded coldly, "The child is yours. I don’t want to be reminded of you every time I see him."

With such a firm refusal, leaving no room for Gu Bowen, he eventually signed the papers.

"Rest assured, I won’t tell anyone you were at fault. This will remain between the two of us."

Fu Jingting left and went abroad, not returning for years. Whenever she came to see Gu Yang, she would only call him to meet outside, never stepping foot into the Gu family’s house again.