Chapter 18
On the day Song Fengwan set off for the capital…
Song Jingren personally helped her move her two large suitcases and art supplies into the car. “Fengwan, you have to take care of yourself in the capital. If you’re not used to the food, I’ll ask Aunt Liang to go there and cook for you.”
“It’s only around two to three months. I’ll be fine.” Song Fengwan looked at her luggage while thinking if she had forgotten anything.
“After you get to the capital, go pay Old Master Fu a visit first. You must be respectful to him. I’ve already prepared the gifts for you.
“Remember to give me a call when you arrive. No matter how late it is, I’ll wait for your call,” Song Jingren reminded repeatedly.
“I know.” Song Fengwan was also reluctant to part from him. It was the first time she had left her parents to live outside. After all, she was only 17 years old, so she was still slightly uneasy.
“Xiyan, I’ll be troubling you this time…” Song Jingren walked to another side.
Qiao Xiyan had already been here for so long, but he hadn’t even taken a single step into the Song family’s courtyard. This clearly showed the Qiao family’s attitude.
Qiao Xiyan turned his head and glanced at Song Jingren. He threw the half-burnt cigarette between his fingers onto the ground and stubbed it with his foot.
“Wanwan, are you done?”
“Yep.”
“Then let’s go.” He left directly while speaking. He looked cold and arrogant, and his gaze was frosty, looking even more desolate than this autumn wind.
Song Fengwan chatted with Song Jingren for a few more minutes before leaving.
After its headlights flashed a few times, the car sped away.
***
Song Fengwan was sitting in the front passenger seat and looking down as she sent a message to her mother. She suddenly remembered something and turned around to look for something in the back seat.
“Forgot something?” Qiao Xiyan smiled when he saw her flustered look.
“And here I thought you had really grown up and could stand on your own now. Fortunately, we haven’t gotten on the highway yet. Hurry and find it.” He slowed the car down, and his voice was no longer cold but casual and lazy instead. He even sounded like…
He was enjoying her current predicament.
Song Fengwan finally found a paper bag and held it in her arms. She lowered her head to check it. “I found it. That gave me a fright. I thought I forgot it at home.”
Qiao Xiyan gave her a subtle glance out of the corner of his eye. It appeared to be a jacket.
“Is this jacket very important?”
“It’s Third Master Fu’s. He lent it to me before…” Song Fengwan didn’t hide it and briefly recounted the events of that rainy day. “… After it was sent back from dry cleaning, I went to check. This jacket is an out-of-print limited edition from its brand’s current season, and it’s quite expensive.”
“I didn’t expect Third Master Fu to have this side to him.” Qiao Xiyan subconsciously held a cigarette in his mouth and reached for the lighter. But after catching a glimpse of the person beside him, he took the cigarette out of his mouth.
His father had reminded him repeatedly.
Don’t smoke in front of kids.
“You don’t even know him. How do you know what he’s like?” Song Fengwan was doubtful.
“I heard some rumors about him from a customer who went to the store to buy jade.
“That customer was buying stone materials in the northwest and happened to run into Third Master Fu. Third Master Fu was in a group and probably out for an inspection or a mountaineering trip.” Qiao Xiyan narrowed his eyes. “He said that there was a woman who kept chasing after Third Master Fu.”
Song Fengwan was immediately interested. “And then?”
“The mountains there are high, and the roads are dangerous. That lady is frail and delicate. She couldn’t take hardships, and her feet were covered in blisters.”
“Did she go back?” Song Fengwan turned to the side, full of interest.
“It wasn’t easy to chase him all the way there, so how could she leave so easily? She probably wanted to use the opportunity to make Third Master Fu comfort and pamper her. She was so pitiful that many men wouldn’t be able to reject such a woman.” Qiao Xiyan sneered. “Unfortunately, Third Master Fu isn’t your average man…”
Song Fengwan frowned. “What did he do?”
“He didn’t even spare her a glance. Afterward, that woman tried to force him by threatening to jump off a cliff.”
“So crazy?”
“Third Master Fu said one sentence.” Qiao Xiyan’s tone was calm. “Miss Li, remember to buy insurance.”
11
Song Fengwan rubbed her nose. Based on his attitude toward Jiang Fengya the other day, he really was someone who would say something like this.
“What happened to the woman in the end? She didn’t really jump, did she?”
“No, she broke down on the spot and bawled her eyes out.”
“It must be devastating to have the person you like say that.” Song Fengwan had never been in a relationship before, but she had watched enough dramas and could vaguely understand.
“If only that was all. That girl kept yelling that her surname wasn’t Li but Cheng. She had been chasing after Third Master Fu for more than four years, but let alone her name, even her surname wasn’t worthy of Third Master Fu’s attention.”
3
Qiao Xiyan chuckled. “Then Third Master Fu simply said differently, ‘I’m sorry. I’ve always had trouble remembering irrelevant people.’
3
“His attitude was extremely sincere. That day, that girl limped away.”
Song Fengwan shook her head helplessly. “Poor thing.”
3
“That’s why I was surprised that he would lend you his jacket. He should be a very cold and heartless person.”
“I’m not one of his fanatical pursuers. Besides, he’s an elder, so it’s normal for him to take care of me.” Song Fengwan had always respected Fu Chen and regarded him as her elder.
4
“Let’s not talk about the other members of the Fu family. Be sure to pay attention around Fu Chen. I heard that he’s not easy to get along with, and he doesn’t like it when others disagree and talk back to him. Just listen to whatever he says.”
1
Qiao Xiyan was also worried that his cousin would suffer a loss. She would be in a foreign place and wouldn’t have anyone to stand up for her if she were to be wronged.
“I don’t know how the Fu family arranged it, but I think Fu Chen treats you quite well. When you return the jacket, have a better attitude. Didn’t you bring some local specialties? Give him some too. As long as he takes care of you slightly, no one in the capital will dare to bully you.”
“Got it.” Song Fengwan bit her lip.
She knew how influential Fu Chen was.
If she wanted to have good days in the future, she had to cozy up to him.
She didn’t know what Third Master Fu liked. If only she could do things to his liking.
6
Song Fengwan sighed. She took out the ‘College Entrance English Examination: 3,500 Words’ book from the side and started reading.
***
At this moment, Fu Chen still had no idea that Song Fengwan was on her way to the capital.
Old Master Fu was afraid that he would be against it, so he ordered everyone in the family to keep their mouths shut and planned to force her on him.
Actually, Fu Chen was quite interested in Song Fengwan. But she was still young, and it happened to be the college entrance examination period, so he wasn’t in a hurry. Recently, he had been handling an acquisition case and was busy these days.
Today, he barely got any rest before he was forcibly pulled out by the old madam to accompany her to watch an opera. In the theater, there were many young ladies from aristocratic families who didn’t know how to appreciate the art of traditional operas. So the old madam’s motive was self-evident.
The Mid-Autumn Festival had just passed, and they were still performing ‘Chang’e Flying to the Moon’ in the Pear Garden. The people on the stage wore heavy make-up, draped on cloud-shaped collar wraps, and swayed their long sleeves as they sang in a mellow voice.
The old madam held a teacup in her hand and listened with narrowed eyes.
Fu Chen was still wearing a black long robe. He tilted his head and looked at his phone. The dim light in the garden fell on him, causing to exude the dispirited aura of a young master from the Republic of China era.
“Third Son, are you waiting for a call?” the old madam asked in a low voice with squinted eyes.
“No.”
2
Although he had exchanged phone numbers with Song Fengwan, they hadn’t even sent each other a text message yet.
Fu Chen put away his phone. Seems like that little girl isn’t planning on treating me to a meal and returning my jacket.
3