Chapter Twenty-Three

Lin Yiqing dragged Fu Chen up to the top floor of the hotel. Throughout the journey, Fu Chen remained silent, allowing her to pull him along.

When they entered the room, Lin Yiqing gave Fu Chen a hard shove. His tall figure swayed slightly under the force.

“Ah Chen! Why do you have to treat me like this?” Her shrill voice rang through the room. When Lin Yiqing looked up, her face was already drenched in tears, her lips quivering, a picture of beauty marred by sorrow.

Fu Chen’s deep, dark eyes fixed on Lin Yiqing; he said nothing.

She waited and waited for his response, her emotions fraying to the breaking point. She cared nothing for her dignity as she began to pummel him with fists and feet.

Fu Chen bore it all without protest, not even the faintest frown crossing his brow. He simply let her vent.

When Lin Yiqing had exhausted herself and her fury, she leaned her head against Fu Chen’s chest, gasping desperately for air. Her voice was hoarse and unsteady: “Ah Chen, can you just give me a clear answer? I really can’t take this anymore.”

“Do you have any idea how much it hurt when I saw those photos of you and Shen Huaiqing online? Every day has been torture for me.”

“You know very well…”

Before she could finish, Fu Chen lowered his head and cupped her chin, and his lips—carrying the faint scent of wine—pressed softly against hers, capturing the sweetness of her lips and the salt of her tears.

The sudden closeness startled Lin Yiqing. Her eyes flew wide open, staring straight at Fu Chen.

At that moment, he had his eyes closed, savoring the taste of her lips. It was the first time she had studied Fu Chen so closely as an adult—his brows thick like strokes of ink, lashes long and dense, his nose straight and proud—every feature was just as she remembered and had longed for, night after night.

She didn’t want to close her eyes. She wanted to take him in, etch his features deep into her bones.

Fu Chen’s movements were gentle. Soon, he released Lin Yiqing, gazing down at her, weariness written plainly in his eyes.

He rubbed his brow and allowed a faint smile to touch his lips. He drew Lin Yiqing into his embrace, resting her head against his chest, his voice steady and low: “Yiqing, from the moment I first saw you, my heart has beaten for you.”

Her cheek pressed against his chest, she listened to the strong, steady rhythm of his heart, and her own heartbeat began to race in confusion. “Ah Chen, is… is it true? You… you’re not lying to me, are you?”

Her voice, made rough by her earlier sobbing and shouting, trembled uncontrollably.

Fu Chen stroked her back tenderly, his voice unwavering: “I have never lied to you.”

“Then why have you acted like this toward me lately? When I see the coldness in your eyes, I really feel like dying.”

Fu Chen quickly pressed his hand to her lips, an edge of anger in his tone: “Don’t say things like that.”

“You know me, Yiqing. Shen Huaiqing is important to me; I have to act this way. Once my plan succeeds, no one will be able to stop us from being together. You have to trust me, Yiqing.”

She looked into Fu Chen’s sincere eyes, recalling everything about his life, and nodded resolutely. “I understand, Ah Chen, but…”

Fu Chen gently smoothed her hair, his voice soft. “You can say anything. There’s nothing we can’t talk about.”

“But… every now and then, could you let me see you, just once?” Lin Yiqing pleaded.

Fu Chen pressed a light kiss to her cheek, indulgent. “Alright. I’ll have Lin Yu arrange a place for you to stay. I’ll make time to see you every month. But you mustn’t come looking for me on your own—if my father finds out, it will only delay my plans.”

“Alright. I won’t disturb you, and I won’t go to Shen Huaiqing. But, Fu Chen, promise me: don’t fall in love with her, okay?” Lin Yiqing studied his expression, afraid to see any hesitation.

Fu Chen lowered his eyes, his long lashes sweeping down to hide them, masking the flicker of doubt within. “I won’t.”

But in his mind, countless scenes of him with Shen Huaiqing flashed by—her laughter, her indifference, those bewitching eyes impossible to forget.

He kept asking himself—would he really not? Was it ‘would not’ or ‘could not’?

Lin Yiqing didn’t notice the emotions Fu Chen struggled to hide. She simply held him, content.

The phone rang, slicing through the sweetness of their reunion.

“Yes, I understand. I’ll be back at the office soon.” Fu Chen ended the call with a few brief words, then stroked Lin Yiqing’s head. “Go find Lin Yu. I have something at work to take care of. I’ll come see you when I can.”

Though she hated to part, she knew not to interfere with his work. Reluctantly, she clung to the hem of his jacket, walking with him step by step, until at last, she let go.

As she watched him walk away, a vague sense of unease crept into her heart, but she couldn’t say why.

After leaving the room, Fu Chen went to meet Lin Yu at the hotel entrance.

He got into the passenger seat, glancing back to see that Shen Huaiqing was there as well, her eyes closed, not even flinching when Fu Chen entered.

“Take me home first, you can go to work afterward.” She knew by the scent of his cologne who had gotten in.

Fu Chen found himself uncharacteristically ill at ease, licking his lips. “I thought you’d already left.”

“If I left so early, do you want the reporters to chase me all the way to my door?” Shen Huaiqing replied irritably.

“I’ll deal with the media. No one dares cross the Fu Corporation,” Fu Chen said, tugging at his tie in frustration.

Autumn had already arrived, and the night air was chilly, but Fu Chen felt hot and restless.

Shen Huaiqing seemed exhausted; she kept her eyes closed, her tone impatient. “Fu Chen, I’ve told you before—handle your own mess, don’t drag me into it.”

Lin Yu, who was driving, couldn’t help but laugh. Immediately, Fu Chen shot him a glare sharp as ice.

“In all these years, this is the first time I’ve heard anyone talk to our Young Master Fu like that. Impressive,” Lin Yu said, grinning cheekily.

“Shen Huaiqing, have you taken care of things with Mu Jinghuai?” Fu Chen ignored Lin Yu and asked her coolly.

At the mention of Mu Jinghuai, Shen Huaiqing’s brows twitched, but her expression quickly returned to normal. “He and I are just employer and employee—there’s nothing to deal with.”

This made Lin Yu laugh even harder. “Hahaha, you two are truly a one-of-a-kind couple.”

“Shut up!” Fu Chen and Shen Huaiqing snapped in unison.

For some reason, Fu Chen felt a surge of nameless anger in his chest. Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to keep calm. “Mu Jinghuai and Shen Huaiqing are just in a business relationship, but the same can’t be said for Song Hui, can it?”