Chapter 13: Nothing to Say
Old Mrs. Fu scheduled her meeting with Luo Nanchu precisely on a weekend.
She had the next two days off.
After having hotpot with Yu Yuan, strolling around the mall served to aid digestion.
Luo Nanchu thought she might as well pick out a gift for the old lady while she was at it.
In a few days, it will be Old Mrs. Fu’s birthday.
She had only met Fu Hansheng’s parents once when they escorted her to Fu Hansheng’s home after she was sent there.
In Luo Nanchu’s memory, Fu Hansheng’s mother was a decisive and capable career woman, excelling in both her professional life and her strong-willed personality.
His father was also a business magnate.
Fu Hansheng inherited his parents’ intelligence and stood to inherit everything they had. He was as disciplined and strict with himself as they were.
Most of the time when she had feelings for Fu Hansheng, it felt like she was performing a one-woman show, but Old Mrs. Fu genuinely treated her with sincerity.
She regarded Nanchu as her own granddaughter.
What could Old Mrs. Fu possibly lack? She lacked nothing.
The Fu family’s status in Jingbei was already unshakable, deeply rooted with three generations in business. Old Mrs. Fu had been a young lady of privilege since childhood—there was no luxury she hadn’t seen.
After pondering for a while, Luo Nanchu decided to knit a scarf herself.
The old lady’s birthday fell in winter, so a scarf would be just the right gift.
Walking into a store specializing in handmade goods, she and Yu Yuan made their way to the section selling knitting wool.
Luo Nanchu tested the texture of every type of yarn, finally selecting the softest wool.
At her age, Old Mrs. Fu enjoyed liveliness and festive cheer.
She chose bright red wool.
The sky lit to the color of a fish’s belly, and surprisingly, the sun emerged today after a sudden drop in temperature.
Yet the autumn sunlight did little to dispel the cold.
As the wind picked up, the thin air still carried a faint chill.
Before heading to the Fu family’s old residence, Luo Nanchu specifically inquired about Fu Hansheng’s schedule from his driver.
Learning that Fu Hansheng wouldn’t be returning to the old residence today, she breathed a sigh of relief and went there with confidence.
Fu Hansheng’s driver had put the call on speakerphone.
Luo Nanchu started with small talk before subtly inserting her key question, making it almost imperceptible.
Uncle Wang, however, keenly noticed.
The man sitting in the back seat, long legs crossed and eyes lightly closed in rest, opened his eyes.
His narrow eyes held a cold sharpness.
With just one glance from Fu Hansheng, Uncle Wang immediately understood his meaning.
He promptly picked Luo Nanchu’s thread of conversation.
Luo Nanchu asked, “Uncle Wang, will Fu Hansheng be returning to the old residence today?”
The subject of the topic frowned slightly.
Fu Hansheng sneered inwardly after failing to drug him, she still hadn’t given up.
Uncle Wang glanced at Fu Hansheng in the rearview mirror.
Fu Hansheng shook his head gently, and Uncle Wang said, “President Fu won’t be returning to the old residence.”
Luo Nanchu let out a soft sigh.
Uncle Wang tentatively asked, “Do you need something from President Fu, Miss Luo?””
Luo Nanchu replied, “I was just asking. It’s nothing.”
After hanging up, Uncle Wang couldn’t help but shake his head and smile.
To find out Fu Hansheng’s schedule, Luo Nanchu never forgot to send gifts to him, the driver, even on holidays, and remembered his birthday clearly.
But alas, President Fu detested this kind of behavior from her.
Uncle Wang couldn’t bear to refuse her and occasionally leaked a bit of information.
Old Mrs. Fu sent someone to pick up Luo Nanchu.
When they arrived at the old residence, the old lady was already waiting at the door to greet her.
The moment Nanchu stepped out of the car, the old lady immediately linked arms with her.
“Nanchu, I’ve missed you so much.”
Nanchu smiled faintly, pressing her lips together.
“Grandma, I’ve missed you so much too.”
The next second, the old lady said, “Then move back into Hansheng’s apartment.”
“You two should come visit me together on weekends.”
Luo Nanchu smiled bitterly in her heart. In that case, I’d rather not miss you anymore, Grandma.
When Old Mrs. Fu had free time, she would gather a few friends to play mahjong or tend to her flowers and plants at home.
When in high spirits, she would even make some desserts.
For Luo Nanchu, if it weren’t for the old lady’s kindness toward her, she wouldn’t have wanted to set foot in the Fu family ancestral home ever again.
Marrying Fu Hansheng came with his resentment.
He hated her for scheming against him, hated her for preventing him from marrying the woman he loved.
Yet during those two years of marriage to Fu Hansheng, Luo Nanchu regretted it immensely.
Every holiday, Luo Nanchu would return alone to the ancestral home for family banquets.
Fu Hansheng would either arrive late or not show up at all.
His assistant would attend in his place.
“My apologies, President Fu needs to fly to Los Angeles in an hour.”
“President Fu is in a meeting.”
“President Fu…”
All the Fu family members’ eyes would fall on Luo Nanchu, her face slightly pale as she clenched her hands, sitting there helplessly.
Anyone could see that Fu Hansheng didn’t care about her as his wife.
The old lady would come to her rescue.
“Tell that unfilial grandson of mine that if he doesn’t show up next time, he need not come back ever again.”
Throughout the banquet, she felt like she was chewing wax.
Even with the old lady on her side, she couldn’t control what others thought in their hearts.
When Fu Hansheng and Song Feiwan’s scandal made the front page of entertainment newspapers, Luo Nanchu’s heart ached so much it nearly burst.
Remembering all this, Luo Nanchu felt she had been given a new lease on life.
She wouldn’t waste her energy on him anymore.
She held the old lady’s hand.
“Grandma, I’ve thought it over.”
“I don’t like Fu Hansheng anymore.”
When Old Mrs. Fu heard this, her heart skipped a beat.
The young woman spoke too earnestly, her gaze frank and unconcealed.
It seemed she meant it seriously.
She had moved out of Fu Hansheng’s apartment, and there were no rumors of her chasing after him anymore.
“But Grandma, I can still be like a granddaughter to you.”
Old Mrs. Fu smiled, the movement tugging at the corners of her eyes, making her crow’s feet more noticeable.
“Nanchu, you must come to Grandma’s birthday.”
Luo Nanchu nodded, promising she would attend.
For Old Mrs. Fu’s birthday, Fu Hansheng, as her biological grandson, would certainly be present.
That meant she would inevitably run into him.
After lunch.
The old lady asked her to wait before leaving.
“Wait a moment, I’ll have someone drive you.”
Luo Nanchu obediently waited.
But she never expected the driver to be Fu Hansheng.
Fu Hansheng’s car pulled up steadily before her.
The man rolled down the window, his eyes dark as lacquer, strands of hair falling over his sharp brow bones, his nose bridge high and straight.
His thin lips parted slightly.
“Get in.”
Luo Nanchu hesitated.
He made a faint, impatient task.
“Get in.”
Pushed by Old Mrs. Fu, she steeled herself and got into the passenger seat.
Once in the car, she barely spoke.
Fu Hansheng let out a light “Hah.”
“You’re quite the actress.”
“Putting on a show in front of the old lady, and now you don’t want to get in the car?”
Luo Nanchu didn’t refute him.
After that exchange, the two fell into silence.
She had learned one thing: the less said, the better.
After all, no matter what she said, Fu Hansheng wouldn’t believe her.
Why waste her breath? Let him misunderstand.
She didn’t care whether Fu Hansheng misunderstood or not.
Now that she couldn’t be bothered to explain or care, even if Fu Hansheng pointed at a cow and called it a horse, she would only nod and say, “You’re right.”
She simply closed her eyes.
Might as well treat him as a free driver.
Upon arrival, Luo Nanchu left behind a “Thank you” before immediately running off.
Zephyr Yizelle
✍️ Translator
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