Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
“She didn’t say anything and just left,” Jiang Yu sighed.
Fu Tingyan looked away when the car started up again. “That means she’s single.”
“Really? Are you sure?” Jiang Yu pressed for an answer.
“If she weren’t single, she would have said that she already has a boyfriend.”
Sometimes, a change in perspective goes a long way in seeing the bigger picture. Jiang Yu could not see the situation for what it was because he was in the thick of things, and not for any lack of effort on his part.
Fu Tingyan was different. He was an outsider observing the situation from a bird’s eye view and could see things that those on the ground could not.
Jiang Yu felt what Xiao Qi said made sense, so he listened. It was now up to him to win Ye Xue’s affection.
It was his mother who introduced Lin Wan to him.
Now that he had fired Lin Wan and appointed Special Assistant He in her stead, he ought to explain to his mother why he decided to sack the woman she had introduced.
“Son, are you speaking the truth? Is Lin Wan such an awful person?”
“Why would I lie to you, Mom?” Jiang Yu quipped in response.
“I didn’t know Lin Wan was such an evil woman.” Jiang Yu’s mother felt like she had been slapped. Her son had not been taken in by Lin Wan’s act, while she had been so easily deceived.
“So… When are you going to bring this girl you’re interested in to see your dear Mother?”
“It’s still too soon. I think you’ll need to wait for a while yet.”
“Hah! You’re already 23 and still without a girlfriend. It would be best if you listened to me more. Haven’t I been telling you to watch more soap operas? There are so many of them airing these days. I’m sure you’ll learn a thing or two from them.”
Jiang Yu: “…”
Bright Garden…
Qin Shu and Xiao Jiu sat at the dining table, waiting for dinner to be served.
When Fu Tingyan arrived, he saw the two of them at the dining table. He smiled and said, “Looks like I’m just in time. Let’s have dinner together.”
Qin Shu had just picked up her chopsticks when she caught sight of Fu Tingyan. Immediately, she instructed, “Ning Meng, please prepare another set of chopsticks.”
“Right away, Young Madam.” Ning Meng hurried away to get Fu Tingyan a pair of chopsticks.
“Uncle!” Xiao Jiu greeted him warmly.
“Xiao Jiu, you’ve grown taller!” Fu Tingyan took the empty seat beside Xiao Jiu. He visited Bright Garden frequently, and it was like a second home to him.
“Uncle seems to have become more handsome as well,” Xiao Jiu said shyly.
“You should be more confident with your words. I don’t ‘seem’ more handsome; I naturally am!” Fu Tingyan laughed.
Qin Shu eyed Fu Tingyan thoughtfully. Shi Yan said that he had not been to the company recently, so she probed her brother-in-law, “Have you been busy of late?”
“I needed to settle a few matters. I just came back last night.” Fu Tingyan looked around but did not see Fu Tingyu. “Sister-in-law, where’s my brother?”
Qin Shu stopped chewing on her food as a terrible ache weighed her heart. “He went out and won’t be back for a while,” she whispered.
“It’s the end of the year, and my brother is still out? That doesn’t sound like something my brother at all.” Fu Tingyan knew his brother too well. It was almost the new year; he could not have gone out at such an important time of the year.
Qin Shu pursed her lips. “Something important came up that needed his attention.”
Ning Meng returned with a bowl and a pair of chopsticks. She scooped a bowl of rice for Fu Tingyan and placed it in front of him. “Seventh Young Master.”
Fu Tingyan accepted the bowl and chopsticks. When he heard Qin Shu’s words, he looked up. “Has my brother been so busy recently?”
Qin Shu nodded. “Yes.”
Fu Tingyan nodded, helping himself to a few dishes. “Did my brother say anything before he left?”
Qin Shu could not meet Fu Tingyan’s eyes. “No… He didn’t say anything…”
Fu Tingyan pursed his lips. He was getting more and more confused. How could his brother not have said anything?
Suddenly, he looked up at Qin Shu. “Sister-in-law, didn’t my brother tell you why I’d be visiting today?”
Qin Shu’s grip on her chopsticks tightened. She had been trying her best to conceal the truth from Fu Tingyan, but it did not look like she could hide it any longer…
Xiao Jiu swallowed the food in his mouth and asked Fu Tingyan innocently, “Uncle, didn’t you come to see me?”
Fu Tingyan smiled brightly at Xiao Jiu. “Of course, I came to see you! However, Uncle does have another reason for visiting.”
As he spoke, he took the opportunity to ruffle Xiao Jiu’s hair affectionately, but his demeanour turned serious as he addressed Qin Shu again. “Did my brother go out?”
Qin Shu met Fu Tingyan eyes. Fu Tingyan had always admired and listened to his brother. If he knew that Fu Tingyu was missing…
Fu Tingyan asked, “Is it so hard to give me a straight answer?”
“Your brother is missing. It has been that way for more than a month now. He disappeared on his trip to Xiyan,” Qin Shu answered.
Fu Tingyan’s gripped his chopsticks in a vice. “What do you mean?”
“While your brother was investigating the Yunya Scenic Area’s geology in Xiyan, he fell off the cliff and hasn’t been found yet.” Qin Shu said.
Fu Tingyan could not sit still after such a big incident. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner? Does my grandmother know about it? Didn’t my brother attend the family meeting a few days ago?”
“Grandmother found out not long ago. I asked Xiao Jiu to attend the family meeting in your brother’s place,” Qin Shu admitted.
Fu Tingyan could not care less what the other family members thought of his brother’s absence at the meeting. He was more concerned for his brother’s wellbeing.
“At the very least, you did go looking for my brother, didn’t you? For him to still be missing after a month, I’m afraid…” Fu Tingyan did not dare continue his present train of thought. He believed in his brother’s ability to overcome adversity. There was no way he would succumb after a mere fall from some
measly cliff.
“I’ve dispatched a whole host of people to look for him. I’ve even asked my martial sisters and brothers for assistance, but none of them has heard a peep.” The hand holding her chopsticks trembled faintly. Qin Shu was afraid and deathly worried that she would never find Fu Tingyu.
She could only pray that Fu Tingyu was fine.
Perhaps he was injured somewhere out there in the vast world, waiting for her to find him. There was not a night she slept without these haunting thoughts.
Xiao Jiu held Qin Shu’s hand, comforting his mother, “Mom, Dad will be back in no time. You’ll see.”
Fu Tingyan noticed Qin Shu’s trembling and realised his reaction had been too intense. He had even insinuated her lack of concern for his brother’s wellbeing, blaming the person he should have trusted more than anyone else. He may be worried for his brother, but it didn’t mean Qin Shu was any less
concerned than he was. After all, she was his brother’s wife.
Having waited for so long without any news… He could not imagine how much pain she was forced to shoulder alone and in silence.
“sister-in-law, don’t worry. I’m sure my brother is fine. Thank you for all you’ve done.”
Qin Shu held her son’s hand and said to Fu Tingyan, “We’re family; there’s no need for ‘thank yous’.”
Fu Tingyan did not say anything else. Otherwise, he would be treating Qin Shu as an outsider. “T!ll start searching for my brother tomorrow,”
“You should stay in Jiangcheng. If you make any sudden moves, it will draw the family’s suspicion, and more people will start asking where he is. In two days, I’ll make up an excuse and say I’m going to your parent’s place for the New Year with you and my brother. That’ll give me a window to look for him
without the family’s scrutiny.”
‘There were two reasons for Qin Shu’s presence in Jiangcheng, First, the company had to settle the accounts before the New Year; second, she had to appear at the annual family meeting, Failure of either condition would invite suspicion, and she could afford to let the family learn that something was
amiss with Fu Tingyu. Therefore, she had no choice but to remain in Jiangcheng.
Fu Tingyan was now working in the company, so he knew there were those in the family eyeing his brother’s position. If they caught so much as a whiff of weakness, they would expend no small amount of effort to seize his position in the company for themselves.
For now, he could only bide his time, suppressing his impulse to fly to Xiyan and search for his brother.
After dinner, Fu Tingyan accompanied Xiao Jiu in a few of his favourite games.
On the other hand, Qin Shu retired to the study to deal with unfinished matters.
She had settled the company’s accounts, and now it was time to wrap things up.
Just then, her phone rang.
Qin Shu shifted her gaze from the computer screen to her phone. It was Lan Qi.
Confused, she answered the call. “Qin Shu, can you come and see Jun Li?” Lan Qi asked.
Lan Qi’s hoarse voice sounded as if he had been crying, causing her heart to lurch. Could Jun Li have…?
No. Qin Shu told herself she was not going down there. Hurriedly, she asked, “Is Jun Li alright? Did something happen?”
“Jun Li fainted! He vomited fresh blood before he fainted! Please, could you come and see him?” Lan Qi all but begged..
