The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife-Chapter 546: Number two 3. But he doesn’t like me

"I had only left for a moment, how did you get bullied so quickly?" A clear male voice came from beside her, with a slight chill in his words.

Guoguo turned her head and saw Fu Chenxuan standing beside her, his face still displaying a faint smile, yet it felt devoid of any warmth.

Chen Anya’s eyes flashed with astonishment at the sight of Fu Chenxuan’s looks, to the point where she even forgot that her hand was still being held by another.

Fu Chenxuan was all too familiar with such gazes and felt no discomfort. He shook off the woman’s hand, "So you’re the one who wanted to bully my girlfriend?"

Chen Anya was taken aback and asked subconsciously, "Han Nanyan is your girlfriend?"

Fu Chenxuan’s expression remained indifferent, "She’s not; unless you are?"

Chen Anya’s face flushed with embarrassment, but she quickly remembered her purpose of being there today and straightened her back once more.

"If you really are Han Nanyan’s boyfriend, then keep a good eye on her and don’t let her go around seducing others."

Guoguo’s face turned, ready to retort, but Fu Chenxuan caught her shoulder and pulled her into his embrace, "My girlfriend’s affairs are none of your concern. However, my girlfriend has quite normal taste in men. Between me and this... young man here, I think anyone with eyes would choose me."

Ning Xiuji’s face turned ashen with anger, glaring at Fu Chenxuan, "What do you mean by that?"

With an indifferent face, Fu Chenxuan replied, "Sorry, brother, I’m just stating facts. If you think I’ve insulted you, I apologize." His tone lacked any sincerity, only fueling further anger.

In fact, Ning Xiuji was quite handsome and could be considered a good-looking guy, but he simply paled in comparison to Fu Chenxuan.

Chen Anya woke up from the allure of Fu Chenxuan’s beauty and looked at him angrily. She knew, however, that it was embarrassing to argue in public, so she desperately suppressed the urge to lash out and said coldly, "Sir, you probably don’t have a clear understanding of what kind of person Han Nanyan is. I advise you to investigate her past before getting involved with this woman, lest you end up wearing a green hat without even knowing it!"

With that, she glared hatefully at Guoguo, her eyes full of jealousy. Why would such an outstanding man like this woman? Could it be that all the other women in the world had vanished?

Seething with anger, she pulled Ning Xiuji away. Ning Xiuji didn’t want to leave, but facing Guoguo’s indifferent expression, his eyes revealed a touch of sadness.

Once the two had left, Fu Chenxuan released Guoguo, furrowing his brows at her, "Han Nanyan, I didn’t see it coming, you’ve got quite a few rotten peaches." He had only returned two days ago and already dealt with two for her.

Guoguo’s face fell, "Brother Chenxuan, stop teasing me, I’m really troubled."

"What was up with that guy just now?"

"Don’t even mention him, just the thought of him makes me angry. If it hadn’t been for him, I wouldn’t have been tangled up with that crazy woman, Chen Anya." Guoguo was very upset.

"Come on, tell me what’s going on, maybe I can give you some advice."

Guoguo had kept the matter to herself for a long time, but since Fu Chenxuan had already stumbled upon the scene, she decided to just spill everything.

The story had to start back when Guoguo was in college.

Since Guoguo resembled Han Yi more closely, it could be said that she had been a beauty from childhood, receiving love letters from as early as elementary school.

Her strategy for dealing with suitors had always been either to ignore them or to reject them outright. For those she couldn’t shake off, she used Fu Chenxuan as a shield. However, after starting university, Fu Chenxuan got into a military academy and then went abroad to study, leaving Guoguo in China.

Being pretty, good-natured, and from a well-known family, Guoguo attracted a lot of attention from the opposite sex as soon as she entered university. There were countless suitors, and among them, Ning Xiuji, the young director of Shuangcheng International, was the most persistent.

Ning Xiuji fell for Guoguo at first sight and was hopelessly smitten, frequently showing up wherever she was. Shuangcheng International had thrived under the management of his mother, Ning Ke, becoming a company that could stand shoulder to shoulder with the Han Group.

Ning Xiuji considered himself a good match for Guoguo in terms of family status and was exceptionally persistent in pursuing her, even though Guoguo had never accepted him, from their first year until their fourth.

After graduation, upon learning that Guoguo was going to join her father’s company, he went out of his way to plead with his mother to let him intern at the Han Group, with an ulterior motive that went without saying.

Ning Ke was pleased with the idea of her son courting the daughter of the Han Group and gladly agreed to Ning Xiuji’s request. She even made a personal call to Han Yi, hoping he would allow her son to join the Han group, ostensibly to study and gain experience.

Although Ning Xiuji was unwavering in his pursuit of Guoguo, he was also a gentleman who never did anything inappropriate to her. Over time, Guoguo stopped seeing him as a suitor and more as a friend she could talk to. But Chen Anya, for some unknown reason, had taken a liking to Ning Xiuji and had been openly hostile toward Guoguo because of his affection for her.

Guoguo found her quite annoying. Since Ning Xiuji had always rejected Chen Anya and had no relationship with her, Guoguo did nothing more than keep an appropriate distance from Ning Xiuji.

However, about six months prior, Chen Anya had resorted to certain tactics and had a fling with Ning Xiuji. Feeling guilty toward Guoguo, Ning Xiuji resigned from the Han Group and gave up pursuing Guoguo, but Chen Anya still made snide remarks and guarded against Guoguo as if against a thief whenever they met.

After hearing everything Guoguo had said, Fu Chenxuan couldn’t help but laugh inappropriately. Guoguo looked at him with annoyance, "Stop laughing, Brother Chenxuan, don’t tell me you haven’t been through something like this."

With a face like Fu Chenxuan’s, he attracted even more admirers than she did.

"Ahem." Fu Chenxuan tried to suppress his laughter, but his shoulders still shook slightly. Guoguo rolled her eyes at him and finally just crossed her arms and watched him, curious to see how long he could keep it up.

Fu Chenxuan looked at Guoguo, "I mean, how come all the people you meet are so peculiar?" The guy in the café that day was one way, now this one is the same.

Guoguo rolled her eyes, "Maybe it’s just my fate, Brother Chenxuan. What do you think I should do? Every time Chen Anya sees me, she’s like that. It’s really annoying."

Fu Chenxuan straightened his expression, "It’s simple, fight fire with fire. Like just now, when she wanted to hit you, were you really going to stupidly stand there and let her?"

"I was not that dumb. I was trying to dodge." It’s just that Fu Chenxuan stepped in before she could.

"Next time you encounter her, if she does it again, just hit her back hard. If something happens, I’ll take care of it," Fu Chenxuan said coolly.

"I think so too, that woman really deserves it." Saying this, Guoguo stared at Fu Chenxuan’s face, blinking her eyes, which made Fu Chenxuan chuckle, "Got a twitch in your eye? Just say what you want to say."

"Brother Chenxuan, do you have someone you like?" Guoguo asked.

"Why has the topic suddenly shifted to me?"

"Don’t change the subject. I just want to know, tell me honestly, do you like some girl?"

"Why are you so nosy like a kid?" Fu Chenxuan dodged the question.

Guoguo pouted, "Tsk, Brother Chenxuan, after all these years, you still have the same old problem. You always change the subject when it’s something you don’t like."

"Shouldn’t you be the one to tell me first? With all these suitors, you don’t like any of them. Is there someone in your heart?"

"Brother Chenxuan, that’s not cool, you know, I asked you first. When you were in the military school doing just fine, why did you suddenly drop out and then go abroad to study? Didn’t you always want to join the army since you were little?" When Guoguo brought up this topic, she looked at Fu Chenxuan with a serious face. She had thought about this question for a long time and had asked him many times, but he was always reluctant to answer.

Fu Chenxuan’s expression became a bit more subdued, as if remembering something, a fleeting, nameless emotion flashed across his eyes.

"How could I have someone I like? The reason I didn’t want to continue at the military school was because I thought being a soldier was too tough, and I just backed out." Fu Chenxuan spoke casually, but he also lost interest in pressing Guoguo about who her heart was set on.

Guoguo snorted, "Yeah, right, I’ll believe that when hell freezes over." A person who has been hanging around the military base since childhood and spends every summer and winter break experiencing new recruit training thinks being a soldier is too tough? That might fool someone who doesn’t know better, but she definitely wasn’t buying it.

"Come on, think too much at such a young age and you’ll get wrinkles early."

Guoguo rolled her eyes, "Look who’s talking, as if you’re seventy or eighty. By the way, Brother Chenxuan, will Brother Pei Hao come to your company?"

When she asked this, Guoguo had a look of nervousness in her eyes, and even the hand holding her phone tightened a bit. However, Fu Chenxuan, caught up in his own memories, didn’t notice Guoguo’s anxiousness. Hearing her question, he casually said, "He won’t come. His father has handed the company over to him to manage, he’s pretty busy."

"Oh." Guoguo sounded a bit disappointed.

"Aren’t you quite familiar with him? Why don’t you ask him directly?" Fu Chenxuan found it strange. As long as Guoguo had known him, she had the closest relationship with him, followed by Pei Hao. But the girl idolized Pei Hao and saw him as her idol.

"I have you right beside me now, it’s more convenient to ask you." Guoguo responded, evasively.

Fu Chenxuan wasn’t suspicious and simply said, "Though I haven’t had a meal with him since I got back this time, I’ll make plans to meet up with him soon, do you want to come too, to see your idol?"

"I’ll pass, what would I do at a boys’ gathering? If you see Brother Pei Hao, say hi for me." Guoguo declined.

Fu Chenxuan looked at her in surprise, "That doesn’t sound like you. You used to pester me to take you along."

"Well, you said it yourself, that was before. I’ve grown up now and naturally won’t act as immature as I did back then."

The reasoning seemed sound, but Fu Chenxuan couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off, though he couldn’t put his finger on what exactly.

As the office space had already been selected, the rest of the arrangements went smoothly. Guoguo spent several days helping Fu Chenxuan get everything ready, even finding a house.

"Brother Chenxuan, when are your buddies coming?"

"I’ve already called them. They’ll arrive tomorrow, and remember to drive with me to pick them up."

"Okay, but don’t drive too fast; I need to be able to see you." Otherwise, she was sure she’d get lost halfway.

Fu Chenxuan, aware of her notorious lack of sense of direction, naturally agreed, "Let’s go, you’ve been a great help these past few days, I’ll treat you to dinner tonight."

Guoguo followed Fu Chenxuan with a beaming smile. He was someone who valued quality of life, and the dining spots he chose were usually excellent. Guoguo had always enjoyed following him for a good meal ever since she was little.

Fu Chenxuan took her to a Chinese restaurant that looked more like a private kitchen from the outside. As they walked in, they unexpectedly encountered someone.

Pei Hao saw Guoguo and smiled, "Stunned to see me?"

Guoguo snapped back to reality and softly called out, "Brother Pei Hao." She then turned to Fu Chenxuan, her eyes clearly conveying a message—[Why didn’t you tell me Brother Pei Hao would be here?]

Fu Chenxuan’s face remained composed—[We’re all old acquaintances, what’s the big deal?]

Guoguo was frustrated. There was definitely a relationship, of course, there was. If she had known Pei Hao would also be here, she wouldn’t have come. But now it was too late to say anything; she couldn’t exactly get up and leave at this moment. So, she sat down beside Fu Chenxuan, right across from Pei Hao.

Pei Hao glanced at Guoguo and saw that she kept her head down. He couldn’t help but shake his head with a smile. The girl was still bothered by what had happened last time. In the past, she would contact him several times a week, and now, several months had passed without even a single phone call from her.

He passed the menu to her, "Pick whatever you want to eat, the taste here is quite good, you should like it."

Guoguo was somewhat distracted, only returning to her senses when she saw the menu in front of her. She shook her head, "Brother Pei Hao, you order. I’m not picky; I can eat anything."

Fu Chenxuan glanced at him, then at Pei Hao, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes, before he took the menu, "We’re all old friends here, no need for such courtesy. When will we ever get to eat if this keeps up? Let me do the ordering."

He ordered a few dishes, all of which were favorites among them.

"Brother Hao, it’s been a few months since we last got in touch. Are you adjusting well to your work?" Fu Chenxuan struck up a casual conversation with Pei Hao after finishing ordering.

Pei Hao nodded with a smile, "It’s okay. I’ve been working at the company before, so there wasn’t much to adjust to. But what about you? How’s the new company coming along?"

"Everything’s in place, just waiting for the right opportunity. Alas, it’s such a pity. If you hadn’t taken over your dad’s company, I would have really wanted to poach you for mine. Together as brothers, we would absolutely sweep the Beijing business scene," Fu Chenxuan said with a hint of regret. He sincerely wanted Pei Hao on his team, but alas...

Pei Hao chuckled, "With your own abilities, you can sweep the Beijing business sector just fine."

The dishes arrived, and Guoguo buried her head in her meal. Usually so lively and boisterous, today she was exceptionally quiet. There had to be an issue for her to behave this way.

Fu Chenxuan’s gaze circled around Pei Hao, who looked calm and composed, then shifted back to Guoguo, who was still engrossed in her meal.

"Don’t just focus on eating. Have some more dishes," Fu Chenxuan said as he served her some food with his chopsticks.

Guoguo acknowledged with an "Oh," but still didn’t look up. Fu Chenxuan spoke again, "What’s the matter today, struck mute?"

Guoguo pinched him hard on the leg. Couldn’t he just ignore her?

"People say you shouldn’t talk while eating or sleeping," Guoguo responded faintly.

Fu Chenxuan chortled, "When did you ever follow that rule?"

"Can’t I start now?" Guoguo retorted, looking up, then immediately met Pei Hao’s amused gaze. Flustered, she quickly lowered her head and took a big bite of her rice.

"Have some soup, don’t choke," a slender hand appeared before her eyes, accompanied by Pei Hao’s gentle voice. Guoguo looked up, staring blankly at Pei Hao, the tips of her ears hidden by her hair slowly turning red, "Thank you, Brother Pei Hao."

Pei Hao withdrew his hand and turned to continue talking with Fu Chenxuan, as if his previous action had been just a casual gesture.

Fu Chenxuan observed this scene and felt a suspicion growing in his heart. When Guoguo was drinking her soup, he seemed to ask casually, "Brother Hao, how are things with your girlfriend? Why didn’t you bring her along today?"

Guoguo stiffened abruptly, her grip on the spoon tightening, her ears pricking up in attention.

Pei Hao just smiled, "She’s on a business trip; she won’t be back for a few days."

"Oh, I see. When do you plan to get engaged to her? Any plans?"

"There’s no exact date yet, but it should be soon. I just happen to be free next weekend, so I’m planning to visit her parents."

Guoguo’s heart tightened. Had it already reached the point of meeting the parents? So, did that mean there really was no hope left for her? She looked at the soup in front of her, suddenly losing her appetite, and put down her spoon.

"Full already? You’ve barely eaten anything," Fu Chenxuan, who had been watching her out of the corner of his eye, whispered.

Guoguo nodded, "Brother Chenxuan, Brother Pei Hao, I have something else to attend to shortly, so I’m going to head off first."

Fu Chenxuan raised an eyebrow, "What do you have to do that I don’t know about?"

"I’ve arranged to go shopping with a friend; she’ll be at the mall soon, so I’m going to meet her now."

"Are you sure you can find her?"

Guoguo rolled her eyes, "Can’t I just take a taxi there?"

Fu Chenxuan had nearly finished his meal as well. He put down his chopsticks, "Brother Hao, this girl is directionally challenged, and I’m worried she’ll get lost on the way. I’ll drop her off first, and we can catch up another day."

Pei Hao smiled and nodded, "Sure, go ahead. Be careful on the road." He looked at Guoguo, who was deliberately avoiding eye contact and looking down, wanting to say something, hesitated, and in the end, said nothing.

Stepping out of the restaurant, Fu Chenxuan sighed as he looked at Guoguo, who was walking with her head down the whole time, "You’re about to walk into a telephone pole, and yet you keep going."

Guoguo kept walking forward, not hearing his words. Fu Chenxuan grabbed her arm, "Guoguo."

Guoguo looked up reflexively, and Fu Chenxuan saw her teary red eyes. As they met his, she quickly looked down in a fluster.

"Guoguo, the person you like is Brother Pei Hao?" Although Fu Chenxuan posed it as a question, he was already certain. Guoguo was acting very unlike herself tonight, and it was clear that Pei Hao was the source of her abnormal behavior.

Guoguo shook her head fiercely, "No, I don’t like anyone," her voice catching with a sob.

Looking at her in denial, Fu Chenxuan felt a twinge of pain in his heart for the foolish girl, "When did this happen?" They grew up together, and he had never realized that Guoguo had feelings for Pei Hao.

As a child, Guoguo did like to follow Pei Hao, but that was more out of brotherly dependency, similar to how she relied on him. When did these feelings change?

"Brother Chenxuan, please don’t ask anymore." Guoguo’s tears fell.

Fu Chenxuan lifted her head and wiped away her tears, "Silly girl, if you like him, why didn’t you tell him?" Now he’s got a girlfriend, and they’re about to meet the parents. If you’re heartbroken here by yourself, he won’t have a clue.

"I did tell him, but I was rejected," Guoguo murmured. On her birthday, she confessed to Pei Hao, and it was also then that she found out he had a girlfriend, even though they had been dating for just one week.

Fu Chenxuan raised an eyebrow. Had so much happened without his knowledge because he had been away for too long?

"Brother Chenxuan, he doesn’t like me, wuuu," Guoguo finally couldn’t hold back her tears.

Fu Chenxuan sighed and gently embraced her, "Cry it out, I’ll lend you my shoulder."

Guoguo’s tears and snot flowed freely as she cried in the embrace of Fu Chenxuan, quickly soaking the front of his shirt, but he seemed oblivious, patting her back gently as if she were still a child.

At the entrance of the restaurant, Pei Hao observed the scene from a distance, a gloomy expression in his eyes. He ultimately didn’t approach but turned in another direction and headed for the parking lot.

Guoguo cried for quite some time before stopping, looking down at her tear-stained clothes with embarrassment, "Brother Chenxuan, my clothes are wet."

Fu Chenxuan glanced at her clothes, not minding in the least, "Do you feel a bit better now?"

Guoguo nodded and hummed an affirmation.

"Let’s go, I’ll take you home."

Guoguo grabbed his sleeve, "Brother Chenxuan, I don’t want to go home. Can we go to a bar, please?" Her nose was red from crying, and her eyes were still misty. Looking at him with such a pitiful expression softened Fu Chenxuan’s heart, "Alright, get in the car."

They didn’t go to Charming Color, as it was Han Yi’s territory, and the manager recognized Guoguo. If she went to the bar, Han Yi would know, so she usually didn’t choose Charming Color when going out to bars.

"Brother Chenxuan, this cocktail is quite good," Guoguo remarked, holding a cocktail in her hand and taking a sip.

Fu Chenxuan watched her intently, "It’s okay to drink, but you can’t drink too much. Otherwise, I won’t be able to explain to your parents if you get drunk."

"Brother Chenxuan, when did you start fussing so much? Relax, I’ll only taste a bit; I won’t get drunk."

Fu Chenxuan didn’t believe her one bit. She had a poor tolerance for alcohol, and without careful attention, she could easily get drunk. Thinking this, he vaguely regretted bringing her to the bar.

"Brother Chenxuan, I feel so upset," she said, looking up at Fu Chenxuan with eyes full of sorrow. She knew he couldn’t stand to see her like this.

Sure enough, Fu Chenxuan’s heart softened immediately, understanding that she must have been keeping this to herself for a while, despite her usually blustering nature, "Fine, drink up." If she got drunk, he could always carry her back. He wouldn’t let anyone take advantage of her.

Guoguo leaned against Fu Chenxuan, "Brother Chenxuan, you’ve always been the kindest to me."

She picked up the drink in front of her and downed more than half in one go, startling Fu Chenxuan, "I told you to drink, not like that. If you’re going to do this, we’re going home now."

"Okay, okay, I’ll drink slowly," Guoguo obediently said, taking a tiny sip from her glass.

Her gaze drifted toward the dance floor, and she suddenly spoke up, "Brother Chenxuan, dance with me."

Fu Chenxuan looked in the direction of the dance floor and shook his head, "No."

"Come on, please, just as a favor to me, Brother Chenxuan. I’m begging you," Guoguo pleaded, tugging at his sleeve much like she did when she was younger.

"Alright, alright. I’m sacrificing myself for you today, my lady. After you," Fu Chenxuan said, making a gesture to invite her. Guoguo, beaming with a smile, pulled him onto the dance floor.

In the midst of the dance floor, Guoguo wildly swayed her body to the rhythm of the music. Fu Chenxuan could tell she was more venting than dancing as he silently stayed by her side.

"Brother Chenxuan, join in!" Guoguo shouted over the music, a smile on her face, but Fu Chenxuan saw a deep sadness in her eyes and sighed inwardly; this silly girl must have truly fallen for Pei Hao.

He wasn’t clear on the details of the situation, nor Pei Hao’s attitude towards Guoguo. He only learned about Pei Hao’s girlfriend about a month ago. Since he had a girlfriend, he probably didn’t feel that way about Guoguo. It was likely an unrequited love on her part.

After dancing to three songs non-stop and with Fu Chenxuan by her side preventing any mischievous people from troubling her, Guoguo finally left the dance floor completely spent. She went back to the bar and had the bartender mix her two vibrantly colored drinks. She disliked strong liquor, but she enjoyed beautifully colored cocktails.

"Guoguo, drink less, this alcohol has a strong afterburn. If you get drunk, you’ll have a headache tomorrow morning," Fu Chenxuan held her hand, warning her softly.

Guoguo shook her head, "It’s fine. I’ll just drink some honey water when I get back. Brother Chenxuan, I’m a bit thirsty, let me drink one glass first."

Fu Chenxuan kept hold of her hand and didn’t let go, "If you feel thirsty, I’ll have the bartender get you a glass of plain water."

Guoguo smiled, "Brother Chenxuan, are you joking? We’re in a bar, and you want me to drink plain water?"

Fu Chenxuan ignored this remark and asked, "If you get drunk, will you be able to enter your home tonight?" Han Yi did not allow Guoguo to drink, let alone get drunk.

Guoguo pouted, "Brother Chenxuan, this is why I don’t love coming to bars with you. At times like these, you nag like my dad, on and on without end. Didn’t we agree that I could drink to my heart’s content today?" Her tone carried a slight dissatisfaction, like that of a petulant child.

Fu Chenxuan looked at her, his gaze deep. He dared not really let her drink to her heart’s content. If she got drunk, she’d be the one to suffer. With that thought, he wanted to take Guoguo out of the bar!

Suddenly, Guoguo’s eyes reddened, and she clutched her chest, "Brother Chenxuan, it hurts so much here, it’s unbearable. Just let me get drunk, okay? People say ’Drowning sorrows in a sea of wine.’ Maybe I won’t feel so bad once I’m drunk."

Fu Chenxuan couldn’t bear to see her like this. He lifted his hand to rub her head, compromising, "Fine. Drink then. Later, I’ll carry you home." Having said that, he even had the bartender mix her another drink and placed it in front of her.

Guoguo looked at the two beautifully colored drinks in front of her and smiled. She picked up one and gulped it down, while Fu Chenxuan asked the bartender for a glass of plain water for himself. Tonight, Guoguo was bound to get drunk, and he needed to stay sober.

Midway, there was a call from a friend in the United Kingdom. Fu Chenxuan glanced at Guoguo and whispered into her ear, "I am going outside to take a call." He also showed his phone to Guoguo, who nodded.

As soon as Fu Chenxuan left, two men approached, "Little sister, all by yourself? Let your brothers keep you company in drinking."

Guoguo couldn’t even bother to spare them a glance and coldly spat out one word, "Scram."

The two men’s faces changed. They exchanged a look. They had long had their eyes on Guoguo but never dared to make a move because a handsome man had always been by her side, and he seemed tough to provoke. Now that the man was gone, they wouldn’t pass up this opportunity.

One of the thinner men casually placed his hand on Guoguo’s shoulder, "Little sister, don’t be so harsh. We are all here to have fun. What’s wrong with drinking together?"

Guoguo glanced sideways at the hand resting on her shoulder, "Take your filthy paw off me."

Hearing her response, the thin man’s expression became stern. Being insulted by Guoguo over and over, his patience wore thin, but considering she was a beautiful girl, he restrained his anger and said jokingly, "Little sister, did something upset you? Tell me, your brother will help you out."

Guoguo picked up the glass of plain water that Fu Chenxuan had set aside and splashed it into the man’s face, "Do you have no shame? Calling me sis, who’s your sister? With your lousy-lookin’ face, daring to pick up girls, haven’t you looked in a mirror and thought if your ’distinguished’ appearance might scare people? Get lost right now." She was in a terrible mood tonight, and this man kept provoking her, which instantly enraged her.

The man didn’t expect Guoguo to lash out at him, and he was caught full in the face by the splash. Although it was summer and getting splashed with a cup of water wasn’t a big deal, it was a matter of face. His expression darkened instantly as he grabbed Guoguo’s wrist, "You shameless bitch, don’t know your place, do you? Today, I will show you what’s what."

He grabbed Guoguo, trying to drag her away, but suddenly there was a hand on his shoulder, "Whom are you trying to teach a lesson?"

The thin man turned his head and saw Fu Chenxuan’s dark expression, his eyes icy enough to freeze someone solid. The man was stunned and unconsciously let go.

The man recognized Fu Chenxuan as the handsome man who had been with Guoguo and thought, wasn’t this guy gone? Why is he back? He had planned to chat up Guoguo when he saw Fu Chenxuan leave.

"Scram," Fu Chenxuan said coldly.

Chilled, the man wordlessly pulled his companion and left.

Fu Chenxuan looked at Guoguo, "I’ve only been gone for less than ten minutes." His tone was helpless, clearly rid of the coldness he had just displayed.

Guoguo had an innocent face, "It’s not my fault. I was just minding my own business drinking here."

Fu Chenxuan glanced at the bar and in just the short while, three empty glasses had accumulated in front of Guoguo. He paused, "Did you drink all of these?"

Guoguo looked at them, then obediently nodded, "I did. This one tasted the best." She pointed to one of the empty glasses, "It’s sweet, with a fruit-like fragrance. It’s like... fruit wine."

Fu Chenxuan massaged his forehead, feeling a headache coming on, "Alright, since you’ve had enough to drink and play, let’s go home." He thought it best to get her home first. If he let this girl continue to drink, he figured that real trouble might ensue.

This time, Guoguo was cooperative and didn’t insist on staying. Mainly, those two men had ruined her mood, and she wanted to leave as well. She stood up, took a couple of steps, and stumbled slightly.

Fu Chenxuan immediately steadied her, "Do you want to go back to your place tonight, or to my apartment?" The apartment in the heart of the city that Shen Qinglan had, had been transferred to his name on his son’s coming of age, and was now Fu Chenxuan’s.

"I don’t want to go home." Guoguo still retained some sense, knowing that going home in her current state would only worry her parents.

"Then it’s settled. I’ll take you to my apartment to stay for the night. I’ll call your mom later and tell her you’re staying at my place tonight." Fu Chenxuan said casually. Guoguo had often stayed at his place since she was young. Han Yi had grown accustomed to it, not to mention Yu Xiaoxuan.

Guoguo leaned on Fu Chenxuan, "Brother Chenxuan, you’re the best."

Fu Chenxuan, worried she couldn’t walk steadily, half-supported her, "It’s only at times like these that you say I’m good."

"I’ve always thought you were good, Brother Chenxuan. Why couldn’t the person I like be you? If I liked you, wouldn’t I not have to suffer this much?" Her voice was light but still clearly reached Fu Chenxuan’s ears.

Fu Chenxuan sighed softly. He had known Guoguo for so many years, yet he had never seen her like this—a wounded fawn trying to pretend everything was fine and then secretly crying in a corner.

He wondered, if he hadn’t discovered her troubled heart today, how much longer would the foolish girl have buried it? Would she wait until the wound festered before someone noticed?

Stepping out of the bar’s door, the night’s breeze was a bit cool, restoring a bit of Guoguo’s sobriety. She looked at the neon lights on the street, suddenly crouched down, and hugged her legs.

Fu Chenxuan squatted beside her, gently asking, "Why have you stopped?"

"My head is so dizzy. I can’t walk," Guoguo said, shaking her head.

Fu Chenxuan smiled helplessly, "Come on, I’ll carry you on my back."

Guoguo kept shaking her head, "I don’t want to, Brother Chenxuan. I really want to cry. My heart feels so awful. Why did he have to get married?"

Fu Chenxuan was at a loss for words, faintly regretting his probing earlier in the day.

"Guoguo, there are plenty of good men in this world, and a lot of people like you. Surely we can find one who likes you and is willing to treat you well," Fu Chenxuan soothed her gently.

"But they’re not Pei Hao," Guoguo choked out, her eyes brimming with tears, "Brother Chenxuan, why doesn’t he like me? What’s wrong with me? So many people like me, and I don’t care for any of them. Yet the only one who makes my heart beat doesn’t like me. Brother Chenxuan, when I told him I liked him, he said he saw me as a sister. To hell with being his sister—who wants to be his sister," she cried helplessly, tears hitting the ground.