The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife-Chapter 547: Story 4 of group 2

Fu Chenxuan looked at her, his heart ached slightly. This was the sister he had watched grow up from childhood. Seeing her so heartbroken now, his heart was troubled too. If she had liked someone else, he would definitely inquire why that person would want to hurt such an innocent girl, but the person involved was Pei Hao, his most respected elder brother. In that case, no matter what, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

"Guoguo, it’s all in the past. You will definitely meet someone who loves you, cherishes you, and is willing to be kind to you for the rest of your life; believe me," Fu Chenxuan softly comforted her.

Guoguo looked at him with tear-filled eyes, "Brother Chenxuan, they’re not Pei Hao, they’re not the Pei Hao I like, wuwuwu."

Fu Chenxuan pulled her up from the ground, "Silly girl, they may not be Pei Hao, but they love you. In their eyes, you are the one and only. What’s so good about Pei Hao anyway? Aside from being a bit more handsome, a bit more competent, and having a slightly better temper, he has no other merits." Saying this, Fu Chenxuan couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty, silently apologizing to Pei Hao, who wasn’t present; he was saying this only to comfort Guoguo.

"Don’t you talk about him like that! Brother Pei Hao is so nice, he saved me, he’s the hero in my heart." Guoguo frowned, her face displaying displeasure. The alcohol was taking effect, her face blushed, her eyes, wet from recent crying, had a certain charm.

Fu Chenxuan’s eyes flickered slightly, "He saved you? When?"

"That was during the summer break of sophomore year." Guoguo was already drunk, and in just a few sentences Fu Chenxuan coaxed the details out of her.

Pei Hao had been brilliant from a young age, enrolling in middle school at just eight years old. He had completed his Ph.D. by the age of twenty-three and, following Jiang Chenxi’s suggestion, stayed on to teach at A University, the very university where Guoguo happened to get admitted.

However, Pei Hao didn’t teach them regularly; apart from one public course, there was no other interaction between them. Nonetheless, Guoguo had known Pei Hao since they were children, and even if their relationship wasn’t that of student and teacher, they were friends. Pei Hao always looked after Guoguo at the university as if she were his sister.

This kind of relationship might have continued for a lifetime, but during Guoguo’s sophomore year, an incident occurred that fundamentally changed her feelings for Pei Hao.

That summer, the school organized an extracurricular research trip, dividing students into several groups, each led by a teacher. Guoguo’s group, the third group, was led by Pei Hao.

The research centered around patriotism, and after discussion, their group decided to visit some red revolutionary bases, one of which was located deep in the mountains.

Originally, Pei Hao wanted to change the location because not only was it far from Beijing and the terrain unfamiliar, but it was also risky for so many people to travel there; any accident could be difficult to handle. However, they were young college students, stubborn and eager for adventure, and even Pei Hao couldn’t stop them. In the end, he had no choice but to agree with their plan.

The mountain paths were difficult, and although Guoguo could keep up at first, she found herself needing to use a restroom mid-way, too embarrassed to tell Pei Hao, she decided to quietly take care of it and then catch up with the group. By the time she was done, the others had gone far ahead.

She attempted to call Pei Hao, but there was no cell signal. With no other option, she tried to follow the direction she remembered they went, and of course, she got lost.

When Pei Hao realized Guoguo was missing, he immediately went back to look for her but didn’t find her as she had gone in a different direction.

The mountainous paths were treacherous, and Pei Hao was anxiously worried about Guoguo’s safety. Mobilizing his classmates to search together, he went off in one direction himself, walking nearly two kilometers before he found Guoguo.

By then, Guoguo had accidentally fallen into a trap set by hunters and sprained her ankle. She couldn’t move and sat on the ground, crying.

When Pei Hao found her, she had cried herself into a little mess.

Because of her twisted ankle, Pei Hao had to carry her on his back to meet up with the rest of the group.

"Brother Chenxuan, you don’t know, but the moment he showed up, I felt like I saw the hero cloaked in colorful auspicious clouds, just like in the movies," Guoguo’s voice still had a raspy quality, a remnant of her crying.

Fu Chenxuan was aware of this incident because Guoguo had twisted her ankle and stayed in the hospital for two days. They had a video call at the time, and he happened to hear about it, yet he had no idea that such a thing had happened in between.

"Did you fall for him just because of that?" Fu Chenxuan found it somewhat unbelievable.

Guoguo nodded, "At first, it was just a faint liking, but later on, it turned into deep love." The moment her feelings changed, she kept them hidden in her heart, planning to confess to him after graduation.

After all, rumors of teacher-student romances wouldn’t be good for Pei Hao’s reputation.

But before she could graduate, Pei Hao resigned from the university and then joined his biological father’s company. Although they stayed in touch occasionally, their encounters became scarce. Later, as Pei Hao became busy familiarizing himself with the company’s business, often working overtime, he would only reply to one out of every ten messages she sent.

Fu Chenxuan seemed contemplative, uncertain whether it was his own misunderstanding, but he always felt that Pei Hao’s resignation had something to do with Guoguo.

"Brother Chenxuan, he’s going to get married. I feel so terrible," Guoguo said as she tugged at Fu Chenxuan’s sleeve, her voice filled with pitiable sorrow.

Fu Chenxuan looked at her with her eyes rimmed red and sighed deeply, "Let’s go home first."

"My head is spinning so much, I can’t walk."

Fu Chenxuan lifted Guoguo from the ground, placed her in the car, and buckled her seatbelt.

Guoguo just leaned back quietly in the seat without saying a word. Fu Chenxuan got into the car from the other side and took a glance at her, only to realize that in just these few minutes, she had already fallen asleep.

He brought Guoguo back to his apartment in the city center, laid her on the bed, and was about to get a towel to wash her face when she grabbed his hand.

"Brother Chenxuan, I think I’m going to be sick." She covered her mouth, frowning tightly.

Fu Chenxuan’s expression changed instantly, and he quickly helped her up and took her to the bathroom. By the time Guoguo emerged from the bathroom, her mind had cleared a bit.

When Fu Chenxuan had finished cleaning the bathroom and came out, he saw that Guoguo wasn’t lying on the bed but sitting on the windowsill, hugging her knees, tilting her head, and silently watching out the window.

Fu Chenxuan walked over, deliberately softening his footsteps, "Why are you sitting here instead of sleeping?"

Guoguo turned her head and stared blankly at him, her eyes reflecting a touch of confusion, "Brother Chenxuan, what should I do?"

Emotional matters were not really Fu Chenxuan’s area of expertise; faced with Guoguo’s question, he didn’t know how to respond.

"Guoguo, must it be him?"

Guoguo shook her head, "I don’t know. I just know that he’s very important to me right now. Hearing the news about his engagement, all I felt was agony in my heart, so painful I couldn’t breathe." This was the first time she had felt such strong affection for someone.

"Silly girl, unrequited love is very hard. If possible, I hope you can let go."

"I want to let go too, but I just can’t get over it. I met him first, after all."

"Guoguo, when it comes to love, there’s no such thing as who comes first. Do you understand?"

"I know, but I just can’t accept it. Brother Chenxuan, do you think there’s something wrong with me, that I’m not good enough, and that’s why he doesn’t like me?" Guoguo silently shed tears, perhaps after repressing her emotions for so long, once her restraint broke, she couldn’t control herself anymore.

"No, you are wonderful. In my eyes, you are excellent."

"Then do you like me?" Guoguo asked, looking intently at him.

Fu Chenxuan smiled slightly, "Of course, in my heart, you are just like Tangtang, one of the sisters I love most."

"You see, you all treat me as a sister. That’s what he said to me initially. But Brother Chenxuan, I don’t want to be his sister."

Fu Chenxuan patted her head, unsure of what to say to comfort the girl who was hurting at this moment.

"Brother Chenxuan, I feel so tired. Can I lean on your shoulder for a while?"

Fu Chenxuan graciously agreed, walked over, and held her in his arms. Guoguo wrapped her arms around his waist, closed her eyes, and whispered softly, "Brother Chenxuan, if only I had fallen for you, that would have been wonderful."

Upon hearing the words, Fu Chenxuan’s eyes darkened as a young face suddenly appeared in his mind, looking at him coldly.

He shook his head lightly, pulling his thoughts back from wandering, and patted Guoguo’s head without speaking.

After Guoguo had fallen completely asleep, he carried her to the bed, tucked her in, and then left the apartment.

Early the next morning when Guoguo woke up, the room was empty. She searched around but could not find Fu Chenxuan. Just as she was about to grab her phone to call him, she heard the sound of keys unlocking the door—Fu Chenxuan had returned.

"Brother Chenxuan, where did you go so early in the morning?"

"I bought you breakfast. Go wash up, and eat when you come out."

"Oh." Guoguo obediently responded.

"Wait a second."

Guoguo turned to look at him, and Fu Chenxuan handed her a bag, "This is some new clothes I bought for you, go change into them."

Accepting it, Guoguo retreated to the bedroom. When she finished washing up and came out, the breakfast was already nicely laid out on the table, complete with a cup of honey water.

"Drink the honey water first."

Guoguo did as she was told.

During breakfast, Guoguo looked at Fu Chenxuan and hesitated to speak.

Seeing this, he asked with a smile, "Got something to say?"

"Brother Chenxuan, I was drunk last night. I didn’t say anything I shouldn’t have, did I?"

Fu Chenxuan raised an eyebrow, "You don’t remember what you said last night?"

Guoguo shook her head, "I only have fragments. I vaguely remember telling you how awful I felt. Did I tell you the reason why I was feeling that way?"

Looking into her eyes, and seeing her innocent face which seemed like she genuinely couldn’t remember, Fu Chenxuan smiled, "No, you just kept holding my hand and telling me over and over how bad you felt. I asked where it hurt, but you refused to say. Mhm, later you threw up once, and then you fell asleep."

Hearing this, Guoguo inwardly sighed with relief. Thankfully she hadn’t spilled anything.

Fu Chenxuan watched her look of relief with amusement.

"I called your godmother last night and told her you were staying at my place. I’ve also informed my mom, so make sure you don’t slip up when you go home."

"You told Aunt Qing about me getting drunk?" Guoguo felt awkward.

"If I didn’t, how would my mom cover for you?"

Guoguo covered her face, "I’m doomed. The next time I see Aunt Qing, I’ll definitely get a lecture. Brother Chenxuan, how could you betray me like this?"

"How is this betrayal? I’ve secured an ally for you. Don’t worry, my mom will definitely cover for you," Fu Chenxuan said. "Do you still feel unwell anywhere?"

"No. Just a bit of a headache."

"Who told you to drink so much without any care? Next time you dare to get that drunk, I’ll tell your godmother. Also, you don’t have to come with me to pick someone up at the airport today. Rest at home."

"I’m fine, I’d still like to come with you. It’s not like I have anything else to do at home." Guoguo didn’t want to stay idle at home; she feared that being alone would lead to overthinking. Having something to do at least could distract her.

Fu Chenxuan probably realized this too, so he readily agreed.

This time, the core members of Fu Chenxuan’s team arrived, totaling four people.

"This is Li Meng, this is Zhao Xiaoming, this is Tu Lei, and this is William. They’re all my buddies. And this is my sister, Han Nanyan," Fu Chenxuan introduced at the airport after picking them up.

Guoguo greeted each of them with a smiling face. The first three were from Z country, while William was a native speaker from Y country.

"Hello, beautiful miss," William greeted Guoguo with a gentleman’s grace.

Guoguo smiled slightly, "Hello, Mr. William."

"Alright, cut the formality, we’re all family here. Let’s go," Li Meng said, clearly the impatient type.

They shared a laugh, then got into the car.

First, they went to the house Fu Chenxuan had found for them to drop off their luggage, and naturally, a dinner followed.

After the dinner, Fu Chenxuan drove Guoguo home. On the way, Guoguo spoke with a cheerful voice, "Brother Chenxuan, your team members are so fun. Is it always this enjoyable to work with them?"

Fu Chenxuan laughed, "You haven’t seen how they are at work. They are not nearly as easygoing as now. But once you’ve spent more time with them, you’ll know. Overall, they’re pretty good to get along with."

"Brother Chenxuan, didn’t you say there were six people in total? Where are the other two?"

"There are some issues they still need to finalize in Y country. They’ll come over once everything is settled."

The house he had prepared for them was a duplex with plenty of rooms, fully equipped with all necessary facilities, even the fridge was stuffed with food—a very considerate setup.

Guoguo seemed to have completely forgotten last night’s unpleasantness, still happy and bubbly, "Brother Chenxuan, does this mean I’ll start working at your company from tomorrow?"

"Yes, at nine in the morning. Don’t be late."

"I won’t be late. Will you come to pick me up?"

"I have other things to take care of tomorrow morning. Have the driver from your house drop you off. Also, did you finish reading the materials I gave you a few days ago?"

To help Guoguo adapt and familiarize herself with the company quickly, Fu Chenxuan had specially prepared some materials.

Guoguo nodded, "I finished reading them a while ago; I’ve memorized them. But Brother Chenxuan, I still don’t quite understand the software your company uses."

"There’s no rush; we’ll explain it to you gradually." Guoguo’s field of study was different; it was normal that she didn’t understand, and Fu Chenxuan wasn’t expecting her to do technical work. Even if she didn’t get it, it wasn’t a problem.

The company was just starting out in the country. Life was always busy, and though there was an endless stream of tasks, the busyness made Guoguo feel fulfilled; even the heartache of her breakup seemed to have been forgotten amidst the hectic pace.

"Chenxuan, let’s go out for a drink tonight," Pei Hao said through the phone on the weekend.

"Sure, see you tonight."

Fu Chenxuan agreed.

"Brother, are you going to find Brother Pei Hao?" Fu Shuyi, who was beside him, heard his phone conversation and asked curiously.

Fu Chenxuan nodded.

"Then I’ll go with you. I haven’t seen him in a long time."

"Don’t you have a dinner with friends tonight?"

Fu Shuyi paused. "Oh, right, I almost forgot about that. Alright, let’s talk next time. But don’t tell Sister Guoguo about you meeting Brother Pei Hao."

Fu Chenxuan raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"Sister Guoguo likes Pei Hao, but he already has a girlfriend, so I thought it’s best not to let them meet too often. Otherwise, what if Sister Guoguo can’t let go?" Fu Shuyi said casually.

Fu Chenxuan was slightly stunned. "How do you know Guoguo likes Brother Hao?"

"I figured it out. Do you think I’m dumb?" Fu Shuyi rolled her eyes. "But others probably aren’t very clear about this; after all, Sister Guoguo has concealed it pretty well. I found out unintentionally. Anyway, just don’t let the two of them meet."

Fu Chenxuan looked at his sister steadily. He had always known that this sister, who seemed silly, was actually very clever. She just didn’t like trouble and preferred not to meddle in others’ affairs. He guessed she was speaking up today probably because she was worried about Guoguo.

"What else don’t I know about? Tell me," he said.

Fu Shuyi chuckled, starting to feign ignorance. "This is all I know. I don’t know anything else."

Fu Chenxuan looked at her. "Really don’t know?"

Fu Shuyi’s eyeballs twitched as she shook her head. "Don’t know." She couldn’t exactly say she knew her brother liked someone. If she spilled the beans, Fu Chenxuan would probably think about ’silencing’ her, considering this was truly unknown to others.

"Brother, you’re free this afternoon anyway, come watch a movie with me." The weekend was a bit boring, and Fu Shuyi didn’t want to stay at home.

Fu Chenxuan thought for a moment and then nodded in agreement. "Let’s go."

"Brother, did you know? You’ve become the new heartthrob at our school. So many people have been asking me about you," Fu Shuyi said, playing with her phone.

Remembering these recent events, she laughed. "Haha, you have no idea. When these people find out you’re my brother, they cozy up to me like crazy. Thanks to you, I don’t need to buy snacks for at least three months."

Fu Chenxuan frowned. "You didn’t sell me out, did you?"

"How could I? You’re my blood brother, I wouldn’t sell you out to anyone. Besides, I have principles. A few bags of snacks to bribe me? Dream on."

Hearing this, Fu Chenxuan was very pleased. "At least you have a bit of conscience."

"Brother, that’s not right to say, you know. I’ve always been conscientious towards you, my heart can testify to it," Fu Shuyi said with exaggerated emotion.

Fu Chenxuan glanced at her. "What about that boy who was chasing you? Didn’t you say he seemed decent, that you might consider him?"

Hearing this, Fu Shuyi’s expression immediately changed, as if she had swallowed a fly. "Don’t mention it. That guy is simply trash. He looked decent on the outside, but he turned out to be a scumbag. Got a girl pregnant and even had the gall to make her abort it. If that girl hadn’t come to me, I might have been deceived."

Fu Chenxuan’s expression grew cold. "What happened?"

"I told you he seemed alright to me, right? I was thinking of giving him a chance, try dating, maybe I would like him too. But before I even agreed, a woman came crying, begging me to give her boyfriend back. It happened right in the middle of a big class, lots of people saw it. Everyone was giving me strange looks. If they didn’t know I had nothing to do with that guy, I probably wouldn’t have been able to shake off the reputation of being a homewrecker. Later, I found out that this guy was pursuing me while dating another girl from a different school. This whole thing just disgusted me."

Fu Chenxuan’s face darkened, "You let that guy off just like that?"

"How could I possibly? You’re underestimating me. I beat him up and sent him straight to the hospital. It was Daddy who stepped in to resolve the matter afterward. I don’t know what he said to them, but they never bothered me again."

Since they were little, the three siblings had learned martial arts. Despite Fu Shuyi appearing delicate on the outside, she was quite skilled—usually more than a match for three or five grown men. Hearing that she’d put someone in the hospital, Fu Chenxuan suddenly felt sympathy for that man.

"Brother, why can’t there be good men like Daddy in this world? Sigh!" Fu Shuyi thought enviously of her dad’s decades-long, unwavering love for their mom. Ah, well, it was no wonder she hadn’t had a boyfriend at twenty-one. With a dad so outstanding, other men just seemed to lack something when compared to him.

"Like Daddy, the big jealousy pot?" Fu Chenxuan said disdainfully, the thought of his father’s jealousy inspiring him to rant.

Fu Shuyi probably also considered this and couldn’t suppress her laughter, "You have to understand Daddy. He was over thirty when he married our beautiful and gentle mom. Of course, he would cherish her. If I were a man, I would treasure my mom just as much."

Fu Chenxuan looked at her with a half-smile, "Dare you repeat what you just said about mocking Dad to his face?"

At this, Fu Shuyi shivered, "Brother, please spare me. Especially, you mustn’t let it slip to Mom." If Daddy found out, it would be fine; he doted on her and would, at most, chide her a bit. But if her mom learned of it, it would be another story—probably leading to a "sparring" session.

Remembering all the times she’d been pulled aside to "spar" with her mom for being disobedient, Fu Shuyi felt especially sorry for herself.

"I feel like if I look for a man by Daddy’s standards, I’ll never get married." Fu Shuyi said with a look of sorrow on her face.

Fu Chenxuan spoke indifferently, "Then I’ll support you for the rest of your life." His sister—how could she settle for less? Although sometimes Fu Chenxuan really disliked his father’s jealous nature, the love his father had for his mother was imprinted in his mind. His sister deserved a man who would cherish and adore her for a lifetime.

"Sigh, Brother, if you keep saying things like that, I’ll be even more fearless. What if I really can’t find such a man, and I end up single? Just make sure you’re not just sweet-talking now and then get sick of me when it actually happens." Fu Shuyi said pitifully.

Fu Chenxuan chuckled, "Do you need me to write it down?"

"Of course, it would be great if you did," Fu Shuyi smiled.

Fu Chenxuan gave her a deep look, and Fu Shuyi straightened her face, "Just kidding. A stand-up guy like my brother wouldn’t go back on his word, would he?"

Fu Chenxuan wasn’t really interested in movies; he was just accompanying his sister to pass the time. But, to his surprise, she turned out to be even less reliable, falling asleep on his shoulder midway through the film.

Fu Chenxuan listened to the low sobbing in the movie theater and glanced at the big screen with an expressionless face. He genuinely didn’t understand what was so moving about the plot.

Little did he know that to others in the theater, this brother-sister pair was the real oddity. It was one thing not to take the movie seriously, but sleeping through it was practically an affront to such a good film.

Fu Shuyi slept straight through until the end of the movie, and if Fu Chenxuan hadn’t woken her up, she could have continued sleeping. She stretched with a yawn, "Eh, it’s over?"

The few people still around, hearing her words, looked at her accusingly. Fu Shuyi acted as if she didn’t see them and walked out of the cinema with poise.

"Sigh, I really am not cut out for artsy romance movies. I should’ve gone to a concert instead. Oh, Brother, Xiao Rui has a piano recital next month, and you must go. It’s his first solo performance. We have to support him."

"When is it?" Fu Chenxuan really didn’t know about this; Shen Rui hadn’t mentioned it when he’d seen him previously.

Fu Shuyi gave him a date, "I checked, it’s on a Saturday. You’ll definitely be free."

"Okay, but remind me about it, just in case I forget."

The two talked as they walked, seemingly having completely forgotten about the movie they’d just seen.

"Where have you arranged to meet your friend? I’ll take you there first." Fu Chenxuan glanced at the time; it was nearly dinner.

"Xinhua Road. Brother, since you’re meeting Brother Pei Hao later in the evening, why not join us for dinner? Lu Yimeng will be there—you know her."

Lu Yimeng was her roommate, as well as her good friend; the two of them often hung out together on weekends.

Fu Chenxuan frowned, obviously having no recollection of this person. Seeing his reaction, Fu Shuyi knew he had forgotten and scoffed with disdain, "Brother, you’re so indifferent toward the opposite sex, you’ll end up a bachelor."

Fu Chenxuan hooked her neck with his arm, "What nonsense are you spouting, little girl? Keep it up, and you’ll be riding the bus over by yourself."

Fu Shuyi silently glanced at the crowded bus that passed by and chuckled, "Brother, you already know I’m talking nonsense. As an adult, you should be generous and not hold it against me."

Among the three siblings, the younger brother, Fu Shuchen, looked and acted most like their father. At a young age, he was cold and taciturn, while their sister, Fu Shuyi, was cheerful and lively, a real chatterbox, somewhat similar to Sister Guoguo.

"Brother, are you sure you won’t join me for dinner?" At the entrance of the restaurant, Fu Shuyi looked at Fu Chenxuan.

"No, you go eat." He had no interest in dining with the young lady.

"Then that’s a shame. My roommate is a real beauty."

"I’ve got to go; I have things to do." Fu Chenxuan was uninterested in the so-called beauty.

Fu Shuyi watched his retreating figure with regret. She truly wished for Fu Chenxuan to meet more women, so he could move on from the person in his heart. Even though she didn’t know who that person was, she was aware that after so many years without showing up by her brother’s side and with Fu Chenxuan’s attitude of deep secrecy about this person, it likely meant no possibility of them being together. She couldn’t let her brother remain single all his life because of this mysterious person, could she?

Fu Shuyi sighed deeply, feeling the difficulties of being a sister who had to worry about her brother’s marriage.

"Shuyi, that was your brother just now, wasn’t it?" As soon as they reached the restaurant, Lu Yimeng asked.

Fu Shuyi raised an eyebrow, "You saw?"

"Yeah, I took a glance from a distance, but since I saw you two talking, I didn’t come over to say hi." Lu Yimeng was quite straightforward.

Fu Shuyi looked disappointed, "You saw us and didn’t come to say hello? My brother is quite the handsome man." If she had come over just now, she might have had a chance to meet him.

Lu Yimeng laughed, "There will be another opportunity."

**

After dropping off his sister at the restaurant, Fu Chenxuan casually went to a noodle shop, ate a bowl of Zhajiangmian, then cooped up in his car to handle some documents. When the timing seemed right, he went to Charming Color.

When he arrived, Pei Hao hadn’t yet made it, stuck in traffic and running late. Fu Chenxuan ordered a drink for himself, sitting at the bar and slowly sipping it, occasionally glancing at the other patrons in the bar.

His handsome looks and tasteful attire had captured the attention of many upon entering the bar, particularly some female patrons whose eyes seemed glued to him.

Some men, who had come with their female companions, felt discontented as they noticed their partners’ smitten gazes towards Fu Chenxuan, but none of them approached him looking for trouble.

An unattached and outstanding man was always conspicuous in a bar, so it wasn’t long before someone couldn’t hold back any longer.

"Hi, handsome, I’ve been watching you for a while. Are you alone?" A gentle female voice rang in his ear and Fu Chenxuan turned to see a beautiful woman smiling at him. Unlike most women in the bar, she sported light makeup, rather than heavy, and was dressed in a white knee-length dress that exuded innocence. Her shoulder-length curly hair added to her femininity. Although she made the approach, her eyes looking at him were very pure.

Fu Chenxuan smiled slightly, "No, I’m waiting for a friend."

"Oh? It seems like your friend is late." The woman spoke in a soft tone.

"Yes, Beijing’s traffic can be so congested, they got held up on the road."

"Before your friend arrives, you wouldn’t mind if I take a seat here, would you?" the woman asked, pointing to the spot next to him.

Fu Chenxuan shook his head, "Of course, please sit." He looked at the bartender, signaling him to prepare a drink for the lady, "What would you like?"

"A Midsummer Night’s Dream, thank you," the woman politely expressed her gratitude.

This woman felt very comfortable to be around, at least her gaze wasn’t as overtly purposeful as those of others; whether she truly had no agenda, or was simply too good at hiding it was unknown. But undeniably, it was somewhat enjoyable to chat with someone like her once in a while.

"My name is Jiandan. Just a plain and simple Jiandan. What’s your name?" The woman took a gentle sip of her drink and asked softly.

"Fu Chenxuan." He gave her a glance, "You don’t seem to frequent bars?"

Jiandan smiled, "Is it that obvious? Is it because of the way I dress?"

Fu Chenxuan chuckled and shook his head, "Of course not, it’s just a hunch. Sometimes a man’s intuition can be quite accurate."

"Actually, this is my first time at a bar. I’m an online writer, well, to put it plainly, I write romance novels. Coming to the bar is a way of experiencing life."

Fu Chenxuan raised an eyebrow, "I wouldn’t have guessed that not only are you beautiful, but also talented."

Jiandan laughed, "Talented is an overstatement, just making a living. I used to write historical romances, but I am looking to try a different style now. I’ll be writing a bar scene soon, so I thought I’d come here to experience it firsthand tonight."

"Did you come alone?" Fu Chenxuan asked.

"Yes, I was supposed to come with a friend, but they bailed on me."

"Aren’t you worried about anything happening to you here all by yourself?"

"That’s why I chose Charming Color. Isn’t Charming Color touted as the best bar in Beijing?" Jiandan said with a laugh, lowering her voice to add, "I heard it was the safest bar in Beijing, which is why I came. I didn’t expect the prices to be so high."

As she said this, her eyes twinkled playfully.

Fu Chenxuan laughed lightly. The woman in front of him was quite the conversationalist. The two chatted idly, finding they got along quite well, and even ended up exchanging contact information.

"It’s getting late, and I need to get back to my writing, so I should be going. It was very nice meeting you today," Jiandan said around eight o’clock, proposing to leave.

Fu Chenxuan smiled, "Alright, goodbye."

"Oh, and if you have time in the future, we could meet up again." Jiandan said smilingly, her eyes clear, showing no hidden agenda.

Fu Chenxuan nodded with a smile, "Sure. Take care on your way home tonight, prolific writer."

After Jiandan left, Fu Chenxuan cast her from his mind and made a phone call to Pei Hao, learning he would arrive in no more than ten minutes, so he had the bartender serve him another drink.

His gaze lightly swept over the bar’s patrons when suddenly, his eyes narrowed and he looked in a certain direction. Then he stood up and ran towards that direction. He thought he had seen a familiar silhouette, but when he reached the door, the person was nowhere to be seen. He stood still, with a forlorn expression, his hands clenched at his sides, his head lowered, lost in thought.

A self-mocking smirk played on his lips, "Fu Chenxuan, you’re such a fool." He murmured, turning to walk back into the bar.

After he left, a woman emerged from the shadows, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, her figure slender. She stared blankly in the direction Fu Chenxuan had left, a cold glint flickering in her eyes. Her mouth curved slightly, "Fu Chenxuan, long time no see."

She glanced at the bar one last time, then turned and walked away.