The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife-Chapter 551: Fan Er 8. Gu Qingzhu, where are you

Everyone formed a circle, and Fu Shuyi pulled out a pack of cards from somewhere. She drew one, "Let’s use this. Later when I close my eyes and clap the beat, whoever has the card when I stop is ’it’. Choose either truth or dare."

No one had any objections, and the first one up was Guoguo. Fu Shuyi glanced at Guoguo and saw her eyeballs swirling, Fu Chenxuan knew at a glance that she was up to mischief again. He shot her a warning look, and Fu Shuyi harrumphed, looking at Guoguo with a face full of expectation, "Sister Guoguo, do you choose truth or dare?"

After thinking for a moment, Guoguo chose dare.

Fu Shuyi was somewhat disappointed; she had hoped Guoguo would pick truth, so she might have confessed her feelings, but alas. She looked at Guoguo with a gaze full of ’you’re such a disappointment’, and Guoguo subtly lowered her head.

Fu Shuyi held her phone, "Let me see, what kind of punishment should I pick for you?" There was a mischievous glint in her eyes, like that of a sly little fox.

Bai Junnan happened to be sitting opposite her, his eyes sweeping over her again and again, seeing her foxlike expression, his eyes filled with smiles.

"Got it, this one. Find the handsomest guy here and give him a hug, then say ’I really like you.’"

After saying that, Fu Shuyi winked vigorously at Guoguo — [Look, I’m good to you, right?]

Guoguo had a momentary stiffness in her expression but quickly recovered to her natural state. Her gaze roamed over the men present, and truth be told, every single one of these guys here today was pretty handsome. Any of them could be considered a real catch.

"Sister Guoguo, hurry up." Fu Shuyi urged, casting a glance in Pei Hao’s direction after speaking. This was a golden opportunity, whether in a game or in sincerity, it was still a chance to confess.

Guoguo stood up, Fu Shuyi clenched her fist, even more nervous than Guoguo herself, an outsider might have thought she was the one confessing.

But Guoguo walked straight to Fu Chenxuan. Fu Shuyi was anxious, wishing she could hurry over and pull Guoguo back.

"Brother Chenxuan, can I hug you?" Guoguo looked at Fu Chenxuan with a smiling face as he stood up and opened his arms to her. Guoguo hugged his waist, "I really like you, Brother Chenxuan."

Lin Jing’s face turned somewhat pale, but being hidden in the shadows, no one noticed. Her hands trembled slightly, a sour feeling in her heart.

Fu Shuyi kept an eye on Pei Hao’s expression, but from beginning to end, he remained calm, even with a hint of a smile on his lips.

Fu Shuyi felt she couldn’t see through Pei Hao and didn’t know what he was actually thinking. Although everyone knew that Guoguo and Fu Chenxuan only had sibling affection, seeing the girl he liked confess to another boy—even in a game—should provoke some reaction, right? Had she been wrong all along, and Pei Hao actually didn’t like Guoguo at all?

Fu Shuyi’s gaze was puzzled as it swept back and forth between Pei Hao, Fu Chenxuan, and Guoguo.

Fu Chenxuan gave a slight smile, raised his hand to touch Guoguo’s hair, and whispered softly in her ear, "Don’t be afraid, I’m here."

Guoguo’s heart warmed slightly, then she let go of Fu Chenxuan and returned to her seat. Fu Shuyi looked at her with a face full of regret; such a waste of a good opportunity. But Guoguo just reached out and pinched the back of her hand, signaling her to not be too rambunctious.

Fu Shuyi sighed; when would these two finally get together? It wasn’t that they weren’t in a rush, but it was killing her with anticipation.

The game continued with Fu Shuyi still keeping the beat, and this time, it was Lin Jing’s turn.

"Lin Jing, do you choose truth or dare?" Lin Jing glanced at Fu Chenxuan and chose truth.

Fu Shuyi’s eyes twinkled mischievously as she asked, "Sister Lin Jing, when was your first kiss?"

As soon as she finished speaking, Fu Shuyi received a warning look from Fu Chenxuan. Fu Shuyi turned her head slightly, pretending not to have seen it.

Lin Jing pursed her lips, her face faintly blushing in the glow of the fire, and spoke softly, "I have never had a boyfriend, so I still have my first kiss." Her voice was very light, only heard by those nearby. Coincidentally, Fu Chenxuan was one of them.

Fu Shuyi didn’t hear clearly and wanted to ask her to repeat it, but she saw her brother looking at her coldly, clearly angry, so she wisely let it go.

In the subsequent rounds, both Lin Jing and Guoguo were lucky enough not to be chosen. As for the others, Fu Shuyi treated them gently, whether it was truth or dare, she was very restrained.

"We’ll play the last two rounds and then get some sleep," Fu Chenxuan glanced at the time. It was already nearly ten o’clock.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

This time, it was Fu Chenxuan’s turn to be chosen. Before Fu Shuyi could say anything, he directly picked truth.

Seeing as this was her own beloved big brother, Fu Shuyi didn’t dare to ask anything too outrageous, so she intended to ask him a symbolic question. However, as her gaze swept over the nervous-looking Lin Jing, she suddenly changed her mind, looking at her brother with a smile.

Once Fu Chenxuan saw that expression, he knew this girl definitely had some rotten idea in mind. But his warning look had no effect on Fu Shuyi anymore.

"Brother, do you have a girl you like? Is the girl you like here tonight?" Fu Shuyi asked, her face full of gossip.

Fu Chenxuan answered indifferently, "That’s two questions."

"It’s just one question, a multiple-choice one at that. We’re about to finish, and you haven’t participated in so many rounds tonight, so you should play along, right? I think everyone must be quite curious about this," she said, and even winked at the others, who very cooperatively nodded their heads.

Bai Junnan even spoke up, "I’ve played three rounds tonight and you haven’t had a single turn. Now that it’s your turn, you have to play along, right?"

However, this only earned Bai Junnan a big eye roll from Fu Chenxuan.

With someone backing her up, Fu Shuyi suddenly felt proud and looked steadfastly at her older brother, waiting for his answer.

Fu Chenxuan, with no other choice, glanced at the two who loved stirring up trouble, pursed his lips, and said softly, "No, she’s not here."

What he said was she wasn’t here, not that she didn’t exist. It was akin to indirectly admitting he did have someone he liked, who just wasn’t present.

Everyone seated was smart enough to catch the nuance in his words, and Lin Jing’s complexion instantly turned as pale as paper. She stared blankly at the campfire before her, yet felt a coldness enveloping her whole body.

Before returning, she had considered the possibility that Fu Chenxuan might already have a girlfriend. But such thoughts circulated in her mind for only a moment before dissipating.

Suddenly, she remembered what Jiandan had said— that a man like Fu Chenxuan either never falls in love, or if he does, it’s for life. If he had fallen for someone else, then she, Lin Jing, would definitely never have a chance to enter his heart again.

So, had she come too late after all?

Fu Shuyi still wanted to ask who the girl was, but she also knew that if she continued to probe, she would definitely get sorted out by her big brother one of these days.

Despite Fu Chenxuan usually spoiling her, when he really got angry, his methods...

Fu Shuyi recalled the times when her big brother had disciplined her, shivered, and forcefully suppressed the urge to continue questioning. Well, never mind about who big brother’s crush was— as long as it wasn’t Lin Jing, that was fine.

The last round was drawn by William. Fu Shuyi asked a token question, then ended the game. Everyone stood up and returned to their respective tents— William and Li Meng shared one, while Fu Chenxuan, Bai Junnan, and Pei Hao shared another.

Guoguo and Fu Shuyi entered their tent first, while Lin Jing took nearly half an hour more to come in. When she did, her complexion was still not good. Guoguo glanced at her and asked with concern, "Miss Lin, are you feeling unwell?"

Lin Jing shook her head slightly, "I’m fine, the mountain wind is just a bit strong, I might have caught a chill."

Guoguo took out some cold medicine from her bag, "Miss Lin, if you feel uncomfortable, you could take two cold pills, just to be safe."

"Thank you, but there’s no need. I’ll be fine after some sleep," Lin Jing replied, then lay down in her sleeping bag, closed her eyes, and adopted a posture that rejected further conversation.

Fu Shuyi quietly pulled Guoguo aside and gave her a look. Guoguo just smiled, shook her head gently, and silently mouthed, "Let’s sleep."

The next day, before it was even light outside, Fu Shuyi woke up. As she got out of bed, she could hear faint noises from outside the tent. She glanced at Lin Jing and Guoguo, both still asleep, so she quietly crept out of the tent.

Outside the tent were Fu Chenxuan and Bai Junnan, "Brother Jun Nan, good morning."

Bai Junnan offered a gentle smile, "Morning. Why didn’t you sleep a bit longer?"

"I’m used to it. I don’t usually sleep in at home either, and to watch the sunrise, if you get up late, you’ll miss it."

The previous evening, they had arranged to go watch the sunrise today.

"Shuyi, go wake everyone up; otherwise, we’ll miss the sunrise," Fu Chenxuan instructed his sister. Fu Shuyi nodded, going from tent to tent to rouse people. One by one, everyone crawled out of their tents.

Lin Jing’s complexion had returned to normal, only she was now more silent than the day before. Fu Shuyi knew what was going on, but she didn’t point it out, and after watching the sunrise and having breakfast they had prepared, they began to descend the mountain together.

"Lin Jing, ride with me," Fu Chenxuan said to Lin Jing. She had taken a taxi on the way here, and naturally, there would be no taxis available for the return journey. Lin Jing did not refuse.

"Sister Guoguo, you take Brother Pei Hao’s car."

Fu Shuyi swiftly opened the front passenger door and sat inside, then said to Guoguo, ending the sentence by immediately pressing the car lock button.

Guoguo was utterly taken aback by her actions, staring dumbfounded at her. And this time, to everyone’s surprise, Fu Chenxuan didn’t object to Fu Shuyi’s actions.

Pei Hao naturally heard what Fu Shuyi said and took Guoguo’s backpack, placing it in the backseat, "Get in the car."

His demeanor was so natural that if Guoguo were to hesitate, it would make her seem unnatural, so she calmly got in.

On the way back, Guoguo was quiet. Pei Hao glanced at her and spoke softly with a laugh, "What’s with you, little girl? You’ve become so quiet now when you see me."

Guoguo was lost in thought when she suddenly heard Pei Hao speak, startling her. She looked at him, "Brother Pei Hao, what did you just say?"

Pei Hao turned his head and met her bright and clear eyes, smiling slightly, "I was saying that you’re usually such a lively person, so why so quiet this time?"

"No, am I not the same as before?" Pei Hao smiled and fell silent,

After hesitating for a few seconds, Guoguo spoke softly, "Brother Pei Hao, I heard that you broke up with your girlfriend, is it true?"

The smile remained on Pei Hao’s face, "Yeah, it’s true."

"Brother Pei Hao, don’t be sad, someday you’ll meet someone you like who also likes you," Guoguo said earnestly.

Pei Hao chuckled, "Where did you get the idea that I’m heartbroken?"

Guoguo looked bewildered, assuming he was just putting on a brave face, so she consoled him, "Brother Pei Hao, there’s no need to be embarrassed, even if you’re sad, I won’t laugh at you. Besides, bottling up feelings for too long can be harmful, you can let them out."

"Little girl, you’re overthinking it. She and I parted amicably, there’s no question of being heartbroken or not."

"Brother Pei Hao, can I ask you a question?"

"Ask away."

"Have you ever liked someone? I mean, liked them so much you wanted to spend your life with them?"

Pei Hao glanced at her, puzzled, "Why the sudden question?"

"I was thinking, if you really liked your ex-girlfriend, you’d still be sad after breaking up, right?"

"Guoguo, not all relationships have to start with liking someone and end in marriage. Not all couples getting married are deeply in love with one another."

Now it was Guoguo’s turn to be confused, "Isn’t it love that leads to the decision to marry? It’s painful to force two people who don’t love each other together, isn’t it? Brother Pei Hao, do you advocate such loveless marriages too?"

Pei Hao’s eyes darkened, and he pressed his lips together, remaining silent.

Guoguo waited for a long time but never received an answer from Pei Hao, which inevitably led to some disappointment in her heart. Some things seemed to be different from what she had thought.

Pei Hao didn’t explain to Guoguo, there were some things that he still couldn’t tell her now.

When they arrived at the Han Family’s doorway, Guoguo directly got out of the car without even saying thanks. Pei Hao watched her retreating figure with amusement, but the smile on his face gradually solidified, eventually turning into sadness.

When Lin Jing got home, Jiandan was sitting in front of the computer typing. Seeing her return, he looked at her expectantly, "Jingjing, how did it go? Did Fu Chenxuan accept your confession?"

Lin Jing shook her head, "I didn’t confess to him."

Jiandan let out a sound of surprise, "Why not? Didn’t you plan to take this opportunity to confess to him?"

"This time it wasn’t just the two of us going camping, there were a few other friends too, I didn’t find the right opportunity, and also..." she paused, her eyes sorrowful, "Jiandan, I might have already lost him."

Jiandan became even more puzzled, "What do you mean it wasn’t just the two of you climbing the mountain, and what do you mean by you’ve already lost him? Jingjing, I don’t understand what you’re saying."

Lin Jing told Jiandan everything that had happened in the past two days, including what Fu Chenxuan had said during the game of Truth or Dare.

"So, does that mean Fu Chenxuan already has someone he likes? But that doesn’t make sense, I haven’t heard that he has a girlfriend, Jingjing, could you have made a mistake?"

"It’s not a mistake, Chenxuan said it himself."

"I feel like this might be false. After all, you were just playing a game. Can you take the words spoken during a game seriously?" Jiandan said nonchalantly. Because of Lin Jing, she had been paying attention to Fu Chenxuan for a long time. Let alone a girlfriend, he didn’t even have any rumor of a girlfriend, he was clean all around, and apart from some unwanted female attention, there didn’t seem to be any other women in his life. It seemed unlikely that such a person would already have someone he liked.

"Chenxuan is not someone who would joke about this kind of thing, Jiandan, he probably does have someone he likes, and I’m too late."

"Jingjing, don’t be so down just yet, I think it’s better to clear things up with him. Maybe we’ve got it wrong."

Lin Jing’s eyes reddened, "He said it himself, there can’t be a mistake. Jiandan, do you think things would have been different if I hadn’t left Beijing with my parents back then?"

"Jingjing, don’t think like that. Nothing’s certain yet, and here you are scaring yourself. How about this, invite him to have a meal another day, and just ask him directly about it. That will save you from guessing wildly here."

"What if it’s true that he has someone?"

Jiandan faltered.

She looked at Lin Jing, "Jingjing, if Fu Chenxuan really does have someone he likes, what will you do?"

Lin Jing shook her head, "I don’t know." Ever since she found out that Fu Chenxuan had someone he liked, her mind had been in chaos.

Lin Jing looked utterly bewildered. Jiandan hesitated for a long time before speaking gently, "Jingjing, although I don’t want to say it, we’re friends, and I still want to know what you truly think about Fu Chenxuan."

Lin Jing shook her head, "Jiandan, I’m really confused. All I can think about is who the girl Chenxuan likes could be? And what’s their relationship right now?" Originally, when Lin Jing witnessed Fu Chenxuan’s tender acts towards Guoguo, she thought he liked Guoguo. But when he mentioned he had someone he liked, although that person was not there, she knew Guoguo was not her rival. But the unknown was the most terrifying.

"Jingjing, if, I’m just saying if, if the girl Fu Chenxuan likes appears and wants to be with him, what will you do? Would you give up on Fu Chenxuan?"

Lin Jing was stunned, staring blankly at Jiandan, "Give up?"

Jiandan nodded, "Yes, give up. Would you?"

"Jiandan, I came back to Beijing all for him."

Perhaps, for Fu Chenxuan, she was only a childhood playmate, but for her, Fu Chenxuan was the obsession in her heart. He was the one she had thought about for over 20 years, and perhaps the initial feeling was called friendship, but such feelings, before she even realized it, had already turned into love.

Jiandan was aware of Lin Jing’s persistence toward Fu Chenxuan. It was precisely because of this that she worried.

"Jingjing, if Fu Chenxuan really falls for someone else and intends to be with that person, then just give up. I don’t want you to get hurt." She didn’t want Lin Jing to become someone unrecognizable because of a relationship.

Jiandan wrote novels, and in her works, there were many female characters who lost their sanity because of love. But who could say such women didn’t exist in real life?

"Jiandan, maybe we’re just overthinking it?" Lin Jing said uncertainly, "Since they’re not together now, maybe they’ve already broken up. If that’s the case, I still have hope, right?" Her eyes were full of hope and anxiety, like a lost child, panicked and helpless.

Of course, this would be the best outcome. After all, if Fu Chenxuan was still single, then Lin Jing’s pursuit wouldn’t be seen as meddling in someone else’s relationship. Jiandan most despised women who became "the other woman," so she didn’t want her best friend to turn into the kind of person she hated.

"Jingjing, I think we should first find out if what Fu Chenxuan said is true or not. If it is true, then we can consider whether to continue pursuing him or not. Do you think that’s okay?"

Lin Jing hummed in agreement, her head bowed, and remained silent for a long time. At that moment, her phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID, her expression tense. She picked up the phone and walked to the balcony, closing the door behind her.

Just one look and Jiandan knew the call was certainly from Lin Jing’s family.

The caller was Lin Jing’s mother.

"Jingjing, you’ve been in Beijing for three months now, when do you plan to come back?" As soon as the call connected, Mrs. Lin asked coldly.

Lin Jing hesitated, then carefully began, "Mom, I’ve only been in Beijing for three months, my job has just become permanent, I can’t go back yet."

"What about your dad and me? Are you going to leave us stranded in the Northwest?"

"Mom, didn’t we agree to give me a year’s time?" When she had wanted to come to Beijing, her parents were against it, and it was only after begging her mother that she managed to get a year’s time. After one year, she would return to the Northwest to be with her parents. Lin Jing hoped to use this year to confess her feelings to Fu Chenxuan. If they could be together, nothing could be better.

"Lin Jing, it seems to me that you’re deliberately avoiding your dad and me. What, are you starting to despise us because we can’t provide you with a young lady’s lifestyle?"

Lin Jing’s complexion shifted slightly, and she softened her tone, "Mom, I’ve never thought that way. You and dad are the only family I have in this world, how could I possibly despise you? It’s just that it’s really hard to find a job back in the Northwest, whereas Beijing offers more opportunities for development. Besides, I’m still young, I want to give it a try."

"Don’t give me those lofty words. Lin Jing, let me tell you, you owe your life to your dad and me. If it wasn’t for you, your brother would not have died. You owe me a life."

Lin Jing’s complexion instantly turned pale, her lips quivered lightly, and her hand holding the phone became somewhat pale.

Her brother had died in an accident, run over by a car, and it occurred while she was playing nearby. Her mother blamed her for not watching her brother, which led to his death. Since then, her mother had changed drastically; although she had never physically abused Lin Jing, she had never shown her a smile either. Life had not been easy for Lin Jing these years.

"I understand," Lin Jing replied in a low voice. She didn’t dare to talk back to her mother, for fear of provoking her into hysteria.

She had seen such fury in her mother, who treated her like an enemy, humiliating and tormenting her with the cruelest words. If it were not for her father arriving home in time to mediate, she feared she might have been driven mad by her.

"You have three months—I’m giving you three months. After three months, you must come back, or else I’ll come to Beijing to find you," Mrs. Lin said and then hung up the phone. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Lin Jing stared at the darkening screen, the tears continuing to brim in her eyes, eventually sliding down slowly.

"Fu Chenxuan, can you save me, please?" she whispered softly, gazing into the dark night sky.

After returning from the camping trip, life returned to its tranquil state; Fu Chenxuan remained busy with his company’s affairs.

However, Fu Shuyi often visited the company, and then she would stay in Fu Chenxuan’s office for quite a while.

"You’ve been so idle lately, don’t you have classes to attend?" Fu Chenxuan asked his sister, who had once again shown up in his office, in a gentle voice.

Fu Shuyi smiled contentedly, "Not busy at all, not the slightest bit. I’ve finished all my homework. Brother, just tell me already, who is it that you like?" She’d been curious about this question for a long time, but her brother simply refused to tell her.

"It was just a game; you took what I said seriously?" Fu Chenxuan felt a bit helpless with his sister’s persistence; it had been half a month, and yet Fu Shuyi asked him this question every day.

"Pfft, you might as well try fooling a three-year-old with that kind of talk. Do you really think I’d believe it? Brother, I’m sure there’s a girl in your heart. If she’s not Sister Guoguo or that Lin Jing, then who is she? Just tell me already!" Without an answer to this, her heart felt as though a cat was scratching at it, uncomfortably tight.

"Fu Shuyi, you seem to be getting more and more gossipy. Are you planning to switch careers and become a gossip journalist after you graduate?"

"Brother, don’t change the subject. I’m serious. If you don’t tell me, I’ll go and tell Mom. Let’s see if you can tell her the truth then."

"Fu Shuyi." Fu Chenxuan called her name in a tone full of warning.

Fu Shuyi rolled her eyes, "I know my name is Fu Shuyi, Brother. If you don’t tell me the answer today, I’m going to sit right here and not move." She sat down on the chair opposite Fu Chenxuan and stared directly into his eyes.

"Shuyi, is it really that important?"

Fu Shuyi nodded, "Of course it’s important. She might be my future sister-in-law. I have to know what kind of girl has captured the heart of my excellent brother."

Fu Chenxuan gave a faint smile. Was he excellent? If he were truly excellent, would that person leave without saying goodbye?

"Brother, what are you thinking about?" Fu Shuyi waved her hand in front of Fu Chenxuan’s eyes.

Fu Chenxuan came back to his senses, his expression indifferent, "Nothing. If you like, you can stay here. I have a meeting soon."

"Brother, you really won’t tell me about my future sister-in-law?" Fu Shuyi was still not giving up.

"Fu Shuyi, if you’re that bored, I can suggest to Mom to sign you up for some hobby classes. Ikebana, Go, calligraphy, whatever you want to learn."

Fu Shuyi’s expression froze, and she quickly begged for mercy, "Brother, I’m sorry. I’ll leave right now." She hated studying those things the most. As a child, she had no choice but to learn calligraphy, but as soon as she was good enough, she completely stopped learning. As for Go and ikebana, she had even less interest. Fu Shuyi stood up, grabbed her backpack, and was ready to leave.

"Wait." Fu Chenxuan called out to her. Fu Shuyi turned her head, puzzled, "Brother, is something wrong?"

Fu Chenxuan hummed affirmatively and said with a meaningful tone, "Shuyi, Bai Junnan is too old for you."

Fu Shuyi was initially taken aback, but then she realized what Fu Chenxuan meant and couldn’t help but laugh and cry, "Brother, Brother Jun Nan and I are just friends."

"That’s for the best, Shuyi. You’re still young. The most important thing is to study now. As for dating, there’s plenty of time for that later. Girls need to choose carefully and not be swept away by a few sweet words from a man."

Fu Shuyi had a face full of black lines, "Brother, how come you sound exactly like Daddy?" From the age of fifteen, her father would occasionally remind her that there weren’t many good men in the world and that she shouldn’t easily believe what men say.

"I’m worried about you being deceived, just like Dad is. Nowadays, there aren’t many good men around." Fu Chenxuan worried. His sister was simple and naive; what would they do if she were deceived?

"Mm, got it, got it, Brother, I’m heading out." Fu Shuyi waved her hand and hastily left Fu Chenxuan’s office as if someone were chasing her.

Fu Chenxuan shook his head with a chuckle, glad he had finally managed to send the girl away. He put down the pen in his hand and stared blankly at the computer screen.

It had been four years since she left, and in those four years, he had been searching for that person. He asked about her everywhere, but this person seemed to have vanished from the face of the Earth, leaving no trace. He couldn’t even be sure if she was still alive.

After a while, Fu Chenxuan regained his focus and immersed himself in work, his expression growing ever more indifferent.

"Brother Chenxuan, what’s wrong with Shuyi? She rushed out without even acknowledging my greeting." Guoguo walked in holding two documents.

"She has too much time on her hands."

Guoguo laughed at his comment, "She hasn’t given up yet, huh? But seriously, Brother Chenxuan, I’m pretty curious too. Why don’t you satisfy both mine and Shuyi’s curiosity?"

Fu Chenxuan, feeling helpless, responded, "Why are you making a fuss like her? It was just a joke from when we played games. It’s not something to take seriously."

Guoguo shrugged, "Okay then, if you don’t want to talk about it, I won’t ask. Brother Chenxuan, I have to accompany my father to a banquet tonight; is it okay if I leave early?"

"Go ahead, is the family driver coming to pick you up?" Fu Chenxuan asked with concern, knowing Guoguo’s innate lack of sense of direction.

Guoguo nodded. Not long after she left, Fu Chenxuan’s phone rang; it was Lin Jing’s call.

"I’d like to invite you to dinner tonight, do you have time?"

Fu Chenxuan glanced at the time on the bottom right corner of the computer screen and nodded, "Yes, where shall we eat?"

"How about the Half-summer Western Restaurant? It’s an old, established Western restaurant, and I hear the food is good."

"Okay." Fu Chenxuan knew about Half-summer Western Restaurant because his mother, Shen Qinglan, was quite fond of it.

When he arrived at the entrance of the restaurant, he ran into Lin Jing just then.

"I’m glad I’m not late," Lin Jing said with a smile.

"Not only are you not late, but you also came 15 minutes early," Fu Chenxuan replied with a slight smile. He was someone with a strong sense of punctuality, disliking both being late and when others were late.

Lin Jing clearly knew this habit of his, so whenever she went out with him, she never arrived late.

"Why did you think to invite me to dinner today? Is there something on your mind?" After ordering their meals, Fu Chenxuan asked softly.

Lin Jing smiled, "I’ve been busy with the company lately, and I haven’t had the time to contact you. Today, when I finally had a moment, I thought of asking you to have dinner together."

"Are you adjusting well to your new job at the company?" Fu Chenxuan inquired.

Lin Jing nodded her head, "It’s quite good. My colleagues at the company are very nice and accommodating, and they guide me whenever I’m unsure of something."

"That’s good, and if there’s anything you don’t understand, you can call me."

"Considering our families’ companies are competitors, aren’t you afraid I might leak your company’s secrets by asking me this?"

Fu Chenxuan smiled, "Would you?"

Lin Jing chuckled, touched by the trust in his eyes, "No, I wouldn’t." If the person is you, I definitely wouldn’t, she silently said to herself.

"Well then, that’s settled. By the way, Jingjing, you’ve been back for so long, but I haven’t heard you mention your uncle and aunt. It’s been many years. Are they doing well?"

A flicker of discomfort crossed Lin Jing’s eyes, quickly disappearing, "They’re doing well. My mom called me a few days ago and even mentioned you."

"I miss your aunt quite a bit too. I’ll call her again sometime soon, and remember to pass along my thoughts."

"I’m sure she’ll be very pleased to know you still think of her after all this time."

"Is your uncle’s work going smoothly?"

"It’s going well, and my dad is also quite satisfied with his life now." Back then, due to her grandfather’s corruption and bribery, her father was transferred to a distant position. Over the years, although diligently working, his career progression was made very difficult due to the influence of her grandfather. Those who joined the army later than him, even those whose performance was not as outstanding, had already been promoted, but her father was still marking time. If he had been less equanimous, their family would have likely fallen apart long ago.

Fu Chenxuan, after all, was not in the military, so he changed the subject after expressing his concern a few times.

After dinner, Lin Jing wanted to take a walk on the nearby streets to digest the meal. Fu Chenxuan knew she didn’t have many friends in Beijing and didn’t object.

"Jingjing, about the last time we went hiking, I need to apologize," Fu Chenxuan suddenly said. Lin Jing paused in her steps and glanced at Fu Chenxuan, "Why apologize?"

"I had agreed to accompany you hiking, but ended up inviting such a large group of people." Fu Chenxuan was actually aware of Lin Jing’s reticence, but didn’t mention it due to the crowd.

Lin Jing shook her head with a smile, "I didn’t mind, really. I just don’t like talking to strangers much."

"I remember you were quite lively as a child," Fu Chenxuan remarked. Lin Jing’s temperament really had changed a great deal.

Lin Jing smiled, "People always change. Besides, it’s been more than 20 years. Can one’s personality as an adult be the same as when they were a child? Even you have changed."

Fu Chenxuan reflected on his path to maturity and chuckled, "Yeah, indeed, I have changed a lot."

"Speaking of childhood, I have quite fond memories of those experiences. I haven’t returned in over 20 years, and Beijing has undergone tremendous changes. When I first arrived, I almost didn’t recognize it," Lin Jing said, feeling sentimental.

"Yes, it’s not just 20 years for you; even when I went abroad to study four years ago, it didn’t look like it does now. The times develop too quickly."

Lin Jing turned her head to look at Fu Chenxuan’s profile, which seemed to lack any imperfections.

She was so captivated that Fu Chenxuan suddenly tugged at her, "Be careful."

A car sped past, grazing by Lin Jing’s body. If Fu Chenxuan hadn’t pulled her away just now, she would have been struck.

"Thank you."

Fu Chenxuan let go of her hand and spoke with a hint of reproach, "What were you thinking, walking so absent-mindedly?"

Lin Jing’s face flushed slightly; she couldn’t very well say she was so entranced by looking at Fu Chenxuan that she had completely ignored her surroundings.

"It’s nothing, I was just thinking about some past events and got distracted. Chenxuan, I have something I want to tell you."

Fu Chenxuan looked down at her, his expression gentle, "What is it, tell me."

Lin Jing lowered her head slightly, her hair cascading down today. From Fu Chenxuan’s angle, he couldn’t clearly see her face.

Lin Jing hesitated for a moment, seemingly unsure how to start, but Fu Chenxuan didn’t rush her. "Chenxuan, what I want to tell you is that I..." Before she could say the words "I like you," Fu Chenxuan suddenly ran off.

Fu Chenxuan crossed through the crowd and abruptly grabbed a girl’s arm.

"Gu Qingzhu," he called out.

The young lady turned her head, looking at Fu Chenxuan with a face full of astonishment, "Handsome guy, do you need something?"

Although the lady was beautiful, she was not the person he was looking for. Fu Chenxuan released her hand with disappointment, "Sorry, I mistook you for someone else," he said, before turning to leave.

The young lady watched his departing figure, her expression filled with regret.

Fu Chenxuan’s gaze swept back and forth through the crowd, yet he did not catch sight of that familiar figure. Was it really just his imagination?

Gu Qingzhu, where are you?

"Chenxuan, what happened?" Lin Jing ran up to him, panting, as he had run off without a word earlier, his face full of urgency.

Fu Chenxuan pursed his lips and shook his head, "It’s nothing; I thought I saw an old acquaintance, but I was mistaken after all. Jingjing, what were you trying to tell me just now?"

Lin Jing looked into his eyes, and after a moment, she slightly shook her head, "It’s nothing, I just wanted to tell you that I might need to go back home for a while. It’s getting late, and I’ve got work tomorrow; I should head back."

Fu Chenxuan’s mind was still preoccupied with another matter, completely oblivious to her current state, "Alright, I’ll take you home."