Third-floor study, Mr. Fu, in a brown printed Tang suit, sat behind the desk, holding an antique vase in one hand and slowly rotating it, while holding a magnifying glass in the other, admiring the intricate patterns on the vase’s surface, occasionally exclaiming in awe.
The door of the study was ajar. Fu Jianfang knocked and pushed the door open.
"Dad, everyone is here, and the kitchen is almost ready. They’re just waiting for the birthday person to make an appearance." Fu Jianfang casually walked to the desk, glanced at the antique vase, "You can put it away and look at it later."
Mr. Fu reluctantly placed the vase back into the brocade box lined with yellow silk, asking casually, "Has Jichen arrived?"
Fu Jianfang smiled slightly, anticipating that he would ask about Fu Jichen: "He’s here. Not only did he co himself, but he also brought soone."
Mr. Fu didn’t think much of it and put away the magnifying glass: "Who did he bring?"
"Guess." Fu Jianfang smiled so broadly that her mouth couldn’t close.
Mr. Fu glanced at her, walked out from behind the desk with his hands behind his back: "If you’re going to say it, just say it. Stop playing gas with ."
Fu Jianfang linked her arms with his, supporting him downstairs, while observing his expression, she said: "He brought his girlfriend."
Mr. Fu abruptly stopped, turned his head to look at her, trying to determine if what she said was true.
Fu Jianfang added fuel to the fire: "It’s that Shen Family’s daughter. When she just ca in, I was taken aback. It seems Fu Da is serious. He’s brought her ho to et the family and specifically chose such an important day."
Mr. Fu said nothing.
Fu Jianfang sneaked a few glances at him, feeling secretly delighted.
She was telling the truth, neither exaggerating nor wronging Fu Da. If he wanted to be unruly and go against Mr. Fu, no one could save him.
When Mr. Fu appeared, everyone in the main hall who was chatting and laughing stood up, greeted him, and offered birthday blessings like "May your fortune be as vast as the East Sea" and "May you live as long as the Southern Mountains."
Mr. Fu imdiately noticed the girl beside Fu Jichen, wearing a plain-colored cheongsam, with her hair elegantly styled in a low knot, her appearance beautiful, her deanor serene and graceful.
Not to ntion anything else, just her appearance was remarkable, no wonder she could captivate his grandson so much.
Shen Jianian could feel a probing gaze lingering on her. She slightly raised her eyes and t Mr. Fu’s profound gaze. Her heart was startled, but she maintained a calm exterior, giving the elder a gentle smile.
Before Fu Jichen could say anything, Shen Jianian greeted first: "Hello, Mr. Fu, I’m Shen Jianian. Sorry for intruding today. Wishing you the brightness of the sun and moon, and the longevity of cranes and pines."
A smile from a face often discourages anger. Even though Mr. Fu was displeased at heart, he wouldn’t make a scene to embarrass soone. He gave a light smile: "Miss Shen, welco to our ho. Please eat more later."
Fu Jianfang still didn’t understand Mr. Fu well enough. Upon hearing this, she was extrely surprised, nearly showing it.
At this mont, the household helper smiled and announced to everyone: "Dinner can be served now."
Everyone dispersed, found a place to wash their hands, and then moved to the dining room.
Shen Jianian followed behind Fu Jichen, led by him to the most secluded bathroom on the first floor. He turned on the faucet, waiting for the warm water to run, then guided her hand into the sink to wash.
"Don’t be nervous." Fu Jichen pumped two doses of hand soap, the jasmine scent wafting in the air, as he gently rubbed her hands.
Shen Jianian stared at their foam-covered hands. It’s not sothing you can simply stop feeling nervous about, especially when Mr. Fu looked at her, her heart seed like it was going to jump out.
Fu Jichen reassured her: "Grandpa just looks intimidating, but he’s no different from other elders."
Shen Jianian pressed her lips without speaking.
After washing their hands, they walked to the dining room. Passing through the main hall, two half-grown children burst out of the kitchen, chased each other without watching the way, and one unexpectedly bumped into Shen Jianian.
At the mont the child bumped over, Fu Jichen bent down and blocked a little with his hand, so Shen Jianian wasn’t hurt, but didn’t notice the child was holding a dessert.
Chocolate sauce and blueberry jam got sared on the pale yellow vest, and the white cheongsam hem was also stained, visible and dirty.
This cheongsam was worn for the first ti today. Seeing it in such a state made Shen Jianian a bit distressed, but she wasn’t angry. She squatted down and asked the child: "Are you hurt?"
"Sibo, what happened?" Fu Jianfang returned from the dining room, not understanding the situation, only hearing Shen Jianian’s "hurt," and frowned, "Where are you hurt?"
This is Fu Jianfang’s youngest son.
She had children later in life, the eldest is a daughter, twelve this year, and the youngest is seven.
Fu Jianfang is busy with work, her husband also has his own career, and they hardly manage the children, leaving them mostly to the nanny.
The nanny didn’t dare offend these little terrors and always let them have their way, pampering and coaxing them as long as they weren’t in danger. Over ti, the two children developed so arrogant and willful habits.
The boy nad Sibo saw his backer had arrived and gave Shen Jianian a hard shove, tugging at his lower eyelid with his finger and making a face at her: "Serves you right!"
Then, he sprinted to his mother’s embrace for protection.
Shen Jianian was squatting with high heels on her feet. Caught off guard by the push, her center of gravity shifted, and she fell backward, landing on the ground.
The boy looked back at her embarrassed state and let out a sharp, strange laugh.
Before Shen Jianian could react, Fu Jichen pulled her up, his face dark as he looked at the child hiding in Fu Jianfang’s arms: "Jia Sibo, apologize."
The child clung to his mother’s leg, frightened by Fu Jichen’s cold and angry deanor, shrinking his neck: "Mom..."
Fu Jianfang didn’t know what happened before, but she had seen with her own eyes that her son had pushed Shen Jianian just now. She couldn’t pretend not to have seen it, so she smiled and made excuses for her son: "Children are naughty, Jianian, don’t take it to heart."
"What happened?" Mr. Fu’s deep voice ca from the dining room.
Fu Jianfang, holding her son, went over and glossed over the incident: "The child was being childish, playing with Jichen’s girlfriend. Jichen got upset and wants Sibo to apologize to Jianian."
Hearing her words from outside, Shen Jianian couldn’t help but admire her ability to twist the truth. She deliberately portrayed Fu Jichen as soone who loses his mind over a woman, ignoring his family, surely to displease Mr. Fu.
Sure enough, Mr. Fu’s face darkened.
"No wonder Sibo is seven and still has no manners." Fu Jichen, grasping Shen Jianian’s hand, led her into the dining room, his gaze coldly sweeping over Fu Jianfang and the brat in her arms, speaking slowly, "He rushes around and hurts people without apologizing. When soone shows concern, he pushes them to the ground and calls them ’serves you right.’ I finally understood today that this is how Aunt usually educates her child."
Mr. Fu looked slightly stunned.
He understood this eldest grandson’s nature and had no doubt about his words. Then, looking at Fu Jianfang’s unnatural expression, he beca more clear-minded.
This daughter of his had never been a peaceful one.
In the past, he turned a blind eye because she was his only daughter and the youngest among the children, inevitably indulging her, but he never expected her to stir up trouble in front of outsiders, causing disharmony.
What would outsiders think?
They would only think that the Fu Family had always had poor family discipline.
Mr. Fu cherished his reputation and couldn’t afford to lose face, so he spoke in a stern voice: "Sibo, apologize to Miss Shen."
Sibo quickly expressed his dissatisfaction: "Why, Grandpa!"
Mr. Fu’s face grew even more displeased: "Because you did sothing wrong!"
Fu Jianfang was shocked, looking at Mr. Fu, but he didn’t look at her, his eyes piercingly focused on Sibo, pressuring him. Fu Jianfang’s face felt like it was slapped hard, turning red and pale.
Sibo was unwilling to apologize to Shen Jianian, pouting and arguing: "Grandpa, I didn’t do it on purpose."
Shen Jianian wanted to say forget it, after all, today was Mr. Fu’s birthday, and it wouldn’t do to make the scene too ugly. Before she could speak, the hand hanging by her side was squeezed by Fu Jichen, signaling her to keep silent.
"Apologize, don’t make say it again." Mr. Fu sternly faced his grandson, "I see you’re getting more unruly by the day. Who taught you to be so rude?"
Fu Jianfang felt as if soone had grabbed her by the throat, making her feel a burst of suffocation, and she gave her son’s back a hard shove: "Listen to your grandfather, apologize to the guest!"
Sibo, with red eyes, glared at Shen Jianian and shouted loudly: "I’m sorry!"
Shen Jianian, expressionless, gave way by saying: "It’s okay."
The atmosphere in the dining room was a bit stiff. Fu Yuling moved to get up, smiling softly, and spoke considerately: "I see Miss Shen’s clothes have gotten dirty. If left too long, it might not be easy to clean. Why don’t you co upstairs with to change into clean clothes before coming back to dine."
Fu Feibai looked at his sister across two seats, quite surprised.
She was always self-centered, sotis even more arrogant than Sibo. Why had she suddenly changed her personality and took the initiative to care for her brother’s girlfriend?
The last ti, Fu Yuling heard he had dined with his brother’s girlfriend and insisted on eting the sister-in-law too. She then went to her brother’s private villa and caused such a scene that she almost ended up in the hospital.
But then again, considering her nature, nothing she did was surprising.
"Co with ." Fu Yuling stopped beside Shen Jianian with a sweet smile, like a thoughtful big sister.
Though she was Fu Jichen’s sister, she was indeed much older than Shen Jianian.
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