Fu Yixing curled his lips and sat down, his face full of displeasure.
"What? Are you going to side with that woman again?"
Yun Qingrou gently patted his arm and said, "Grandfather naturally favors Fu Yihan. If you do anything to her, don't think Grandfather—or even Fu Yihan—will spare you. You'd better restrain yourself."
"Ha!" Fu Yixing sneered dismissively. "I don't believe that little girl is more important than me?"
Yun Qingrou gave him a disapproving glance.
"Alright, alright!" Fu Yixing stood up impatiently. "I got it. I'll be careful."
"That's good," Yun Qingrou nodded in satisfaction, smiling gently. "Don't worry. As long as you listen to your mother, I'll figure out a way to help you."
Fu Yixing pouted. "I hope so."
"Enjoy your food; I'm leaving," he said.
Watching Fu Yixing stroll away leisurely, Yun Qingrou glanced at the food on the table and said with a smile, "Take it away, and bring out something fresh."
"Yes, ma'am."
...
Su Qingnuan returned to her room and found it unusually quiet.
Had Fu Yihan gone to the study again?
She sat on her bed, feeling utterly bored.
But this wasn't her home, the Su family, where she could find her own little playground.
Closing the door behind her, Su Qingnuan took her medicine and forced herself to lie down.
She had a dream.
In the dream, there was an enormous pair of eyes, staring at her relentlessly.
No matter where she ran, those eyes could always find her.
Su Qingnuan tried desperately to hide, but there was nowhere to escape.
As skyscrapers gradually rose in her world, Su Qingnuan wandered lost among the buildings.
She moved cautiously, avoiding the pair of eyes hanging in the sky, retreating step by step.
Suddenly, her heel landed on something, making a creaking sound.
Su Qingnuan slowly turned around, lowering her gaze.
A tiny person, no bigger than her palm, clung to her foot, waving its arms frantically.
"Huh?" Su Qingnuan squatted down curiously. "Fu Yihan?"
The tiny Fu Yihan stomped his feet and pointed at her angrily, gesticulating wildly.
Though small in stature, his overwhelming attitude, arms akimbo as he shouted, bore an uncanny resemblance to a street vendor scolding customers.
Su Qingnuan couldn't help but laugh out loud.
But this laughter seemed to trigger something. Su Qingnuan's leg abruptly cramped.
The intense pain yanked her back to consciousness.
She slowly opened her eyes. Her surroundings felt unfamiliar yet faintly familiar.
It was her temporary room—the room where she, as Mrs. Fu, resided in the Fu household.
Su Qingnuan sat up and lightly massaged her cramping leg, gritting her teeth to endure.
When the pain subsided, she got up.
Her room had a small, private balcony. Standing on the balcony, Su Qingnuan looked into the distance. It was pitch black, with only the faint outlines of high-rises in the faraway skyline.
"What time is it?"
Su Qingnuan glanced at the clock and answered herself, "Three o'clock."
As soon as she spoke, she paused, alarmed, and turned her head sharply.
Not three meters away, Fu Yihan was sitting there.
"...You!" Su Qingnuan exclaimed in shock. "Why are you here?"
In the darkness, it was hard to discern Fu Yihan's expression, but the disdain in his eyes was unmistakable.
"This is my house. Why wouldn't I be here?"
"..."
Su Qingnuan gave an awkward chuckle and turned away.
"Where are you going?" Fu Yihan asked.
She spoke softly, "Back to rest."
In the darkness, he said nothing, but his gaze never left her.
When no response came, Su Qingnuan hesitated for a long moment and ventured cautiously, "I'm... going back to sleep, then?"
"Hmph!" Fu Yihan pushed himself out of the shadows in his wheelchair, rolling into the moonlight.
The cold features of his face already carried a natural air of detachment.
Under the silver glow of moonlight, that distance became even more pronounced, making him seem even less approachable.
Su Qingnuan bit her lip, looking at him with quiet grievance.
Fu Yihan averted his gaze and said in a low voice, "Get lost."
"..."
Su Qingnuan hesitantly retreated to her room and closed the window behind her.
As she lay back on the soft bed, her mind was filled with the image of that man, sitting on the balcony in the moonlight, dressed in just a thin shirt.
Wearing so little... won't he catch a cold?
Shaking her head, Su Qingnuan warned herself.
Don't think too much! That's Fu Yihan, the cold and heartless tyrant!
She closed her eyes, trying hard to fall asleep.
...
The night breeze rushed in, colliding eagerly against his body.
Fu Yihan closed his eyes, savoring the unique chill.
Suddenly, he felt warmth on his shoulders, a temperature that didn't belong to him.
His eyes snapped open, and he turned his head sharply.
With a gaze as sharp and piercing as an eagle's, he frightened the person behind him into stumbling back several steps.
Su Qingnuan stood there uneasily, fidgeting nervously as she stammered, "I... I... I didn't mean to. I just... just..."
Seeing how flustered she was, Fu Yihan lowered his head in silence.
The heavy shawl draped over his shoulders emanated a comforting warmth.
Fu Yihan furrowed his brows. "I told you before—without my permission, you are not allowed to enter my room."
His voice was cold, like winter winds, sharp and biting.
Su Qingnuan quickly bent in apology. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again."
Then she turned and ran away.
The door closed with a loud "bang."
Fu Yihan turned back, his gaze once again focused on the distant horizon.
His hand gently stroked the heavy shawl over his shoulders, as though an iceberg had melted just a little.
...
"Why did I meddle in someone else's business!" Su Qingnuan exclaimed, slapping her own hand in frustration. "Now he's mad at me!"
Her hands were pale and delicate, but now a rosy hue spread wherever she had slapped them.
After a few brisk slaps, she threw herself onto the bed in frustration, silently vowing that if such a situation happened again, she would just pretend to be asleep and think nothing of it.
Closing her eyes, Su Qingnuan remained angry.
On the first of the new month, Su Qingnuan awoke, heavy dark circles under her eyes. She stood in front of the mirror and sighed deeply.
In the latter half of the night, her dreams had returned. The staring eyes turned into an image of Fu Yihan eating people, making her wake up screaming in fright.
"Young Madam."
Su Qingnuan turned and saw Lianyi holding clothes. She smiled and asked, "What is it?"
"These are your clothes. The old master said he wants to take you out to a music concert today."
A concert?
Su Qingnuan smiled faintly and nodded. "Thank you. Just leave them here."
"Alright."
As she watched Lianyi leave, Su Qingnuan's smile disappeared.
She had learned music, yes, but she was not like Su Yuerou.
Su Yuerou played the piano, while she played the guqin.
One was a modern instrument, the other an ancient one.
If the old master asked her about it, how should she answer?
When Fu Yihan emerged from his room, the first thing he saw was Su Qingnuan staring blankly at the clothes on the chair.
"What? Are you afraid the clothes will attack you?"
Su Qingnuan snapped out of her daze and looked at him.
A mocking smirk played on the corner of Fu Yihan's lips. "Just going to a concert has you stumped? It seems you're not fit to hold the position of Mrs. Fu for long."
"..."
Su Qingnuan picked up the clothes silently and retreated into her room.