The servants, upon seeing the person who had just walked in, were so startled that they immediately stopped their assault and stood to the side with their heads bowed.
Ruan Jiaojiao rushed to her mother’s side to support her. Seeing the bruises on her mother’s face, she felt both heartache and fury.
"Mom, are you all right?"
Ruan Qianlian looked disheveled and began to cry, as if overwhelmed by grievances. Ruan Jiaojiao comforted her, failing to notice that the man who had appeared had already stepped inside. Fu Jiaru stood there, not daring to look up at the person who had arrived.
The man asked again, his tone colder than before. "What are you doing?"
Fu Jiaru pointed at Ruan Jiaojiao and her mother, saying indignantly, "Second Uncle, I am teaching this home-invading vixen a lesson!"
Fu Zhinian lazily lifted his gaze to look at Ruan Jiaojiao and the others. Ruan Jiaojiao turned her head at that moment and, upon seeing the man standing not far away, felt a tremor in her heart.
What a beautiful man!
He appeared to be six-foot-three, with chiseled, deep-set features and a high-bridged nose. Dressed in a suit with a black trench coat draped over his shoulders, his long legs were striking. One hand was tucked into his pocket, while the other toyed with a string of Buddhist prayer beads.
Fu Zhinian looked back at her. Meeting those eyes—innocent yet alluring like a fox—he felt a momentary flicker of surprise. However, it vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
Ruan Jiaojiao met the man's cold, detached gaze. There seemed to be a languid, wicked air about him, and her intuition told her this man was not someone to be trifled with. She looked away and helped her mother up.
Ruan Qianlian sobbed, "What nonsense are you spouting? When I met Fu Dexin, he was the one pursuing me! I didn't know he had a family; he promised he would marry me."
"But when I became pregnant, he disappeared! How can you call me a home-invader? Doesn't he need to take responsibility?"
Fu Jiaru sneered, "My father is a wealthy gentleman. Do you really think he would take a fancy to you?"
Ruan Qianlian was so incensed that she began to cry even louder. Just as she was about to retort, an impatient voice came from outside the door.
"What are you crying for? Didn't I let you move in?"
Fu Dexin stormed in, but upon seeing Fu Zhinian inside, he froze and his tone softened significantly. "Zhinian? You... why are you here?"
Fu Zhinian merely glanced at him without a word, yet it was enough to make Fu Dexin feel as if his breath were being stolen away. Although Fu Zhinian was an adopted son of the Fu family and only twenty-eight, no one in the Fu family was unafraid of him.
It was not only because he was a business prodigy who had saved the Fu family from the brink of bankruptcy five years ago—securing their position at the head of the elite families—but also because his methods were ruthless and his nature paranoid. Those who crossed him rarely escaped without death or disability. Therefore, even though Fu Dexin was more than a decade his senior, he dared not show him the slightest disrespect, terrified that a single word from him could leave the Third Branch destitute.
Ruan Jiaojiao observed Fu Dexin’s expression: cautious, respectful, and even somewhat servile. She then turned her gaze back to the handsome man whose presence carried a faint, ominous chill. His eyes were still fixed on her.
Ruan Jiaojiao’s fox-like eyes blinked. His expression was far too bland; she could read no emotions there.
*Zhinian? Second Uncle?* He looked young, but anyone who could make Fu Dexin wary must hold a very high status indeed. Ruan Jiaojiao took a deep, lingering look at Fu Zhinian.
"Dad, you’ve come at just the right time. Hurry up and kick them out. I don't like them living in our house," Fu Jiaru said, linking her arm with Fu Dexin’s. Her tone was displeased, but with Fu Zhinian present, she dared not go too far.
Fu Dexin glanced at Fu Zhinian and whispered, "Jiaru, don't make a scene. It doesn't cost much for them to live here. Dad will always love you the most."
Fu Jiaru pouted, clearly unhappy. If not for Fu Zhinian’s presence, she certainly would not have let Ruan Jiaojiao and her mother off so easily.
Fu Dexin patted his daughter’s hand, giving her a reassuring look, then walked up to Fu Zhinian and explained, "Zhinian, the two of them are just staying here temporarily. Don't worry, I won't let them disturb you."
Fu Zhinian liked his peace and quiet and rarely came to the main residence, as he had his own private residence. However, there was also a property for him at the main house called Xing Garden. It was located behind the Third Branch in a rather secluded spot, which he had specifically requested.
To get from the main gate to his private quarters, one had to pass the Third Branch, but Fu Zhinian visited so rarely that Fu Dexin was quite surprised to see him today. Usually, the only time people saw him was during holidays, when the entire family gathered at the South Hall in the main house, where the Elder Master lived.
Fu Zhinian looked away from Ruan Jiaojiao’s face. His expression remained indifferent, and without a word, he turned and left.
Ruan Jiaojiao watched his back disappear at the doorway, her fox eyes narrowing slightly.
"Hmph! Dad, don't let them eat with me ever again! It’s bad luck!" Once the Second Uncle was gone, Fu Jiaru’s attitude became even more arrogant.
Fu Dexin looked at Ruan Jiaojiao and Ruan Qianlian. Ruan Qianlian looked haggard, her face streaked with tears, though the remnants of her youthful beauty were still visible. Ruan Jiaojiao had inherited her mother’s looks entirely.
"Dad!" Seeing her father staring at the mother-daughter pair as if entranced, Fu Jiaru shook his arm angrily and glared at them. They were all vixens!
Fu Dexin snapped out of it, coughed lightly, and looked at Ruan Qianlian, his voice cold. "From now on, you two will wait until everyone else has finished eating before you have your meals. This is the Fu family, and you will follow the rules."
"Also, in front of outsiders, just say you are distant relatives. You are not to call me 'Dad'; call me 'Third Uncle' instead. If word of this illegitimate daughter business gets out, I won't spare you. Do you understand?"
Ruan Qianlian was furious and about to lash out, but Ruan Jiaojiao interrupted her. "Understood."
"Get back to the attic! You’re an eyesore!" Fu Jiaru said with disgust.
Ruan Jiaojiao picked up her schoolbag, threw it over her shoulder, and with one hand dragging her suitcase and the other supporting her mother, she headed up to the attic on the third floor. The servants watched on, not daring to step forward to help.
Ten minutes later, they reached the attic. It had been cleaned, but there were no bedsheets, pillows, blankets, or daily necessities. Ruan Jiaojiao helped her mother sit on the bed and felt a pang of heartache at the bruises on her face.
"Mom, does it hurt?"
Ruan Qianlian shook her head and said, "I'm fine," before adding indignantly, "They are simply too much! They won't even let us eat at the same table, and they refuse to acknowledge your status. I was truly blind in the past!"
"Mom, let me put some medicine on you." Ruan Jiaojiao didn't join in the complaining. She opened her suitcase, took out some ointment, and applied it to her mother’s face. Ruan Qianlian continued to vent, while Ruan Jiaojiao listened quietly, silently dabbing on the medicine.
When she was finished, Ruan Jiaojiao said, "Mom, rest here for a bit. I’ll go find some blankets. It’s winter and there’s no heating here, so don't let yourself catch a cold."
"I'll come with you," Ruan Qianlian said.
Sensing her mother’s anxiety, Ruan Jiaojiao smiled. "It's fine, I know what to do. Just wait for me here."
Ruan Qianlian had no choice but to nod. "Be careful, then. If it really doesn't work out, I'll go talk to Fu Dexin again."
"Okay."
Ruan Jiaojiao went downstairs. She didn't see Fu Dexin in the main hall and asked a servant, who whispered that at this time of day, Fu Dexin would likely be in the Xiyuan listening to music.
With a rough idea of the direction, Ruan Jiaojiao stepped outside. There was a thin layer of light snow on the ground. Winter in Yumen City arrived late; it was already December, just a month before the Lunar New Year, and only now was the first light snow falling.
Ruan Jiaojiao wrapped her coat tightly around herself, pulled her hood over her head, and walked with her head bowed to avoid the drifting flakes. She didn't know how long she had been walking, but she began to lose her sense of direction in the vast, white estate.
The estate was enormous. According to the servant, the Xiyuan was only a ten-minute walk away, but she felt as though she had been walking for ages and still hadn't heard any music.
Just then, a drizzling rain began to mix with the snow, feeling cold and clammy. Ahead, she saw a small garden. Its architectural style didn't quite match the rest of the estate—where the manor was in a modern palace style, this garden was more traditional Chinese. Thinking it must be empty, Ruan Jiaojiao ran over, hoping to shelter from the rain.
The door was unlocked. She pushed it open, and a serene, fragrant scent rushed to meet her. Ruan Jiaojiao walked in a few steps, only to suddenly sense a dangerous presence behind her. Before she could turn around, her mouth and nose were covered by a hand, and her arms were pinned, leaving her unable to move.