Chapter Two: But All I Want Is Her

“We’ve known each other since childhood. Brother Tingshen might not remember,” Fu Yanchi said, clearly noticing that Luo Yunmian’s tense body relaxed slightly. He let out a soft chuckle.

Fu Tingshen frowned slightly, his face serious. Assuming the tone of an elder brother, he earnestly admonished Fu Yanci.

“There are plenty of good girls in this world; she’s not the only one.”

Fu Yanchi smiled lightly, lifting his head to meet Fu Tingshen’s gaze word by word.

“But I only want her.”

His persistence was unwavering and resolute.

For a moment, Luo Yunmian’s heart tightened, and she almost instinctively said, “Forced fruit never tastes sweet.”

“Well, you have to take a bite first to find out,” Fu Yanchi raised an eyebrow, his eyes showing no hint of retreat.

Luo Yunmian lowered her head and clenched her fists.

The atmosphere grew awkward until Fu Tingshen’s phone suddenly rang. When he saw the number on the screen, his eyes faltered slightly.

He quickly stepped aside into a corner.

Fu Yanchi glanced at Luo Yunmian and casually nudged her leg.

Annoyed, she shot him a glare, but he remained indifferent.

“I have something to take care of outside. You two enjoy your meal.”

Fu Tingshen grabbed his coat from the chair, his expression anxious, threw down the words, and turned to leave.

Before Luo Yunmian could ask, his figure had already disappeared.

Fu Yanchi moved closer, resting his hand on her shoulder.

The cool scent of sandalwood mingled with a lingering masculine aura surrounded her.

“Sister Mianmian, Brother Tingshen just left you behind—could it be there’s someone else outside?”

Luo Yunmian irritably brushed his hand away. “If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll tell Brother Tingshen.”

With that, she put down her chopsticks, grabbed her phone and bag, and left without looking back.

———

Luo Yunmian worried through the entire night. Fu Tingshen didn’t send a single message, nor did he reply to her inquiries about his return.

What could possibly have happened to make such a composed man so anxious?

She found herself unusually sleepless.

Early the next morning, following her usual routine, she went to Fu Tingshen’s place for breakfast. Approaching, she was surprised to find a stranger seated beside him.

Noticing her gaze, the woman smiled faintly.

“Sister Mianmian, sit here with me,” Fu Yanchi broke the silence, naturally pulling out a chair for her.

Luo Yunmian instinctively looked toward Fu Tingshen, who was focused on his computer, ignoring her completely.

“This is Shen Xin’er. She’s an old acquaintance of the Fu family and lives in the villa right behind ours,” Fu Yanchi explained with a mischievous glint.

Ignoring Fu Yanchi’s amused expression, Luo Yunmian lightly nodded in greeting. “Miss Shen.”

“Sister Mianmian, she’s nine years older than you,” Fu Yanchi added.

The smile on Zhao Xin’er’s face stiffened for a moment but she composed herself and smiled politely. “Just call me Xin’er.”

She glanced at Fu Tingshen. Age was the biggest obstacle between them, but fortunately, he didn’t mind.

As long as she maintained her image as the elder sister, she believed she could eventually secure the position she desired.

She smiled, appraising Luo Yunmian—the nominal girlfriend of Fu Tingshen.

Luo Yunmian was undeniably young and beautiful at first glance, her almond-shaped eyes lively and bright, her waist-length black hair neatly pinned up, exuding freshness.

Yet Xin’er considered herself superior by virtue of being the “white moonlight” in Fu Tingshen’s life.

Finally, Fu Tingshen looked up and introduced, “This is Shen Xin’er. She just returned to the country and officially joined Shenghua Group today as the Design Director.”

He paused briefly, then looked at Shen Xin’er.

“You two will need to work well together.”

Shen Xin’er smiled and casually placed her hand on Fu Tingshen’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry, I will. But where did you find such a beautiful assistant like Miss Luo?”

“Old acquaintances,” Fu Tingshen replied succinctly, summarizing their relationship in two words.

Luo Yunmian was momentarily stunned, a pang of bitterness spreading through her heart.

At the table, Fu Tingshen picked up a piece of braised fish and fed it to Luo Yunmian, then took another piece and handed it to Shen Xin’er.

Luo Yunmian stared blankly at the fish in her bowl, her mind drifting far away.

She had been with Fu Tingshen for three years, yet he apparently didn’t remember that she only liked cilantro and disliked scallions. A faint melancholy stirred in her heart.

“What’s wrong?” Fu Tingshen noticed her unease and asked.

“Sister Mianmian doesn’t eat scallions, yet you didn’t know?” Fu Yanchi said, picking up the fish from Luo Yunmian’s bowl and transferring it to his own. He carefully removed all the scallions and even picked out the fish bones before returning the fish to her bowl.

She looked up at Fu Yanchi, unexpectedly caught in his intense, unguarded gaze.

She shuddered.

“Sorry, I’ve been too busy to remember.”

“But you do remember that Sister Xin’er likes scallions! You even specifically told the housekeeper to add extra scallions to this fish,” Fu Yanchi chuckled softly.

Fu Tingshen coughed awkwardly, about to explain when Luo Yunmian interrupted.

“It’s fine. Miss Shen is a guest after all.”

Her breakfast was tasteless. She put down her chopsticks and said, “I’m going to the company.”

“Come with me,” Fu Tingshen was about to rise.

“Wait a moment. Tingshen, go change your clothes. You’ve been taking care of me too long and forgot to change,” Shen Xin’er tugged at Fu Tingshen.

Luo Yunmian glanced at Fu Tingshen and realized he was still wearing the same suit from yesterday.

Their eyes met, and Luo Yunmian fixed him with an intense gaze, silently waiting for an explanation.

“Xin’er just returned home yesterday and wasn’t feeling well, so I stayed to take care of her.”

Luo Yunmian said nothing further as Fu Tingshen went upstairs.

Shen Xin’er then apologized to Luo Yunmian with a forced smile, “Miss Luo, I’m truly sorry. I thought Tingshen had already told you about this. Please don’t misunderstand.”

Luo Yunmian kept her head lowered, her expression unreadable.

A faint, bitter smile curled her lips. “Miss Shen, there’s no need to apologize to me.”

When Fu Tingshen changed his clothes and came downstairs, the three sat silently on the sofa.

“Let’s go,” Fu Tingshen said.

Shen Xin’er was the first to stand and walked over to adjust Fu Tingshen’s tie with ease.

Teasing him, “Almost thirty and you still can’t tie a tie properly?”

Luo Yunmian looked up and saw the softness in Fu Tingshen’s eyes. He lowered his head, lips curved in a smile, his focused gaze locked on Shen Xin’er, clearly enjoying the attention.

At that moment, the morning light felt especially harsh to Luo Yunmian. She instinctively lowered her head again, her fingers gripping the strap of her handbag so tightly it was deformed.

Fu Yanchi noticed the change in her mood and looked over.

The girl’s knuckles were turning white, veins subtly bulging on the back of her hand, her eyelashes trembling.

He stood up, his voice unrestrained.

“Xin’er, aren’t you crossing the line? Sister Mianmian is my brother’s girlfriend.”

Shen Xin’er paused in her adjustment, turning toward Fu Yanchi, whose eyes held undisguised ridicule.

“Sorry, I’m just used to it from before.”

“If anyone didn’t know better, they’d think Xin’er is the one my brother plans to get engaged to!”

Fu Tingshen finally noticed Luo Yunmian was still there. Stepping back from Shen Xin’er, he looked toward Luo Yunmian, about to explain.

But Luo Yunmian’s expression had already turned cold. Without a word, she stood up and walked straight out.