Не sаid this with а fаint smilе at the соrnеr оf his mоuth, looking quite misсhiеvous.
Ruan Siхian was tаkеn аbасk fоr a momеnt, then raised her hand and gеntlу pаtted his сhееk bеforе hоррing оff the sоfa.
"You wish."
Fu Mingуu slоwly stоod up, loоking somewhаt helplеss.
"Finе, I’ll оwе уоu thеn."
You sure knоw hоw to sаvе fаcе.
Ruan Siхiаn turned awау without аcknowledging him, рicked up thе еmрty wаter glass, and tооk it tо the kitсhеn sink tо wаsh.
Fu Мingуu follоwеd her, аnd amidst thе faint sound оf running watеr, hе аsked, "Fееling bеttеr now?"
Ruan Sixiаn scrubbed the glass vigorоusly and let оut a soft "Мm."
"Thеn I’ll hеad bаck."
Ruan Sixian kept her head down and whispered, almost inaudibly, "Thank you."
Fu Mingyu didn’t hear it, but halfway to the door, he turned back and asked, "Are you free tomorrow afternoon?"
"What for?"
"Come out with me?"
"Where to?"
"Just hanging out with some friends."
Ruan Sixian turned to look at him. Though she didn’t say anything, her eyes clearly conveyed the question, "Why would you bring me along to meet your friends?"
Was she genuinely clueless or just pretending?
Fu Mingyu rolled his neck, letting out a long sigh.
"Everyone else is bringing their wives or girlfriends. I don’t want to go alone."
He made it sound quite pitiful.
"Oh, I see." Ruan Sixian turned back to continue wiping the glass, her eyebrows slightly raised. "You could just not go."
"..."
Fu Mingyu looked down at her, unsure if he had just caught a faint smile at the corner of her mouth.
"Double the quarterly bonus. Coming or not?"
Ruan Sixian slammed the glass down with a loud "thud," putting on an air of "Do you think I’d give in for money?"
After a brief silence of a few seconds—
"What time tomorrow?"
That’s right, there’s no need for me to turn down money.
"Two o’clock." Fu Mingyu slowly backed out of the kitchen, tilted his chin toward her, and smiled. "I’ll pick you up."
The autumn rain fell intermittently, starting up again at night and lingering until morning, bringing both the rainfall and the temperature down.
Ruan Sixian rarely slept so restlessly.
Just before dawn, she had a dream—fragmented, illogical, yet interconnected. Scenes flashed before her like a revolving lantern, not immersing her but making her feel like a spectator.
First, she saw the wall she used to climb as a child collapse, but what it crushed was Dong Xian’s dressing table at home.
Turning around, she saw Dong Xian holding a palette, sitting by the window as if unaware, painting an oil painting.
Ruan Sixian moved closer to look and realized the painting was of her own grown-up self.
The memory of the dream blurred at this point. When Ruan Sixian opened her eyes, the clock on the wall already read eight.
She sat up abruptly, not dwelling on the emotions from the dream, and immediately got out of bed to freshen up.
There was a safety training session scheduled for the morning, which would likely last until noon. However, Fu Mingyu had said to meet at two in the afternoon. She had originally wanted to get up early to get ready, but now it seemed there wouldn’t be enough time.
Despite the rush, she still managed to return home by twelve-thirty, leaving herself an hour and a half.
An hour and a half wasn’t exactly ample time. Just washing and drying her hair alone took half an hour.
After finishing her makeup, she had barely twenty minutes left, yet she stood hesitantly in front of her wardrobe.It's gotten colder again today, and the weather app reminded her to dress warmly. But Ruan Sixian rummaged through several coats, finding this one too flashy or that one too thick—wearing it would make her look like a bear.
In the end, she picked out two options and asked Bian Xuan and Si Xiaozhen for their opinions.
[Bian Xuan]: What's the big occasion that you're being so formal?
Formal?
Well, maybe a little.
She just had this inexplicable feeling that she couldn't go out today looking completely plain and casual.
[Si Xiaozhen]: A date?
Ruan Sixian had already typed "not really," but after a moment's thought, she deleted it.
[Ruan Sixian]: Making money.
After sending the message, she ignored the barrage of question marks from the other two, put down her phone, and decided to make the choice herself.
From her inner wear to her outer coat, there were plenty of new, stylish, and eye-catching pieces, but Ruan Sixian instinctively chose muted colors suitable for autumn, thinking she shouldn't let anyone notice she had put in too much effort.
But her subtle intentions couldn't be hidden when it came to perfume and accessories.
Finally, she found herself struggling with the choice of shoes.
The shoe cabinet was by the entrance. Ruan Sixian glanced over it, feeling a bit conflicted.
She wanted to wear stilettos, but she wasn't sure what the occasion would be like today or whether she'd need to walk a lot.
While she hesitated, the doorbell rang.
Ruan Sixian casually opened the door, pushing it slightly ajar, only for Fu Mingyu outside to take over and pull it open fully.
His gaze slowly extended, as if a scroll were gradually unfurling. When he took in Ruan Sixian's full appearance, Fu Mingyu's eyes paused, his gaze deepening.
"What are you doing?" Seeing him silent, Ruan Sixian beckoned him over. "Help me pick a pair of shoes."
Fu Mingyu's gaze shifted inch by inch from her, finally landing decisively on the shoe cabinet. He casually pointed to a pair of black stilettos.
Ruan Sixian glanced at the shoes and muttered, "Your taste is quite expensive."
He had picked out her most expensive pair at a glance.
Fu Mingyu said softly, "What have I ever set my eyes on that isn't expensive?"
Ruan Sixian asked while putting on her shoes, "What did you say?"
"Nothing."
Seeing she was only on the final step, Fu Mingyu took a step back to give her space.
Ruan Sixian finished putting on her shoes, grabbed her bag, and as she closed the door, she glared at his retreating figure.
Dog man, don't think I didn't hear you.
Stingy, acting like an extra quarterly bonus is breaking your heart—
A gust of wind swept by, sending withered yellow leaves fluttering down along the roadside. The dark clouds, however, were blown away, and a sliver of light broke through the gloomy, overcast sky that had persisted for days.
It was still the same private room on the top floor of Warner Manor. Zhu Dong fiddled with the chips in his hand, unable to stifle a yawn.
His girlfriend beside him patted him. "Did you stay up late again last night?"
Zhu Dong drooped his eyelids without a word, tacitly admitting it.
Ji Yan, sitting across from him, glanced at his phone. "My brother isn't coming—something came up last minute."
Zhu Dong snapped awake and pulled out his phone. "Then I'll call Yan An."
None of them were idle, good-for-nothing heirs; each had their own busy work schedules. Their free time was already scarce, and Zhu Dong had been running around nonstop due to the increase in autumn and winter flight routes, with hardly any rest. The others weren't much freer either. So, if they couldn't gather a table today to relax, none of them would feel satisfied.
Hearing Zhu Dong mention calling Yan An, Ji Yan asked, "Is he free?"
"What does a nominal director who doesn't do any real work have to be busy with? Besides, he's single lately, so he doesn't have to spend time with a girlfriend. Let's call him over, so Fu Mingyu doesn't end up winning all our money."As soon as the words were spoken, Yan An indeed replied instantly, saying he’d be right there.
Zhu Dong waited for Fu Mingyu at ease, glanced at his watch, and muttered, “Why isn’t he here yet? Did he spend two hours on makeup?”
Half an hour later, a Cayenne slowly pulled up to the parking platform at the entrance of Warner Manor.
A minor accident on the overpass had caused a traffic jam, delaying them by over thirty minutes compared to the expected time.
Ruan Sixian got out of the car and checked the time. “Why so early?”
Fu Mingyu replied, “Playing cards. Do you know how?”
So you’re that bored, huh? I thought it’d be some kind of entertainment.
“Of course I know how. Isn’t it just a matter of probability theory?” Ruan Sixian said. “It’s just been a while since I last played.”
Fu Mingyu could almost hear a hint of pride in her tone, as if she were a Mahjong prodigy.
After entering the lobby, Ruan Sixian and Fu Mingyu walked side by side, following the attendant toward the elevator.
On the top floor, there was a long, dimly lit corridor adorned with murals. To enhance the ambiance, only wall lamps illuminated the space, creating a quiet, hushed atmosphere where footsteps made no sound on the carpet.
Zheng You’an emerged from a side room and caught a glimpse of what seemed to be Fu Mingyu’s figure.
She paused briefly, wanting to take a closer look, but the two had already turned the corner into another passageway.
Why did she think it was only “seemingly” him?
Because she caught a glimpse of the woman’s profile as she turned the corner, and it looked like Ruan Sixian.
With that thought, she began to feel confused.
Maybe the man beside her wasn’t Fu Mingyu after all?
But she couldn’t have mistaken something like that, and it wasn’t as if just any man could match Fu Mingyu’s stature.
Then perhaps the woman beside him wasn’t Ruan Sixian?
The more Zheng You’an thought about it, the more bewildered she became, unsure whether her eyes were playing tricks on her or her memory was failing her.
Meanwhile, the attendant pushed open the door to the private room. When Zhu Dong and the others looked up and saw Fu Mingyu, they were about to greet him, but then a woman appeared beside him, and their words died in their throats.
Zhu Dong and Ji Yan subtly glanced between Fu Mingyu and Ruan Sixian, their questioning gazes unmistakable.
“You’re here? And who is this?”
Fu Mingyu strode in casually, scanning the seats, and replied nonchalantly, “A friend.”
Then he turned back and asked, “Where would you like to sit?”
Ruan Sixian said, “Anywhere is fine.”
He pointed to a seat facing due north. “Want to start first?”
Meaning he was directly inviting her to join the game.
Under the scrutinizing gazes of everyone in the room, Ruan Sixian felt a bit uneasy and whispered, “I’m a bit rusty. Let me watch first.”
“Alright, sit here beside me.”
The attendant immediately brought over a chair and placed it next to Fu Mingyu, positioned at the same angle as the seat beside Zhu Dong’s girlfriend.
After sitting down, Zhu Dong asked, “Care to introduce her?”
Fu Mingyu rested his arm on the back of Ruan Sixian’s chair and looked at Zhu Dong. “Ruan Sixian.”
“Oh, Miss Ruan,” Zhu Dong stood up and extended his hand. “Zhu Dong, Fu Mingyu’s childhood friend.”
Ruan Sixian was momentarily taken aback by his sudden formality but kept her composure, calmly shaking his hand. Then his girlfriend nodded politely at her.
Naturally, Ji Yan also stood up and greeted her.
Some things didn’t need to be said outright—they all understood without asking further. Everyone remained calm and composed, giving Ruan Sixian a relaxed environment.
At least, that’s what they thought.
How could Ruan Sixian not sense the undercurrents in the atmosphere?
But since she had decided to come, she had already anticipated the situation.
Fu Mingyu glanced at the clock and asked, “Where are the others?”
Ji Yan replied, “Yan An will be here soon.”Ruan Sixian: "...?"
She sat upright, discreetly kicking Fu Mingyu under the table.
What are you up to?
"Yan An?" Fu Mingyu cleared his throat lightly. To show he was also unaware of the situation, he deliberately asked, "Did you invite him?"
"My brother had something come up last minute, so I found a backup," Ji Yan replied. "Why?"
"Nothing." Fu Mingyu nodded. "Doesn't matter."
As soon as he finished speaking, he was kicked again.
Fu Mingyu turned his head to look at her. "What would you like to eat?"
Ruan Sixian smiled gracefully, but her eyes flashed with menace.
Through gritted teeth, she said, "No need, thank you."
Zhu Dong chuckled lightly. "Quite polite, aren't we?"
Distracted by this exchange, Ruan Sixian immediately regained her composure, though in her mind, she had already killed Fu Mingyu ten thousand times.
During the few minutes waiting for Yan An, Fu Mingyu took out his phone and scrolled through it. A few minutes earlier, there were two WeChat messages from Zheng You'an.
[Zheng You'an]: Are you at Warner Manor?
[Zheng You'an]: I think I saw you.
Since the incident at the bar last time, the two had never met again, nor had they been in contact privately.
Zheng You'an was burning with curiosity, but since she didn't have Ruan Sixian's contact information, she wouldn't have reached out to Fu Mingyu otherwise.
Seeing these messages, Fu Mingyu didn't know what Zheng You'an meant, but he had no intention of replying.
He didn't hide his phone from Ruan Sixian while checking it, and she saw the content clearly.
After exiting the chat, he switched to another page, but a cool, lingering voice sounded behind him.
"Aren't you going to reply?"
"Reply to what?" Fu Mingyu casually handed the phone to Ruan Sixian. "Want to reply for me?"
His tone was as natural as asking someone to pass a glass of water, almost misleadingly so. Ruan Sixian had already taken the phone before she realized something was off.
What would it mean if I replied?
She tossed the phone back to him. "Reply yourself."
Fu Mingyu simply flipped the phone face down on the table and whispered, "How would I dare?"
Their back-and-forth conversation fell on the ears of the others, who knowingly remained silent.
A few minutes later, the door was pushed open again by a waiter.
Although Ruan Sixian had mentally prepared herself for Yan An's arrival, she hadn't expected Zheng You'an to come in with him.
Seeing their faces, everyone froze for a moment.
Soon, a faint sense of surprise, shock, and awkwardness—hard to describe—spread among them.
Of the four, Fu Mingyu was probably the only one who remained calm.
Ruan Sixian's expression was almost rigid.
What kind of battlefield was this?
Yan An stood still for a long time, seemingly unable to believe what he was seeing.
Even more incredulous was Zheng You'an, who stared at Ruan Sixian without blinking.
Ji Yan, completely oblivious to the strange atmosphere, simply assumed Yan An was curious about Fu Mingyu bringing an unfamiliar woman. He stood up and greeted them, "What took you so long?"
Then he asked Zheng You'an beside him, "Did you two come together?"
In his mind, Yan An cursed Fu Mingyu's ancestors eighteen generations over, but he forced a calm expression on his face. "We just ran into each other. She said she'd come sit for a bit."
Zheng You'an also knew Zhu Dong and Ji Yan, so no one thought much of it.
Naturally, no one knew she had come to see if the woman earlier was really Ruan Sixian.
Now that she had seen her and confirmed it, Zheng You'an was even more bewildered.
"Well, let's all sit together then," Ji Yan urged them to take their seats and added, "This is Miss Ruan."His gaze swept over Fu Mingyu, then he hooked his lips into a meaningful smile. "A friend brought by President Fu."
Screw you.
Yan An forcefully pulled out his chair, glaring intently at the two across from him.
Meanwhile, the two opposite him—one was looking at his phone, the other was holding a cup and drinking water—neither responded to his stare.
Fu Mingyu simply couldn’t be bothered with him, while Ruan Sixian didn’t know what expression to make and could only drink water.
Zheng You’an sat down beside Yan An, her eyes shifting back and forth between Ruan Sixian and Fu Mingyu.
"A friend?"
Fu Mingyu looked up from his phone at Zheng You’an, then glanced at Ruan Sixian before speaking. "What else?"
Ruan Sixian merely pursed her lips and said nothing.
Zheng You’an, however, was half-convinced, half-skeptical.
Ji Yan had introduced her as a friend, not a girlfriend, so she figured Ruan Sixian couldn’t be that blind.
Yet something still felt off.
It was getting late, and Zhu Dong urged everyone to start the game.
Though the mahjong game seemed harmonious on the surface, and Ruan Sixian tried her best to keep her expression neutral, she could clearly feel Zheng You’an’s gaze lingering on her from time to time.
Stop looking, sis.
Please, I’m about to lose my composure.
Though she wasn’t deeply acquainted with Zheng You’an, Ruan Sixian felt a sense of guilt under her scrutiny, as if she had betrayed something.
Yan An, unlike Zheng You’an, didn’t wear his emotions on his sleeve, but he repeatedly targeted Fu Mingyu with winning hands, which also seemed awkward.
If she had known these two would be here, even if Fu Mingyu offered her ten times her quarterly bonus, she wouldn’t have come.
Ruan Sixian realized that Fu Mingyu was the only one who remained completely composed, calmly playing his tiles while asking her if she was cold.
Who could possibly feel cold in this environment? Her feet were practically burning up.
"Not cold."
"Hmm, the heating here is set low."
As he spoke, he discarded another tile.
"Pure suit, double win!" Yan An slammed his tiles down. "Pay up."
Fu Mingyu smiled and pushed the chips toward him. "President Yan’s luck is quite good today."
Yan An forced a smile. "If you lose, just pay up. No need for extra words."
This guy was still hypocritically calling her a "friend."
What kind of friend would you bring to an occasion like this?
A few more rounds passed, and Fu Mingyu’s phone suddenly rang.
He glanced at the caller ID and said to Ruan Sixian, "I’m stepping out to take this call. Take over for me."
With that, he stood up and left, leaving the seat empty.
Zheng You’an immediately looked at Ruan Sixian, her sense of something being off growing stronger.
What kind of friend would you bring to an occasion like this?
Fortunately, not long after Fu Mingyu left, Zheng You’an was also called away by her own friends.
She had originally come here for her own gathering but had spotted Fu Mingyu and Ruan Sixian out of curiosity and decided to join them.
"My friends are calling me. I’ll head over now."
After Zheng You’an left, Ruan Sixian felt much more at ease. The sister’s interrogative gaze had finally disappeared along with her.
Ruan Sixian let out a long sigh of relief and drew a tile.
"Win." Ruan Sixian laid down her tiles. "Pure suit."
Ji Yan and Zhu Dong smoothly handed over their chips. "Alright, a small gift for our first meeting."
Yan An raised an eyebrow and silently pushed his chips over.
However, Ruan Sixian’s luck seemed to have peaked with that first win, as she suffered consecutive losses afterward.
By the time Fu Mingyu returned from his call, she had very few chips left.
"Want to take over?"
"No need." Fu Mingyu stood behind her, resting his hands on the back of her chair. "I’m a bit tired from sitting. You keep going."Ruan Sixian thought it was strange—her luck had always been pretty good, so why was today so unlucky?
She refused to believe this was just bad luck.
In the next few rounds, Ruan Sixian played with extra focus, yet she still couldn’t escape her losing streak.
Fu Mingyu chuckled behind her, “Little sister, your skills aren’t quite up to par.”
“With this kind of luck, there’s no chance to show off any skills.” Ruan Sixian’s attention gradually shifted to the tiles in front of her. She didn’t notice Fu Mingyu leaning down, resting one hand on the back of her chair, his face close to hers as he pointed to a tile. “This one.”
“Don’t say anything, I’ll do it myself.”
Ruan Sixian chose another tile and discarded it, only for Yan An to impassively claim it for a kong. Then, drawing another tile, he calmly laid down his hand: “Kong on the draw.”
Ruan Sixian: “…”
Fu Mingyu turned to look at Yan An, smiling warmly. “President Yan, won’t you go a little easier?”
Yan An smiled back. “Is President Fu short on money?”
Meanwhile, Ruan Sixian stared at the tile, feeling utterly frustrated.
How could she have forgotten that this tile hadn’t appeared yet? Someone must have been holding onto it.
What a miscalculation.
Not long after the new round began, Zhu Dong let his girlfriend take over, just as a server brought in a fresh fruit platter.
Fu Mingyu picked up a crystal fork, speared a piece of orange, and brought it to Ruan Sixian’s lips. “Have a bite.”
Normally, Fu Mingyu’s natural gestures tended to leave Ruan Sixian momentarily dazed, but now, with her hands busy arranging tiles, she instinctively opened her mouth and ate it.
This subtle action likely went unnoticed by everyone except her.
Beside them, Zhu Dong’s girlfriend followed suit. “I want some too.”
Zhu Dong forked a piece of apple but hadn’t yet fed it to her when he saw Ruan Sixian discard a tile. Immediately, he exclaimed, “Mahjong! Mahjong!”
His girlfriend’s eyes lit up. She forgot about the apple and promptly laid down her hand.
Ruan Sixian took a deep breath.
What on earth was going on today?!
Zhu Dong grinned and said to his girlfriend, “Hurry up and thank President Fu for buying you a bag today.”
Zhu Dong’s girlfriend immediately smiled at Fu Mingyu. “Thank you, President Fu!”
Fu Mingyu smiled without a word, but Ruan Sixian was taken aback.
That pile of chips could buy a bag?
Were these capitalists playing for such high stakes?
Losing the chips from this round would leave her completely empty-handed.
Ruan Sixian looked up at Fu Mingyu. “Shall we continue?”
Fu Mingyu turned to take new chips from the server’s tray. “Continue.”
“What if I lose again?”
Fu Mingyu found it amusing, toying with the chips in his hand.
So what if she lost? What else could happen?
“Otherwise? If you lose, will you pay for it yourself?”
Ruan Sixian: “…?”
Aren’t I playing for you? Why would I have to pay?
“Wait, you’re playing for such high stakes—how could I afford to lose? Exploiting the middle class?”
Before Fu Mingyu could respond, Zhu Dong’s girlfriend chimed in, “That’s easy. If you lose, just kiss President Fu—one kiss for ten thousand.”?
The atmosphere in the room instantly heated up, everyone looking at her with knowing smiles.
The tips of Ruan Sixian’s ears, hidden beneath her hair, flushed red in an instant.
And of course, someone else chimed in, “I think that works. Talking about money is so boring.”
Fu Mingyu lowered his gaze to look at Ruan Sixian, the chips spinning in his hand, emitting a faint sound. His gaze wasn’t particularly gentle; instead, there was a faint hint of challenge in it—are you scared?
Ruan Sixian’s throat tightened. She turned her head away, avoiding Fu Mingyu’s gaze.
Her emotions churned inside, a tangled mess she couldn’t sort out.Just then, Zheng You'an pushed the door open and came in again. Seeing the strange atmosphere, she asked, "What's going on?"
No one spoke.
But her interruption gave Ruan Sixian some room to maneuver.
She pushed over the tiles in front of her and said, "I might not necessarily lose."
Surrounded by the ambiguous gazes of everyone, Ruan Sixian drew her final hand of tiles.
With different stakes on the line, everyone's interest heightened accordingly. The game became almost tactical, to the point where an outsider might have mistaken it for military strategists laying out their plans.
Only Yan An's mood stood out from the rest.
Twice now.
Yan An cursed inwardly.
Twice already, the women he had his eye on had drifted toward Fu Mingyu's side.
The pace of this round seemed to stretch endlessly slow.
As the last few tiles remained on the table, the situation remained unclear.
Yet Fu Mingyu, holding his chips, leisurely moved to the sofa behind, relaxed into it, and casually picked up a glass of wine from the table.
Yan An suddenly discarded a Four of Circles. Ruan Sixian paused for a moment before promptly claiming it.
"Kong."
Ji Yan glanced at the tiles on the table and turned to ask Yan An, "Are you going easy on her?"
Yan An frowned. "I made a mistake."
Ruan Sixian wasn't sure how to interpret the situation, but Fu Mingyu's voice drifted over from behind: "No regrets once it's played."
Yan An turned to give Fu Mingyu a complicated look, sneering inwardly.
Playing the gentleman, are we?
With that, Ruan Sixian accepted the tile without hesitation.
She drew another tile, pondered for a long while, and then discarded it.
Zhu Dong's girlfriend, who had remained expressionless until then, suddenly revealed her hand.
"Pure suit. Heh, sorry about that, little sister."
The room fell silent instantly, the ticking of the pendulum clock now painfully clear.
Several pairs of eyes fixed on Ruan Sixian, their gazes varied but equally scorching.
Zheng You'an, unsure of what was happening, also turned to look at Ruan Sixian along with the others.
Ruan Sixian remained seated, unmoving, while the person on the sofa behind her seemed equally still.
Almost pushed by the tense atmosphere, Ruan Sixian finally turned around.
Fu Mingyu lounged lazily on the sofa, his posture relaxed, and raised an eyebrow.
Perhaps it was the alcohol, but his gaze had grown somewhat hazy, as if deliberately seductive, yet also seeming to say, "Come on, it's time to pay up."
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