NOVPUB
Chapter 41: Chapter 41 Visit
Fu Yihan’s gaze lingered on her for a while before retracting.
"Come over and sit down."
Su Qingnuan hesitated for a moment, then quickly jogged over.
Seeing her obediently standing by his side, Fu Yihan patted the sofa: "Sit."
Su Qingnuan sat down cautiously and asked, "What’s wrong?"
"We’re having guests here tomorrow. You need to prepare."
Guests? She needed to prepare for guests?
Su Qingnuan looked at Fu Yihan in confusion.
Fu Yihan gave her a meaningful look and said in a low voice, "You’ll know who they are when they arrive tomorrow."
"...."
It was shrouded in mystery—who could it possibly be?
"If the Old Master asks later about where we went today, you should know what to say, right?" Fu Yihan suddenly asked.
Su Qingnuan froze slightly, looking at him in confusion.
Fu Yihan raised his eyebrows: "You don’t know?"
"I know..."
So he just wanted her to lie? Adding so many unnecessary formalities...
"Good that you know."
As soon as he spoke, the sound of the Old Master’s cheerful laughter came from the entrance.
"It’s rare to have time off. Staying outside for so long today was nice."
"Indeed. I wonder how Yihan’s health is these days."
The voices outside gradually came closer, and then the Old Master and Yun Meifeng walked in.
When they saw them, the Old Master’s expression was half surprised, half doubtful as he asked, "Back so soon? Yihan, are you feeling any better?"
Fu Yihan covered his lips and coughed lightly: "Nothing serious."
"That’s good." The Old Master sighed, "You’re no longer young, you should learn to take better care of yourself."
"Hmm."
"..." The Old Master sighed again before redirecting his gaze toward Su Qingnuan, "Qingnuan..."
Su Qingnuan’s heart clenched, and she quickly composed herself, "Grandpa, what’s wrong?"
The Old Master glanced at Fu Yihan before smiling and asking, "Nothing problematic, right?"
Su Qingnuan nodded, "No, everything is fine."
At that, the Old Master let out a relieved breath.
But the breath hadn’t fully settled when Su Qingnuan felt a chill down her spine and instinctively turned to look.
She froze upon meeting that cold gaze.
She didn’t know when it happened, but Fu Yihan was staring at her intensely.
Was this...?
"Cough... Cough..." Su Qingnuan suddenly coughed lightly, awkwardly shifting her gaze away.
"Are you catching a cold too?" The Old Master asked in confusion.
"No!" Su Qingnuan smiled faintly and straightened her posture, "Just choked on something."
The Old Master glanced at her disapprovingly, "You’re grown now; be more careful."
"Yes, yes."
Watching the Old Master reprimand her and then return to his room, Su Qingnuan turned her back.
"Come over here."
A stern yet commanding voice.
So, it begins?
With a faintly bitter smile, Su Qingnuan reluctantly sat closer.
Sitting before the stern-faced King Yan, Su Qingnuan squirmed uncomfortably.
But since King Yan didn’t speak, Su Qingnuan didn’t know what to say either, so she only hung her head in silent unease.
"What did Grandpa ask you just now?"
The sudden question caught Su Qingnuan off guard. She looked up at Fu Yihan.
The latter raised his brow and gazed at her calmly, his eyes brimming with cold determination, like a storm roaring closer.
"N-nothing much." Su Qingnuan quickly lowered her head, avoiding his eyes.
"Nothing much?" Fu Yihan sneered, "Don’t forget your place. When did you start siding with Grandpa?"
"...I didn’t."
Su Qingnuan felt a surge of grievance.
Clearly, she was the one caught in the middle of the two of them. Why was she the one being blamed?
Her lips turned downward as her eyelids drooped, concealing the emotions flickering in her gaze.
Yet little did she know, the despondent aura exuding from her had already exposed her completely.
"Take this."
With a "thud," a box of tissues appeared in Su Qingnuan’s hand.
Startled, she looked up to find the man across from her staring impassively: "I only asked you two questions, not interrogating you."
"..."
Cradling the box of tissues, Su Qingnuan murmured softly, "Grandpa is just concerned about you and asked about your health. I didn’t say anything else I shouldn’t have. You can rest assured."
"Hmm." Fu Yihan averted his gaze, "Ah Qi, take me upstairs."
"Understood."
The sound of the wheelchair sliding against the floor created a faint, sharp noise.
The silver wheelchair passed before her eyes, and Su Qingnuan slowly lifted her gaze, watching his disappearing figure.
What’s this supposed to be...
He wasn’t actually that harsh...
As her gaze returned to the tissue box in her hands, Su Qingnuan’s lips curled upwards slightly.
...
On the first day of the lunar month, when the doorbell rang, Su Qingnuan had no idea just how serious things would become.
She lounged in her room reading, thinking she could enjoy a comfortable and quiet day today. But unexpectedly, someone came knocking on her door.
Standing outside was the ever-serious Ah Qi.
"Ah Qi, is something the matter?" Su Qingnuan greeted him with a comfortable smile.
Ah Qi glanced at her and said gravely, "Madam, guests are downstairs, and the Old Master has asked you to come down."
Guests?
She suddenly recalled what Fu Yihan had mentioned yesterday—there would be guests today.
"Alright!" Su Qingnuan smiled, tugging at her collar, "Wait for me; I’ll change and come down."
After finding what she considered her best outfit from the wardrobe, Su Qingnuan made her way downstairs, satisfied.
Even from the staircase, she could hear the lively laughter from the grand living room below.
The spacious living room had only two people seated within.
Not spotting Fu Yihan, Su Qingnuan softly asked the person beside her, "Where’s the Eldest Young Master?"
Ah Qi glanced towards the study.
Su Qingnuan grasped the hint.
Guests had arrived, yet he, as the host, didn’t come out?
How could this make any sense?
As she fretted over Fu Yihan’s absence, she made her way downstairs, and the people seated in the living room naturally caught sight of her.
"Yuerou! Come, this way." Fu Old Master called out with a smile.
Regaining her composure, she met their eyes—one kind, one curious.
Taking a deep breath, she approached with a graceful stride and a smile.
"Grandpa." Su Yuerou smiled gently and glanced at the unfamiliar person, "Ah Qi mentioned guests had arrived."
"Indeed! Hahaha!" Fu Old Master pointed to the woman opposite him, his smile wide, "This is Jiang Xiaoyuan, the youngest daughter of the Jiang family."
Jiang Xiaoyuan...
Could this be the Jiang family’s young lady Gong Qi mentioned yesterday?
"Hello." Jiang Xiaoyuan stood up and extended her hand, gazing at her with calm confidence.
"...Hello."
The two women shook hands.
Her hand was soft and delicate, making Su Qingnuan’s hand seem coarse in comparison.
As their hands parted, Su Qingnuan hastily withdrew hers.
"Have a seat." Fu Old Master pointed to a nearby spot, then glanced at Ah Qi, "Where’s the Eldest Young Master? Why hasn’t he come down yet?"
"Old Master, Eldest Young Master said he’s busy with work and asked Madam to greet the guests in his place."
"Nonsense!" Fu Old Master frowned, "He’s him, and Yuerou is Yuerou. Is he just being lazy and avoiding coming downstairs?"
