Chapter 281: Cutting Ties
Lu Zhiwen opened his mouth several times, but no words came out. He had thought Mrs. Xu was already dead, but she was now standing right in front of him.
"Mrs... Mrs. Xu."
None of them had expected this turn of events, and the police officers were stunned.
"So are we done now?" Fu Zhi said, her voice calm. "Dad, I'll let you take care of the situation here. I have to go now."
After saying that, she bobbed in greeting at Mrs. Xu and went downstairs.
When she walked past Lu Zhiwen, she did not even spare him a single glance.
She looked extremely arrogant, and it was only then that Lu Zhiwen understood why his daughter was so hellbent on getting rid of her.
Xu Cheng asked the group of policemen to leave.
Following Lu Jingqing, Lu Zhiwen tried to reason with him. "I just feel that Wanwan doesn't deserve to be treated like that. Fu Zhi is, after all, an outsider. Not only did you not help Wanwan, but you even allowed your daughter to put her into a reformatory? I'm truly disappointed in you and I regret saving your life that time."
Lu Jingqing had been naughty as a kid. He had fallen into a river once, and if Lu Zhiwen had not jumped into the river to save him, he would not have been standing here right now.
Therefore, Lu Jingqing owed him a lot and chose to shut his eyes to the things his brother did behind his back.
Right now, Lu Jingqing once again gave all the evidence in the car to Lu Zhiwen.
Lu Zhiwen was both relieved and resentful that Lu Jingqing knew everything yet had still chosen to watch him fool around like a clown.
Before he could say anything, Lu Jingqing said, "Brother, there will be no next time."
Lu Zhiwen cursed Lu Jingqing inwardly, but he still flashed his brother a smile. After he said something to Lu Jingqing, he left with a grim expression across his face.
'It won't end like this. Just you wait!'
Lu Jingqing knew Lu Zhiwen had a highly suspicious character. He was certain that after he gave his brother the evidence, he would tell their mother that he was blackmailing him into giving up the Lu Corporation.
Therefore, after Lu Jingqing got in his car, he called his business partner and said, "Lu Zhiwen has been very busy pleasing my mother recently. You hurry up and seize this chance to cut off all business transactions with the Lu Corporation. After Yumo and Zhizhi finish their entrance examination, I will cut all ties with the Lu Family!"
*
By the time Fu Zhi and Shen Cizhou got to Chu He, the man in his mid-forties was packing up his stuff and heading toward the airport.
He had just received a message from Lu Zhiwen saying that Mrs. Xu had recovered.
Chu He was considered the most respected elder in the Chu Family. He was a well-seasoned traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, yet despite his experience, he did not know what was going on with Mrs. Xu. He had not imagined that an unknown young girl like Fu Zhi could save her!
Well, he did not really care if Lu Zhiwen accused him of being incompetent, but if Lu Jingqing chose to expose everything and Chu Hao found out that not only had he not followed the code of conduct but he'd also tried to harm the innocent, there was a good chance that he would be expelled from the Chu Family, which was something he did not want to happen!
He grabbed his luggage, but just as Chu He got out of his hotel, he was knocked out cold by someone.
By the time he came back to his senses, he found himself in a dark alley. His hand and legs were tied, and his head was spinning from the blow.
He was always on a high horse, but everyone in the Chu Family respected him due to his extraordinary healing skills. He had never been treated like this before!
"How dare you scumbags do this kind of thing in broad daylight!" Chu He growled as he wriggled himself out of the gunny sack. Then, with the help of the light from the other end of the alley, he saw Fu Zhi, who was standing not far away from him. "Well, well, well, look who's here. The glorious Ms. Fu Zhi of Yu City. How dare you humiliate me like this, I—"
Fu Zhi did not say anything. She withdrew a dagger from Shen Cizhou's waist and stabbed it into the wall beside Chu He. As she was holding the handle, Fu Zhi's expressionless face was reflected in the dagger.
Chu He quickly swallowed the second half of his sentence and said, "Please feel free to humiliate me to your heart's content!!!"
In any case, the most important thing right now was staying alive. After all, only by staying alive could he get revenge one day.
There was a thin layer of mist hanging in the air, and the atmosphere was damp.
Fu Zhi drew the dagger from the wall and pressed it against Chu He's neck.
Chu He was on the verge of collapsing.
Fu Zhi then took off her facial mask. Her jaw was tightly set, and there was a hint of ruthlessness flowing at the back of her eyes. Then, she opened her mouth and said in an indifferent manner, "Elder Chu He?"
Chu He shook his head in fear as he replied, "Yes! Yes!"
"I heard that we can directly participate in the final round of the Chu Family's entrance examination if we have a letter of recommendation from an elder?"
'So she wants to participate in the examination?'
Chu He heaved a sigh of relief after he heard what Fu Zhi had said. "As long as you let me go, I will write you a letter of recommendation!"
Then, as if he was afraid that this was not enough, he added, "I can take you in as my disciple too! That way, you will be respected by the other disciples of the Chu Family!"
Shen Cizhou, who was standing aside, chuckled.
Z God, who had become famous nationwide at the age of twelve, was a genius that many families and clans were trying to curry favor with, and Chu He wanted to have Fu Zhi as a disciple now?
"Write me a letter of recommendation now," Fu Zhi said as she fished out a pen and a piece of paper from Chu He's back.
"Alright, alright. I'll do everything you said!" Chu He quickly lowered his head and began writing the letter. The moment he lowered his head, the ingratiating smile was gone from his face and was replaced by a gloomy expression. His eyes swiveled in their sockets as he was planning how to get back at Fu Zhi once she entered the Chu Family.
Fu Zhi threw the letter into her bag.
Chu He assumed his usual ingratiating smile again and asked, "So, can I leave now?"
'Leave?'
Fu Zhi chuckled as if she had heard the funniest joke in the world. Then, she stretched her arm forward and gripped Chu He's lower jaw, forcing him to open his mouth before popping something into his throat.
It tasted familiar, and Chu He had a bad feeling about it. However, before he could do anything, the pill had already slid down his throat and into his stomach.
"Ugh..." He opened his mouth and gagged.
He was certain that whatever Fu Zhi had put in his mouth was not something good. He tried his best to spit it out, but to no avail. Enraged, he turned to Fu Zhi and snarled, "What the hell did you put in my mouth?!"
"The medicine you gave Mrs. Xu, along with a little ingredient of my own. Don't you worry, I will give you the antidote after I come back safely from the Chu Family."
*
Fu Zhi did not go to school after getting the recommendation letter.
The atmosphere in the Lu Mansion had been dense ever since Lu Yushen's condition had gotten worse. Even Gu Yan had not gone to school today to stay at home and take care of Lu Yushen.
After Fu Zhi got home, she went upstairs to prepare for the Chu Family's entrance examination.
When she passed by Gu Yan's room, the wind blew open the door and she heard the sound of muffled sobs.
Gu Yan was talking to someone via video call. "All of them know I came back for my boyfriend, and they are now laughing at me. They're saying that I couldn't even get my boyfriend back from the hands of an adopted daughter. If I go back alone, will I have to lie to them and say that I dumped Lu Yushen?"
Fu Zhi stopped in her tracks.
On the other side of the video, Mrs. Gu sighed and comforted her. "You can't control other people's mouths. Yanyan, you only have to do your best and leave the rest to God. You shouldn't just care about your reputation."
"Since when do I only care about my reputation, huh? Do you want me to tell them that even a mute boy doesn't like me? I've sacrificed so much for him, yet see what he did to me?" Gu Yan's voice was on the verge of breaking. She paused for a while before adding, "Why can't you step in my shoes, mom? Do you have any idea how many people are waiting to laugh at me when they find out that he treats that girl better than me? Do you want me to tell my friends that he likes a country bumpkin and loves to think of ways to commit incest without shame?"
Gu Yan had been feeling unhappy since the first day she had come to the Lu Mansion.
She had resented and antagonized Fu Zhi right from the start.
Chapter 282: He Is Not Mute
Gu Yan admitted that she was concerned about her own reputation, but she truly loved Lu Yushen. Every time she saw Lu Yushen get close to Fu Zhi, she would feel as if someone was stabbing her heart with a knife.
However, nobody cared about the way she felt. Right now, even Fu Zhi had taken the spot where she used to sit when she would come to have dinner at the Lu Mansion.
"I already gave Fu Zhi a watch that is worth more than a million, and I even helped her organize the questions for the Physics competition. Otherwise, how is there any possibility she would have gotten a place in the final round with her passive behavior? I bared my soul to her, and this is how she returned the favor? How could she flirt with her own sibling? Does she have no shame whatsoever?!"
She paused for a while before adding, "Don't get me wrong. I'm not being arrogant or anything. Dad always told me that Lu Yushen is mute and doesn't deserve me at all, but I'm still devoted to him. I have even forsaken my own pride for a mute person like him!"
Before her mother could say anything in reply, Fu Zhi lifted her legs and sent a kick with a force stronger than the kick she had delivered on Lu Yushen's door last night.
Bang!
Gu Yan jerked her head in the direction of the door.
She did not know when Fu Zhi had returned from school, nor did she know how long she had been standing outside her room. She was carrying her bag and holding a cup of bubble tea in her hand. Her brows were tightly frowned, and she seemed seriously displeased.
Gu Yan was just letting go of her anger. She knew she had lost control a little, but she had not expected that Fu Zhi would be listening outside her room.
She felt embarrassed and angry at the same time.
It was rare for her to have these kinds of emotions.
After all, everything had been coming up roses since she was small. She would get her way all the time, and nobody dared to oppose her. She had a good family background and she was smart, not to mention that everyone said she was going to surpass both Z God and her parents in terms of achievements.
She was standing on the pinnacle of the pyramid. She was more excellent than her peers, but she had never once in her life forgotten about Lu Yushen and her intention to protect him.
However, she only wanted Lu Yushen for herself. In other words, Lu Yushen belonged to her. She would rather destroy him than let someone else have him, especially Fu Zhi.
After all, a bad hunch had been stirring in her heart ever since she had learned about her existence.
Mrs. Gu knew it was because of Gu Yan that Lu Yushen's condition had turned worse. Initially, she had wanted her to apologize to the Lu Family, but Gu Yan had changed the topic and started to pour out her grievances.
Now, Fu Zhi had heard everything...
"Well, although it's not nice to eavesdrop on other people's conversations, what's done is done. I guess you don't need me to repeat myself," Gu Yan said as she hung up the call. She licked her lips and set her face in a stern expression. "I don't feel comfortable with you, and I want you to keep your distance from my Yushen. It's for everyone's good."
She paused for a moment before adding, "After all, you don't want me to get moody when I'm treating him, do you?"
Gu Yan had come alone to Yu City. She did not have anyone to back her up, so if she did not want anybody to steal Yushen from her, she'd have to be strong.
After all, he belonged to her and her alone. Also, she was certain that there was no girl in this world who would not do something when her fiancé got so close to a girl that was no blood relation of his.
She thought it was good that Fu Zhi had heard the conversation. She was just stating the truth after all.
There was no expression on Fu Zhi's face. She looked calmly at Gu Yan as she hurled the gift in her hand at Gu Yan's bed.
The box contained the watch that Gu Yan had given her. Right now, she was giving it back to her.
"First, he's not mute," Fu Zhi said, her voice stern. "Second, don't ever try to threaten me."
Chapter 283: Don't Think Everyone Is Stupid
Gu Yan looked at Fu Zhi, her eyes filled with shock.
However, she soon reverted to her normal poised self as she sneered.
It occurred to her that she had overestimated Fu Zhi.
Not only was she not willing to compromise for Lu Yushen, but she also refused to back down.
She reckoned that it must be because she did not love Lu Yushen as much as she did.
"How about this," said Gu Yan as she sat by her bed. She did not care what Fu Zhi thought anymore and played around with the extra-slim black phone in her hand. "I know that girls your age are quite concerned about your reputation. You cannot handle relationships, but I can continue to give your team tutoring lessons and buy luxurious items that you don't have for you. Therefore, from this day onward, you..."
"No need. I just came to tell you something." Fu Zhi squinted her eyes as she pushed word after word out of her lips. "Be careful how you speak and act."
After saying that, she left Gu Yan alone and went back to her room to grow her flowers.
This flower had been specially prepared by her for the Chu Family's entrance examination. It was a new type of flower that could not be found on the market yet.
Then, Fu Zhao video-called her.
"Autistic disorder is a mental disorder. It requires psychological treatment, and the medicine you're going to prepare with the Chu Family can only play a supporting role," Fu Zhao said slowly, observing the expression on his treasured daughter's face. "Besides, you're not suitable to treat this kind of disorder, and the Gu Family's treatment plan is the best based on the current situation."
A psychiatrist had to be gentle, knowledgeable, and full of patience. Fu Zhi was knowledgeable, but she did not have patience. She would indirectly aggravate the patient's condition during the treatment process.
Fu Zhao continued to speak while Fu Zhi watered her plant.
She glanced across her desk, and her eyes stopped on the spot where her chair had originally been placed.
Her chair was gone.
Well, technically, she had not lost her chair, as she had seen it in Lu Yushen's room the other night. However, she had taken a fleeting glance, so she could not be sure either.
Her brother's condition had gotten worse. He had taken the chair that he had given her back. Not only that, but he'd also been avoiding her recently.
Fu Zhi did not know how to explain these feelings. She felt that something was missing, and her heart was empty.
Keeping her head low, she mechanically dug a hole in the soil and put the seed in it.
Fu Zhao stared at her and continued to speak. "In fact, autism has a strong genetic basis and can be easily passed down from parents to children. However, your adoptive family is very active. If you can find the reason that triggered his autism or some kind of behavior that stimulates his brain, there's a good chance his condition will improve and he will talk again."
Fu Zhi just listened and engaged Fu Zhao in an on-off conversation.
Mama Zhang went upstairs and said, "Madam is going to visit Mrs. Xu tonight. What do you want for dinner? I will go prepare it for you."
"It's okay. I ate something on my way back," Fu Zhi replied. She did not have much of an appetite now. "I'm tired, so I want to rest earlier tonight."
Mama Zhang did not think much of it. After she left Fu Zhi's room, she went to Gu Yan's room.
Holding the flower pot in her arms, Fu Zhi sat blankly on the floor.
Fu Zhao observed her expression as he silently pulled out the "365 Ways A Good Father Pleases His Kid", which was summed up by Fu Jiang.
He flipped through the pages nervously, and after a short while, he closed the book and said cheerfully, "Ah, is my beautiful, elegant, smart, generous Zhizhi baby still there?"
Fu Zhi cocked her head. Her eyelashes were fluttering as she looked at him with a confused expression.
On the other side of the screen, Fu Zhao waved his claws happily. He had no idea why, but he felt that he looked really handsome in the video. After a pause that lasted a few seconds, he added, "I must have rescued countless galaxies and parallel universes in my previous incarnation, right? Otherwise, why else would I have a little fairy as my daughter?"
He tried to imitate the meme on the internet as he continued to speak. "Bullet: Cuteness, Target: Locked—"
Well, he did not know if he'd scored a mark or not, but when Fu Zhao opened fire through the video, he was charmed by himself so much that he nearly fainted.
Fu Zhi did not know what to say.
Her second brother's condition had become worse, and her biological father had just gone crazy. Fu Zhi felt that she must have enraged the Unlucky God recently.
*
Gu Yan was not in the right mood for dinner either.
She came down from the third floor. Initially, she wanted to talk to Xu Wei and Lu Jingqing, but Mama Zhang said they had gone to the Xu Family.
Gu Yan found no way to vent the pent-up frustration in her heart. Just as she scratched her head in frustration, she suddenly thought of something and looked at Lu Yumo, who was sitting in the garden right now.
The young man was playing games under a pear tree with withered leaves. He was tall, and his legs were long. He gave off an insouciant air, and the warm light that filtered through the layers of leaves dyed his jawline and Adam's apple gold.
He kept his speaker on, and it seemed like he was giving orders to his teammate.
The anger in Gu Yan's heart had not dissipated yet. She walked up to him, knocked on the back of his chair, and said in a commanding voice, "I want to have a word with you."
She had gotten used to pushing her weight around, but Lu Yumo did not care.
"I'm not free," he replied. Truth be told, ever since Lu Yushen's condition had gotten worse, he had more or less been unhappy with Gu Yan.
"It's about Yushen and Fu Zhi."
Gu Yan took a deep breath. She stuck her hands into her pockets, assuming a condescending posture.
Her behavior was different from Fu Zhi's usual indifferent behavior. Lu Yumo could sense that. Even though Fu Zhi was aloof and standoffish with people of her own station, she treated other people with manners and respect. However, Gu Yan was different.
She liked to grade people according to their usefulness to her, and she treated people differently according to their social status. Therefore, even though they had grown up together, Lu Yumo did not like her very much.
"Okay then," Lu Yumo said as he exited his game. Then, he put his phone down, raised his head to look at Gu Yan, and said indifferently, "What do you want to tell me?"
"Fu Zhi has seriously affected my mood to treat Yushen." Gu Yan lifted her chin. "If you're her brother, then you should do your duty and watch over her. Did you know that she kicked my door just now? She doesn't have any manners, and how the hell am I supposed to help Yushen if she keeps getting in my way?"
Lu Yumo fell silent for a moment, and it took him a short while to understand what Gu Yan was trying to say.
Gu Yan stared at Lu Yumo confidently. After all, no matter how important Fu Zhi was to them, it still could not change the fact that she was an outsider. However, Lu Yumo was Lu Yushen's brother, and the two of them were connected by blood. It was an easy decision to make. Besides, she had grown up with them, and...
"Hah." A laugh echoed and tickled her ears.
Gu Yan snapped out of her reverie, and the first thing she saw when she raised her head was two eyes as deep as the abyss.
Unbeknownst to her, Lu Yumo had gotten to his feet, his jaw tightly set. He was very easy-going, but when he became serious, he gave off a dangerous vibe.
"You've been paid, so you should do your job as a doctor. If you're unable to act professionally and can't cure my brother, then get the hell out of my house. You get me?"
Gu Yan was stunned. She stared at him and asked, "What do you mean by that?"
'How could he allow Fu Zhi to affect me? Does he not care about his brother?'
"If you can't understand what I said, then perhaps you're really not cut out for the job," Lu Yumo replied as he leaned against the tree. "She just kicked your door. That's not a big deal at all. My sister is already very lenient with you. Please don't think too highly of yourself, and stop thinking that everyone is stupid."
Chapter 284: The Way To Make You Talk
When Madam Lu had offended Fu Zhi, she'd refused to give her the medicine or treat her heart attack. She had kicked her leg until she'd nearly had to put a cast on it, and she had made her pay her a lot of money.
Therefore, Lu Yumo could more or less guess that Gu Yan must have said something that she should not have said or done something she should not have been doing. Otherwise, there was no way Fu Zhi would have reacted so violently.
However, compared to Madam Lu, Lu Yumo knew that Fu Zhi was more lenient with Gu Yan because Gu Yan was treating Lu Yushen.
Gu Yan's face was dark.
She wanted to say, "Do you know who you are talking to?" However, upon contemplating it, she swallowed the sentence back to her stomach pit. After all, she still needed to stay in the Lu Mansion, and it would not do her any good to have a fallout with him right now.
Lu Yumo then prepared to go back to the house. When he passed by Gu Yan, he dusted off the invisible dust on his shoulder, showing off his pretty hand and slender fingers.
"Ms. Gu," Lu Yumo said, bringing his brows together over his nose. Upon closer inspection, she could see a shadow of Lu Jingqing in him. He seemed to have matured a lot. "I'm crazy, and I have a bad temper. Your trick won't work with me, so if you don't want the situation to get ugly, stop messing with me."
...
When Lu Yushen got down to get water, he bumped into the dark-faced Lu Yumo, who had just finished talking to Gu Yan.
Lu Yumo looked at him with a stern face. Just as Lu Yushen thought he had something to tell him, he peeled his eyes away and went upstairs.
Gu Yan was still standing in the garden. Mama Zhang had finished preparing dinner, so she came out of the villa to go home. When she saw the Valley Orchid in Gu Yan's hand, she remembered the thing Lu Chuwan had done and her heart skipped a beat. She shouted, "Ms. Gu, what are you doing?!"
Gu Yan was startled for a moment, but she soon calmed herself down. She suppressed the frustration in her heart and glared at Mama Zhang coldly. "You will remove all the flowers in this garden tonight. I want to plant my herbs tomorrow."
She was going to prepare the herbs for the Chu Family's entrance examination. The herbs required to concoct the medicine to cure Lu Yushen's vocal cords were expensive and difficult to grow.
Sunlight and the condition of the soil were extremely important. This garden met all the criteria, and she'd had her eyes on it for a long time.
Mama Zhang was stunned. "Huh? But these flowers are Ms. Fu Zhi's, and they are..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Lu Yushen appeared. He waved his hand at her, gesturing that she could leave now.
After Mama Zhang left, he turned to Gu Yan and typed, [You can't touch these flowers.]
"I can't touch them because Fu Zhi is growing them?"
Gu Yan could barely contain the sadness and rage in her heart as she snarled, "She treated you like a disgrace. She doesn't care about you, and she will only disappoint you! I, on the other hand, care about you. The herb I'm going to plant here will treat your illness, so Fu Zhi wouldn't say a word or care even if I replaced all her flowers!"
[But I care.] His gaze was cold, and his lips were tightly compressed. He could taste the iron tang of blood at the back of his throat as he typed on his phone. [I'm not disappointed in her.]
He would never be disappointed in her because she was Fu Zhi.
Even though Lu Yushen did not type the second half of the sentence out, Gu Yan could read it in his eyes.
Everything she had done had failed to make Lu Yushen hate Fu Zhi. He had not avoided Fu Zhi because he hated her, but for the reason that he felt inferior. Besides, he was blaming himself for being unable to stand on Fu Zhi's side like a normal person as well.
Several times, when Gu Yan had gone to get water at midnight, she had heard a very faint noise come from Lu Yushen's room.
He was learning how to talk, and because of this, the corners of his lips were swollen.
He'd even started to not let Gu Yan treat him.
"Lu Yushen!" Gu Yan felt so aggrieved that her eyes went red around the rims. "I'm your fiancée!"
Lu Yushen did not stop walking.
"I have a way to make you talk!"
She paused for a moment, looked into Lu Yushen's bright eyes, and said, "If you can take me to and from school every day and be nice to me, I will teach you how to talk."
Chapter 285: Picking Sheng Hua Up From The Airport – 1
After Fu Zhi finished planting her flower and taking care of Mrs. Xu, she went back to school two days later.
Gu Yan and Lu Yushen went to school first. Without Gu Yan, the atmosphere in the car became lively once again.
Lu Yumo was humming the song "Little White Boat", his voice crisp and clear like a chirping nestling.
There were a lot of things going on in Class 21 every morning, but it seemed that the students were particularly busy today.
Song Fang greeted Fu Zhi. "Morning, little fella..."
Then, he beckoned at Fu Zhi as a genial grin blossomed across his face. "Gu Yan is staying at your house, right?"
Fu Zhi put her bag on the chair and nodded.
Before Song Fang could say anything, the group of young men around him gasped in shock and said, "Is she your sister-in-law? Does that mean that Xiang Yang has no chance already?"
They were talking about the young man who had participated in the preliminary round of the Physics Competition with Fu Zhi. He was a lanky young man who'd had a crush on Gu Yan from the first year of high school.
Song Fang chimed in, "When we came to school this morning, we saw your second brother bring Gu Yan to school. They were holding hands."
Lu Yushen had come to No.1 High School to deliver an umbrella to Lu Yumo during a rainy day in the past. Therefore, Song Fang had seen him before, and his maturity and introverted nature had left a deep impression on him.
"So is it true? Are they together?" He withdrew a package of milk from his drawer and stuck a straw in it before handing it to Fu Zhi.
Fu Zhi replied, "I don't know."
She was not lying. After all, it had been a week since she had last seen Lu Yushen, so she had no idea what was happening between him and Gu Yan.
However, the group of young men thought Fu Zhi was lying to them. All of them turned to Xiang Yang and comforted him. "Well, there are plenty more fish in the sea."
For example, Fu Zhi was a good candidate!
Xiang Yang was sad. "Forget it. I don't deserve her."
There was a faint sadness in the air in Class 21.
Fu Zhi took her earphones out and began to play games.
When she returned from Director Liu's office, she knocked on the door and said, "Fu Zhi. Master Sheng Hua has made a call to No.1 High School. He will be arriving in Yu City shortly, so Director Liu asked me to bring you along to pick him up from the airport."
Sheng Hua was the president of the national Physics Association. He was respected throughout the country, and people often said that his dog would score even better than humans in the college entrance examination.
Most importantly, the Physics Association was at the forefront of China's education industry. Therefore, Sheng Hua could offer direct admission to Tsinghua University to four students every year.
The reason he made this call was that he wanted to hold an exchange meeting at the stadium of No.1 High School. Everyone knew why he chose No.1 High School as the venue, so Director Liu wanted Gu Yan to bring Fu Zhi to pick him up from the airport.
Considering Gu Yan's high-and-mighty attitude, as well as the fact that she had just had a hot dispute with Fu Zhi, she was reluctant to bring her along. However, just as she was about to reject Director Liu's suggestion, she thought of something and said yes in the end.
Therefore, she came to Class 21 and told Fu Zhi about it. The students in Class 21 became agitated when they heard the news. The girl sitting in front of Fu Zhi turned her head around and said, her voice laced thick with admiration, "Gu Yan is so nice to you, Fu Zhi. After all, not everyone has the chance to meet Master Sheng Hua!"
Song Fang had not expected this either. He'd been cracking a walnut just now before he was stunned.
After a few seconds, he finally came back to his senses. He went up to Fu Zhi and talked to her like a mother nagging her daughter. "When you're there, remember to be more active. Try your best to make an impression on Master Sheng Hua. With your grades, you will not have to participate in the college entrance examination if he's willing to give you a hand."
The sky in Yu City was downcast, and it seemed like it was going to rain.
After Gu Yan finished her task, she was called away by Xu Wenhao and Sun Tian.
Chapter 286: Picking Sheng Hua Up From The Airport – 2
The reason Xu Wenhao and Sun Tian came to look for Gu Yan was that it had been almost a week and Gu Yan had not come to tutor them in the meeting room.
After listening to their concerns, Gu Yan dusted off her school uniform and replied, "Well, I agreed to help you guys because of Lu Yushen. However, since Fu Zhi doesn't like me getting so close to Lu Yushen, to avoid any embarrassment, I'll stop tutoring you."
"But Fu Zhi was adopted," Xu Wenhao said, frowning. "She doesn't have any say in the matter between you and the Lu Family. Besides, you still have the four of us backing you up!"
Well, Sun Tian and Xu Wenhao aside, Gu Yan knew that Lu Yubai was a popular figure in their school. As far as she knew, he had never offered any girl a ride before, not even Fu Zhi.
Gu Yan let out a chuckle and replied, "Well, I don't like to gang up on people. Besides, Master Sheng Hua is coming to Yu City, and the school authorities have sent me to receive him, so there's not enough time for me to do that."
'Sheng Hua!'
Xu Wenhao and Sun Tian were jealous of Gu Yan, who would get to interact with Sheng Hua. Well, honestly, there was no student in their school that was not jealous of her.
In an indifferent voice, Gu Yan replied, "If I get the chance, I will introduce you guys to Master Sheng Hua as well."
*
On the other side of the classroom...
Song Fang pulled a box of milk out of his bag and said, "Well, Gu Yan has done you a big favor. Even your cousin gifted her a watch when she told him that she's taking him to receive Master Sheng Hua, so you have to show something as well. When you see her later, give this to her and thank her properly."
Fu Zhi was packing her stuff. Even though she'd heard him, she did not raise her head or respond in any way.
Just as Song Fang was about to say something again, Fu Zhi's phone rang, and a few words appeared on the screen of her phone—Sheng (moneybag).
Song Fang was stunned, and his heart leaped into his throat.
'What the hell...'
"Who is this?" Song Fang asked. Even though he knew he should not ask, he was worried about her.
"He's a customer of mine, but we rarely talk."
Fu Zhi picked up her bag, answered the call, and began walking out of the class.
Since she looked normal, Song Fang did not pursue the matter.
*
It started to rain in Yu City at 2 o'clock in the afternoon.
Most of the flights were delayed, including the plane Sheng Hua was in.
Fu Zhi had been urged by Director Liu from 1 o'clock. Along with the group of Physics teachers, all of them arrived at the airport to receive Sheng Hua.
The airport was full of people, and it was noisy.
Director Liu was both delighted and excited. Cocking his head, he told Fu Zhi, "There are so many elite schools in the capital, and yet Master Sheng Hua chose our school to be the venue of the exchange meeting. Do you know why?"
Fu Zhi replied matter-of-factly, "Because he has too much time on his hands."
Director Liu was stumped.
He did not want to talk to Fu Zhi anymore. Just as he turned around to discuss something with Gu Yan, Lu Yubai put a baseball cap on Fu Zhi's head and pressed the brim down.
Then, he scanned the airport with a dark expression.
Lu Yubai was only interested in two things. One of them was racing cars, while the second was Physics.
He took a look at his watch. There were many reporters and fans outside the airport, and all of them were waiting for Sheng Hua.
They waited until 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Only then did Sheng Hua and his staff, along with the vice-president of the Physics Association, appear through the gate.
The moment he made an appearance, the reporters couldn't wait any longer and rushed forward, flocking around him like a swarm of bees attacking an intruder as they pointed their microphones at his face. There were plenty of fans there as well, and some of them had even brought signs with his name.
This was very rare for an old man in his mid-fifties who was not a celebrity. Even Professor He had not caused such a huge commotion when he'd arrived at Yu City.
Sheng Hua looked at his fans and said, "Thank you all for coming." His words caused his fans to call his name three times together in unison.
"I can't believe that I got the chance to meet him in real life. This is all thanks to Gu Yan," Lu Yubai said. It was apparent that he was very excited too. After he took a look at his WeChat, he shrugged and added, "I'm going to take her to dinner tonight. Do you want to come?"
Fu Zhi shook her head. She was wearing a facial mask, and her eyes were half-closed, as she was bored stiff. Then, she asked, "Do you like Sheng Hua?"
"Well, I'm pretty sure there's no one who likes Physics who doesn't admire Sheng Hua," Lu Yubai replied as he looked at Sheng Hua, who was standing not far away. There was some seriousness on his face that he seldom showed normally.
"Did you know that our country was not allowed to participate in international Physics competitions in the past? The people from Country M looked down on us. They thought we didn't possess the quality and ability to win the Junior Nobel Prize. Then, ten years ago, after some hard work of our government, Sheng Hua brought a team and participated in the competition. In the end, we managed to win the Junior Nobel Prize and beat the people from Country M. Since then, the prohibition was lifted and nobody dares to laugh at us anymore!"
It would not be far-fetched to say that it was Sheng Hua and his team that had started a new Physics competition dynasty.
Lu Yubai added, "Five participants represented our country that year, and other than Sheng Hua, only one contributed even more than him. I heard that in order to prevent our country from winning the competition, the people from Country M intentionally added several Physics questions that nobody in history could answer, but she managed to answer all the questions in just an hour. Unfortunately, she never showed up in public, and there's been no news of her other than the few articles that featured her ten years ago. It seems that she doesn't want to be disturbed."
Sheng Hua was the hero that had brought glory to their country, but no one would forget his teammates, who had fought alongside him.
Fu Zhi did not say anything. She just kept her head low and looked at the floor.
Lu Yubai rubbed her head and said, "One cannot say that you will be as good as her in the future. Anyway, you go and sit on the chair over there. I'm going to look for Gu Yan and ask her to get an autograph from Sheng Hua for you."
After Gu Yan finished talking to Director Liu, she prepared to take Sheng Hua to rest at his hotel.
The reporters asked their last question. "There's a rumor that you're going to cooperate with the Jiang Family in the capital, so is there any reason for you to set aside this cooperation and come to Yu City to hold an exchange meeting?"
"First of all, the rumor about me having cooperation with the Jiang Family is nothing but pure nonsense. With my ability and experience, there's very little help I can offer to a giant company like the Jiang Corporation."
Sheng Hua paused for a while. He looked at Director Liu and his group before continuing. "Secondly, I indeed didn't come to Yu City just to hold the exchange meeting. I came here because... I want to meet a senior of mine."
Every reporter on the scene was stunned. "A senior?"
'There is someone who can be your senior?' all of them thought.
"Yes, my senior," he reaffirmed.
Yu City was not a big city, and they doubted whether such a person really existed or not. "Can you tell us something about this person?"
"She's a student of No.1 High School and a member of our association," Sheng Hua replied, straightening his back. "To me, she's a teacher and a good friend."
The airport fell silent for a moment, and then a commotion swept across the crowd.
A student from No.1 High School? She was his teacher and his good friend?!
As Sheng Hua was heading outside, the group of reporters chased after him and pressed on. "Can you tell us more about this student? Maybe her name?"
Sheng Hua waved his hand and said, "Nope. She doesn't like people to disturb her."
Then, he paused in his tracks and added, "But she's going to represent our country at the Physics competition. Therefore, the Junior Nobel Prize is in the bag!"
Chapter 287: Start The Car, Don't Wait For Her!
Escorted by working staff, Sheng Hua began to walk outside.
At that moment, the group of reporters noticed the students and teachers from No.1 High School that had come to receive Sheng Hua. All of them rushed over to them like a bunch of hungry wolves pouncing on their prey as they flashed their cameras at the three students.
There were plenty of excellent students in No.1 High School. However, Gu Yan was the only one who was both a member of the association as well as a participant.
Director Liu's heart was thumping as fast as a fluttering little bird in his chest. He looked at Gu Yan with a surprised expression etched on his face and shouted, "That's awesome, Gu Yan! Why did you not tell us in advance that you'd be giving a lecture to all the participants..."
After all, the fact that someone as prestigious as Sheng Hua would say that Gu Yan was his teacher and friend meant that she had to occupy a special place in his heart.
Even Physics teachers like Ma Mingquan and Qian Wenrui were stunned as all of them looked at her.
It was a fact that Gu Yan knew Sheng Hua. Even though the two of them had talked to each other and discussed Physics problems before, she had never expected him to have such a high opinion of her. She felt shocked and flattered at the same time.
She then opened her mouth and said, "I didn't expect Master Sheng Hua to come to see me either."
She indeed had not expected this. It felt like she was dreaming, but her ego was boosted.
Lu Yubai stifled a glance at her and frowned.
At the same time, Sheng Hua had arrived in front of them, prompting Lu Yubai to stand up straight.
Gu Yan walked up to him and said, "Master Gu Yan, the vehicle prepared by the school authorities is waiting for you outside. Do you want to go have lunch at a restaurant nearby first?"
"You will come with me," Sheng Hua replied simply. When he saw Fu Zhi, who had dozed off on a chair not far away, he felt a sting in his heart. "Everyone else can go back to school and rest."
Initially, Director Liu had wanted Gu Yan to introduce Lu Yubai and Fu Zhi to Sheng Hua, but it now seemed to him that Sheng Hua wanted nothing to do with them. He laughed dryly and bobbed his head.
He went to call over Fu Zhi, who was sleeping upright on that chair, so he said exasperatedly, "Wake up. Time to go. You just lost your only chance to meet the greatest person in the world, yet you still want to oppose Gu Yan? Do you know who you just offended?"
"No idea," Fu Zhi answered, shaking her head. She groggily rose to her feet, picked up her bag, and began to head outside.
Gu Yan was in a good mood. She glanced at Fu Zhi contemptuously with a wide grin etched on her face before turning back to Sheng Hua, talking with him while allowing the reporters on the scene to take photos of them.
While Lu Yubai was about to leave, Gu Yan called out to him. "Master Sheng Hua, this is Lu Yubai, who added you on WeChat the other day. Can he tag along?"
There was no expression on Sheng Hua's face as he studied Lu Yubai. Before he could say anything, Lu Yubai said, "I'm sorry, Master Sheng Hua, but I have to take my cousin back to school first."
Gu Yan was stunned.
Sheng Hua looked in the direction Fu Zhi was walking to and fell silent.
"That's okay. Please take care of her," Sheng Hua said with a serious, earnest tone. "You can reach me through WeChat if you come across any issues with your studies in the future."
Lu Yubai bowed his head in return before glancing at Gu Yan.
The last strand of suspicion in his heart was gone. It was all thanks to Gu Yan. If it were not for her, he would not have gotten Sheng Hua's WeChat or his promise. After he got into his car with Fu Zhi, he sent a text message to Gu Yan. "I owe you one. If you need any help in the future, just let me know. I'll do my best to help."
*
At six o'clock in the evening, after school...
It kept drizzling nonstop.
When Lu Yushen came to pick Gu Yan up from school, he bumped into Lu Yumo, who was licking a lollipop.
Lu Yumo's expression turned dark, and when he saw the umbrella in his brother's hand, he muttered, "What a poser."
He sent a text message to Fu Zhi, but it was Su Xing who replied. She said that she had invited Fu Zhi to have a sleepover at her house.
Lu Yushen had been avoiding Fu Zhi lately.
When Lu Yumo thought of that, he felt even more frustrated. Rolling his eyes at Gu Yan, he sneered, "Yo, do you know that you two look like peas and carrots?"
"Yeah," Gu Yan replied, her cheeks flushing. "I promise we will stay like this forever and ever."
Lu Yumo did not know what to say. He turned to look at his brother. Lu Yushen kept his head low and was clutching the handle of the umbrella so tightly that his fingers were turning white.
There were plenty of parents outside No.1 High School, so it was crowded. Lu Yushen seemed like he was having a hard time breathing.
Lu Yumo thought for a while and an idea suddenly took shape in his head. He ran up to Lu Yushen, grabbed his arm, and before Gu Yan could do anything, he threw his brother into the car. Then, he told the driver, "Gu Yan said she's going to walk home today. Start the car now. Don't wait for her!"
*
Fu Zhi went to have a follow-up check with Li Nanli.
As usual, it was Liu Mi who came to pick her up.
When they arrived at the Li Mansion, Liu Mi led her to Li Nanli's room. "President Li has a fever today. He's gotten better, so he's taking a bath now. You can wait for him in his room."
After saying that, Liu Mi left the room, leaving Fu Zhi to sit on Li Nanli's bed alone while checking her phone.
She wanted to find a way to cheer up her second brother. Then, she suddenly heard Li Nanli's voice.
"Liu Mi."
"He's not here." Fu Zhi got up from the bed and began walking outside. "I'll help you get him."
"Zhizhi."
His voice came from the bathroom again, tickling Fu Zhi's ears.
She paused in her tracks and replied, "Yeah?"
"My bath towel fell on the floor. Can you help me get another one?" He paused for a second before adding, "It's in the fourth drawer. I'm having a small headache, so can you make it quick?"
He sounded weak, and it seemed to Fu Zhi that he could not wait until Liu Mi came up to get the towel for him.
Fu Zhi looked around and went into the dressing room.
There were not many things in the closet. Other than a few neatly-folded sweaters, there was only one white bath towel.
Fu Zhi knocked on the door, and the door was opened from the inside. Li Nanli stuck his arm out and took the towel from Fu Zhi's hand.
"Thanks."
Fu Zhi then said earnestly, "Don't drop it again. This is the last one in the drawer."
"Okay," the man replied. The corners of his lips were curled upward, and it was apparent that he was in a good mood right now.
Fu Zhi went back to sit on the bed. A few minutes later, the door opened once again and Li Nanli emerged from the bathroom. He was wearing a white shirt, and water droplets dripped from the tips of his hair and traveled down his jawline before falling on the red carpet. He had left the two buttons at the top unfastened, exposing his fair skin to the air.
Staring blankly at his collarbone, Fu Zhi said, "Your shirt..."
Li Nanli walked up to her and patted her head. "It's hot."
Then, he crouched in front of her. When he focused on the girl's rosy lips with his eyes, he swallowed hard and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down in his throat.
"Xiao Li!" Fu Zhi called out to him, but he did not reply.
She looked toward the window, and upon realizing that it was almost winter, she raised her hand and fastened the two buttons. Then, she patted his head the way he had patted hers and said gravely, "Xiao Li, I understand that kids your age like to show off their body, but the weather is cold and this is not good for your health. You have to put on more clothes, understand?"
Li Nanli was speechless. His eyebrows twitched, and just as a bad hunch welled in his stomach pit, Fu Zhi grabbed his wrist and began taking his pulse.
"You are too weak." Fu Zhi sighed. "Don't take your youth for granted. You have to take care of your body while you're still young, not to mention that you're no longer that young."
Li Nanli said after a pause, "You're worrying too much."
His lips were tightly drawn in a fine line, and Fu Zhi could see that he was not happy. She asked, "You are not happy?"
As if she had remembered something, her eyes glowed and she pressed on. "What could make you happy again?"
Chapter 288: Sleep In My Room
Fu Zhi was sitting in front of Li Nanli. She was wearing a blue-colored school uniform jacket with the zipper unfastened, giving Li Nanli a chance to take a glimpse at her collarbone, which was hidden underneath her clothes.
Her cheeks were pinkish, her lips were rosy-red, and a faint fragrance of cream and sweetness lingered around her nose.
Li Nanli felt a mildly scratchy, tickling sensation in his throat. His nose and throat felt dry as he said shamelessly, "I would be very happy if you gave me a kiss."
He paused for a while longer before adding, "If you kiss me longer, then I will be very happy for the rest of the month."
Jiang Jinshu felt as if countless ants were walking on his scalp as he looked at the mass of paperwork on the table. He jerked up from his chair and went upstairs, as he wanted to ask Fu Zhi what she had done at school to make every teacher want to punish her. Just as he was about to push the door open, he saw through the slit that Li Nanli was lying on the bed with Fu Zhi mounting him.
?????!!!
Holding the books in his hand, as he was about to scream, Liu Mi appeared out of thin air and covered his mouth before dragging him away.
When they got downstairs, Jiang Jinshu wriggled himself free from Liu Mi's clutches and said, his lips quivering uncontrollably and his voice cracking, "HD, uncensored, clear, and smooth! F*ck! I'm not clean anymore!"
Fu Zhi had defiled their Li Nanli!
Liu Mi looked toward the second floor with a wry smile on his face.
Jiang Jinshu had had enough. He did not like dangerous women like Fu Zhi at all, and he despised her from the depths of his heart. Without any hesitation, he went to the garage to pick up his car and left the mansion.
*
In the room on the second floor...
Clutching at Li Nanli's collar, Fu Zhi blinked as she looked down on her young nephew, who was half-sitting on the edge of the bed with taut lips.
He did not seem happy to her at all.
"Xiao Li..." This was the fourth time Fu Zhi called his name, and she still sounded very patient.
It was only then that Li Nanli snapped back to reality. He touched the corner of his lips, and a surge of warm emotion burst from his eyes as a smile crossed his face. However, his happiness was short-lived. He suddenly thought of something and gave Fu Zhi a dark look. "Did you do this to other people as well when you were told to do so?"
"I only kissed Ye Jiu once."
At the time, she had still been a chubby five-year-old girl. She had accidentally fallen on Ye Jiu and broken his arm. Therefore, she had given him a kiss as compensation.
However, Ye Jiu had not been happy even after the kiss. He had said that if he had been able to move his hand, he would have slapped her head until it had broken off from her neck.
The gloom in Li Nanli's heart dissipated after she told him this story. That said, it seemed like God had a grudge against him and did not want him to feel happy, as his happiness was once again cut short by the next thing she said.
"Well then, I think it's time for me to go. It's good that the method works. My second brother has been feeling down lately..."
Li Nanli was stunned.
She zipped her bag and picked it up from the floor. The rain had gotten heavier. She put on the baseball cap that Lu Yubai had given her, and just as she was about to leave, Li Nanli took her cap away and threw it into his closet.
His lips were particularly red tonight, creating a stark contrast against his fair skin.
"Fu Zhi."
"Yeah?"
He pulled at his tie as he tried his best to suppress the urge to lock her up in a place only he could see. He took a deep breath and then said, "You can only kiss me. This method won't work on your brother."
"Why?"
Fu Zhi found her nephew really annoying. He was the one who had given her the idea, and now he was telling her that it would not work?
He cleared his throat... Well, though he did not know what he was talking about, he had to persuade Fu Zhi to drop the thought of kissing her brother no matter what.
"He is your elder brother, so that means he's your elder. I'm your nephew, so I'm your junior. Only a junior will feel happy this way."
"Okay then," Fu Zhi replied flatly. "I will think of another way."
'What kind of way can she think of with that brain of hers?' Li Nanli could not let her imagination run wild or allow her to search for weird ideas on the internet.
Since he had no idea what to do, he said as he went to pick a glass of juice for Fu Zhi, "I will ask Liu Mi to buy a cake for you later. You can give it to your brother when you're home."
"Alright then," Fu Zhi answered simply.
After Li Nanli gave Liu Mi instructions, Fu Zhi prepared to leave with him.
At that moment, Jiang Jinshu sent a text message to him. "D*mn it. There is a downpour on the west side of the city, and the bridge is flooded. I can't go home now.
"There are no hotels around here, and I think the rain is not going to stop anytime soon.
"Are you still there, Nanli? Aren't you going to bring Fu Zhi home tonight? It seems that the rain is moving to the north side. You better watch out for yourself."
Li Nanli looked at the last message, and his fingertips on the WeChat page quivered.
Liu Mi, who had opened the umbrella, beckoned to Fu Zhi to come with him. Then, before Fu Zhi could do anything, Li Nanli grabbed her by her collar.
"The rain is too heavy. You will get wet." Li Nanli frowned. He studied Fu Zhi from head to toe and said matter-of-factly, "Let's wait for the rain to stop."
Fu Zhi waved her hand. "Don't worry. I'm very strong."
Li Nanli replied, "But Liu Mi is weak. I've seen him get blown away by the wind before."
Liu Mi, who had indeed gotten blown away by the wind before, was stumped.
Well, as a professional secretary, it was his job to help his boss solve his problems. Besides, he had to justify his pay as well. Therefore, after receiving a signal from Li Nanli, he dropped to the floor and sobbed. "Please forgive me for my weak body, Ms. Fu."
Fu Zhi did not know what to say.
*
Initially, Fu Zhi thought it was just a small thunderstorm. Half an hour later, Li Nanli turned on Yu City's broadcast—
There was a particularly strong rainstorm north and south of the city. The river was swollen with flood water, and the bridge was flooded.
She could not go home anymore.
"I'm sorry, Zhizhi. I shouldn't have stopped you just now."
Li Nanli came up to her and said, "Will it be too dangerous to go home now?"
Then, without letting Fu Zhi say anything, he concluded, "You can sleep in my room. I'll take the guest room."
"..."
Fu Zhi did not know what to say.
Chapter 289: There Is Only News About Sheng Hua And Fu Zhi
Li Nanli's room was big.
He pushed the door open, and she saw that the room was painted in a clean mixture of black and white and seemed very tidy.
"You can use the bathroom I used just now. The water is ready, and you're free to take a bath anytime you want," Li Nanli said as he emerged from the bathroom. He was still wearing the white shirt, and the two buttons remained unfastened. Perhaps it was hot in the bathroom, as his neck and the tips of his ears were red. He grabbed a similar white shirt from his closet and said, "I don't have any bathrobes, so you can wear my shirt for the time being."
Fu Zhi did not notice anything at all as she took the shirt from Li Nanli's hand. "Alright, I'm going to take a bath now. Don't forget to bake a cake for me tomorrow."
Li Nanli was quite surprised to see that she had not forgotten the things about her second brother. However, at the same time, he was relieved that she was just going to give him a cake only and nothing more.
Peeling his eyes away from her, he nudged his chin toward the bed and the black bed sheet and said, "Rest early."
Fu Zhi went into the bathroom with Li Nanli's shirt. Suddenly, she thought of something and stopped in her tracks. Turning her head around, she said, "Xiao Li."
"Hmm?" Li Nanli looked at her.
"Have you been feeling too lonely recently?"
She pressed her lips tight as she tried her best not to accidentally hurt Li Nanli's vulnerable heart. "Considering your physical condition, you should start a vegan diet and recite the holy names every day. Thinking too much will only add more damage to your already weakened body."
Li Nanli was speechless.
Outside the villa, the rain continued to fall, creating a pitter-patter as it came in contact with the surface of the window. The noises of nature suddenly became loud and then soft, as if they were the crescendo and diminuendo of one vast, brilliant symphony. Li Nanli did not know what had gotten into his mind, but he swallowed the words that lingered on the tip of his tongue back into his stomach pit in the end. He went to take a bath towel from the closet and handed it to Fu Zhi.
"Okay, Aunt," he answered, his voice sounding docile.
Fu Zhi nodded and went into the bathroom.
Li Nanli sat beside the bed and took a photo of the entire room, including Fu Zhi's bag.
He checked the photo first before posting it in his WeChat Moments.
Very soon, Old Master Li video-called him. "You are still at the villa? Does the bag belong to Zhizhi?"
Old Master Li was now sitting in his study. He craned his neck as his eyes swiveled worriedly in their sockets. "You don't have the WeChat numbers of those lunatics in the Fu Family, do you?"
Li Nanli replied to his questions one by one.
Tears immediately flowed out of his aged eyes when he heard what Li Nani had said. Then, he exposed his purpose for calling him. "Good, good, good. Judging by your progress, it won't be long before you become the father of a son. After you marry Fu Zhi, make sure you treat her like a princess. You've always been a good grandson, but you have to do everything your wife says after you marry her. Then, when your wife passes away, you have to obey everything your son says. From the moment you tie the knot, your wife will be your sun, and you will revolve around her like the Earth. Make sure the Fu Family doesn't find anything wrong with you and chase you back to the Li Family."
Old Master Li made it look like he was giving away his daughter to some guy and was worried about her. As Li Nanli did not know how to reply, he received a Taobao link from his grandpa. "This 'How To Become A Good Hubby' book will teach you everything you need to know to capture the heart of your wife. Make sure you read through it and capture Zhizhi's heart."
Li Nanli did not want to talk to his grandfather anymore. After all, his main purpose for publishing the photo on his WeChat Moments was to show off to other people. He said, "I'm hanging up if you don't have anything else to say."
Upon seeing that his grandson was going to hang up, Old Master Li stopped fooling around and got down to business. "When are you coming back to the capital? That son of a swine from the Jiang Family is acting weird again. I heard that he's going to develop some kind of black technology, and my people told me that he even invited Sheng Hua to his house..."
"I haven't had time lately, but I'll look into it when I do," Li Nanli chimed in, cutting his grandfather's words short.
There was an indifferent expression etched on his face, and it seemed like he was not interested at all. The Jiang Family was an elite family second only to the Li Family in terms of social status. However, unlike the Li Family, the Jiang Family was huge, and there were a lot of disputes going on with them. In fact, Jiang Jinshu was an outcast that had been disowned by his family.
Old Master Li knew that his grandson was busy courting the love of his life. Therefore, he reminded him of this again before hanging up.
After half an hour, Fu Zhi finished her bath and came out of the bathroom with the bath towel on her shoulder.
She was wearing a white shirt and her usual school trousers. The moment she sat on the bed, Li Nanli pulled her to him, trapping Fu Zhi in between his long arms as he said, "Let me help you dry your hair."
Seeing how persistent he was, Fu Zhi had no other choice but to give the towel to him. He was tall, and she was sitting with her back facing him. She had no idea why, but she felt that the air in the room was particularly stuffy tonight.
Li Nanli pulled her closer to him so that her shoulders could rest on his chest. Then, he combed through her hair with his fingers gently as he dried her hair.
A few minutes later, Fu Zhi started to feel sleepy. She let out a yawn, found a comfortable position, and closed her eyes.
By the time Li Nanli realized it, she was already sleeping deeply. A grin hopped onto the corner of his lips as he gazed at the girl who was sleeping comfortably and soundly in his arms. Her eyelashes were long, and her face was delicate.
When Liu Mi appeared in the bedroom, he saw his boss staring fondly at Fu Zhi. He touched his nose awkwardly, and just as he was about to leave, Li Nanli turned his head toward him.
After he placed Fu Zhi on the bed, he walked out of the room and closed the door.
Pitching his voice low, Liu Mi said, "President Li, I was just notified that the young master of the Jiang Family has come to Yu City to look for Sheng Hua. Besides, Ms. Ouyang from the Ouyang Family has successfully cultivated the Valley Orchid that you want."
Li Nanli nodded, his brows forming a cold frown. "Tomorrow, when you go to buy a cake for Lu Yushen, remember to pick the most bitter one."
'That's not what I'm talking about.'
Liu Mi did not know what to say.
'Besides, how bitter does the cake have to be? More bitter than your heart? He's her brother, so how can you be jealous of him? You're really such a dog.'
...
Fu Zhi had no idea how long she had been sleeping, but when she cracked her eyes open, the thunderstorm had still not let up.
She sat up on the bed, and the silk coverlet slid down her body. She scanned the room and saw Li Nanli sitting on the couch. His eyes were closed, and she was not sure if he was sleeping or not.
She pinched her nose and got up from the bed. She walked up to him and pushed his shoulder. Since she had just woken up, there were a few strands of hair sticking to her face.
When Li Nanli opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Fu Zhi's face, which was dimly lit by the light beside him. She seemed as if she had not had enough sleep yet. Then, she pointed at the bed and said, "I will go sleep in the guest room. You—"
"Aunt!" he called out to her. Before she could do anything, he coiled his arms around her and rested his chin on her shoulder. Then, he said, "There's thunder. I'm scared, so please stay with me."
Fu Zhi, aka Aunt, fell silent.
*
The next day, Fu Zhi went to school after grabbing breakfast.
It was Wednesday, and the weather was cold. Every student in Class 21 gathered to discuss the news broadcasts and the hot topics on Weibo, but Fu Zhi was not interested.
She sat in her spot with her headphones on, watching a video on how to bake a cake.
"Zhizhi, you've been mentioned in the news and the hot topics on Weibo again thanks to Master Sheng Hua and Gu Yan." Su Xing approached her, scratching her head. "But it's strange. CCTV News only mentioned you and Master Sheng Hua, and Gu Yan was only mentioned on the hot topics on Weibo."
Sheng Hua was the only researcher in their country who was often mentioned on the news and Weibo. He had mentioned that he was coming to meet a friend yesterday, and many people suspected that the person in question was Gu Yan.
Su Xing said, '"Because of this, Gu Yan's fan base has increased tremendously. Today, I saw that even the young master from the Jiang Family in the capital has followed her on Weibo. She's getting a lot of attention right now."
Even though Su Xing was happy for Gu Yan, she still felt a little uncomfortable about it. "Well, Gu Yan is a nice girl, but her fans are so low quality-wise."
They kept on slandering Fu Zhi on Weibo.
Chapter 290: Sheng Hua Calls Fu Zhi Teacher – 1
Fu Zhi followed Su Xing's finger and looked at her phone.
#The friend and teacher of Master Sheng Hua.#
#No.1 High School, Gu Yan.#
These two topics were the hottest topics on Weibo right now, and there were plenty of comments underneath them.
[Regardless of whether she is a genius or not, Gu Yan is so pretty. She's a keeper!!!]
[Not only is she wearing a watch that costs about a million, but she's also using the latest phone from the Fu Corporation! If my memory serves me right, that phone costs about 30,000 yuan, not to mention that it's a limited edition that can only be pre-ordered!]
[She has more than a million fans on her fan page, and she can garner a million likes on Weibo. She's really the glory of our country...]
[This is just the tip of the iceberg. Not only has she become a member of the Physics Association at such a young age, but even Master Sheng Hua expects a lot from her. She's pretty, she's rich, and she's smart! She's like the quintessential "other people's child"!]
[Zhizhi!! Ahh, Zhizhi is there! She's there receiving Master Sheng Hua as well! Oh, how can she be so pretty?!]
[Ahhh!! Zhizhi, mama loves you! Does anyone have her Weibo? Please give it to me if any of you guys have it!]
[??? Hello? This topic is about Ms. Gu Yan and Master Sheng Hua. If you guys want to talk about Fu Zhi, then go away or open a topic of your own. Besides, I don't get why you guys keep saying she's pretty. Half of her face is pretty much hidden underneath her mask, so how can you guys see her face? Do you all have X-ray vision?]
[I don't know what to say. Who the hell is Fu Zhi? Could I be the only one who doesn't know who she is? And what has she contributed to the country? I don't understand why you guys are so hyped up about her.]
Perhaps the negative relationship between Fu Zhi and Gu Yan had extended to both of their fans, as whenever someone mentioned Fu Zhi's name, Gu Yan's fans would seize this chance to disparage her.
Su Xing then said, "Someone on Weibo said that Master Sheng Hua is here to meet you..."
Then, the result was predictable. Whenever there was a topic about Fu Zhi on Weibo, it would be withdrawn promptly. As a result, not many people knew about her. As for Gu Yan, she had a good family background, she was both rich and capable, not to mention that she was followed by the fans of Jiang Zong and Sheng Hua.
Therefore, the moment Fu Zhi's fans said something, they would be attacked by the fans of those three people.
After all, most people just knew that Fu Zhi was a girl who came from the countryside. Not only had she not been granted the privilege to participate directly in the international Physics competition, but she was not a member of the Physics Association either. On the other hand, Gu Yan was an excellent young lady favored by the government. The differences between them were as big as those between heaven and earth.
Of course, there was also a group of people who suspected that Sheng Hua's friend might not be Gu Yan, as he'd already said that he did not want to cause her any trouble. Therefore, there must be some kind of misunderstanding involved.
Very soon, a small group of people was forced to become Fu Zhi's fans.
Weibo had turned into chaos. The more comments the students in Class 21 read about Fu Zhi, the angrier they felt. In the end, all of them logged into their respective Weibo accounts and joined the fray to defend Fu Zhi.
Zhou Zihuai and Lu Yubai went to look for Gu Yan when they saw the hot topics on Weibo.
As for Su Xing, she sat beside Fu Zhi and suggested, "Why don't you sign up for a Weibo account as well? According to Director Liu, if you sign up for a Weibo account yourself, then your fans won't need to go to Gu Yan or Sheng Hua's Weibo to inquire about you, and this matter will soon be put to rest."
"I have a Weibo account," Fu Zhi said. However, since it was inconvenient for her to log into her main Weibo account, which might expose her as the president of the Fu Corporation, she logged into an alternative account under the name "Your Dad".
Su Xing did not know what to comment when she saw the name.
She took a look at her Weibo, and when she saw the few songs released by RM Corporation Group, she exclaimed, "You're also a fan of 'Addiction'? I bought every song that she released! I even downloaded her songs on my phone and listen to them every day!"
"I'm not," Fu Zhi replied as she stuck her phone back into her pocket. "I need to go somewhere. I will be back soon."