Chapter 106: Chapter 106

Fu Jichen didn’t immediately agree.

After thinking for a moment, he guessed that it was likely Fu Yuling had said something to her about Shen Jianian, which made his mother restless.

"Jichen?" Without hearing her son’s response, Wei Ronghua’s voice became even softer, appealing to emotion, "You see, since you returned, you’ve been busy dealing with your third uncle’s affairs, then went on a business trip to Yicheng, and now you have to go to the headquarters to work. It’s been a long time since we, mother and son, have sat down for a proper talk."

Fu Jichen’s eyelids half drooped. He said, "I’ll come back tonight."

"Alright, mom will wait for you." Having achieved her purpose, Wei Ronghua was pleased, "Don’t work too hard, take care of your health."

Fu Jichen had nothing more to say and waited quietly for the other side to hang up.

At a quarter past six in the afternoon, as if afraid he would forget what he promised in the morning, Wei Ronghua called again to remind him to return to the old house after he finished work.

Fu Jichen raised his wrist to check the time, picked up a document, and left the office.

On the corridor, he encountered Fu Jianfang, dressed in a business suit. She seemed oblivious to his presence, walked past him directly, entered the elevator, turned around to stand, and looked outside with an indifferent face, pressing the down button.

On his first day on the job, Fu Jichen had replaced two key people in the planning department whom she had placed!

He was still the same, eliminating dissidents, but compared to the grand commotion when he first returned to the country, he’s clearly much more restrained this time, and the reasons for dismissing those two left others speechless.

With an expressionless face, Fu Jichen took the private elevator to the underground parking lot, got into the car, loosened his tie: "To the old house."

Qu Mo started the car, merging into the evening galaxy-like traffic from the exit ramp.

The decorative lights on either side of the road lit up, and the neon light streaming by the car windows reflected on the faces inside the car, making them alternately bright and dim.

Fu Jichen picked up his phone, dialed Shen Jianian’s number, and cleared his throat before it connected to mask his fatigue: "I’m going back to the old house for a bit. You have dinner first, I’ll come back later."

There was only a light response from the other side without anything else said.

Fu Jichen shook out a cigarette from the pack, held it between his lips, and reached into his pants pocket to fumble for the lighter, casually asked: "What did you do at home today?"

Shen Jianian listened to his casual, home-like inquiries, somewhat puzzled.

"Not much." Shen Jianian replied, "Reading, watching movies, learning to cook with Aunt Cheng."

"Why are you asking?" Shen Jianian’s voice was soft.

"Thinking about when I might get to taste your cooking." Fu Jichen took the unlit cigarette from his lips and twirled it between his fingers, "Do you think it can happen in this lifetime?"

"What’s with your tone?" Shen Jianian was a bit annoyed, "Underestimating someone?"

The two chatted intermittently until Fu Jichen arrived at the Fu Family’s old house, ending the somewhat pointless call.

Fu Jichen tidied his coat, got out of the car, and went inside. The main hall was resplendent, the old furniture exuding a solemn and slightly oppressive air.

Fu Yuling was watching TV. When she saw him enter, her eyes lit up suddenly, and she jumped up from the sofa.

She seemed to have forgotten the unpleasantness from their phone call a few days ago, ran up to Fu Jichen, hugged his arm with both hands, and looked up with a smile: "Mom is in the kitchen, personally making your favorite dishes. Your treatment is better than mine, brother."

Fu Jichen’s brow furrowed with a hint of annoyance. He pulled away her hands, spoke coldly: "Behave."

Fu Yuling pouted unhappily, let her hands fall properly to her sides: "Is this okay now?"

Hearing the siblings’ voices, Wei Ronghua came out of the kitchen. Wearing a coffee-colored knitted cardigan, she lacked any of the grandeur of a noble lady in public, looking just like an ordinary mother longing for her son’s return.

"I was just thinking, I’ll make the shrimp when you get home since it doesn’t taste good cold. I didn’t expect you to come back so quickly." Wei Ronghua smiled gently, "Go wash your hands, we’ll eat soon."

There weren’t as many people at dinner tonight. Fu Feibai was abroad shooting a fashion magazine cover, while the second, third, and fourth siblings were at their own homes.

The old man valued table etiquette, didn’t like discussing appetite-spoiling topics during meals, only asked Fu Jichen how his day at the headquarters was, and the rest of the time was spent quietly dining.

After the meal, the leftovers on the table were left for the servants to clean up.

Wei Ronghua called Fu Jichen to the side room, closed the sliding door, turned around. Fu Jichen was already seated in a huanghuali chair, leisurely sterilizing cups and pots with hot water.

"Why did you call me back?" Fu Jichen didn’t look up, focused on his actions, as he picked up a tea ladle and poured tea leaves into the pot.

Wei Ronghua sat opposite him, her hand with an emerald ring resting on her knee. Because of proper care, her fingers were fair, tender, without wrinkles or discoloration.

She silently watched him for a moment and then said, "You’ve brought that Shen Family’s daughter to Beicheng."

It was not phrased as a question, clearly having already received definite information from Fu Yuling.

Originally, Wei Ronghua was overjoyed that he could successfully stay in Beicheng and rejoin the group, believing he had naturally severed ties with that woman, considering it only a fleeting romance.

After all, that woman had no relatives in Beicheng and would likely settle in Yicheng in the future.

Just as her heart was slowly settling down, she learned from her daughter that the Shen Family’s daughter was placed by Fu Jichen in the villa at Yunding Palace.

Is he planning to keep a mistress in a golden house?

A few days ago, he went to Yicheng, and she refrained from disturbing his work, suppressing the urge to mention it. Yesterday afternoon, upon hearing he was back in Beicheng, she waited at the old house and didn’t go anywhere. Who would have thought he’d go straight to find that woman upon landing and didn’t come home at all, leaving her waiting all afternoon for nothing.

The worry in her heart couldn’t be suppressed, so she decided to take the initiative to talk with him, wanting to know what he truly intended.