Chapter 140: Chapter 140

Wei Ronghua heard from her husband that their son was working overtime at the company tonight, having encountered some issues with a project that would likely keep him busy until eleven or twelve.

After finishing up at the beauty salon with a few of her friends, she noticed it wasn’t too late and decided to detour to Dongli Residence to pack some dishes and deliver a late-night snack to him.

Having visited the group headquarters many times, she was naturally familiar with the place.

She knocked on the door twice, but there was no response from inside, so she guessed that Fu Jichen had gone somewhere else and planned to go in and wait for him.

Unexpectedly, once she entered, she found a young and beautiful woman in the office, resting her foot on a leather stool while holding a book with a dark red cover in her hand.

Wei Ronghua’s brows jumped twice as she stared intently; the woman wasn’t anyone else but Shen Jianian, whom Fu Jichen had brought back to the old mansion from the patriarch’s birthday banquet.

He had actually brought her openly to the group headquarters and left her alone in the office.

It was becoming increasingly ridiculous!

Shen Jianian reacted quickly, hugging the book as she stepped down from the stool, put on her shoes, and walked over to Wei Ronghua. Despite feeling a bit uneasy inside, she maintained a gracious smile and greeted her, "Hello, Aunty."

Wei Ronghua looked at the bright and charming face, her gaze drifting downward to see some red marks on her ears and neck, which were obvious to someone experienced. Anger surged within her, leading her to lash out without holding back, "Who are you calling Aunty? Don’t say that carelessly."

Shen Jianian was momentarily speechless and pursed her lips.

During her visit to the old mansion with Fu Jichen, Wei Ronghua hadn’t spoken to her the entire time; maybe due to the crowd, her attitude was passable on the surface. Now, with no one around, she didn’t bother hiding her disdain.

Seeing Shen Jianian’s face pale slightly, Wei Ronghua inwardly sneered, thinking that she was just a young girl who couldn’t withstand harsh words.

"Where is Jichen?" she asked.

Shen Jianian swallowed and replied calmly, "There’s a small issue in the technology department. He went over to help resolve it, just left a short while ago."

Wei Ronghua increasingly felt Shen Jianian was deliberately trying to seduce her son, knowing he was busy, yet still wandering around the company.

This was the tactic of a seductress, who liked to flaunt her tenderness and care in a man’s workplace, thereby gripping the man’s heart.

Wei Ronghua sat down on the guest area sofa, dressed in a lake-green dress with a khaki fringe shawl on her shoulders, wearing an emerald necklace and earrings that matched her outfit, her hair in a high knot, still exuding charm.

She placed her handbag and the packed dishes on the coffee table and questioned, "What are you doing here?"

Shen Jianian noticed the items she brought; if she claimed she was there to deliver food to Fu Jichen, it would likely only provoke her further displeasure, "Just happened to be nearby and came by to see him."

Her casual response didn’t quell Wei Ronghua’s anger but instead incited her discontent, her tone growing harsher, "Don’t you know he’s working?"

The person in front of her was Fu Jichen’s mother, and Shen Jianian, adhering to the principle of loving the house and the crow that comes with it, didn’t want to confront her head-on, choosing instead to silently endure her accusations.

However, her silently downcast stance only appeared to Wei Ronghua as being easy to manipulate.

"Are you that eager to announce your identity to everyone?" Wei Ronghua thought she saw through the calculating woman’s plans and sneered, "Previously making headlines cuddling with the Pei Family’s young master wasn’t already playing that game. You really think I don’t know what you’re up to. Seeing one died and there’s no hope there, you’re tightly clinging to Jichen now. He might be foolish, but I’m not. Before the Shen Family declined, you were still a young lady. I assumed someone with a high education and good family upbringing wouldn’t become a seductress, enticing men with looks as capital, but I was wrong... Ha, if your parents knew, I wonder if they’d feel ashamed."

Shen Jianian felt icy cold all over, her hand hanging beside her clenched tightly, trembling, as though walking alone through a wilderness, the wind blowing in from all sides threatening to freeze her.

"I’ll leave it here; as long as I’m around, you’ll never set foot into the Fu Family’s gate. I advise you to give up this notion," Wei Ronghua glared coldly at her, "If you’re sensible, you’d leave on your own, still with some dignity intact. Once even the patriarch can’t stand it, you’ll likely face dire consequences."

A person’s patience has its limits, and Shen Jianian believed she had shown enough respect towards Wei Ronghua from the moment she arrived, maintaining tolerance regardless of what she said, without rebuking or defending.

Yet, she pushed relentlessly, each word harsher than the last, even bringing up her deceased parents.

"The reason I still call you Aunty is on Fu Jichen’s behalf; otherwise, I wouldn’t even give someone like you a glance," Shen Jianian raised her head to meet her gaze, "I did indeed have a history with Pei Che, which Fu Jichen is also aware of. The news wasn’t intentional, it was a misunderstanding, but I suppose you aren’t interested. As for clinging to Fu Jichen, I admit I do like him a lot, but not so much that it has to be him. Right now, it’s him who won’t let go of me. Please untangle the cause and effect before blaming me."

Wei Ronghua’s expression changed multiple times, nodding, then nodding again, "Fine, very fine. I underestimated you, didn’t expect you to be so sharp-tongued."

Shen Jianian faintly tugged at her lips, not responding to her evaluation, as whatever she said, she was already labeled negatively in the other’s mind.

Speaking more was pointless.

Wei Ronghua, not wanting to stay any longer, stood up and gave her a cool glance, "Hope you won’t regret what you said today."

Sounding like a threat, Shen Jianian’s heart skipped a beat.

She then thought, being alone now, there was nothing left to lose, except not being able to be with Fu Jichen. It wasn’t something she hoped for anyway, so it wasn’t considered a threat to her.

Shen Jianian softly reminded Wei Ronghua who was walking towards the door, "Aunty, you left your bag behind."

Wei Ronghua paused in her step, her face darkened, turned back, grabbed the bag from the coffee table without looking at her, and left.

As she pulled open the office door, she unexpectedly ran into Fu Jichen returning.

Fu Jichen was carrying a hot beverage takeaway, ordered by Song Fang, just delivered, with Song Fang fetching it from downstairs. He had finished his tasks and brought it to Shen Jianian.

He hadn’t anticipated encountering his mother there.

Moreover, her expression was suffused with cold anger that could not be concealed when she opened the door.

Stunned for a moment, Fu Jichen’s gaze bypassed her, landing inside the office on Shen Jianian, who was looking at him too, her face normal, eyes calm, no trace of being bullied.

Wei Ronghua’s hands were stained with blood before, so he didn’t dare let his guard down.

"Why have you come over at this time?" Fu Jichen calmly withdrew his gaze from Shen Jianian’s face, looking at the person in front of him, his tone indifferent.

Wei Ronghua had just been put in a difficult situation by Shen Jianian, so her tone was inevitably sarcastic, "Can’t I come?"

"You know that’s not what I meant."

Fu Jichen went inside, putting the takeaway on the table.

Wei Ronghua followed him inside the office, casting a sidelong glance at the standing Shen Jianian, "I heard from your dad that you’re working overtime tonight and brought some supper for you."

"I’ve already eaten," Fu Jichen said, "You might as well take it back for the others at home."

Wei Ronghua couldn’t help but frown. In front of outsiders, he didn’t accept her goodwill; does he want to anger her to death?

Fu Jichen took Shen Jianian’s hand, feeling her palm full of cold sweat, immediately asked, "What did you talk about?"

Wei Ronghua couldn’t bother with her anger, her gaze fixed on Shen Jianian.

Seeing Shen Jianian currently favored by her son, it wasn’t impossible she’d seize the chance to complain, alienating the mother-son relationship.

However, she heard Shen Jianian say lightly, "Aunty just arrived, asked where you went, if you had eaten, and the rest is nothing."

Fu Jichen’s eyes searched hers, "Really?"

Wei Ronghua heard the doubt in his tone, feeling a twinge of heartache; her own son leaning towards a woman he hadn’t known for long, what mother could tolerate that?

Wei Ronghua spoke up, "You mean I’d have eaten her, right?"

Fu Jichen looked at his mother, expressionless, "I just asked a couple more questions, why say that."

Wei Ronghua paused, speechless.

Assured Shen Jianian wouldn’t gossip thoughtlessly, she softened her expression, "Since you’re working, focus on it well and finish early to rest at home. I won’t stay and disturb you."

Before leaving, she glanced at Shen Jianian with a subtle hint of warning.

The office door opened then closed, leaving only Fu Jichen and Shen Jianian.

Fu Jichen raised his hand, his thumb brushing her face, the coldness in his eyes dissipating, leaving warmth, "Did she give you any trouble?"

He had previously made it clear to Wei Ronghua not to harbor crooked thoughts or interfere, that wealth and prosperity awaited her in the future; whether she remembered that or not, he wasn’t sure.