Chapter 193: Chapter 193

Fu Jianfang was caught off guard, scared speechless, and kept his mouth shut tightly.

Fu Qizhen and Fu Huaxian both looked at Mr. Fu, seeing the faint anger on his wrinkled face. Sooner or later, the troublemaker from the fourth branch would cause even bigger trouble. Knowing that Mr. Fu was immersed in the grief of losing his son, he actually brought up the deceased Fu Da.

Not only did he bring it up, but he also said Fu Jichen was not Fu Da’s son.

Could there be anything more absurd than this?

Fu Da is dead, are the rumor mongers trying to drive Wei Ronghua to death and bring down Fu Jichen in the process? If that’s the case, the means are too crude.

When the atmosphere slightly relaxed, Fu Jianfang forced a smile to explain himself: "Dad, don’t be angry, be careful not to harm your health. When I heard the rumors, I reacted even more strongly than you; I thought those people really had nothing better to do."

Before Mr. Fu could speak, Fu Yuling snorted coldly: "If my brother isn’t the biological son, then neither am I. The person saying this is either stupid or malicious."

She and Fu Jichen are twins. Logically speaking, if there’s doubt about Fu Jichen’s parentage, she wouldn’t escape either.

Even if Fu Qizhen didn’t like Fu Jichen, he wouldn’t doubt such a matter, stating fairly: "When sister-in-law was pregnant, she had a familiar doctor check the fetus’s gender, confirming they were indeed twins."

Since getting involved in a manslaughter case, Fu Huaxian had become much more silent. Now, for some reason, he mumbled: "Who doesn’t know sister-in-law married because of pregnancy? Maybe..."

What he didn’t finish was maybe before marrying, Wei Ronghua had an affair with another man and had a child, conveniently letting Fu Zhengjun take the blame.

"Third Brother, have you lost your mind?" Fu Qizhen hurriedly interrupted, turning his head to look at his brother, "Would Fu Da not know whether Jichen is his child or not?"

"Fu Da is gone, who can prove it?" Fu Huaxian hesitated, "To stop those rumors, a paternity test would be the safest bet."

Mr. Fu closed his eyes, listening to everyone chattering, his chest heaving more and more.

Fu Jianfang asked, "With whom would we do the paternity test? Dad?"

"Enough!" Mr. Fu shouted, clutching his chest and coughing violently.

Fu Jichen set down his chopsticks, stood up, and went to Mr. Fu’s side to help him ease his breathing, simultaneously calling a maid to bring Mr. Fu’s medicine.

The herbalist had prescribed Mr. Fu some traditional medicine, which simmered on a small stove in the kitchen. At the command, the maid poured out a bowl and brought it over with a towel underneath.

"Is this issue as big as your aunt said?" As Mr. Fu’s coughing subsided, he raised his hand to cover Fu Jichen’s hand.

Fu Jichen replied, "Grandson can handle this small matter; you needn’t worry."

"Rumors can have varying impacts," Mr. Fu said while breathing heavily, showing a lack of energy, "It’s often better to let them drift away naturally than to forcibly shut people up, which only breeds suspicion and discord."

Fu Jichen understood Mr. Fu’s words but refused to dwell on them further, picking up the medicine bowl from the table: "You should drink the medicine while it’s hot and rest early. The doctor advised peaceful recuperation, avoid overthinking, and leave these matters alone."

Fu Jianfang, holding chopsticks and picking up a shrimp, glanced at Fu Jichen coaxing Mr. Fu, internally scoffing. After all, he thought, the young always try to please the old when problems arise.

Having finished the medicine, Mr. Fu lost his appetite and was assisted by the housekeeper to rest in his bedroom.

The atmosphere in the dining room was no longer harmonious.

Fu Jichen returned to his seat, casting a cold glance at Fu Jianfang, losing the facade of respect: "Knowing well that Grandpa’s health can’t handle stress, why did Aunt deliberately choose to bring it up at the dining table?"

Fu Jianfang’s expression changed, dropping the chopsticks and glaring at him, "Fu Da, don’t slander me!"

"Whether it’s slander or not, Aunt is more aware than anyone."

"You!" Fu Jianfang turned livid with anger, pushing back the chair to stand, "Take care of yourself first, think about how to clarify the rumors, so it doesn’t come to having a paternity test with Mr. Fu."

By that point, even if it confirmed Fu Jichen as a blood relative, behind the scenes, others would still find it laughable.

"Fourth Aunt, you are the elder here, but where’s your composure, speaking to your nephew? You’re regressing," Fu Qizhen mediated.

Furious, Fu Jianfang retorted, "Does he look like a junior? He barges in questioning me."

"You brought these things up at the table, upsetting Mr. Fu; it’s indeed inappropriate, and Jichen is not wrong," Fu Qizhen added.

Fu Jianfang looked at him incredulously. Her competitive second brother, when did he change and start siding with Fu Jichen?

After a thought, Fu Jianfang chuckled coldly with a sarcastic tone, "Almost forgot, with the eldest gone, you are now the eldest son. Are you taking on the role of teaching others? Or since Fu Da holds the power, you see no hope and begin to butter him up?"

Fu Jianfang’s sharp words embarrassed Fu Qizhen on the spot, his face flushed, unwilling to argue with this shrew, he got up and left the table.

Fu Yuling smirked, speaking coolly, "Aunt just loves to stir things up and spoil the mood."

"What did you say?" Fu Jianfang sensed her seemingly low-voiced self-talk, turned her gaze to her, and her face was unusually stern.

Fu Yuling was never afraid of her, shrugged her shoulders, lazily leaned back in her chair, and looked up at the standing Fu Jianfang with an innocent expression, sarcastically: "Did I say anything wrong? Every time Aunt comes to the old house, she stirs up trouble. Don’t tell the juniors you fear the family isn’t lively enough."

Fu Jianfang’s fingers trembled pointing at her, before she could reprimand, Fu Yuling stood up, facing her directly: "My heart isn’t good, if you upset me and I collapse, my life is on you, Aunt."

Watching her nonchalantly leave the dining room, Fu Jianfang was left speechless.

The maid brought a clay pot of stewed chicken soup, only to find no one left in the dining room.

The meal ended on a disagreeable note, but Fu Jianfang didn’t leave the old house, she told the maid to prepare her room so she could stay the night.

The maid, holding a wooden tray with untouched chicken soup, said, "I’ll first bring this to the madam to eat, then prepare your room." Original content can be found at NoveI-Fire.ɴet

Still holding her anger, Fu Jianfang’s eyes shifted when she suddenly heard the term "madam." She changed her expression, saying, "Perfect timing, I’ve nothing to do, I’ll take it to sister-in-law, visit her as I planned."

The maid’s face showed difficulty, looking hesitant to speak.

"What? I can’t visit her?" Fu Jianfang immediately showed her displeasure, her emotions evident on her face.

The maid dared not offend her. Having worked in the Fu Family for decades, she knew this fourth miss’s temperament well—someone quick to flare up.

"That’s not what I meant." Seeing no one else around, the maid lowered her voice to explain to Fu Jianfang, "Since sir’s passing, the madam’s mental state hasn’t been good, she’s a bit..."

Fu Jianfang, impatient with the maid hesitating, leaned closer to ask, "A bit what?"

"A bit erratic." Not wanting to speak ill of her employers, the maid stated the facts, "She often calls to sir’s name to the air, saying sorry and such; I’m afraid you’d be scared."

"I see." Fu Jianfang glanced meaningfully upstairs.

That night, Fu Zhengjun had a car accident, neither drunk driving nor fatigued, given his cautious and steady demeanor, crashing into a construction site fence made no sense.

Fu Feibai had said his parents weren’t fighting that day, yet Fu Jianfang didn’t believe it. After the funeral, she’d asked the maid and learned Fu Zhengjun had rushed out of the house in anger that day.

"It’s fine, give it to me." Fu Jianfang held out her hands to the maid, "If you put it like that, I should care more about her and was planning to visit after dinner anyway."

Finding logic in her words, the maid handed her the tray, saying uneasily: "If anything happens, call me."

As Fu Jianfang ascended the stairs to Wei Ronghua’s bedroom with the tray, quickly shedding her smile, the maid’s words echoing in her mind. Reaching the bedroom door, she freed one hand, holding the tray, and approached.

Not a single light was turned on inside the room, and the curtains were tightly drawn, allowing no light to pass through, leaving only a faint glow from the hallway light outside.