Chapter 257: Chapter 257

The receptionist watched the graceful figure walk into the elevator, unable to come back to her senses for a long time.

The young lady occasionally comes to the company. In the past, she always dressed brightly and eye-catching, like a movie star, and was the center of attention wherever she went. Today, she was unusually different, her hair, makeup, clothes, including the shoes on her feet.

She remembered once when Fu Yuling came over, wearing a pair of custom high heels, black with diamonds, and heels tied with light gauze like butterfly wings, which the female employees in the company thought about for a long time.

When Fu Yuling just entered the elevator, she noticed. Today, she wore a pair of plain white flat shoes without any flashy decorations.

Did the young lady get upset about something?

Not knowing that her sudden change in style left others with the impression that she was "upset," Fu Yuling stepped out of the elevator and made her way to Fu Jichen’s office with ease.

Standing outside the glass door, Fu Yuling took a deep breath, raised her hand and knocked twice, then tightly held the handles of the paper bag, feeling an inexplicable tension.

A deep, magnetic voice of Fu Jichen came from the office.

Fu Yuling’s heartbeat accelerated. She pushed open the door with one hand, a joyous expression on her face, "Brother."

Fu Jichen was reviewing documents. Hearing the knock, he thought it was Song Fang or other employees, unexpectedly hearing Fu Yuling’s voice. He lifted his gaze from the documents, looking towards the door.

Fu Yuling could feel that gaze fall on her face, with an assessing look. Her fingers tightened around the paper bag handles, and she couldn’t help but feel a small drum beating in her heart, growing nervous.

She tried hard to calm her rippling thoughts, raising the corners of her lips, saying, "I packed some food from Forget Immortal Inn to have lunch with you. When will you be done? I’ll wait for you to eat together."

Fu Jichen’s expression was cold, withdrawing his gaze from her face back to the spread-open documents in front of him, reading quickly: "I’m busy, eat on your own. If there’s nothing else, go back. I have a meeting later."

Fu Yuling’s face went slightly stiff, everything she had painstakingly prepared suddenly seemed like a joke.

"Which boss holds a meeting at noon? Don’t your employees need to eat?" She quickly recovered, assuming he was deliberately saying it to make her leave.

Fu Jichen turned a page, not looking at her, his voice deep: "It’s a cross-border video conference."

Fu Yuling was at a loss for words.

Why is it so difficult to have a simple meal with him?

Last month, Fu Feibai said they had lunch at Forget Immortal Inn, chatting about recent events. Why couldn’t he be kind to her?

Not to mention Fu Feibai, just talking about the woman who went to the bar with him last night, he has time to entertain other women but no time to have a meal with her?

She didn’t believe it.

"I know you’re busy, just take a few bites after you finish this document, can you?" Fu Yuling pouted, walking up to the desk, supporting herself with both hands on it, speaking with a grievance, "Brother, I came all the way here, at least..."

Her words abruptly stopped, Fu Yuling squinted her eyes, her gaze fixed on the corner of the man’s lips, where there was a very small wound, darker than the lip color, seemingly scabbed.

She didn’t think it was a knock injury. Fu Jichen was not that careless, combined with the dozen or so photos her sister sent her last night, it was hard not to guess if the wound was from kissing too passionately with that woman.

Once such thoughts emerged, Fu Yuling couldn’t help but visualize images of Fu Jichen and that woman intimately entangled in bed.

Jealousy grew wildly like weeds, spreading recklessly in Fu Yuling’s heart, tightly wrapping around her heart, making it hard to breathe, feeling unbearable pain.

"Are you done?" Fu Jichen closed the document, holding a pen, tapping it on the table, looking up at her, "If you’re done, then go out. This is a workplace. Don’t come here again if there’s nothing. If you’re free, go to the hospital to fill in for Feibai."

Fu Yuling’s eyes turned red, her tone unconsciously pleading, "Brother..."

"Go out." Fu Jichen spoke again, with an indisputable tone.

No matter how spoiled or willful Fu Yuling was, she couldn’t disobey his words. She tightly pressed her pink lips together, her eyes fixed on him, reluctantly leaving.

Reaching the door, she reminded, "Don’t forget to eat the food I brought for you."

There was no response from Fu Jichen.

The office returned to the silence of a moment before. Fu Jichen raised his hand, pinching the bridge of his nose. It wasn’t long before there was another knock at the door, Fu Jichen put down his hand, "Come in."

The person who came in was Song Fang, bringing two contracts that required Fu Jichen’s review, also reminding him of the cross-border video conference he needed to attend in twenty minutes.

Song Fang had just seen a gloomy Fu Yuling in the corridor and, noticing two kraft paper bags on the usual dining table, asked, "Should I still order lunch for you?"

"Order as usual." Fu Jichen clicked the mouse, and the sleeping computer screen lit up, "Take those two bags and dispose of them."

Song Fang picked up the brown paper bag and left the office. He peeked inside the bag; it was full of Forget Immortal Inn’s signature dishes. He had ordered from this restaurant for his boss before, so he knew it well.

His boss’s instructions to handle it meant either throw it away or distribute it to others.

The food inside was enough for three or four people. Song Fang brought it to the secretarial office to share with his colleagues.

In the CEO’s office, Fu Jichen briefly went through the key points for the upcoming video conference, then picked up his phone and called the landline at Yunding Palace Villa.

The person who answered was Cheng Jin.

"What did she do this morning?" Fu Jichen released the mouse with his right hand, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes, giving himself a moment to rest.

"She seemed to be bored after breakfast, kept circling around me," Cheng Jin said with a smile. "I suggested she play the cello. She seemed surprised to discover there was a cello in the villa. I told her which room the cello was in, and she stayed on the third floor playing on and off all morning, only coming down to eat ten minutes ago."

Listening to the description, Fu Jichen pictured Shen Jianian playing the cello in his mind, a slight smile appearing on his lips.

Remembering something, Cheng Jin added, "By the way, the ring she was wearing is missing. She said she lost it in the room and searched for a long time but couldn’t find it. I’ll help her look for it again this afternoon."

Fu Jichen slowly sat upright, eyes opening, "She doesn’t have the ring on her hand?"

"No," Cheng Jin said, "I saw one on the bedside table, but Jianian said that’s not the one she’s looking for."

After a moment of silence, Fu Jichen said, "If you find it, just flush it down the toilet."

Cheng Jin was speechless for a while, not knowing what to say.

Fu Jichen hung up the phone and was about to set it down when it rang. He glanced at the caller ID – it was a call from Fu Feibai. Fu Jichen first checked his watch; there was still some time before the meeting, so he picked up the call.

At six in the afternoon, Fu Jichen left the company. Read complete version only at novel-fire.ɴet

Qu Mo was driving, following the boss’s instructions to first pick up Fu Feibai from the hospital, then head to Yunding Palace.

Fu Feibai sat comfortably with his arms folded, glancing sideways at Fu Jichen, who was dressed in business attire with a stern look: "Bro, what have you been up to lately? Haven’t seen you back at the old house much."

The household maid mentioned that Fu Jichen was called back to the old house for lunch by their grandfather due to some scandal involving the Xu family’s daughter, but Fu Feibai wasn’t there that day and missed him.

The last time the two brothers had a meal together was in the middle of last month.

Today at noon, Fu Feibai proactively called Fu Jichen, not for any particular reason, just to invite him to a meal and subtly probe the relationship between him and that woman.

Fu Jichen said he didn’t have time for a meal, and Fu Feibai understood his busy schedule managing such a large group was no easy task, so he thought if there was no time, they could arrange for next time.

Unexpectedly, Fu Jichen suggested that he could join him for dinner at Yunding Palace if he didn’t mind.

Of course, Fu Feibai didn’t mind. He hadn’t visited the villa at Yunding Palace many times, so he wouldn’t miss the chance for a meal there, agreeing without hesitation.

Last night, Fu Jichen’s stomach was uncomfortable for most of the night, and he didn’t sleep well. After a busy day, he couldn’t hide his fatigue. In a weary voice, he said, "Busy with company matters."

Fu Feibai pretended to be oblivious, "Only work, nothing else?"

Fu Jichen looked at him, "What else?"

"For example..." Fu Feibai coughed, "matters of the heart."

Normally, he would avoid bringing up relationships in front of Fu Jichen, fearing it might touch on painful memories. Seeing Fu Jichen today, he seemed somehow different, less distant, even warmer, so he daringly brought it up.

Fu Jichen was in a good mood; his demeanor was naturally pleasant, but he didn’t disclose anything: "Mind your own business."

They arrived at Yunding Palace. After Fu Feibai got out of the car, he curiously looked around. The scene with blooming flowers didn’t seem like a bachelor’s place.

"Why is there a swing in the garden?" Fu Feibai asked in surprise.

Fu Jichen didn’t reply, simply stepped up the stairs.

This morning when he left, Shen Jianian hadn’t woken up yet. Not seeing her all day, he missed her terribly, which was why he turned down Fu Feibai’s suggestion to dine out to come back early to see her.

Following Fu Jichen inside, Fu Feibai didn’t even have time to change his shoes before spotting the woman sitting in the living room watching TV. He blinked, thinking, no need for subtle probing now; reality was clear right before him.