Chapter 69: Chapter 69

If you can’t figure it out, don’t think about it. Lu Yanzhi straightforwardly asked Fu Jichen, "What did the Pei Family do to anger you?" To act so viciously right from the start, it clearly wasn’t a minor feud.

"They didn’t provoke me." Fu Jichen disdained making an excuse to brush him off, "I promised someone."

Who could both hold a grudge against the Pei Family and persuade Fu Da to help?

Lu Yanzhi racked his brain, checking the people around Fu Jichen one by one, and finally remembered Shen Jianian, considering her background, he felt he had found the right answer.

Back when Lingyue Group was annexed by the Pei Family, to avoid gossip, the news was blocked from the outside world, and ordinary people didn’t know the inside story at all. However, with such a big move, it was nearly impossible to keep everyone in the dark. Although the Lu Family’s headquarters is in Yicheng, a large portion of its business is tied to Beicheng. Lu Yanzhi had heard about this matter a long time ago.

"You, you don’t tell me, you’re doing all this for Shen Jianian!" Lu Yanzhi shouted, his voice almost cracking.

In contrast, Fu Jichen looked calm and collected, "Why not?"

Lu Yanzhi didn’t know what expression to use to judge his current demeanor; such a dangerous thing, and he didn’t care at all, as if he were saying "The moonlight is nice tonight."

"Are you really going to make an enemy of the entire Pei Family for Shen Jianian?" Lu Yanzhi wasn’t joking with him, his expression was very serious. "The Pei Family is deeply rooted in Beicheng, and it’s not as easy to destroy as it seems on the surface. Any slip, and you’ll be in trouble."

The internal struggle of the Fu Family is even more intense than what’s outside. Those so-called close relatives are waiting to see Fu Jichen fall into the mud and not get up so they can continue vying for the heir’s position.

Fewer competitors bring more hope, doesn’t it?

Fu Jichen lazily fluttered his eyelids, unconcerned, "Just a mere Pei Family."

Lu Yanzhi was speechless.

Compared to the wealthy Fu Family, isn’t it indeed "just a mere Pei Family"?

Even so, as Fu Jichen’s good brother, he had to persuade him a few words: "I know you really like Shen Jianian, but it’s not worth it. You can make her happy in many ways; there’s no need to risk yourself. People always say it’s better to have one more friend than an enemy, right? Even if you can’t befriend the Pei Family, it’s good to maintain peace. Why make enemies and complicate your life?"

"Listening to you now is like listening to a monk chanting scriptures." Fu Jichen leaned against the back of the chair, his hand supporting his temple, looking impatient.

Lu Yanzhi angrily retorted, "You’re the monk!"

Fu Jichen smiled without speaking. How could he possibly be a monk? His seven emotions and six desires have been all stirred up recently, and life is going very well.

Unintentionally, Lu Yanzhi saw the tooth mark on the back of his hand again, then looked at the curve of his lips and couldn’t help shaking his head: "Just spoil her! She’ll definitely become arrogant on the basis of your favor. Nothing’s even happened yet, and she’s already daring to be presumptuous around you. If something real happens in the future, won’t she totally take advantage?"

He remembered last time, on the day of the Qin Family’s wedding banquet, when he went to Rose Manor to find Fu Jichen, planning to go with him. He noticed a scratch on his neck. Today he saw it again, and this time on such a visible spot on his face! His hand was bitten, too.

Don’t men care about their image?

Fu Jichen touched the tooth mark with his fingertip and raised an eyebrow: "Arrogant on the grounds of favor? I’m looking forward to it."

Lu Yanzhi: "You’ve got no hope."

This year’s last Saturday happened to be the 29th, requiring a workday, then the official New Year holiday began.

Zhu Yilan, while comparing the schedule, used a marker to cross out the tasks already completed, leaving only one item. She went to Fu Jichen to have him sign a contract.

The process went smoothly. Zhu Yilan, holding the signed contract, hesitated in front of the desk: "Mr. Chen, there’s something..."

"If there’s something, just say it." Fu Jichen capped the pen and placed it back, looking up at her.

Zhu Yilan: "The day after tomorrow is Miss Shen’s birthday. Should anything be prepared?"

As the head of the secretary office, she had to arrange both the boss’s official and personal matters properly. Especially since Special Assistant Song Fang was sent to Beicheng for other work, Shen Jianian, the executive assistant, hasn’t fully settled in yet, and many things required her personal attention.

Fu Jichen glanced at the calendar on the desk: "Her birthday is December 31st?" The last day of the year.

"Mm, saw it in the employment info," Zhu Yilan replied.

Fu Jichen seemed to have seen her birth date before as well, but with his busy daily schedule, he hadn’t taken special note of it. Fortunately, Zhu Yilan reminded him: "You don’t have to worry; I’ll take care of it myself."

Zhu Yilan left the CEO’s office, her high heels tapping faster on the floor, like a dense drumbeat, until it stopped by a green plant in the corridor.

She pressed the folder against her chest, calming her somewhat rapid breath.

Time can heal all pain. This saying is indeed true; she seems not to hurt as much as at the beginning.

She gradually accepted reality and was able to calmly remind him that the woman he doted on was about to have a birthday.

Zhu Yilan tilted her face upward, pulling the corner of her mouth into the air. Although she couldn’t completely stop caring yet, she believed that sooner or later, she would be able to eradicate the traces of that person in her heart entirely.

Even if not, she would bury it forever.

For a businessman, a true vacation doesn’t exist. During the New Year holiday, Fu Jichen had important work to attend in Beicheng.

He planned to return to Yicheng on the afternoon of the 31st, but due to heavy fog, his flight was canceled.

Fu Jichen decisively opted for the high-speed train.

Since the ticket purchase was last-minute and coinciding with holiday peaks, the passenger numbers were several times the usual. The desirable routes and seats were all sold out, and after a round of scurrying, he didn’t reach Yicheng until past seven in the evening.

During lunch, he managed to call Shen Jianian and ask what she’d like to eat for dinner.

Yicheng was having light snowfall. Shen Jianian, when she received the call, had just finished her lunch and was curled up in her room on the sofa, holding a cup of black tea and admiring the beautiful sight of the green plants in the manor covered with a thin layer of snow through the window.

No one here knew today was her birthday, and she hadn’t mentioned it willingly.

Two days ago, she received a birthday gift sent from Beicheng by Bai Changxia. Initially, Bai Changxia had planned to come to Yicheng for her birthday during the New Year’s vacation, but since her mother was hospitalized due to illness and her father was on a business trip and not back, she needed to stay at the hospital to care for the patient, she had no choice but to cancel the trip.

"I want to eat roasted chicken," Shen Jianian told Fu Jichen over the phone at the time.

Fu Jichen paused for several seconds: "Just that?"

Shen Jianian remembers it vividly. One year on her birthday, her mother personally made her a roasted chicken, with the belly stuffed full of vegetables and fruits. The aroma was delightful when roasted.

She hadn’t tasted that flavor in a long time and missed it very much in the cold winter with light snow.

The sky was overcast, and in the undecorated room, it was quite dark. Shen Jianian hadn’t drawn the curtains, read for a while, and then went to bed to sleep. When she woke, there wasn’t a hint of light outside, and the sky was completely dark.

She groped for her phone by the pillow for the time, it was already seven o’clock in the evening, and she felt a bit hungry.

Aunt Zhen hadn’t come up to call her for dinner? Was she avoiding disturbing her rest?

Shen Jianian rubbed her stomach, got out of bed, put on her plush slippers, and went to the bathroom to wash her face with cold water, which made her much clearer-headed.

She took the elevator to the living room on the first floor. As soon as the elevator doors opened, she smelled the rich aroma of roasted chicken, exactly the kind she liked, reminiscent of her mother’s cooking, with the scents of lemon and basil.

In an instant, Shen Jianian’s mind raced back to the scene of that birthday, standing there dazed.

Until the elevator doors were about to close, she raised her eyes distractedly, blocking the closing metal doors with her hand and quickly took a few steps to exit the elevator.

The aroma wafted from the kitchen, it was clear, not something bought randomly from the market.

Shen Jianian thought the question Fu Jichen asked over the phone about what she wanted to eat was just small talk, she didn’t expect him to take real action.

Did he know today was her birthday?