Chapter 95: Chapter 95

Two days later, Shen Jianian finally managed to speak, though her voice was a bit hoarse.

Bai Changxia originally planned to return to Beicheng on the afternoon of the seventh day of the New Year. To stay and take care of Shen Jianian, she rescheduled her flight to the same day as hers.

"Are you really planning to go back to Beicheng?" Bai Changxia came to the legendary Rose Manor and was in the room where Shen Jianian usually stayed.

Upon entering the manor, the scenery along the way was breathtaking. Even in the bleak winter, vast expanses of greenery could be seen, as if stepping into another world. The front yard was spacious, with fountains, gazebos, and rockeries seemingly placed randomly but with a well-thought-out layout, complementing the surrounding scenery.

Looking at the interior decoration, it was everywhere exquisite and luxurious, without being flamboyant, indicating that the owner of the manor was a man of taste and style.

"It’s Fu Jichen’s decision."

In front of Shen Jianian was an open suitcase, half-filled with clothes.

She had just been discharged from the hospital and was feeling somewhat tired, slumping on the sofa, her body leaning back against the soft pillow, gazing at the ceiling.

The bandages wrapped around her neck hadn’t been removed yet, and although the wound wasn’t visible, it was still quite shocking.

Previously, Fu Jichen mentioned several times asking her to return to Beicheng. She firmly refused each time without any doubts, and he didn’t force her—this time it was an order.

"Being by his side is better; otherwise, it’s unsafe for you here alone," Bai Changxia continued to pack her luggage, "You scared me to death this time. Honestly, I’ve never experienced anything growing up—just thinking about it is terrifying—I feel like it could have been on the news."

Shen Jianian smiled softly.

"You can still smile." Bai Changxia tossed a scarf onto her, still shaken. "You should feel lucky you got your life back."

Shen Jianian took the scarf off herself, neatly folded it, and put it into the suitcase, her voice somewhat distant: "I actually don’t really want to go back to Beicheng."

Bai Changxia slowly stopped her actions, straightened up and looked at her, understanding her concerns.

That place was a source of grief for her, evoking emotions from the surroundings.

"Don’t worry, I’m with you." Bai Changxia walked behind the sofa, placed her hands on Shen Jianian’s shoulders, and gently patted twice, "If you’re not happy, call me anytime and I’ll be there."

"Xiaxia, it’s so good to have you." Shen Jianian sincerely thanked her.

"Alright, stop saying mushy things. Hurry up and check if there’s anything missing."

Bai Changxia had a cold personality, not suited for sentimentality, only losing composure during the time Shen Jianian disappeared.

Shen Jianian patted her cheeks to perk up and joined her in tidying up.

Bai Changxia changed the topic, saying, "I’ve come to completely believe Fu Jichen treats you well—look at your food, clothes, and everyday items—all high-end stuff. Even that cello, I glanced briefly, must have been bought for a fortune?"

"You mean that cello from Yan Qiusheng?"

"Oh my god, no wonder it looks invaluable, it’s actually Yan Qiusheng’s cello!" Bai Changxia’s eyes were full of surprise, "He doesn’t even appear in public now—his cello must be a collector’s item."

"Probably." Shen Jianian said, "Fu Jichen bought it from an auction."

Shen Jianian mentioned a number, and Bai Changxia gave her an even more shocked look than before, followed by a series of "tsk tsk," "Fu Jichen is really generous with you."

Shen Jianian smiled faintly, without commenting, and closed the filled suitcase.

"Don’t smile." Bai Changxia analyzed seriously, "Even if he covets your beauty, there’s no need to go to such lengths. After all, you have a prior agreement, and if he wants anything from you, it would be just a matter of saying."

"What are you trying to say?" Shen Jianian looked at her, knowing she had something up her sleeve.

Sure enough, Bai Changxia hugged her with meaningful intent: "Could it be that Fu Jichen has genuine feelings for you?"

"That’s not the case, don’t speculate."

Without a moment’s hesitation, Shen Jianian immediately shattered Bai Changxia’s dream.

"How can you be so sure?" Bai Changxia was curious about her inner thoughts.

Shen Jianian turned her head to look out the window—the sun was shining brightly today, casting golden light inside, illuminating the fresh-cut bouquet on the table, with petals bordered by a circle of fine gold—it was beautiful.

If she had to explain why, she couldn’t put it into words—it was a strange yet certain feeling, that Fu Jichen’s kindness carried some purpose.

During that period, his affection for her was too high-profile. All circles in Yicheng heard about the woman by Fu Da’s side, even if they didn’t know the woman’s name, they could certainly recount Fu Da’s various favors towards her.

It didn’t fit Fu Jichen’s inherently deep and reserved nature.

The next morning early, Qu Mo drove Shen Jianian and Bai Changxia to the airport, going through security with them.

"You’re going too?" Bai Changxia turned to look at the tall, leggy, and well-built man, asking curiously.

Qu Mo spoke little but had a noticeable presence. Under his neatly tailored black suit were firm muscles, full of strength—anyone could tell at a glance he was a trained individual.

"The boss instructed me to safely escort Miss Shen home," Qu Mo answered her question in a straightforward manner.

Bai Changxia turned her head back, whispering in Shen Jianian’s ear, "He explained it like a delivery service."

The three boarded the plane. Thanks to Shen Jianian, Bai Changxia was upgraded to business class, where there were only six seats in a row. She sat next to Shen Jianian, with Qu Mo sitting behind them, dutifully acting as a bodyguard.

When the flight attendant came to ask if they needed anything, Shen Jianian ordered an orange juice. Bai Changxia hadn’t rested well the previous night and didn’t want to sleep on the plane, so she asked for a cup of Pu’er tea.

The plane flew smoothly and landed in Beicheng after more than two hours.

Song Fang, having known their flight details in advance, arrived at the airport half an hour earlier and waited in the parking lot. After retrieving the luggage, Qu Mo called him and led the two ladies to the parked car.

The flight wasn’t long, so Shen Jianian wasn’t too tired. She sat in the car, gazing out the window. This was the city where she grew up, every landmark was so familiar, she hadn’t expected to return here again so soon.

She vividly recalled the state of mind she had when she left, carrying a sense of loneliness, despair, and unease about the unknown future, believing she would never return.

"Where does Miss Bai live?" Qu Mo, sitting in the front passenger seat, turned his head to ask.

Bai Changxia gave her home address, and Song Fang set up the GPS to drop her off first.

As she got out of the car, Bai Changxia grasped the handle of her suitcase and made a gesture to Shen Jianian in the car—a thumb and little finger extended, the other three fingers folded, against her ear: "Call me if you need anything."

The wind tousled her long hair, and she raised her hand holding the suitcase to tuck the strands behind her ear.

Shen Jianian waved her hand, smiling back, "Got it, go on in."

The black business car turned and drove off. On the road, Song Fang and Qu Mo chatted briefly, but realizing the back seat was overly quiet, they stopped speaking. One drove silently, while the other rested with eyes closed.

At Villa 6, Yunding Palace, the iron gate slowly opened to both sides. The car drove in and parked under the porch.

The housemaid, hearing the sound in advance, opened the door respectfully, waiting at the entrance.

Shen Jianian got out of the car, casually surveying the surroundings. The four-story white building was grand and imposing, much more austere than the lush Rose Manor she first encountered.

Every detail exuded a cold solemnity, lacking any sense of life.

Song Fang got out from the driver’s seat, standing by the car to tell Shen Jianian, "Today, Mr. Fu is being discharged from the hospital. Mr. Chen is at the old residence and will come by later."

Yunding Palace was Fu Jichen’s private residence, where others wouldn’t come to disturb her.

Shen Jianian pressed her lips together, softly responding with an "Mm," and walked inside.

The housemaid was prepared for Shen Jianian’s arrival, her face plastered with a broad smile. "Hello, Miss Shen, I’m Mr. Fu’s housemaid, Cheng Jin. I’ll take you to your room now."

Qu Mo put down the suitcase and left the villa with Song Fang.

Guided by the housemaid, Shen Jianian took the elevator to the third floor and turned left to the first room. The housemaid opened the door, "It’s been redecorated according to Mr. Fu’s instructions. Let me know if anything isn’t to your satisfaction."

Shen Jianian glanced around. All the furniture and decorations suited her tastes; there was nothing she was dissatisfied with.

"Please rest for a while. I’ll head down and ask the chef to prepare something for you to eat," Cheng Jin observed her expression and, seeing no intent to voice concerns, relaxed a little.

Shen Jianian rummaged through her suitcase for a set of loungewear and went to the bathroom to shower.

Just as she finished, Cheng Jin arrived, lightly knocking on the door, carrying a bowl of wonton soup made to her taste. She even knew her habit of enjoying side dishes, with two white porcelain plates filled with crispy veggie strips and cucumbers.

Here, aside from Fu Jichen, no one knew her dietary preferences. He must have informed them beforehand.

"I won’t disturb your meal. Call me if you need anything," Cheng Jin said, leaving immediately after setting down the items, giving her ample personal space.

Shen Jianian was indeed hungry, having only had an orange juice on the plane. She quickly devoured the satisfying portion of wonton soup, also finishing the side dishes.

After rinsing her mouth, she lay down on the bed to sleep.

The unfamiliar atmosphere made it hard to feel secure, so falling asleep was difficult.

She closed her eyes, replaying the events of the past few days in her mind, as if trapped in a time-lapse movie, dragging the timeline hastily, caught in a blur of confusion.

Just as Shen Jianian was drifting into sleep, the room’s unfamiliar scent was suddenly mixed with a familiar one. She slowly opened her eyes to find Fu Jichen sitting on the edge of the bed, looking down as he removed his watch.

The man before her, dressed in a shirt and slacks, possessed a sharply defined profile. Noticing her gaze, he turned his face, handsome and captivating in the dim light of the room.

"Did I wake you?" Fu Jichen tossed the watch onto the bedside table and reached out to gently touch the bandage around her neck.

Shen Jianian shook her head; she hadn’t fallen asleep at all.

"Since you’re awake, shall we talk for a while?"

As Fu Jichen suggested this, he was already pulling her up by the arm, wrapping an arm around her shoulder, and pulling her into his embrace, feeling a certain part of his heart settle in peace.