SWNOVELS Chapter 39
Fu Chengyan finally packed up his work when it was past midnight. He then lit a cigarette and stood on the balcony gazing at the sky. It was deep into the night, and the Wutong Residence was surrounded by complete darkness. He let go only after the cigarette had been put out. Those pair of sharp eyes looked brighter than usual under the night sky.
Fu Chengyan dropped by the master bedroom. At this time, Shi Nuan was already sleeping peacefully, but the man continued to watch over her lest the drug took effect again.
As he stood by the bedside gazing down upon Shi Nuan, he noticed that the woman's initially scarlet face had now returned to normal. She looked exquisite.
Fu Chengyan could tell at first glance that Shi Nuan was a beautiful woman. He just didn't expect her to look this good.
With a smile, he pulled the blanket over her with his slender fingers. This woman looked rather unruly when she slept. This demeanor was different from her usual appearance on the surface. It was probably too warm for her and she gave the blanket a kick, revealing her bare shoulder.
At that very moment, Fu Chengyan's gaze deepened and his breathing became more rapid. He lowered his head to look at the sleeping Shi Nuan, then glanced at his own body. He was now feeling rather despicable about himself.
It seemed like ever since Fu Chengyan had met this woman, he... hadn't quite been able to restrain himself.
The phone by the window suddenly rang, sounding especially loud in the silent night.
With a darkened gaze, Fu Chengyan walked over and picked up Shi Nuan's phone. There were a few missed calls. Aside a few calls from Shi Yunsheng and Jiang Shizheng, Fu Xicheng's number dominated the call log.
Fu Chengyan's lips curled into a smile. He muted the phone and let it flicker on its own, paying it no heed.
This man had always been a bit of a troublemaker!
Shi Nuan couldn't really sleep well. The front half of her body felt like it was on fire, whereas the back felt like it was immersed in ice. It was only after she began to warm up slightly that she felt more relaxed and comfortable.
But for some reason, Shi Nuan kept feeling as though there was someone gazing at her from behind. She even felt the chills in her dreams.
She opened her eyes to find herself in an unfamiliar room. Shi Nuan was naturally in a daze after waking up. She stared dumbfoundedly at everything in this room. The lack of familiarity made her feel unsafe, especially since an air of masculinity filled the room.
The thought of this made Shi Nuan quickly pull her blanket aside and look at her clothes.
Her black evening gown was gone and had been replaced by a man's white long-sleeved shirt.
The shirt was so big that it reached her thighs, looking a bit funny on her. She stared at what she was wearing in shock and slowly began to come to her senses.
It was grandpa's birthday party last night and she had gone to the Shi family villa to celebrate. Then, Shi Wei had tried to make things difficult for her. This was then followed by her own father calling her over, drugging her and sending her to Yun Shen. Then... Fu Chengyan's face suddenly flashed in her mind. It was him?
As the memories from last night began to resurface in her mind, Shi Nuan turned pale and couldn't help but tremble slightly.
She knew how much her parents favored her sister, but she had believed that no matter what, they were still her parents. Yet, Shi Nuan had not expected that they would sacrifice her just for the sake of Shi Wei and Huancheng. They had actually sent her to Yun Shen in exchange for two hundred million worth of funds.
So these are my own parents. So they've never actually thought about me at all.
Marriage?
If the agreement was to get me to marry him, why would they send me to his bed in such a rush?
"You're awake?"
A man's clear voice rang across the room, interrupting Shi Nuan's thoughts. She cautiously took a few steps backwards, only to accidently bump into the bed behind her and fall onto it. She looked rather pale. Fu Chengyan raised an eyebrow at the sight of Shi Nuan behaving this way. Is she frightened?
Realizing how she had overreacted, Shi Nuan smiled awkwardly. "Mr. Fu!"
"Mhm," Fu Chengyan nodded. "Good to see you're awake. Are you feeling unwell? There's some medicine on the table for your fever."
"Fever?" Shi Nuan asked in shock. "I don't have a fever. Was it you who saved me last night, Mr. Fu?"
Fu Chengyan squinted and replied with a smile, "Obviously!"
Shi Nuan took a deep breath. She didn't want to be indebted to this man, but he had still saved her. "Thank you! But my..." Shi Nuan awkwardly looked at the clothes she was wearing. "These clothes."
"I changed you into it!" Fu Chengyan said without any hesitation. "There were no maids or women in this house, so I'm sorry about this, Ms. Shi."
Shi Nuan bit her lip as she blushed. How could he say such a thing so straightforwardly?
Shi Nuan was rather embarrassed, feeling as though she had exposed her entire being to Fu Chengyan, which seemed to be a regular occurrence when she was around him. "Ah... That's not what I meant. I'm asking where my clothes are!"
"Hmm?" Fu Chengyan raised his brow. It was obvious that the woman was embarrassed, but she was trying so hard to not show it, making her actions unnatural and awkward. He could only smile helplessly. "It's probably not dry yet! I don't have a washing machine here. All my clothes get sent out to be cleaned," he explained. "Are you hungry?"
Shi Nuan felt hungry the moment he asked that question.
She hadn't had anything when she went to the Shi family home last night. She spent all night walking around and had only filled her stomach before heading over.
As Shi Nuan nodded, Fu Chengyan pointed towards the bathroom and said, "There's a new set of toothbrush and toothpaste. Go wash up and come on down for some food when you're ready!"
"OK!"
As Shi Nuan watched Fu Chengyan turn to leave, she covered her face, which felt like it was burning uncontrollably.
Shi Nuan speedily entered the bathroom and realized Fu Chengyan's taste was really extraordinary. Whether it was the bedroom or bathroom, the interior design of each room was top-class.
Judging by the brand new products on the sink, it was clear that Fu Chengyan had prepared these long ago. Shi Nuan felt her heart warm at the sweet gesture.
It was only after walking out of the bedroom did she realize it was Fu Chengyan's master bedroom. A strange thought suddenly crossed her mind.
Fu Chengyan stood below stairs watching Shi Nuan remain in place instead of coming down. He then gave the railing a light knock and asked, "Are you not hungry, Ms. Shi?"
Shi Nuan regained her composure and replied, "Sorry to trouble you, Mr. Fu."
She followed Fu Chengyan into the dining hall and realized how big the place was. Does Fu Chengyan live alone in this huge house? "Do you not live with your family, Mr. Fu?”
Fu Chengyan raised an eyebrow. The moment his cold gaze met her eyes, Shi Nuan couldn't help but quiver slightly. She didn't expect Fu Chengyan's eyes to look this cold. Feeling rather awkward, she pulled a chair out but remained standing for a long time.
Fu Chengyan retracted his gaze and his lips curled into a light smile. "Family? I don't have one yet!"
Shi Nuan's heart began to race uncontrollably, making her feel at a loss.
Fu Chengyan merely smiled and took out a pot of porridge from the kitchen. "It couldn't be helped last night. I had to lower your body temperature. The doctor said you might have a fever today, but since you're feeling alright, then that's naturally a good thing. You should eat some lighter food today!"
Shi Nuan looked at Fu Chengyan in surprise. He looked very different from the past few times she saw him. Today, Fu Chengyan wasn't in a suit. He merely wore a set of light grey casual clothes, but he still looked so good.
But she didn't expect the man to have such a homely side to him. He could even cook!
"It smells so good," Shi Nuan said as she took a whiff.
Fu Chengyan smiled and filled a bowl of porridge for Shi Nuan. "Then give it a try. I only started making it this morning, so there wasn't much time!"
"No, it's better than what I make," Shi Nuan said truthfully as she ate a mouthful. Fu Chengyan wasn't just handsome; he was also capable and could cook so well too.
Fu Chengyan squinted. He seemed pleased by Shi Nuan's reaction. "Since you find it good, help yourself to some more!"
"OK!" Shi Nuan nodded, but froze the very next second. She looked up at Fu Chengyan and the memories from last night's incident reappeared in her mind.
Shi Nuan remembered what Shi Jingzheng had said to her: she was still of use. She also remembered how she held onto Fu Chengyan on the edge of the balcony and even made a move on him. Fu Chengyan...
Shi Nuan bit her lip while gently stirring her bowl of porridge. "Mr. Fu, do you stand by your words from that day?"
She thought about it. If she really had to marry someone, then Fu Chengyan certainly wasn't a bad choice. At least she still had a say in this. At least this man was once her maternal grandpa's student and the old man knew him. At least grandpa Shi seemed to like him. At least he wouldn't decide everything on his own. At least she wouldn't have to submit herself and marry Yun Shen... or end up as Yun Shen's toy. That man, Yun Shen, was well-known across Jiang City for his 'honorable deeds'. Yet, her own father had decided to give her away to such a man just for money.
Shi Nuan bit her lip until it almost tore. She lowered her head and gripped the spoon, feeling rather nervous.
Fu Chengyan's eyes narrowed as he looked at Shi Nuan. "What words?"
Shi Nuan looked up at Fu Chengyan in shock with a flushed face. She was embarrassed but didn't know what to say.
She had only considered that Fu Chengyan would either respond with a Yes or No, but she didn't expect this third response. What could she say?
"Hmm?"
Fu Chengyan put his spoon down and tapped the dining table with his slender fingers. He gazed at Shi Nuan with his pair of cold eyes, making the woman feel vulnerable. She could only grit her teeth and look at Fu Chengyan. "You said you'd marry me. Do you stand by your words?"
Fu Chengyan raised his brow. He didn't speak, but there was a hint of amusement in his eyes.
He made Shi Nuan feel so nervous, but hearing no answer from the man, she asked again, "Do you stand by your words?"