Chapter 14: “Don’t Move.”

Mu Ruo hadn’t held hands with many men before.

The moment Fu Jianzhi’s hand clasped hers, she felt a bit awkward.

Fu Jianzhi’s fingers were long and well-defined, slightly cool to the touch, and his hand was much larger than Mu Ruo’s, almost covering her small hand completely.

Zhou Yanhui and the young woman in white beside her both focused on the hands of Fu Jianzhi and Mu Ruo.

Fu Jianzhi led Mu Ruo upstairs.

His tone was warm and indulgent, a stark contrast to his previous demeanor with Zhou Yanhui: “Why aren’t you wearing your wedding ring? Where’s your diamond ring?”

Although the original Mu Ruo was married, she didn’t want to acknowledge her marital status, so she had hidden her wedding ring.

Mu Ruo wasn’t sure where she had hidden it.

Fu Jianzhi, however, wore a simple yet exquisitely designed wedding band, which made his long fingers look even more elegant, even somewhat sensual.

Mu Ruo: “I forgot to wear it.”

“If you keep forgetting things so easily, I’ll have to punish you.”

Even though Mu Ruo knew that everything Fu Jianzhi was doing was an act, part of a performance, she still felt a bit dazed in conversation with such a distinguished and attractive man.

Fu Jianzhi had a unique aura.

He could make you perceive him in whatever way he wanted you to.

In front of his subordinates, he was the strict, imposing boss.

In front of friends, he was a witty and humorous companion.

In front of a lover, he was charming and courteous.

No one could truly tell which was his real self.

Mu Ruo felt inexplicably that Fu Jianzhi was more suited to be an actor than herself.

Zhou Yanhui’s expression darkened as she watched the scene.

The girl in white beside her seemed on the verge of tears, biting her lip tightly while staring at Fu Jianzhi’s back.

Mu Ruo followed Fu Jianzhi upstairs and stopped at a door. Fu Jianzhi opened the door and then shut it with a loud bang.

As soon as the door closed, Fu Jianzhi let go of Mu Ruo’s hand, and the warm and affectionate expression on his face vanished completely.

Mu Ruo: “Mr. Fu, your grandmother looks quite young.”

“She’s not my biological grandmother,” Fu Jianzhi said. “I thought you remembered.”

Mu Ruo touched her forehead. “I used to remember, but I had a high fever recently, and some things have become unclear.”

Fu Jianzhi quietly watched Mu Ruo acting in front of him, not exposing her.

Mu Ruo, feeling embarrassed, said: “Mr. Fu, could you tell me about your family?”

Fu Jianzhi ignored her and went straight to wash his hands.

Mu Ruo knew that powerful people often had cleanliness obsessions and would wash their hands after shaking hands with a woman.

She followed him: “Come on, let’s talk. It’s boring with just the two of us, and talking will make it less dull.”

Fu Jianzhi: “There are more interesting things for a man and woman alone together, would Madam like to know?”

Mu Ruo: “…No thanks.”

After washing his hands, Fu Jianzhi dried them.

Mu Ruo tried to retaliate against his coldness by washing her hands too: “Ugh, shaking hands with a man I don’t like is really annoying.”

Fu Jianzhi: “…Twenty million.”

Mu Ruo: “I’m sorry.”

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

Fu Jianzhi suddenly reached up and removed the hairpin holding Mu Ruo’s hair up.

Her long hair tumbled down instantly, and the faint scent of her hair brushed past Fu Jianzhi’s nose.

Mu Ruo was surprised and hadn’t reacted when Fu Jianzhi pressed her against the wall. “Don’t move.”

His cold lips brushed against Mu Ruo’s ear, making her ears flush red, and she stood completely still.

The door creaked open.

The girl in white, holding a fruit platter, entered the room and saw Fu Jianzhi and Mu Ruo in such an intimate position. The fruit platter slipped from her hands and fell to the floor: “Jianzhi, you two…”

The girl’s tears fell uncontrollably, like pearls strung on a broken necklace.

But she still forced herself to speak: “Sorry, I just wanted to bring you a plate of fruit. I didn’t mean to… disturb you.”

After saying this, the girl picked up the scattered fruit from the floor, crying as she left.

Mu Ruo clenched her teeth.

Fu Jianzhi released her.

If this had been the old Mu Ruo, Fu Jianzhi wouldn’t have bothered with such measures. Maintaining a superficial friendliness would have been enough.

But now—

Fu Jianzhi looked at her current appearance and suddenly smiled: “Twenty million.”

Mu Ruo immediately felt like she had been stepped on the tail, and forced a cheerful expression: “It’s my honor to have such close contact with Mr. Fu.”

Zhou Niannian ran out crying, and when she saw Zhou Yanhui, she cried even harder: “Jianzhi, she and that woman… they were…”

Seeing Zhou Niannian like this, Zhou Yanhui immediately understood everything.

The Fu family mansion was rarely visited by Fu Jianzhi. Zhou Niannian, who lived here for years, had come to see herself as the Fu family’s young lady.

If Fu Jianzhi’s door wasn’t locked, Zhou Niannian would often barge in after knocking without waiting for permission.

If Fu Jianzhi and Mu Ruo had been intimate, it would definitely have upset Zhou Niannian.

Zhou Yanhui couldn’t help but scold Zhou Niannian: “It’s just a small matter, is it worth crying like this? They’re a married couple; it’s normal for them to do whatever they want in their room.”

Zhou Niannian covered her face: “Why? That woman comes from a lowly background. How does she deserve Jianzhi? Aunt, didn’t you say their marriage was just a facade?”

Zhou Yanhui hadn’t anticipated this situation today.

She thought she understood Fu Jianzhi well.

Fu Jianzhi’s parents must have left him with deep psychological scars.

Fu Jianzhi was highly intelligent, self-controlled, and knew exactly what he wanted. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t be very close to women.

Compared to ordinary families, the Mu family was wealthy with nearly a billion in assets.

However, in the eyes of the Fu family, the Mu family was a small, insignificant clan without deep heritage.

Fu Jianzhi marrying a daughter from such a family was likely a maneuver to counterbalance and prevent Zhou Yanhui from arranging a marriage for him through his elders.

After carefully observing Mu Ruo’s appearance, Zhou Yanhui realized that she indeed had a captivating beauty.

Even the most beautiful women Zhou Yanhui had seen paled in comparison to Mu Ruo.

It was quite normal for Fu Jianzhi to be attracted to such a woman.

“Don’t worry, Fu Jianzhi will definitely divorce this woman,” Zhou Yanhui reassured Zhou Niannian. “Since you like Fu Jianzhi so much, he will surely be yours. Niannian, dry your tears and get yourself together.”

Zhou Niannian nodded through her sobs.

She had liked Fu Jianzhi for years and wasn’t about to give up.

—That woman named Mu is just an outsider.