Chapter 68: Scheming the Little Girl

Fu Huaizhou lowered his eyes to look at her, his gaze deep and thoughtful. “There aren’t that many coincidences in this world,” he said.

Aside from the first time when he was drugged, which was a true external coincidence, many events that followed were orchestrated through favorable timing and circumstances. Even if things deviated slightly, he would have pulled them back in line.

“Now that we’ve gone public, are you still not going to come home with me to the Fu residence for dinner?” He raised his hand and gently pinched the soft flesh of her cheek, his thumb stroking lightly.

As soon as he mentioned this, Ruan Li felt a bit guilty. The last time she was at the Fu residence, they had both pretended not to know each other at all, and now they were claiming to be together.

“Let me mentally prepare a bit longer,” Ruan Li said sheepishly, a guilty smile on her face. “Besides, I think your family might not be ready to accept such a… big leap. Shouldn’t we give them a little more time?”

Fu Huaizhou could see she was trying to hide away like a little quail again. Every time, it was him pushing things forward until she had no choice but to face them.

So the days passed quietly, until one morning when Ruan Li dragged herself out of bed and saw Fu Huaizhou standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, talking on the phone.

At his feet, Lucky was biting and pulling at his pant leg. With no other choice, Fu Huaizhou sat on the window seat, bending down to scoop the kitten onto his lap, his long fingers gently stroking Lucky’s back.

Ruan Li squinted her eyes, enjoying the view from bed for a while until Fu Huaizhou hung up the phone and looked in her direction.

“I have two bad pieces of news. Which one do you want to hear first?” he said slowly.

Ruan Li rolled lazily in bed. “Whatever. I have enough money to spend and a man to… keep warm. Unless you’re telling me you’ve gone bankrupt, I can’t think of any bad news.”

“What if I did go bankrupt? What would you do?” Fu Huaizhou’s interest was piqued by her carefree words. He looked at her with amusement.

Ruan Li narrowed her eyes playfully. “Of course, I’d abandon you and work hard to keep a younger one. But if you beg, I might be generous enough to keep you too.”

Fu Huaizhou got up, placing the kitten back on the carpet. He walked to the bed and pinched her waist just hard enough to make her squirm. “Such ambitious plans. Too bad they won’t come to pass,” he said.

His expression turned serious. “The first bad news is that my mother just called. She said that Ruan Shu has been diagnosed as pregnant. She asked me to bring you back to the house for dinner.”

He put special emphasis on “you.” Ruan Li was momentarily unsure if this dinner was about the pregnancy or something else. She pressed him, “Did she specifically mention me?”

Fu Huaizhou nodded slightly. “Did you really think you could stall forever?”

“Pregnant? Didn’t you say she was taking birth control pills last time?”

He nodded again. “Contraceptives are not 100% effective, but this stunt is too clumsy. Even if she doesn’t carry it to term, there are ways to run tests. It all depends on what Fu Xingchuan wants.”

Ruan Li nodded, half understanding, half not, still feeling curious. She tugged at Fu Huaizhou’s arm, pestering him with questions. “If a girl is drunk, she would definitely feel the difference, but what about the guy? Would he feel anything?”

Fu Huaizhou gave her a sidelong glance, his tone slow and deliberate. “A man who’s drunk can’t get an erection.”

“Huh?” Ruan Li was genuinely surprised it was the first time she’d heard that. “But that night, you were still able to…”

Otherwise, how would their first night have happened? Ruan Li hadn’t lost her memory; she remembered how overwhelming that night had been.

“First, I wasn’t drunk to the point of losing consciousness. Second, I wasn’t drunk I was drugged.”

Ruan Li nodded, resting her face on his thigh, rubbing against him playfully. Picking up on his displeasure, she teased him, “So it was the effect of the drug that night, huh?”

Fu Huaizhou’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “If you want to test it again, I don’t mind,” he said, his hand slipping under her nightgown.

The sudden movement startled Ruan Li, and she flinched away. “I get it! I shouldn’t doubt you, okay? So what’s the second piece of bad news?”

Fu Huaizhou’s expression turned serious. “Did you know that you and Ruan Shu were both in the same orphanage as children?”

This time, Ruan Li was genuinely stunned. She racked her brain, trying to remember, but most of her childhood memories were a blur. She only vaguely recalled that the orphanage wasn’t very reputable. Over the years, it had fallen into disrepair and eventually relocated, leaving no trace behind.

“I… I don’t remember,” she admitted, frowning as she tried to recall what little she could.

Fu Huaizhou’s hand gently stroked her hair. “It’s been a long time, and many details are hard to trace. Don’t stress about it if you can’t remember.”

Ruan Li nodded slowly.

Seeing her looking a bit down, Fu Huaizhou picked up the whining kitten from the floor and placed it on the bed. Ruan Li glanced at the fluffy ball rolling around and teased him.

“I thought you said cats weren’t allowed on the bed?”

A faint smile touched the corners of Fu Huaizhou’s eyes. “One’s already up here, so what’s one more?”

---

At the Fu family estate, Ruan Li walked slowly, holding Fu Huaizhou’s arm, muttering under her breath, “What do you think the old lady will say? Do you think she’ll kick us both out?”

For the first time, Fu Huaizhou could openly hold her in his arms in a public setting, and he was obviously enjoying it. Hearing her anxious mumbling, he could only sigh lightly, amused.

“Don’t worry. If anyone’s getting kicked out, it’ll be me.”

Ruan Li looked up at him, doubtful, but when they entered the main hall, everyone was already seated. Her nervous gaze met the old lady’s.

“Finally decided to come see me?” the old lady asked with a trace of mock annoyance.

Fu Huaizhou let go of Ruan Li, who obediently sat next to the old lady. Just as she was about to explain their relationship, the old lady spoke first.

“Tell me, did you get tricked by my third son? He may look calm, but he’s a black-hearted schemer.”

Everyone was taken aback by this development, including Ruan Li, who was startled and looked up to see Fu Huaizhou’s expression one of clear expectation. She recalled his earlier words at the door.

Sometimes, “a mother knows her son best.”

The old lady insisted that Ruan Li share the story of how she and Fu Huaizhou, who seemingly had nothing in common, ended up together and kept it a secret from everyone.

Ruan Li thought back to how they first met and felt too embarrassed to speak. She stammered, “It was at… a banquet. We just happened to meet.”

“Which banquet? Why didn’t I hear about it?” The old lady was intrigued.

Feeling awkward, Ruan Li mumbled, “It was the family reunion party.”

Instantly, all eyes, including those of Ruan Shu and Fu Xingchuan, turned their way, their expressions complicated.

Seeing her flushed face, Fu Huaizhou chuckled softly, drawing everyone’s attention. It was rare for him to show such emotion; his smiles were less frequent than the company’s meetings.

The old lady’s gaze shifted to him, fully aware of her son’s scheming ways. “What are you laughing at? Nearly thirty, and you’re still plotting to ensnare a young girl!”