Chapter 72: Tell You Later

Ruan Li stared at the news headline, feeling a rush of frustration. What did they mean by her “dream being shattered”? She had never once schemed to marry into some wealthy family. If someone handed her billions and told her to leave, she’d be the happiest person in the world.

The fact that this kind of manipulative news wasn’t taken down meant someone had approved it. As for who, she couldn’t say.

She lay on the bed, dazed, the cold moonlight filtering through the window. Just as she was about to drift back to sleep, the bedroom door handle turned quietly from the outside.

The man’s voice was low, but in the quiet room, Ruan Li could make out bits and pieces.

“I understand, Father,” Fu Huaizhou’s voice was tinged with exhaustion. “And regarding Ming Yue, we’ll discuss that later.”

Ruan Li’s ears perked up at the name a name she had never heard before in their daily life.

Silence fell over the room, and then the door pushed open. A streak of light from the hallway pierced through, causing Ruan Li to squint and rub her eyes in discomfort.

Sensing her movement, the person at the door quickly closed it.

“Not asleep yet?” Fu Huaizhou asked, standing by the bed as he began to undo his tie.

“Just woke up,” Ruan Li’s voice still carried a bit of drowsy raspiness.

“I’ll take a shower first.”

Silence returned to the room, broken only by the soft sound of water running. The frosted glass in the bathroom made his silhouette faintly visible.

Ruan Li felt a twinge of irritation. Here she was, going through medical exams, soon to face the reality of her body changing with pregnancy. Meanwhile, he still maintained those broad shoulders and narrow waist. Life really wasn’t fair.

Fu Huaizhou finished his shower quickly. When he came out, his body was still damp, and he slid into bed beside Nuan Li. She watched him silently.

“What are you staring at?” he asked in a husky voice.

“Weren’t you at Fu Corporation today?” Ruan Li asked after some hesitation.

“No.” He responded briefly, weariness evident in his brows. “I had to take care of something.”

Seeing that he had no intention of elaborating, Ruan Li didn’t want to seem too nosy, yet she couldn’t suppress the uncomfortable feeling.

“I heard that the Ming family’s young lady returned recently?”

Fu Huaizhou’s hand, which had been gently stroking her hair, paused. “Yes, why?”

“Do you know her? I heard she came back from the UK too.”

“Yes, we went to the same school, met a few times.”

This was the first proper response Ruan Li had gotten from him since he came home. “Then tell me about your time abroad. I’m curious.”

“Are you thinking of studying abroad too?” Fu Huaizhou teased, a hint of amusement in his voice. Ruan Li had studied design at Jing University, a top school, where many students chose to go abroad for further studies. However, her career in entertainment was booming right now.

“Are you going to tell me or not?” Ruan Li was annoyed at his teasing tone. Clearly, he thought of her education as inferior. Yet, her school was top-tier in Jing City.

“Nothing interesting to share,” Fu Huaizhou’s voice was calm. “I’ll tell you some other time. Let’s rest for now.”

The rustling of blankets was the only sound as Fu Huaizhou turned off the bedside lamp and closed his eyes.

In the days that followed, Ruan Li decided not to leave the house, waiting to see what Fu Huaizhou was up to. However, she ended up being dragged out by Ye Mian’s phone call.

When she arrived at Jing Pavilion, she was met with a tense standoff between Ye Mian and Shi Xun. The two looked as if they wanted nothing more than to never see each other again.

“What’s going on?” Ruan Li asked, unsure why she had been called in the first place.

Ye Mian turned her face away. “Talk some sense into him. He insists on quitting the industry and going abroad for further studies.”

Ruan Li was shocked, looking at Shi Xun. If it weren’t for the top-notch security at YuYuan, she might have thought he overheard her conversation with Fu Huaizhou last night.

“Why?” Ruan Li didn’t understand. Most people who went abroad were seeking to advance their careers, but Shi Xun had already reached the pinnacle of his.

Shi Xun sat quietly, his head down, and spoke in a low voice. “No particular reason. I’m tired of being a celebrity. I want to go abroad for a while.”

“Who can stop you?” Ye Mian was clearly frustrated. In the entertainment world, things changed so fast that Shi Xun might not easily make a comeback if he left.

Ruan Li was about to call someone. “I’ll get Shi-ge here to talk to you.”

“He already agreed,” Shi Xun said suddenly, standing up to pat Ye Mian’s head. “Don’t make it such a big deal. Maybe I’ll get bored and come back. And it’s not like I’ll be broke if I stop acting.”

Ye Mian pressed her lips together, staying silent. She knew Shi Xun loved acting, but in this field, opportunities were fleeting, and one wrong move could mean never recovering.

Ruan Li, sensing his firm decision, didn’t push further. “Then why am I here? I don’t think I can help.”

Ye Mian explained, “I thought, since you’re in the same industry, maybe you’d have some influence.”

Ruan Li was momentarily speechless. Not to mention Shi Xun’s situation she herself had to take a break for a year because of the little one growing inside her. Feeling guilty, she muttered softly, “I think taking a break when you’re tired isn’t a bad idea.”

She then reassured Ye Mian, “Don’t worry too much. With his looks and the backing of the Shi family, even if he disappears for ten years, there will still be roles waiting for him.”

Shi Xun shot her a grateful glance, and the tension finally eased.

As Ruan Li was about to leave, she thought of Fu Huaizhou’s recent mysterious behavior. Although she didn’t know what he was busy with, Shi Xun, being his close friend, surely did.

“What’s Fu Huaizhou been so busy with lately?” she asked directly.

To her surprise, the room fell silent, and both Ye Mian and Shi Xun looked guilty, exchanging glances. Ruan Li sensed something was off.

“What’s going on? Is there something I should know?”

She’d been staying at Yu Yuan and resting recently, so she wasn’t up to date on external news, nor was she particularly interested.

Ye Mian hesitated, then said cautiously, “We just heard rumors, not necessarily true.”

“Spit it out. What is it?” Ruan Li felt a sense of foreboding. “Does it have something to do with the young lady who just returned from the Ming family?”

Shi Xun and Ye Mian exchanged another look, then nodded slightly. Shi Xun explained gently, “It seems the Fu family does have intentions, but Third Brother hasn’t said anything yet. Don’t take it to heart.”

Ruan Li laughed coldly. So the entire Jing City was aware of the engagement rumors while she was left in the dark, lying low at YuYuan. “Engagement rumors are flying everywhere, and you think I shouldn’t take it seriously?”