Chapter 23: The Ironic Loving Couple

Ruan Liuzheng looked around just now but didn’t see any sign of her son.

Her heart grew anxious, and her gaze toward Fu Yanci became increasingly cold.

Fu Yanci looked up and swept a casual glance at her.
Then, in a rare display of affection, he reached out and wrapped his arm around her slim waist, pulling her down to sit on his lap.

With a smile and a hint of threat in his eyes, he said,
“Wife, why are you late? And the first thing you ask about is our son—aren’t you afraid I’ll get jealous?”

Ruan Liuzheng frowned and looked down at the hand gripping her waist tightly, a flash of disgust crossing her eyes.

The mere thought of what Fu Yanci might have done with Bai Wanqing in the past few days made her sick.

Suppressing the urge to vomit, she reached up to push his arm away. Her tone was icy:
“Let go. I’ll ask one more time—where is my son?”

Fu Yanci’s lips curved faintly. His dark eyes swept around the room, noting how the other Fu family members were watching like it was a show. His grip suddenly tightened.

He directly pulled Ruan Liuzheng, who was trying to stand, firmly into his arms. Then, leaning in close to her ear, his voice low and intimate, he said,
“Don’t worry, he’s upstairs sleeping.”

He paused, then his voice turned gentler but more threatening:
“Ruan Liuzheng, you’d better be smart tonight. The fact that I told you where he is means I’m not afraid of you going to him.
And I’m just as capable of making sure you never see him again.
You know what I’m capable of. Understand?”

His tone was disturbingly gentle.

Their closeness should have resembled that of a loving married couple.

But in this moment, Ruan Liuzheng felt a chill run through her whole body.
Her fingers curled slowly, her eyes locked onto Fu Yanci’s with a look of pure frost.

After a long moment, she said coldly,
“Fu Yanci, you’re ruthless… and heartless.”

To achieve his goals, he didn’t hesitate to use their child as a threat—a child who carried half his blood.

Fu Yanci smiled faintly, his lips brushing lightly against her ear as he whispered, his gaze icy.

“Ruan Liuzheng, don’t you know me by now? The Fu family rules are clear—you can make a fuss, but don’t go too far. Don’t push this to the point of no return.”

His words reminded her of the long-standing family code of the Fu household.
She couldn’t help but let out two sarcastic chuckles.

So hypocritical.

The Fu family was full of selfish, heartless people, yet their family code preached virtue and loyalty—on the surface, at least.

According to that code, once a Fu family member married, they were to remain loyal to their spouse for life.
Divorce was forbidden.
Anyone who cheated or fell in love with someone else would be punished by the family—best case, strict discipline; worst case, they’d be erased from the family registry and kicked out.

The Fu family used this rule to craft a public image of deep love and loyalty, earning praise throughout Yun City’s high society.

To this day, countless women still scrambled for a chance to marry into the Fu family.

If only they knew.

The Fu family put on a false front while being rotten to the core.
They hid their true natures under the mask of “devoted husband and father,” when in reality, it was all a farce.

Were they trying to move themselves to tears?

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At 8 PM, the Fu family banquet officially began.

Old Master Fu sat at the head of the table. Fu Yanci, the eldest grandson and current head of the Fu Group, sat at his left.

Naturally, Ruan Liuzheng was seated right beside Fu Yanci.

As for Fu Jingcheng, their son, he should have been sitting next to Ruan Liuzheng, but because Old Master Fu adored him so much, he had been seated right at the old man’s side—a spot even Fu Yanci couldn’t claim.

The rest of the Fu family sat according to rank and status, with no surprises.

After the old master gave a short speech about hoping for family harmony, the meal officially began.

During the meal, Fu Yanci took the initiative to serve Ruan Liuzheng some food, his demeanor gentle and affectionate.
“Liuzheng, try this. The chef here makes the best steamed fish!”

To make it even more convincing, he even deboned the fish for her.

Ruan Liuzheng looked at him with nothing but disgust.

She knew perfectly well that his display of affection was all for Old Master Fu’s benefit.

Fu Yanci cared about profit more than anything. But for the sake of her son, Ruan Liuzheng had no choice but to go along and play her part in this loving couple act.

She forced a smile, pretending to be pleased. In front of the whole Fu family, she ate the piece of fish.

Putting on a show—with Fu Yanci.

She had to admit, the chef was skilled.

But as she chewed, her thoughts drifted to Xie Qingcen.

His cooking was also delicious.

She wondered where he was now…

“Liuzheng, Liuzheng!”

Her thoughts were interrupted by Fu Yanci.

She looked up, irritation flashing in her eyes.

He had already gotten the reaction he wanted. What more did he want?!

Fu Yanci’s expression darkened slightly, but he lowered his voice and said,
“What were you thinking about? You were so out of it, you didn’t even hear Grandpa calling you.”

He reached under the table and gripped her hand, squeezing slightly—his eyes carrying a silent warning.

Ruan Liuzheng withdrew her hand and calmly looked up.
“Apologies, Grandpa. I was rude.”

Old Master Fu waved it off with a kind smile.
“It’s alright. It’s just a family gathering—no need to be too formal. Liuzheng, you and Yanci have been married for five years now. One child is a bit lonely, isn’t it? Isn’t it time to have a second? For a well-rounded family, don’t you agree?”

Ruan Liuzheng pressed her lips together and said nothing.

She didn’t believe for a second that the old man hadn’t heard about the scandal at the company.
Yet, from the moment she arrived, he hadn’t said a word about it—and now he was bringing up having more children.

Clearly, what mattered more was his grandson’s image and the Fu family’s reputation.

But she wasn’t a baby-making machine.

Why should she comply?

Her expression turned cold, and she rose to her feet. “I don’t—”

“Don’t worry, Grandpa!” Fu Yanci suddenly stood up and cut her off with a laugh, his arm sliding around her shoulder.

“We’re working on it! You’ll have a great-granddaughter by next year, for sure.”

His dark eyes looked steadily at her, a chilling threat hidden in his gaze.

Ruan Liuzheng’s heart sank. She looked coldly at him, then after a long pause, sneered and sat back down.

Fu Yanci’s hand slipped off, his expression darkening for a moment.

But in front of Old Master Fu, his smile never wavered.
He continued to play the part of the dutiful, perfect grandson.

Old Master Fu nodded with satisfaction.
“Good. I’ll be waiting for your good news.”

Fu Yanci replied confidently,
“You won’t be disappointed.”

After that, the conversation turned to trivial concerns and polite small talk.

Ruan Liuzheng felt utterly drained. Even the beautifully presented food before her couldn’t lift her mood.

She quickly found an excuse to leave early.

Before she left, she made sure to give her son a reassuring look—to keep him from worrying.