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Inside Fu Corporation, it took less than ten minutes for the news of Ruan Liuzheng’s resignation to spread like wildfire. Everyone in the building knew.
Fu Yanci stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window. Between two slender, well-defined fingers, he held a cigarette. Wisps of smoke curled into the air.
His pitch-black eyes gazed coldly down through the glass.
The people below looked as small as ants.
Jiang Ze walked in from outside. Seeing Fu Yanci’s back, he paused slightly before reporting,
“President Fu, Depu—uh… Vice Director Ruan has left.”
Fu Yanci frowned slightly.
So she was serious this time?
She really had the nerve.
All this fuss over something so trivial?
Who gave her the audacity?
He extinguished the cigarette harshly in the ashtray, eyes flickering with cold anger.
After a moment, he let out a sneer.
“Then let her go. Replace the deputy finance director with one of our own. Don’t give the second branch of the family any chance to take advantage.”
“President Fu…”
Jiang Ze froze for a second, his eyes hesitant.
Based on what he knew about Ruan Liuzheng, she wouldn’t last more than a few days before crawling back.
She loved President Fu too much.
To the point where she couldn’t survive without him.
She had fought tooth and nail for her job at Fu Corporation. Would someone like her really give it all up that easily?
Jiang Ze simply couldn’t believe it.
He pressed his lips together and cautiously suggested,
“If we give the position to someone else, what if Deputy Director Ruan comes back in a few days? What do we do then?”
Fu Yanci let out a cold snort, turned around, and stared at him icily.
“You think Fu Corporation is a farmers’ market? People come and go as they please?”
“You think I’m some kind of charity? She walks out, and I’m supposed to save her a seat in case she feels like returning?”
He narrowed his eyes, voice low and threatening.
“Don’t forget who your boss is, Jiang Ze.”
The chill in his tone made Jiang Ze freeze. He quickly swallowed his doubts and nodded.
“Yes, President Fu. I’ll take care of it immediately.”
Fu Yanci withdrew his gaze and let out a faint “Mm,” then turned back to admire the city outside the window.
Of course, he knew exactly what Jiang Ze was thinking.
He was thinking the same thing.
That Ruan Liuzheng was just throwing a jealous tantrum.
Fu Corporation was the only way she could stay close to him. With how obsessed she was, there was no way she’d give it up.
But this time…
She had gone too far.
Fu Yanci lowered his gaze, the corners of his lips curling into a cold, thin smile.
It was time to teach her a lesson.
To remind her who was in control in this marriage.
Besides, just because Wanqing wasn’t blaming her, didn’t mean he wouldn’t.
The things from the past—Ruan Liuzheng needed to pay for them.
Xie Qingcen looked at Ruan Liuzheng and paused, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.
She was the first woman to see his face and not react with infatuation. In fact, she looked wary.
The unexpected reaction stirred a subtle sense of challenge within him—a man’s desire to conquer.
He studied her face—frail but stubborn, brows slightly furrowed. A light curve appeared at the corner of his lips as he gently explained,
“Don’t worry, I’m not a bad person. I just happened to run into this little guy on the street, and when I saw he was alone, I brought him to find you. Here—this is my business card.”
Under Ruan Liuzheng’s guarded gaze, Xie Qingcen pulled a sleek black card from his pocket. The gold lettering shimmered faintly, giving away the cardholder’s prestigious status.
Ruan Liuzheng lowered her gaze, looking at the elegant print. She pressed her lips together and finally accepted it.
“Thank you for your trouble. I’m Ruan Liuzheng.”
Xie Qingcen nodded and shook her outstretched hand politely.
“I’m Xie Qingcen.”
She retracted her hand, about to say something, when a sudden sharp pain shot through her stomach. Her vision blurred, her knees buckled—
And she collapsed forward.
“Mommy!”
Fu Jingcheng let out a panicked cry as Ruan Liuzheng’s eyes shut tight. She braced herself for the impact, ready to meet the ground face-first…
But the pain never came.
Instead, she heard a low grunt above her.
“Miss Ruan, careful!”
Her eyes snapped open.
Everything was dark, but the faint scent of sandalwood and the strong arm wrapped around her waist told her—
she had fallen into Xie Qingcen’s arms.
Realizing this, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
She pressed her lips together and tried to push herself off his chest with one hand, eager to escape the stranger’s embrace.
But as soon as she moved, a wave of pain tore through her stomach. Her pale, delicate face turned ghostly white.
“Ugh—”
Even her eyes welled up with tears from the agony.
Without a word, Xie Qingcen’s arm tightened around her—and in one swift motion, he scooped her up into a bridal carry.
Ruan Liuzheng was completely exposed to the sunlight.
She bit her lip, fists clenched, and pleaded weakly,
“Please… put me down.”
Her voice was cold but soft and powerless from the pain.
Xie Qingcen frowned as he looked at the pale woman in his arms. His deep voice left no room for argument:
“Don’t move. I’m taking you to the hospital.”
Without waiting for permission, he strode off toward the nearby parking lot.
Halfway there, he turned and called over his shoulder—
“Kid, follow me!”
Ruan Liuzheng lay on the hospital bed, an IV needle inserted into the back of her left hand. Her eyelashes trembled—she still couldn’t open her eyes, but her consciousness had returned.
She listened quietly to the conversation at her bedside, her brows furrowing despite herself.
Fu Jingcheng leaned on the bed, unaware she was awake. He turned his head, a hint of pride in his voice.
“Uncle, I wasn’t lying, right? My mom is super pretty, isn’t she?”
Before they got to the hospital, Mommy had already passed out from the pain.
But the doctor said she was going to be okay after the IV finished, so his worry gradually faded. He even remembered what had first brought him here—his secret escape from kindergarten.
He pursed his lips, a mischievous glint flashing through his big eyes.
Xie Qingcen sat elegantly on the sofa nearby. At Fu Jingcheng’s words, he turned to glance at the bed.
His long, narrow phoenix eyes darkened slightly.
In his mind, he recalled the moment earlier—her soft body in his arms, the subtle scent of jasmine rising from her collarbone…
His Adam’s apple bobbed slightly.
He lowered his gaze and gave a clear, firm answer:
“Mm. Very beautiful.”