Chapter 73: Life is Really Hard

Mu Ruo cautiously pushed open the door.

The basement, as always, was understated yet luxurious, with the crystal chandelier casting a charming glow.

If it weren’t for the numerous bottles of alcohol on the table, Mu Ruo would have found the scene even more beautiful.

She picked up a bottle casually to take a look.

Oh no.

A bottle of Romanee-Conti from the year Mu Ruo was born.

One bottle down, and a Himalaya diamond-encrusted handbag was gone.

Fu Jianzhi was on the sofa, his tie loosened, and the top two buttons of his shirt undone, revealing a prominent collarbone.

Mu Ruo found it oddly sensual, but even though Fu Jianzhi was attractive, he was not someone you’d dare to approach. Perhaps it was because he gave off such a complex vibe, as if he belonged to a different world.

Fu Jianzhi’s face was pale. Seeing the disheveled bottles on the table, Mu Ruo guessed that he must be completely drunk by now. After hesitating for a moment, she went to grab Fu Jianzhi’s arm. “Mr. Fu? Mr. Fu? I’ll help you back to your room to rest.”

He suddenly opened his eyes.

Fu Jianzhi’s eyes were narrow at the corners, with deep-set brows and a somewhat mixed-race feel. His extreme handsomeness made him seem like a character from a dating sim game who had stepped into reality, his features flawless and without blemish.

Mu Ruo was startled by his cold gaze. Just as she was about to retract her hand, Fu Jianzhi suddenly grabbed her wrist.

The delicate white wrist of the girl looked especially slender in the large, powerful hand of the man, forming a stark contrast under the light.

At this moment, Fu Jianzhi lacked his usual gentle demeanor. His gaze was as chilling as a cold-blooded animal, making it impossible to understand what lay hidden in the depths of his eyes.

Mu Ruo: “Fu—”

Before she could finish, Fu Jianzhi pressed her down into his embrace.

The difference in size and height left Mu Ruo with no room to resist. Just as she wondered if Fu Jianzhi might get out of control due to his drunken state, his cold hand suddenly gripped her slender neck. “Do you want to die with me?”

Mu Ruo: “!!!”

Mu Ruo really did not want to die.

She hadn’t even spent all the money in her bank account yet.

Moreover, she couldn’t make sense of it.

Fu Jianzhi was worth millions, a person living a more fortunate life than the heroes in a typical power-fantasy novel. How could he be so despondent?

Mu Ruo carefully grasped Fu Jianzhi with her other hand. His grip tightened momentarily and then loosened again.

“Um… I think living is quite good.” Mu Ruo wasn’t sure if he could understand her words, as many times a drunk person is unaware of their surroundings. “Mr. Fu, maybe you’re under too much work pressure. You need to rest properly. Let me help you to bed, okay?”

Fu Jianzhi released her hand completely, his icy eyes fixed on Mu Ruo.

In fact, Fu Jianzhi was very calm in this state. The alcohol had made him forget everything happening in reality, immersing him in his own deep sea.

A sea floor ten thousand meters deep would have no light, no matter how brilliant the sunlight is; the water temperature would be below 3 degrees, and any creatures that appeared would be ugly and fierce sea monsters, or perhaps there would be no sea monsters at all, only bottomless desolation.

Mu Ruo’s mouth moved, but to Fu Jianzhi’s ears, there was only sound, without any substantive meaning. He couldn’t understand what she was saying, just as humans cannot understand the language of whales.

Suddenly, she extended her hand and carefully touched Fu Jianzhi’s forehead, testing his temperature.

Fu Jianzhi grabbed her wrist. “Do you want to jump off a building or into the sea with me?”

Mu Ruo: “I want to go upstairs and sleep, Mr. Fu. It’s already eleven o’clock; we should be going to bed for our beauty sleep.”

After eleven o’clock, it’s considered staying up late.

As an actress, maintaining good skin requires adequate sleep.

But Fu Jianzhi seemed to be deeply lost in his own world.

Mu Ruo didn’t know about his past or if he had any psychological issues.

In the original text, Fu Jianzhi was portrayed as the most high-profile man, incredibly powerful, with unparalleled wealth and influence.

How could someone like him, who seems invincible, possibly have any scars?

Why, after getting drunk, did his thoughts turn to death?

Mu Ruo was sitting on Fu Jianzhi’s lap. The position was quite awkward, but she couldn’t free herself from his hold.

Maybe Fu Jianzhi was inherently a particularly malevolent person.

When a lively little canary suddenly intrudes into his domain, he’d naturally want to drag her down to the depths of the sea.

He picked up a bottle of alcohol from the table and, without giving her a chance to refuse, fed Mu Ruo a mouthful. “Drink with me.”

“……”

The next morning, Mu Ruo descended the stairs with a pounding headache and a groggy feeling.

Butler Li handed her a cup of hot milk.

Mu Ruo: “I’m really suffering, truly.”

Her daily salary was 2.08 million.

Not only could she not match that level, but she also had to drink with her boss.

After getting drunk from two glasses, Mu Ruo couldn’t remember what had happened the previous night.

Butler Li: “……”

Mu Ruo lowered her voice. “Do you know your boss is thinking of dying? I’m afraid he might go mad one day and take me down with him.”

Butler Li: “Don’t worry. As long as Mr. Fu doesn’t fall in love with you, there’s no problem. It’s only if he falls in love with you that something might happen.”

Mu Ruo: “Really?”

Butler Li: “Have I ever lied to anyone?”

Mu Ruo hesitated. “Then do you think your boss might fall in love with me? I’m quite beautiful.”

“Butler Li: “No.” He said firmly, “Mr. Fu is usually very rational. He won’t fall in love with anyone. Madam, just make sure you don’t fall for Mr. Fu.”

Mu Ruo thought about it.

That’s true.

A rational Fu Jianzhi was the norm. A Fu Jianzhi who fell in love was an unlikely scenario.

In most cases, Fu Jianzhi was—

Mu Ruo looked at the man walking by.

As always, he was charming and graceful.

Fu Jianzhi sat at the dining table and smiled slightly. “Good morning.”

Mu Ruo mechanically replied, “Good morning.”

She bit into an egg yolk, and unsurprisingly, choked on it.

Mu Ruo quickly gulped down some milk.

Fu Jianzhi watched her series of actions, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.

“I was at a conference abroad and attended an auction in between.” Fu Jianzhi pulled out a velvet box and placed it in front of Mu Ruo. “Is your life so hard?”

Mu Ruo suddenly realized that Fu Jianzhi must have overheard her conversation with Butler Li.

She opened the box.

A 10-carat pigeon blood ruby brooch dazzled Mu Ruo’s eyes.

“It’s not hard at all, not at all.” Mu Ruo quickly pinned the brooch onto her knit T-shirt. “Mr. Fu, I will remember you for the rest of my life. You will always be my most beloved man.”

Fu Jianzhi raised an eyebrow. “Hmm?”

Mu Ruo, afraid of Fu Jianzhi misunderstanding and thinking she was violating the contract: “Uh, I meant, besides Lu Beichen, you are the one I love the most. The kind of love I have for my boss.”

Fu Jianzhi’s smile was more skin-deep than genuine. “Try it on and put it back. I didn’t say it’s a gift for you.”

Mu Ruo: “……”

Damn.

Life is really hard, truly.