Chapter 315 Provocation
Shang Wu was standing with several well-dressed friends, having just finished their business and preparing to leave, when she happened to witness this scene.
Fu Yan instantly regained most of his senses.
He forced down his churning alcohol, stood up, and tried to make his voice sound normal: "Aunt Shang."
Jin Ting hurriedly wiped away her tears, lowered her head, called out softly "Aunt Shang," and quickly left the booth.
Her figure quickly disappeared at the bar entrance.
Shang Wu walked up to Fu Yan and looked at his slightly disheveled appearance: "Why did you drink so much by yourself? Did something upset you? Do you need me to call a driver for you?"
Fu Yan avoided her probing gaze, lowered her eyes, and said softly, "Thank you, Aunt Shang, but no need. I can manage on my own. I just have some worries on my mind."
Shang Wu looked at him, but didn't ask any more questions. She just sighed softly, "Then Auntie will go first. You should go back and rest early."
"Okay, Aunt Shang, take care."
Watching Shang Wu and her friends leave, Fu Yan sat back down in the booth.
He raised his hand and rubbed his temples hard, feeling his temples throbbing and his heart turning ice-cold.
...
The night was deep, and the Lu family villa was very quiet.
Lu Yuwu lay on the bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.
The phone remained silent; Fu Yan did not reply to her text message.
This silence, like a silent resistance, only made her more agitated.
The next day was the weekend, and Lu Yuwu had faint dark circles under her eyes and looked somewhat listless.
Gu Yan invited her to an art exhibition. She wanted to refuse, but remembering that she had said last night that she wanted to look forward, she forced herself to agree.
The art exhibition was not crowded and the atmosphere was quiet.
Gu Yan was as considerate and gentle as ever, patiently explaining the background and techniques of the painting to her.
Lu Yuwu tried hard to concentrate, attempting to banish the person who was disturbing her sleep from her mind.
"This painting uses very bold colors." Gu Yan stood in front of an abstract painting.
Lu Yuwu followed his gaze.
The vibrant colors assaulted her vision.
But for some reason, she thought of Fu Yan's peach blossom eyes, which were always full of intense emotions.
She's gloomy when angry, but radiant when she smiles.
Last night, when I wanted to kiss her in the car...
"Xiaowu?" Gu Yan called her softly.
Lu Yuwu snapped back to reality and gave a somewhat hurried smile: "Ah? Yes, it looks great."
Gu Yan noticed her obvious distraction and his eyes flickered, but he didn't point it out.
After viewing the art exhibition, the two had lunch at a nearby restaurant.
Gu Yan casually mentioned, "The school forum was very lively yesterday; everyone was discussing our situation."
Lu Yuwu paused, her hand holding the chopsticks still, and lowered her eyelashes: "Yes, I saw it. Did I cause you trouble?"
"How could that be?" Gu Yan smiled. "It's just a bit unexpected. Fu Yan seems to have reacted very strongly."
Lu Yuwu's heart sank, and she looked up: "What's wrong with him?"
"Someone saw him go to a bar last night and seem to have drunk a lot of alcohol."
Lu Yuwu gripped the chopsticks tightly, her knuckles turning slightly white.
He did care after all.
But what's the use of that?
He caused the misunderstanding himself, and he was the one who said the heartless words first.
"His affairs have nothing to do with me anymore."
Lu Yuwu lowered her head and stirred the soup in the bowl with a spoon, her voice muffled.
Gu Yan looked at her but didn't continue speaking.
He could tell that Lu Yuwu wasn't as carefree as she appeared.
Fu Yan was still very important to her.
A subtle, almost imperceptible bitterness welled up in his heart.
On the other side.
The Fu family.
Fu Yan didn't wake up until the sun was high in the sky.
He sat up, rubbing his temples, as the chaotic memories of last night gradually returned.
Everything made him feel bad.
Fu Yan picked up her phone; the screen remained blank, with no new messages from her.
He stared at the text message from last night for a long time, his eyes deep and unfathomable, but in the end he did nothing, simply throwing the phone back heavily onto the bed.
In the afternoon, he drove back to the Fu family's old house.
Seeing his pale face and dark circles under his eyes, Madam Fu couldn't help but grumble, "Did you stay up all night again? Or were you drinking? Look at you..."
"Mom, I'm fine." Fu Yan interrupted his mother, his tone irritated.
Madam Fu looked at him and sighed, "Are you still unhappy about Xiaowu? Shang Wu told me that the child has made a new choice. You should let it go. There are plenty of good girls in the world, why bother..."
"Mom!" Fu Yan suddenly raised his voice, startling Madam Fu.
Realizing he had lost his composure, he took a deep breath and said, "I'll handle my own affairs. Please don't worry about it."
After saying that, he turned around and went upstairs, locking himself in his room.
Madam Fu looked at the closed door and shook her head helplessly.
This child has always been stubborn; once he's made up his mind, nothing can change it. He's probably really messed up in this matter with Lu Yuwu.
It was evening.
After watching the movie, Lu Yuwu and Gu Yan took her home.
The car stopped downstairs. Gu Yan turned his head and looked at Lu Yuwu's profile, which appeared somewhat gentle in the twilight, and said softly, "Are you happy today?"
Lu Yuwu nodded: "Yes, thank you for keeping me company."
"You don't need to be so polite with me."
Gu Yan smiled, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Xiao Wu, I know you may need more time. It's okay, I can wait. I just hope you can give me a chance to truly enter your heart."
His words were sincere and inclusive.
A wave of guilt washed over Lu Yuwu.
She knew she wasn't being fair to Gu Yan; her heart was still with someone else.
"Gu Yan, I..." She opened her mouth, but didn't know how to respond.
"No need to answer me right away," Gu Yan considerately stopped her. "Take your time. Go upstairs and get some rest."
Lu Yuwu nodded, got out of the car, and said goodbye to him.
Watching Gu Yan's car drive away, Lu Yuwu stood there, her mind in turmoil.
Gu Yan is a good person; he is gentle, considerate, and respectful.
Being with him is very relaxing.
Stop thinking about other people.
Lu Yuwu turned around, preparing to go inside, but caught a glimpse of a figure leaning against a tree trunk not far away out of the corner of her eye.
Fu Yan.
He had been standing there for who knows how long, wearing a simple black shirt with the sleeves casually rolled up to his elbows, revealing his muscular forearms.
He didn't look at her, but stared blankly ahead, shrouded in an unyielding sense of loneliness and coldness.
Lu Yuwu's steps froze on the spot.
What is he doing here?
Are you here to see her?
Seemingly sensing her gaze, Fu Yan slowly turned his head.
Their eyes met.
The two stood facing each other silently, about ten meters apart.
The evening breeze blew, swirling up the fallen leaves on the ground and making a rustling sound.
In the end, Fu Yan said nothing.
He gave her a deep look, a gaze that seemed to etch her image into the depths of his soul.
Then he turned around, took long strides, and silently disappeared into the deep night, as if he had never been there.
From beginning to end, he did not take a single step closer to her, nor did he utter a single word.
Lu Yuwu stood there, watching that lonely, cold figure completely disappear at the crossroads.
The evening breeze brought a touch of coolness.
She suddenly realized that some things cannot be easily erased by simply looking forward.
The name Fu Yan was already deeply etched into her youth, and trying to peel it away would inevitably be accompanied by excruciating pain.
Lu Yuwu sighed and went back.
That evening, I was notified that I needed to attend an event.
The charity gala was held in the luxurious ballroom that night.
Shang Wu brought Lu Yuwu along to the event, hoping to broaden her daughter's horizons and help her relax and shake off her recent low spirits.
Lu Yuwu was wearing a strapless long dress, her long hair was tied up, revealing her slender and graceful neck.
Her makeup was exquisite, but it couldn't hide her listlessness.
Lu Yuwu quietly followed beside her mother, responding to the elders' greetings, but seemed somewhat absent-minded.
Halfway through the dinner, the organizers added a small segment to liven up the atmosphere.
Socialite talent showcase.
While ostensibly for entertainment, some families actually harbor the intention of showing off their younger generation and secretly competing with each other.
Several girls took turns going on stage, some playing the guzheng and others dancing ballet, each winning rounds of applause.
When it was Jin Ting's turn, she gracefully walked onto the stage, lifting her skirt, and sat down in front of the white grand piano.
She played a highly challenging Chopin etude, demonstrating masterful technique, rich emotion, and exceptional expressiveness.
When the music ended, thunderous applause erupted, and many people cast admiring glances at Madam Fu.
Jin Ting stood up, bowed slightly, and wore a polite yet subtly smug smile, her gaze seemingly casually sweeping in Lu Yuwu's direction.
Shang Wu gently touched her daughter's hand and asked in a low voice, "Xiao Wu, do you want to go up and try? Just for fun."
Lu Yuwu also studied piano, though not as specialized as Jin Ting, but she had a good foundation.
Lu Yuwu did not want to participate in this comparative activity.
She shook her head.
But Jin Ting suddenly laughed, "I heard that Miss Lu also studied piano. Why don't you play a different piece? What I played just now seemed a bit too sad?"
Seeing the subtle provocation in Jin Ting's eyes, Lu Yuwu narrowed her eyes.
"I've forgotten everything, and I'm not very good at playing the piano now, so I won't go up and embarrass myself."
"No way, it's just for fun. You think this is a competition? So what if you don't play as well as me? It's all about participation. What, you're too scared to even go on stage?"
Jin Ting gave a half-smile.
Seeing her defiant gaze, Lu Yuwu felt a surge of competitive spirit.
She nodded: "Okay."
Lu Yuwu walked onto the stage, sat down at the piano, took a deep breath, and chose a piece by Beethoven.
Her skill level is among the best in the amateur class, but compared to Jin Ting's dazzling performance just now, it is indeed slightly inferior.
Even after the performance ended, the applause remained enthusiastic.
Lu Yuwu calmly walked off the stage and returned to her mother's side.
Shang Wu held her hand and smiled gently: "You played very well, with a lot of emotion."
Lu Yuwu forced a smile but didn't say anything.
She knew she was not as skilled as others, and this public comparison made her feel even more frustrated.
As the banquet progressed, Lu Yuwu's mood became increasingly depressed, so she excused herself to go to the restroom to get some fresh air.
I had just entered the restroom and hadn't even had time to touch up my makeup when I heard a soft yet clearly sarcastic voice behind me.
"Oh, isn't this Miss Lu? You played so beautifully just now, I almost fell asleep listening to you."
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