Chapter 231 A Protective Embrace
Jiang Ranxing has always been cold and distant towards him. It's been like this for a long time, so long that Fu Shenyuan can't even remember the exact time, and he can hardly recall what it felt like to have the gentle Jiang Ranxing by his side.
Fu Shenyuan gave a bitter laugh, his voice becoming noticeably hoarse when he spoke.
"Burning Star, don't try to persuade me anymore. I won't give up on you easily. No matter what you say, my feelings will not change."
Jiang Ranxing shook his head, wondering what was the purpose of such persistence.
"If you have nothing else to say, then forget it."
As Jiang Ranxing spoke, she walked around Fu Shenyuan and went downstairs. She had only come out of the bedroom to get some water, since the water bottle in the bedroom was empty.
Fu Shenyuan stopped her and said, "I have other things to do, it's about my second uncle."
Jiang Ranxing stopped and turned to look at him: "Tell me."
“I spoke with Wan Luyuan again, and when we mentioned this clerk, his expression was clearly off.”
After Fu Shenyuan brought Jiang Ranxing back, he drove to Wan Luyuan's house and talked to him about the pros and cons of the matter.
"Uncle Wan, I believe you know the inside story of this matter. In the past, perhaps only you knew, but that may not be the case now. If someone really dies in this, it won't be so easy to settle things with money."
Wan Luyuan knew he couldn't hide it from Fu Shenyuan anymore, and he didn't want to get involved in this matter.
"Shen Yuan, I have already resigned from the group, and that was before I signed the contract. I have never met that clerk or anything like that, so this matter has nothing to do with me."
Wan Luyuan's voice was somewhat weak, and Fu Shenyuan caught this weakness, which instantly became Wan Luyuan's Achilles' heel.
Fu Shenyuan gave a brief laugh: "Whether it has anything to do with you, Uncle, is not necessarily something you can decide. Uncle should know very well what Second Uncle is capable of. What is black may not be black, and what is white may not be white. Besides, you and Second Uncle had such a close relationship before. Do you really not have anything in Second Uncle's hands?"
Wan Luyuan had this worry before, but he always had a bit of wishful thinking, believing that he wouldn't suffer any calamity.
But Fu Shenyuan's words today amplified his unease.
Seeing that the timing was right, Fu Shenyuan continued, "Do you think that if what my second uncle did is discovered, he will take the blame himself, or push it onto his subordinates in the group, or onto you, someone who has left but once held great power? My second uncle has always been ruthless, not even sparing his own brothers and nephews. What would he do to someone who is not related to him by blood?"
Wan Luyuan's face gradually darkened. Fu Shenyuan's words were all reasonable, which made him increasingly uneasy the more he thought about them.
Sweat beaded on Wan Luyuan's forehead. He swallowed hard and said, "Maybe no one knows about these things. These things aren't easily known. Besides, who would dare to touch the Fu family in City A?"
Fu Shenyuan chuckled softly.
"Uncle Wan, don't you understand yet? My grandfather's health is failing, and the peace between me and my second uncle won't last much longer. Even without outsiders, the infighting within the Fu family won't stop. You're not considering this now, you have to make a choice: continue to stand with my second uncle and become a scapegoat, or support me and ensure your safety for the rest of your life. The choice is entirely yours."
After Fu Shenyuan finished speaking, he waited quietly for Wan Luyuan's reply.
This time, Wan Luyuan wasn't being as smooth and roundabout as usual. He said, "But how can I guarantee that you won't betray me like your second uncle? You might use me and then kick me to the curb."
Fu Shenyuan didn't rush to refute, and spoke slowly and deliberately.
"I can't say for sure about everything, but you should know how I act. Between me and my second uncle, you know who is more like that ghost, right?"
Wan Luyuan gasped, and after thinking for a long time, Fu Shenyuan sat with him like that for a long time.
When the tea had completely cooled down and the last tea leaf had sunk to the bottom, Wan Luyuan finally made his decision.
"Okay, I'll trust you this once. I don't want money, I just want my wife and child, the safety of our family of three."
Fu Shenyuan didn't say anything, he just answered him with one sentence.
"Uncle Wan, don't worry. No matter what happens, I will make sure Xiaohui and Mai Mai are safe and sound. I will have someone make arrangements."
Fu Shenyuan recounted the events to Jiang Ranxing, who nodded in agreement.
"I'll talk to Xiaohui when I have time, and tell her and Mai Mai to be more careful. As for everything else, I'll leave it to you."
Fu Shenyuan said, "Don't worry."
Jiang Ranxing breathed a long sigh of relief, thinking that if she succeeded in this, her wish would be fulfilled.
Without Fu Hongkai as a ticking time bomb, the Wen family, or any other family or force threatened by Fu Hongkai, can finally relax.
Fu Shenyuan seemed to have heard her thoughts.
"After this is all over, is there anything you want to do?"
Jiang Ranxing narrowed his eyes twice, and actually began to think about this matter.
"I haven't figured it out yet. I'll figure it out when the time comes," Jiang Ranxing said calmly.
Fu Shenyuan hesitated for a moment, but still said, "When that time comes, whatever you want to do, I'll be there for you."
Jiang Ranxing glanced at him.
When that time really comes, the last thing she wants to do is stay by Fu Shenyuan's side. How could she possibly let him do anything with her?
Perhaps when that day truly comes, she will want to find a quiet place to completely empty her mind and think carefully about what she truly wants and can have in the future.
Jiang Ranxing decided not to continue talking to Fu Shenyuan and instead went downstairs.
This time, instead of heading to the restaurant, she asked the housekeeper for her car keys.
"Madam, where are you going? It's already dark outside. I can have the driver take you out."
Jiang Ranxing said, "Let's drive around for a bit and clear our heads."
"I see," the butler said, glancing at Fu Shenyuan downstairs with some concern. Fu Shenyuan nodded from upstairs, and then the butler found the car keys and gave them to Jiang Ranxing. "Then, Madam, please drive carefully tonight and be safe."
Jiang Ranxing nodded in acceptance of the housekeeper's kindness, took the car keys, got into her new sports car, and left the villa.
Fu Shenyuan also kept looking at the floor-to-ceiling glass windows from the railing downstairs until Jiang Ranxing's car disappeared from sight.
Fu Shenyuan sighed and turned back to Fu Xingyi's bedroom.
Jiang Ranxing drove aimlessly on the highway. The scenery in the villa area was beautiful and there were few cars. A cool evening breeze blew, clearing away much of the chaos in her mind.
When his phone rang, Jiang Ranxing immediately pressed the touchscreen in the car to answer it.
"Sis! What are you doing?" Mia's cheerful voice rang out.
“Driving on the road,” Jiang Ranxing replied.
"Oh? Where are you going, sis? Is there anything else going on so late? I was thinking of getting something to eat with you. There's a new restaurant that just opened near the studio, and I heard it's really good. I'd like to take you there!"
Mia said with a hint of regret in her voice.
"Okay, shall I go to the studio now, or where are you? I'll come pick you up."
Mia was delighted to hear this and said she would drive over as well. The two met at the studio.
Jiang Ranxing hung up the phone, turned around, and drove towards Binhai.
After Jiang Ranxing met Mia, Mia happily took her arm and whispered sweet nothings to her. Jiang Ranxing was touched by Mia's enthusiasm and soon started chatting with her as well.
After Mia led her into the store, Jiang Ranxing realized that it was a popular online store. At this time of day, it was packed with people. Some came to eat at the outdoor restaurant and take photos, while others came to watch muscular men perform striptease in the nightclub's drinking area.
"How about it, sis? Doesn't it have a great atmosphere? This is a very famous restaurant in City A. I heard the owner is really handsome, but there are no photos of him, so I don't know what he looks like."
Jiang Ranxing smiled helplessly: "I knew you didn't come here for the food."
"Oh, sis, don't expose me. It's only natural to like handsome guys. I heard the owner of their shop is here today, and since I'm not busy lately, I thought I'd come and check it out."
Jiang Ranxing smiled, sat down, took the menu from the waiter and flipped through it, casually ordered a few signature dishes, and then asked Mia to continue ordering.
Mia's mind wasn't on the menu at all; she pushed it back to her, saying, "Sister, you order. I'm fine with anything."
Jiang Ranxing didn't refuse and ordered a few more that looked good.
During the meal, Mia kept staring at the room but didn't see the rumored boss, which made her somewhat disappointed.
"Didn't they say we'd see it today? How come it's still fake news? How boring," Mia pouted.
Jiang Ranxing smiled at her: "Aren't you afraid your boyfriend will get jealous if he finds out you're looking at other men, Xiaomia?"
Mia said, "No, sis, he doesn't care about these things. Besides, I'm just a little attracted to the looks of other men, just like how people like to look at beautiful things. If I had to say who I really like, I would still like my boyfriend, and he understands me."
"I see, no wonder you two have such a good relationship," Jiang Ranxing said with a smile. "By the way, you've been together for so long, do you have any plans to get married?"
Mia shook her head: "No, we're both pretty free. If we get married, we'll have to have children, and neither of us really wants any. We think being happy together is more important. As for whether we'll want to get married in the future, we can't say for sure. We'll talk about it later. Besides, I'm quite afraid of marriage. What if he cheats on me and brings back a mistress or a third party? I'd be furious."
After Mia finished speaking, she realized that she had spoken too quickly and hadn't thought things through before saying it, without considering Jiang Ranxing's feelings.
"Sorry, sis, I wasn't talking about you, I just said it offhand."
Jiang Ranxing shook his head: "It's okay, I don't care, don't be nervous."
Mia breathed a sigh of relief and leaned closer, saying, "Sister, can I ask you why you went back to the Fu family? I don't believe you would dump Qingrang. What exactly happened?"
Jiang Ranxing was taken aback: "You also think there's something going on...?"
"Of course! Sis, those of us who know you know what kind of person you are. There's absolutely no reason for you to give up on Qing Rang and go find Fu Shenyuan to get back together with him. So there must be some concerns you have!"
Jiang Ranxing remained silent for a moment.
"If that's how you think, what will Qingrang think..."
Mia pursed her lips and said, "Sister, there are some things I still have to say. Brother Qingrang knows you even better than I do, so he knows what kind of person you are. There are some things that you simply cannot do. No matter what you say, it won't be convincing. So I think Brother Qingrang doesn't want to put you in a difficult position. I guess he's not having an easy time either. Of course, you must be having an difficult time too, Sister. Sigh, why does God have to make things difficult for people? I can't understand it."
Mia wasn't the only one who couldn't understand it; Jiang Ranxing couldn't figure these things out either.
Whenever she was about to experience beauty and happiness, something would always come to stop her, as if telling her that she was not worthy of happiness in this life.
As such incidents occurred more frequently, Jiang Ranxing herself began to doubt whether she was destined to be unhappy.
But everyone wants to pursue a better life. Even though they know that the road to happiness is full of thorns, everyone will pick up various weapons and shields to carve out a path for themselves. It all depends on who is braver and who has a better chance.
But between her and Wen Qingrang...
Jiang Ranxing shook his head.
"Maybe it's all fate, predetermined."
Mia waved her hand: "Okay, okay, let's not talk about this anymore. Let's eat something, sis. You're not eating enough. You've never gained weight. Being too thin isn't good either."
"Okay, you eat too."
Jiang Ranxing picked up a dish for Mia and handed it to her. Just then, there was a commotion at the door, and she saw Mia's eyes light up.
Wow! So handsome! Wait, why is he wearing a mask?
Mia was a little disappointed after seeing it clearly, and then pointed to it for Jiang Ranxing to see.
Jiang Ranxing turned around and looked at the door. A tall and handsome man stood there. Just by looking at his figure, he was undoubtedly a handsome guy. However, he was wearing a mask, and the restaurant was dimly lit, so he couldn't see the man's face clearly.
"Is this the owner of this shop? No wonder there are no photos of him online, he's covering his face."
Mia was somewhat disappointed, but her eyes still lingered on the man, scrutinizing him without any politeness.
Jiang Ranxing showed little interest in it. She glanced at it curiously a couple of times and then turned back to eat the food on her plate.
"Ahhh, sis, look! He's coming towards us!"
Mia's excited scream immediately drew Jiang Ranxing's attention back to her.
The man who had been at the door was now standing next to their table, and Mia observed his movements.
The man extended his hand to Jiang Ranxing: "Miss, may I invite you for a drink?"
Jiang Ranxing put down her chopsticks, looked at the masked man, and politely shook her head: "Thank you for the invitation, but I don't drink. I'm sorry."
After Jiang Ranxing finished speaking, the man did not move his feet, but maintained his inviting gesture.
Subconsciously, Jiang Ranxing sensed something unusual in the atmosphere, frowned slightly, and refused again.
The restaurant staff all turned their attention to this table, and some even took out their phones to take pictures and post them online.
"Look! The handsome owner of the trendy restaurant was rejected by a female customer! My god, she actually rejected such a handsome man, that's really hard to believe!"
"Yeah, yeah, if it were me, I would definitely have agreed. I heard that people who have drunk and danced with this boss say he is very gentle. I also want to experience it, but she actually refused."
The voices of some female diners nearby were heard by Jiang Ranxing and Mia.
Mia was a little interested in the handsome guy just now, but she immediately stopped looking down.
"What nonsense are you talking about!" Mia immediately stood up. "So what if my sister refused? She still insisted on going for drinks!"
Mia couldn't bear to see Jiang Ranxing being wronged, so she immediately went over and took Jiang Ranxing's hand.
"Let's go, sis, we've paid the bill and left. Seriously, this place is awful, we're never coming back!"
But the restaurant owner was clearly in a bind. If he let Jiang Ranxing leave, he would lose face even more, so he blocked the two of them from leaving, especially blocking Jiang Ranxing's path.
"Hey beautiful, how about a drink and a dance before you go? Don't make me feel awkward, okay?"
The man's gaze seemed to be filled with a viscous black liquid, making Jiang Ranxing feel uncomfortable.
"I've already said I refuse."
As Jiang Ranxing spoke, her brows furrowed with even more displeasure, but the man clearly did not want to let her leave so easily.
Before Jiang Ranxing could react, the man reached out to grab her, but immediately he fell to the ground and roared in pain. His mask was knocked off and fell to the ground, revealing a plain and ugly face.
"Who dares to challenge me in my own territory! You're asking for trouble!" the man shouted, breaking down on the ground.
The surrounding diners all looked over to see what was going on, and they all got a glimpse of the restaurant owner's true face.
"What the hell? Someone who looks like this is marketing himself as a handsome guy and wants to enter the entertainment industry?! What would he do in the entertainment industry? Just embarrass himself!"
"This guy is so ugly and he still tried to scam us, I'm speechless! Luckily, this beautiful girl didn't pay any attention to him, otherwise she would have really been taken advantage of by a pig. He's so ugly, I can't even bear to look at him!"
The diners who had just said that Jiang Ranxing wasn't him now started to speak up for Jiang Ranxing after seeing the man's appearance. At the same time, some people took out their phones to take pictures and videos of the man on the ground and immediately posted them online.
"Breaking news, friends! The owner of the 'celebrity restaurant' isn't handsome at all; he's an ugly man who's been preying on female customers. He's shameless!"
The restaurant instantly descended into chaos.
Jiang Ranxing was also startled for a moment, and then felt herself fall into the arms of a man who was full of protective intent.
Jiang Ranxing could even smell the scent on the person next to her, a scent she was very familiar with.
The voice pierced through Jiang Ranxing's chest, carrying a strong sense of protection as it surrounded his body.
"Are you alright, Ranxing?"
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