When Fu Jianzhi asked this question, it was almost with a do-or-die determination.
Not asking means not caring, and there's really nothing to ask.
But he didn't understand. The Ruan Chen of the past—the Ruan Chen of another timeline—cared so much about him, asking about his family history in great detail, and wanted to be with Fu Jianzhi every day. Ruan Chen would ask about everything, whether Fu Jianzhi went to a meeting, had a meal, or even went to the bathroom.
It was as if they were afraid of losing Fu Jianzhi.
Even though Ruan Chen is still the same Ruan Chen, and he is still the same him, only the timeline has changed and their meeting was more than ten years earlier, why does Ruan Chen no longer care about him?
Ruan Chen paused for two seconds, somewhat taken aback, "You want me to ask?"
She met Fu Jianzhi's aggrieved gaze, scratched her temple, and said, "I thought you didn't want me to ask—I asked the day we met."
"What did you ask?" Fu Jianzhi's hoarse voice was trembling with tears.
Ruan Chen was a little flustered. "I asked you what your name was, and you said you didn't remember. I thought you were a little idiot who was abandoned by your parents, but then I found out that wasn't the case at all. You're actually quite smart. So why did you say you forgot back then? Wasn't it just because you didn't want me to ask?"
"If you don't want me to ask, then don't ask. Why are you acting all wronged?" Ruan Chen tried to find a tissue in her pocket to wipe Fu Jianzhi's tears. After rummaging around for a while, she finally pulled out a crumpled pack of tissues from the corner of her backpack.
Fu Jianzhi: Is that so?
"Are you overthinking this?" Ruan Chen said helplessly. Teenagers are really hard to manage. "Fine, fine, if you want me to ask questions, just take me to your ancestral hall. I'll start by asking about the ancestral tablets of your first ancestor, and you can start telling me about the history of your Fu family's rise to power."
Fu Jianzhi felt a little ridiculous. All the turmoil and anxiety he had endured for so long was actually a foreshadowing that had been planted from the very beginning when they first met.
While the two were chatting at the door, a man and a woman hurriedly walked in.
Ruan Chen wasn't usually too concerned about strangers around her, but these two people had such striking presences that her gaze was immediately drawn to them.
The man was wearing a suit, which was slightly wrinkled, perhaps due to his anxiety, but overall he had a refined and cultured demeanor.
The woman linked arms with him, her cheongsam outlining the figure that inevitably changes with age, but it was clear that she had worked out diligently; her calves and arms were muscular and had smooth lines.
The two look very much like a married couple; at first glance, they appear to be a model of a loving and affectionate couple.
What attracted Ruan Chen the most was the scholarly air about the couple.
She instinctively looked towards Feng Shuang inside.
She knew that Feng Shuang had parents who were university professors—Feng Yuankai and Ruan Chen had mentioned it when they were chatting, and he seemed quite proud of it.
“Let’s go.” Ruan Chen pulled Fu Jianzhi along after them.
Fu Jianzhi whispered in Ruan Chen's ear, "Ruan Chen, are you really planning to make her parents pay three million? Actually, five million wouldn't be unreasonable. This painting is definitely worth that price if it goes up for auction."
Ruan Chen is too lazy to correct Fu Jianzhi's way of addressing him anymore; let the rebellious kid do what he wants.
"Dad, Mom." Seeing the two of them, Feng Shuang was obviously a little scared. Although she was usually a jerk at home, she still knew to be afraid of her parents, especially after making such a big mistake.
Feng's father strode forward and saw the mess on the ground and the painting that hadn't been cleaned up yet. His brows furrowed deeply, and he gave Feng Shuang a look of disappointment and frustration.
“I thought you knew your limits,” Feng’s father said, his voice filled with deep disappointment. “Feng Shuang, I remember how obedient and sensible you were before you even started high school. I’ve been waiting for you to turn over a new leaf and realize your mistakes, but it seems I was wrong.”
Feng Shuang's mother has already gone to negotiate compensation with the staff. She brought several bank cards with her. Although her eyes were full of exhaustion and heartache, she restrained herself and handled the matter with gentleness and politeness.
The two were in sync, perhaps having discussed it beforehand, and neither reprimanded Feng Shuang in public, but instead dealt with business.
"Feng Shuang, after you've finished dealing with things here, come back to No. 1 Middle School with Dad. Grandpa is waiting for us."
Feng Shuang tensed up immediately, "What are you going to do?!"
Mr. Feng gestured for his daughter to lower her voice, frowning. "Your mother and I discussed it on the way here, and we both agree that your current situation is not suitable for the teaching pace of No. 1 High School, nor does it fit the educational model we've been using for you all these years. I have a friend who works at a semi-closed high school in a county down below, and he'll make arrangements for you."
As Feng's father spoke, Feng Shuang's face gradually turned pale.
She thought the worst outcome would be that she would be scolded, get a few slaps, have her allowance cut off, and then her parents would become stricter with her—all of which were within her psychological tolerance.
But what about attending a semi-closed high school in the county?
How can I be with a bunch of bumpkins who don't even know what a Birkin bag is?
Living in a dormitory filled with the smell of sweat?
There's also the substandard synthetic running track, the outdated school building...
Feng Shuang became increasingly frightened as she thought about it.
Mr. Feng felt a pang of sympathy and said, “We know you might find the conditions there a little hard to accept at first, but your mother has taken a long leave of absence and will stay with you for a while until you get used to it.”
"I'm not going!" Feng Shuang screamed. "Why? I didn't break the painting on purpose! It's not my fault!"
Her eyes suddenly lit up, and she turned her anger back on Ruan Chen. "It's all her fault! Dad, she bullied me at school first today, and I got so angry that I threw things at her!"
She suddenly realized that it was indeed Ruan Chen's fault. If Ruan Chen hadn't tricked her today, she wouldn't have gone for a walk after school in a bad mood, wouldn't have run into Fu Xing, and wouldn't have come to this damn art exhibition!
Following the direction Feng Shuang was pointing, Feng's father saw Ruan Chen standing there, looking completely bewildered.
Seizing the opportunity, Fu Jianzhi whispered in Ruan Chen's ear, "Ask him for five million. If we don't teach your classmate a lesson, she won't know her place!"
Ruan Chen: "Hey, I mean, didn't we just exchange our first words this afternoon?"
Feng Shuang wanted to say something, but was interrupted by her father, "Feng Shuang, shut up!"
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