Chapter 49 Rich Cow Dung
The chandelier cast a warm glow as the family sat at the dining table.
Ruan Ying seemed to be in a good mood today, slowly arranging her napkins, while Gu Zhi beside her was intently cutting his steak with his eyes down.
Despite the unpleasant things that had happened, they tacitly kept quiet about them, and Ruan Yi cherished the warm atmosphere of the family being together.
But she always felt that such moments seemed to vanish at the slightest touch.
Ruan Yi paused for a moment while scooping the coconut milk sago pudding with her spoon.
Looking at her mother across from her, the curve of her lips was deeper than usual, and even the fine lines at the corners of her eyes lifted up.
"Mom, you seem to be in a good mood today?"
Ruan Ying's smile froze slightly.
"I've just been feeling better lately, and my appetite has improved as a result."
My mental recovery is secondary; the main thing is that he... gave me far too much.
NovaVoy's initial betting funds have been received.
He even went so far as to send a batch of top-tier custom-made jewelry to his future mother-in-law, implying something more.
It's not one or two items, it's a whole batch. Ruan Ying wouldn't accept it. If he and Xiao Yi don't get along, he'll have to return it all.
Seeing her mother in such a good mood, Ruan Yi felt a warmth spread through her heart, and she didn't even notice the man gently pushing the still-warm plate in front of her.
"Xiao Yi, regarding the marriage arrangement with the Shen family, there's no need to rush. There will be a way to resolve it. However, Xiao Yi, perhaps you could get to know more... suitable people."
Ruan Yi: Has anyone mentioned the engagement?
"Why is Mom suddenly bringing this up? Is he a suitable person? I really can't find one."
Ruan Ying suddenly covered her mouth and coughed lightly, her tone carrying a hint of unnatural probing.
"Xiao Yi, what do you think of me?"
The small spoon fell into the coconut milk bowl, and Ruan Yi choked on the sago, patting her chest and coughing until her eyes were red.
"Sister, slow down."
Her hot breath brushed against her ear, and the man's hand was already on her back, gently patting along her spine.
With his other hand, he quietly grasped her hand that was patting her chest, and gently rubbed his fingertips against her wrist.
Gu Zhi lowered his eyes to wipe the girl's mouth, his eyelashes concealing the emotions in his eyes, something churning beneath his docile exterior.
"Mom! If you're going to use a metaphor, at least pick a proper one!"
Upon hearing her mother's words, Ruan Yi was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, almost bristling with anger. She pulled her hand back from Gu Zhi's palm and spoke while gesturing anxiously.
"Me and him? It's like a beautiful flower stuck in cow dung! Even if he's a powerful and rich cow dung, cow dung is still cow dung!"
Ruan Ying paused, wondering if this was a compliment or an insult.
"We're eating, kid. Stop making a mess. After all, I'm a professor."
This is probably how Chinese parents view the teaching profession.
But all Ruan Yi knew was that Fu Jingchen was a completely unpredictable pervert, and it seemed that her mother had really been deceived by his pretense of being a gentleman.
Although she couldn't figure out what Fu Jingchen was up to, could it be that he couldn't be a stepfather and wanted to be a brother-in-law instead?
They used her and her mother as ladders to reach Gu Zhi!
Ruan Yi became angrier the more she thought about it, her cheeks puffed up like a pufferfish.
A suppressed chuckle came from beside her, and the man's slender fingers reached out and gently poked at the girl's swollen cheek, his fingertips touching her delicate skin.
With that poke, the little pufferfish deflated, and Ruan Yi's cheeks instantly shrunk. She glared angrily at her younger brother next to her and slapped his hand away haphazardly.
"Not only did you not speak up for me, but you also embarrassed me!"
To the man, her complaining expression only made her seem more charming and adorable. He smiled and chimed in, "Mom, my sister's personality really doesn't get along with Mr. Fu. Let's not make things difficult for her."
The man placed his hand under the table and gently squeezed it to comfort her. Ruan Yi immediately straightened her back as if she had found an ally.
Ruan Ying looked at the two children singing in unison with a sense of helplessness.
"Mom was just asking. If someone could treat you like Mom does, and if you love each other, finding a man who is capable of handling everything for you would be a good choice."
Looking into her mother's eyes, which were filled with concern, Ruan Yi suddenly felt a lump in her throat. "How could anyone be like that..."
She gently held Ruan Ying's hand, then reached out and grasped Gu Zhi's fingers beside her, the warmth of her palms subtly conveying the feeling.
"Mom, I only need you and Ah Zhi. Why should I be everyone else's darling? I'll just be Mom's darling..."
"Fine, I'll be your baby. I just can't refuse you."
Although Ruan Ying scolded him, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up. In the end, she could only pick up the porcelain cup to hide her smile and conceal the indulgence in her eyes.
As for me, it still depends on my own efforts.
The girl's coquettishness was once again indulged, making the atmosphere even warmer.
The maid approached carrying a metal tray and placed the porcelain bowl beside Ruan Ying. The sweet aroma of bird's nest and donkey-hide gelatin mixed with the scent of yellow wine wafted out.
Ruan Yi had eaten her fill and was about to get up and leave when she noticed that the man in the dark blue uniform paused.
Beneath the maid's bangs, dark eyes quickly swept across her direction, and Ruan Yi happened to catch the fleeting glance.
This is a relatively new batch of servants.
"Wait a minute." Ruan Yi gently grabbed the maid's wrist, and without applying any force, she could feel the intensely pounding pulse under the maid's skin.
Ruan Ying's fingers hovered over the rim of the bowl, her movements frozen.
Ruan Yi recalled that Shen Xun had mentioned that since he knew about Fu Wang's existence, the Ruan family must have other people's spies, and it was inevitable that there were people from Fu Jingchen among them.
This girl is unfamiliar. Could she be Fu Jingchen or Shen Xun?
Before the truth about her mother's test results was revealed, Ruan Yi believed that even if there were any informants, at most they would just be used by the psychopath Fu Jingchen to collect Gu Zhi's daily photos for making crafts.
When the prime suspect, Fu Jingchen, entered the Ruan family, Ruan Yi investigated the employment details and family relationships of all the servants, and found nothing amiss.
Even their bank statements showed no abnormalities whatsoever.
She hadn't considered that Shen Xun would have contact with the servants. The Shen family and the Ruan family had a close relationship in their early years, so if he had people working for him, it would be very difficult to find out.
Whether it's Shen Xun or Fu Jingchen, both could justify their desire to force Gu Zhi's love by controlling his mother...
Who exactly is hiding in the shadows?
Ruan Yi looked down at the bird's nest in the bowl. Her mother didn't eat supplements very often, but what if she did? She was worried about everything.
"Mom, don't eat it yet. Send this to be tested."
Ruan Yi released her grip, and the maid staggered back half a step.
"Young Miss, I made the bird's nest strictly according to the conditions, there is absolutely no problem with it!"
The maid's eyes were red and her voice was trembling with tears.
"If you don't believe me, you can ask Zhang Ma in the kitchen. She and I have been personally overseeing the soaking of this bird's nest from the very beginning..."
Looking at the girl's pale face, Ruan Yi tried to soften her tone, "Don't be afraid, it's just a routine check."
Before the words were even finished, the butler had already stepped forward quickly, carrying a silver tray with the bird's nest for urgent testing.
Three hours later, the test report for the bird's nest was laid out on the coffee table.
The bolded words, "The sample was tested and no drug components or harmful substances were detected," stung Ruan Yi's eyes.
Is it a good thing or a bad thing?
As Ruan Yi listened to the muffled pattering against the glass outside the French windows, she felt all the blood rushing to her head.
Unable to recall the old or find out the new, Ruan Yi covered her increasingly dizzy head and took a deep breath.
Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the kitchen blinds, casting dappled shadows on the countertop.
"I must have had the worst luck imaginable..." The maid clutched the rag, her voice trembling slightly.
"This is my first time making tonics today. I even learned how long to stew bird's nest on the spot. How did this happen? Miss, you suddenly acted like this, which scared me to death. I thought you were going to put a label on me!"
Another, older maid was peeling an apple, the blade slicing spirals across the peel.
"Sister Fan took the day off today; she's usually in charge of these things."
She suddenly stopped moving, and a dark shadow was reflected in the blade.
"However, speaking of which, things haven't been peaceful in the manor lately. Madam Ruan and the eldest daughter have been behaving strangely..."
"Who says otherwise!" the maid grumbled.
In the pitch black, a gust of wind swept through the long corridor outside the kitchen door.
The shadows, shrouded in the night, silently picked up all the conversations inside the house.
A moment later, it turned and disappeared into the darkness, leaving only the moonlight leaking through the gaps in the blinds.
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