Chapter 12

Translator: Larbre Studio

Editor: Larbre Studio

Shen Qinglan had led Grandpa Fu all the way to the compound entrance.

“Miss, I thank you. Really, I do. If it hadn’t been for you today, I would have made a massive fool of myself,” Grandpa Fu had looked at Shen Qinglan joyfully.

“You don’t have to be so polite, Mister. I have to get home anyway.”

Shen Qinglan’s voice was gentle. Grandpa Fu had thought she was just being humble, so he had not pondered too much over her words.

It was only when Shen Qinglan had followed him through the gates and the guards had not stopped her, that realization had finally dawned on Grandpa Fu.

“Miss, do you live here too?”

Shen Qinglan had nodded, “Mister, which block do you live in? Let me take you home.”

Grandpa Fu had gazed at Shen Qinglan’s beautiful features, yet he had not been able to recall anyone like her living there. Was she the relative of someone who was staying there temporarily?

“Miss, where do you live?” Grandpa Fu had not answered her. asking another question instead.

Grandpa Fu had later learned that Shen Qinglan was his old friend’s long-last granddaughter.

Grandpa Fu lived in the compound, too. Shen Qinglan had returned to the Shen family three years before. It stood to reason that Grandpa Fu should know her, but coincidentally he had been unwell during those years and had been sent to the south to recuperate. He had returned to the capital just the week before.

Upon finding out that Shen Qinglan was his friend Grandpa Shen’s granddaughter, Grandpa Fu had liked her even more. He had also taken a little more pity on her.

He had adored the kid very much when she was a child.

Grandpa Fu had gradually discovered that Shen Qinglan not only surpassed her peers in terms of maturity, but she also had profound knowledge in general subjects. Whenever Grandpa Fu invited her for a game of chess or to exchange ideas on painting and calligraphy, she could handle his requests with ease. When discussing current affairs and politics, she had her fair share of opinions, too. She was humble and preferred to keep a low profile. She was not too chatty with the elderly, but she absolutely respected them.

Shen Qinglan was quite patient too. She never felt troubled whenever Grandpa Fu retracted a false move in chess.

Grandpa Fu had no granddaughters. He had two grandsons, one on the paternal side and the other on the maternal side. Shen Qinglan left him with a great impression of her. The longer they spent time together, the more affection he felt for her.

Initially, Grandpa Fu had not thought about pairing up Shen Qinglan with Fu Hengyi. Back then, Shen Qinglan had barely been eighteen, whereas Fu Hengyi had not even hit thirty. Grandpa Fu wanted great grandchildren, but he would not force his grandson to do that.

Years had rolled by. Three years later, his grandson was still obsessed with his career, not at all concerned about marriage. The young girl, on the other hand, had slowly grown up and become a beautiful lady.

But her temperament had gotten colder. Grandpa Fu knew the Shen family’s circumstances very well. He might not understand Chu Yunrong’s thoughts, but he was in no position to place blame. Because of that, he felt even more sorry for Shen Qinglan.

One fine day a year before, Grandpa Fu had been playing chess with Shen Qinglan when he had somehow thought of his grandson, who was still single. He had recalled his grandson’s appearance, and had cast a glance at Shen Qinglan deep in thought opposite him. His eyes had flashed, an idea popping up in his mind. Since that day, he had not been able to go back. The more he thought about it, the more he marveled at his ingenuity.

And so Grandpa Fu had stopped the chess game and dashed all the way back to his room to ring up Grandpa Shen. He had told him all about his plans… but Grandpa Shen had hung up on him, calling it wishful thinking. 

Then, Grandpa Shen had called Shen Qinglan to come home. She had not seen Grandpa Fu for months after that.

Grandpa Fu knew that his idea was a bit brazen. After all, the young lady in question was a budding blossom, whereas his grandson was basically old bacon.

In order not to annoy Grandpa Shen anymore, Grandpa Fu had refrained from mentioning the matter in front of him. 

But deep down he had secretly planned to wait for his grandson to come back, and have him court the girl. Eventually, once the other girl consented, there was nothing Grandpa Shen could do about it.

Yet, God had been unwilling. That year, Fu Hengyi had sustained an injury on duty and had fallen into great devastation. He had become dispirited, and Grandpa Fu did not have the heart to force him. He had let him go elsewhere to heal, and the younger man had not returned for the New Year.

Later, Fu Hengyi had wanted to start a business, so he had gotten busier, and the times he had visited family were few and far between.

If Grandpa Fu had not feigned illness, he swore the kid would have probably not come home.

As he thought about that, Grandpa Fu paced in his room with his hands on his hips, secretly berating his grandson for being a disappointment.

Fu Hengyi ignored Grandpa Fu’s pettiness. He had not taken that break willingly. A month before he had received an order that required his personal attendance. If the old man had not pretended to be ill and lied to get him to come back, he would be busy at work.

Initially, he had not known why Grandpa Fu had fooled him into coming back, but he had come to assume that it was related to the Shen’s daughter. 

With the image of the attractive but distant lady in mind, a smile stretched across Fu Hengyi’s face without him even knowing it.

But what he had said to Shen Qinglan that night had been true. After it was confirmed that Grandpa Fu was fit and well, Fu Hengyi would return to work in a fortnight. The order was of utmost importance. He had to protect an important figure. If anything went wrong, his company’s reputation that he had worked so hard on would be utterly ruined, and he would not know when he would get back on his feet again. 

Just thinking about the order made Fu Hengyi think about his company’s plans for future development. Since he had time on his hands, he marched straight to the study and prepared to write down his plans.

Poor Grandpa Fu was still in his room, waiting for Fu Hengyi to admit to his mistakes and then go get Shen Qinglan.

He kept waiting, but Fu Hengyi never turned up. He finally realized his grandson had absolutely no intention to marry Shen Qinglan.

How could that be!? Qinglan was Grandpa Fu’s best candidate as his granddaughter-in-law. He would not let other people have her. He, of all people, knew that there were others who desired her.

The last time he had gone to her school to look for her, he had seen a boy confessing his love to Shen Qinglan, complete with a bouquet. Although Shen Qinglan had turned him down, who was to say she would not have another admirer? If someone else got to her first, he would cry his eyes out. 

With that thought, Grandpa Fu came up with a plan.

The next day, word got out in the capital that the Fu family was looking for a wife for their grandson. The whole city was in a bustle, stirring up ideas among the pool of unmarried young women.

Who were the Fu’s? Why, they were one of the richest and grandest families in the capital. It was every city girl’s dream to be married into such a family.

That made Fu Hengyi the most outstanding heir to the Fu family. Just that alone was enough to influence women to think of all the ways to get the young master to marry them. Not to mention, Fu Hengyi was as handsome as a superstar.

Before the women even had time to act, another news came out. It seemed the Fu’s had chosen the candidate to be their granddaughter-in-law, the Shen’s daughter.

The news broke the hearts of numerous women in an instant. The Shen family’s daughter would, from then on, be labeled by the city girls the “temptress” that had stolen Master Fu from them.