Su Shaoqing staggered and nearly fell off the sofa in shock. His eyes widened as he stared at Fu Chengyan. “Are you joking?”
Fu Chengyan merely glanced at Su Shaoqing and smirked. “You should know that I never joke about things like this.”
“You must be crazy!” Su Shaoqing stared at Fu Chengyan in shock. He couldn’t believe the man had already married Shi Nuan. He glanced at the kitchen in disbelief. “Do you know she… She isn’t that person!”
A sharp glint flashed across Fu Chengyan’s smiling eyes as he glared at Su Shaoqing, obviously upset at the person Su Shaoqing was talking about.
Su Shaoqing knew that the person was still a taboo to Fu Chengyan, but he insisted on getting his point across, “No matter what, Shi Nuan is innocent. If she finds out—”
“I am clear on what I want.” Fu Chengyan cut him off icily. “Don’t interfere in my affairs. All you have to know is that Shi Nuan is my wife. That’s all.”
“You make it sound so simple, but will the Fu family accept her?” Su Shaoqing wasn’t that optimistic. “Don’t tell me you have no idea how complicated your family is.”
Fu Chengyan arched his brows icily. When he heard Su Shaoqing’s words, all he did was smile. “Is that the reason you can’t accept her?”
Su Shaoqing’s heart quivered in fear and he wisely held his tongue. He didn’t want to bring up the person who was a taboo for Fu Chengyan.
All Fu Chengyan did was smile before he patted Su Shaoqing’s shoulders. “I won’t interfere in your affairs relating to her. I also recall telling you to not interfere in mine!”
Su Shaoqing shrugged in resignation. “Do you think I have nothing better to do? The reason I refused to enter my family’s company was because I didn’t want to get involved!”
Su Shaoqing’s family was powerful in Jiang City too, but Su Shaoqing himself wasn’t interested in business at all, so his family was upset at him. Back then, when he had decided to be a doctor, his entire family was against it. But Su Shaoqing went his own way and wouldn’t listen to others. He insisted on being a doctor.
Shi Nuan, who was busy in the kitchen, had no idea that the two men in the living room were discussing about her. As she didn’t expect Fu Chengyan to bring a friend along, she didn’t have enough ingredients to make a fancy meal. Shi Nuan prepared two dishes and carried them into the dining room. Fu Chengyan and Su Shaoqing were still talking when she called them over, “Let’s eat.”
Su Shaoqing raised his brows and glanced at the table. The food served looked decent. With a smile in his eyes, he turned back to Fu Chengyan and said, “Chengyan, you’re lucky. She can cook well!”
Su Shaoqing bumped shoulders with Fu Chengyan as he said that. A smile appeared in Fu Chengyan’s eyes as he swept his gaze across Su Shaoqing. “Come, let’s eat!”
“This isn’t much, I’m sorry.” Shi Nuan shot Su Shaoqing an embarrassed look. She was slightly embarrassed by the simplicity of the dishes. Since Su Shaoqing was Fu Chengyan’s friend, he must be rich and powerful too. Her assumptions were further confirmed by his expensive outfit and air of nobility.
Su Shaoqing waved it off. “Don’t worry, Shi Nuan. This is good enough. You have no idea how I often skip meals in the hospital. Hospital food isn’t as good as your cooking.”
Su Shaoqing whiffed the food and praised her cooking. “It smells great! Not many girls know how to cook this well.”
“Thanks for the compliment!” Shi Nuan handed them a bowl of rice each. “Eat up!”
When Shi Nuan handed Fu Chengyan his bowl, the man’s eyes bore into her. Shi Nuan felt shy under his scorching gaze and gave him a tiny smile, “Why won’t you take it? Aren’t you hungry?”
Fu Chengyan narrowed his eyes and took the bowl from her. His long fingers deliberately slid across the back of her hand. Shi Nuan’s heart skipped a beat as she hurriedly withdrew her hand and scooped a bowl of rice for herself. “Eat up before the food gets cold.”
Fu Chengyan’s eyes crinkled in a smile when he saw how flustered Shi Nuan was. He was pleased by her reaction and proceeded to brush his leg gently against Shi Nuan’s.
Shi Nuan immediately stiffened her back and shot a panicked look at Fu Chengyan. Her eyes widened as she tried to convey her message, Eat your food in peace! Why are you kicking me?
Fu Chengyan’s lips curved up in amusement when he saw her reaction.
Su Shaoqing saw everything. His gaze settled on Fu Chengyan as he smiled innocently, “Shi Nuan, Chengyan has long legs. Please bear with that!”
Shi Nuan blushed instantly when she heard his words. It was obvious Su Shaoqing saw what Fu Chengyan did under the table. That was so awkward. But Fu Chengyan remained calm as he drawled, “Shaoqing, are you done eating? Didn’t you just finish the surgery? Since you’re exhausted—”
“No, I’m not exhausted!” Su Shaoqing immediately stopped smiling innocently as his lips twitched as he fought to keep his laughter in. “Chengyan, I’m not tired at all. Shi Nuan can cook well!” Su Shaoqing praised Shi Nuan while cursing Fu Chengyan silently. Still waters run deep. I never knew he was someone who dared to tease his wife in front of me. This has never happened before.
Su Shaoqing’s eyes were darting around when he met Fu Chengyan’s warning gaze. He immediately stopped and continued eating. But he had decided that he must tell Jingxiu and Heng about how different Chengyan was when he was with his wife.
He thought Chengyan was a reserved man because of his icy demeanor, but Chengyan’s actions today surprised him immensely.
Everyone was lost in their own thoughts as they ate. It was a simple meal, but at least Fu Chengyan and Su Shaoqing got to know Shi Nuan better.
Shi Nuan was different from those rich brats they knew. The women they knew couldn’t cook at all. All they did in their spare time was arrange flowers, drink tea, and go shopping. Not a single one of them were down to earth like Shi Nuan.
When Shi Nuan finally cleared the table and joined them, Su Shaoqing was already about to leave. Before the man left, he said, “Since you’re a married man now, let’s gather with the others one day.”
Shi Nuan stopped in her tracks and flushed a bright red. She stood at the entrance of the kitchen and gripped the door frame without knowing it.
Fu Chengyan glanced at Shi Nuan’s panicked look. He smiled, his corners of his eyes crinkling up. “We’ll see,” he answered ambiguously as he observed Shi Nuan’s reaction. “I can only bring her out after she gets used to the married life.”
Shi Nuan blushed and she glared at Fu Chengyan, feeling a little lost. She turned and left in a huff.
Fu Chengyan couldn’t help but shake his head in amusement. Su Shaoqing was stunned and tutted before nodding. “Fine. We have plenty of time. If you can ask Jingxiu and Heng out for a gathering, that will be great.”
“Okay.”
After Su Shaoqing left, Fu Chengyan went to Shi Nuan and patted her shoulders lightly.
Shi Nuan turned and bit her lips. “By your friends, do you mean Jiang City’s Big Four?”
“Jiang City’s Big Four?” Fu Chengyan savored the words as his eyes lit up with a smile. “Who told you about that?”
“Do I need others to tell me about that?” Shi Nuan’s eyes widened. “Everyone in Jiang City knows about the four of you. Back in school, my classmates often talked about you.”
“Oh?” Fu Chengyan raised his brows. How interesting. ”We didn’t call ourselves that. I became friends with them because we have similar interests.”
They weren’t that immature to make up that name for themselves, but… “Did you have a crush on me back in school?”
Shi Nuan was speechless. She bit her lips at that thick-skinned man. “Mr. Fu, are you joking? I didn’t even know who you were back then. My classmates loved to gossip. They kept praising you and your friends.”
She had heard about him and his friends from her classmates, but all Shi Nuan could remember was how her classmates praised Fu Chengyan for advancing rapidly through school due to his intelligence before going overseas to continue his studies.
Shi Nuan didn’t think that much about it, so she didn’t put two and two together. Now that she thought about it, Fu Chengyan was indeed clever.
“Oh!” Fu Chengyan nodded, dragging out the exclamation. “It’s late. Darling, let’s go home.”
“I’m not your darling!” Shi Nuan couldn’t stop herself from blushing. Fu Chengyan was acting strange today. Before they had gotten married, he seemed cold and cunning, but the man changed abruptly and seemed to enjoy teasing her now.
“Of course you are! We’re a lawfully wedded couple, so you must get used to being my wife.” Fu Chengyan’s smile disappeared as he stopped teasing Shi Nuan.
“I will not introduce you to my friends for now. Do you know why?”
Shi Nuan was taken aback as she raised her head to look at Fu Chengyan.
To be honest, when Fu Chengyan said “We’ll see” earlier, she was slightly disappointed. She had no idea why she felt that way. After hearing what Fu Chengyan said, there was a void in her heart.
Perhaps she had already accepted the fact that Fu Chengyan was her husband.
“Why?” She was curious.
“I need Mrs. Fu to come with me, not Shi Nuan. Before you get used to your position and acknowledge our relationship, I won’t introduce you to anyone. I hope you can understand.”
Shi Nuan was stunned. She glanced at him cluelessly and stammered an apology, “I-I’m sorry!” It wasn’t her intention to be awkward around him, but to her, Fu Chengyan was still a complete stranger. “I’ll try my best and work hard!”