Volume One, Chapter 9: Wang Ruoxi Likes Fu Yuncheng

At the restaurant entrance.

Fu Yunshen held my hand. Being the other woman was already humiliating enough, and now having to show affection in front of the wife herself made me want to run away so badly... But Fu Yunshen wouldn't let go, pulling me along stubbornly. Boohoo...

“Yunshen, here...”

As we stepped inside, a soft, gentle female voice greeted us. I followed the sound and saw a very adorable girl.

Her hair was tied up in a high bun, and she wore a pale yellow tweed suit that made her look fair and tender-skinned. A light touch of makeup adorned her face. In just a few seconds, I found myself already liking her.

Fu Yunshen led me over, and I felt so ashamed I wished I could hide my head in a nearby trash bin, silently scolding myself hundreds of times, feeling utterly inhuman.

“You must be Sister Xiaoyu! I’m Wang Ruoxi, but you can just call me Ruoxi.”

I looked at Wang Ruoxi’s sweet face, surprised—Fu Yunshen actually managed to convince his legitimate wife? How could he deceive such a lovely girl?

“Hello, I’m Lu Xiaoyu.”

I responded politely, feeling more and more like I had committed a grave mistake.

“Yunshen, you sit across from us. Xiaoyu and I will sit together.”

Wang Ruoxi affectionately pulled me to the seat beside her.

I glanced at Wang Ruoxi and Fu Yunshen sitting comfortably opposite each other. Their ease made me feel even more timid and awkward.

“Sister Xiaoyu, what do you want to eat? Order whatever you like, it’s on me.”

Wang Ruoxi handed me the menu. I skimmed it briefly and pushed it back, “You order, I don’t have any particular cravings.”

Honestly, if Wang Ruoxi was willing to go this far for Fu Yunshen, she must be deeply in love with him.

After she finished ordering for herself, she passed the menu to Fu Yunshen, who placed his order. The table fell into an odd silence.

I wasn’t sure if they felt it too, but I certainly did.

Wang Ruoxi was the one to break the tension first.

“Sister Xiaoyu, I just got back from abroad and don’t have many friends. Can I invite you out shopping sometime?”

Wang Ruoxi asked cautiously, her pure expression like a little white rabbit. I couldn’t bear to refuse, so I nodded, “Sure~”

Her face lit up with delight, dimples appearing at the corners of her smile. “Then let’s exchange contact info.”

“Okay.”

After exchanging contacts, I felt uneasy. How had things come to this?

The hot pot broth arrived quickly, along with the dishes, and I lowered my head to eat.

“This meat is good, eat more,” Fu Yunshen said, picking up a piece of meat and moving it toward my bowl. I was stunned, expecting that next he would offer some to Wang Ruoxi, but instead, he ate it himself.

Wang Ruoxi glanced at me, and I hurriedly picked up a piece of meat and put it in her bowl. “Ruoxi, eat more.”

Wang Ruoxi looked touched, “Sister Xiaoyu, you’re so kind. I declare you the first good friend I’ve made since returning to the country.”

“What do you mean? You give her meat but not me?” Fu Yunshen pouted, looking jealous and neglected.

To avoid further trouble, I picked another piece of meat and put it into his bowl. “Eat up!”

Fu Yunshen’s expression softened, and he teasingly showed off to Wang Ruoxi, boasting that I gave him more than her.

I twitched at the corner of my mouth, sometimes I really felt like calling the police.

The meal was torturous; I had to keep both sides happy and ended up eating very little myself.

“Yunshen, you and Sister Xiaoyu are so in love, I’m so jealous of you two!” Wang Ruoxi’s eyes flicked between me and Fu Yunshen, her envy genuine.

But I wanted to ask—when exactly did Fu Yunshen and I show any sign of being in love?

“Don’t be jealous. You’ll have that soon enough.”

Fu Yunshen’s reply caught me off guard. I was drinking lemonade and suddenly choked.

Instantly, both Wang Ruoxi and Fu Yunshen looked worried—one handed me a tissue, the other patted my back.

Seeing their alarm, I waved it off. “I’m fine, just choked a little.”

“Yunshen, I’ll tell my family we’re canceling the marriage, but don’t forget your promise to me.”

Wang Ruoxi said this, and I caught the key word—“canceling”?

After Wang Ruoxi left, I looked at Fu Yunshen in confusion. “Are the Fu and Wang families canceling the arranged marriage?”

Fu Yunshen shook his head. “Not exactly. Wang Ruoxi likes my brother. If the Wang family agrees, the two families can still be allied by marriage.”

That was Fu Yunshen’s thought, but deep down he knew better than anyone that it was unlikely Wang Ruoxi and Fu Yunchen would end up together. He hoped Wang Ruoxi could win his brother’s heart.

My mind raced—Wang Ruoxi’s true affection was for Fu Yunchen?

Remembering what Fu Yunchen said to me yesterday, it was hard to accept that such a sweet girl could like someone like Fu Yunchen.

A question flashed in my mind. I looked at Fu Yunshen. “You two look so alike. How did she recognize the one she likes isn’t you?”

Hearing this, Fu Yunshen stepped closer, bent down, and looked into my eyes. “I heard my brother came to see you yesterday. Did you mistake him for me?”

“Of course not. I could tell at a glance from his eyes.”

My words came out faster than my thoughts.

Fu Yunshen smiled affectionately and stroked my head. “See? Then how could Wang Ruoxi not know who she really likes?”

That explained it, but I was still puzzled why Wang Ruoxi liked Fu Yunchen. He just seemed like a bad person.

Later, Fu Yunshen and I went to the mall to buy some decorations. Fang Yanzhou came to pick us up. As I was about to get in the car, Fu Yunshen pulled me back. I looked at him puzzled; he smiled mysteriously, then said to Fang Yanzhou, “Take these back home and put them in the living room.”

Having a villa seemed to motivate Fang Yanzhou. “Sure, Brother Fu. I’ll make sure they get there safely.”

The car pulled away, and Fu Yunshen raised an eyebrow. “I’m taking you somewhere.”

Golden-yellow lights hung along the path to the end, street vendors on both sides calling out, and the occasional scent of snacks drifting through the air.

I hadn’t expected Fu Yunshen to bring me to a night market food street. To me, such a down-to-earth place didn’t quite fit his status.

“The date we had planned yesterday was interrupted. This was supposed to be the last activity. We’ll make up for it today, and the other parts later.”

In Fu Yunshen’s eyes shimmered the glow of the lights. A shy, joyful smile curved his lips.

I was momentarily stunned. It felt as though we were truly a couple, sharing a genuine date at a night market.

I waited, anticipating the system to appear any second now—one second, two seconds, three seconds, four seconds...