Volume One, Chapter 8: Stay Away from That Living Devil

Shuya understood the nature of these villagers.

They were indeed simple and honest. When her mother raised her alone, enduring many hardships, it was thanks to the help of these neighbors that their lives became somewhat easier.

Yet, they could also be quite stubborn.

They had suffered greatly.

Therefore, when it came to money, they would not give an inch. If anyone harmed their interests, they would fight relentlessly to the end.

Shuya empathized with their struggles and understood their demands.

She said, “Rest assured, within four days, I will resolve this matter for you. First, I’ll find you a place to stay. Once everything is settled, I’ll buy tickets to send you home. Don’t worry—all expenses will be covered by me.”

Her sincerity was evident.

She promised a timeline and offered financial support.

Now, the villagers had no other choice but to trust her.

Shuya found a decent hotel.

Hotels in the capital were expensive, and her money was limited, so she booked double rooms, having two villagers share one room. Before they left, she reminded them to call her if anything happened.

As soon as Shuya left, the villagers gathered for a small meeting.

“Do you think she can really fix this?”

“I heard her husband has already found a mistress outside. The child is three or four years old. It’s unlikely she can convince him!”

“Whatever happens, I’m not letting this go. She and Fu Yichen are family. If they cause me to lose my money, I will never forgive them!”

“Enough, stop talking. Let’s just wait and see. Three days will pass quickly.”

...

Night fell like ink.

Shuya finally returned home.

Nannan was already asleep.

She entered her room and stepped into the bathroom, letting the shower wash over her from head to toe. After a while, she briefly dried her hair and body, then opened the bathroom door and sat on the edge of the bed to blow dry her hair.

When her hair was half dry:

“Knock, knock, knock, knock.”

An urgent ringtone sounded.

A video call popped up on her computer.

Shuya put down the hairdryer, stood up, and glanced at the screen. The caller was her close friend, Ye Lanlan. She clicked to answer.

---

Ye Lanlan’s face appeared on the screen.

Ye Lanlan had the trendy round face of the moment, delicate and modest, looking just like the girl-next-door, but once she opened her mouth, her words were full of brashness.

“Oh my god, you finally answered the video call! I called you twice before and you didn’t pick up. I thought something had happened to you.”

Shuya ran her fingers through her hair. “I was just taking a shower.”

Ye Lanlan looked at her friend on screen.

Now, Shuya’s hair was half dry, tucked behind her ears, revealing a clean oval face and slightly upturned almond eyes. But because of her straight nose bridge and somewhat thin lips, her delicate features softened the flirtatious look of her eyes.

Gentle with a hint of allure.

She wore a bathrobe and sat in front of the computer, her exquisite collarbones and the faint outline of her curves catching even Ye Lanlan off guard.

“Honestly, if I were into girls, I’d want to sleep with you!”

Shuya smiled. “Stop talking nonsense.”

Ye Lanlan was serious. “I’m serious! I even wonder if your husband is blind. How could he leave someone as perfect as you for a mistress? That mistress doesn’t come close to you. What’s he thinking?”

Shuya lowered her gaze.

“Probably just a jerk.”

Eighty percent of men were jerks.

They never cherished what was right in front of them, always chasing thrills elsewhere.

“You’re right,” Ye Lanlan agreed strongly. “I also heard he blocked your hometown’s business deal?”

“Yes.”

“How dare he!” Ye Lanlan slammed the table in anger. “If it weren’t for your family, his company would’ve gone bankrupt long ago. How could he treat you like this?”

Shuya said nothing.

Ye Lanlan continued.

She spent a full ten minutes cursing Fu Yichen before finally asking with concern, “So, what do you plan to do now?”

Shuya replied expressionlessly, “I’ll find someone to take over my family’s herb business first.”

Ye Lanlan, a true native of the capital from a family of merchants, was well versed in these matters and frowned.

“Wait, your hometown produces so many herbs. Who can take them all at once? There aren’t many companies in the capital making cosmetics or perfumes. From what I know, only three or four companies could handle your supply.”

“Besides, creating a new perfume would require opening a new production line, which means a significant upfront investment. So, in the end, only one company meets your needs. But the shareholder of that company is…”

Ye Lanlan suddenly stopped speaking.

Shuya calmly finished her sentence.

“It’s Fu Jinyan.”

Fu Jinyan was the head of the Fu family. He went to study in Germany at twelve, returned at twenty with dozens of scientific projects, and everyone thought he was an easygoing scholar. But in just two years, he eliminated all his family rivals and took over as patriarch.

The world said he was ruthless, psychotic, and sadistic. Every step he took was stained with blood.

“Yaya, you’re not seriously thinking of dealing with him, are you?” Ye Lanlan’s eyes widened.

Shuya asked back, “Why not?”

Ye Lanlan hurried to warn her, “He’s extremely ruthless and secretive in harming others. He can make someone’s life a living hell without ever facing legal consequences. He’s a monster, a pervert! I know you’re anxious because your family’s herbs aren’t selling, but please don’t go down his path. Otherwise, you’ll be the one to suffer in the end.”

Shuya moved her lips but said nothing.

Ye Lanlan thought she had listened and continued badmouthing Fu Jinyan for a long time, ending with a stern reminder:

Never, ever get close to Fu Jinyan, that pervert.

Only then did she hang up.

Silence filled the room.

Dim light cast shadows on Shuya’s face.

Her deep eyes gazed out the window. The night was thick, and the wind blew down the last of the yellow leaves from the trees. She smiled softly.

“Is what people say outside necessarily true?”

Fu Yichen constantly said she was a bloodsucking leech who did nothing at home but waste money.

But had she really drained Fu Yichen?

No.

On the contrary,

Fu Yichen was the one draining her family dry.

“And Fu Jinyan? Has he really been as cruel as they say?”

“In secret, I have received his kindness. I refuse to believe he is the monster they claim.”

“I will go see him.”