Volume One, Chapter 10: Mr. Fu, Why Are You Taking Off Your Clothes?

The next day.

Gu Li slept on the floor of the hospital dormitory and didn’t go to find Fu Yancheng. She only called the Fu family to ask them to remind him to take his medicine.

It wasn’t until the third day, while discussing traditional and modern Chinese medicine with Pei Jinghong, that Gu Li received a WeChat message from Fu Yancheng.

“Come to Chu Ge.”

The command, so domineering, perfectly fitting Fu Yancheng’s persona.

Gu Li held her phone and typed a few words in reply.

“Mr. Fu, sorry, I’m at work.” Ever since he had turned cold and angry the last time, she hadn’t seen him again. She was still waiting for his retaliation, but it came sooner than expected.

That day, he left in such a rage—she wondered what he had been waiting for.

After sending the message, Gu Li placed her phone on the table and continued discussing with Pei Jinghong, “Actually, the herbal medicines in this area were also something my grandmother—”

“Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!”

Gu Li looked at her phone on the table. He was calling. She frowned and hung up. Did Fu Yancheng have nothing better to do?

On the other side, Fu Yancheng’s face turned dark as the call was abruptly cut off. It was the first time a woman had ever hung up on him.

He was very displeased!

Unaware of Fu Yancheng’s madness, the more Gu Li ignored him, the more he was fueled; the more she hung up, the more it stirred the insanity deep within him.

Pei Jinghong watched her phone ringing continually and saw her brow furrow. Smiling gently, he asked, “Maybe you should answer?”

“No…”

Before she could finish, the phone rang again. Gu Li was about to hang up once more, but Pei Jinghong took her phone and answered, smiling at her, “Li Li, you should take it.”

Just then, those tender words reached the ears on the other end.

Gu Li had no choice but to take the phone and walked over to the window. “Hello, this is Gu Li.”

“Your ID card, household register, medical license, and marriage certificate are all with me. If you want them, come get them. If not, I’ll throw them away in ten minutes.”

The voice was icy, devoid of any emotion, yet it sent an inexplicable chill through her body.

Gu Li was about to respond when the call was cut off.

“I’ll see you off!” Pei Jinghong had heard everything. Though curious, he kept silent.

Thinking of Fu Yancheng’s decisive and unyielding nature, Gu Li wasn’t sentimental. She took off her white coat, turned, and walked out.

Chu Ge.

A famous bar in Hanjing, a symbol of status and identity. Only the wealthy and noble could enter, surrounded by romance and elegance.

---

“Second brother, did you quarrel with your wife?”

Zhan Linye was surprised to see Fu Yancheng drinking, a rare sight, and teased him.

Fu Yancheng frowned after downing a strong shot of liquor, pushed Zhan Linye aside, and, not in the mood to talk, tilted his head back to drink again.

Next to him, Ji Nancheng noticed Fu Yancheng’s bad mood and kicked Zhan Linye’s leg. “You talk too much.”

“Didn’t you just get married?” Ji Nancheng took the opportunity to take away his drink.

It was the first time in many years that this usually composed man had been upset by a woman, surprising even the taciturn Ji Nancheng.

“She wants a divorce!”

“Your wife doesn’t like you? There are plenty of women here; just pick one.”

Hearing Fu Yancheng’s words, Zhan Linye tilted his head and pointed at several purely dressed girls by the door. Then, lowering his voice with intent, he asked, “But second brother, is your old ailment better now?”

Fu Yancheng’s expression immediately darkened. Zhan Linye raised his hands in surrender, no longer daring to provoke him.

“Second brother, what does your wife look like?” Zhan Linye was curious about the woman who could make Hanjing’s crown prince drink away his sorrows.

Ji Nancheng also stared at Fu Yancheng, intrigued. Someone capable of troubling a man indifferent to women was no ordinary woman.

Thinking of that woman, Fu Yancheng’s face grew sullen. He snatched the wine glass from Ji Nancheng’s hand, pouring in red liquid.

Holding the glass, gently swirling the red liquid inside, Fu Yancheng’s eyes darkened as he slowly paced to the window. Just as the glass touched his lips, he saw Gu Li step out of a white BMW.

Following closely behind her was an old acquaintance she had reunited with that day.

Pei Jinghong?

...

“I’ll wait for you here. If anything happens inside, call me. The people here are not to be trifled with; be careful.” Pei Jinghong carefully advised Gu Li, his concern plain to see.

“Thanks, I’ll be quick.” Gu Li smiled at Pei Jinghong, then turned and instinctively looked up at the tall buildings. She always felt a burning gaze fixed on her from the moment she got out of the car—it might just be her imagination.

“Watch out!”

A highball glass fell from above. Quick as a flash, Pei Jinghong reached out and grabbed Gu Li, instinctively pulling her into his arms. He looked sharply up toward the rooftop.

“Bang!”

Gu Li was startled by the sudden falling object from above and lost her composure. When she realized she was in Pei Jinghong’s warm embrace, she instinctively tried to push him away, but he released her first.

“Are you okay?” Pei Jinghong asked worriedly, seeing her dazed expression.

Gu Li shook her head, looking down at the shattered glass at her feet. The red liquid splattered onto her shoes. She frowned, anger rising. “Throwing things from high places is punishable by imprisonment now!”

“Just uncultured people. You should go quickly!”

Gu Li nodded, grabbed her bag, and entered. It was best if she didn’t find out who had nearly crushed her.

Pei Jinghong watched her retreating back and then looked up toward the window above.

---

Inside the private room.

The atmosphere was icy; no one dared approach the man sitting by the window—the great Buddha.

“Second brother, you…”

Ji Nancheng kicked Zhan Linye. “Shut up. Do you want to be thrown down by your second brother too?”

Zhan Linye shrank his neck, intimidated.

Knock, knock, knock!

The doorbell interrupted the tense silence. Seizing the moment, Zhan Linye said, “I’ll get it!”

He hurried to open the door and saw Gu Li raising her hand to knock. Spotting a tall, fair-skinned girl, his eyes brightened. “Who are you?”

“I’m looking for Fu Yancheng!”

Who in the world dared to call the second brother Fu Yancheng by name?

“Second sister-in-law?”

Zhan Linye exchanged a glance with Ji Nancheng and gestured toward the man by the window. “Second sister-in-law, please come in.”

Second sister-in-law?

Gu Li frowned but said nothing.

Zhan Linye covered his mouth in amazement, about to say more, but Ji Nancheng pulled him out, glanced at the silent Fu Yancheng, and closed the door.

Gu Li stepped inside. Seeing the man by the window, she approached and held out her hand, speaking plainly, “Give me back my things. Thank you.”

Gu Li noticed him staring at her intensely from the moment she entered, the heat of his gaze making her uneasy. If he still had the strength to be angry, then his health wasn’t too bad.

A deathly silence filled the room.

Gu Li watched as he neither returned her belongings nor spoke. Today he wore a black shirt, which made him appear even more mysteriously dark and alluring.

His eyes, black as a deep abyss, burned into her as if wanting to dissect her to her core.

Suddenly, he forcefully pulled open his tie, unbuttoning his shirt, one button after another, revealing his sensual, pale collarbone.

She stepped back, swallowed hard, trembling as she asked, “Wh-why are you taking off your clothes?”