Fu Yihan sneered faintly. Even he had a day when he misjudged someone. Yesterday, Su Yuerou had still been playing the role of a frail little white flower, but today she'd already shed that skin and made her move to establish authority.
It was just... Was it truly coincidence that she clashed with that woman from the old mansion, or did she already know about the family feud and want to curry favor with him?
"So, what's the young master's decision?" Butler Fu asked cautiously.
"Throw her out directly. This insignificant matter doesn't need to be reported to me." Fu Yihan sneered coldly. Who cared what kind of act she was putting on—she was nothing more than a weak woman abandoned by the Su family.
"Bring her here."
Fu Yihan casually tossed the invitation into the trashcan and gave his order.
There was no need for clarification; Butler Fu already knew who the young master was referring to and promptly responded, "Madam is still in the bedroom. Shall I bring her over?"
"Mm."
"Understood." Butler Fu cradled some documents in one arm and strode away.
Su Qingnuan's wedding dress from last night had been crumpled beyond recognition, so it was obviously unwearable. Instead, she changed into the white gown with rose embellishments that had been delivered earlier, then followed quietly behind the person leading her.
As soon as she stepped into the room, she obediently greeted him, "Young Master Fu."
The room was dead silent. No one responded.
Su Qingnuan's heart sank. She slowly looked up, only to see Butler Fu giving her a subtle, discouraging shake of his head.
What did that mean?
Su Qingnuan figured that the morning's incident had likely already reached his ears. For a moment, she didn't dare meet the man's piercing gaze. She hesitantly asked in a soft voice, "Did you need something from me?"
"..."
Fu Yihan's fingers paused as he tapped the document, his expression full of sarcastic disdain.
"What an act."
The words struck Su Qingnuan's chest like a blow, but she acted as though she hadn't heard them.
She'd made up her mind to stay silent, which in Fu Yihan's eyes translated to unwillingness to engage with him—she wouldn't even look at him, as though he disgusted her.
His icy voice rang out again, laced with disdain and even more grating to the ears.
"Come with me to the old mansion. You'd better behave and stop playing your little games—one face in public, another in private. Otherwise, you know the consequences."
Su Qingnuan suppressed the resentment churning within her and took a deep breath to compose herself.
Before coming here, she had already decided: No matter what Fu Yihan did, her top priority was to survive. Then, she'd find a chance to reconnect with her former friends.
The Su family was no longer reliable. Since being sent here, not a single word of inquiry had come from them. By the time a full day and night had passed, Su Qingnuan clenched her teeth and accepted the fact that she'd been abandoned.
But at the very least, she still had other friends…
If she managed to please Fu Yihan, maybe he'd be willing to let her leave...
Resolving herself, she suppressed her instinctive fear and was just about to force a smile to curry his favor.
Butler Fu had already sent someone to prepare the car and was inviting the two of them to board.
The Fu family mansion wasn't far, and the car ride lasted only a short while.
There weren't any servants present at the old mansion. Upon arrival, Fu Yihan was wheeled straight into the living room.
Su Qingnuan hesitated briefly before jogging to catch up.
The Fu family old mansion typically had even fewer people around. Upon hearing that the young master would be visiting, the few servants who were around had all vanished without a trace.
At the staircase, in the eerie silence, a languid male voice broke the stillness.
"Big Brother brought Sister-in-law back?"
Su Qingnuan looked up, gave the speaker a quick once-over, and then immediately lowered her gaze again.
"Second Young Master."
Butler Fu's expression was cold as he stepped forward to shield his young master.
"Uncle Fu, what's this about? It's not like I'm going to eat her up."
Fu Yixing smirked and lazily shifted his gaze toward Su Qingnuan, who stood behind Fu Yihan.
Noticing that she was quite pretty, he took an extra couple of glances.
His smile turned suggestive, but his words were venomous.
"So this is Sister-in-law? Why do you look so haggard? Could it be that Big Brother hasn't been cherishing you properly?"
Even though Su Qingnuan tried hard to conceal it, her frail health from years of weakness was plainly evident, as was the hint of a mistreated air about her.
But since Fu Yihan was his elder brother, how could Fu Yixing shamelessly overstep boundaries and flirt with his new sister-in-law?
That thought only flashed through Su Qingnuan's mind. She raised her eyes and gave a soft smile, her gaze brimming with tenderness.
"Yihan and I are fine. I just didn't sleep well last night. I'm a little tired."
"A little tired? That's fine?"
Fu Yihan let out a mocking laugh, audibly amused. "Oh, Sister-in-law, maybe you don't know—Big Brother's injuries are quite serious. Let's just say he's… not functioning as a man anymore, shall we?"
Wait, what?
Su Qingnuan's smile froze on her face. Subconsciously, her eyes darted toward the man beside her.
But all she saw on Fu Yihan's face was an icy frost, devoid of any other emotion.
As Fu Yixing spoke, he suddenly leaned in, his smile suggestive and teasing.
"Sister-in-law, why don't you come with me instead? I can show you what it's like to be a real woman. What do you say?"
Before she could respond, Fu Yixing reached out to grab her, but in the next instant, his leg was met with a swift, brutal kick—excruciating pain immediately shot through him.
He spun around to see Fu Yihan's icy glare locked onto him, the bodyguard behind him retracting his leg expressionlessly.
"Second Brother, if you're so fascinated with my woman, why not speak to Grandfather and ask him to arrange a marriage for you?"
Though Fu Yihan knew full well Fu Yixing was merely trying to provoke him into reacting, the fear in Su Qingnuan's eyes had made the veins on his left hand bulge. Restricted by his wheelchair, he narrowed his sharp eyes and gestured with a hand.
The bodyguard maintained a defensive stance, positioning himself between the two parties.
Fu Yixing got up, dusted off his trousers, and squinted with a look of excitement in his eyes, staring directly at Su Qingnuan behind Fu Yihan.
"Big Brother, you're overthinking it. I was just joking."
He claimed it was a joke, but the hunger in his eyes was like a parasite clinging to its host, sending chills down one's spine.
Su Qingnuan instinctively shrank behind Fu Yihan, wishing she could disappear entirely. Before realizing it, her trembling fingers had clasped the hem of his clothes.
Fu Yihan, catching a faint whiff of her scent, clenched his hand tightly and, ignoring Fu Yixing entirely, powered his wheelchair forward.
Su Qingnuan hesitated, took half a step forward, then stopped, her gaze following him.
The next instant, his indifferent voice drifted back, "Not coming?"
She froze momentarily before immediately quickening her pace to catch up.