Chapter 24

Translator: Atlas Studios  Editor: Atlas Studios

Fu Chen looked at Qiao Xiyan calmly. “Wait a moment.”

“I’ll wait for you in the courtyard.” Qiao Xiyan nodded while seemingly unintentionally sizing up the legendary Third Master Fu.

​​ 

As a man, he was way too exquisite, and even his fingers were pure white.

They were just like the warm-toned jade he had polished before. They were well-proportioned and slender, and every inch of them was exquisite and just right.

He indeed lived like a prince.

“Okay.” Fu Chen closed the door.

He had expected that Qiao Xiyan would come looking for him. Since he could personally send Song Fengwan here, it would be unreasonable if he didn’t give him a bunch of reminders.

***

When Fu Chen arrived in the courtyard, he saw Qiao Xiyan smoking under a street lamp. The white smoke rose from his fingertips and enveloped him in a layer of faint fog. He heard the noise and turned his head to look.

His eyes were as deep as the sea as he fixedly watched Fu Chen walk toward him. He threw the cigarette butt on the ground and crushed it with his foot.

Everyone knew that Fu Chen didn’t smoke or drink.

“What do you want to talk with me about?” Fu Chen’s voice was extremely smooth.

“Mainly about Wanwan’s matters. I’m afraid we’ll have to trouble you during this period of time.” For the sake of his cousin, Qiao Xiyan’s tone was gentle, which was rare, as his tone was usually extremely cold and oppressive.

“Okay.”

“Wanwan is very obedient, so I don’t think she will cause any trouble for you. If she really does something, please be more tolerant and don’t be calculative with her.”

He had a strange personality, and Qiao Xiyan was worried that Fu Chen would bully his cousin after he left.

Fu Chen frowned and said lightly, “It’ll depend on the situation.”

Qiao Xiyan frowned. He was indeed as difficult to deal with as the rumors said. He didn’t even bother to say polite words.

Qiao Xiyan was not a pushover either, and he lowered his voice. “Third Master, you are also one of the top figures in the capital. I believe that you won’t make things difficult for a young lady.

“If she really does something, it must be because she has been over-stimulated recently. After all, a lot of things have happened recently…

“Third Master, you’re also clear who the culprit is.”

Fu Chen suddenly turned his head, and their eyes met.

He was born with an immortal and demonic-like appearance. He was normally very mild-mannered, but the coldness he suddenly exuded was even bleaker and colder than the autumn night wind.

In the blink of an eye, he was the arrogant Third Master Fu again.

“Mr. Qiao, are you warning me right now?”

Otherwise, why would he deliberately mention Fu Yuxiu?

Qiao Xiyan only smiled. “I just hope that Third Master will be more tolerant of Wanwan. I can’t control what the Song family’s attitude is.

“Although we don’t have many people in the Qiao family, you should have heard that our family is famous for being crazily protective of our loved ones. I only have an aunt and a cousin, Wanwan.

“Bullying me is tolerable. But if anyone bullies her, even if he is the most powerful and influential person…

“I won’t let it go.”

He lifted his leg and crushed the cigarette butt under his feet again while looking straight at Fu Chen without any fear. This strength and the look in his eyes were a little…

… ferocious.

Fu Chen sneered. “I don’t have the hobby of bullying minors.”

What he implied was that he agreed to be tolerant of Song Fengwan.

After receiving a satisfactory answer, Qiao Xiyan stopped ravaging the cigarette butt under his feet. “Thank you for your hospitality tonight, Third Master. I’ve driven all day, so I’ll head back into the house first. You should rest early too.”

Fu Chen nodded and watched Qiao Xiyan leave.

It was only until Qiao Xiyan was completely gone that some people walked out from the shadows.

“Third Master, this Qiao Xiyan is too brazen. He even dared to threaten you in front of your face.” They were hiding in the shadows and were dumbfounded when they heard the conversation.

This was a blatant provocation. They had never seen anyone who dared to argue with Third Master like this before.

He was just too daring.

Not only was Fu Chen not angry, but he even smiled. “It’s quite interesting.”

Interesting?

Everyone was dumbfounded again.

In the past, Third Master would have already been furious. But now, he was actually smiling?

Is it because of Miss Song?

Did lust make him lose his mind?

Indeed, beauty is a curse.

Fu Chen was not as shallow as they thought. He was just testing Qiao Xiyan on purpose to see how far Qiao Xiyan would go for Song Fengwan.

If his threatening gaze had made Qiao Xiyan retreat, he wouldn’t have cared about Qiao Xiyan at all.

There were always people saying that the Qiao family had fallen, but they had likely misjudged this young master of the Qiao family.

***

On the first night that Song Fengwan stayed at Fu Chen’s house, there were no big incidents. She drank the hangover soup that Uncle Nian specially brought her and fell asleep peacefully.

Perhaps it was because she was too tired from the road trip during the day, she didn’t have any dreams the entire night.

When she woke up the next day, the sky was bright. Since it was her first time here, she didn’t dare to sleep in. She washed up simply and went downstairs.

In this age, very few young people would be willing to wake up early if there was nothing special going on. Uncle Nian was surprised that Song Fengwan got up so early, and his fondness for her increased a bit more.

Third Master indeed has good taste.

“Good morning, Uncle Nian.” After all, this wasn’t her own home, so she still felt a little awkward and reserved.

“Miss Song, why didn’t you sleep a little longer?” Uncle Nian smiled.

“I couldn’t sleep anymore. Is my cousin still asleep?” She subconsciously looked for the person she was the closest to here.

“Not yet, but Third Master is up. Do you want to go and greet him?” Uncle Nian was unusually amiable.

“Will it be inconvenient?” Song Fengwan actually didn’t want to be alone with Fu Chen. She had an erotic dream of stripping him naked yesterday, so how could she dare to see him?

“No, Third Master copies scriptures in the small study every morning. I’ll bring you there.”

Song Fengwan couldn’t reject him and could only follow him to the small study.

Uncle Nian could tell from the start that Song Fengwan was still young and had yet to experience love. Right now, Third Master was the only one who had developed feelings, so he would definitely try his best to matchmake them.

Song Fengwan followed him through a few flower corridors and soon arrived at the door of the small study.

“Third Master?” Uncle Nian knocked on the door.

“Come in.” His voice sounded muffled through the door.

Uncle Nian opened the door and walked in. “Miss Song is up and wanted to come over to greet you, so I brought her here.”

Song Fengwan blinked innocently. Why does it seem like I wanted to come over? He clearly suggested it.

Fu Chen held a small-leaf Zhennan calligraphy brush and was copying Buddhist scriptures with his head lowered. His expression was focused, and his posture was as straight as a pine tree.

On the Phoebe wood table, there was a Buddhist scripture, a stack of Xuan paper, a brush rack, a ruler, and a bronze incense burner. A wisp of incense leaked out from the filter. The morning breeze blew past, and the fragrance of sandalwood filled the room.

On the other side of the table, there was an old gramophone playing Chinese opera.

“Good morning, Third Master.” Song Fengwan braced herself and walked in. He’s only in his twenties, yet he’s copying scriptures and listening to opera. He lives like an old man.

“Mm.” Fu Chen held the brush coated in ink and wrote with elegance.

Song Fengwan stood on her tiptoes and looked at the Buddhist scriptures he had copied. These characters…

… are really beautiful.

At this moment, she heard that Fu Chen was playing the Kun Opera, ‘The Peony Pavilion’.

Song Fengwan didn’t know much about opera, but the Qiao family’s ancestral home was in Wusu, the birthplace of Kun Opera. When she was young, she had heard her grandpa hum it before and had an impression of the lyrics.

At this moment, the play was at its most famous song, ‘Wandering in the Dream’…

“… I will loosen your collar and slacken your belt.

“You will nip the edge of your sleeve, if only from enduring my tender caresses as we slumber…

“…When I see you snuggling up to me, I can’t wait to get intimate with you.”

This part was supposed to be an erotic dream. Song Fengwan suddenly recalled the scene of her pinning Fu Chen under her and tearing his clothes. Her face instantly turned red.

“Why is your face red? Are you feeling unwell?” The voice came from above her head. Song Fengwan looked up. At some point, Fu Chen had appeared in front of her and was looking down at her.

His warm breath landed on her face, and it was as hot as a heat wave.

She blushed even more.

He’s too close…

I’m going to die.