When Wen Tingxue called, Han Xianyun was not surprised.
His only surprise was the timing.
He had expected her to call for help yesterday, not realizing she could hold out for so long.
Even more surprisingly, her condition seemed alright.
"Fourth Brother," Wen Tingxue called out, unaccustomed to the address.
Han Xianyun teased, "You're not calling me Mr. Han anymore?"
"..."
The young girl pursed her lips awkwardly and honestly admitted, "I do have something I need your help with."
Calling him Fourth Brother made her sound closer, increasing her chances of success.
She knew her little tricks were no match for him.
Pretending in front of people like them was like being a clown; it was better to be sincere.
Her words indeed pleased him.
With a light chuckle, he said, "Go on, what do you want me to do?"
"I just... I want to see Fu Yuchuan once."
"That's it?" Han Xianyun raised his eyebrows in surprise.
Wen Tingxue nodded, then remembered he couldn't see, so she softly 'mm-hmm'-ed.
Han Xianyun had always wanted a younger sister when he was little, someone who would call him "Gege" and follow him around.
Like a cute little doll.
Just like Fu Feifei following Fu Yuchuan, it had made him incredibly envious.
But unfortunately, his fate was not to have a sister.
He only had a younger brother who gave him headaches and made him want to send him back to the womb every other minute.
Unexpectedly, years later, his wish had come true.
Hearing the girl's soft voice, Han Xianyun couldn't help but smile.
Du Xi, sitting opposite him, was confused.
Was he drunk?
Why was he so happy for no reason?
"Okay, let me think about it." Han Xianyun, in a good mood, adjusted his jacket.
Wen Tingxue waited sincerely, not daring to disturb him.
A few seconds later, he said, "Tomorrow at noon, my old lady is celebrating her birthday. If nothing unexpected happens, that brat will definitely show up."
Wen Tingxue blinked hesitantly. Did he just say... "that brat"?
Perhaps she was silent for a while, as Han Xianyun explained, "Oh, that's Fu Yuchuan."
"..."
Quite down-to-earth.
"Then, can I go?" Wen Tingxue asked cautiously.
Whether it was her tone or her demeanor that amused him, a low chuckle was heard.
His voice was tinged with delight, "Of course, you are the widely known Seventh Miss of the Han family, and you should attend."
"Oh." Wen Tingxue breathed a sigh of relief, then a moment later, she perked up again, "Then what time should I arrive tomorrow?"
This was her first time dealing with such matters, and she was unfamiliar with them.
Han Xianyun seemed to consider this as well. After a moment's thought, he said, "I'll send a car to pick you up."
He paused, "The dress will also be prepared for you, so don't worry."
She was treated so well?
Wen Tingxue was a bit overwhelmed. "Thank you, Fourth Brother."
When it was time to be sweet, she held nothing back.
Han Xianyun smiled, feeling pleased. "Mm, cheer up. What's happening online is nothing. If all else fails, you still have me."
"If all else fails, you still have me."
Although she knew it was a polite remark, Wen Tingxue was still touched.
"Thank you, Fourth Brother!" Her voice was even sweeter than before.
Even after the call ended, the smile on Han Xianyun's face showed no sign of fading.
Du Xi looked at him as if he had seen a ghost and licked his lips. "Fourth Master?"
His tone was one of alarm.
Han Xianyun glanced at him lazily and said, "I suddenly feel like a childhood wish has been fulfilled."
Du Xi: What? What are you talking about?
Han Xianyun fiddled with a black chess piece between his fingers and said with a hint of boastfulness, "Actually, having a younger sister is quite nice."
Du Xi: "..."
It was better to change the subject.
"Xing Jiahe has intentions of leaving the team." This was the main point of his visit today.
"Oh? Why?"
"He feels that this line of work isn't suitable for him," Du Xi relayed truthfully.
Han Xianyun rubbed the chess piece. "Reason?"
Du Xi shook his head. "He didn't say, but I think it's because he hasn't achieved the results he wanted."
"The results he wanted?" Han Xianyun became curious. "What results does he want?"
Du Xi guessed, "To win the championship in an international competition?"
"Oh, or maybe he feels it's not profitable," Du Xi added another reason.
Han Xianyun paused. "Not profitable?"
Du Xi nodded. "Given his current fame in the esports world, it's definitely not as much as being a model. The key is, he has a girl he really likes. I suspect he's trying so hard to give her a home."
"Let's try again," Han Xianyun casually dropped the chess piece into the box. "If it really doesn't work out, we'll find someone else."
Du Xi felt the same way. "Then let's wait for this year's international competition. If he achieves satisfactory results, we'll continue the contract; if not, we'll let him go back to school."
Han Xianyun agreed, then changed the subject. "Have you met the girl Little Yan likes?"
"Qiao... Xixi?" Du Xi thought for a moment. "I've met her twice. She visited the club with Jiahe's girlfriend."
"How is she?"
"She's quite nice. Although she's not strikingly beautiful, her personality is very likable. It's not surprising that the young master likes her. However..."
Du Xi hesitated for a moment before saying, "I heard that girl has someone she likes, the young master of the Mu family in Jiangcheng."
"Mu Chen." Han Xianyun knew him; he was a brilliant disciple of the high-end ceramic artist Jiang Yingqing.
Du Xi subtly inquired, "Speaking of which, the young master has never been so serious about anyone. Fourth Master, aren't you going to help him out a bit?"
Han Xianyun gave him a meaningful look, as if he could see through everything.
Du Xi's scalp tingled, and he quickly averted his gaze.
Han Xianyun said, "In matters of the heart, no one can help anyone else. Let nature take its course."
Meanwhile.
After hanging up the phone, Wen Tingxue suddenly felt that something was amiss.
After thinking for a while, she remembered.
Han family's old lady was celebrating her birthday tomorrow, how could Han Xianyun not know?!
Did he really need so much time to think?
He was playing with her, wasn't he!
However, Wen Tingxue, with her good temperament, thought it was fine as long as he was helping her; a little teasing was acceptable.
Holding her phone, she was about to leave when she unexpectedly heard Mu Chen's voice.
"These two scandals have caused such a huge stir, yet not a single piece of news related to you has leaked online. That's truly impressive."
"Yeah," hearing him say that, Yu You also realized, "Even Ding Xi, who doesn't interact much with Little Sister-in-law, was repeatedly mentioned. Yet Brother Yu, as the official boyfriend, hasn't made a single appearance! This is very unusual."
Xing Jiahe disdainfully scoffed, "With your level of perception, how can you be a manager?"
Yu You stammered for a long time, unable to come up with a retort.
Mu Chen chuckled softly and said, "Mo Yichen and Kang Wei have been guarding against him for more than a day or two. You need to be more sharp in the future, lest you be exploited."
Yu You, who was collectively disliked, muttered a "oh."
"It's not his fault," Yu Wenli explained for him. "He's been busy taking care of Yiyi, so he hasn't had time to think about these things. However, it's likely that Jiang Chengyuan and Kang Wei have joined forces."
Mu Chen and Xing Jiahe nodded.
The entertainment industry in the capital was small. Those who held absolute status in the music scene were Jiang Chengyuan, with his many disciples, and Lin's Entertainment, which focused on music research.
The only way to prevent Yu Wenli from having a future in music was for the two of them to join forces.
Looking at the current situation and the direction of public opinion, this speculation was almost confirmed.
"Then," Yu You hesitantly broke the heavy silence, "is there no way?"
He didn't understand these things, but as it stood, it was no different from a dead end.
Unless Yu Wenli was willing to bow to Jiang Tu.
But that was clearly impossible.
Mu Chen and Xing Jiahe responded in silence.
Yu You's heart sank halfway, while Yu Wenli remained calm. "Don't worry, don't mention this matter again in the future."
He was afraid the little girl would hear it and feel uncomfortable.
Yu You and the other two nodded.
Unexpectedly, Wen Tingxue had already overheard. While feeling anxious and heartbroken, she became even more determined to become stronger and more capable.
She was determined to be powerful enough to help him, just as he had helped her before.
-
"Handsome!" Wen Tingxue nodded vigorously, her bright eyes full of sincerity.
Even setting aside all his external charisma, his face was undeniably handsome.
He was someone who could carve out a path in the dazzling entertainment industry.
Perhaps her exaggerated expression made him feel she was being perfunctory.
Han Xianyun paused for a moment, his expression slightly veiled. "I'll have someone take you to the backyard."
"..."
Was he that moody?
Wen Tingxue pursed her lips, slightly intimidated by him, but before leaving, she reassured him, "I'm telling the truth. I really think Fourth Brother, you are incredibly handsome."
Han Xianyun looked down at her for a second. The girl's wet eyes were reminiscent of a little deer.
"Oh," the man found her truly interesting and couldn't resist teasing, "Is your boyfriend more handsome, or is Fourth Brother more handsome?"
Wen Tingxue looked around. She didn't see Fu Yuchuan, but she did spot Fu Yushen admiring plum blossoms under a plum tree.
Unlike the liveliness around others, he was only accompanied by Napa, with no one else.
Actually, it made sense.
Those who came to the Han family were basically Han family loyalists.
Knowing the animosity between the Han and Fu families, how could they approach him?
Moreover, he was just a young master without real power. The upper class prioritized benefits.
People who couldn't bring benefits wouldn't get more than a word from them.
It was like her. Even though she wore the identity of the Han family's Seventh Miss, no one paid her any attention.
Because she was merely the adopted daughter of the Han family, without power, her status was unstable.
It wasn't until Yan Jun appeared, pulling her aside to chat warmly and say a lot, that those ladies and wives began to flock to her, their attitudes enthusiastic, as if they had known her for a long time.
Wen Tingxue detested such hypocrisy. She responded with a smile and then hid beside Fu Yushen.
Those people dared not interact with the Fu family so openly, so they left sheepishly.
"It seems you don't like such occasions either," Fu Yushen said with a low laugh.
Wen Tingxue shrugged, not hiding anything. "Indeed."
Fu Yushen looked up at her, his eyes gentle. "Since you're dressed so beautifully, try to be more ladylike. So many eyes are on you."
His reminder made Wen Tingxue's forehead tighten.
She had almost forgotten. She was no longer an ordinary outsider, but a member of the Han family.
In such occasions, every move she made represented the Han family's reputation.
It was exhausting, but there was no other way.
"Thank you." Wen Tingxue imperceptibly straightened her posture and thanked him in a low voice.
Fu Yushen smiled faintly and shook his head. "You're welcome. Actually, I should be the one apologizing. Those design drafts were leaked from me. I really didn't expect Feifei to use such a tactic against you."
Wen Tingxue looked up at the flowers, not responding.
She was now keeping her distance from the Fu family.
Who knew what schemes were hidden behind the scenes.
In fact, she didn't even want to get too involved with the Han family.
But fate pushed and shoved, and she was already deeply entangled, unable to extricate herself.
"You might not believe me, but I will never harm you."
...
After a long wait, Fu Yuchuan finally arrived fashionably late before the banquet officially began.
He appeared alongside the Fu family's old matriarch.
Wen Tingxue initially thought it was Fu Yuchuan's mother, but after hearing the discussions around her, she learned that this Madam Fu was Fu Yushen's biological mother.
"..."
Another complex relationship to understand.
However, Wen Tingxue was not interested in the Fu family's network of relationships.
Her only concern now was when she could speak to Fu Yuchuan alone.
"It's been a while since I've seen Little Chuan. How have you been lately?" Madam Fu asked Fu Yuchuan with a smile.
There was no sign of animosity between the two families.
Fu Yuchuan smiled faintly and replied, "Thanks to you, I'm doing well."
"What's good about it? He's all grown up and still no wife!" Madam Fu pouted and complained.
The Han family's old lady chimed in to smooth things over, "Children and grandchildren have their own fortunes. You shouldn't worry too much."
"Oh dear, how can I not worry? Look at my eldest son, he's useless. The Fu family's future will depend on Little Chuan! But Little Chuan hasn't found anyone he likes! It's driving me crazy."
Madam Fu, completely disregarding her own son's presence, bantered merrily with Fu Yuchuan.
Wen Tingxue instinctively glanced at Fu Yushen in the corner. He seemed accustomed to this, his eyes cast down, looking at his fingers.
His long, thick eyelashes hid all his emotions.
No one knew what he was thinking.
The Han family's old lady said something else, which Wen Tingxue didn't catch clearly. She only heard Madam Fu say with a laugh:
"You don't know how envious I am of you, with your children and grandchildren all around. And Little Fourth is so capable. Perhaps you'll be holding a great-grandchild next year!"
Han Xianyun happened to walk in from outside and joined the conversation, "What are you all talking about me for?"
"We're talking about you not getting married yet," the Han family's old lady chided him.
Han Xianyun spread his hands innocently. "Grandma, matters of the heart aren't something I can decide."
Fu Yuchuan quickly responded, "It would be my honor to marry a beauty like Miss Lin."
Madam Fu seized the opportunity and directly set the engagement date.
A meticulously planned commercial marriage was finalized at this occasion, presented as a jest.
It not only undermined the Han family's old lady's reception but also boosted the Fu family's prestige.
The Han family, aware of the underlying calculations, could only swallow their anger and play along with the Fu family.
This was Wen Tingxue's first real glimpse into the feud between the Han and Fu families.
It ran so deep.
Even Han Xianyun, who usually maintained a poker face, couldn't help but look grim.
Beyond that, what made her feel even more absurd and ridiculous was that in high society, marriage was not about love, but about interests, and maximizing those interests.
This was something she truly couldn't comprehend or accept.
...
Every dish at the birthday banquet was prepared by national-level banquet chefs.
Unfortunately, Wen Tingxue couldn't taste anything.
She ate a few mouthfuls and was full.
However, due to her status, she couldn't leave yet.
Fortunately, Fu Yuchuan hadn't left either.
Patiently waiting until the end, she turned her head and realized Fu Yuchuan had disappeared.
Wen Tingxue immediately snapped out of her shock about the arranged marriage, remembering the true purpose of her visit, and quickly chased after him, holding up her skirt.
The backyard was still crowded, but Fu Yuchuan was nowhere to be seen.
Just as Wen Tingxue's feet began to ache from walking, Jiang An walked towards her and said, "Second Master requests your presence."
-
A small courtyard filled with plum blossoms.
The moment Wen Tingxue stepped in, she felt not beauty, but dread.
It was only now that she truly realized that if Fu Yuchuan truly wanted to avoid her, she would never see him in her life.
This immense gap made her feel powerless and also worried about the upcoming negotiation.
Honestly, she still didn't understand what it was about her that made him target and scheme against her again and again.
[Author's aside]: It wasn't easy, but I've finally finished catching up!