Volume 1, Chapter 8: How Did You Break Up?
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Since he had returned to marry into another family, there was no reason for her to become involved with him.
Even if he was a powerful figure in the capital’s elite circle, she could not rely on him.
She could not become a stumbling block in his path.
Seeing her daughter’s attitude, Mother Qiao did not mention Fu Yunzhen again. Instead, she said gently, “Sweetheart, drink the ginger tea first to warm yourself up. After your bath, get some rest early. I’ll sleep with Manman tonight.”
Then, with heartfelt concern, Mother Qiao added, “You’ve worked so hard for this family.”
Qiao Nian’an picked up the ginger tea and drank it all in one go.
She happened to be on her period these days. Every month at this time, her mother would brew ginger tea for her to warm her body.
It eased her menstrual cramps considerably.
From the clothes she had changed out of, she took the business card Fu Yunzhen had pressed into her hand. It was a black card with gold lettering.
She carefully wiped the card clean. As she stared at the familiar name and phone number, the tip of her nose began to sting, and she could not help recalling the scene of their breakup six years ago…
Back then, the Qiao family had fallen into ruin and piled up massive debts. Her father had taken his own life, and the family had suddenly lost its backbone. At the same time, she had become pregnant with Fu Yunzhen’s child. Not wanting to drag him down with her, she had planned to seek him out and initiate a breakup.
When she went to Fu Yunzhen to end their relationship, an elegant young woman from a wealthy family found her and offered her five million, asking her to leave her son.
She also promised to help the Qiao family survive its crisis.
The condition was that Qiao Nian’an abort the child and break up with him.
She had to be the one to end things with Fu Yunzhen and make him give up on her completely.
Qiao Nian’an knew that her relationship with Fu Yunzhen could not be measured in money.
Although the reason he had become her boyfriend was connected to money,
that had been different. She had used money to help him keep his grandfather alive, allowing him to fulfill his duty as a filial grandson.
His mother, however, had used money to humiliate both her and the love they shared.
At the time, she had agreed to have the child aborted. But after breaking up with Fu Yunzhen, she had not taken a single cent from his mother.
From then on, she had vanished from Fu Yunzhen’s world.
Afterward, the only news she heard of him came through the media.
Watching him climb step by step to where he was today, she had been genuinely happy for him.
But that did not mean she could shamelessly throw herself at him.
After ending things with him without mercy, she had left for the south without saying goodbye, working to repay her debts. Once he had accepted the truth, he had secretly gone abroad for further study. Six years lay between them, along with an immense chasm.
A shattered mirror could never be made whole again.
After returning to the capital’s elite circle, she had never expected to meet him again…
Qiao Nian’an did not know when she had fallen asleep.
The following morning, she woke up disheveled and walked out of her room, preparing to wash up and go to work. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of an unwelcome guest.
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He wore a perfectly tailored designer suit. His long legs were crossed slightly as he leaned lazily against the sofa, exuding an air of aristocratic aloofness.
She was so startled that she nearly jumped.
Hearing the noise, the man turned his gaze toward Qiao Nian’an as well.
Seeing her staring at him in panic, he rose almost instinctively. A smile curved faintly at the corners of his lips, but it quickly disappeared, and his expression returned to normal.
He had not seen this relaxed, unguarded side of her for six years. She was just as she had been when they lived together.
Even after getting out of bed, she would walk around with her eyes narrowed, claiming that she was merely catching up on sleep.
She had not changed at all.
Qiao Nian’an came back to herself, her heart pounding into her throat.
She glanced at the clock. Fortunately, it was already half past seven. At this hour, her mother had already taken the children to kindergarten.
The three of them should not have run into each other.
If they had, her mother would certainly have woken her.
Qiao Nian’an frowned, making no attempt to hide her displeasure at the unwelcome guest. “You should leave.”
Her brief romance with this aloof, untouchable man was more than enough.
She did not want to repeat the same mistake a second time.
There was no emotion in Fu Yunzhen’s voice. “I came to retrieve my coat.”
That was the main reason he had deliberately draped his coat over her legs the day before. He knew she would never approach him, so he had chosen to approach her instead. The coat was merely an excuse to come looking for her.
Hearing this, Qiao Nian’an found it ridiculous.
She looked at him. “Mr. Fu, you’re so wealthy. Is that really the only coat you own?”
She had never told him her address, but with his current abilities, finding it would have taken only a quick investigation.
She simply had not expected him to come so soon.
Fu Yunzhen’s slender, sharply defined fingers lifted her chin. He teased, “That’s right. I’m richer now than I used to be. You know that better than anyone.”
With that, he leaned a little closer, his sensual voice low and husky. “Not only do you know it—you made very good use of it, didn’t you?”
He was far too close. Qiao Nian’an’s nose filled with the faint woody fragrance lingering on him.
Fu Yunzhen, in turn, caught the delicate fragrance of her skin. Their scents mingled together.
For a moment, he was dazed, transported back six years.
Qiao Nian’an was already breathing unevenly from his proximity. Her cheeks and the tips of her ears flushed faintly.
She had not heard his words clearly at all.
Holding her breath, she asked in a low voice, “What did I make good use of?”
Was this man trying to seduce her? Why else would he stand so close?
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He was making her so nervous.
Seeing her reaction, Fu Yunzhen moved even closer and said in a deep voice, “I said, money. You made very good use of my money.”
Qiao Nian’an understood him now. Her face burned even more fiercely, and she instinctively retreated several steps to keep her distance.
She even watched him with undisguised wariness.
She should never have asked.
The man had nothing but filthy remarks on his lips.
That brief moment had sent her drifting back to six years ago, when they had been in love. He had been passionate, forceful, domineering…
Like a man born to rule.
Fu Yunzhen gazed at her coldly. “So, after leaving me, your life hasn’t been good at all.”
“Yes. So, Mr. Fu, are you planning to take pity on me and give me some money to spend?” Qiao Nian’an asked, following his line of thought.
Fu Yunzhen did not get angry. “Would ten billion be enough?”
Qiao Nian’an froze.
How did he know about the ten billion?
Before she could recover, Fu Yunzhen reached out and gripped her chin. His voice was cold enough to pierce bone. “I heard that ten billion is enough to marry you?”
Qiao Nian’an’s body jolted violently.
Had he also learned what she had said the night before to drive Fu Jingchuan away?
She drew a deep breath and asked with a frown, “Were you following me?”
Was that how he had managed to break in that morning while her mother was out?
Fu Yunzhen did not answer. He merely looked down at her and asked, “Do you regret leaving me?”
He was wealthy now—far wealthier than ten billion.
Whatever she wanted, he would give her.
Hearing this, Qiao Nian’an’s breathing grew rapid. “I don’t regret it.”
Her small hands clenched the fabric of her nightdress. She did not dare raise her eyes to look at him.
“The boyfriend you mentioned—is he Fu Jingchuan?” Fu Yunzhen lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his deep, dark eyes.
If Fu Jingchuan had not come home in the middle of the night demanding ten billion to marry Qiao Nian’an, Fu Yunzhen would have thought she had invented an imaginary friend.
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