Chapter 58 Part 2 一 His future mother-in-law found a bunch of rivals for him.
The next morning, while sitting at his desk and looking at various news articles on his computer, Fu Jiazhan inadvertently came across an exclusive interview draft about Gu Fuchen’s acquisition case of Yawei Automobile.
After pausing for a moment on the issue of Ruan Chenchen and Gu Fuchen, Fu Jiazhan’s lips curved slightly.
He was wearing a muted gray coat, and his fingers were fair and slender.
Through the French windows, long-lost warm sunlight poured in, and the midnight blue carpet lay peacefully in the sunlight. Fu Jiazhan’s office was designed with a muted warm color scheme. Upon entering, one could feel a faint gentleness.
The sunlight fell on his slender fingers. Fu Jiazhan looked very fair. Inside the gray coat was a cream-colored sweater, displaying a clean and elegant tone, exuding a silent tranquility and grace that couldn’t be described in words.
The office at eight o’clock was very quiet. Fu Jiazhan looked at Gu Fuchen’s interview draft, took a sip of coffee, and enjoyed the cozy atmosphere exclusive to the morning.
The buzzing vibration of his phone interrupted the peaceful scene.
On WeChat, Mother Fu sent several messages in a row.
【Come home early tonight.】
【Little princess and your future mother-in-law are coming over to our house. Stay for dinner.】
【No overtime allowed. It’s better to come back seven or eight hours in advance.】
Fu Jiazhan’s gaze paused at the beginning of the second sentence, and he smiled helplessly.
Sunlight filtered through his short, fragmented hair and fell into his eyes. His eyes were bright, with a hint of shimmer when he smiled. His thin lips curved softly, exuding a faint cedar fragrance.
He sighed lightly in his reply: 【Why not just say it directly and ask me to come home now?】
【Mrs. Ruan is very friendly.】
【I’ll try my best.】
The special assistant came in and delivered some documents that needed to be signed immediately. Catching a glimpse of Fu Jiazhan’s lingering smile, his mood improved slightly, and he smiled and said, “You’re in a good mood today.”
In the eyes of the special assistant, Mr. Fu had no sharp edges, so he dared to use a calm tone to talk to Mr. Fu about everyday matters.
Fu Jiazhan rarely got angry; all his sharpness was reserved for where it was needed.
A few days ago, during a high-level meeting discussing recent key projects, he encountered a few people with careless attitudes on important occasions. He gave a faint smile, seemingly smiling and staring at them, playing with the pen in his hand as he calmly observed their antics. The atmosphere immediately became tense.
Fu Jiazhan’s starting point in the business circle was lower than Jiang Huai, Lu Jin, and Gu Fuchen.
His father passed away when he was very young, and Mother Fu and Fu Jiazhan went through several difficult years in the Fu family. After Fu Jiazhan grew up, the group remained under the control of his aunt, and the situation was not optimistic.
It took Fu Jiazhan two years to regain the industry that originally belonged to his father, and another two years to bring the struggling group back to the forefront.
He was as low-key as Gu Fuchen, but their ways of being low-key were different.
The Gu family occupied the position of the richest family, and Bozhan was the number one group in the country. The two words “number one” were eye-catching in themselves, and Gu Fuchen, who brought Bozhan to this level, naturally became a legend admired by everyone in the business circle.
Gu Fuchen’s low-key approach involved reducing his exposure and minimizing his presence in public. Fu Jiazhan’s low-key approach involved rarely taking the initiative to showcase himself.
Just like in a friendship, he always played the role of listener and problem solver, never expressing his own troubles, always quietly listening.
He didn’t actively show himself, but when he was needed, before he even turned around, he had already prepared everything.
Fu Jiazhan handed the signed documents to the special assistant and said, “Cancel the social engagement in the afternoon. I’ll be going home to handle personal matters. If there’s anything necessary, go find Li Wei.”
Li Wei was the vice president of the Fu Group.
“Understood, Mr. Fu.”
. . . . .
The Fu family is livelier than usual at this time.
Ever since Fu Jiazhan reclaimed the Fu Group from his aunt, he and Mother Fu have cut off contact with unfamiliar relatives.
Mother Fu usually lives with Fu Jiazhan and an aunt. She didn’t want to live in a big house and felt it was too spacious, so she purchased a nice villa in the city center with a small garden in front and a beautiful lake view at the back.
She doesn’t spend much time at home and finds living alone boring. Most of the time, she travels around the world with her friends. In fact, the only person who usually stays at home is Fu Jiazhan.
This year, Mother Fu got bored of traveling and didn’t want to go out. She planted some strawberries in the courtyard in front of the villa to entertain herself.
Ruan Yōu curiously asked, “Why are you planting strawberries?”
She thought that a wealthy woman like Mother Fu would plant ornamental flowers and plants, just like her mother’s garden.
Mother Fu chuckled lightly, “I don’t have a hobby for planting flowers and plants. I’m bored at home, and Jiazhan suggested that I make use of the small garden at the entrance. He’s afraid that I’ll be lazy and won’t see any results, so he told me to plant strawberries and count them as time. One strawberry represents five minutes, which is the time he takes off work to come home and be filial to his mother.”
Ruan Liuyu carefully examined the strawberries, looking serious as if she was evaluating whether they were qualified or worthy of investment. “How many strawberries are there now? How much time does that represent?”
“I haven’t counted yet, but there should be quite a few.”
Ruan Liuyu sighed, feeling a bit envious: “Jiazhan has always been filial. He came up with this method and put his heart into it.”
Then, she leaned in close to Mother Fu and whispered, “Let me use this method.”
The method is really good. When she starts using the unused land behind her estate, she’ll make Yōuyōu and Gu Fuchen owe her thousands and thousands of minutes.
“Feel free to use it.”
. . . . .
Ruan Liuyu was tired from walking, so she rested and drank tea in the living room.
It was Ruan Yōu’s first time here, and Mother Fu took her around in circles.
“Jiazhan lives on the second floor. This is his study. The bedroom is at the end. The lake view there is beautiful. He can wake up to the scenery and have a happier mood.”
After the introduction, Mother Fu asked with interest, “What does your mother want from Jiazhan?”
Ruan Yōu shook her head honestly, “I don’t know.”
Mom only said that she wanted to bring her to the Fu family to look around and meet Mother Fu.
Mother Fu didn’t dwell on it.
Whether it’s good or bad, it is far beyond Ruan Liuyu’s ability to remember Fu Jiazhan.
Mother Fu sincerely believed that if Ruan Yōu wanted to fall in love, Jiazhan was the most suitable person in the wealthy circle for her.
Moreover, Jiazhan and Ruan Yōu had a pre-existing relationship.
Although no one mentioned this matter after Ruan Yōu returned, in the past, it was definitely fate.
Not everyone could be betrothed to Ruan Yōu.
Mother Fu really wanted to bring Ruan Yōu back home to celebrate the festival together. It didn’t matter if Fu Jiazhan married into the Gu’s family. The Gu family estate is so big, it’s no problem for two more people to live there.
Mother Fu had another selfish thought.
She heard that Qi Zhiyan and Ruan Yōu had a good relationship now. With Ruan Yōu’s influence, this person who was so desolate could laugh. Ruan Yōu had a magical power.
However, everything still depends on Jiazhan’s willingness.
At three o’clock in the afternoon, when Fu Jiazhan arrived home, Ruan Liuyu wanted to have a private conversation with him.
Seeing this, Mother Fu took Ruan Yōu to the kitchen to make desserts.
Facing Ruan Liuyu, Fu Jiazhan felt a moment of nervousness in his heart. He took the coffee handed to him by his house aunt and spoke softly, “Auntie, what’s the matter?”
He rarely had conversations alone with Aunt Ruan. The most memorable time in his memory was when he was five years old.
At that time, Yōuyōu went missing, Aunt Ruan cried with red eyes, and little Gu Fuchen sat in the corner all day, staring at his feet, while Uncle Gu seemed absent-minded, leaving all the company affairs to the management.
The Fu family was shrouded in deep grief.
The Fu family and the Gu family were neighbors, and Mother Fu took him to the Gu family every day. Before entering, Mother Fu earnestly instructed him, “Auntie and Uncle, as well as Gu Fuchen, are all very sad. When you go in, you must comfort them and make them happy, understand?”
Little Fu Jiazhan didn’t know what comforting meant, so he could only obediently listen to his mother’s words, sitting beside Aunt Ruan, handing her tissues one by one.
At that time, Aunt Ruan held his hand with tears in her eyes and choked, “If Yōuyōu hadn’t gone missing, you would be just like her. You have a sibling-like relationship, growing up together as childhood friends. You will definitely take care of her with Fuchen.”
After saying this, Aunt Ruan asked sadly, “Can you do it?”
Little Fu Jiazhan, influenced by the fairy tales his mother told him since he was young, knew that he had to keep his promises, or else his nose would grow long, and he would develop a long tail on his butt, which would be very ugly and laughed at by the kids at kindergarten.
Little Fu Jiazhan understood most of what Aunt Ruan said.
Upon hearing that he had to take care of the little princess mentioned by his mom, Little Fu Jiazhan felt uneasy and afraid that he wouldn’t be able to do well.
However, as Aunt Ruan’s crying grew louder, Little Fu Jiazhan didn’t want to make her unhappy. He tightly clenched his little fist and nodded earnestly, “I will take good care of the little princess. She will come back soon.”
Fu Jiazhan wrote down this sentence. Later, when his mother read him fairy tales and mentioned the role of the princess, he would always think of the disappeared Little Princess Yōuyōu.
Little Princess Yōuyōu is very important.
After she returns, Aunt Ruan will be happy; Gu Fuchen will be happy; Uncle Gu’s hair will turn black.
His mother and he will also be very happy.
Now, when Fu Jiazhan recalls this matter, there is a trace of confusion.
Since he was young, he has firmly kept Little Princess Yōuyōu in his heart. His mother always mentioned her, and Aunt Ruan and Uncle Gu always mentioned her when Gu Fuchen was not around. He has seen Yōuyōu many times, a cute chubby little sister, like a chubby glutinous rice ball, with two small buns tied up like the characters on New Year’s paintings.
He has always remembered taking care of Little Princess Yōuyōu according to what his mother and Aunt Ruan said.
Two months ago, Ruan Yōu returned home, and when he saw her for the first time in the investment class, he felt an inexplicable sense of responsibility.
He knew it wasn’t love, but he promised to take care of her well. Later, due to the expansion of the company, he had to go abroad for development. When he returned, Ruan Yōu had already made friends with everyone and had close relationships, and she didn’t need his care.
Until Ruan Yōu found him, hoping that he could help her complete the gift plan for Gu Fuchen, Fu Jiazhan agreed from the standpoint of a friend.
What really changed his attitude was witnessing a fireworks display with his own eyes and seeing the change Ruan Yōu brought to Gu Fuchen.
She is a dazzling princess.
Since her return two months ago, she has invisibly changed the entire wealthy family.
The original wealthy family was like a deep and mysterious sea, with waves hidden beneath the calm surface. If Ruan Yōu didn’t come back, Qi Zhiyan, Jiang Huai, Lu Jin, Lu Xuan, and even him, would have lived their monotonous lives as usual, waiting for conflicts to devour them.
It was never the wealthy family that gave her brilliance, but she bestowed them with a new life.
There’s something wrong in the fairy tale.
No one can be the prince of the princess.
She is dazzling enough, and doesn’t need a prince to rescue her. The one who saves her is herself.
And Fu Jiazhan had the idea of getting close to someone for the first time.
In the movie, it says, “A person is like a rainbow, you will know when you meet them1.”
The same is true in reality.
. . . . .
“Jiazhan?”
In the living room, Ruan Liuyu took a sip of tea, raised her voice, and called out again.
Since three minutes ago, Fu Jiazhan has clearly been thinking about something else, with a gentle expression and a hint of a smile that seemed to be there and not there.
It has to be said that his eyes are bright when he smiles, like a breath of fresh air.
Fu Jiazhan snapped out of his thoughts and quickly said, “Auntie say it.”
Ruan Liuyu took out a document from her bag, “It’s like this, Ruan Yōu is planning to participate in a variety show related to heirs. It’s called <The Heirs>, and I hope you can accompany her.”
Fu Jiazhan’s eyes lit up, he took the document with both hands, and repeated somewhat unbelievably, “I accompany Yōuyōu?”
“Yes, you accompany her.”
Fu Jiazhan never expected the opportunity to come so suddenly. Before he could even utter the promised words, and while his racing heart and faint excitement had yet to settle, Ruan Liuyu softly said, “Besides you, there’s also Gu Fuchen, Jiang Huai, and Lu Jin. All of you will accompany Yōuyōu on the variety show.”
Fu Jiazhan’s figure froze slightly, his tone complicated. “W一e?”
“That’s right, all of you,” Ruan Liuyu affirmed.
Fu Jiazhan’s expression instantly became complicated.
Could this be considered as his future mother-in-law finding a bunch of love rivals for him to appear on a variety show together?
Before Ruan Liuyu finished her words, she smiled and added, “I’m the first one to tell you. I haven’t said anything to them yet. Since you have a good relationship with them, can you help me talk to them?”
Fu Jiazhan: …
Not only did his future mother-in-law find some love rivals, but she also asked him to persuade the rivals to appear on the variety show together.
一What a tragic and miserable case in this world.
- After doing a little research, I discovered that it’s from a movie adapted from a novel with the same title, “Flipped,” by Wendelin Van Draanen. I didn’t find the exact sentence in the movie, but the most likely possibility is based on a famous line from the film: “Some of us get dipped in flat, some in satin, some in gloss….” He turned to me. “But every once in a while, you find someone who’s iridescent, and when you do, nothing will ever compare.” It suggests that once you find such a person, no one else will be able to match their uniqueness, beauty, or impact on your life. (That’s Ruan Yōu!) ↩︎
I’m so excited for it, tho the wait will be quite awhile 😭😭😭