Volume One, Chapter 13: Mr. Fu Felt a Surge of Tender Concern

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Fu Yanchen crouched down in front of her, draping his coat over her shoulders. He bent and lifted her into his arms. Gu Li clutched at his shirt in alarm.

“What are you doing here?”

“I happened to be passing by and saw you looking so miserable again.”

He was not mocking her or making fun of her. He was simply stating the truth.

She had been caught by him in such a wretched state.

Gu Li lowered her head and closed her eyes, finding the situation almost laughable. Yes, she truly was a pathetic sight at that moment. Her parents had tricked her into coming there only to beat her, and she had been made a spectacle in front of everyone. It could hardly have been more humiliating.

“Hey, who are you?” Bai Ying demanded, stepping forward and grabbing his arm when she saw someone carry her daughter away. Her face was dark with displeasure.

Only then did Fu Yanchen lift his eyes to look at her. He glanced down at the woman curled up in his arms, his expression stern and his voice icy.

“I am her husband, Fu Yanchen.”

Fu Yanchen?

At the sound of that name, Bai Ying immediately released him and took a step back. Startled, she looked at her husband, Gu Zhuo, and nudged him with her hand.

Gu Zhuo had never expected to meet Fu Yanchen in person, much less see his daughter held in the man’s arms. Judging by appearances, she was clearly favored. He hurried forward with an ingratiating smile.

“We’re Gu Li’s parents. We came today because we wanted to see her. Who could have expected her to be so disobedient?”

“You—” He stopped, realizing that his tone was not respectful enough, and quickly changed his address. “Mr. Fu, we’re family. Could you give us a little time to talk things over properly?”

It seemed that Mo Mo finally had a chance. As long as Gu Li begged Fu Yanchen properly, Mo Mo and Zhao Bei’s life would surely improve again.

Once their daughter and son-in-law were doing well, he and his wife would no longer be treated coldly or forced to endure their displeasure at home.

Fu Yanchen glanced at Gu Zhuo with indifference. His warm hand tightened around the person in his arms. Feeling her tremble, he turned back with a cold laugh.

“Mr. Gu, you can discuss this with the police later. I have somewhere to be.”

“No, wait, Mr. Fu—”

“Director Fu has somewhere to be. You cannot follow him.”

Wang Ye stopped Gu Zhuo from advancing in time. His expression was as stern and rigid as ever. After provoking Fu Yanchen into calling the police, the entire Gu family was finished.

Fu Yanchen carried Gu Li into the car. The warmth from the heater made her feel a little better, but when he touched her injured cheek and leg, she squeezed her eyes shut and let out a pained hiss.

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“Does it hurt?”

Fu Yanchen gently spread ointment over Gu Li’s face, moving with great care as though afraid of causing her any pain.

Tears filled Gu Li’s eyes as she watched him patiently tend to her wounds. Stubbornly, she refused to let them fall.

“May I?”

As courteous as ever, Fu Yanchen pinched the hem of her skirt and asked whether he could examine her leg, respecting her dignity at that moment.

Gu Li felt a little more at ease and nodded. Together, they lifted the skirt. Her calf bore the red marks left by the kick, and it had already begun to swell.

Her skin was naturally fair and delicate; even the slightest touch left a mark. Fu Yanchen’s gaze darkened, turning cold and ominous. As he applied the medicine, he frowned at her.

“Why didn’t you dodge?”

Remembering what had happened, Gu Li gave a self-deprecating laugh.

“I didn’t have time.”

She had never imagined that her father would suddenly slap her and then kick her in front of everyone. Who could have expected that the people who were supposed to come and apologize would instead abuse her?

Fortunately, she had never believed from the beginning that they would sincerely apologize. Their apparent kindness had been nothing but an act. Yet even though she had seen through them long ago, her heart had still ached when her father struck her.

“How do you want to handle this?”

Fu Yanchen continued applying the medicine as he asked in an even, indifferent tone. They were her parents, so the decision should be hers.

Gu Li leaned back against the seat and closed her eyes. Tears slipped down from the corners of her eyes.

Whether in her former life or this one, her parents had never truly loved her. Even the slightest affection they had shown her had only been because of Gu Mo. She did not need it.

Fu Yanchen understood her answer. As she leaned against the back seat, her tears fell onto his hand. The heat of them made his fingers tremble. She was so fragile now.

…

Before long, the police escorted Bai Ying and Gu Zhuo out of the café. Wang Ye followed behind, speaking with the officers.

Bai Ying glared resentfully at Gu Zhuo.

“I told you to come and apologize to our eldest daughter and mend your relationship with her. Who told you to hit her?”

“Now things are even worse between you. We thought our family could be reunited. What are you going to say if Mo Mo asks about this?”

As she spoke, Bai Ying began to cry. She seized Gu Zhuo and demanded angrily, “Now you’re going to be detained too. Li Li will never see us again. Are you going to be satisfied only after you destroy this family completely?”

“All right, stop crying. Besides, when I hit her just now, why didn’t you stop me? If it had been Mo Mo, you would have thrown yourself in front of her immediately.”

Thinking about it now, Gu Zhuo did feel somewhat guilty toward his eldest daughter, and he regretted what he had done. Yet he was resentful as well.

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He was her father. Gu Li had actually joined forces with her husband to send him to the police station. Wrong though he might have been, she could have complained to him behind closed doors. To treat her own father so mercilessly was surely too cruel.

Bai Ying froze. She stared at her husband, tears still circling in her eyes, her heart filled with anger and anguish.

Yes. If it had been Mo Mo, she would have thrown herself forward at once. Why had she not thought to protect Li Li that way just now?

Could it be that she had truly been so biased between Li Li and Mo Mo all these years?

No, that was not true. She loved Li Li too. It was only that Li Li had always been sensible and had never made them worry. Now that Mo Mo’s husband had gotten into trouble, they had finally realized how much they owed their eldest daughter. They wanted to make amends. They wanted the family to be reunited.

Who could have imagined that everything would end up like this?

“Mom, Dad, what happened?”

Before long, Gu Mo and Lu Zhaobei hurried over, only to see Gu Zhuo about to be taken back to the police station.

When Gu Zhuo saw his younger daughter arrive, he climbed into the police car guiltily, afraid to face her and even more afraid that she would scold him.

Seeing her younger daughter rush over, Bai Ying hurried forward and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

“Your father and I are fine. Don’t panic. It’s just that your father lost his temper and gave Li Li a beating.”

“So you ruined everything, didn’t you?” Gu Mo pushed her mother’s hand away and frowned angrily. “What did I tell you before? Speak to my sister properly. She is the only one who can save Zhaobei now. I never thought you two would lose your tempers so easily and even resort to violence. What are Zhaobei and I supposed to do now?”

Bai Ying staggered from the force of her daughter’s push and stared at her in disbelief. Her daughter cared only about herself.

“Your father, a man who cares so much about his dignity, came to apologize to your sister for your sake. You know what his temper is like. Don’t be so anxious. Your father and I will think of another way.”

“He’s about to be taken to the police station. How can he help us now?” Furious, Gu Mo shot her father a vicious look. “I was counting on you two to do something, but I never imagined that neither of you useless old fools could be relied upon. You only made things worse. You’re absolutely worthless.”

Bai Ying stared at Gu Mo with her eyes wide, convinced she must have misheard.

Hearing that, Gu Zhuo rose abruptly. His face was livid as he looked at the younger daughter he had always cherished.

“What did you just say?”

Only then did Gu Mo realize what she had said. Lu Zhaobei nudged her, and she immediately burst into tears.

“Mom, Dad, I’m sorry. I spoke without thinking. But Zhaobei has been blacklisted by my sister. What are we supposed to do from now on? I feel like I might as well die.”

Seeing their daughter cry, Gu Zhuo and Bai Ying were instantly heartbroken. Gu Zhuo sighed.

“Let’s go to my company first. I’m leaving now. The Gu Corporation needs someone to manage it.”

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