Chapter 27 (Part 1)

The birthday banquet of Fu Yunzhang’s elder sister, Fu Rulan, hadn’t been held in Yunsu for a long time.

Ever since Fu Rulan married a certain Military Region Commander as his second wife, her birthday banquets had always been held at her in-laws'. This return to Yunsu must have something to do with her younger brother, whose legs were disabled and movement inconvenient.

Regardless, the opportunity to hold the birthday banquet in Yunsu had stirred the ambitions of those who usually had no chance to ingratiate themselves with the Fu family. Fu Yunzhang, having been ill and absent from public view for a long time, presented a golden opportunity for networking.

How did they know that Fu Yunzhang would definitely attend?

Because the venue for the banquet was at Yunsu's Guanyun Mountain – Fu Yunzhang’s private estate.

Fu Rulan has always been extravagant, and this year being her 40th birthday, Lily of the Valley flowers had been transported from all over the country to the greenhouse in the estate a week in advance. The blooming period for Lily of the Valley is in May, yet it was December now. Not to mention the other expenses, just the cost of having these out-of-season flowers bloom was astronomical.

On the day of the birthday banquet, the delicate white Lily of the Valley could only serve as an embellishment. The entire estate was in full bloom, presenting a vibrant spring scene.

"Such extravagance, and her husband is a public official, he doesn’t seem to care about avoiding suspicion."

"Exactly, they say you should marry a virtuous wife. Fu Rulan may be beautiful, but she isn’t afraid of inviting trouble, and her husband doesn’t seem to care."

"Control her? Back in the day, Fu Rulan had her pick of young and eligible bachelors from good families, but she chose to marry an old man as his second wife, with a decade between them. He dotes on her like a daughter. Even after twelve or thirteen years without any children, he never complained."

"You're out of the loop. Fu Rulan gave birth to a son three years ago, didn't you know?"

"Really? I had no idea. He’s over fifty... could it be..."

From behind a pillar of flowers, Fu Rulan swayed her glass and raised her voice, "Could it be what?"

As soon as the surrounding whispers ceased, Fu Rulan, clad in a black silk evening gown, draped in a black and white contrasting long fur shawl, and stepping on high heels, emerged from behind a column of flowers. She cast a disdainful glance at the person who had just commented on her ostentatious entrance.

The person smiled awkwardly at her, but Fu Rulan paid him no heed, pinning a lily of the valley she had plucked from the column onto her husband's chest, "Where's Yangyang?"

All eyes immediately shifted to Fu Rulan's husband.

The man was tall, his dark black suit almost military-like in its precision, broad-shouldered and long-legged, exuding an indescribable sharpness. He carried an air of stern righteousness about him.

His presence seemed to make the spacious banquet hall feel cramped. Those who had hoped to strike up a conversation with him hesitated under his imposing demeanor. Even the ladies and socialites who had been gossiping in a corner quietly dispersed.

The man scanned his surroundings, "I don't know, someone's with him, he won’t get lost."

Fu Rulan took a deep breath, "You grew up in the military district, of course, you wouldn't get lost. But this place is different. My younger brother was even kidnapped when he was a child. Go look for him quickly."

Though the man was already in his fifties, he had black hair, and stood tall and proud. He was very well-matched with Fu Rulan. He nodded slightly, his expression instantly becoming serious as if he had just received a last-minute order from his superiors, "Understood."

On the other side, inside the villa.

Yu He was half-kneeling on the ground, tying Fu Yunzheng's tie, "This silver-threaded tie complements your suit perfectly."

Fu Yunzheng rotated his wheelchair, causing a slight noise. He had almost decided against the tie before even looking in the mirror, his eyes drooping, "This one isn't good either."

He yanked off the tie and casually tossed it onto the soft chair in the changing room, acting like an overly perfectionist in the minor matter of choosing a tie, taking up a whole forty minutes.

Two stylists and three assistants stood in front of the clothing rack, also uncertain about which tie to choose next.

After forty minutes of this, they were all very aware that the problem was not with the ties. However, no one dared to voice what the real issue was.

Yu He waved his hands, "You all can go out first, I'll help Mr. Fu with his tie."

The few of them, relieved, nodded and left the changing room.

Yu He was wearing a black suit nearly identical to Fu Yunzheng's, his bangs swept back, and his eyebrows meticulously groomed, looking particularly spirited. Standing next to such a Yu He, no one could help but feel inferior.

Fu Yunzheng's hesitation did not stem from Yu He's perfection, but from his own imperfections.

He thought he had prepared himself to face the crowd again with an elegant and indifferent demeanor, but in fact, he hadn't.

A paraplegic, no matter what, could never be considered elegant. Everyone's gaze would inevitably gather on his legs. They would smile kindly and politely at him, looking at him with pity in their eyes as if his mere existence was an act of bravery. But behind his back, they would gossip and point fingers at his legs.

Really, most of these people didn't even have assets in the nine figures, and were definitely in debt by over a hundred million. Yet, he never thought of them as particularly brave for living through that.

To think that one can sleep soundly despite owing the bank so much money and still show up at a birthday banquet.

That's indeed a broad-minded attitude.

Fu Yunzheng brooded: But what does having money amount to? No matter how wealthy I am, I am still disabled.

Just then, Yu He, with a long stride, sat on Fu Yunzheng’s lap: “Hey, my dear CEO Fu is so handsome. Why are you upset over a tie?”

"Don't sit on me," Fu Yunzheng pushed Yu He slightly, being nitpicky and unable to tolerate the slightest imperfection on himself: “You’ll wrinkle my trousers.”

Yu He chuckled softly, took off his own tie, and started to put it on Fu Yunzheng: “How about wearing mine, is that okay?”

Fu Yunzheng didn't respond.

Yu He grabbed Fu Yunzheng’s hand and touched his own trouser seam: "Don’t be upset. The birthday party will be over soon, and I can work overtime tonight, okay?”

Fu Yunzheng lifted his eyes and glanced at Yu He, speaking in a muffled voice: “If you work overtime, doesn’t that mean I have to as well? Especially when you call me CEO Fu, it feels like we’re in a meeting.”

"Touch it." Yu He pressed Fu Yunzheng’s hand: "Why are you acting like such a gentleman, never taking the initiative to touch me?”

Fu Yunzheng’s fingers curled up, refusing to touch Yu He’s thigh: "Why does the term 'gentleman' sound like a derogatory term when it comes out of your mouth?”

"I am so young and beautiful..." Yu He leaned close to Fu Yunzheng’s ear, speaking softly: "I'm wearing shirt garters. Won't you give them a feel?”

Fu Yunzheng’s breath hitched, and he immediately moved his hand behind his back: “I won’t touch. Now get off me.”

Yu He’s breath gently caressed Fu Yunzheng’s ear, along with a voice slightly heavier than a breath that resonated in Fu Yunzheng’s ear.

He heard Yu He say, “Don't be afraid. I will stay with you.”

Yu He stood up, tried to smooth out the wrinkles on Fu Yunzheng’s trousers with his hand, but to no avail. He then fetched a blanket and draped it over Fu Yunzheng’s legs: “It’s too late to iron them now. This will have to do.”

Fu Yunzheng lowered his head, his fingers twirling the tassels at the edge of the blanket, feeling as if his secret had been discovered by Yu He. Yet, with Yu He’s inability to hide things, if he had discovered anything, there would certainly be some hint of it.

Fu Yunzheng suddenly lifted his head, his slightly panicked gaze colliding with Yu He’s dazzling, starry eyes. In that moment, galaxies flowed, and radiant light scattered in all directions.

It's over.

Yu He continued: “Anyway, no one dares to lift your blanket like I do.”

"Well, that's hard to say," Fu Yunzhen suddenly became serious, swiftly rebuilding his beliefs as he joked with Yu He, "If he also splashed me with water, perhaps in the panic he would dare to lift it."

Yu He laughed, casually grabbed a tie, and swiftly tied it around his neck: "Chairman Fu really holds a grudge, bringing up such a trivial matter after all this time."

"Haven't you heard that Chairman Fu always repays an eye for an eye?" Fu Yunzhen adjusted his tie and wheeled himself out of the cloakroom.

In the corridor, he happened to run into Fu Rulan, who was looking for him. Fu Yunzhen stopped his wheelchair: "Sister."

Fu Rulan's phoenix eyes, which slanted upwards, first landed on her brother Fu Yunzhen, and then abruptly shifted to stare directly at the handsome young man not far away, pretending to be ignorant: "Yunzhen, who is this?"

Yu He stood still and nodded slightly towards Fu Rulan.

The dazzling crystal chandelier in the hallway cast its light on Yu He’s fair face, as if the collagen from his face was about to burst forth onto Fu Rulan's face.

The young man's muscle texture naturally ascended, still unmarred by the toll of gravity. This kind of natural harmony between skin and bone is an effect that numerous cosmetic procedures cannot achieve.

It was this little demon who had bewitched her brother so thoroughly that he loitered around the Fu residence day after day, neglecting even the affairs of the company.

Fu Rulan narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing the young man before her.

It was the end of the year, a time when heads of various companies would report their performance to Fu Yunzhen. The people at the company said that the financial statements brought back half a month ago had yet to be completely reviewed by Fu Yunzhen. He would start, then send the company staff away midway, choosing instead to frolic with this little demon.

Fu Rulan originally didn’t believe it; she had never seen Fu Yunzhen be affectionate with anyone. But she couldn’t deny it when everyone was saying the same thing. She had privately asked Zhang Shan today, and Zhang Shan had only said it was unclear, mentioning that after Young Master Yu came, no one was allowed to stay and serve during the day.

It wasn’t hard to imagine what a man and a bachelor would do together, alone day and night in a villa.

Fu Rulan wrapped her fur coat around her shoulders. This Yu He had such an enchanting appearance, appearing foolish yet exuding an otherworldly, stunning aura. It really embodied the saying, "All that glitters is not gold."

No wonder he had bewitched her aloof and abstinent brother to such an extent. With such a face, who wouldn't be captivated?

Fu Rulan lifted her chin and crossed her arms over her chest: "He’s quite handsome, but it’s a pity he’s mute. Why doesn’t he respond?"

Yu He was unperturbed, and even smiled a bit. His beautiful peach blossom eyes seemed to curve, his long black eyelashes swept up as if they could drown people in the depths of his eyes.

In an instant, it was as if the sunset and a lone wild goose had descended, with all the stunning colors between water and sky captured in that smile.

Fu Rulan paused slightly, the rest of her challenging words stuck in her throat, uncertain of how to proceed.

Just as she was hesitating, she heard Fu Yunzhen speak in a calm voice.

Fu Yunzhen: "Sister, you didn’t ask him."

Fu Rulan: “......”

She glanced at Fu Yunzhang: Very well, her darling younger brother has learned how to elbow out.

"Fu Yunzhang," Fu Rulan questioned her brother, "did you really spend twenty million just to have someone like this at your beck and call?"

Fu Rulan's attack tactic number three: Objectify the opponent, make them furious, and reveal their flaws.

Fu Yunzhang glanced at Yu He and retorted, "Could you even find someone better looking?"

Fu Rulan: Well, that might indeed be impossible.