C49 Do You Not Understand or Are You Speechless?

Soong Ruanruan felt a jolt of surprise. The painting before her was exactly like the one she had created for the children years ago. The style of lines and coloring was one she had used four years prior, a method she hadn't been able to change and often found herself reverting to subconsciously.

A realization dawned on her.

Had Fu Jingchuan ever noticed her artwork back then? She doubted it. Each time she showed him her work, eager for his opinion, he remained stoic, offering no feedback. Over time, her confidence waned, and she stopped sharing her art with him.

But now, he seemed to recognize her old style?

"Mr. Fu, what would you like me to explain? I'm at a loss," Soong Ruanruan feigned ignorance.

Fu Jingchuan's grip on her hand tightened painfully. "Is it that you don't understand, or that you have nothing to say?"

Soong Ruanruan winced. "Please release my hand, Mr. Fu. You're hurting me. If you must discuss this painting, then I must inform you that many in the industry possess this technique. It's hardly my unique creation. What exactly do you expect me to explain, Mr. Fu?"

Her expression of innocence seemed genuine, not suggestive of deceit. Yet, while the rest of the painting featured a common style, the depiction of the leaf was unmistakably the style he had seen her use before.

Soong Ruanruan had a distinctive way of drawing leaves, and the chances of this being a complete coincidence were slim.

Fu Jingchuan released her. Soong Ruanruan stepped back, her face wary. Gathering her courage, she ventured a question, "Mr. Fu, pardon my boldness, but you're not confusing me with that Soong Ruanruan, are you? It appears that Miss Soong holds a special significance for you."

Fu Jingchuan's gaze lingered on the painting, his response delayed.

That woman had indeed seemed omnipresent over the past four years.

"Let me take a guess—Miss Soong Ruanruan must have had a tangled affair with you, which is why she remains unforgettable. But from an outsider's viewpoint, someone like you, Mr. Fu, shouldn't dwell on the past, especially when you and Miss Lo seem to be getting along so well."

Soong Ruanruan wasn't sure if speaking her mind was a dangerous move, but she desperately hoped to deter Fu Jingchuan from any further probing.

He couldn't possibly have been seeking her out all this time just because he liked her, could he?

Sure enough, the man's piercing gaze cut through the air like a blade, compelling her to avert her eyes despite her usually strong composure.

"She'd better pray I don't find her!"

Upon hearing this, Soong Ruanruan tensed up. Fu Jingchuan's chilling warning sent a shiver down her spine!

She had been overthinking it. Of course, Fu Jingchuan was after her to settle old scores; there couldn't be any other reason.

Mocking herself inwardly, Soong Ruanruan felt a sense of relief, "It seems Miss Soong has seriously offended Mr. Fu."

Changing the subject, she continued, "By the way, I received the list of potential matches today. Mr. Fu, thank you for being willing to do all this for An An."

That last sentence was heartfelt.

Regardless of the depth of her and Fu Jingchuan's past grievances, she couldn't deny the effort he had put in for his daughter.

"There was no match." Fu Jingchuan's anger subsided as he left the studio after dropping that piece of information.

Soong Ruanruan had already been aware of this outcome. Although it was disappointing, the fact that Fu Jingchuan had gone to such lengths was beyond what she had ever allowed herself to hope for.

...

As the treatments progressed, Soong Ruanruan's visits to the Fu Mansion became more frequent.

Fu Sui's anorexia had improved significantly, and he was now able to eat some light meat dishes.

Today, the children were scheduled to go to the natatorium, and Soong Ruanruan headed there straight after work.

Before her arrival, Lo Qing had already positioned herself at the venue.

Wherever Soong Ruanruan was close to the Fu family, Lo Qing was sure to follow.

"Sister Niannian, you're doing great!" An An cheered from her seat beside the pool, watching the two swimmers.

Chen Niannian swam to the edge and said with a grin, "Why aren't you cheering for your brother? He's getting jealous."

An An glanced over and indeed, Fu Sui looked somewhat forlorn in the next lane, as if he felt slighted by his sister's lack of attention to his performance.

"Brother is awesome too," An An sweetly chimed in.

Since the incident where she saved Chen Niannian, the little girl had frequently been playing with the siblings, even teaching An An how to float. They got along splendidly with the other kids.

Lo Qing, however, scrutinized her with a furrowed brow, "An An, whose child is this?"

"She's Uncle Chen Li's daughter," An An responded softly, her voice brimming with admiration, "She's a super-fast swimmer!"

Chen Li? Wasn't he just Fu Sui's coach? How could he be mingling with the Fu family? They weren't even in the same social stratum.

A look of disdain crossed Lo Qing's face, "An An, you should avoid playing with children like her in the future. You wouldn't want to lead your brother astray."

The little girl was puzzled, "What does 'lead astray' mean?"

Chen Niannian, being older than the two children, didn't fully grasp the implications of the words but sensed the scorn in Lo Qing's eyes. She defended herself, "I would never lead An An astray!"

Lo Qing couldn't be bothered to engage in a pointless conversation with a child. She moved to a bench on the side to await Fu Jingchuan's arrival.

He had promised to come and pick up Fu Sui himself today. Finally, she'd have the chance to spend some time with him.

As the natatorium emptied out, Fu Sui headed to the changing room. A man approached An An.

"You're Soong Le'ann, aren't you?" The man, donning a cap, had a gleam in his eyes that said, "I've finally found you."

An An nodded, "And who are you?"

The man smiled, "You can call me Uncle Liu. Little girl, how would you like to be a child star? Uncle can take you to have some beautiful pictures taken, how does that sound?"

An An swung her legs from the chair and shook her head, "I need to wait for my mam to come."

"Don't worry, your mam will definitely agree. Opportunities like this don't come around every day. You're so adorable, perfect for a little star," the man coaxed, reaching out to take her hand.

From a distance, Lo Qing observed the exchange with a cold detachment, making no move to intervene.

"No, Mommy said not to go with strangers."

The man flashed a grin, "Uncle's not a bad guy, really. I'm just offering to show you around."

Just as he was about to grab the little girl, Chen Niannian stepped in front of her, glaring at him, "Who are you? Why should An An go with you? We don't even know you!"

Her shout drew the attention of everyone in the natatorium, and staff quickly came over, prompting the man to leave immediately.

A look of regret briefly crossed Lo Qing's face as she watched the cap-wearing man leave the venue, unconvinced. An idea suddenly sparked in her mind.

She stood up slowly and discreetly followed the man.

"You're Liu Ke, aren't you?"

The man in the cap, muttering under his breath, was taken aback when he heard his name called. He turned around, puzzled, and recognized Lo Qing, "Oh, isn't this Miss Lo?"

As a talent scout and media professional, he had seen the future matriarch of the Fu family in the press.

"You've got a keen eye," Lo Qing said with a smirk. "Are you looking to sign Soong Le'ann as a child star?"

"Why ask the obvious, Miss Lo? You saw what happened earlier," Liu Ke said with a sly smile. "That little girl is incredibly adorable. If we can launch her career, we could make a killing, right?"

During a recent live stream, An An had appeared for only a few minutes, yet she garnered widespread interest. Many were charmed by her adorable looks, some even tried to find her private address, but it was well-concealed.

Lo Qing didn't mince words and got straight to the point, "Given your eagerness, I can provide you with their mother and daughter's phone numbers."

She had exchanged a few words with Soong Ruanruan recently, so obtaining her contact details was a breeze.