Chapter 408: Chapter 408: Outwardly Loving, Secretly Fallen Out
Mr. Fu was so furious with Jiang Ruyan he nearly had a stroke. Couldn’t this eldest daughter-in-law of his see that his fourth son’s wife was dying to hand over the reins to her?!
In all his years, he had never seen someone so foolish. He had no idea what his eldest son saw in her.
If even one of his descendants was half as competent as Xiao Yue or Han Jingshen.
Would he, at his advanced age, still have to be at the beck and call of those two old geezers, Bao and Han?
The more Mr. Fu thought about it, the angrier he became. His voice was as cold as ice. "Do you have any idea what you’re doing?"
"Dad, of course I know. It’s just managing the Fu family. I won’t let you down. Please don’t be angry; your health is what’s important."
Jiang Ruyan’s eyes flickered. Her face was a mask of obedience, but in her heart, she felt very little remorse.
She wanted to take control of the Fu family household; becoming the matriarch of a powerful, wealthy family was what she had always dreamed of.
The whole reason she’d resigned herself to marrying an old man—one two years older than her own father—was because she was absolutely determined to wield the power of the Fu family matriarch.
Mr. Fu said icily, "Since you’re so confident, then let’s start dinner."
"Dad, you’re starting dinner without even waiting for your son? Are you in a bad mood? Who made you angry?"
Fu Mingyuan propped up his bicycle and had just stepped into the living room when he heard his dad call for dinner in a very foul tone.
Jiang Ruyan was stunned for a moment. ’Doesn’t he usually skip dinner at home? What’s he doing back today?’
A sudden sense of foreboding washed over her. Jiang Ruyan quickly lowered her gaze and went to her husband’s side, leaning in to whisper in his ear.
"Ming Yuan... you just got back too late. Dad was hungry, so he told everyone to start eating..." After speaking, she even licked the old man’s earlobe.
Aroused by his young wife, Fu Mingyuan shuddered. He was dying to drag her back to their room and have his way with her right then and there.
But his father was in a bad mood from hunger, so he had to placate the old man first. "Dad, you’re hungry. Let’s eat."
"Hmph!" Mr. Fu snorted coldly and said no more. He assumed his eldest son was tacitly allowing his wife to manage the household.
"Yanyan and my sister-in-law also came back to have lunch with you today, Dad. You must be happy..."
Fu Mingyuan was trying to make conversation to placate his father, but the old man cut him off ruthlessly.
"Can’t you keep your mouth shut even while you’re eating? You’re a grown man. Haven’t you ever heard that one shouldn’t talk at the table?"
Fu Mingyuan laughed awkwardly. The small group ate in silence, and no one spoke again.
Aside from Mr. Fu, who was in a foul mood, the other three were all feeling quite good.
This was especially true for Fu Mingyuan. The moment he finished his meal, he impatiently pulled his young wife back to their room for some "afternoon exercise"...
Watching her brother-in-law’s frantic haste, Aunt Fu shook her head. She then accompanied Mr. Fu to the courtyard for a post-meal walk.
’She and her husband had been this sweet once, too, back when they were newlyweds. But that was a long, long time ago.’
’Now, they argued over their different ambitions and conflicting ideas about how to raise their children.’
’Of course, they both cared deeply about keeping up appearances, so no matter how vicious their arguments became, they never let it show on the surface.’
’There was no longer any love between them, yet they couldn’t separate, hopelessly entangled by their mutual interests.’
’Her husband was overly ambitious and needed the backing of her maiden family, the Xiao Family. She, on the other hand, just wanted to support her husband and raise her children, not constantly go back to her family with her hand out.’
’So, her husband had taken to personally fawning over everyone in the Xiao Family, from the top down. Without her by his side, who there would even give him the time of day!’
’So on the surface, he treated her very well. In reality, they were a classic case of a couple united in appearance but divided in spirit—affectionate in public, but secretly at odds.’
’A truly loving couple’s love can withstand the pressures of fame and money. Only that can be called true love.’
’But her husband could neither withstand the pressures of fame and fortune, nor could he resist the temptations of money and beautiful women.’
’If it weren’t for their son and daughter, she’d just live at her workplace. As for helping him run the Fu household? In his dreams!’
In the eyes of outsiders, and even in her father-in-law’s eyes, they were still the picture of a happy, harmonious couple.
"Is something on your mind?" Mr. Fu asked. He’d been walking for about half an hour, and his fourth daughter-in-law hadn’t said a single word.
"Not at all, Dad. I need to get to work. Now that my eldest sister-in-law is in charge of the household, my husband and I will only be coming home on weekends."
"Fine. Do whatever you all want," Mr. Fu said, seeming to age in an instant.
But Aunt Fu didn’t know how to comfort him. Using work as her excuse, she quickly left, pushing her bicycle.
After school, Gu Jiaojiao needed to go to the hospital to give acupuncture treatments to two patients, Xia Qiuming and Mu Ziquan.
So, she didn’t wait for Han Jingyi and Xiao Rui, heading straight for the school gates the moment class was dismissed.
Just a short distance from the school gate, a black sedan pulled up and blocked her path. A door swung open.
When Gu Jiaojiao saw the man who stepped out from the driver’s side, she immediately bolted toward him.
A smile touching the corners of her eyes, she asked, "Su Shuochi, why are you back so early? Did you come specially to take me to the hospital?"
Su Shuochi noticed many students at the school gate looking at them. A little self-conscious, he didn’t speak loudly but walked straight up to her and took her hand.
His tall frame towered over her petite one. She already had a lovely figure, but her Monday school uniform made her look even more slender.
When Gu Jiaojiao looked up at his handsome, striking face, her heart nearly stopped for a few seconds.
He looked down at her, his eyes full of affection. "Yes, sweetheart. I’ll go with you. I’m free today."
"Really?!" Gu Jiaojiao’s eyes lit up, and she immediately linked her arm through his.
Beaming, she said, "That’s perfect! Su Shuochi, from today on I have to go to the hospital after school. That means you’re going to be working hard for a while!"
Su Shuochi reached out to gently ruffle her hair, a fond, doting smile playing on his lips. "Accompanying my sweetheart is never a chore."
He compliantly let her lead him by the arm to their car, where he opened the front passenger door.
After she was seated, he walked around the front of the car to the driver’s seat, started the engine, and drove toward the hospital.
Gu Jiaojiao was in high spirits the entire way. Being picked up from school by her husband was such a marvelous experience.
She chattered on and on like a little bird, and he listened patiently, adding a few words of agreement from time to time.
They were so comfortable and harmonious together, they seemed like an old married couple who’d spent years together. In truth, they had only been married for half a year.
Upon arriving at the hospital, Su Shuochi parked the car in a space in front of the main building. He killed the engine and got out in one fluid motion.
He opened the passenger door, shielding her head with his right hand while taking her left to help her out of the car.
Hand in hand, the couple went upstairs to the third-floor ward where Xia Qiuming and Mu Ziquan were staying.
Su Shuochi’s hand was dry and warm, and Gu Jiaojiao could feel its warmth seeping into her own palm.
She couldn’t help but steal a glance at him, quickly looking away before he could notice.
Then, unable to resist, she glanced at him again. As it happened, he was looking at her, too, and their gazes locked.
His deep, dark pupils seemed to sparkle like stars in the night sky, utterly captivating...
