Rose Manor: Tycoon's Relentless Chase-Chapter 306 - 287: The Love of My Life

This year, the Fu Family’s reunion dinner was set for noon at twelve o’clock.

Although Wei Ronghua had returned home from the hospital, she did not appear at the dining table. She was strong-willed all her life and refused to show her sickly appearance in front of others, not even her family, even though the family had more or less seen her condition after falling ill.

She hid in her room, with the nanny sending portions of dishes to her.

The family settled in the dining room, and Fu Jianfang glanced around, noticing someone missing: "Where’s Yu Ling? Come to think of it, it seems like I haven’t seen her in a long time."

Fu Feibai was pouring drinks, paused mid-action, nearly spilling the drink outside the glass. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Fu Jichen, remembering that his brother had said Fu Yuling’s heart condition had relapsed and she had been sent to the United States for treatment. He had called Fu Yuling several times, but was always met with a reminder that her phone was turned off.

He had asked his brother about it, but his brother told him not to worry. There were people in Los Angeles taking care of Fu Yuling, and keeping her away from her phone was to ensure she could rest and recuperate properly.

Mr. Fu wore a stern expression, his tone displeased: "She’s receiving treatment in the United States."

"I see." Fu Jianfang reined in his smile, replacing it with a concerned expression, "There’s nothing major with her health, right? She should have been brought back for the New Year, being alone in a foreign land is so pitiful."

Even for a wealthy family, there are things that cannot be achieved, such as the fact that Fu Yuling needed a heart transplant, but they had not yet found a suitable donor.

The old man did not want to mention the person who did not know his limits, coldly ordering, "Let’s eat!"

Fu Jianfang pursed her lips, a barely visible smirk at the corner of her mouth. She had only asked one more question and wondered where Mr. Fu’s anger came from.

The first branch of the family really wasn’t doing well these days. Fu Zhengjun was gone, Wei Ronghua was terminally ill, and Fu Yuling’s heart condition acted up occasionally. Fu Feibai was absorbed in his showbiz career, neglecting the family business, leaving everything to Fu Jichen to hold together. Yet he was stubborn about marriage, and ever since that Miss Shen was gone, he has been indifferent to matters of the heart, still without offspring, leaving the future of Jun Mountain uncertain.

Fu Jianfang sorted through these relationships, eating the delicacies on the table with a good mood, and waiting, knowing that the one who laughs last is the winner.

At three in the afternoon, Fu Jichen bid farewell to Mr. Fu and left the old residence.

Seeing Fu Jichen’s car drive out of the courtyard, Fu Jianfang raised an eyebrow and asked Fu Feibai, who was lounging on the sofa playing games, "Feibai, where is your brother going? Isn’t he staying at the old house to welcome the New Year tonight?"

Fu Feibai didn’t look up, casually answered, "I don’t know, maybe to be with his girlfriend."

Fu Jianfang’s brow twitched, pacing from the window to the sofa: "Your brother has a girlfriend? From which family? When did he get a girlfriend? How come there’s no hint of this? Does Mr. Fu know about this?"

"It’s not..." Fu Feibai was bombarded with questions, not sure which one to answer first. He didn’t like this aunt very much, so he didn’t share much with her, giving a cheeky smile, "I’m not really sure either, I’ve only met the girl once. If Aunt wants to know, you might as well ask my brother directly."

Fu Jianfang was at a loss, feeling it would only be more unpleasant if she inquired with Fu Da.

However, Fu Feibai’s words indicated one thing, that girl wasn’t from a prominent family.

Fu Da was indeed as ’promising’ as ever, always choosing women with no notable family background.

*

Shen Jianian received a message from Fu Jichen. He said he had already arrived at the Pei Family’s villa. She stood up, holding her coat and bag, and bid farewell to Pei Che and Zhou Ruo.

Pei Che saw her off, and from afar, he saw the car from the morning, stopping in his tracks knowing Fu Jichen was inside.

Shen Jianian turned to him, "When are you and Aunt planning to leave Beicheng?" Zhou Ruo had mentioned going abroad for a relaxing trip after the New Year.

Pei Che said, "We haven’t decided yet."

"If you have time, come visit my home, and taste my cooking."

"You know how to cook now?"

"I’m still learning," Shen Jianian smiled gently.

Pei Che chuckled, "Definitely."

"Well then..." Shen Jianian waved her hand, "Go inside, it’s cold outside."

Pei Che watched her run towards the gate, and get into that man’s car.

In the car, Fu Jichen had preemptively turned up the heater, taking her hands in his big palm, rubbing them, and watching her nose turn red from the cold, he asked lightly, "Cold?"

"Yes, it’s cold," Shen Jianian shrunk her neck, "It’s definitely going to snow today."

"Knowing it’s cold, why didn’t you hurry up and talk so long?"

Shen Jianian lifted her eyelids to look at the man’s stern eyebrows, watched for a moment, and then giggled stealthily, "Fu Jichen, are you jealous again?"

Fu Jichen snorted, releasing her gradually warmer hands, holding the steering wheel with one hand, while reminding her to fasten her seatbelt, and skillfully turning the car around.

They first returned to their residence, picked up Jixiang, and then headed back to Yunding Palace.

Shrinking inside the cat carrier, Jixiang hadn’t left the house since Shen Jianian brought her back. Having been used to roaming before, she had no adverse reaction to the unfamiliar surroundings, but instead looked around with her big, round eyes.

Upon arriving at Yunding Palace, Shen Jianian carried the cat carrier out of the car, tapped on the transparent little window, and spoke to the cat, "Be gentle, don’t fight."

Fu Jichen watched her and smiled.

After four months apart, setting foot in this villa again, Shen Jianian felt a complex mix of emotions. She remembered how she was initially brought here by Fu Jichen, bristling with all her defenses as she battled against him every day.

At that time, her mind was set on escaping the prison he had created, never expecting that one day she would willingly return here.

Cheng Jin saw them return together and was elated, her smile creasing her entire face into a blossom, "The temperature has dropped considerably today. Hurry and sit down for a warm cup of tea. I’m preparing New Year’s Eve dinner." 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

The chef was on holiday, and Aunt Cheng took on the entire New Year’s Eve dinner by herself today.

A few cats and dogs bounded downstairs, circling Shen Jianian excitedly when they saw her. Jixiang, who Shen Jianian had brought, bared her teeth a few times but found it useless, resigned to curling up on the sofa for a nap.

After calming the cats and dogs, Shen Jianian took a sip of jujube and longan tea, then headed to the kitchen to help Aunt Cheng with the preparations.

Aunt Cheng refused her help, "Don’t get your clothes dirty."

"It’s fine. I often cook at home too." Shen Jianian tied on an apron.

After a while, Fu Jichen wandered in too, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, glancing at the sink before rolling up his sleeves to handle a bowl of shrimp that Shen Jianian loved.

Cheng Jin turned around just in time to see this scene and was so surprised she almost dropped the spoon she was holding. The gentleman was trying to devein the shrimp, but lacking the skill, he often broke the veins, and he frowned, appearing quite frustrated.

Shen Jianian glanced over a few times, unable to bear watching anymore, "You better stop."

Fu Jichen realized himself that he truly couldn’t manage it, so he simply tossed the shrimp back into the bowl, washed his hands clean, and flicked the cigarette, which had gathered some ash on his lip, over the trash bin.

Just after Shen Jianian finished speaking, she accidentally cut her hand while peeling lettuce with a peeler, a drop of blood appearing.

The brows Fu Jichen had relaxed furrowed again.

Cheng Jin chased them both out of the kitchen, firmly refusing to let them touch any ingredients again.

Shen Jianian was pushed back onto the sofa by Fu Jichen to sit still. He fetched the first aid kit, sighed, treated her wound, and applied a band-aid, "You shouldn’t cook anymore."

Shen Jianian’s attention was outside the window, so she didn’t hear what he said. She patted his sleeve, "It’s snowing."

"Is this the first time you’ve seen snow?" Having seen it countless times growing up, Fu Jichen found her reaction to seeing snow curious.

Shen Jianian said, "The snow is very beautiful."

Fu Jichen didn’t quite agree but didn’t dampen her spirits, nodding with an "Mm," "Just watch, don’t think about going out to play in the snow."

He put the first aid kit back in its place, returned, and saw Shen Jianian had disappeared from the sofa. He thought she had snuck outside, but upon looking up, he saw her sitting by the window, almost glued to the glass, watching the swirling white snowflakes outside with a dazed look in her eyes.

What a fool.

Fu Jichen shook his head, amused, and strolled to the window, gently stroking her head with his large hand, "Is it that beautiful?"

Shen Jianian didn’t answer. She alternated between watching the snow and staring at her own reflection in the glass; the face she sees every day still felt unfamiliar to her.

Cradling her cheek, her expression dazed, she mused, "Sometimes I wonder, who really is Shen Jianian..."

Fu Jichen didn’t know how to respond to such a question. He pondered why she would ask this—is it because she was troubled again by her lost memories?

"Shen Jianian is Fu Jichen’s lifelong love," after a long pause, he replied.

Shen Jianian turned back; outside was the cold snow, the interior warm like spring. The man’s eyes were gentle, his smile reaching the corners of his eyes. He cradled her face, "Shen Jianian is Fu Jichen’s little tabby cat."

Shen Jianian wrinkled her nose; she was not a cat.

Fu Jichen continued to laugh. She had forgotten how she used to claw and bite him, leaving marks on his face and earning him jokes among business friends.

That night, he secretly clipped her nails.

She had forgotten all of it.

"Alright then, forgetting is forgetting." Fu Jichen’s voice was low but still laughing, "Shen Jianian is Shen Jianian, a one and only Shen Jianian."