“Tong Yuwu always had someone by her side.
Right now, she was sitting aside sipping champagne when a young woman in a red dress arrived.
The newcomer was Lu Yinyin, considered one of Tong Yuwu’s followers. Before Tong Yuwu got together with Fu Liheng, people like Lu Yinyin had the right to look down on her. Now the tables had turned.
“Yuwu, guess who I met yesterday?” Lu Yinyin sat beside Tong Yuwu, lowering her voice, looking mysteriously excited.
Tong Yuwu perked up at this and glanced at her with curiosity. “Who?”
Lu Yinyin always felt a twinge of jealousy when she saw Tong Yuwu’s appearance.
However, this envy immediately disappeared when she looked at Tong Yuwu’s face.
People compared themselves to others, and Tong Yuwu, being who she was, could attract anyone. Even if she were a man, she’d probably like Tong Yuwu. Despite Fu Liheng being the untouchable noble son of Yanjing, he was still a man.
“I bumped into Xiang Shuling!” Lu Yinyin clicked her tongue. “Can you believe her luck? Wasn’t it just last year that rumors were flying about her engagement to the scion of a new star? But before the news even cooled down, she turns around and announces her relationship with a female celebrity.”
Xiang Shuling indeed had poor luck in the realm of relationships.
Before Tong Yuwu made her move, everyone believed that the Xiang and Fu families would form a strong alliance, and she would become Mrs. Fu. But shortly after, Fu Liheng took Tong Yuwu on a night out in Tokyo.
After Tong Yuwu and Fu Liheng got engaged and married, Xiang Shuling became a joke in social circles. Of course, fearing the influence of the Xiang family, people didn’t dare mock her openly, but privately, she was a popular subject.
As Tong Yuwu listened to Lu Yinyin’s mocking gossip, her interest waned.
Regarding Xiang Shuling’s situation, even if she wanted to comment, she couldn’t. Who knew how it might be twisted.
Many didn’t know that Tong Yuwu actually envied Xiang Shuling a lot. The Xiang family was wealthy, with a capable elder brother supporting her, a harmonious and happy family. No matter what she did, she had support. As for marriage and relationships—once she became Xiang Shuling, with that confidence, who cared about getting married or not, marrying someone or not!
She wouldn’t mind swapping places with Xiang Shuling. But then again, Xiang Shuling might not agree.
Being the wealthy and influential young lady of the Xiang family, who needed any nonsense men? Even if Fu Liheng were placed in front of her, it wouldn’t be as appealing.
“Hey! Yuwu, drink less.” Lu Yinyin saw Tong Yuwu sipping champagne, her fair face slightly flushed, and her eyes a bit dazed, indicating she might be getting tipsy.
Tong Yuwu naturally knew her limit.
Setting aside her good alcohol tolerance, in these gatherings, if she drank too much, someone might spread rumors the next day that she felt neglected by Fu Liheng, lonely, and turned to alcohol for comfort.
Hardly anyone knew that Tong Yuwu could handle her alcohol well.
When she was studying abroad, she attended a party with friends and almost fell into a trap after being forced to drink. Since then, she had learned her lesson, knowing that with her looks, without a solid background, she’d always attract trouble. She couldn’t predict everything, but she didn’t want drinking to be her downfall.
Her tolerance wasn’t limitless, but a few glasses of champagne wouldn’t affect her much. Despite the flush on her face, she remained clear-headed.
Tong Yuwu adjusted her hair, looking somewhat irritated. “You know, my husband usually doesn’t let me drink. When I accompany him to social events, I only take a sip. These days, since he’s back from his trip, I’ve been staying up late.”
Lu Yinyin: … I suspect you’re driving and have gathered sufficient evidence!
Some others stood nearby, not resting their ears, and caught snippets of the conversation.
“I felt like having a drink today. The doctor said it might help me sleep better at night,” Tong Yuwu mentioned casually.
A few rich young ladies rolled their eyes inwardly—
Alright, we get it. Your life with your husband is harmonious, and you’re irresistibly charming. Enough already!
When it struck ten, Tong Yuwu, holding her bag, left despite the faux insistence of a few people trying to keep her.
Once settled in the car, with Lu Yinyin by her side, Tong Yuwu still seemed a bit concerned. “Do you really not need me to accompany you home?”
Tong Yuwu waved her hand with a smile, “No need, you should head back.”
Once Lu Yinyin realized that, her worry seemed unnecessary. Tong Yuwu always had a driver with her when she went out, and she knew this driver. Skilled and versatile, serving as both a driver and a bodyguard, the driver would ensure Tong Yuwu got home safely.
—
Fu Liheng rarely brought work home, especially after returning from a business trip. Despite many loose ends to tie up, he had a relatively free week. However, this didn’t mean he’d indulge in watching TV dramas. After showering, he sat on the bed with his phone, intending to catch up on current affairs. An ad popped up on his screen—a video snippet from a TV drama.
This was an unexpected event. Before he could locate the close button, he was forced to watch the full 20-second video.
In the video, the female lead, heartbroken upon learning about her ex’s marriage, drank to get drunk. The male lead helped her back home, but when he was about to lay her on the bed, she hugged him, teary-eyed, at a crucial moment. However, she called out her ex’s name. The male lead reacted angrily, punching the wall.
Fu Liheng emotionlessly closed the video and resumed reading the latest news.
After finishing, he checked the time on his phone—it was half-past ten.
It had been two years since he married Tong Yuwu, and both knew each other’s routines and habits well. They usually had an unspoken understanding. In the past, every time he returned from a trip, he’d spend about a week dining with her. This time was different; she broke that pattern, not him.
She should have known he’d return home for dinner today, but she wasn’t there.
Fu Liheng never liked to speculate about others’ thoughts. Maybe it was because of the unusually quiet atmosphere in the bedroom that made him recall yesterday’s events.
They had met Qin Yi yesterday, and last night she cried in sorrow for some reason.
Fu Liheng pinched the bridge of his nose.
At that moment, the bedroom phone rang. He picked up and found it was Liu Jie calling on the internal line.
“Sir, the Madam is back!”
Fu Liheng paused, “Hmm.”
“The Madam is intoxicated, seems to have had quite a lot to drink!” Liu Jie wasn’t sure and felt she should inform him, “I’m
making sobering soup for her.”
Tong Yuwu sat on the couch but strained to listen to Liu Jie’s call. Liu Jie was a clever woman.
Despite her petite figure, Liu Jie could have easily helped her up the stairs, yet she chose to call Fu Liheng instead. The implication was clear: she wanted Fu Liheng to come down and pick her up.
She didn’t know what Fu Liheng said on the phone, but after Liu Jie hung up, she seemed much lighter on her feet.
Playing a role required a mix of truth and falsehoods. If it was too false, everyone could spot the holes. Tong Yuwu had indeed had a few drinks today, but the flushed face was partly due to delicate blush. If she were truly drunk, emitting a strong odor, who would be interested?
She, as a person… was really boring. Sometimes, she couldn’t bring herself to do what was expected. Perhaps her upbringing influenced her. Before she turned fifteen, she was cherished by her parents, and doing things that compromised her dignity was a severe test.
After a few drinks, she cared less. Even if she acted contrary to her ‘Mrs. Fu’ status, Fu Liheng wouldn’t mind because she was intoxicated.
Fu Liheng soon came downstairs. After scanning the room, he walked over to the slightly tipsy Tong Yuwu seated on the sofa. She smelled of alcohol, but it wasn’t unpleasant. It had a fruity freshness, not the odor one would expect from intoxication.
She… was quite boring. Sometimes, she seemed contradictory. She had married Fu Liheng and was determined to please him, but often couldn’t lower her pride. Deep down, her upbringing had its effects. Before turning fifteen, she was a cherished child, and doing things that compromised her dignity was a tough mental test.
After a few drinks, she cared less. Even if she acted contrary to her ‘Mrs. Fu’ status, Fu Liheng wouldn’t mind because she was intoxicated.
Fu Liheng came downstairs swiftly, surveying the scene. He found Tong Yuwu in the living room, half-dozing. He approached her, and despite the alcohol scent, she didn’t reek. She looked like a fresh peach in her fair skin, giving off a misty pink allure, far more charming than usual.
She lifted her head, looking at him with a glaze in her eyes, much more alluring than usual.
Seemingly drunk, she looked at him questioningly.
Fu Liheng, with his calm demeanor, bent down. His breath was crisp as he spoke, “Who am I?”
