At this point, Lin Ying remembered that Wang Biduo seemed to live nearby. Her expression turned serious as she spoke, "There's something I need to tell you in advance. Although I'm just your manager, there are no secrets among celebrities, especially when it comes to personal relationships. If anything happens, you need to inform me ahead of time so that I can react quickly and be prepared, especially considering Wang Biduo's sensitive identity. If you're living together with him..."
Fu Xiaoya blinked her eyes and asked, "Wang Biduo? Who is that?"
Thinking that Fu Xiaoya was pretending not to know, Lin Ying said, "The relationship between stars and managers is very close, and there are some things you don't need to keep from me..."
Fu Xiaoya explained to Lin Ying that she genuinely didn't know Wang Biduo. But Lin Ying didn't believe her. With no other choice, Fu Xiaoya had to bring Lin Ying to Wutong Villa.
Wutong Villa was where Fu Xiaoya lived. As they arrived, they saw Old Wang watering the plants in the yard, while Qin Huaichen was in the study, looking at the computer. Not far away, several children were playing soccer on the lawn, their laughter crisp and lively.
Old Wang spotted Fu Xiaoya from afar and greeted her with a smile, "You're back."
Fu Xiaoya introduced Lin Ying, saying, "This is my landlord, Old Wang. He's very kind and gives me a good deal on rent."
Lin Ying didn't pay attention to Old Wang but focused on the figure in the study seen through the floor-to-ceiling window. The man was bowing his head, looking at the computer, with his fine hair casually falling. He was like a beautiful person in a painting. It was just that back view, why did it look so familiar...
Qin Huaichen felt someone staring at him, and when he turned his head, he saw Fu Xiaoya and Lin Ying. He nodded slightly towards Fu Xiaoya, as a way of greeting.
"Do you know Heavenly King Qin?" Lin Ying considered herself a calm person, but at this moment, she couldn't remain calm. Despite her lack of interaction with Qin Huaichen, Lin Ying had heard stories about him being difficult to get along with, particularly when it came to women. He seemed to be isolated and surrounded by male companions. However, what she had just witnessed was the renowned Heavenly King Qin greeting Fu Xiaoya with utmost ease and naturalness!
"He's my neighbor who lives next door," Fu Xiaoya whispered to Lin Ying.
"Do you fear being criticized?" Lin Ying was excited, feeling like she had found a way to make Fu Xiaoya famous! Of course, she didn't dare to think that there was anything going on between Fu Xiaoya and Qin Huaichen. She simply wanted Fu Xiaoya to ride on Qin Huaichen's popularity.
Fu Xiaoya looked at Lin Ying in confusion and shook her head. Which celebrity didn't have haters or face criticism? She wasn't afraid.
Lin Ying said, "As long as you're not afraid, wait for my message." After speaking, Lin Ying left, completely forgetting the purpose of her visit.
In the city of Beijing, at the Shen family mansion, several staff members in uniforms were busy cleaning and tidying up. Apart from the sound of sweeping, there was no other noise within the mansion.
In the central villa, a woman with exquisite makeup sat in a rocking chair with her eyes closed, seemingly resting. She was beautiful, but expressionless, almost resembling a mannequin. The woman appeared to be in her forties or fifties, her hair meticulously styled, and she wore an elegant emerald green cheongsam, exuding graceAs the rocking chair gently swayed, her resemblance to a living being diminished even further.
Within the villa, the silence was even more pronounced, creating an atmosphere that felt suffocatingly still.
After a while, footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs. Shen Youyou, wearing a silk qipao that exposed her slender legs, caught sight of the woman by the floor-to-ceiling window. She lowered her voice, approached the woman slowly, and gently adjusted the blanket covering her. She whispered, "Mom..."
The woman basking in the sun with her eyes closed was none other than Shen Youyou's mother, Fu Sichun.
Ignoring Shen Youyou's presence, Fu Sichun didn't even flinch.
"Has Madam had her lunch?" Shen Youyou casually asked Xiao Lu, the maid attending to Fu Sichun.
Xiao Lu bowed and replied, "Miss, Madam had two bowls of millet porridge and three bites of vegetables for lunch."
Shen Youyou bent down, looking at Fu Sichun, and pleaded, "Mom, please open your eyes and look at me. It's me, Youyou. I've come back."
But Fu Sichun remained motionless as if she couldn't hear anything.
Shen Youyou's face turned desolate. Her mother had been like this for seventeen years, and despite numerous consultations with experts, there had been no improvement. She missed the days when the family played ball together and happily went on picnics. Although they weren't as wealthy back then, her mother used to smile with joy. But now, she lived like a walking corpse. When Fu Xiaoya was around, there were still slight changes in her mother's eyes, but now, those lively eyes refused to open.