Having exited the large doors of the police station, Fu Huaichen's car was already waiting outside.
No matter where, his extended pure black luxury car was always strikingly conspicuous. The attentive valet came over to hold an umbrella for him and open the car door.
Fu Huaichen sat in the backseat, holding a cup of hand-ground coffee in his hand.
"What took so long?"
Shen Chu'an shrugged, "She has no money to pay, so of course she'd beg me to let her pay less or not at all. She was kneeling on the ground, crying miserably. What could I do?"
Fu Huaichen spoke in a cold tone, "You agreed to her request?"
"What good is my agreement? The car isn't mine."
Fu Huaichen's gaze was inquisitive, "If the car were yours, would you have agreed?"
Shen Chu'an smiled helplessly, "I just think there's no need to ruin someone's entire life over a car."
"She treated you that way, yet you still consider her situation." Fu Huaichen's gaze was icy, "If she had damaged it unintentionally, I wouldn't have asked her to pay a cent, but she didn't. How could I not make such a person remember this lesson?"
"I'll have someone else follow up on this matter. You don't worry about it for now. Change your clothes and accompany me to a reception."
Shen Chu'an looked at him, raising his hand in protest, "Mr. Fu, I'm off today."
Fu Huaichen said indifferently, "Secretary Shen may have a day off, but Mrs. Fu has no holidays."
The clothes were of a very casual style, and Shen Chu'an knew from the attire that this was not a business setting. Most likely, it was a private social event among these big bosses.
Fu Huaichen had vaguely announced his marriage, but had kept the identity of his wife a tightly guarded secret. Thus, it was unlikely that she would appear as his wife; she was probably meant to be a beautiful trophy vase, merely there for decoration.
This reminded Shen Chu'an of when she had self-recommended for the position, only to be thrown out by Fu Huaichen as if she were trash. Yet, within a few days, she received a wedding notification. She was first taken to do a prenuptial property notarization, then straight to the civil affairs office, where she got married. Along with the marriage certificate, she also received a six-hundred-square-meter villa in the city center.
Shen Chu'an guessed that in the two days following her rejection, Fu Huaichen must have been investigating her, from her education to family background and social connections. Perhaps, seeing that she was presentable in all aspects, he agreed to this "marriage of convenience."
Now, it was time for her to play the role of a trophy vase.
After changing her clothes, the car headed straight for the largest golf course in the Imperial Capital—the reception was in the lounge there.
Before getting out of the car, Fu Huaichen removed the wedding ring from her hand and casually tossed it into the car's mini-fridge, yet he did not remove his own ring. Such an obvious gesture made Shen Chu'an fully aware of his intent.
"I know I can't say I'm your wife outside, to speak less and smile more." She revealed an elegant professional smile, as if she immediately donned a refined and graceful mask on her naturally coquettish face.
Strangely, the last time she had said that, Fu Huaichen had seemed satisfied, but this time, he seemed not quite pleased.
It was as if he were looking for something on her face.
Shen Chu'an couldn't understand, nor did she take it to heart. She made a move to take his arm, her smile revealing a crack in the mask.
"Don't worry, I won't show any weakness. Do you have any other instructions?"
Fu Huaichen's voice was heavy, "No."
With that, he shook off Shen Chu'an's hand and strode inside.
Shen Chu'an felt utterly baffled but could only follow behind him.
Although it was the big bosses' leisure time, the golf gathering had been organized with business never far from the agenda. Shen Chu'an had been following Fu Huaichen for a while, discussing the tenders that their company had failed to secure previously. Many of the details had been drafted by her, and after listening for a bit, she found it boring.
Outside the banquet, a vast golf course stretched out before them. Before she came in, Shen Chu'an had asked the staff, and the course had been booked for the event, allowing the guests to play at any time.
She felt a bit tempted; she had grown up without ever having set foot on a golf course except for what she had seen on television.
Guided by a server, Shen Chu'an picked out a club and held it in her hands, eager to try.
The golf course seemed endless at a glance, its lush grass drenched with moisture, glistening under the sunlight and from a distance, one could even glimpse a faint, radiant arc of a rainbow.
No wonder the wealthy enjoyed golf so much; just standing in the field, surrounded by the blue sky and green land, seemed to ease even the greatest of pressures.
After hitting two shots, Shen Chu'an had completely forgotten about Fu Huaichen.
Not knowing the rules, she swung the club randomly, watching the ball fly far away, and then the caddy would set up another ball for her to hit.
"First time here?"
Just as she was about to hit her fourth ball, a gentle and cheerful voice sounded beside her. Turning her head, Shen Chu'an saw a head of chestnut-colored, sleek curls. The man appeared to be in his early twenties, dressed casually in sportswear, with both hands in his pockets.
A handsome young man with features as pretty as a doll's smiled at her, his smile as warm as the sun.
His tone was calming, and he looked harmless. Shen Chu'an nodded politely, "Yes, it's my first time here, and I don't really know how to play."
"Is my stance not correct?"
The chestnut-haired handsome man smiled, "No, the stance is quite proper, it's just..." He pointed down at the ground, "that all three of your last shots were hit from beyond the front boundary line; that's against the rules."
He shrugged, "But since you're playing by yourself, it doesn't really matter if you break the rules."
So there were rules to playing golf after all; she had thought that simply getting the ball in the hole meant she'd won. Shen Chu'an grumbled to herself internally, but considering that she might have to accompany Fu Huaichen to such places in the future, not understanding the game would be embarrassing for both her and him.
After thinking for a while, she smiled broadly, "I'm still not familiar with the rules. Could you teach me?"
The chestnut-haired handsome guy took the club and smiled tenderly, "I'd be happy to."
...
Fu Huaichen didn't understand why he was feeling so irritable. He had been discussing the development of the New City District with the chairman of the Fan Family, but Shen Chu'an's enchantingly beautiful face kept flickering through his mind.
What was the point of emphasizing his status over and over? He had offered her the position of Mrs. Fu, and all he got in return was "each taking what they needed." He didn't know if he had developed feelings for that woman, but seeing her indifferent demeanor made him very angry.
In the competitive world of business, he was always composed and calm; when had he ever become agitated over a woman?
And speaking of which, where had that woman gone in just this short while?
As he searched around without finding her, Fu Huaichen felt both annoyed and upset, and decided to step outside for some fresh air.
On the golf course, he held a glass of champagne and immediately spotted Shen Chu'an laughing and talking with someone else.
There wasn't any physical contact; they were just happily watching the high-flying golf balls. At that moment, the surprise in Shen Chu'an's eyes and the admiration she felt for the other person were incredibly intense and even more blinding.
The young man beside her...
Fu Huaichen smashed his glass, his expression dark and frightening.