"Nana?"
"??"
Fu Hanjiang and Sheng Xiangsi were both stunned. What did that mean?
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
Fu Mingzhu chuckled. She was addressing Fu Hanjiang.
But she grabbed Sheng Xiangsi's hand and patted it gently to reassure her. "Don't worry, Nana is doing this for your own good."
Then, she turned to Fu Hanjiang.
"If you have any conscience at all, you should understand what I mean. Xiangsi has no one else in this world. Nana has harmed her once, so at the very least, I need to make sure she's doing well before I can rest assured!"
"Nana..." Sheng Xiangsi furrowed her brows slightly, shaking her head. "I can take care of myself."
Ignoring her, Fu Mingzhu continued to look at Fu Hanjiang.
"I want to see you take good care of Xiangsi, like a younger sister. I want to see her happy and content, until she finds a good place to settle down. If she doesn't live well, then neither will you! Do you understand what I mean?"
"I understand."
Fu Hanjiang nodded.
Implicit in his words was that Sheng Xiangsi was his responsibility, even if she wasn't his wife, she was still his family.
"Is that clear enough?" Fu Mingzhu raised her tone, coldly asking.
Fu Hanjiang instantly understood. "Nana, rest assured, I know what to do."
"Good."
Fu Mingzhu nodded, looking at her grandson's expression, which seemed somewhat off. "What's with that expression? Reluctant, perhaps?"
"No."
Fu Hanjiang shook his head quickly. He didn't know why, but his mood suddenly felt strange.
It seemed relieved, yet not entirely.
"Nana, since I've agreed, I'll take good care of her... Xiangsi will be like my little sister from now on."
Hearing the words "little sister," Sheng Xiangsi's eyelashes trembled slightly. She lowered her head, hiding a disdainful smirk at the corner of her mouth.
"Well, that's settled."
Fu Mingzhu waved her hand at him. "You can go now. Having Xiangsi here with me is enough."
"Alright. Nana, take care."
"Mm."
Fu Hanjiang turned and left, pulling the door closed behind him. As he did, he saw Sheng Xiangsi peeling an orange, offering a slice to her grandmother.
"Nana, try it. It's so sweet."
Fu Mingzhu took a bite. "Mm, it's very sweet, just like our Xiangsi!"
Closing the door, as he turned away, Fu Hanjiang couldn't help but wonder—what game was Sheng Xiangsi playing? Could it be... she was retreating to advance?
But she had just told her grandmother so sincerely—she didn't like him anymore...
It didn't seem like a lie.
Then it must be true.
...
A few days later.
Sheng Xiangsi emerged from the makeup room, nearly midnight.
Due to the order of performances in the dance competition, some would finish late at night. Tonight wasn't the latest, but a few nights ago, they went on until one or two in the morning.
She hurried to the bus stop, hoping to catch the last bus.
However, when she arrived, she waited for about ten minutes, but no bus came. It seemed she had missed it.
But that was okay.
This was the city center, unlike the previous times. There were plenty of shared bicycles available.
Sheng Xiangsi walked to the intersection. There were no cars on this side of the road; they were all on the other side.
The pedestrian light turned red, so she had to wait a moment.
Stopping beside her was Fu Hanjiang, who had just finished a business dinner and was preparing to return to the beach.
"Oh? Isn't that Miss Xiangsi?" Chen Zhong pointed outside the car window suddenly. "Master Han, look, isn't that Miss Xiangsi?"
Hmm?
Fu Hanjiang opened his eyes and looked, and sure enough, it was her. He glanced at Chen Zhong. "Chen, you always manage to spot her."
"Hehe." Chen Zhong chuckled. "Isn't Miss Xiangsi outstanding? She stands out in the crowd, and besides, she's alone tonight... By the way, why is she here so late at night?"
"Are you asking me?"
Fu Hanjiang raised an eyebrow. Who else could he ask?
At that moment, the pedestrian light turned green, and Sheng Xiangsi ran across to the other side. She took out her phone, scanned a bike, and pedaled away gracefully.
"Chen, follow her."
"Huh?"
Chen Zhong was confused, but he didn't dare to question Fu Hanjiang. "Alright, alright."
He was an experienced driver; following someone was a piece of cake.
Following Sheng Xiangsi from a distance, they arrived at Wenchang Avenue, where Fu Hanjiang had come to pick her up last time.
Although this was an old residential area, there were still a few decent apartments here.
However, Sheng Xiangsi rode her bike and turned a corner, heading in a different direction.
The further they went, the more dilapidated the old city area became.
Fu Hanjiang's brow furrowed involuntarily, and even Chen Zhong couldn't help but speak up. "Master Han, what is Miss Xiangsi doing here? Is she living here, or visiting a friend?"
But who visits friends in the middle of the night?
However, saying that Sheng Xiangsi lived here? That didn't seem reasonable.
After all, although Fu Hanjiang didn't like her, even detested her, he had never mistreated her financially.
Fu Hanjiang's expression darkened. "Keep following."
"Uh, okay."
They drove for a while until the road became too narrow.
Chen Zhong had to stop. "Master Han, the car can't go any further."
Fu Hanjiang's handsome face grew gloomy as he stared at the narrow alleyway. "Where does it lead?"
"This..." Chen Zhong swallowed nervously and replied truthfully, "Master Han, don't you remember? It leads to West 12th Street."
West 12th Street.
One of Jiangcheng's "features."
It was a historically rich residential area, inhabited by the lower class of Jiangcheng, and a mix of all kinds of people.
It was a complex and relatively poor residential area.
Fu Hanjiang pushed open the car door and got out, striding forward. He wanted to see why Sheng Xiangsi had come here.
However, just as he had been delayed for a while, when he caught up, there was no trace of her.
"Master Han."
Chen Zhong stood behind him and reminded, "Why don't you call Xiangsi and ask her if she lives here? Then you'll know."
Call?
Huh.
Fu Hanjiang sneered mockingly. Would she tell him?
She left without a word, and last time he came to pick her up, she only asked him to wait at Wenchang Avenue.
He could almost be certain that she lived in this area!
Interesting.
Did he not give her a house? Why would she live in a slum instead of a luxury mansion?
What was Xiangsi thinking? Did she hit her head on the door? He didn't care. But Nainai said it, and he promised with his own mouth, she was his responsibility!
Turning around, he picked up his phone and dialed a number.
"Er Ye." It was Rong Zheng on the other end.
"It's me." Fu Hanjiang issued a short order, "Check if Xiangsi lives on West Twelfth Street."