Sheng Mian tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her eyes bright and clear. She spoke clearly, with a hint of a smile, and extended her hand.
"Mr. Fu, let me properly introduce myself. My name is Penny, and I'm an interior designer. The project in your hands is one that I've designed."
Fu Yancheng froze in his steps, his body pausing as he thought he might have misheard.
Noticing that he didn't take her hand, Sheng Mian naturally withdrew it.
"I've tried to talk to you before, but you didn't seem interested, Mr. Fu. Seeing that you still have my design work, I wonder if your opinion has changed."
She spoke smoothly, "If that's the case, I think I should have a chance to make up for my mistake."
Fu Yancheng, having lived for over twenty years, found himself facing an entirely new situation.
An interior designer?
He looked down at the photo in his hand. The name "Penny" and a phone number were indeed written on the edge of the photo.
His brow furrowed as he thought back to their previous interactions. So, it had been a misunderstanding from the beginning?
His face darkened as he squeezed the photo, then turned and sat back down on the sofa.
Just then, a knock on the door interrupted his thoughts, followed by Qi Shen's voice, "Mr. Fu, the women's clothing has arrived."
Sheng Mian quickly realized that the clothes were likely for her.
Qi Shen was about to knock again when the door opened. A woman, drenched and wrapped in a towel, stood in the doorway.
Qi Shen's eyes widened in surprise. The meeting had been interrupted, and now, rumors were swirling about the woman with Mr. Fu. He had heard that she had called him "husband," and was confused.
He blinked for a moment, then hurriedly handed over the bag, his eyes inadvertently glancing inside. Fu Yancheng was sitting on the sofa, his suit slightly disheveled—he looked like someone who had just been through an intense moment.
Qi Shen quickly averted his gaze, hearing Sheng Mian say, "Thank you."
The door shut, and Sheng Mian turned to look at Fu Yancheng. "Mr. Fu, please wait a moment."
She entered the bathroom.
The hotel bathroom had frosted glass on one side, and the light inside made her silhouette visible. Fu Yancheng leaned back, slightly lifting his head, and noticed that she seemed to be taking off her most intimate piece of clothing. His gaze flickered, and he quickly turned his eyes away, feeling uneasy.
After a while, Sheng Mian came out, now dressed. The towel had been tossed into the laundry bin.
The outfit was a new season's casual set from G brand, making her skin look even whiter.
She still held the card in her hand. "I don't know how much this outfit costs, but I'm sure the card has enough. Thank you, Mr. Fu."
Fu Yancheng looked up, meeting her gaze. He was trying to read her emotions, wondering if she was still pretending.
But her actions were too straightforward. Every move she made seemed like she was consciously trying to keep her distance from him. It was clear that she didn't want any further entanglement.
For some reason, this realization left him feeling somewhat stifled.
"Sit," he said indifferently. "So, Lin Jing introduced you to me because of the house in Yujingyuan?"
Sheng Mian was surprised, her eyes flashing. "Why else would he?"
Fu Yancheng pursed his lips, then thought back to that night when she had said she had been in the interior design industry for three years. So, was that industry interior design?
The misunderstanding lifted, and his mind wandered back to the bloodstain on the bed sheets that night. Seeing her again brought up some strange emotions.
Sheng Mian, however, was all business.
"Mr. Fu, about the Yujingyuan house..."
Before she could finish, Fu Yancheng interrupted her with a question: "Was that your first time at the Fu family banquet?"
Sheng Mian's heart skipped a beat. She worried that he would say something about taking responsibility, and hurriedly countered, "No."
She smiled lightly. "I forgot to mention, Mr. Fu, but actually, I'm married."