Wen Baozhu suddenly turned her head and fixed her eyes on the lazy-looking man beside her.
He was so nonchalant, as if he was just asking casually.
But Wen Baozhu knew well that Fu Lian didn't have such idle fancies.
He was seriously asking her if she would regret it if he failed.
And which side she was going to take.
Wen Baozhu had vaguely sensed something was off since noon.
But when Fu Lian finally asked this question, all the oddities finally had an explanation.
The two faced each other. The room seemed even quieter under the veil of night.
The warm yellow light filled the room. Fu Lian was sitting face to face with her. Seeing that she had been silent for too long, he said, "What, scared?"
Wen Baozhu shook her head.
She closed the book in her hand and straightened her back. She always had to be so solemn when she was speaking seriously.
Looking as serious as if she was about to make a significant speech.
Wen Baozhu said, "I've said before that it was Fu Sheng who helped me and my family, so I only recognize Fu Sheng."
She said it with full conviction.
Fu Lian gave a half-smile and said, "I only paid a check of ten million. But if you make another choice, you may get dozens or even hundreds of times the return. You still won't change your mind?"
The social atmosphere in Hong Kong has always been like this. Any woman who can give birth to a descendant of the Fu family, whether she is the mistress or the fourth or fifth concubine, can all get a share of the house and the family property.
Under such a huge temptation, the huge figure of ten million seemed so insignificant.
Moreover, she was already pregnant, carrying the real blood of the Fu family.
Wen Baozhu watched the man's Adam's apple roll and softly said, "If I choose Fu Sheng and he fails, what will happen to me?"
The man squinted his eyes slightly and slowly played with the pen in his hand.
"The Fu family won't leave you any place. The child in your belly will be left in the Fu family, and you will be sent back to Fucheng. From then on, all the glory and wealth in Hong Kong will have nothing to do with you."
Wen Baozhu nodded. "That sounds like a good outcome."
She continued, as if talking to herself and also to Fu Lian, "Hong Kong is really nice, full of debauchery and luxury that dazzles people's eyes."
"It's also great to be a rich wife. There's endless money, countless buildings, and a bunch of people flattering and fawning on you. Everyone has to act according to your mood. Just thinking about it makes me feel so cool."
"So?"
"But in the end, aren't I still just a marionette, a puppet, a caged bird?"
Her voice was soft. "The only change is that the master changes from Fu Sheng to another member of the Fu family."
It's always the master who chooses the bird. When has there ever been a bird choosing the master?
Wen Baozhu was unfamiliar with the place when she first came to Hong Kong. She was thrown into the big dye vat of the Fu family as soon as she arrived. Apart from the infighting, the most she saw was the flashy and colorful world.
She was picked up and dropped off in a luxury car when going out. The shopping mall automatically offered super VIP service. She didn't even need to swipe her card. The identity of a member of the Fu family was enough to pay the bill.
Wen Baozhu was still young. A girl like her could easily be immersed in such a world and be reluctant to leave.
People might say she was smart, but she always did some stupid things; say she was stupid, but on some matters of principle, she was surprisingly clear-headed.
This was really unexpected and made people look at her with new respect.
Wen Baozhu said, "If Fu Sheng loses, I will be sent back to Fucheng by the Fu family; if Fu Sheng wins, he will also abide by the agreement and send me back to Fucheng."
She lifted the corner of her lips. "No matter which outcome it is, as long as I choose Fu Sheng, I can go back to Fucheng whether he wins or loses."
Wen Baozhu stared into Fu Lian's eyes, with a glimmer of light in them. "But I still hope that Fu Sheng wins."
In all the camps where there are only two choices, I only choose you.
In the final decisive battle of success or failure, I only bet on your victory.
Fu Lian stared at her for a moment and then suddenly laughed. "You've barely convinced me, little liar."
The words "little liar" made Wen Baozhu's expression freeze for a moment. "… Why does Fu Sheng call me a little liar?"
"What else could it be? Because you're always lying to me." Fu Lian's casual words shocked Wen Baozhu.
When did she lie?
And which thing did he know about?
Wen Baozhu had a bad memory. Being pregnant made her mind even more of a mess. "I don't know what Fu Sheng means."
"If you don't know, it doesn't matter. It's not important." Fu Lian stood up from the chair, picked her up from in front of the desk, and said, "Don't be too nervous. I don't care."
He didn't plan to haggle over those trivial matters.
Wen Baozhu was carried to the bed by him, but the string in her mind was still tense.
There was no other reason. This man was just too hard to figure out.
Having seen him be moody so many times, Wen Baozhu didn't dare to overestimate herself. She was just afraid that he would turn cold the next second.
"If I've done something wrong, I hope Fu Sheng can forgive me." Wen Baozhu only hesitated for a second and then immediately showed an attitude of admitting her mistake.
The education she received since childhood taught her to be active in admitting her mistakes.
Fu Lian couldn't help laughing. He pinched her cheek and said, "You don't even know where you're wrong, but you're always so quick to apologize."
Wen Baozhu didn't say a word. She let the man lift the quilt and cover her with it, and then buried her face in his neck.
Her breathing was soft, and the warm air sprayed on his Adam's apple.
Fu Lian hugged her back and gently patted her back from time to time with his big palm.
He knew she was nervous and afraid.
"Are you so afraid of me?" Fu Lian's eyes softened. "I've told you all my secrets. We're on the same side now, Baozhu."
It was an indescribable feeling.
Wen Baozhu said, "I know."
"If you know, why are you still so nervous? Look at how tense your body is. Do you think I'll eat you?"
Wen Baozhu forced a smile, but it looked so forced.
Fu Lian didn't plan to hold her accountable tonight.
His little bird had performed very well. He could consider forgiving her previous mistakes.
After all, it wasn't a big deal, was it?
He leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Okay, don't worry. It's just a little bird causing trouble. I have the ability to take responsibility."
Wen Baozhu pursed her lips.
Fu Lian reached out and turned off the switch on the wall.
"Good night."
"Good night."
---
The next morning, Wen Baozhu got up, washed up, and changed her clothes, then went to the hospital for a prenatal check-up.
Since she had to have her blood drawn in the morning and must be fasting, she was worried about getting hypoglycemia, so she stuffed two lemon candies in her pocket.
During the blood draw, Wen Baozhu saw an elderly man beside her who had just got up after having his blood drawn. But his gait was a bit unnatural.
Looking at his side face, the old man's complexion was extremely pale, and his lips had very little color. It seemed to be a precursor to hypoglycemia.
"Okay." The nurse pulled out the needle. Without even bothering to press the puncture site, Wen Baozhu quickly rushed towards the old man.
Sure enough, the old man suddenly stopped, swayed, and was about to fall straight to the ground -