Wen Baozhu thought her guess was quite logical.
However, the man sitting opposite her instantly pulled a long face.
"Our Baozhu is really sensible, still remembering why I'm getting engaged," the man said coldly, clearly in a mocking tone.
Wen Baozhu had only asked casually and didn't expect Fu Lian to really tell her the truth.
Seeing his mood turn sour, Wen Baozhu immediately curbed her curiosity and stopped asking. Instead, she turned to look out of the window.
During these days of the New Year, the weather in Hong Kong was excellent.
It hadn't rained for several consecutive days. The sun had dried out the whole city, making it feel fluffy, soft, and comfortable.
Wen Baozhu felt like going out to get some fresh air and soak up the sun.
But the area Fu Lian allowed her to move around in was only by the window, where she could only catch a glimpse of the sunlight through the square - shaped window. It was far from satisfying.
When Fu Lian saw that she stopped asking, his brow furrowed even deeper.
It was because she really seemed to care nothing at all, neither about who he was engaged to nor why he had called off the engagement.
She was too well - behaved, like a person without a soul. Even her docile face looked fake.
Fu Lian held his breath for a long time and said in a soft voice, "Couldn't it be for you?"
For her?
Wen Baozhu's expression froze.
An incredulous look flashed across her face. Soon she bit her lip. There was no sign of joy or excitement in her eyes, only panic and unease.
It was as if his calling off the engagement for her was a hot potato she didn't want to take.
Fu Lian said coldly, "Why, so surprised?"
Wen Baozhu didn't know how to answer for a moment. Her fingers tightly clutched the corner of the quilt. She was silent for a long while.
Fu Lian lowered his eyes slightly and said calmly, "I've made it clear to you before. With me, you can cry and throw tantrums."
He had given her that right.
But she never exercised it.
From the moment she woke up until now, she hadn't even uttered a single word of complaint about her falling into the sea.
Even if she shed just one tear.
But she had always been so quiet. Even when she knew that her baby might not be saved, she hardly showed any emotion.
After waiting for a while, Fu Lian said, "Baozhu, I allow you to blame me."
It was his fault that he hadn't protected her well.
He admitted that he had planned to use her to attract public attention and also take the opportunity to reveal the news of Fu Nian's death.
But all the plans had come to nothing because Wen Baozhu had fallen into the sea.
Blame him?
Wen Baozhu looked completely taken aback. She was silent for a long time before softly saying, "I have nothing to blame Mr. Fu for."
She counted on her fingers and murmured to herself, "I was just a pawn of Mr. Fu from the start. Whatever Mr. Fu says goes."
Throwing a tantrum? How could she be so presumptuous?
She was neither a born beauty nor from a prominent family. What right did she have to challenge and question Fu Lian?
"Whatever I say goes?" Fu Lian's expression was extremely calm. "According to you, if I didn't want this baby to be born, you'd accept an abortion?"
There was finally a change in Wen Baozhu's expression.
Her lips trembled. As if she had made a great decision in her heart, she spoke again, "If Mr. Fu wishes the baby to disappear, I can accept it."
The sun outside had warmed the floor, but the ward felt as cold as an ice cellar.
Wen Baozhu was covered with a thick blanket, but she still felt cold.
Fu Lian steadied his breathing and stared intently at Wen Baozhu, not missing any detail of her expression.
Suddenly, he let out a laugh, his words full of meaning. "Wen Baozhu, it's you who doesn't want this baby, isn't it?"
Wen Baozhu instantly widened her eyes.
The panic of being misunderstood lasted only for a moment, and then she quickly regained her calm.
She nodded and gave a gentle smile. "Mr. Fu is right. It's me who doesn't want it."
Whatever he said, it was the truth.
She was so submissive, so well - behaved to an extreme that it made Fu Lian feel that she was defying him in every way.
Fu Lian was extremely annoyed.
The little bird he had carefully nurtured seemed to be becoming more and more obedient, more and more attached to him, and even willing to give in to his every demand.
No one didn't like obedience.
But she was too obedient. Her obedience made Fu Lian suddenly realize that Wen Baozhu had become the same as when she first came to Hong Kong.
She neither cried nor laughed nor threw tantrums, just like a marionette.
Completely uninteresting.
The coldness on the man's face deepened. A chill began to brew in his eyes. "I don't like to guess, nor am I willing to try to figure you out."
In any relationship, Fu Lian always took a superior's stance. He was the one in control, never the one to humble himself.
"If you don't say it directly, I'll assume that all this is what you want." Fu Lian walked over and pinched her chin.
Afraid that she might feel pain, he deliberately loosened his grip, just barely holding it. "Wen Baozhu, even acting requires dedication. Please act more convincingly to please me."
Wen Baozhu was forced to look up, staring at the man in close proximity.
She had guessed long ago that she couldn't hide anything from him.
All the deliberate flattery, the efforts to please, as well as the feigned jealousy and coquetry were all just acts she put on.
He saw it clearly but didn't expose her.
Because he enjoyed it.
But now that she didn't want to act anymore and had become a numb and dull puppet, he started to find it boring.
He hadn't had enough of the show, so she had to keep acting.
True feelings were the least important.
"I understand, Mr. Fu," Wen Baozhu took a deep breath and leaned forward to get closer to the man's face.
She主动送吻上去，表示自己投诚的决心。
Fu Lian lowered his eyes and watched as she clumsily kissed his lips. Her movements were so inexperienced and awkward that she never got the hang of it.
Although it couldn't create an ambiguous atmosphere, he could still feel her submission and desire for reconciliation.
Fu Lian sighed and finally couldn't bear to say any more cold words to her.
He let go of his hand and gently stroked her cheek. "It was my fault this time, making Baozhu scared. It won't happen again."
"All the wishes Baozhu made today will come true."
Maybe the atmosphere had been too tense just now, so Fu Lian softened his tone a bit. "What do you want? I'll grant you one - day use of the Genie's lamp."
"…Really?" Wen Baozhu asked timidly.
The man laughed. Hearing that she really had something she wanted, his eyes were full of indulgence and affection. "Name it."
He wanted to make it up to her.
The more she didn't want anything, the more he wanted to give her something.
It was better than the silent days they had spent just looking at each other.
It was only in these days that he realized that compared to the noisy crying, shouting, and demands for justice, what really annoyed and angered him the most was Wen Baozhu's silence.
He wanted her to be vivid, to be alive.
He wanted her to be lively and chirpy in his palm forever.
Wen Baozhu was silent for a while, as if seriously thinking about what to ask from her benefactor this time.
After much thought, she finally said, "I want to go back to Fucheng to see my grandma."
"Mr. Fu promised me before the New Year that he would take me back to Fucheng on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year," Wen Baozhu said in a low voice. "Although many days have passed... If Mr. Fu is too busy, I can go back by myself."
Hearing that she wanted to go back to Fucheng, Fu Lian frowned.
He said, "No."