Chapter 6: Mangosteen

Su Qingsi looked up at her, eyes innocent and confused. "Changed?"

"Mm." Qin Se reached out and gently tucked a stray lock of hair behind Su Qingsi's ear.

"You used to be elegant and pure, like a flower on some high peak that people could only look up to. Now you..."

She paused, her fingers brushing over Su Qingsi's cheek.

"Now you're soft and delicate down to the bone. Even I can't help wanting to protect you."

Su Qingsi lowered her eyes. "Is that a bad thing?"

"Bad? How could it be bad?" Qin Se sighed.

"Looking like that, you deserve to be kept in the most luxurious, most exquisite comfort in the world."

"Anything second-rate, anyone who isn't worthy of you—none of them should get near you."

She pulled her hand back and looked at Su Qingsi, a flicker of resentment in her eyes.

"What a pity. Fu Linzhou—head of the Fu family, the most prestigious clan of all—has already found himself a new girlfriend during the years you were gone."

Su Qingsi raised her eyes, looking lost. "A new girlfriend?"

"Mm. Her name is Wen Yirou." Qin Se pursed her lips.

"So petty and small-minded. How does she deserve Fu Linzhou? How does she deserve the position of Madam Fu?"

"Only our Sisi deserves that most honored place."

Su Qingsi blinked.

Qin Se stroked her little face again, her heart aching. "But if you wanted to, it's not impossible to get back together."

"Fu Linzhou is only using Wen Yirou to placate the Old Master."

"That woman is devoted, though. She served him eagerly for half a year, and now she actually thinks she's part of the Fu family."

She sighed again.

"Sisi, do you still like Fu Linzhou? Do you really not remember anything?"

Su Qingsi looked at her. "I remember some things. I remember wanting to come back. I remember you're my good friend."

"But the past—the unimportant people and events, anything to do with Fu Linzhou—I don't remember any of it."

"And if I don't remember, then I surely can't say I like him."

"Sese, am I useless?"

"Don't talk nonsense." Qin Se patted her hand, her heart aching.

"Forgotten is forgotten. It's just..."

She looked at Su Qingsi, her expression complicated. "It's just that Fu Linzhou won't let you go so easily."

"He's always been deep-scheming and ruthless. The way you are now, if you can't beat him at his own game, stay away from him for now. Understand?"

Su Qingsi nodded, looking obedient and pitiful.

"Understood." Her voice was soft.

Only then did Qin Se relax. She hugged her again. "Good girl. Finish your porridge first, then sleep a little more."

Su Qingsi took the bowl and sipped the porridge in small mouthfuls.

Qin Se watched her quiet little face, and that unease rose in her heart again.

Three years had passed, and Fu Linzhou still didn't seem to have moved on.

And now Sisi was even more beautiful, more delicate, more endearing.

Qin Se didn't dare imagine what would happen next.

——

Downstairs, Wen Yirou stood at the gate of the Su family villa.

She'd heard from the servants that Fu Linzhou had gone to the Su residence.

Before she knew what she was doing, she had followed.

Now, standing before the carved iron gate, her chest felt tight, and every breath came with a dull, acidic ache.

She had liked Fu Linzhou from the moment she first saw him at eighteen.

Back then, Fu Linzhou—who had graduated early—came back to the school for an alumni reunion.

She squeezed into the crowd, looking up at the man on stage with his cold, sharp features, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it might leap out of her chest.

Later, she learned his name was Fu Linzhou, the young master of the Fu family. He had a childhood sweetheart, a first love, named Su Qingsi.

Even later, she heard that Su Qingsi had gone abroad, dumped Fu Linzhou, and left without a backward glance.

She thought she had a chance.

She started wearing white dresses, keeping her hair long and straight and black, doing that no-makeup makeup look, speaking softly, appearing before him.

Finally, half a year ago, through a twist of fate, she ended up in his bed.

For six months, she gave it everything, learning every way he liked things.

She thought that with enough time, he would eventually see her worth.

But Su Qingsi had suddenly come back. What was she supposed to do?

Wen Yirou took a deep breath and pressed the doorbell.

Steward Liu opened the door.

"Miss Wen?" Steward Liu recognized her, his face falling with hesitation.

"What brings you here?"

"I'm looking for Linzhou." Wen Yirou's voice was quiet but stubborn.

"He's inside, isn't he?"

Steward Liu hesitated, still unsure how to answer, when footsteps sounded behind him.

Fu Linzhou came down the stairs.

A black suit jacket was draped casually over his arm. The top two buttons of his white shirt were undone, revealing his collarbone.

He saw Wen Yirou and frowned. "Why are you here?"

Wen Yirou looked up at him, her eyes instantly burning.

He was different from usual.

The usual Fu Linzhou was always immaculate, cold, precise—shirt buttoned to the very top, tie perfectly knotted.

Now his shirt was wrinkled, his collar open, his hair not nearly as neat as when he'd left home that morning.

Wen Yirou spoke. "I heard from the servants that you were here."

Fu Linzhou walked up to her.

He was tall. She had to tilt her head back to see his face.

"So what?" His voice was flat, emotionless. "You're checking up on me?"

Wen Yirou shook her head frantically.

She lifted her face, tears welling in her eyes, stubbornly refusing to fall.

"I'm not checking up on you. I was just worried about you."

"Worried about what?"

"Worried that you..." Wen Yirou bit her lower lip. The words she had rolled over in her mind countless times finally came out.

"Worried that you'll be fooled by her again."

Fu Linzhou's gaze darkened.

He stared at her for a few seconds, then suddenly reached out and gripped her chin, forcing her head up.

His voice was low, laced with warning. "Wen Yirou, do you know what you're saying?"

Wen Yirou was forced to keep her face upturned. The tears finally fell.

She knew.

Of course she knew what she was saying.

She was taking a risk, gambling, challenging his limits.

But she couldn't help it.

"I know." Her voice shook badly, but she forced the words out clearly.

"I know she was your first love. I know I look like her. I know I'm just a substitute."

"But Linzhou, I've been with you for half a year."

"In these six months, I cooked for you, waited for you to come home, stayed up however late you worked."

"My feelings for you are real."

Her tears fell harder. "Can't you just look at me? Stop going after her."

"It hurts."

Fu Linzhou looked at her and said nothing.

Once, he might have softened, lowered his voice, coaxed her a little.

But now his mind was entirely on Su Qingsi. Her unreasonable demands only irritated him.

Fu Linzhou let go and slid his hands back into his pockets.

"Yirou, we agreed from the start—a contractual relationship, each taking what they need." His voice was gentler than before, but the meaning behind it was cold.

Wen Yirou's face went white.

She stepped back, her spine hitting the icy doorframe, all the strength draining out of her.

"Each taking what they need." She repeated the words.

"So these six months meant nothing more than that to you."

Fu Linzhou didn't answer.

He turned and walked toward the door, his voice flat. "Go back. Don't come here again."

At the doorway, he glanced back at the second floor.

Su Qingsi had forgotten him just like that, leaving all his longing and resentment with nowhere to go.

At this moment, Fu Linzhou had no attention to spare for a woman who had silently kept him company.