Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  Lu Jinnan’s lips moved but ultimately didn’t make a sound.

  They didn’t yet know the identity of that woman in Lu Jinbei’s heart in the past, but at Old Madam Fu’s birthday banquet, it was evident that Lu Jinbei had disregarded his face and shamelessly tagged along with Bai Xiaonian.

  If it weren’t for deep love, Lu Jinbei, who had grown up under the protection of Lu Jinnan… why would the carefree and foppish youth be willing to bow his noble head in front of a woman and ingratiate himself with her like a toadie?

  Lu Jinnan was silent for a good while before raising his head to look at Fu Huai’an, blurting out, “Then, are you going to help me like you did the previous time? How are you going to face Lin Nuan after helping me?”


  Lu Jinnan’s questioning vexed fu Huai’an. He subconsciously drew a cigarette and was about to smoke it before recalling it wasn’t lit up yet. “We’ll talk about everything after Bai Xiaonian regains consciousness!”


  On the one hand it was Lu Jinnan, while on the other it was Lin Nuan. Fu Huai’an was in a difficult position, and Lu Jinnan knew it.

  “Old Fu!” Lu Jinnan got up and put his hand on Fu Huai’an’s shoulder. “You don’t have to talk with Bai Xiaonian. When she wakes up, I’ll go talk to her. If she wants my life, I’ll give it to her! If she wants me to go to prison, I’ll go! You just take good care of Lin Nuan.”


  Bai Jinyu, who had been listening by the side the entire time, finally couldn’t resist speaking up, “Lu Jinnan, are you out of your mind? You’ve been like this all these years! Whenever you face an issue that has anything to do with a woman or your brother, it’s as if you’re possessed! When are you going to fix this problem of yours? So what if your brother fancies that woman? It’s not as if your brother has married her. You and her are both unmarried! Furthermore, Bai Xiaonian has been snubbing your brother all along!”


  “Why are you here? What about Xiao Nuan?” Fu Huai’an asked.

  “Upstairs with Xiao Bei…” Bai Jinyu replied.

  Fu Huai’an stuffed the unlit cigarette back into the pack then handed it to Bai Jinyu, worried Lin Nuan might head upstairs by herself.

  Bai Jinyu continued staring at Lu Jinnan with furrowed brows. “Lu Jinnan, it’s Old Fu and I, why aren’t you willing to tell the truth? What exactly is going on with that friend of sis-in-law’s?”


  …


  Into the late night, Bai Xiaonian’s condition had stabilized. Fu Huai’an was afraid they might affect Tuan Tuan if they were to return to Tianfu Bay, so he took Lin Nuan back to the Cloud Top Condominium.

  Lin Nuan was dead tired, so she slumped onto the bed in exhaustion the moment they stepped into the apartment.

  Fu Huai’an saw that Lin Nuan was so drained that she couldn’t be bothered to change out of her clothes. He removed his jacket and casually flicked it at the head of the bed, then took off his wristwatch and placed it on the bedside cabinet before entering the bathroom…


  Upon hearing the door to the bathroom close, Lin Nuan slowly opened her eyes; as she listened to the subtle sounds of water coming from within, her eyes reddened.

  On this matter, Fu Huai’an wasn’t wrong to want to defend Lu Jinnan, that was his brother!

  But with Bai Xiaonian lying there, raped and having jumped off a building, how could Lin Nuan not feel gut-wrenched?

  Especially when she thought of Bai Xiaonian’s completely pale face when she was being pushed out of the operating room, Lin Nuan wished she could just kill Lu Jinnan.

  She recalled Fu Huai’an’s words in defense of Lu Jinnan and felt more upset. Even if she knew Fu Huai’an wasn’t wrong from his viewpoint, her heart still ached as if it were being stabbed.

  He was her husband, so he should be someone Lin Nuan could rely on and trust in a moment like this.

  But Lin Nuan was terrified that after she calls the cops, Fu Huai’an would personally take on the case to acquit Lu Jinnan of all charges.

  How was Lin Nuan to face Bai Xiaonian after that? How was she to face Fu Huai’an in the days that followed?

  Hearing the sound of the shower stop, Lin Nuan closed her eyes once more, retreating into the blankets.

  Fu Huai’an’s sleeves were casually rolled up to his elbows, revealing his firm arms. He had a warm towel in his hand as he walked to the side of the bed and sat down. “Clean your face before you sleep, you’ll feel more comfortable!”


  As he said that, Fu Huai’an cupped Lin Nuan’s ear with one hand and cleaned her face using the towel with the other.

  The temperature of the towel was just right. As it swept across Lin Nuan’s tender face, she indeed felt much more comfortable.

  Lin Nuan was feeling awful; her nostrils flared slightly, then she started tearing up.

  Her throat was swollen and painful, but she tried hard to muffle the cry. Her tears wet the pillow as they slipped past her nose.

  There was only one wall light in the bedroom. Under the dim lighting, the tear streak on Lin Nuan’s nose was visible, and tears were also evident on her pillow. Her petite hand was clenching the blanket tightly.

  Fu Huai’an sighed, then set the towel aside before lifting the blanket and covering himself with it. His arms circled Lin Nuan’s slim waist, holding her in his embrace.

  “I know you’re feeling awful…”


  Neither of them spoke on the way back from the hospital. It was as if the two of them were trying to see who would crack first and speak.

  In the end, it was Fu Huai’an who spoke first as he couldn’t bear to see the crying Lin Nuan.

  Fu Huai’an was lowering his head to Lin Nuan in a different way. Lin Nuan didn’t hold back the unhappiness in her heart…


  She gripped the blanket tightly and opened her eyes before she spoke, “Fu Huai’an, I’m asking that you don’t interfere in Bai Xiaonian and Lu Jinnan’s matters so as not to affect our relationship, but you’re saying it’s only fair that I stay out of it as well. Are you attacking my heart directly? Lu Jinnan is perfectly fine, whereas Bai Xiaonian is lying on the bed right now, still unconscious! You’re asking me to stay out of it? So your friend is a friend to you in your heart, and my friend doesn’t count for anything? She deserves all this, is it?”


  Lin Nuan’s tone was heavily nasal, almost sounding like her nose was entirely clogged up.

  Fu Huai’an held her tightly and kissed Lin Nuan’s long hair, apologizing, “I apologize, sorry… I said it wrong! Please stop crying, don’t be upset, will you?”


  Lin Nuan’s shoulders were heaving as she cried. Fu Huai’an supported himself up a little, watching the way Lin Nuan was biting her lip to hold herself back from crying. He flipped her over and kissed her on her eyes and lips.

  Lin Nuan resisted this action of his, causing Fu Huai’an to stop what he was doing. He looked at Lin Nuan, who was still crying with her eyes shut, and tried to wipe away her tears with his thumb. He lowered his deep voice, saying, “Xiao Nuan, we’re approaching things from different perspectives, but I’m not completely disregarding Bai Xiaonian. It’s just that this has already happened, so regardless of the truth, I personally feel that this isn’t the time to pursue responsibility. What we need to do now is take care of the aftermath, to minimize the damage done. If Lu Jinnan truly did it, we should see what Lu Jinnan can do to compensate…”


  “Aren’t you trying to help Lu Jinnan get away with this?” Lin Nuan suddenly opened her eyes, her gaze fixated on Fu Huai’an, her tears seemingly solidified.

  “I’m saying this is one way to deal with it. Rather than sending Lu Jinnan to prison and making Bai Xiaonian the subject of gossip with her public figure status, why not get some practical compensation?”


  Seeing her eyes growing gradually colder, Fu Huai’an pursed his lips and didn’t finish what he was going to say, afraid that Lin Nuan might lose control of her emotions again. He said, “If Lu Jinnan did force himself upon Bai Xiaonian, causing her to jump off a building, this is one way to deal with it, but I’m not saying this is what you absolutely have to do!”


  Lin Nuan’s lips were tightly pursed, her face drained of all color.