CHAPTER 38: CHAPTER 38: IN HER PANIC, FU SHINIAN GRABBED XIAO CHENGYU’S ARM

Fu Shinian didn’t dare to alert anyone else and whispered quietly to Fu Mingzhu sitting beside her, "Sister, look outside the window."

"What?" Fu Mingzhu looked out and heard Fu Shinian whispering in her ear, "I see Xiao Fengxing holding hands with a woman on the street downstairs."

As Fu Shinian said this, Fu Mingzhu also saw Xiao Fengxing.

Indeed, he was intimately holding a woman’s hand.

The woman beside him was dressed in a light pink outfit, wearing a veil hat that covered her face.

Fu Mingzhu’s face suddenly darkened, even though she had already decided to break off the engagement with Xiao Fengxing in the future.

But seeing him so intimately with another woman behind her back, Fu Mingzhu couldn’t help but feel a pang in her heart.

She bit her teeth tightly, her eyes fixed fiercely on the two people on the street, her abdomen unconsciously tightened.

Fu Shinian held her hand.

Even after seeing it with her own eyes, Fu Mingzhu still couldn’t believe it, the fiancé she always liked, who she thought was a remarkable man, had been secretly involved with someone else.

Without thinking, Fu Mingzhu got up and wanted to run to the street to see clearly and ask clearly. But Xiao Yingyue’s maid Du Juan suddenly stood behind Fu Mingzhu, leaned in, and whispered in her ear, "Miss, calm down, the Marquis has already sent someone over."

Fu Shinian also heard Du Juan’s words and turned her head in surprise.

"The Marquis saw it earlier and already sent Jing Lai to follow them." Du Juan whispered, "The Marquis thinks it’s inappropriate for the young lady to go personally at this moment, as it might affect Miss Yu’s reputation."

"But I don’t know, what does the young lady plan to do? This relates to whether Jing Lai should catch them in the act." Du Juan whispered.

A moment ago, Xiao Chengyu saw Xiao Fengxing and the woman before Fu Shinian did and immediately thought of Fu Shinian’s earlier writing wish.

Did Fu Shinian know all along?

That’s why she hoped Fu Mingzhu could find a good person and stay away from Xiao Fengxing?

So he immediately sent Jing Lai to follow.

But how it will be resolved ultimately depends on the Fu family’s decision.

Fu Shinian thought for a while, then walked over to Xiao Chengyu’s side, "Marquis."

"Let’s speak here." Xiao Chengyu led Fu Shinian to the terrace outside the room, standing by the rail.

"I just saw your written wish, so I thought you might already know something. So I had Jing Lai follow them." Xiao Chengyu explained proactively.

"Thank you, Marquis; otherwise, it would be inappropriate for either me or my sister to step forward directly." Fu Shinian saw that Xiao Chengyu already knew, so she had nothing to hide.

She had not mentioned this to Xiao Chengyu before, fearing Xiao Chengyu’s reaction.

Xiao Chengyu is upright and honorable, and if he knew about this, went to Xiao Fengxing and commanded him to leave the Prince’s ranks, strictly controlling him, then they would have no reason to break off the engagement.

"Why didn’t you tell me before?" Xiao Chengyu asked in a low voice, "Were you worried I wouldn’t help you and would stand on Xiao Fengxing’s side, bullying your family?"

"No!" Fu Shinian quickly shook her head to explain, "The Marquis is a noble gentleman; how could I doubt you?"

"I didn’t know about Xiao Fengxing’s involvement with another woman either; I only saw it today." Fu Shinian thought she wasn’t lying.

She definitely couldn’t reveal she knew about Xiao Fengxing and Lin Qingqing’s affair.

Otherwise, how would she explain how she knew?

"My family indeed intends to break off the engagement, but not because of tonight." Fu Shinian had to explain, "On the day of the hunt, His Majesty publicly announced handing over the transportation of goods to the Cheng Family. Afterward, Xiao Fengxing was furious with my sister, blaming her for not telling him earlier."

"And it so happens that before this, the Prince volunteered to supervise the transportation."

"I understand." Xiao Chengyu didn’t need Fu Shinian to explain further.

Xiao Chengyu’s face darkened too.

Xiao Fengxing’s audacity is indeed great!

"Father doesn’t want to be involved in this mess, but he has no right to dictate what Xiao Fengxing does." Fu Shinian self-mockingly said, "Even if he said something, Xiao Fengxing wouldn’t listen. For my family’s protection, we can only find an opportunity to break off the engagement."

"But so far, we haven’t found a reason that wouldn’t harm my sister’s reputation or affect her future marriage." Fu Shinian explained, "Tonight, if we can catch them in the act, that would be the best."

"Okay." Xiao Chengyu nodded.

At this moment, Fu Shinian saw Jing Lai returning on the street, but he was alone.

After a while, Jing Lai returned to the room, finding Xiao Chengyu and Fu Shinian on the terrace outside.

"Marquis, I failed to carry out my task, lost them." Jing Lai explained, "Suddenly, someone scattered copper coins, and the crowd became chaotic; I got separated by the crowd."

Fu Shinian sighed, "Never mind, thank you, Brother Jing Lai."

"Since we now know he’s involved with another woman, if we can see them today, surely there will be another chance in the future." Fu Shinian said solemnly, "I don’t believe we can’t catch him in the act."

"I’ll investigate." Xiao Chengyu said.

In a hurry, Fu Shinian grabbed Xiao Chengyu’s arm, "Marquis, you must not persuade him to part with that woman! It’s best if we can catch them in the act openly so my family can break off the engagement."

Xiao Chengyu lowered his eyes, seeing her pale hand clasping his arm.

The place she held, he felt warm even through his clothing.

Feeling Xiao Chengyu’s gaze, Fu Shinian quickly let go.

Xiao Chengyu felt a sudden sense of loss in his heart and nodded, "Okay."

At this moment, in a hidden alley carriage, only Aunt Liu and Xiao Fengxing were present.

She had arranged earlier for Lin Qingqing to be sent back to the residence.

"How dare you go on the street so openly with Lin Qingqing tonight!" Aunt Liu scolded angrily, "What if someone sees you?"

"Qingqing wore a veil; no one knows who she is. Even if seen, they’d only think I was on the street with Fu Mingzhu." Xiao Fengxing said.

"Are you stupid? If someone mentions it to Fu Mingzhu, wouldn’t she find out?" Aunt Liu said furiously.

Xiao Fengxing said dismissively, "Fu Mingzhu is a fool; I can easily make up a reason to fool her."

"That was before." Aunt Liu said, "Haven’t you noticed that Fu Mingzhu has changed recently? She hasn’t sought you out in a long time. She hasn’t even gifted you ink blocks anymore."

"It’s because she’s been busy with the orphanage recently, spent all her silver." Xiao Fengxing said, "But I’ve already mentioned it to her, she’ll have money next month, and she’ll gift us things again."

"I wouldn’t bet on it." Aunt Liu said, "I think she’s gained the favor of the Empress now, and her ambitions have grown. She might start to look down on you."

"Impossible." Xiao Fengxing didn’t believe, "She looks down on me? Never! She’s always been afraid I would look down on her."

"If I weren’t engaged, how many noblewomen in the capital would want to marry me?" Xiao Fengxing said, "If it wasn’t for... how could she have been chosen?"

"Besides, I’m going to be Marquis Changping." Xiao Fengxing said coldly, "Her favor with the Empress is fleeting and unreliable, compared to the future Marchioness position. Unless she’s a fool, she knows what choice to make."

"What if she uses the Empress’s favor now to climb to a higher branch?" Aunt Liu asked.