Rose Manor: Tycoon's Relentless Chase-Chapter 393: Extra 6: She Was Hurt

I originally thought that at least one of Fu Jichen and Shen Jianian would lose their composure. Shen Jianian was the most likely in Fu Jianfang’s eyes. To Fu Jianfang, when it came to anyone other than Shen Jianian, Fu Jichen was a person without emotion, like a monster. He didn’t even care that his own sick and dying mother, what was he if not a cold-blooded monster?

But Fu Jianfang was disappointed that neither Fu Jichen nor Shen Jianian showed the slightest hint of anger or frustration at her words, as if what she said was irrelevant, like "the weather is nice today."

Unwilling to let it go, Fu Jianfang paused for two seconds and pressed on, "Is it that... Fu Da doesn’t like children? Otherwise, why haven’t they had any children since getting married?"

"Enough." Mr. Fu, not wanting the family dinner that happened only once or twice a month to end awkwardly, looked displeased and stopped Fu Jianfang from saying more unpleasant things, "Eat your own meal, so many words."

Fu Jianfang pursed her lips innocently, "As an elder, I’m concerned about Fu Da, how did it become my fault? Don’t say that you, Dad, don’t want to hold a great-grandchild soon."

As she finished speaking, a tender child’s voice suddenly interjected, "Am I not great-grandpa’s great-grandchild?"

The speaker was the child sitting next to Shen Jianian, Fu Jichen’s cousin’s child, naturally Mr. Fu’s great-grandchild.

Fu Jianfang choked back her words, having been too focused on bothering Fu Jichen and Shen Jianian that she had forgotten about the little kid.

No one answered the child’s question. The child looked across at his mother, furrowing his light black brows in grievance, with sauce still on his pursed little mouth, and asked again, "Mom, am I not great-grandpa’s great-grandchild?"

The child’s mother didn’t want to embarrass Fu Jianfang, given that she’s an elder, but she also didn’t want to disappoint her son, so she smiled awkwardly, "Why would Honghong ask such a question?"

The child turned his little head and looked at Fu Jianfang, who had spoken earlier, innocently asking, "Then why did Auntie say great-grandpa wants to hold a great-grandchild soon, can’t great-grandpa just hold me?"

The child slid off his chair and ran to Mr. Fu with tiny steps, still holding his child-sized chopsticks, "Great-grandpa, do you want to hold me?"

Mr. Fu laughed, put down his chopsticks, and bent down to pat his little head, "Great-grandpa is old, can’t lift you."

The child said, "Great-grandpa, you’re not old yet, you haven’t lived to a hundred!"

Mr. Fu chuckled heartily and told him to sit back down and eat.

Fu Jianfang’s difficulties were resolved by the child’s innocent words.

Thinking the topic was thus settled, who knew that Fu Jichen would voluntarily bring it up, "Aunt cares so much about the younger generation’s affairs, that’s really an honor for us juniors. But now that you have the time, Aunt, why not focus more on Sibo’s education? I heard he got into a fight at school last week, split Minister Zhao’s grandson’s lip, and in front of many people, said a bold statement, refusing to apologize and daring them to come to the Fu Family if they had complaints. Minister Zhao’s son mentioned it to me at a dinner party that day, and it truly embarrassed me."

"Is there such a thing?" Mr. Fu had just picked up his chopsticks and paused, his gaze intense, staring at Fu Jianfang who was restless.

"Dad, it’s not like that, listen, kids fighting at school is normal, they say things rashly when angry, it’s not intentional."

Fu Jianfang was panicking inside, busy explaining, with no mind to target Fu Jichen and his wife, knowing that Mr. Fu couldn’t stand Fu Family members throwing their weight around outside.

"He’s still a child? I think even Honghong is more sensible!" Mr. Fu glanced at the silent Sibo at the table and then turned his gaze to Fu Jianfang, realizing that a child’s misbehavior ultimately means the adults haven’t taught them well, "If you really can’t teach him, I’ll have someone send him to the military for a few months to learn properly about behaving, and slowly catch up on the cultural curriculum afterward. If you can’t even behave, what’s the use of studying so much, it would only embarrass the family when he goes out!"

Sibo didn’t dare talk back to Mr. Fu and kept signaling to his own mother that he absolutely did not want to go to the military!

Mr. Fu used terms like "embarrass the family," leaving Fu Jianfang too ashamed to handle it, still wanting to plead with Mr. Fu, "Sibo is not old enough."

"He doesn’t need to compare with those soldiers, just follow Old Li to learn the rules."

"How could he endure the military’s management..."

"You think I want to send him there?" Mr. Fu interrupted her, "Isn’t it your and your husband’s fault? Always caring only about yourselves, not about the child, if this goes on, I think the child will end up ruined! After all, he carries half of the Fu bloodline."

"Dad, that won’t happen." Fu Jianfang’s tone was firm, "I will definitely go back and discipline him well, this won’t happen again. Dad, I promise you."

The family dinner approached its end with Mr. Fu’s scolding and Fu Jianfang’s pleading for mercy; the maid brought out fresh fish soup that had been simmered for several hours, serving each person a bowl.

The fish soup was cooked in a clay pot, and freshly served was very hot. Shen Jianian, worried that the child might get burned, scooped it up with a spoon and blew on it before feeding Honghong.

"Thank you, Aunt." Honghong drank a small mouthful of fish soup with his pouty lips, politely thanked, and didn’t forget to remind Shen Jianian, "Aunt, you should drink some too, it’ll taste bad once it cools."

Shen Jianian smiled with squinty eyes, feeling soft inside, couldn’t help squeezing Honghong’s cheek, "Aunt won’t drink, Honghong should drink more."

Honghong tilted his head, "Why won’t Aunt drink?"

After Shen Jianian got pregnant, she became sensitive to smells and couldn’t stand the smell of fish soup, but she didn’t say it outright. Instead, she quietly told Honghong, "Because your aunt doesn’t like to eat fish."

"I understand, it’s just like how I don’t like eating carrots," Honghong giggled, covering his mouth. Then, thinking of something, he pouted, "But mom always makes me eat them, saying they’re nutritious."

Shen Jianian smiled, unsure of what to say, and Honghong continued, "I really envy adults; they can choose not to eat what they don’t like."

*

After the meal, the family left the table, and the housekeeper came to clean up.

Fu Jichen’s phone rang — it was a work call. He told Shen Jianian that he would return home once he finished the call and then quickly headed to the tea room to answer it, avoiding the others.

Shen Jianian walked out, her hand resting on Honghong’s head while he looked up, telling her how much fun his remote-controlled car was.

After the meal, the little guy had become quite close to his aunt, turning into a friend with whom he shared everything.

While listening to him speak, Shen Jianian didn’t notice the housekeeper passing by with a tray. Fu Jianfang, feeling resentful over Mr. Fu’s reprimand at the table, made a motion as if to touch his hair, but it was to tip over the tray in the housekeeper’s hands.

"Watch out!"

The housekeeper screamed, but it was too late to save it. The items on the tray all fell.

The clay pot was about to hit the child’s head, but Shen Jianian quickly pulled him aside. The pot shattered on the ground, splashing soup on her ankle.

As if that weren’t enough, another bowl of soup spilled over her, leaving her in an instant mess.

The soup that spilled was the last-serving fish soup, untouched by Shen Jianian. After it cooled, the fishy smell became stronger, causing her stomach to churn. With the chaos at her feet, she had nowhere to step and barely managed to rush to the bathroom, bending over to vomit everything she had eaten at the table.

Honghong was so frightened that he started to cry loudly.

His mother, just a few steps away, watched helplessly as the incident unfolded, her heart nearly stopping from fright. Fortunately, Shen Jianian reacted quickly, or the weighty clay pot could have had unthinkable consequences if it had hit Honghong’s head.

After confirming her child was unharmed, she calmed him down, stopping his crying, and then went to check on Shen Jianian, "Big sister-in-law, are you alright?"

Seeing her pale face, she shouted loudly for help.

In the tea room, Fu Jichen heard his sister-in-law’s call. Sensing something was wrong, he rushed out, forgetting to hang up the phone.

Seeing the disheveled Shen Jianian and the mess in the dining room, Fu Jichen’s brow furrowed deeply as he asked in a stern voice, "What happened?!"

The housekeeper, who caused the trouble, trembled and turned pale. She had been carrying the tray just fine. Who would have known that Fu Jianfang would suddenly raise his hand, causing her to lose grip, causing everything to fall on Shen Jianian and almost injuring the child?

Fu Jichen rarely returned to the ancestral home. Everyone knew he was not someone to be trifled with since his usual aloof demeanor intimidated them. If he ever lost his temper, no one could withstand it.

The housekeeper didn’t dare blame Fu Jianfang, as she was one of the family’s masters. Accusing Fu Jianfang could lead to her packing her bags the next day.

Fu Jichen’s brows furrowed deeper, ignoring the housekeeper’s fluster, focusing only on Shen Jianian with eyes filled with tension and worry: "Are you injured? Let’s go to the hospital."

Shen Jianian was also a bit shaken, taking a long time to regain her senses. She lightly shook her head; except for her ankle, she felt no pain elsewhere, and her stomach was fine. She had just been hit by some dishes and splashed with soup, making her look messy.

The housekeeper, with a trembling voice and tears, apologized to Fu Jichen: "I’m sorry, young master. I didn’t do it on purpose. I lost my grip on the tray and hurt the young mistress, I’m really sorry. I’ll be more careful in the future, I’m very sorry..."

No amount of bravery would allow the housekeeper to speak ill of Fu Jianfang. She subtly curled her lips, looking at her nails, and remained perfectly hidden.

But Fu Jichen was not easily fooled. The housekeeper had been working there for decades, not a clumsy person. Someone who always worked cautiously and reliably couldn’t possibly make such a basic mistake, overturning a tray and hitting someone.

"I’ll ask you one last time; remember, this is your only chance. Did you really overturn the tray accidentally, or was there another reason?"

Fu Jichen’s gaze was cold, devoid of any warmth, as if the housekeeper would be dismissed the moment she admitted it, regardless of her past contributions to the ancestral home.

Hearing this, Fu Jianfang, who was about to leave, felt her heart skip a beat.