Chapter 85: Ouch, Ouch, Be Gentle
Fu Hannen impatiently pried her hand off his arm, then abruptly stood up from his seat, the sound of the chair scraping the floor echoing through the dining area. Without a word, he stormed off, taking the tension and cold air with him as he went.
To any outside observer, it looked exactly like a married couple having an argument. The kind where the husband needed a little coaxing and space to cool down.
Gu Yining watched Fu Hannen walk away and, without hesitation, stood up to follow. However, just as she was about to leave, Ye Fanxing's voice called out, halting her in her tracks.
"Little girl, hold on a second. I have a few words for you."
Gu Yining stopped and turned back, forcing a smile. "Fanxing, if you have something to say, just say it."
She didn't want to waste time. Her priority was to catch up with Fu Hannen before he got too far.
"I can tell that you and Hannen haven't known each other for very long," Ye Fanxing began, her voice calm and measured. "Hannen doesn't like it when women cling to him too much. It'll only push him away. If I were you, I'd give him some space tonight and try again in the morning. Don't back him into a corner."
On the surface, Ye Fanxing's words seemed like friendly advice, as though she was offering helpful marital tips. But to Gu Yining, something about them felt off, as if there was an undercurrent of something more beneath the surface.
"I understand. Thank you for the advice, Fanxing," Gu Yining replied politely. "By the way, the first order of your perfume is ready. I'll personally deliver it to you."
Ye Fanxing nodded with a faint smile. "Good. I'll look forward to it."
As Gu Yining turned and hurried away, Ye Fanxing watched her disappear into the distance. Once she was gone, Ji Yunchuan downed the rest of his wine and stood up, ready to settle the bill. "It's getting late. We should head back too. You've been on set all day filming—you must be exhausted. Let me take you back to your hotel."
Ye Fanxing sat back down, her frustration showing in the way she crossed her arms. "Yunchuan, that woman is not as simple as she seems. Do you know what she was doing just now? She was marking her territory in front of me, as if I'm some kind of rival for Hannen's affection. It's infuriating."
"You're overthinking things," Ji Yunchuan replied, shaking his head. "Didn't you see the way Hannen acted around her? It's obvious they're just having a fight. It's no big deal."
From his perspective, Gu Yining had every right to stake her claim. After all, she was Fu Hannen's legitimate wife. If she wanted to assert her position, there was nothing wrong with that. The problem lay with Ye Fanxing, whose irritation had become increasingly apparent.
Meanwhile, Fu Hannen was pulling his car out of the parking lot when he spotted Gu Yining standing at the exit, blocking his way. His brows furrowed in disbelief as she stepped in front of the car, spreading her arms wide. Fortunately, his reflexes were quick enough to hit the brakes just in time, narrowly avoiding a collision.
"Are you insane?" Fu Hannen yelled, flinging open the car door and storming out. He strode over to her in a fury, grabbing her by the arm with such force that he nearly lifted her off the ground. His eyes blazed with anger as he towered over her, looking as though he could explode at any moment.
Though she was wrapped up in long sleeves, hiding the cuts and bruises scattered across her body, the moment he gripped her wrist, she winced in pain. Her breath hitched as she tried to hold back a gasp, her face paling slightly.
"Ouch, ouch! Be gentle," Gu Yining cried out, her face scrunching up in discomfort.
"You're still capable of feeling pain, huh?" Fu Hannen scoffed, but his eyes darkened as he noticed her subtle reaction to his grip. "You're in this state, covered in wounds, and instead of staying home to recover, you're out here looking for sympathy? Gu Yining, I'm telling you—I don't understand you at all anymore."
He let go of her arm with a sharp flick of his wrist, a cold sneer curling at the corner of his lips.
"I'm not trying to get your sympathy," Gu Yining quickly explained, her voice softening. "I just wanted to thank you for saving me earlier tonight. And about the other thing… the medicine, I wasn't refusing to sleep with you. I just know the side effects of that particular drug. It's harmful, and if we're thinking about having children—"
The words seemed so flimsy as they left her mouth. She realized she was losing the argument before she had even started. She sounded weak, especially when she brought up the topic of children. It was a subject that seemed to strike a nerve with Fu Hannen.
Was it her rejection that had angered him? No. What truly infuriated him was the notion that, in her eyes, he was nothing more than a tool—someone to be used for procreation, not a person with emotions and desires of his own.
"You've never heard of birth control? There's something called an IUD," Fu Hannen snapped, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Even if I wanted to sleep with you, I wouldn't be so careless. No one gets to have Fu Hannen's child unless I allow it."
Gu Yining blinked in surprise, taken aback by his harsh words. She hadn't expected him to react so strongly. Trying to diffuse the tension, she fidgeted awkwardly and offered a weak laugh. "I heard those things can ruin the experience, though. I was just thinking about you. Really."
Her attempt to lighten the mood only deepened the frown on Fu Hannen's face. He stared at her, incredulous at the absurdity of her statement.