Chapter 13: Do You Even Want Your Reputation Anymore?

Fu Hanwen, upon entering, looked directly at Lady Woo for the first time, his unfathomable eyes flashing with a touch of chilliness, "The moment you left her on my doorstep, I considered her part of the family!"

Having said that, Fu Hanwen nodded at Qin Anshun, grabbed Qin Xiaoruo, who was eagerly watching the drama unfold, and walked out of the room without looking back.

It wasn't until their figures had disappeared from view that Lady Woo could recover from the oppressive atmosphere, Fu Hanwen's cold stare having nearly suffocated her.

And what did he mean by his words just now? Was he saying that he took the girl as a child bride?

She marveled at his audacity!

Lady Woo chased to the doorway to make sure the two had left the courtyard before turning back and snapping at Qin Anshun, "Look at this mess! An unmarried girl living at a man's house, do you want her reputation to be ruined once this gets out?"

"You have the nerve to say that!" Qin Anshun, already concerned about his daughter's reputation but having abandoned her just a few days prior, now lacked the moral high ground to speak of concern for her dignity. Fu Hanwen was too domineering, and he didn't even have a chance to speak up, so he could only vent his frustration on Lady Woo, "If it weren't for you leaving Xiao Ruo with the Fu Family that day, would she be living at their house?"

"Qin Anshun, do you have no conscience? If I hadn't left Qin Xiaoruo behind that day, do you think she would still be alive today?" Lady Woo was brimming with resentment, "I can't control that shameless Qin Xiaoruo, but she better not drag down my Yueyue!"

After all, Qin Xiaoruo, that wretched girl, was half-sisters with Yueyue, sharing the same father but different mothers. If Xiaoruo tarnished her reputation, could Yueyue's remain intact? No matter what, she couldn't allow that wretched girl to continue living in the Fu Family's home.

"If you truly don't want Xiao Ruo and Yueyue to damage their reputations, you should have agreed to Lady Guan's request and married off Xiao Ruo sooner!" Qin Anshun retorted angrily, reopening old wounds.

Xiao Ruo was already of marriageable age, and the Fu Family had made several visits to propose that the two children be married, but Lady Woo, for some reason, stubbornly refused to give in. With his mobility issues, Qin Anshun wanted to arrange a marriage for Xiao Ruo himself, but was helpless to do so; in the end, only Lady Woo's consent would suffice.

"Impossible!" Lady Woo rejected the idea outright without a second thought, her stance remaining as always, "You need someone to take care of you right now, and Fufu and Yueyue are still young. If we marry off Xiao Ruo now, what will become of this household?"

Qin Anshun knew all too well what Lady Woo was thinking and burst out in a rage, "Lady Woo, you selfish woman, how long do you plan to make Xiao Ruo sacrifice for this household? Hasn't she given enough over the years? Are you planning to keep her until she's an old maid?"

"Qin Anshun, how can you say such heartless words?" Lady Woo, stirred to anger, her body fat trembling, retorted, "If you could walk, would I need to keep Qin Xiaoruo? She has just come of age this year, can't we wait another year or two? Would Fu Hanwen run off then? I'm keeping her here for the sake of this household, isn't that right? Fine, you're her biological father, only you care about your daughter. I'm just the evil stepmother, right?"

After Lady Woo finished her tirade, she stormed out of the room, leaving Qin Anshun both furious and helpless.

Qin Xiaoruo, dragged out of the Qin Family by Fu Hanwen, for the first time in her life hated her short legs. Panting for breath, she glanced at the man with a cold face beside her and contemplated whether she should remind him to let go of her. Then, remembering how she had just fooled Lady Woo, she decided to try to keep her presence to a minimum.

Fu Hanwen, as if sensing her thoughts, released her wrist at the same moment and turned back to gaze intently at her.

He knew this girl wasn't as simple as she appeared to be on the surface—he had not been mistaken!