Chapter 35: The Actions of a Heartless Husband

"A misunderstanding? What kind?" Fu Hanye raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued.

Li Feng lowered his voice and replied, "She thinks that Mr. Ji and you were... getting affectionate."

Fu Hanye's eyes flickered with a brief spark of something unreadable. Ji Yunchuan, alarmed, immediately began shaking his head. "No way! I'll go explain it to her right now."

But before Ji Yunchuan could take another step, Fu Hanye's cold voice stopped him. "Don't bother. There's no need. In fact, I'd rather she continue thinking I'm gay."

"What? Why on earth would you do that?"

Ji Yunchuan couldn't understand Fu Hanye's logic. For once, a woman had come into Fu Hanye's life who seemed to brighten his usually dull routine. Ji Yunchuan wanted to help him hold on to her, not let some misunderstanding scare her away.

"It's just a marriage of convenience," Fu Hanye replied indifferently, returning to the documents on his desk. His tone was as casual as if he were discussing the weather.

Ji Yunchuan felt a surge of frustration rise within him. "You don't even love her, so why did you marry her? That's a total jerk move. You're making us guys look bad."

Fu Hanye's fingers tightened around the documents he was holding, and he shot Ji Yunchuan a glance so icy that the temperature in the room seemed to plummet.

Sensing the tension, Li Feng took it upon himself to clarify matters. He explained the entire backstory of how Gu Yining had practically forced the marriage upon Fu Hanye.

"So, you're saying she was the one who coerced him into marriage?" Ji Yunchuan said, his interest clearly piqued. He leaned back, grinning as if amused by the whole situation.

"A woman like that, huh? Seems like quite the interesting character," Ji Yunchuan mused aloud. "Well, if you're not interested in her, maybe I should make a move. I've got decent genes, after all. I'd happily have kids with her."

"Ji Yunchuan!" Fu Hanye's voice was laced with a cold fury, his face a thunderstorm of anger.

There it was—Ji Yunchuan's provocation had hit its mark. He knew Fu Hanye's stubborn pride all too well, and that was the key to getting him to react.

"Look, I'm just being serious," Ji Yunchuan continued, maintaining his playful tone. "I'm not joking around. I'll go ahead and pursue her if you don't want her."

"Li Feng, throw him out," Fu Hanye commanded, his voice devoid of any hint of jest.

Li Feng hesitated, visibly uneasy. Both men were influential figures, and he wasn't about to risk offending either of them. Ji Yunchuan, sensing he had pushed far enough, held up his hands in mock surrender.

"Alright, alright! I was just joking," Ji Yunchuan said, attempting to defuse the situation. "It's clear you care about her, even if you won't admit it. But I came here for a real reason, so let's talk business." He moved over to the sofa, settling in as he lit a cigarette, the playful glint in his eyes now replaced with a look of seriousness.

"What is it? Make it quick," Fu Hanye replied, his patience visibly waning.

"Well, it's about the cologne that Fu Group supplies to M Entertainment. There's been a bit of an issue. Since I'm the long-time face of Fu Group's fragrances, any major problem is bound to affect both my career and the reputation of Fu Group."

"What's the issue? And why hasn't the PR department brought it to my attention yet?" Fu Hanye's gaze sharpened, and he leaned forward, all traces of annoyance replaced by focused concern.

"It hasn't come through the official channels yet because I wanted to talk to you first. If this reaches the media, we'll lose control of the narrative. I brought a bottle of the latest batch of your top-selling men's fragrance. I know you can't smell it yourself, so I thought Li Feng could give it a whiff."

Ji Yunchuan pulled out a small, elegant bottle from his suit pocket and handed it to Li Feng. It was a bottle of Fu Group's signature "Passion No.1" cologne, renowned for its subtle fragrance and sophisticated appeal.

Li Feng took the bottle and sprayed a little on his wrist, inhaling deeply. Initially, the scent was a light, pleasant acacia blossom fragrance.

"Seems fine to me," Li Feng said, looking up with a puzzled expression.

"Try smelling it again, but focus on the undertones," Ji Yunchuan suggested, eyes narrowing.

Li Feng sprayed a bit more, this time taking an even deeper breath. After a moment, his brow furrowed, and his face grew serious.

"You're right. There's an odd metallic tang to it, almost like blood. It's faint, but it's there in the base notes."

Fu Hanye's expression darkened, and he leaned back, contemplating the implications. A scent like that could damage Fu Group's carefully cultivated image, especially with a luxury fragrance line that prided itself on refined, exquisite scents.