After Xu Qing left, Hu Yuanyuan fell into deep thought.
She never expected Fu Yanxiong to visit her at the company. If it were an ordinary person, she wouldn’t think much of it, but Fu Yanxiong was no ordinary man—he was one of the Fu family’s five prodigies. Moreover, there was bad blood between Fengyuan Group and Fu Yanxiong.
So, why was he here now? Hu Yuanyuan didn’t believe for a second that his visit was without purpose.
She had met Fu Yanxiong a few times before.
As she had told Li Feng, her mother had favored Fu Yanxiong. If not for her arranged marriage to Li Feng, the son of Li Chuanwei and Mu Chunfeng, and the Hu family’s inability to break the engagement, something might have developed between her and Fu Yanxiong.
But now, Hu Yuanyuan had no feelings for him.
From a young age, she knew her marriage wasn’t her choice, and she had accepted her fate. When she and Li Feng got their marriage certificate, it felt like her world had collapsed, leaving her lost. She thought her life was over.
Back then, if she had to choose between Li Feng and Fu Yanxiong, she would have picked Fu Yanxiong, but she had no say.
Yet, Hu Yuanyuan never imagined that Li Feng, dismissed as a useless nobody, would turn out to be so extraordinary. Over the past month, his actions had deeply shocked her, especially how he always appeared at the first sign of danger.
A month of interaction, a month of witnessing miracles—Hu Yuanyuan knew her heart had fallen for him.
Compared to other men, few could match Li Feng. Gentle, considerate, humorous, and full of endless mysteries.
From resignation to acceptance, her heart had changed. Now, only Li Feng occupied it, while her former suitors faded into the background.
Especially these past few days, with Li Feng away, she found herself thinking of him whenever she had a moment, wondering when he’d return.
So, Fu Yanxiong’s appearance now only made her wonder: what was he doing at Fengyuan Group? She had no other thoughts.
As for Fu Yanxiong himself, Hu Yuanyuan wasn’t sure how to judge him. Initially, he seemed reserved and deep. But after the chemical equipment incident, she realized he was someone who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals.
Tap, tap, tap…
Footsteps approached, followed by Xu Qing’s voice: “President Hu, Mr. Fu is here.”
Hu Yuanyuan nodded. “Xu Qing, you can leave.”
“Yes.” Xu Qing exited, closing the door behind her.
“Yuanyuan.” Fu Yanxiong, dressed impeccably in a suit, looked dashing. His eyes lit up upon seeing Hu Yuanyuan behind the desk.
To him, Hu Yuanyuan was still the unripe fruit from two years ago. But now, she was breathtakingly beautiful, radiating charm.
They say a woman transforms at eighteen, but Fu Yanxiong hadn’t expected such a stunning change in just two years.
At that moment, he regretted not pursuing her more aggressively last time. If he had known she’d become this captivating, he would have won her over, regardless of Li Feng.
Li Feng was the Li family’s eldest son, but he, Fu Yanxiong, was the Fu family’s third young master. Competing for a woman, he wasn’t worried about the Li family’s reaction.
But because of his hesitation, Hu Yuanyuan had become Li Feng’s woman. How could he accept that?
If she were still the same as two years ago, it wouldn’t matter. But she was now so enchanting. Compared to her, Mu Jiajia was nothing.
“Mr. Fu, please call me President Hu,” Hu Yuanyuan said, her expression darkening. “Yuanyuan” was a name reserved for her parents and now Li Feng. Others using it made her uncomfortable.
“Yuanyuan, no need to be so formal. I called you that two years ago,” Fu Yanxiong said with a smile, unbothered by her tone. To him, her reaction was typical of women—perhaps even a coy refusal.
“Mr. Fu, please call me President Hu,” Hu Yuanyuan emphasized again. His gaze made her uneasy. If not for wanting to know his purpose, she’d have called security to escort him out.
“Heh, I’ll just call you by your name then,” Fu Yanxiong said, noticing her irritation but dismissing it. He didn’t believe she’d throw a fit over a name. Women, especially one dissatisfied with her marriage like Hu Yuanyuan, were bound to have some temper.
Mu Jiajia had told him Li Feng wasn’t the useless man rumored to be but rather shrewd. Fu Yanxiong had scoffed. A man called useless for twenty years couldn’t possibly be otherwise. Even if he was clever, so what? Was Fu Yanxiong afraid of him?
To Fu Yanxiong, the Tianhai Pass and Zheng Haoyuan incidents were Hu Yuanyuan’s doing, not Li Feng’s. To get the chemical equipment, he believed the key was Hu Yuanyuan. That was why he came today.
But now, he had another goal. He didn’t just want the equipment—he wanted Hu Yuanyuan herself.
Fu Yanxiong wasn’t a womanizer, and few women caught his eye. But Hu Yuanyuan was exactly his type.
Once known as Yanjing’s top beauty, he now saw her as China’s most beautiful woman. Such a woman was too good for someone like Li Feng. From their past interactions, he knew she didn’t like Li Feng and even despised him. That was his opportunity.
Even if she was married to Li Feng, Fu Yanxiong didn’t care. It was a modern era, and he wasn’t traditional. Conquering another man’s wife—especially the Li family heir’s—would be a thrill, tarnishing both Li Feng and the Li family’s reputation.
“Mr. Fu, please sit,” Hu Yuanyuan said, her expression softening as she gestured for him to sit. “What brings you here today?”
“There is something,” Fu Yanxiong said, gazing at her beautiful face. “I came to see you, Hu Yuanyuan. It’s been two years, and you’ve changed so much I almost didn’t recognize you.”
Hu Yuanyuan frowned, uncomfortable with the topic and his heated gaze.
“Hu Yuanyuan, a few months ago when I was in the northwest, your mother mentioned you…” Fu Yanxiong continued, recounting their first meeting and shared moments with a touching tone, a tactic he used to charm women.
Hu Yuanyuan’s expression shifted slightly. “I didn’t expect you to remember so clearly, Mr. Fu.”
“No need for ‘Mr. Fu.’ Call me by my name, or Yanxiong,” Fu Yanxiong said, noticing her change and feeling pleased. Women were emotional creatures, and he believed Hu Yuanyuan was no exception.
“I’ll stick with your name,” Hu Yuanyuan said.
“Fine, fine, call me whatever you like,” Fu Yanxiong said eagerly, thinking to himself that “husband” would be even better, though he was confident that day wouldn’t be far off.
“Fu Yanxiong, you didn’t come just to reminisce, did you?” Hu Yuanyuan asked, eyeing him. If he had been upfront about his purpose, she might have respected him more. But talking about their past made her wary.
The Tianhai Pass incident nearly ruined Fengyuan Group’s reputation, and the Zheng Haoyuan incident almost cost her and Xu Qing their safety. Both were linked to Fu Yanxiong. She had to be cautious.
She suspected his visit was likely about the chemical equipment. But why go to such lengths for mere machinery? There had to be something more, or she wouldn’t believe it.
“Of course not,” Fu Yanxiong said, knowing when to stop. “Hu Yuanyuan, in just two years, you’ve built this company into one of Tianhai City’s top hundred enterprises. That’s impressive and not something just anyone could do.”
“It’s not my achievement alone,” Hu Yuanyuan said calmly.
“If not yours, then whose?” Fu Yanxiong shook his head, unconvinced.
“Li Feng,” Hu Yuanyuan replied.
“Li Feng?” Fu Yanxiong chuckled, a trace of disdain in his eyes. He might believe someone else, but Li Feng? Could he manage a company?
Few were truly useless in this world, but not everyone could run a company or had the talent for it.
Besides, his investigations showed Li Feng hadn’t been to the company in days.
“Hu Yuanyuan, no need to lie to me. I don’t believe Li Feng has anything to do with Fengyuan Group’s success,” Fu Yanxiong said, looking at her meaningfully. “I know why you’re saying this and what you’re worried about. But I’m not from the Li family. You don’t need to hold back with me. I might even be able to help you.”
