Does It Hurt?

Fu Liangxia leaned back against the hospital bed pillow, sinking into its cloud-softness, while Fu Langshu stood by the bed, as cold and stern as a winter wind.

"I recall you were staying in a sanatorium due to poor health, and only recently returned to school after recovering."

Fu Langshu had initially assumed the doctors in the Lower City sanatorium were incompetent, unable to detect anything wrong. But when even the top domestic experts he'd consulted gave similar answers, he realized how serious the problem was.

A flicker of emotion passed through Fu Langshu's brow as his gaze dropped, slowly moving from her frail frame to her delicate, palm-sized face.

She looked like she'd shatter at the slightest touch.

And her parents still let her come to school like this?

"So, the doctors your family took you to see all believe you're healthy? Do they know you often faint?"

Fu Liangxia looked up to see Fu Langshu staring at her with a dark, thoughtful gaze, his mind clearly churning with something.

Under that gaze, she shifted uncomfortably, adjusting her sitting position, and replied with a docile expression, "They probably know a bit, but since the medical reports show no problems, they didn't object to me resuming classes."

She tilted her head. "Why? Is something wrong with me?"

But Fu Langshu didn't answer. Instead, his gaze silently roamed over her, finally resting on her slender neck.

Her fair skin was smooth as milk, revealing faint blue veins beneath, as if a simple pinch could snap it all.

Near her jaw, there was a purple bruise, adding an inexplicable sense of fragility to her already beautiful neck, easily stirring a desire to hurt.

Fu Langshu stepped closer, staring at that spot.

Liang Huiming, standing to the side, noticed the man's gaze and the emotion hidden within it. He paused, then let out a sudden scoff, a pleased smile curling at his lips. "President Fu, for all your righteous talk, aren't you..."

"President Liang," the man interrupted. "You're a busy man. Don't you have other matters to attend to?"

He was telling him to leave, finding him talkative.

Liang Huiming decided not to linger and annoy them further. He winked at Fu Liangxia on the bed, his face completely devoid of the earlier guilt, and waved as he left. "I'm sorry about today, but if you change your mind later, my offer still stands."

With that, he turned and left with a swagger.

Fu Liangxia watched his retreating figure and frowned.

She knew what Liang Huiming's offer was—simply to abandon Fu Langshu and side with him instead.

But was he talking just about romance, or something deeper... like business?

Either way, Fu Liangxia was certain he wasn't a good choice. Someone so unpredictable, who could smile one moment and choke her neck until she couldn't breathe the next, was truly terrifying.

She couldn't even tell if that flash of guilt she'd seen earlier was an act.

But whether it was or not, Liang Huiming was a madman.

After Liang Huiming left, Fu Langshu raised his hand, his long fingers tracing lightly along her neck line, finally settling on the bruise.

He leaned in slightly, his eyes fixed on that spot, and asked in a low voice, "Does it hurt?"

His fingertips glided over her skin, and as he drew closer, a subtle tension filled the air.

Fu Liangxia maintained her upward gaze, thinking his eyes looked a bit frightening at that moment, but she still answered softly, "It hurts."

Hearing that, Fu Langshu's eyes deepened.

However, before he could do anything, he heard Fu Liangxia slowly add, "If it didn't hurt, how would I remember the price of 'betraying' President Fu?"

He paused, his hand on her neck. The initially ambiguous look in his eyes instantly cleared.

He straightened up and gave a cryptic smile. "You're telling me directly like that? No hesitation?"

Fu Langshu could guess that Liang Huiming was sowing discord. Whether it was worrying about the two companies joining forces to trick him, or simply his innate malicious nature, poaching seemed like something he'd do.

Perhaps the deeper meaning was to wait until the Fu family truly defected, or he discovered something fishy, then kick the Fu family out of the game.

However, Fu Langshu hadn't expected Fu Liangxia to be so candid.

She casually laid out Liang Huiming's scheme as if it were nothing, looking like a naive high schooler without a hint of cunning.

But Fu Langshu knew the opposite was true.

He lowered his gaze, looking at Fu Liangxia who lay half-propped on the bed, smiling at him.

A beauty was still a beauty—even without makeup and with a sickly pallor, she was breathtakingly beautiful, as pure as a lily blooming wild in the mountains, fresh and charming.

But Fu Langshu knew that was only her facade.

There was no such thing as an innocent, naive little white flower. From the moment Fu Liangxia sat at the same negotiating table as him, she had transformed from a beautiful ornament into a man-eating flower waiting for its prey.

It wasn't a lack of cunning, but a clear vision and early alignment.

"Aren't you afraid I won't want to offend Liang Huiming? After all, just to avoid angering him, I used you as a prop in our little act."

He asked her, seeming genuinely curious about her answer.

Fu Liangxia thought for a moment, then affirmed, "You won't."

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow.

Fu Liangxia nodded, her tone matter-of-fact. "I'm the one who actually holds the technology. If you want to keep this project, you have to side with me."

She lifted her chin, light falling on her face. "It's not me siding with you now; it's me asking you to side with me."

Fu Langshu was taken aback, then stared at her and suddenly laughed, the smile widening as if he'd heard something very amusing.

Fu Liangxia felt inexplicably flustered by his laughter, almost annoyed. "What? Am I wrong?"

Fu Langshu curled his lips and gently ruffled her hair. "No, you're right. How could I dare not side with you? The project would disband on the spot then, wouldn't it?"

That logic was sound, but the way he said it made Fu Liangxia sense a strange teasing undertone...

Still, as long as her goal was achieved, that was what mattered.

Getting rid of the detestable Liang Huiming—she couldn't do it alone, but with Fu Langshu, it was different.

The Fu family had the capability to challenge the Liang family, let alone a junior member like Liang Huiming. But having the capability was one thing; Fu Langshu had no reason to openly oppose Liang Huiming.

Just as before, when Fu Langshu was targeted by Liang Huiming, his only method of refusal was the gentle approach of using her in a charade.

So, leverage had to be accumulated bit by bit.

Fortunately, it worked.

After a while, once Fu Liangxia felt no discomfort, Fu Langshu drove her back to the Fu residence.

Fu Liangxia sat in the back seat, wrapped in the small blanket Fu Haoyao had given her, curled into a tiny ball, staring blankly out the window.

She was looking at the night view. Even the sky in the Upper City seemed different from the Lower City; the stars appeared dimmer against the towering buildings on both sides. In the colorful, brightly lit towers, countless small glowing squares were packed tightly together, each housing office workers staying late to work.

This was the financial center, where the headquarters of all financial institutions and banks were located. Daily transactions here involved hundreds of millions or billions, yet none of it belonged to the majority of the people working here.

The lights flickered in her eyes; Fu Liangxia had no idea that at that moment, she looked as radiant as the glittering scene outside.

Fu Haoyao was captivated by her profile, not even realizing when he'd unconsciously pressed his fingers against hers.

Feeling the touch on her fingertips, Fu Liangxia turned to look at him, a hint of confusion in her eyes.

What's wrong?

Her eyes seemed to ask.

Fu Haoyao didn't know what was wrong with him either.

He just suddenly felt a bit panicked, as if the girl by the window was about to turn into light and disappear.

So he reached out.

...And then, he slowly lowered his gaze to their intertwined fingers, and practically jumped back, landing on the floor with his back hitting the rear door.

"Bang!"

A loud sound that clearly indicated pain.

Fu Liangxia was stunned.

"I... I was just swatting a mosquito for you," Fu Haoyao stammered, pressed against the door, his blue eyes wide open, looking like a puppy caught stealing canned food, radiating guilt.

"Mm, swatting a mosquito," Fu Liangxia said with a smile, extending a hand to pull him up. "Did you get it?"

"Probably," he replied without hesitation, meeting her gaze, and reached out to take her hand with unwavering determination.

But in that instant their hands met, the car suddenly swerved, and Fu Liangxia, seated on the seat, lost her balance and tilted to the right.

The grip of their hands became her only anchor for a moment. The world spun, and when she opened her eyes again, she found herself wrapped in his embrace.

Fu Haoyao was leaning against the door, while she, wrapped in the blanket, pressed tightly against him, their joined hands hidden beneath the blanket. Her other hand had instinctively braced against his firm thigh for balance, making her seem like she was curled up in his arms.

Feeling the scorching heat and vaguely firm touch, Fu Liangxia quickly pulled her hand back, inwardly marveling at how muscular this diamond-class high schooler was.

"See, I told you to take better care of yourself. You're so fragile you'd fall anytime. Good thing I was underneath," Fu Haoyao's voice came from above her, slightly muffled and awkward.

"Does it hurt?" he asked.

Actually, it didn't hurt much. Fu Liangxia was wrapped in a blanket, and with him as a human cushion, plus the soft leather carpet lining the car floor, it was comfortable enough.

But she couldn't help feeling he meant something else.

"Not really?" she tested.

Hearing that, Fu Haoyao hummed in acknowledgment, sounding more disappointed than relieved. He reached up to touch his chest, muttering, "Weird... have I been slacking on my workouts lately..."

So Fu Haoyao wasn't asking if she was hurt, but indirectly asking if his pecs were firm.

Fu Liangxia stared at him, speechless.