Murong Xu remained cold. He looked at the woman sideways as if looking at something he had no interest in at all. Even though he had noticed her embarra.s.sed expression, he acted like it had nothing to do with him.
Upon sensing that the atmosphere was becoming more and more awkward, Zhuang Yaru stood up in a hurry to save the situation.
"Well, Xiaoxu, mind your att.i.tude. You"re really impolite. Don"t make people laugh at you. Take a seat first!"
Zhuang Yaru tried to pull Murong Xu down as she spoke.
Murong Xu frowned slightly, looking even more displeased. However, for fear that Zhuang Yaru might lose face, he mimicked Zhuang Yaru and sat down reluctantly.
When he saw Murong Xu sit down, Zhuang Yaru sighed in relief silently. She smiled at the two women sitting across from her and said, "I"m sorry to embarra.s.s you, Mrs. Fang. Xiaoxu doesn"t behave this way under normal circ.u.mstances. I am to blame because I didn"t explain everything to him in advance. He doesn"t have anything against you. He"s merely blaming me. Sorry that Tingting was insulted. Alas, what a misunderstanding!"
Zhuang Yaru could not help but accept responsibility for all this. Otherwise, if she had pa.s.sed the buck to Murong Xu, he would have probably left right away.
"Alas, aunt, you"ve taken this too seriously. I don"t mind at all."
Murong Xu squinted his eyes and sized her up quizzically.
"Well, Xiaoxu, let me introduce you. This is Mrs. Fang from the Fang Group. This is Fang Xinting. Tingting is not just pretty. She"s also an outstanding girl. She has acted in a lot of movies and TV shows and won some prizes. She is quite famous."
Mrs. Fang was holding Fang Xinting"s hands with a proud look on her face. Even Fang Xinting smiled proudly.
However, there was still not even the slightest change in Murong Xu"s facial expression. He looked as if this had nothing to do with him. He was not even looking at them face to face.
Zhuang Yaru, who looked more and more embarra.s.sed, got gradually paler. She coughed lightly and said, "Mrs. Fang, Tingting, this is my second son, Murong Xu. Xiaoxu majored in psychology and has now opened a psychiatric hospital."
Mrs. Fang chimed in with a smile, "Xiaoxu studied psychology? That"s pretty good! He has a striking appearance and matches Tingting well!"
"That"s right. I also think that Xiaoxu and Tingting are a good match. They would be a perfect match. However, I"m curious about how Tingting feels about Xiaoxu."
Zhuang Yaru looked sideways at Fang Xinting with her graceful eyes, as if she was looking forward to something.
Fang Xinting looked down bashfully like a young wife who could outshine the moon and make flowers blush. "Xu is not bad."
"Wow, she called him "Xu". Nowadays, young people are really..."
Zhuang Yaru covered her lips with her hand and chuckled, casting her eyes over Murong Xu from time to time.
As expected, Murong Xu kept scowling more and more with a bl.u.s.tering air, as if a rainstorm was about to take place.
Zhuang Yaru interfered hurriedly. "Well, one cannot expect much affection to develop within such a short time. We might as well give them more time to get along with each other."
Murong Xu suddenly said bluntly, "Mother, now that I"ve met her, I"ll go home. As I"ve told you before, I would never agree to a blind date with anyone. Miss Fang is nice, but she is not my type. Sorry!"
Murong Xu stood up as soon as he was done speaking. He left his seat and headed for the door.
Fang Xinting blushed furiously at once while upsurging rage spread on her face. She had never been rejected this way. She hadn"t expected that Murong Xu would be so relentless.
Fang Xinting turned to look at Murong Xu, who was walking away with long strides. He had a slender strapping figure, but his determination seemed inexorable right now. Fang Xinting stood up suddenly, picked up her handbag, and followed him with big strides.
"Hey, where are you going, Tingting?"
"Alas, Mrs. Fang. Let the young take care of these affairs on their own. Our way of thinking is outdated. We can"t keep up with young people anymore."
"Eh, maybe. Nowadays, the young are quite different from the way we used to be. But Xiaoxu did not seem..."
"Everything will be okay. My son is like that. I didn"t explain this to him, so he lost his temper with me. Don"t worry! Tingting is such a nice girl. Things will get better as they start getting along with each other."
No sooner than Murong Xu had walked out of the door, he was seized by someone by his arms.
Murong Yu knew who it was without even looking back. The tang of perfume had indicated the newcomer"s ident.i.ty!
"Keep your hands off!"
Murong Xu"s icy reproach sounded so intimidating that it could make one shiver.
However, at the moment, indignation had occupied Fang Xinting"s mind, enabling her to completely ignore the coldness that had been getting fiercer as it a.s.sembled itself around Murong Xu.
"Murong Xu, what do you mean?"
Murong Xu shook off Fang Xinting"s hands violently, looking sideways at her coldly. "I"ve made it clear enough."
"What was it that disappointed you about my personality? n.o.body has ever rejected me!"
"Your sense of superiority is to blame for that, Miss Fang! It is none of my business!"
"You... You"re merely a Childe in the Murong Family. You"re not a big deal. You"re not Murong Ye. How could you be so arrogant?"
"Ah? If I am not a big deal, you may stay away from me."
"You... Alright, Murong Xu. Mark my words, I"ll be challenging you from now on."
"That"s your business, but don"t ha.s.sle me!"
Murong Xu walked away with vigorous strides after finishing his words.
There was a wisp of coldness and arrogance in Fang Xinting"s eyes. "You just wait, Murong Xu. No one can ever escape from me."
Nightfall, Fang Residence.
Fang Xinting was sitting on the couch, bending her knees at will. She was reading the script as she leaned against the couch.
Her mother walked over to her with a plate of fruit that had been cut into slices in her hands.
"Tingting, come and have some fruit."
"Hm..."
Her mother put the fruit plate on the tea table and sat down close to Fang Xinting, squinting at her now and then.
"Well, Tingting. How do you feel about Murong Xu?"
"He sure is a c.o.c.ky guy!"
When Murong Xu was mentioned, Fang Xinting put down the script in her hands. Although she looked arrogant, her expression became furious instantly.
"Although Murong Xu is a little grumpy, as far as I know, he is the best-tempered and most easygoing one among all the children of the Murong Family. You should seize this opportunity and make him yours. Although he is a psychiatrist, at least he is from the Murong Family. If you manage to marry him, you"ll get as much glory and wealth as you want."
"Is this c.o.c.ky guy the best-tempered one? If he had not been a member of the Murong Family, I would have ignored him."
"If you marry into the Murong Family, I will not have to worry about you for the rest of your life. The Murong Family is one of the most ill.u.s.trious families. I have given a lot of thought to cottoning up to them!"
"I haven"t met a man who would not surrender to me. This time, it"s just Murong Xu"s turn!"
"Tingting, behave yourself during the coming days and stop hanging around with those riff-raffs. The Murong Family is a great family. You"ll lose this chance if you stir up trouble here and there and let them find you tripping."
"I know. I did that because I didn"t have a target. Now that I"ve found one, who cares about those men?"
"That"s good. I feel relieved that you know what to do."
Meanwhile, outside the Gu Family"s residence...
Murong Xu had been hovering by the doorway of the Gu Family for nearly two hours but he still lacked the courage to knock on the door.
Someone knocked on the door to Gu Yuxuan"s room. Soon, Gu Chengkang walked in.
Gu Yuxuan was sitting on her bed reading a book. When she looked up and saw Gu Chengkang, she asked with a faint smile, "It"s really late, dad. Why not get some rest?"
"I can"t sleep!"
"What"s wrong? Are you preoccupied?"
"That chap has been wandering outside for two hours. I won"t sleep unless he leaves."
"What?"
Gu Yuxuan looked at Gu Chengkang with a puzzled expression. Then, a figure appeared. She jumped up instantly and rushed to the French window with long strides.
In the courtyard outside the window, the figure that she had been yearning day and night for was lingering. His shadow was visible under the street lamp.
Gu Yuxuan"s heart stopped, missing several beats. She turned to look at Gu Chengkang immediately.
Gu Chengkang smiled gently. "Go ahead. Stop that chap. He"s been acting like the Door G.o.d of our house."
"Dad, but..."
Gu Yuxuan wavered for a moment. Hesitation could be seen in her eyes.
"Well, I"ve made myself clear. Just decide on your own! Will you let that chap keep hanging around, or...?"
Gu Yuxuan"s eyes gleamed again. They were as bright as the morning star.
"Okay, just go ahead!"
Gu Chengkang turned back with a smile, went through the door and returned to the study.
Gu Yuxuan trotted to the door. Then, she seemed to realize something. She immediately turned back, grabbed the clothes on the couch, and changed out of her nightdress.
Then, she rushed downstairs. As she reached the door, she hastily smoothed her messy hair and turned back to the fridge in the dining room to take a bottle of water. Only then did she open the door and walk out.
Gu Yuxuan"s heart was beating wildly. She nervously tried to pacify her messy mind by taking deep breaths. She was out of her mind. She had no idea how to start this conversation.
She had been trotting downstairs in a hurry just a moment ago, but now she was moving her feet step by step at a rather slow pace.
The closer she got to that handsome, strapping figure, the faster her heart beat. Deep breaths could no longer soothe her jumpy heart.
She stopped when she was about two meters away from Murong Xu and stared at his figure, unable to utter a word.
Murong Xu and Gu Yuxuan stood there for a long time before Murong Xu turned back slowly. In an instant, he paused. A woman who looked just like an angel out of a dream had appeared in front of him all of a sudden.
"How long are you going to stand like this?"
Gu Yuxuan quavered slowly as tears streamed down her face.
"I..."
Upon seeing the tears flowing down Gu Yuxuan"s face, Murong Xu felt disconcerted at once. He stepped forward to embrace Gu Yuxuan, holding her as tight as if he were trying to melt her into his body and marrow, until she was unable to take even a step away from him.
"Silly girl, stop crying. I can"t bear to see you cry."
Upstairs, a shadow appeared.