Chapter Fifteen: So, Has Sister Mianmian Given Up on Him?

Fu Tingshen rose and stepped out of the bedroom, glancing around the corridor with a puzzled expression. “Strange, no one’s here.”

In the neighboring room, Luo Yunmian clung tightly to Fu Yanchi.

Her head bowed low; though Fu Yanchi couldn’t see her eyes clearly, he knew she was crying.

His fists clenched in fury, and with a sharp punch, he struck the wall. The muffled “bang” echoed oddly in the stillness of the room.

Suppressing the storm of anger within, he questioned Luo Yunmian word by word, “Mianmian, after all this, do you still want to get engaged to him?”

But all he received was the sound of the girl slowly sliding down the wall, eventually crouching on the floor, her sobs heart-wrenchingly raw.

Her crying felt like an invisible hand cruelly grabbing at his heart, suffocating him with a sudden tightness in his chest. Anxiety crept in, and regret gnawed at him—had he spoken wrongly again?

He crouched down, instinctively reaching out to support Luo Yunmian, longing to touch her, yet his hand froze halfway, fearing it might anger her.

After hesitating, he gritted his teeth and finally wrapped her tightly in his arms.

Luo Yunmian seemed to have found an outlet for her anguish, clenching her small fists and pounding on him again and again.

No one knew how long she continued before exhaustion claimed her, and she leaned heavily against Fu Yanchi’s chest.

He heard her broken sniffles.

“Yanchi, I will continue with the engagement.”

He heard the sound of his own heart shattering, struggling to restrain his obsessive thoughts, closing his eyes.

Then, her voice came again, resolute and unwavering.

“But I won’t marry him. I won’t bear his children.”

“If I gather evidence of his infidelity and expose his vile intentions, will you stop me?”

A moment ago, Fu Yanchi’s heart was filled with bitterness, as if his life had plunged into a dark, endless abyss. But the next moment, hearing the girl’s determined words, when he opened his eyes, the dull light in them suddenly brightened.

He placed his hands gently on her shoulders, his tone cautious yet tinged with faint hope, locking eyes with her.

“So, Mianmian, have you truly given up on him?”

Luo Yunmian took a deep breath, trying to steady her emotions, though a trace of sorrow still lingered in her voice.

“Yes. The reason I’m so heartbroken is that I feel the past six years were utterly wasted. You were right—I really have terrible judgment when it comes to men.”

With that, she gave a bitter, self-mocking smile.

“Mianmian, I’ll help you.”

“If I do something outrageous at the engagement banquet, will you still help me?”

Fu Yanchi reached out tentatively, wiping away a tear from the corner of her eye. Seeing she didn’t reject him, he breathed a sigh of relief.

“Just do what you need to do. As long as you don’t ignore me, I’m with you.”

———

Less than five days remained until the engagement banquet.

Luo Yunmian’s eyes were swollen, faint dark circles visible beneath her eyelids—a clear sign of last night’s tears.

She looked somewhat forlorn, her hands hanging limply at her sides, the redness in her eyes unmistakable.

Morning sunlight streamed through the window, but she paid no mind to the rare fine weather.

It was the weekend, yet instead of joining her family downstairs for breakfast as usual, she sat alone at her vanity, gently applying foundation to the corners of her eyes.

After simple grooming, she donned a pair of sunglasses, hiding her eyes behind the dark lenses.

Her family didn’t come upstairs to disturb her, and taking advantage of the solitude, she quietly slipped out of the house.

Once inside the car, she started the engine herself, and the vehicle slowly drove out of the courtyard.

Eventually, the car stopped in front of a private detective agency. She sat quietly inside, looking through her sunglasses at the four large characters above the door: “Bobo Detective Agency.”

The name struck her as oddly careless.

The address had come from Fu Yanchi yesterday, but she half doubted the professionalism of this agency.

How did she end up trusting that brat and coming here?

Pushing open the glass door and stepping inside, the interior was surprisingly tasteful. An antique folding screen stood nearby, painted with delicate landscapes.

Several green potted plants adorned one side, and in the center was a large desk with a computer.

Further in, comfortable sofas lined the walls, casually strewn with cushions patterned with subtle motifs.

At that moment, a figure emerged from behind the screen. A young man, seemingly not much older than a teenager, wearing a loose hoodie.

He wore a baseball cap pulled low, his face mostly hidden in shadow, revealing only a sharp jawline and thin lips pressed together.

Luo Yunmian blinked slightly, instinctively adjusting her sunglasses.

She seriously wondered if she had come to the wrong place.

Frowning, she was about to turn and leave when the young man spoke in a clear, youthful voice.

“Miss, may I ask what you want to investigate at the detective agency?”

Luo Yunmian stood still, glancing around once more, her tone cool. “Are you sure this is a detective agency?”

The man casually slumped into a swivel chair, which creaked softly as it spun halfway around.

Then his voice rang out, a bit lazy but unmistakably sharp.

“The sign outside says ‘Bobo Detective Agency’—even a blind person could see it. If you found your way here, you must have some trouble to solve.”

Looking at his casual, carefree demeanor, her heart gave a sudden jolt, involuntarily recalling Fu Yanchi’s shadow.

They did share some resemblance.

She took a deep breath, quickly regaining her composure, stepped forward a few paces, and pulled over the chair opposite him.

From her bag, she took out two photographs and pushed them across the table.

“I want you to follow them secretly, track their daily movements and activities, especially any intimate interactions, and record everything in detail. Video evidence must be preserved intact. Can you do that?”

The young man glanced at the photos on the desk, then looked up, a playful smirk curling at the corner of his mouth.

“All this fuss—could it be your boyfriend’s cheating on you?”

He casually picked up a photo for a closer look and clicked his tongue. “That woman’s pretty old.”

“That’s none of your business. I’m only asking if you can take the job.” Luo Yunmian frowned deeply, her tone icy.

“Heh, you’re quite the thorny rose, aren’t you? Of course I can!”

Suddenly sitting upright, he said, “As long as you pay well enough, I guarantee the job will be done perfectly.”

Luo Yunmian added his WeChat, exchanged numbers with him, then rose and left.

Once the young man reached behind the screen, a cup hurtled toward him, whistling through the air.

He swiftly dodged to the side.