"Young Madam, this will be your living quarters from now on."
Compared to the guest rooms, this small room wasn't particularly large, but it was clean and tidy.
Su Qingnuan nodded and smiled, "I understand, thank you."
Lianyi bounced forward eagerly and looked at the bodyguard with anticipation, "What about me? Where will I be staying?"
The bodyguard hesitated and glanced toward the doorway, "Your room is downstairs."
"Alright!"
Lianyi beamed at Su Qingnuan, waving her hand, "Young Madam, I'll head downstairs to unpack my luggage first. I'll come back up shortly."
"Okay."
Watching Lianyi's cheerful figure skip away, Su Qingnuan's lips curled into a faint smile.
How wonderful...
A lively and beautiful girl—when would she be able to laugh as freely and brightly as Lianyi?
Su Qingnuan slowly withdrew her gaze and stepped into the room.
Holding the medicine bottle she had retrieved from the study, Su Qingnuan found herself absorbed in thought.
According to Fu Yihan, she was now Mrs. Fu.
"Being Mrs. Fu is no easy task."
Fu Yihan's voice echoed in her ears again.
Cold, as frigid as the ice and snow during the heart of winter.
She could do it!
Su Qingnuan unconsciously gripped the bottle tighter. Only by fulfilling the role of Mrs. Fu could she hope to make it out alive. Even if she couldn't succeed, she must try!
Giving herself a silent pep talk, Su Qingnuan took a deep breath, set the medicine bottle down, and began organizing her belongings.
It wasn't long before Lianyi returned.
Grinning, she informed Su Qingnuan that it was time to go downstairs for dinner.
Thinking of Fu Yixing, Su Qingnuan couldn't help but sigh.
"What's wrong, Young Madam?" Lianyi asked with a smile. "Aren't you hungry?"
Su Qingnuan slowly shook her head and replied softly, "Hungry as I am, I'm afraid this meal won't be easy to eat."
Confused, Lianyi stared at her, but Su Qingnuan simply smiled without explaining.
The two women descended the stairs and were still approaching the dining room when voices drifted out from within.
"I'm telling you, Su Qingnuan has no manners at all, making everyone wait on her!"
It was Fu Yixing's voice.
Su Qingnuan immediately walked into the dining room and bowed in apology, "I'm sorry, everyone. I was tidying up my luggage, so I was a bit late."
Old Master Tang gave her a cold glance and nodded, "Don't let it happen again. Come and sit down."
"Yes."
There was only one seat left at the table—next to Fu Yihan.
The other side of the empty seat, however, was next to Fu Yixing.
After hesitating briefly, Su Qingnuan took the seat. She was currently in a passive position, with no real choice in the matter.
As soon as she sat down, the servants began serving food.
Unlike Fu Yihan's icy indifference, Fu Yixing's gaze clung to Su Qingnuan as if glued to her.
Enduring her discomfort, Su Qingnuan focused intently on her meal.
"Sister-in-law, have you not eaten in days?" Fu Yixing sneered. "Eating like that—if my brother takes you out in the future, you'll surely disgrace our Tang family."
Immediately, everyone's eyes turned toward Su Qingnuan.
Su Qingnuan furrowed her brows slightly and glanced at Fu Yihan.
The latter showed no reaction, his face impassive as he continued eating, as if he hadn't even heard the remark.
Suppressing a sigh, Su Qingnuan straightened her posture and offered a faint smile, "That was my mistake. I was eating a bit hastily earlier. I'll be more mindful moving forward."
With that, she elegantly picked up her knife and fork, resuming her meal in a composed manner.
Her every move exuded an aura of grace and dignity.
Old Master Tang nodded approvingly and withdrew his attention.
Seeing that nobody's focus remained on Su Qingnuan, Fu Yixing—unsatisfied—added, "Such pretentious behavior."
Su Qingnuan's hands paused briefly, but she quickly returned to her previous rhythm.
"I'm finished."
Beside her, Fu Yihan's icy voice broke the silence, followed by the sound of a chair being pulled back.
"Yihan." Old Master Tang called out to him, his gaze settling on Su Qingnuan. "I recall you have a banquet tonight. Bring Qingnuan with you."
Fu Yihan paused slightly and shot a questioning look in his grandfather's direction.
Wiping at nonexistent crumbs at the corner of his mouth, Old Master Tang smiled, "Since she's already part of the family, you should take her out to meet people."
Fu Yihan furrowed his brow, "I refuse."
Watching Fu Yihan stride confidently away, Su Qingnuan lowered her head slowly.
"Big Brother really has his own personality!" Fu Yixing joked, glancing at Old Master Tang. "Grandfather, you know perfectly well that my brother never attends banquets, yet you deliberately used this to provoke him?"
Old Master Tang frowned, "He will have to take on the family business sooner or later. He cannot avoid the public eye forever."
Fu Yixing's expression darkened, his gaze shadowed as it landed on the old man.
"Grandfather, these things cannot be rushed. They take time."
Yun Qingrou cast a glance at Fu Yixing and then observed, "Besides, isn't Yixing still here to handle these social matters? There's no need to hurry."
Old Master Tang remained silent, turning his gaze toward Su Qingnuan.
"Don't you want to attend the banquet and have others acknowledge your status?"
Su Qingnuan hesitated, reflexively wanting to shake her head, but reason stopped her.
"Grandfather, although I very much hope for acceptance," Su Qingnuan replied with a pale smile, "if my actions make Yihan unhappy, I believe that would be wrong on my part."
Old Master Tang chuckled, "Alright then. Harmony between a husband and wife is more important; I'll play the villain this time."
With that, he stood and left.
As soon as Old Master Tang exited the room, the atmosphere in the dining hall grew noticeably colder.
"I didn't expect this, Sister-in-law! Always siding with Big Brother—I thought..." Fu Yixing's suggestive gaze flitted across Su Qingnuan, "Given his demeanor, perhaps you wouldn't care."
"What demeanor?" Yun Qingrou shot him a look of disapproval. "You're doing it again. Can't you speak properly in front of your sister-in-law?"
"What do you mean 'properly'?" Fu Yixing smirked mischievously. "I think what I'm saying is proper—highlighting for her exactly what kind of person my brother is."
"Stop talking nonsense!" Yun Qingrou glared at him before turning to Su Qingnuan with kindness, "Qingnuan, don't take it to heart—he just enjoys joking around."
Though her words were kind and said with a smile, the schadenfreude lurking in her eyes did not escape Su Qingnuan's notice.
"Of course not," Su Qingnuan said with a faint smile. "I understand."
"You see that?" Yun Qingrou's smile carried a deeper meaning. "How considerate and understanding your sister-in-law is."
"Indeed," Fu Yixing leaned against his seat's armrest and bent forward, "I quite like this kind of understanding."
Seeing his hands gradually inch toward her, Su Qingnuan abruptly stood up.
As Fu Yixing had half his body leaning against her armrest, her sudden movement caused him to stumble sideways.
Grasping the edge of the table in a panic, Fu Yixing angrily snapped at her, "What are you doing?"
Su Qingnuan bowed her head, "I've finished eating. Please take your time."
With that, she stormed away at once.
"Hey!" Fu Yixing stood and teased, "Running off like that—are you really afraid I'll make a move on you here?"
"Fu Yixing!"
Yun Qingrou frowned deeply, her tone stern as she directed a sharp look at him.