AERHABDAW 38

Chapter 38: First Encounter with the Female Lead

“What did you just say?” Shao Leyan swallowed hard, her fingers instinctively clenching. “I would never push your brother away, but I would push you away. That’s the difference between you two.”

“You’re pushing me away clearly because…”

Fu Xingyan hurriedly tried to explain, but an ill-timed male voice from behind instantly shattered the tense, flirtatious atmosphere between the two.

“Leyan, the city lord is looking for you!”

Le An had rushed up to the rooftop in a flurry and saw Fu Xingyan pulling at Shao Leyan. The two of them were tugging at each other in a way that didn’t look serious at all.

He raised a hand to wipe the sweat from his temple with his sleeve, restraining the urge to take a deep breath.

He knew that if it weren’t for Lin Ying giving him a heads-up, and if he hadn’t rushed over immediately, and Fu Xingchen had found his wife and younger brother in such a compromising situation first… neither of them would have ended well.

He had carefully planned a perfectly happy family life for Shao Leyan—one filled with love and a smooth, prosperous life. There was absolutely no way he would let all that be ruined.

Shao Leyan caught the warning in Le An’s words. She pushed Fu Xingyan away with all her strength. Even though he stumbled backward from her push, she ran toward Le An without looking back.

“Brother, let’s go back quickly. Don’t make Xingchen wait too long.”

Le An nodded and glanced at Fu Xingyan’s stiffened back. He deliberately spoke loudly, “Thank you, Director Fu, for helping me find Leyan. It’s getting late—please go rest as well!”

After saying this, Le An didn’t bother to see whether Fu Xingyan understood his meaning. He held Shao Leyan’s hand and jogged back, worried that Fu Xingchen’s anger might flare even more.

When Shao Leyan carefully stepped into the room, Fu Xingchen had already been waiting for some time.

The tall, composed man paced near the window like a child waiting for their parents at kindergarten, restless and uneasy.

His pristine teeth bit at his lower lip like he was savoring jelly. His long fingers were entwined so tightly that the joints had turned white.

His entire body radiated an unusual mix of anxiety and trembling anticipation.

Shao Leyan’s eyes were slightly moist. Suppressing the tingling, bitter sensation at the tip of her nose, she forced her voice to remain steady, “Xingchen, I’m back.”

Fu Xingchen stopped mid-step, turning his body toward Shao Leyan before his legs even fully responded.

His furrowed brows smoothed out as if by magic. The worried expression from moments before transformed into one of renewed vitality, like a man experiencing a second spring.

Shao Leyan hadn’t taken more than a few steps before being enveloped in a warm, embracing hug. His iron-clamp-like arms locked around her waist, afraid she might slip away again.

Fu Xingchen buried his face into her shoulder. Her scent seemed to calm him, just a gentle inhale was enough to steady his previously chaotic emotions.

It was as if the raging sea from moments before had instantly become a tranquil, harmonious expanse.

Yet, he hadn’t forgotten to ask about the cause of his earlier panic.

“Where did you go?”

Shao Leyan’s heart skipped a beat. The small wave of relief she had felt moments ago disappeared instantly.

“Oh, I originally planned to come looking for you, but then I suddenly had a stomachache. I went to the restroom, and by the time I rushed to the rooftop, you were already gone.”

As soon as she spoke, the arm around her waist stiffened for a moment, then hugged her even tighter.

But his tone had clearly grown colder and more serious.

“Is that so? Did you run into Xingyan?”

Shao Leyan didn’t dare move, shrinking into his embrace like a little hamster, afraid any movement might anger this “giant Buddha.”

“He came looking for me with my brother. That’s when I realized you had already gone back.”

“Oh, I see.”

Fu Xingchen straightened, gently cupping the side of her face. His deep black eyes locked onto hers, leaving no room for escape.

“I trust you.”

Shao Leyan couldn’t tell whether he was speaking truth or pretense, but since he had made his stance clear, she decided to let the matter rest.

However, on the day they were to depart for the central city, Shao Leyan caught sight of Fu Xingyan checking supplies and experimental materials with colleagues and couldn’t help stealing another glance.

After Fu Xingchen finished giving instructions to the secretary, he tried to take Shao Leyan to the car—but surprisingly, she didn’t budge. He looked at her in confusion.

Just then, Le An walked toward them, and Shao Leyan’s gaze shifted toward him, instinctively avoiding eye contact with Fu Xingyan.

“All the headcounts are done, City Lord. You can set off with peace of mind.”

Fu Xingchen smiled faintly and nodded, patting her hand. “Let’s go.”

“Okay.”

Along the way, Shao Leyan avoided any contact or communication with Fu Xingyan, even during rest stops, making sure their eyes never met.

Fu Xingchen stayed close to her, while Fu Xingyan wisely didn’t create trouble.

Yet Shao Leyan couldn’t understand why Fu Xingyan was coming along at all.

The two brothers had quarreled so badly before, but the next day, it was like nothing had happened. If she hadn’t overheard everything, she would have thought they were always cordial and polite.

“Are you tired? You can’t use your abilities inside the central city, so we can’t teleport. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

Shao Leyan snapped out of her thoughts and smiled brightly at Fu Xingchen.

“I’m not tired. Are you?”

He shook his head with a smile. “I’m fine. Sleep a little longer. Once we arrive, we’ll be busy for a while.”

“Okay.”

Shao Leyan, bored anyway, didn’t mind sleeping a bit more along the way.

By the time they reached the central city, it was late afternoon, nearing dinner time.

The sun hadn’t yet set, but the gates of the central city were bustling.

City Lord Mu Sheng stood at the front of the welcoming crowd, with his eldest son Mu Jinsheng and beloved daughter Mu Jiaojiao behind him.

This was Shao Leyan’s first time meeting Mu Jiaojiao.

As the female lead of this sweet romance world, Mu Jiaojiao had a unique charm. Her natural charisma could make anyone like her, even catching Shao Leyan’s eye the moment she appeared in the crowd, evoking a sense of instant fondness.

Yet, Mu Jiaojiao’s expression wasn’t bright. The corners of her eyes were red, as if she had been crying, which only made her appear more pitiful and endearing.

Shao Leyan could guess why this seemingly lucky little princess looked like that but chose only to purse her lips.

Since the two lovers couldn’t end up together due to various reasons, she wasn’t destroying anyone’s relationship.

Having accepted that, Shao Leyan relaxed, entwining her arm with Fu Xingchen’s, feeling more confident as her gaze shifted to Mu Sheng, smiling warmly from the crowd’s center.

Seeing the face that had once tormented her in the middle of the night now appear brazenly before her again, the helplessness and suffocating fear threatened to overwhelm Shao Leyan.