Chapter 80: Was It All Her Request?

Ever since the divorce—or rather, in those few days leading up to it—Mu Yinyin had already begun to change. She no longer spared him a glance, growing impatient at his presence. Now, she could converse and laugh easily with Grandmother, yet she refused to grant him even the briefest look. Were women truly so fickle? Heh—

Fu Siyen withdrew his probing eyes and turned to Liang Min. “Let’s go,” he said.

Liang Min responded, sighing helplessly as she gave Mu Yinyin a few last words of advice before following Fu Siyen out. Once outside, they got into the car, with Fu Siyen driving himself. Liang Min sat in the back seat, her expression clouded with displeasure. From the moment she entered the car, she hadn’t spoken a word to Fu Siyen, as if she found him particularly irksome. Naturally, Fu Siyen noticed this, catching her gaze in the rearview mirror without comment—he could already guess the reason for his grandmother’s mood.

Liang Min, unable to contain herself, finally broke the silence, her tone full of exasperation. “You—how could you not cherish someone as wonderful as Yinyin?”

Back in the hospital room, the two had barely exchanged a word. Watching them, Liang Min had felt a pang of sorrow, but there was nothing she could do, nor could she force them into anything. She had already resolved not to meddle in their reconciliation; what mattered now was not causing Yinyin any further trouble.

Fu Siyen’s eyes flickered, but he said nothing more and kept driving.

Liang Min gave a cold snort. “Don’t think you can escape just by staying silent. I’d love nothing more than to give you a good beating. You let such a wonderful granddaughter-in-law slip away—where will you ever find someone like her again? Nan Shiqing, perhaps?” Her words dripped with sarcasm.

Fu Siyen’s gaze darkened at the mention of Nan Shiqing. He had once promised her he would take responsibility—her condition was his doing, and he couldn’t leave her to fend for herself. Now, after the divorce, he had never once suggested registering their marriage. Nan Shiqing never brought it up, and he had no desire to mention it either. Perhaps it was because Mu Yinyin had left too deep a mark, casting a shadow over him.

Fu Siyen frowned, a clear trace of irritation in his eyes.

“Say something!” Liang Min demanded.

“I’m listening,” Fu Siyen replied, resigned.

“You—!” Liang Min was so angry she leaned back against the seat, suddenly at a loss for words. After a pause, she spoke with a trace of self-reproach. “It was my fault, really.”

Fu Siyen frowned, glancing at her in the mirror.

Liang Min sighed. “I shouldn’t have pushed the two of you together, shouldn’t have tried to orchestrate those meetings, shouldn’t have let you waste Yinyin’s youth like this.”

Fu Siyen sneered. “If she hadn’t begged you to do all that, would you have done it?”

“She begged?” Liang Min’s brow tightened. “Do you really think I arranged everything because she asked?”

Fu Siyen’s frown deepened. “Even if she didn’t, she did her utmost to please you, to win your favor, didn’t she?”

Liang Min was so angry she laughed. “Yinyin never needed to please me for anything—she’s always been a devoted child! I was the one who wanted to bring you two together. She said more than once it was unnecessary, that your heart wasn’t with her and she had given up! But I wouldn’t listen—I just wouldn’t!”

Fu Siyen’s gaze sharpened, but the next moment, a cold sneer curled his lips. Playing the innocent—Mu Yinyin was a master at that, making Grandmother believe she was pure and harmless, when in fact she was using her as a tool.

Liang Min sighed again. “I should never have dragged things out. If I’d let you go your separate ways sooner, at least Yinyin would have been free and her youth wouldn’t have been wasted.”

Fu Siyen’s face darkened. “So who, in the end, is your real grandson?”

Liang Min snorted. “I almost wish it weren’t you.”

At this, she seemed to calm down a little. Fu Siyen frowned, remaining silent, as if unwilling to upset the elderly woman further.

Liang Min let out a quiet sigh. “Forget it. Since you’re divorced, I won’t interfere anymore. I won’t try to arrange meetings between you two again. If you don’t love her, then let her go.”

Fu Siyen’s frown deepened, irritation building inside him. He glanced at the traffic light ahead and, as he switched on the left signal, spoke in a low voice, “It’s not that I never gave her her freedom—it was she who didn’t want it.”

“You…” Liang Min shook her head. “You’re hopeless!”

With that, she fell silent.

The car grew quiet once more, but Fu Siyen’s expression only grew gloomier. For reasons he couldn’t quite grasp, he turned on the music. Had his assistant been present, he would have been shocked, for President Fu normally disliked playing music while driving.

By the time they arrived at the Fu family’s old estate, an hour had passed. The old master had long since returned. Fu Siyen parked in the villa’s courtyard, making no move to get out. But before Liang Min could close the car door, the old master emerged, his gaze settling on Fu Siyen in the driver’s seat. In a deep voice, he said, “Get out. I have something to say to you.”

Fu Siyen’s expression darkened, but in the end, he got out of the car.

Liang Min glanced at the pair, her anger clearly unabated. With a cold snort, she went straight to her room, not bothering to greet either of them—she clearly had no intention of joining them for dinner.

The old master frowned but had no time to deal with Liang Min. He turned to the butler. “Get someone to coax her down. We’ll eat together later.”

The butler could only touch his nose and agree. Working here meant high wages, but there was no shortage of trouble—like having to resolve the family’s endless private quarrels. Now, he had to find a way to persuade the old madam to come down for dinner.

As for Fu Siyen, he remained silent, following the old master into the study.

The old master sat down on the sofa, casting a measured glance at Fu Siyen before speaking. “Sit first.”

Fu Siyen said nothing, seating himself across from the old man. He didn’t look at him, for he already guessed what this was about.

Earlier that afternoon, the old master had called Fu Siyen, but he’d been in a meeting and his assistant had answered. After work, the old master phoned again, telling him to pick up Liang Min, which had led to the current situation.

The old master had orchestrated Liang Min’s arrival to ensure he could speak with Fu Siyen directly.

He regarded Fu Siyen for a long moment before finally speaking in a steady, grave voice. “I went to all this trouble to bring you here. You must know what I want to say.”

Fu Siyen’s expression remained indifferent; he gave no reply.