Volume One, Chapter 19: No Longer Revolving Around Him!

The old gentleman spoke as he raised his cane and struck Fu Mingyue.

Caught off guard, Fu Mingyue was mercilessly hit twice.

Li Susu quickly intervened, "Grandpa Fu, it’s not Mingyue’s fault. It’s me, I’m Susu. I’m sorry."

But the old gentleman withdrew his cane and, ignoring her, looked toward Ji Yunxi. "Old Chen, hurry, wheel Yunxi out."

Old Chen, who took care of the old gentleman, needed no prompting and promptly rolled Ji Yunxi’s wheelchair out of the elevator.

Fu Mingyue had already shielded Li Susu and stepped out of the elevator to stand before Grandpa Fu. "Grandpa."

"I only want to see Yunxi. You and your people get lost," Grandpa Fu said, then turned to Ji Yunxi, his old eyes full of concern. "Were you wronged?"

Though no longer feeling wronged, Ji Yunxi’s eyes welled up upon hearing this, but she quickly suppressed the tears. "No, it was all an accident. It only looked scary but wasn’t serious at all. Grandpa, please don’t worry."

"Not serious enough to need a cast?" Grandpa Fu rubbed Ji Yunxi’s head. "I may be old, but I’m not senile. You’re such a good girl and don’t go out much. How could you get hurt without reason?"

Unlike everyone else in the Fu family and her own relatives, only Grandpa Fu trusted her unconditionally from the very start.

He never thought she was causing trouble, nor did he believe her injury was exaggerated.

"It must hurt a lot," he asked tenderly, then instructed, "Old Chen, have Xiao Liu make some nourishing soup for Yunxi. Also, have—"

"Grandpa, I’m fine," Ji Yunxi held back tears, grasping the old man’s frail hand, which was ice cold. Startled, she asked, "Grandpa, why are your hands so cold?"

Grandpa Fu pulled his hand away and waved dismissively. "Old age, that’s all. Let’s go inside and talk."

As he spoke, he began to walk, his legs visibly trembling.

Old Chen hurried to support him, but Li Susu reached him first.

The old gentleman brushed her off and, holding Ji Yunxi’s wheelchair, urged everyone away. "It’s late. You’re guests. Go rest in your rooms."

"Grandpa Fu..." Li Susu looked helplessly at Fu Mingyue.

Fu Mingyue immediately spoke with concern, "Grandpa, Susu, she—"

"Let’s go," Grandpa Fu interrupted, ignoring them both as he steadied himself on his cane and wheeled the chair by himself.

Fu Mingyue comforted Li Susu, "Grandpa’s right. It’s late. Have some late-night food and rest."

"Okay," Li Susu nodded. "I’ll go then."

Before leaving, she bowed deeply to the old gentleman. "Grandpa Fu, please rest early too."

After seeing Li Susu off, Fu Mingyue turned back to find the old gentleman and Ji Yunxi already inside the study.

However, as soon as the old man sat down, he began breathing heavily. Old Chen hurried to fetch his medicine. Ji Yunxi, helpless, watched anxiously, noticing the old man’s hand trembling violently, her heart clenched.

Fortunately, after taking the medicine, he improved somewhat.

"Grandpa, what’s wrong?" Ji Yunxi asked worriedly.

"Scared you, didn’t I? Old age and old ailments, nothing more," Grandpa Fu waved off her concern. "That Li Susu, don’t worry. The only granddaughter-in-law I acknowledge is you. No one else can push you aside."

As he spoke, he glared sternly at Fu Mingyue, who had just entered.

Fu Mingyue looked at Ji Yunxi but surprisingly didn’t argue.

Ji Yunxi was taken aback but recalled his nauseating remarks from earlier, feeling a wave of bitterness.

"I..." Ji Yunxi wanted to confide in Grandpa Fu first.

But Fu Mingyue interrupted, "Grandpa, I know what’s going on. Don’t worry. The doctor told you to rest more, sleep early and wake late. Yet you insist on pushing yourself and now you’re sick again."

Ji Yunxi’s heart sank as she saw the old man’s fatigue. Swallowing her words, she said instead, "The doctor said so, Grandpa. Please listen and take good care of yourself. If I get bullied, no one will be there to help me."

"Good," Grandpa Fu nodded repeatedly. "I will take good care of myself."

A smile blossomed on Ji Yunxi’s face. After some light conversation, she let Old Chen help the old gentleman to rest without further delay.

Before leaving, Grandpa Fu reminded, "Since you’re injured, don’t go home yet. Stay here at the old residence for a while. Have Aunt Liu take good care of you."

Without waiting for her reply, he instructed Old Chen, "Have Xiao Liu cook some egg and bok choy noodles for Yunxi. She likes it. Also, make some nourishing soup. She’s a delicate young girl, even thinner than this old man. That’s not right."

"Don’t worry, sir," Old Chen agreed.

The old gentleman gave a few more instructions in a voice growing tired and indistinct, about what to prepare for Ji Yunxi the next day.

Ji Yunxi could no longer hold back her tears. She hadn’t eaten much all day, planning to sneak into the kitchen for some food after everyone else had gone to sleep.

She hadn’t expected anyone to care whether she was hungry or what she liked to eat.

Nor had she expected anyone to ask her, "Does it hurt a lot?"

It does.

It hurts very much.

Since the eye gouging in her past life until now—three years have passed—

She has always been in pain, deeply so, yet no one ever cared or asked, until she saw Grandpa Fu again.

"You were about to tattle just now, weren’t you!" Fu Mingyue looked at Ji Yunxi, head bowed, feeling he had been exceedingly gentle and tolerant with her. Yet she schemed and manipulated constantly. If he hadn’t stopped her in time, Grandpa Fu might have been used!

Ji Yunxi was speechless. She had plainly said before that her intention was to explain the divorce to Grandpa Fu properly, not to keep it hidden.

But whenever Li Susu was involved, Fu Mingyue thought she was just being unreasonable and a habitual liar.

No matter how much she explained, it was all scheming and sophistry to him.

Fortunately, before Fu Mingyue could retaliate, Old Chen was sent out by the old gentleman.

Out of respect for Old Chen, Fu Mingyue said no more. The elevator ride down was utterly silent.

The heavy atmosphere suffocated Fu Mingyue.

After a while, he realized why: whenever he appeared before Ji Yunxi before, she would always find some topic to chat about, her voice clear and cheerful.

Even if he ignored her, she would talk to herself.

But now, she said nothing.

Fu Mingyue felt deeply uncomfortable.

The elevator arrived, and Ji Yunxi’s phone vibrated.

She took it out and saw the caller ID: "Mom."

Old Chen kindly wheeled Ji Yunxi into her room.

After hesitating for a long time, Ji Yunxi answered the call.

"Have you really divorced Mingyue?" Zhang Fangping asked bluntly.

Her tone wasn’t pleasant, but compared to the sharp cruelty of the day, it was gentle.

Ji Yunxi felt uneasy and vaguely suspicious but answered, "Yes."