Even this slap couldn't wake Jiang Lulian up.
Nie Yalin was furious, gripping Jiang Lulian's collar as she demanded, "Jiang Lulian, what do you want? Huh? If you like Ming Yutong, then go after her! If you've given up and chosen me, yet you still can't forget Ming Yutong, what does that make you? Does it make you seem like a hopeless romantic?"
"I can't... I can't, I can't let her be in trouble…" Jiang Lulian mumbled.
He said something else afterward, but Nie Yalin couldn't make out his words.
Frowning, Nie Yalin pressed on, "What does that mean?"
Her gaze shifted, "Is there something Ming Yutong is struggling with?"
Jiang Lulian seemed to be slightly more awake now, lifting his eyelids and seeing Nie Yalin.
His voice was still heavily slurred, "Ni…"
Seeing him somewhat more conscious, Ni Yalin quickly asked, "What's going on with Ming Yutong? If you like her so much, then why—"
"She... she can't…"
***
Having been cooped up at home and not visiting the old residence for a long time, Ming Silian had been behaving more obediently at home, at least on the surface.
Due to her previous scheme against Ming Yutong, even Fang Qian'an's attitude towards her had soured.
It seemed as if he had started to view her differently, showing less trust compared to when she had just returned.
He still treated her well, but was more cautious and suspicious about her actions, which made Ming Silian very frustrated.
For instance, if she wanted to go out to dinner with someone, Fang Qian'an would ask who it was. If he thought it was inappropriate, he would advise her not to talk too much with that person, questioning their character.
When she suggested visiting the old residence to see the elders, Fang Qian'an stopped her, saying the elders were still angry and that she should wait until she truly realized her mistakes before going.
Otherwise, the elders were not foolish and would easily see if she was genuinely remorseful.
When she casually inquired about Jiang Lulian, Fang Qian'an even questioned her sharply about whether she still had feelings for him.
Life had become nearly unbearable.
Despite her frustration, Ming Silian had no choice but to lower her head and try to restore her image.
At that moment, she was sitting in the living room with Fang Qian'an, eating fruit and watching TV.
Fang Qian'an, bored, was idly scrolling through her social media on her phone.
The doorbell rang, and Butler Lu, the housekeeper, went to answer it. It was Ming Jingshui returning.
Fang Qian'an hurried to greet him, and Ming Silian, unwilling to fall behind, personally took Ming Jingshui's coat and handed it to Butler Lu.
After Ming Jingshui changed into slippers and went to change into casual wear, Fang Qian'an followed behind.
Ming Silian had no intention of following, but she overheard Fang Qian'an's voice faintly saying, "I heard that today, Fu Yinxiu specifically went to the company with Yutong?"
Ming Silian's eyes moved, and she quietly followed behind.
Ming Jingshui and Fang Qianan had already returned to their bedroom, with the door closed.
Ming Silian leaned her face against the door and was still able to hear the conversation inside.
"You know about it too?" she heard Ming Jingshui ask.
"It's all over the company, how could I not know?" Fang Qian'an replied, "So, Fu Yinxiu is indeed pursuing Yutong?"
"It seems so. Today, Big Brother was in a good mood. I asked him, and he said Fu Yinxiu implied that he is pursuing Yutong," Ming Jingshui said.
"Well, that's good." Fang Qian'an patted her chest with a smile, "Yutong is indeed fortunate. Good people get good rewards. That's true. Fu Yinxiu is excellent in all respects. With him around, who would dare to gossip about Yutong? Who would dare to say that Yutong is too old to get married? She's outstanding and will always find a suitable partner!"
Ming Jingshui was also pleased to hear Fang Qian.an speak favorably of Ming Yutong.
"Yutong's attitude is still unclear, but from what I see, her attitude towards Fu Yinxiu is different from how she treated Jiang Lulian. She seems to have some feelings for Fu Yinxiu," Ming Jingshui said with a smile.
"Honestly, Fu Yinxiu is far better than Jiang Lulian. It's rare to find a man as outstanding as him actively pursuing someone. And I've heard that he is very down-to-earth with Yutong."
"Yes, even with Big Brother, he is polite. He used to disregard everyone, but with Yutong, he's particularly patient," Ming Jingshui added.
Fang Qian.an thought for a moment and smiled again, "It's Yutong's good fortune. After all, with her health, she'll have to endure pressure no matter who she marries. Her difficulty with conception has not improved over the years, and it's possible she might never—"
Fang Qian.an sighed heavily, "If she can be with Fu Yinxiu, it would be quite good. I heard that Fu Yinxiu already has a son and doesn't lack heirs. Whether or not they have a second child is irrelevant. And even if the child is born from a second wife, no one can be certain if they'll compete with the eldest child in the future."
"But Fu Yinxiu might worry that a new child could lead to less favor for the eldest son. However, if it's Yutong, it's reassuring. Yutong's character ensures that even if she has her own children, she won't neglect the eldest son and will raise them well. If she continues to struggle with pregnancy, the eldest son's position would remain secure. I think Fu Yinxiu would be more at ease."
"Poison for one can be honey for another," Fang Qian'an said. "Yutong might not seem suitable to others, but she's perfect for Fu Yinxiu. Whether it's in terms of fertility, character, talent, or ability, she seems tailor-made for him."
Fang Qian.an paused suddenly, "Do you think Fu Yinxiu's interest in Yutong might be because of this?"
"But only our family knows about Yutong's health condition. Fu Yinxiu shouldn't be aware of it," Ming Jingshui said.
"When Yutong was brought back by Yuqian, her illness was so severe that it was hard to hide from our family. If we could have kept it secret, I don't think Big Brother and Sister-in-law would have wanted us to know. But the situation was too public, so we kept the news tightly guarded," Ming Jingshui said. "Given how well we sealed the news, could Fu Yinxiu still find out?"
"Not necessarily. There are rumors about Fu Yinxiu's background. If that's true, he might be able to investigate Yutong's situation and uncover what we've tried to hide," Fang Qian'an said.
Ming Jingshui agreed, "You make a good point."
"Should we warn Yutong?" Ming Jingshui asked after a pause.
Fang Qian'an thought for a moment before replying, "Well, maybe not for now. We don't know Yutong's exact feelings towards Fu Yinxiu. She might not agree to him."
"Besides, Yutong is very smart. If I can think of this, she probably has too. I think if our speculation is true, the only thing that might be unacceptable to Yutong is the feeling of being used."
"Other than that, Fu Yinxiu is truly an ideal match for her. At least with him, Yutong won't face the pressure of fertility issues."