Chapter 6: Backing Her Up
1406 Words
"Does she not understand her place yet?"
The butler’s irritation grew as he spoke again, his tone dripping with impatience. "Second Miss, with the way you’re acting, there’s no way you’ll ever gain Madam’s favor. I suggest you—"
"Tsk."
A low chuckle interrupted him, the sound lighthearted and teasing, yet carrying an undeniable chill.
"Had I not come back, I wouldn’t have known that even the servants in the Ying family now dare to order around their masters. Is this how Madam Ying runs her household?"
A man leaned casually under the tree, his tall, lean frame draped in a half-buttoned black shirt. Against the backdrop of falling snow, his fair complexion was even more striking, as if sculpted from porcelain.
Even in the wintry glow, his presence was magnetic, effortlessly outshining the cold brilliance of the snow and moonlight.
The butler’s words caught in his throat as he suddenly found himself on the ground, his wrist pinned under a firm foot.
He let out a sharp yelp—one that sounded truly painful.
"..."
Fu Yunshen arched an eyebrow and looked down at the girl standing beside him.
"Little one’s got quite the temper."
Zijin withdrew her foot, unbothered. "You’re still here?"
"Good thing I didn’t leave." Fu Yunshen slipped a hand into his pocket, his lips curling into a lazy smirk. "Otherwise, our little one here would’ve been bullied."
A breeze lifted the edge of his open shirt, exposing the delicate line of his collarbone. A faint scent of jade and sandalwood drifted in the air—mellow, soothing, and lethally enticing.
Zijin was silent for a moment before she simply said, "Not worth my time."
She didn’t enjoy arguing. Rather than wasting words, she preferred action.
"Hmm, I know." Fu Yunshen reached out and lightly patted her head. "That’s why I’ll handle it. You just watch."
He then turned toward the butler, tilting his chin slightly, his smile remaining. "Tell me, who was supposed to apologize again?"
The butler was still sprawled on the ground, his face alternating between red and pale, his body trembling so much that he looked like he might kneel any second.
Of course, he recognized the man standing before him—
Fu Yunshen, the infamous Seventh Young Master of the Fu family.
New York’s most notorious playboy, a man who had never been taken seriously.
Rumor had it that he had stirred up trouble with an heir from the capital’s elite families and was shipped off to the Old World by the Fu family.
Why was he back now?
And why was he standing up for the Second Miss?
Had he lost his mind?
"I-I’m sorry, Second Miss." Under the immense pressure, the butler gave in immediately. He even raised a trembling hand and slapped himself across the face. "I shouldn’t have been disrespectful to you. It was my fault!"
Fu Yunshen ignored him. Instead, he turned to Zijin. "Let’s go, little one. This time, I’ll personally walk you inside."
The butler didn’t dare stand in the way anymore. "Seventh Young Master, Second Miss, this way, please."
Though humiliated, he felt a small sense of relief—at least Madam wouldn’t hold him accountable for this mess.
Inside the House
As the grand double doors swung open, cold air rushed in, leaving a thin layer of frost on the plush carpet.
The opulent living room was warm and filled with the soft glow of the chandelier.
On the sofa sat a woman, flipping through a book with practiced elegance. Every movement exuded the grace of high society.
This was Madam Ying—Ying Luwei’s mother, Zhong Manhua. She was born into one of the four most prestigious families and carried herself with the poise of nobility.
Hearing footsteps, she didn’t bother looking up. Instead, she spoke indifferently, "Has the Second Miss finally come to her senses?"
The old mansion was soundproofed well; those inside had no way of hearing the commotion outside.
The butler swallowed hard. "Madam..."
"Hmm?" Zhong Manhua furrowed her brows, finally glancing up. "If she hasn’t apologized, then why are you—"
Her words stopped mid-sentence as her eyes landed on the man standing beside Zijin.
For a moment, she froze.
It took a few seconds for her to process the situation.
Setting her book aside, she immediately got up to greet him, as if she hadn’t even noticed Zijin’s presence. Her voice was warm, her smile polished. "Seventh Young Master, what a surprise. I just spoke to your father yesterday—I heard you’ve returned from the Old World. What brings you here so late?"
The Fu family was the most powerful of the four elite families. Even if Fu Yunshen had been away for three years, as long as his grandfather was still in charge, no one in the Ying family could afford to offend him.
"Just dropping the little one home," Fu Yunshen said, his expression neutral. "Didn’t want her to get bullied."
Zhong Manhua’s smile stiffened slightly, clearly unprepared for such a response. Her gaze finally shifted to Zijin. "What’s going on?"
The butler quickly summarized the earlier events.
After listening, Zhong Manhua pressed her lips together, inhaling deeply before forcing another smile. "Seventh Young Master, this is all just a misunderstanding. I appreciate you going out of your way, but Zijin is my daughter—I wouldn’t let her suffer."
"Is that so?" Fu Yunshen let out a soft chuckle, his posture relaxed yet unreadable. "Good to hear. That way, if word gets out, everyone will know what a loving mother you are."
Zhong Manhua’s expression stiffened.
His words were clearly laced with sarcasm.
"It’s just that the butler—" Fu Yunshen cast a lazy glance at the trembling man. "Seems to have overstepped a bit."
The butler felt his legs give out entirely.
Zhong Manhua’s jaw tightened, but she said nothing.
"Of course, I’m just an outsider. It wouldn’t be my place to discipline Madam Ying’s staff." Fu Yunshen waved his phone slightly, his voice carrying an amused undertone. "Little one, I saved my number for you. Call me anytime."
With that, he turned and walked out, leaving behind an eerie silence.
The butler exhaled sharply, wiping the sweat off his forehead.
"Where were you?" Zhong Manhua finally spoke, holding back her frustration. Though she wanted to lash out, she maintained her composure. "Luwei said you left the hospital three hours ago. What were you doing?"
Running off alone in the middle of a snowstorm—when would this girl stop causing trouble?
And now, bringing someone back just to humiliate her? So disrespectful.
Zijin didn’t answer. She yawned.
Hunger, drowsiness—she was experiencing all the normal sensations of a human again. It was an oddly refreshing experience.
Zhong Manhua’s patience thinned. "I asked you a question. Where’s your respect?"
Zijin finally looked up, her gaze cold and distant. "Why does it matter? I’m just a walking blood bank, after all."
Zhong Manhua froze.
The room fell into dead silence.
The butler also stared, shocked beyond words.
Everyone in the elite circles knew the Ying family had taken in an adopted daughter solely to serve as a blood donor for Ying Luwei. It wasn’t a secret—it was common gossip, something people whispered about at parties for entertainment.
The Ying family had never seen anything wrong with it.
But having it so bluntly stated—so casually thrown in their faces—was a different story.
For the first time, Zhong Manhua felt truly exposed. It was as if someone had ripped away all her carefully maintained pretense, leaving her bare for the world to see. A chill ran down her spine, her blood turning cold.
She quickly composed herself, smoothing over her expression. Her voice was firm but measured. "That’s enough. I had the bath drawn for you—go clean yourself up. We’ll talk after."
Zijin yawned again, not even sparing her another glance before heading upstairs.
"Clatter—"
The sound of a teacup slamming against the table echoed through the room.
Zhong Manhua’s face was dark with anger.
The butler kept his head down, not daring to breathe too loudly.
"Did you hear what she just said?" Zhong Manhua seethed. "Does she really think I wanted this? Do you think I enjoy seeing her get her blood drawn? She’s my child too. Do you think this doesn’t pain me?"
- Writer
