Whispers of the Heart

The weather had just shifted after the beginning of winter, and Yining City was covered by a heavy, oppressive sky that made it hard to breathe. At this moment, the old mansion of the Fu family was brightly lit. "Mom Liu, is the room tidied up yet? After you're done, remember to put a bouquet of daisies in the room!" "Prepare more snacks, the little girl loves sweets." "What about the food? Is it ready? Shi Shen and the others are coming back soon." "..." The third madam of the Fu family, Xu Lan, was busy overseeing the preparations for the welcome ceremony. Three days ago, the close friend of Old Madam Fu had passed away after a long illness, and on her deathbed, she entrusted her granddaughter to Old Madam Fu's care. Today, the girl was coming to live with them. The Fu family had three sons and five grandsons, all boys. Now that a girl was finally coming to live in the household, everyone was eagerly anticipating her arrival. Especially Xu Lan, who had always longed for a daughter but had only given birth to two sons. When she learned about this, she was particularly concerned, and thus the task of arranging the welcome ceremony was entrusted to her. A boy in a trendy new hooded sweatshirt walked up to her and asked, "Mom, does this mean I’ll have an older sister? I heard from Grandma that she’ll be living with us from now on." The boy speaking was Fu Mingming, the youngest grandson of the Fu family, just starting middle school. His round, baby-faced features gave him a harmless and endearing look. Xu Lan patted his head and smiled. "Yes, but you must promise not to bully your sister." Fu Mingming solemnly promised, "Don’t worry, Mom, I won’t bully her. I’ll protect her well when she arrives." "Good boy!" At this moment, the third young master of the Fu family, Fu Qi, rudely chimed in, "Little Five, she’s from the countryside. What if she’s not only ugly but also dresses poorly? Will you still want to protect her?" Though Fu Mingming was young, he was the most vain in the family, with a bit of a "looks-first" attitude. He was particularly fond of good-looking people, so Fu Qi was teasing him on purpose. Fu Mingming, however, didn’t seem bothered by the comment. He proudly retorted, "My sister isn’t ugly. Even if she is, I’ll still like her." Xu Lan interrupted them, "Enough! From now on, don’t say anything like 'country girl.' Since Zhizhi is coming into our home, she’s part of the family, understood?" Fu Mingming deliberately turned to Fu Qi and said, "Did you hear that?" Fu Qi, instead of being upset, just smiled at Fu Mingming’s protective attitude. He’d teased him enough over the years, and since childhood, Fu Mingming had always wished for a thoughtful sister. Outside the House A black Maybach parked at the entrance of the mansion. The rain had smoothed the cobblestones, making them slippery. Yu Zhi almost slipped and fell, but luckily, a large hand reached out to steady her. "Be careful." Fu Shishen’s voice was calm, but carried a hint of coolness. After her grandmother's death, this man—Fu Shishen—had been the one to arrange her grandmother’s funeral, following the customs of the countryside. Over the past few days, although Yu Zhi had not spoken much to him, she still felt deeply grateful for his help. "Go inside," Fu Shishen reminded her once again. "Mm." Yu Zhi obediently followed him, afraid she might trip again and be laughed at. They entered the Fu family mansion. The Fu family house was an old, prestigious estate, surrounded by mountains and water, with a perfect location. Passing through the grand gates, they entered a lavish hall decorated in a mix of classical and European styles, showcasing the wealth and refinement of the Fu family. Yu Zhi had heard her grandmother speak of the Fu family before, knowing they were wealthy, but upon seeing the mansion, she couldn’t help but be surprised. Fu Shishen glanced at her expression and, thinking she was scared, reassured her, "Don’t worry. They’ll all like you. There’s nothing to be afraid of." "Okay." Yu Zhi responded in a voice only the two of them could hear, but her hands, holding onto her bag, clenched tightly, betraying her nervousness. Fu Shishen walked ahead and greeted someone. "Auntie, we’re back." He then introduced Yu Zhi. "This is Auntie. These two are her sons, the third and the fifth." Yu Zhi looked up at Xu Lan and immediately followed Fu Shishen’s lead, greeting her respectfully, "Hello, Auntie!" "Ah, Zhizhi is really cute! Come in, don’t catch a cold, it’s chilly today." When Xu Lan heard Yu Zhi’s sweet voice, her heart melted. Particularly since Yu Zhi was petite and delicate, with long, curled lashes and almond-shaped eyes that seemed to speak to you, she couldn’t help but feel a strong affection. Xu Lan beamed with joy, then waved to the servants. "Go tell Grandma that Shi Shen and Zhizhi are back." She urged them to sit at the table and casually asked, "Why are you so late? Did anything happen on the road?" Fu Shishen answered softly, "It’s nothing, just a bit of traffic." "Good, as long as you’re fine." Once seated, Fu Qi whispered to Fu Mingming, who was sitting next to him, "Mom’s never this gentle with us." Fu Mingming ignored him. Fu Qi assumed he hadn’t heard, so he asked again, "Little Five, why aren’t you responding?" Fu Mingming pouted, "Who told you to say my sister is ugly?" Fu Qi raised an eyebrow, "She just got here, and you’re already defending her? She doesn’t even know your name." "This is my business. You’re not allowed to say she’s ugly again." "Okay, okay, she’s not ugly." Fu Qi glanced over at Yu Zhi again. Actually, this country girl was quite cute. Later at the Dinner Table After dinner, the old madam asked about Yu Zhi’s situation. "How does the Yu family feel about this?" Yu Zhi was the daughter of Yu Zhengqing, the eldest of the Yu family, but after her mother’s death, her father remarried. Life at the Yu family had been hard for her, so her grandmother had brought her to live with her. Now that her grandmother was gone, it was expected that Yu Zhi would return to the Yu family, but Old Madam Fu had promised her friend to care for her, and now it was time to notify the Yu family. "The Yu family hasn’t shown up," Fu Shishen said in a neutral tone, making it hard to tell his emotions. "WHAT?" The old madam was furious, slamming her chopsticks and tossing her bowl, her face turning pale with anger. Xu Lan hurried to console her. "Don’t get upset, Mom. The Yu family has shown no concern. We’ll take care of things. Our house is big enough. Even if ten more Zhizhis came, we’d still have room." Though she spoke soothingly, Old Madam Fu still felt a gnawing discomfort in her chest. Yu Zhi, though, had no feelings toward the Yu family. She had already lost all affection for them when her father had ignored her and refused to help her find a doctor when her grandmother fell ill. The last time she tried to visit, she wasn’t even allowed inside. After that, she had no attachment to the Yu family. But now, the old madam was clearly fighting for her. Yu Zhi quietly passed her a glass of water. "Don’t be upset, Grandma. I’m fine." Yu Zhi didn’t care much about these things. When her grandmother first became ill, she had gone to the Yu family and asked Yu Zhengqing for help in finding a good doctor. He agreed verbally, but soon after, he completely forgot about her request. Later, when Yu Zhi went back, they didn’t even let her into the Yu family’s house. From then on, she no longer had any feelings for the Yu family. The old lady lovingly patted her head and said seriously, "From now on, you’re my granddaughter. I won’t let anyone bully you again." "Thank you, Grandma!" At first, Yu Zhi was a little afraid of this new home. After all, she didn’t know much about the Fu family, only hearing from her grandmother that the Fu family’s matriarch was a good friend of hers from her youth—someone righteous and kind-hearted. But after spending time with them, she felt sincerity and warmth, which made her feel much closer to them. The old lady then asked Xu Lan, “Have you arranged everything for school?” Xu Lan replied, "It’s all arranged. Tomorrow, Zhi Zhi can go to school with Fu Qi." At this point, Fu Mingming spoke up, "Mom, I suggest that Zhi Zhi and Third Brother shouldn’t go to school together." "Why?" Everyone looked at him in confusion. Fu Mingming explained, "There are many girls at school who like Third Brother. The last time I went to see him, they gave me lots of snacks to try to get on his good side. If Zhi Zhi and Third Brother go to school together, she’d become a rival to all those girls." At this point, everyone turned to look at Fu Qi. Fu Qi said, feeling wronged, "It’s not my fault I’m popular, is it? Who told you to make me so handsome?" Yu Zhi’s heart skipped a beat. She didn’t want to become the public enemy on her first day at school—it would make things difficult for her in the future. But for now, she was living under someone else’s roof, so she didn’t dare to say much, for fear of being seen as picky. At that moment, Fu Shichen spoke up. “Tomorrow, let Uncle Xu take her to school. The third brother can go with his friends.” Upon hearing this, Fu Qi immediately said, “That’s fine. I’ll have Song Hang’s driver take me for a while.” Xu Lan agreed, saying, "Alright, let’s do that." After the discussion, Yu Zhi breathed a sigh of relief. When she looked up, her gaze met Fu Shichen’s cold eyes. At that moment, she felt that perhaps her thoughts had been seen through by him, which was why he had just spoken up to help her. A sense of gratitude began to rise in her heart. Later that evening, after dinner, the old lady chatted with Yu Zhi for a while. The young girl spoke gently, and her appearance was also very likable. Coupled with her experiences over the years, the old lady felt both heartache and affection for her. At that moment, she wanted to give her the best of everything. Xu Lan was no different; she had dreamed of having such a daughter. As the time grew late, Fu Shichen stood up and said, "Grandma, I’ll leave now." The old lady was surprised, "Aren’t you staying tonight?" Fu Shichen replied, "I have something to attend to tomorrow." Fu Shichen liked peace and quiet. After graduation, he bought a villa and started his own business. Though the old lady didn’t know what he was doing, she didn’t interfere, giving the children their freedom. The old lady waved her hand. "Alright, go ahead and do what you need to do." Fu Shichen left. Yu Zhi watched his figure until it disappeared, and suddenly, she felt an emptiness in her heart. Since her mother’s passing, she had always acted very obediently, first hoping her father would like her more, and later, to ease her grandmother’s worries. But now, her grandmother had also passed away. In these most helpless days, Fu Shichen had been by her side. Without thinking, she ran after him, ignoring the gazes of the others. She followed behind Fu Shichen but didn’t call out to him. Fu Shichen naturally noticed the movement behind him and turned around. "What’s wrong?" he asked. Yu Zhi lowered her head, rubbing her small hands nervously, her stubborn eyes trying to hide the unease within her. "Are you scared?" Yu Zhi didn’t answer, but her expression betrayed her. Fu Shichen raised his hand, glanced at the time, then frowned as if struggling with a decision. In the end, he said, "Go back inside." "You’re not leaving?" Yu Zhi asked, surprised. "Mm." When the old lady saw them return, she looked puzzled. "Why are you back?" Fu Shichen glanced at Yu Zhi and, for her sake, lied. "My assistant called just now, saying there’s nothing urgent anymore." The old lady was happy and said, "That’s great, stay the night then. You’re getting busier and busier." Fu Shichen reassured her, "I’ll come back more often when I have time." Xu Lan stepped forward and said, "Alright, no more standing around. You’ve had a long day, let’s all rest early. I’ll take Zhi Zhi to her room." Before leaving, the old lady patted Yu Zhi’s head and said, "If you need anything, just tell Grandma. Make yourself at home here." "Thank you, Grandma." The old lady smiled with satisfaction. "Such a good girl." Xu Lan led Yu Zhi to her room. The room was spacious, with pink wallpaper and light green curtains. The wardrobe and desk were also painted in pink, creating a very feminine atmosphere. On the bed was a brown plush toy taller than her. Her room had been the same when her mother was still around. Seeing how thoughtful her third aunt was, a long-lost warmth surged in Yu Zhi’s heart. "Thank you, Third Aunt." Xu Lan laughed carelessly. "We’re family, if you need anything, just ask. No need to be polite." Xu Lan then handed her a card. "This is your allowance. The password is your birthday. I’ll deposit your allowance into your card every month. You can take it out whenever you need, and if it’s not enough, just let me know." "Third Aunt, I have my own money. I can’t take this." Yu Zhi didn’t want to accept the money. After all, the Fu family taking her in was already a debt she could never repay. Besides, her scholarships and the money her grandmother had left her were enough for her to live for a long time. She didn’t need extra funds. But Xu Lan didn’t give her a chance to refuse and directly placed the card on her desk. "All the kids in the family get an allowance, and you’re no different. It’s not much, but you can take it." Yu Zhi wanted to say something more, but Xu Lan interrupted her. "Be good. You’re going to a new school tomorrow, rest well." With that, she left. Yu Zhi stood still for a couple of minutes, then carefully placed the card in a drawer, planning to save it and return it to her third aunt someday. Yu Zhi had expected she’d have trouble sleeping in a strange place, but after days of poor sleep and the sorrow of losing her grandmother, she finally relaxed and fell asleep immediately. It was a dreamless night. The next morning, after waking up and getting ready, Yu Zhi returned to the living room. She scanned the room, as if looking for someone. At that moment, Liu Ma walked over and said— "Miss, the eldest young master has already left."