Chapter 123: Like Her

Song Qingyou was genuinely somewhat angry. How could he ask her what she meant to him? Didn’t he know what she meant to him? She had even begged for marriage; if it weren’t for his age, they would already have their marriage certificate at home. And now, he was asking her what she meant to him.

Her throat was dry and itchy, but she forced herself not to cough in front of him, enduring the spreading metallic taste of blood in her mouth.

The man stubbornly waited there for her answer.

Song Qingyou swallowed hard, suppressing the rising blood foam in her throat.

After a long moment, she spoke in a low, hoarse voice, “I think your emotions are unstable right now. You should calm down. I have other matters to attend to. I’m leaving first.”

Fu Wenzhou clenched his fists tightly, his eyes burning with a painful ache, his shoulders trembling. Just as she turned to leave, he spoke hoarsely, “You haven’t answered my question yet.”

Song Qingyou didn’t want to argue with him anymore. The Song Corporation was now in disarray. She had to finish the proposal and negotiate with SY as soon as possible. There was no time to waste on personal feelings.

She glanced back and said, “Fu Wenzhou, this is a business between two conglomerates, not child’s play. I am choosing a partner, not a husband. I hope you understand that.”

He understood? Not at all!

Fu Wenzhou’s breathing grew rapid, his chest heaving violently. Just as Song Qingyou opened the door, he grabbed her roughly, pressing her against the doorframe and capturing her lips with his.

“Mmph!”

His kiss was laden with fierce possessiveness, more aggressive than any before.

Song Qingyou’s mouth stung; her eyes widened.

He actually bit her!

She struggled to push him away, but Fu Wenzhou refused to relent, repeatedly nibbling at her lips as if determined to leave his scent upon her.

After an unknown length of time, Fu Wenzhou finally released her, wiping a trace of blood from the corner of her mouth with his fingertip. He gave a vicious smile. “You… You…”

“Slap!”

Song Qingyou struck him hard with a trembling voice, “Immature!”

With a loud slam, she shut the door and strode away.

The vast conference room fell into a suffocating silence.

After a while, the man, clutching his chest, suddenly let out a low laugh, but his eyes were filled with deep grievance and unwillingness.

Song Qingyou had walked far away, unaware of the eerie, cold laughter that echoed behind her.

She slipped into the pantry and, once the door closed, could no longer hold back her coughing. She gasped for breath, her pristine handkerchief stained with a large patch of red.

---

Looking down at the crimson stains on her handkerchief, Song Qingyou realized her coughing up blood had returned. This time, even those precious medicinal herbs Fu Wenzhou had provided were useless.

Despite taking medicine daily, her condition showed no signs of improvement.

She had scoured countless medical texts but found no remedy that truly addressed her illness.

Exhaling slowly, she leaned against the desk, pale and exhausted.

She couldn’t comprehend why she was destined to die, nor why Fu Wenzhou was so obsessed with who she chose to cooperate with.

The Song Corporation was a conglomerate supporting over a hundred thousand employees. Every decision she made could impact the company’s survival.

Partnering with SY was the best solution she could think of.

She dialed a number.

“Teacher, it’s me. Do you have time recently? … Yes, there are signs of worsening … That’s why I want to see you again … Alright, I’ll come to you as soon as I return from Jiang City. Thank you, teacher.”

After hanging up, Song Qingyou composed her breathing and stepped out of the pantry.

Song Chang was waiting on the top floor and approached when she appeared. “Has General Manager Fu left?”

Song Qingyou hesitated, then nodded. “Yes.” She added, “Notify all departments: meeting at three this afternoon.”

“Understood,” Song Chang replied.

The sun set behind the mountains, and the north wind grew colder at night.

Song Qingyou worked until after eleven. As she left the Song Corporation building, she checked her phone—no messages, no missed calls.

Her expression was cold, and Song Chang didn’t dare inquire further.

The driver steadily navigated the car back to Yalin Villa.

Song Qingyou stood at the villa’s entrance, but tonight the usually brightly lit house was shrouded in darkness.

Silently, she pushed open the door and paced through the villa, but there was no sign of Fu Wenzhou.

Her fingers clenched tightly as she sat on the sofa, motionless.

After ten minutes, she coldly dialed Fu Wenzhou’s number.

The call ended without an answer.

—

Nightfall.

VIP private room.

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“Gu Bai! What the hell kind of idea was that? You told me to hold on, wait for her to call a second time. What the hell are you waiting for? I told you she won’t call again!”

Fu Wenzhou’s figure was hidden in the dark, his face sullen and grim.

Gu Bai awkwardly replied, “My ex-girlfriend would bombard me with calls, so who knew your Song Qingyou would only make one? Why don’t you call her back?”

Xu Zezhan leisurely took a sip of his drink. “Why are you yelling at Gu Bai? Just call her back.”

Fu Wenzhou’s face darkened, his cold, sharp jawline radiating an almost deathly fury, his eyes red and fierce like a wild beast.

After a long moment, he covered his face, voice bitter. “Forget it. She won’t even call a second time. It doesn’t mean much if I call back.”

Shen Guannan glanced at Fu Wenzhou. Having recently returned to the country, he rarely joined their gatherings. Noticing this, he asked Xu Zezhan, “Is he always like this?”

Xu Zezhan shrugged. “We’re used to it. You better get used to it too. In the future, whenever he gets his heart broken, he drags the brothers out to vent. It’s going to be a regular show.”

Shen Guannan was speechless.

“*Ahem!*” He cleared his throat, “Honestly, I think Song Qingyou’s approach is reasonable. Business is business. Choosing a partner isn’t about relationships—it’s a company, not a family business. Besides, isn’t SY yours? What’s the difference between her choosing SY or the Fu Corporation? It’s all you.”

Shen Guannan sounded genuinely puzzled. He didn’t understand why Fu Wenzhou insisted on making a fuss over this.

Fu Wenzhou leaned back on the sofa, his narrow eyes shadowed with gloom. “She doesn’t even know SY belongs to me.”

In other words, as long as it was SY, it didn’t matter who it was—anyone would do.

But the Fu Corporation was his, Fu Wenzhou’s, and Fu Wenzhou was forever not chosen.

Xu Zezhan snorted. “Idiot.”

Fu Wenzhou’s expression instantly turned cold. “Xu Zezhan, who the hell are you insulting?”

“You.” Xu Zezhan lit a cigarette. “You’re jealous of yourself. Isn’t that idiotic?”

Fu Wenzhou was too weary to argue. This was not the same thing at all.

These guys, without partners, didn’t understand a damn thing.

He gloomily downed a mouthful of alcohol. His craving for a cigarette flared, and now angry, he didn’t care about Song Qingyou’s request. He asked Xu Zezhan for a smoke, biting it between his lips.

Shen Guannan smiled, but his gaze caught a glimpse of a figure dressed in white. His expression froze.

Only when he saw the girl carrying a tray of drinks did he realize it wasn’t Song Qingyou, but the other woman.

“Fu Wenzhou,” Shen Guannan nudged him, “Look over there.”