Chapter 7, discord arose.

Fu Ningyan smiled and said, "Do you speak insincerely to everyone, or is it just me?"

Nie Junjun secretly grasped Su Jiayan's hand and said gratefully, "Thank you"

I do not know where San Shao's confidence comes from. Su Jiayan closed his eyes, his voice languid, showing no desire to engage with him.

Fu Ningyan smiled gently, did not answer her, and simply hung up the phone

Just as they were about to leave, it started to rain. The two of them took an umbrella and added warm clothing, then found a taxi to head to the construction site

I just received a call saying that my dad was caught stealing steel pipes from the construction site... What should I do, Sister Jiayan? Is he going to jail?

Su Jiayan was instantly taken aback

Boss Zhao chuckled and said, "It's nothing serious."

I..." Su Jiayan looked at Nie Junjun's anxious and disappointed face with guilt, momentarily at a loss for words

The sky outside has darkened unexpectedly, with clouds so black they seem within reach, as if it is about to rain at any moment

Su Jiayan grasped Nie Junjun's icy hand and squeezed through the crowd of onlookers.

It is laughable that she actually forgot that these wealthy young masters excel in every vice of drinking, gambling, and debauchery, with the only word missing from their dictionary being 'seriousness'

The air suddenly fell silent, and Su Jiayan's expression froze, her gaze gradually turning cold. She immediately lifted the blanket, got out of bed, and dressed before heading out, a series of actions executed swiftly and decisively

Su Jiayan briefly recounted the events, stating that "the money for the steel pipes will be returned to Nie Wuhui multiple times, and I hope that San Shao can give the foreman a call"

As soon as the words fell, Fu Ningyan lifted her face and captured her lips. This kiss was intense and clearly aggressive, as if he were desperately seizing her breath. However, after a moment, Su Jiayan was already breathing heavily; she pressed her hands against Fu Ningyan's chest and pushed him away forcefully, saying, "There is no need for this; the Third Young Master should know better than I that love and sex can be completely separated."

Generally, adults would be at a loss in such situations, let alone Nie Junjun, who is only sixteen years old. Su Jiayan patted her shoulder and said, "Don't worry, I will definitely help you. For now, go wash your face and change your clothes, and I will accompany you to the construction site to assess the situation."

The banquet at the hotel had already dispersed, and feeling disheartened, she went straight home to rest. Just after lying down for five minutes, a sudden and urgent knocking at the door interrupted her, "Sister Jiayan! Sister Jiayan, are you home?"

Upon her return, Nie Junjun immediately stepped forward eagerly and asked, "Sister Jiayan, how is it?"

Fu Ningyan turned his gaze towards Boss Zhao and asked with a smile, "Boss Zhao, what are your thoughts?"

If you do not care at all, why bother to personally bring the soup over

The sound over there is clear and melodious, resembling a smile yet not quite a smile, "Why not share it with us?"

Fu Ningyan raised an eyebrow, "You didn't steal? Then how come I heard that you were caught red-handed with the stolen goods?"

"It would be a bit unreasonable for me not to come when someone is making things difficult for you, don’t you think, Boss Zhao?" Fu Ningyan pushed through the crowd and walked to Su Jiayan's side, suddenly taking off his trench coat and draping it over her, "How can you go out on a rainy day without wearing an extra layer?"

"I don't know, I really don't know that there is a bag of steel pipes under my bed." Nie Wu angrily turned his head away

The man in the white shirt was momentarily taken aback, and after a while, he approached with a forced smile and said, "Third Young Master, what brings you here in person?"

Nie Junjun immediately became anxious, grabbing Su Jiayan's sleeve, "Sister Jiayan, didn't you say that the so-called Third Young Master would call?"

Stealing steel pipes may not be a major issue, but..." Fu Ningyan paused, "how should we deal with Boss Zhao, who is embezzling while on duty?" He turned around to stare at Boss Zhao, his gaze sharp and stern, and his voice even more serious and cold

The man in the white shirt glanced sideways at Su Jiayan and said, "Who are you?"

All eyes in the room were focused on her, and Junjun's gaze was particularly earnest. She couldn't help but let out a sigh—she had indeed put herself in a difficult position. "I will go out to make a phone call"

It was only at the moment when Fu Ningyan's voice reached her that she realized she was trembling slightly, unsure whether it was due to the cold or her nervousness

Fu Ningyan paused for a moment, smiled softly, and a hint of sarcasm crept into her gaze, "I say, darling, are you taking this a bit too seriously?"

Inside the room, amidst the smoke and chaos, a man in his forties or fifties, with a protruding belly and wearing a white shirt, was pointing at Nie Junjun's father and cursing vehemently. Meanwhile, Nie Junjun's father hung his head in silence. His shirt was so dirty that its original color was unrecognizable, and his trousers were covered in mud, with only the safety helmet standing beside him being brand new

Su Jiayan hesitated for a moment, interrupted the man who was cursing, and politely asked: "Hello, may I ask if you are the person in charge of this construction site?"

The truth was on the tip of Su Jiayan's tongue, yet he still forcibly suppressed it and looked at the man in the white shirt: "The third young master will call you later"

Is it a matter of counting? You will know in a moment. Her voice was cold and calm, devoid of any emotion. The man in the white shirt was momentarily unsure of the truth, snorted coldly, and sat back down on the bed. I will wait for fifteen minutes; if the third young master of the Fu family does not call, then there will be nothing to discuss.

Boss Zhao also smiled and said, "Since you, Third Young Master, have personally taken action, let Nie Wu make up for the money stolen from the steel pipes and consider it settled."

Su Jiayan immediately breathed a sigh of relief, feeling somewhat at ease

His smile was extremely familiar to Su Jiayan, a mix of three parts cunning, three parts probing, and the remaining few parts were ambiguous in meaning. She suddenly felt a chill in her heart; could it be that this matter was not so simple after all

Su Jiayan suddenly woke up and immediately ran over to open the door

Caught red-handed, what is there to discuss! What nonsense is there to report to the police!" Saying this, he stubbed out his cigarette and was about to grab Nie Wu's arm.

Nie's father glanced at him and then lowered his head again. His face was swollen and bruised, clearly indicating that he had been beaten.

The rain continued to fall incessantly, and the city was shrouded in a veil of mist. Su Jiayan stared at the number on the phone screen for a long time before finally pressing the dial key

"Jun Jun, don't be anxious. What happened? Take your time to explain," Su Jiayan said as he pulled Nie Junjun into the room

Get lost

At the construction site, the foreman said he wanted to send him to the police station... Sister Jiayan, you must help me!

As the situation seemed poised to erupt at any moment, a suddenly heard melodious yet somewhat cynical voice came from outside. Su Jiayan turned in surprise and indeed saw Fu Ningyan standing at the door, wearing a long black trench coat, his tall figure and handsome face complemented by a pair of narrow, deep-set peach blossom eyes that carried a hint of nonchalance.

Nie Junjun immediately stepped forward to protect Nie Wu, "Do not grab my father!"

Nie Wu looked up at him and said, "I did not steal the steel pipe"

Su Jiayan pulled her down to sit on the chair and handed her a tissue, soothingly saying: "Don't worry, don't worry, first tell me where your dad is right now"

Since everyone has arrived, there is no need to waste a phone call

After listening, Fu Ningyan paused for a moment and asked with a smile, "Darling, what benefits do I gain from helping you? I have said before, a businessman will not rise early without profit."

The man in the white shirt let out a cold laugh and said, "This delaying tactic is of no use to me."

Fu Ningyan smiled lightly, neither affirming nor denying, but instead walked casually to Nie Wu and asked, "Are you the one who stole the steel pipes?"

Su Jiayan made a strenuous effort to keep herself from showing any signs of anxiety, yet before she knew it, fifteen minutes had passed, and Fu Ningyan had still not called.

Su Jiayan did not shy away, "There has never been such a clause in our agreement, so please, Third Young Master, do not expect me to flatter you like your other female companions."

As time passed minute by minute, there was still no sign of a call from Boss Zhao. Boss Zhao kept staring at the watch on his wrist, smiling with increasing satisfaction

Su Jiayan suddenly felt a headache; she had never dealt with such disputes before. As she watched everyone's emotions become increasingly agitated, fearing that it might escalate into a violent incident, she raised her voice and shouted: "Sir! Who is your supervisor? I would like to discuss this with him and have him make a decision, how about that?"

Su Jiayan held her phone, hesitating for a moment. Everyone was waiting for the result of the call, so she had no choice but to put the phone away and go inside.

Nie Junjun's face was filled with tears, and upon seeing her, he grabbed her arm and said urgently: "My dad... my dad is in trouble!"

Su Jiayan was momentarily speechless, and finally asked softly, "Then what does the Third Young Master want?"

I just don't want you to continue to make things difficult for Zhong Kai

The moment the ward door closed, Fu Ningyan smiled softly again, resting his head on his left arm, looking up at the ceiling, his gaze faint and slightly melancholic.

Until she walked out of the hospital gate, Su Jiayan's face was still slightly flushed with shame and anger. It seemed that she not only leaned her face forward but also insisted on being slapped hard to truly understand the pain.

The trench coat still carried the damp scent of rain. Su Jiayan looked up and noticed that the tips of his hair were also slightly wet. It was only when she got closer that she could hear his breathing was somewhat hurried—only fifteen minutes had passed from the hospital to here, clearly indicating he had come in a rush. Her emotions were momentarily complex.

Su Jiayan, however, was anxious and restless, as Fu Ningyan had not given a clear answer. She was merely betting on a fifty percent chance. Moreover, not long ago, they had experienced some discord, and Fu Ningyan had no reason to offend his subordinates for her or for a mere bricklayer

Indeed, it is Huang'an Real Estate, and it is the construction site of Qiyue River that has just commenced. Naturally, it is under the responsibility of Fu Ningyan, and she surprisingly had not considered this point.

Three Young Masters, I would like to ask you for a favor

The onlookers immediately began to plead for mercy, some pulling people away, including Boss Zhao, Nie Wu, and also Nie Junjun, creating a scene of utter chaos.

Well, Boss Zhao is indeed very magnanimous

I am a friend of Nie Wu, here to discuss matters regarding the steel pipes

Nie Junjun immediately called out in a hushed voice: "Dad..."

Boss Zhao's expression changed, yet he still smiled and said, "I did not know that this young lady is the girlfriend of the Third Young Master, my apologies."

Everyone momentarily halted their actions, and the man in the white shirt angrily broke free from the grip on his hand, saying, "Third Young Master of the Fu Family, if you have the ability, go negotiate with him yourself!"

The construction site was surrounded by steel plates, with the words "Huang'an Real Estate" printed on them. Due to the muddy ground, rainwater had caused mud to flow everywhere. The construction was halted during the rain, and various building materials were piled up in the vacant lot, with the foundation only half completed. Su Jiayan and Nie Junjun inquired along the way and finally found the workers' dormitory. The houses were all temporary structures, and as Su Jiayan and Nie Junjun passed by, they heard bursts of laughter, card playing, and shouting. The foreman's room was on the second floor, and as they ascended the stairs, they saw a room surrounded by a crowd, making it impossible to pass.

Fu Ningyan's gaze was heavy, fixated on her exceptionally clear eyes

Boss Zhao put away his phone, stood up, and laughed heartily, "Then I cannot be blamed."