A Substitute Bride With Multiple Identities
Chapter 156: I Understand You are Getting Older

Chapter 156: Chapter 156: I Understand You are Getting Older

Su Lan, who had intentionally ignored Shen Yanhe, suddenly froze her smile.

However, within a few seconds, she recovered and looked Shen Yanhe over with a smile, a hint of apology on her face, "Look at me, I really didn’t see clearly just now."

"I even thought for a moment you were some maid brought in to push Yanhe’s wheelchair! I am truly sorry about that."

The expression on Fu Yanhe’s face quickly faded.

Shen Yanhe lowered her long, thick eyelashes and gently responded with an elegant smile, "It’s okay, your age affects your vision, I understand."

An insinuation that Su Lan was old.

Su Lan’s complexion changed, slightly displeased.

Before she could speak, Xia Tingyuan, who had been watching the scene with a stern face, pulled her aside, "Enough, what does it look like, blocking the doorway and talking like this?"

Xia Tingyuan turned to Fu Yanhe, his square face squeezing out a smile, "Yanhe, let’s go inside first; the old master has been waiting for you a long time."

Fu Yanhe, cool and indifferent, hummed and, taking Shen Yanhe’s hand, wheeled her into the hall.

After they had left, Xia Tingyuan finally let go of the displeased Su Lan and reprimanded her in a low voice, "What were you doing just now?"

"Don’t you know that the Fu Family is holding back from breaking ties with us only because of the old master? I can’t afford to please them enough, and yet you dared to provoke him?"

Su Lan’s face was filled with repressed frustration, looking wronged, "Wasn’t I just sticking up for Ranran? Besides, I was just talking, not going to actually do anything to her."

"Sticking up?" Xia Tingyuan scoffed coldly, "Had you not thought that Fu Yanhe, disfigured and disabled, was unworthy of Ranran and obstinately sought to break off the engagement, would things have turned out this way?"

Thinking how a perfectly good situation had deteriorated, Xia Tingyuan could not help but curse, "Short-sighted fool!"

"I don’t care how wronged you feel now, show some respect to Mr. Fu Yanhe’s wife! If you upset Fu Yanhe, you will ruin the Xia Family!"

Scolded, Su Lan was seething inside, clearly remembering that Xia Tingyuan had agreed when they broke off the engagement back then — now he was shifting all the blame onto her!

But she didn’t dare utter a word.

After all, the Xia Family’s current situation was indeed not good, and inviting Fu Yanhe to the old master’s birthday party was also meant to mend their families’ relations.

If they really irritated Fu Yanhe, the downfall of the Xia Family would merely be a matter of time.

After taking a deep breath, Su Lan turned away from Xia Tingyuan without arguing and forced a smile to greet the guests.

-

Upon entering the villa’s hall, a maid led Fu Yanhe and Shen Yanhe to the study on the third floor and opened the door.

The two entered the room, accompanied by Wu Fang who was carrying gifts.

The study was decorated in an ancient and fragrant style, with smoke curling up and various porcelain antiques displayed on a museum rack against the wall.

Standing beside the rosewood desk, a slender elderly man in a black Tang suit was holding a brush, writing.

Xia Ran stood beside him, dressed in a champagne-colored, floor-length cheongsam, her long hair pinned up with a wooden hairpin, looking particularly elegant and refined.

The sound of the door opening startled the two of them.

Xia Tairan turned around, and seeing Fu Yanhe and Shen Yanhe approaching, he smiled heartily, "Ah, Yanhe is here."

"Happy birthday, Grandfather Xia. May your fortune be as boundless as the East Sea and your life as enduring as the mountains of the South," Fu Yanhe said, eyes relaxing slightly and a gentle smile appearing on his face as he took the modestly wrapped box from Wu Fang and handed it to him.

"This is my birthday gift to you."

Xia Tairan laughed heartily, taking the gift, "This is actually the first gift I’ve received today; you are considerate."

The two exchanged pleasantries for a moment.

Shen Yanhe stood politely to the side, listening while Xia Ran stared intently at the barely visible scars on Fu Yanhe’s face.

She was utterly shocked.

After so many days apart, it was only now that she noticed Fu Yanhe’s scars had almost healed!

The face that had once been marred by ugly scars had now returned to the handsome appearance she remembered.

Xia Ran gently bit her lip, her cheeks blushing faintly.

Years had passed, yet she still found her heart racing at the sight of that face.

A flicker of hope rose in her heart.

If today’s plan went smoothly and she could become Fu Yanhe’s woman, would he cherish and treat her well as he had before?

While Xia Ran was lost in her thoughts.

Xia Tairan looked affectionately at Shen Yanhe, who stood beside Fu Yanhe, and asked with a chuckle, "Is this young lady your wife? Won’t you introduce her to this old man?"

Fu Yanhe smiled and, holding Shen Yanhe’s hand, introduced her again, "This is my wife, Shen Yanhe."

Shen Yanhe slightly bowed to the elder Xia, poised and graceful, "Hello, Grandfather Xia."

"Ah, good child!" Xia Tairan looked at them with a face full of contentment and sighed with satisfaction, "The thing your grandfather worried about the most when he passed was your marriage. Now that you have found the right partner, he can rest peacefully."

Fu Yanhe smiled and remained silent.

Xia Tairan didn’t want to dwell on the topic either.

After all, the Xia Family had not acted honorably regarding this marriage in the past.

That Fu Yanhe did not pursue the matter further was already very magnanimous of him.

"Alright, alright, go out and have fun. Don’t stay here with this old man," Xia Tairan said, looking at Xia Ran who stood next to the desk, staring straight at Fu Yanhe without saying a word, sighed internally, and waved his hand at Fu Yanhe.

"Go enjoy the banquet hall."

Fu Yanhe nodded slightly and walked away with Shen Yanhe.

Seeing them leave the study, Xia Ran could no longer contain herself and hurried after them, "Grandfather, I’ll show them the way."

Without waiting for Xia Tairan to respond, Xia Ran ran out of the study to catch up with Fu Yanhe and Shen Yanhe.

Xia Tairan opened his mouth, shook his head resignedly, "This child, well, let her be."

He was old now, no longer able to control her.

-

As Xia Ran exited the study, she saw Fu Yanhe and Shen Yanhe turning a corner in the hallway and quickly called out, "Ah... Mr. Fu."

Fu Yanhe and Shen Yanhe both looked at her.

Fu Yanhe’s brows were slightly furrowed, his gaze icy, "Is there something?"

Meeting his icy gaze, Xia Ran’s heart trembled; the fear of being abducted by his men resurfaced.

She pinched the palm of her hand, forcibly suppressing the fear inside her, and said with a smile, "Grandfather asked me to show you the way."

Since it was Elder Xia’s request, Fu Yanhe found it difficult to refuse.

But he didn’t agree immediately.

Fu Yanhe turned his head to look at Shen Yanhe, gently squeezed the soft, white hand he held, and asked with a gentle voice, "Do you need her?"

The stark difference in his demeanor stung Xia Ran’s heart.

She couldn’t help but gaze at Shen Yanhe, her look particularly dark.

Shen Yanhe noticed the gaze fixed on her, her red lips slightly curved up, she raised her eyes to Xia Ran, and elegantly smiled, "Then we’ll trouble Miss Xia."

From her few encounters with Xia Ran.

Xia Ran’s proactive approach surely meant no good.

She was eager to see what Xia Ran was really up to this time.

The pressure Xia Ran applied to her palm increased, her smile almost faltering, but she managed to brighten it, "No trouble at all, follow me."