A Substitute Bride With Multiple Identities
Chapter 73: Cold War

This great nephew of his actually dared to lay hands on him, his third uncle!

He was indeed his own uncle!

"It seems that third uncle is delighted, so happy that he can’t even speak," Fu Yanhe said, his pale slender hand idly twirling the jade ring on his thumb. "In light of third uncle’s happiness, Wu Fang, keep him company for a few more drinks."

Upon receiving the order, Wu Fang picked up a freshly opened bottle of liquor from the table and, under Fu Xiao’s horrified gaze, thrust the bottle into his mouth.

Fu Xiao struggled desperately, his face smeared with tears and snot: "Mmmph! Fu Yanhe! I am your third... third uncle mmmph!"

The young people around them, seeing Fu Yanhe’s fierce demeanor, grew even more frightened, drinking even more fiercely.

Shen Yanhe, sitting beside Fu Yanhe, blinked rapidly, her gaze fixed intently upon the disheveled Fu Xiao, a sense of satisfaction rising in her heart.

She had thought that Fu Yanhe would stand by his kin, never expecting that he would take revenge on her behalf.

But undeniably, seeing Fu Xiao in such a sorry state made her feel incredibly refreshed.

It was still not enough, though.

A flash of hatred quickly darted through Shen Yanhe’s eyes, and the emotions she had concealed finally leaked out a fraction.

A life for a life.

If it weren’t for Fu Xiao, her mother wouldn’t have died.

He too should pay with his life, only then would it be enough.

When Fu Yanhe sensed something and turned to look her way, Shen Yanhe quickly withdrew her gaze, lowering her eyes and sitting quietly beside him, as if the cruel scene before her had frightened her terribly.

But he knew, the person before him was no frail little bunny to be easily scared.

She was a demon in bunny’s clothing.

She was bold.

If she weren’t, she wouldn’t have dared to barge into a man’s room and even forced herself upon him.

Fu Yanhe said nothing, merely looking at her with deep meaning. Then he stretched out his hand, gently placing it over her hand resting on the armrest of the wheelchair.

It was as if he was comforting her.

Shen Yanhe’s hand trembled slightly, she didn’t pull away, quietly allowing his cool hand to grasp her delicate one.

God knows how long had passed when the several bottles of liquor on the table had been completely emptied.

Fu Xiao had returned to the country and wanted to make a night of it at the estate, preparing top-quality liquor with high alcohol content.

It was all drunk in one go, and many young people lay haphazardly on the ground, their heads spinning, unaware of the time.

No matter how good Fu Xiao’s alcohol tolerance was, after about eight bottles, he couldn’t hold on any longer. He slumped to the ground like a broken man, his face crimson, coughing violently, cursing intermittently: "Fu Yanhe, you... cough, cough, cough, may you not die a good death!"

"It seems that third uncle is very satisfied," Fu Yanhe said, looking down at Fu Xiao, who resembled a dog, his thin lips curving slightly. He then turned to Shen Yanhe and asked her silently.

"So, are you satisfied?"

Shen Yanhe’s eyelashes trembled slightly, she pursed her lips but said nothing.

Fu Yanhe didn’t say anything more, only withdrawing his hand from hers. He turned to Wu Fang and instructed, "Alright, Wu Fang, take third uncle back."

"And remind the people around third uncle that if he wants to continue drinking, they should accompany him for a few more bottles."

Wu Fang: "Yes."

The cursing Fu Xiao was picked up by Wu Fang like picking up a chick and taken away. The other youngsters did not wait for Fu Yanhe to urge them, staggering to their feet and running out, fearing that a moment’s delay would mean death at his hands.

Fu Yanhe did not take them into account, maneuvering his electric wheelchair to turn and leave, with Shen Yanhe silently following behind.

Once downstairs, the silent Fu Yanhe suddenly spoke up, "Tell me, why did you want to go to the back garden? Do you realize that if I hadn’t arrived in time, you would have been bullied by them?"

Fu Yanhe stopped the wheelchair and turned to look at Shen Yanhe who was following behind him, feeling a trace of irritation well up in his heart.

Shen Yanhe lifted her eyes to meet his deep, ink-like gaze. In that moment, she knew that Fu Yanhe didn’t believe the reason she had given earlier for coming to find him.

At this moment, Shen Yanhe felt an urge to tell Fu Yanhe everything about why she had come to the Fu Family and the enemy she wanted to take revenge on.

But she couldn’t.

Fu Yanhe could teach Fu Xiao a lesson because Fu Xiao had harassed her, and he felt his dignity had been challenged.

This was not the same as her wanting to take revenge on Fu Xiao and to see him in prison.

After all, Fu Yanhe was his own nephew, for one thing.

As the one in power of the Fu Family, Fu Yanhe would never let a scandal befall the Fu Family, let alone a scandal of a nephew personally sending his uncle to prison, for another thing.

She very clearly understood that no matter how much Fu Yanhe loathed the Fu Family members, he would likely maintain an appearance of peace on the surface.

Therefore, Shen Yanhe chose to remain silent.

Fu Yanhe watched her lower her gaze without speaking, his eyebrows furrowing tightly, his inner turmoil not diminishing but increasing.

He didn’t truly want Shen Yanhe to tell him her purpose for being there; he just wanted, from her own lips, to hear something different, not silence, not perfunctory responses.

Fu Yanhe composed himself and patiently observed Shen Yanhe sitting across from him, stubbornly silent, his gaze quite faint, "Shen Yanhe, I’m giving you one last chance."

"Tell me who you want to take down. I am your husband in name, and I will help you."

Shen Yanhe’s heart quivered, and her lips moved slightly, almost wanting to ask him.

If you knew that the person I want to take down is your relative, your third uncle, would you help me put him in prison?

Would you?

But she didn’t say anything, simply shrugged her shoulders at him and said in an easygoing tone, "You’re overthinking it. I don’t want to take down anyone. Didn’t you already teach the person who bullied me a lesson just now?"

Fu Yanhe looked at her, his gaze faint, his expression neutral, his thin lips slightly pursed, bringing a few degrees of chilliness. He didn’t continue talking to her and wheeled himself away.

Shen Yanhe, sensing his displeasure and feeling somewhat at a loss, followed him with her wheelchair and softly said, "Um, you need the second injection tonight, and I have to prescribe new medicine for you."

"Once my foot heals, I’ll also prepare medicine for your scar."

"Hmm," Fu Yanhe said indifferently, looking straight ahead without looking at her or snapping at her. It made Shen Yanhe feel somewhat uneasy.

Thinking about it, he had just stood up for her, and when he asked her what was going on, she hadn’t been able to tell him. From Fu Yanhe’s perspective, indeed she seemed ungrateful.

Shen Yanhe fidgeted with the armrest, carefully stealing glances at Fu Yanhe.

Fu Yanhe caught a glimpse of her from the corner of his eye but said nothing, only hastening the pace of his return to his room in the wheelchair.

Just as Shen Yanhe was about to follow him, the door to the room was slammed shut, nearly hitting her in the nose.

Shen Yanhe: "..."

She touched her nose and looked at the closed door, a hint of helplessness flashing in her cat-like eyes.

She didn’t feel right about barging directly into Fu Yanhe’s room, so she reluctantly wheeled herself back to her own room.

Shen Yanhe had thought that after Fu Xiao sobered up, he would come and make a scene with her and Fu Yanhe, but after he woke up from his drunkenness that evening, he didn’t make a single peep and hurriedly packed up his things and left.

It was said that he was going back to the old mansion.

Shen Yanhe didn’t rush to investigate Fu Xiao’s movements; right now, she had a bit of a headache.

Because Fu Yanhe had unilaterally started a cold war with her.