Substitute Bride to the Crippled Billionaire
Chapter 48: Do You Really Want a Child?

Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Do You Really Want a Child?

Fu Yihan picked up the milk and said nonchalantly, "Once I’m done drinking, take it away."

She was no servant!

"Oh."

Fu Yihan drank the milk neither too quickly nor too slowly, one sip at a time, without pausing, yet the milk seemed endless.

As the bottom of the glass became visible, Fu Yihan lifted his hand.

Su Qingnuan quickly reached out, took the milk glass, and turned to leave.

"Bring in some fruit."

Su Qingnuan froze in her tracks at the doorway and turned to glance at Fu Yihan. He was still facing away from her, looking completely at ease.

"...Alright."

After returning the empty glass to the kitchen, Su Qingnuan retrieved some fruit and brought it upstairs.

"Knock knock knock—"

No response.

He had just been inside—now he wasn’t?

Su Qingnuan tentatively pushed the door, not expecting it to open so easily.

As the door swung inward, a pale hand came into view, followed by the rest of the figure.

"Fu Yihan?"

Su Qingnuan hurriedly set the items down and rushed over to support Fu Yihan.

His entire body was burning hot, his face alarmingly flushed.

"Fu Yihan?" Su Qingnuan patted his cheek and frowned. "How are you feeling?"

Fu Yihan kept his eyes closed, his teeth clenched, and remained silent.

"I’ll go get the doctor!"

Su Qingnuan leaned him against the side of the bed and promptly got up to dash out.

But as soon as she stood, her right hand was suddenly grabbed, pulling her back down.

She ended up half-laying on Fu Yihan, feeling the blistering heat radiating from his body.

The hand holding her showed no intention of letting go and gripped her tightly.

Su Qingnuan winced from the pain, frowning as she tried to pry his hand loose.

"Relax, I’m going to find a doctor!" Su Qingnuan said anxiously.

Yet her struggles only made him grip her harder.

"Don’t move!"

The low and husky voice instantly froze Su Qingnuan in place.

When she looked up, Fu Yihan had already opened his eyes.

However, his eyes were bloodshot, as though suppressing something.

"What’s wrong with you?" Su Qingnuan asked nervously. "I’ll go get the doctor."

Fu Yihan stared at her, his expression unreadable.

Under Su Qingnuan’s worried gaze, he suddenly leaned toward her.

"Hey, hey, hey?" Su Qingnuan exclaimed as she fell back in confusion.

Fu Yihan’s arm braced on both sides of her shoulders, towering over her.

"Su Qingnuan, do you want a child so badly?"

"...What?" Su Qingnuan asked, utterly perplexed. "What child?"

"Still pretending?" Fu Yihan sneered coldly, his body inching closer. "Fine then, since you want it so much, I’ll..."

As he approached, his heated breath brushed against Su Qingnuan’s cheeks.

"No! Fu Yihan, what are you doing? I—mmph..."

Su Qingnuan’s eyes widened, staring at the face that had abruptly come so close, her brain fogging up in confusion.

The lack of oxygen to her mind made her lose any sense of judgment.

What was she doing now?

Shouldn’t she be pushing him away? Why was her body limp and powerless?

Suddenly, Su Qingnuan snapped out of it.

She shoved him off with a jolt and scrambled to the side in a panic.

Rolling to the wall, she steadied herself against it and stood up.

Looking down, she realized her clothes had unknowingly become disheveled.

Clutching her collar tightly, Su Qingnuan lowered her head. "I’m going to find a doctor."

With that, she bolted out of the room.

Fu Yihan lay on the floor, his bloodshot eyes growing darker.

He stared silently at the ceiling and suddenly let out a chuckle.

"Miscalculated..."

...

Su Qingnuan returned with Ah Qi to find Fu Yihan lying motionless on the ground.

Ah Qi entered the room and helped Fu Yihan up.

"Aside from you, who else knows?" Fu Yihan asked with his eyes closed.

His fists clenched tightly, veins protruding.

Ah Qi frowned, glanced at Su Qingnuan, and responded softly, "Eldest Young Master, Eldest Young Mistress didn’t alarm anyone else."

"Hmm." Fu Yihan nodded slowly. "Push me to the bathroom."

Following Fu Yihan’s instructions, Ah Qi moved him to the bathroom before retreating.

"How is he?" Su Qingnuan asked nervously.

Ah Qi didn’t answer before the sound of running water came from the shower.

"Eldest Young Mistress, you should rest for now," Ah Qi said.

When he spoke, his head was turned away, avoiding looking at Su Qingnuan directly.

Su Qingnuan simply murmured "Okay," turned, and went back to her room.

As she sat on the bed, Su Qingnuan looked down and noticed her neckline had somehow opened up.

No wonder Ah Qi had spoken with his head sideways earlier, deliberately avoiding eye contact.

Su Qingnuan gritted her teeth and quickly changed her clothes.

This was bad. Ah Qi definitely knew what had happened between them...

Fu Yihan’s condition clearly stemmed from something he consumed.

But what could he have eaten in the brief moments upstairs and downstairs?

Suddenly, Su Qingnuan sat upright.

Milk...

Earlier, Fu Yihan had asked her, "Do you want a child so badly?"

If it was the milk...

Su Qingnuan covered her face and buried herself under the blanket.

The milk had come from Old Master Fu—it couldn’t possibly be him who’d drugged it, could it?

Now even jumping into the Yellow River wouldn’t wash her clean!

This night was destined to be sleepless.

She barely managed to drift off when the loud knocking on the door startled her awake again.

Groggily climbing out of bed, Su Qingnuan opened the door in her sleepwear.

Standing outside was the exuberant Old Master Fu, his face beaming.

"Yuerou! Why is it you who’s up?" Old Master Fu’s meaningful gaze roved over her, finally stopping at the corner of Su Qingnuan’s mouth.

"Huh?" Su Qingnuan asked, puzzled. "Grandpa, why are you up so early?"

"Grandpa’s here to call you both for breakfast!" Old Master Fu waved his hands and said matter-of-factly, "And maybe get some exercise while we’re at it."

His gaze shifted away, and he added, "If you two are too tired, you don’t have to get up. I’ll save you some food."

With that, he turned and left.

Watching his brisk departure, Su Qingnuan felt inexplicably confused.

Closing the door, Su Qingnuan turned around.

"Ah!"

The person suddenly appearing behind her startled Su Qingnuan, causing her to bump into the door.

Fu Yihan’s face remained steady as he frowned. "What are you doing?"

"Just..." Su Qingnuan lowered her gaze, cautiously pointed at the door, and said, "Grandpa just came knocking."

"What did he say?"

"He asked us to go down for breakfast."

"Hmm."

The conversation came to an abrupt end, and the atmosphere turned awkward.

Su Qingnuan fiddled with the hem of her clothes, twisting it repeatedly.

Seeing her nearly distort the fabric, Fu Yihan frowned slightly. "Why are you still standing there? Aren’t you going to change before coming down to eat?"

"...I’ll change!"

With that, she turned back to her room.

Watching her flee, Fu Yihan’s gaze deepened.

After taking her time to change, Su Qingnuan cautiously opened her door a crack, peered outside, and only stepped out when she confirmed no one was there.

...

That day, Old Master Fu was in high spirits, chatting cheerfully at the dining table.