Don't force me to take action, you know what I'm capable of

  "You've already come, Fu Shangshang, next time learn from others properly. You should have at least half of Ya Li's femininity, and it's not just about handling a little uncle, I reckon you can handle ten of them with ease!"

  Soon, Song Yali sat down on the west side of the year.

  The two of them subconsciously looked up at each other, and because of the rain, Song Ya Li's hair had gotten some water on it. Yan Xi Gu took out a tissue and gently wiped it for her. The two people moved in perfect sync, a lovely sight to behold.

  That familiar feeling grew stronger, and a sentence was subconsciously asked, "Miss Song, haven't we met before?"

  Across from him, Song Ya Li's hand paused in stirring her coffee, a hint of surprise on her face.

  "That means we're fated to meet." Soon, she let out a light laugh and offered an explanation, "I've always lived abroad and I'm not even from C City, so it's unlikely that we've met before."

  The merchants nodded in agreement and did not delve deeper into it.

  It's just that recently, Fu Shangshang suddenly became more courteous and said, "Fu Shang, now I know that flattering you is still useful, next time I'll definitely give you a good gift!"

  "...He felt it was a waste of energy just exchanging a glance with him."

  Song Yali gives people a feeling of intimacy, that one stroke of existing familiarity easily touches the strings of memory, but what exactly it is, for the time being she can't give a clear answer.

  But indeed it is a good match.

  Song Ya Li and Nian Xi Gu were of the same age, two girls who were roughly the same age, they already had endless topics to talk about, plus Nian Xi Gu's intentional or unintentional drawing in, it was easy for them to hit it off.

  In the meantime, Xī Gù went out to answer a phone call.

  "Merchant, I heard from Xi Gu that you like his younger uncle?" Song Ya Li lowered her head and took a sip of coffee, suddenly asking her.

  Topic conversion.

  The merchant had not yet come back to his senses, and subconsciously raised his head. Across from him, Song Ya Li's eyes were slightly cast down, and for a moment, he couldn't make out the specific expression on her face.

  "Don't worry, I didn't mean anything else." Feeling a bit abrupt, Song Yali put down her cup and looked apologetic. "You also know the current situation between me and Xi Gu, I just wanted to see if there's anything I can help you with, which would also be helping myself, but if you don't want to talk about this topic, then let's not."

  It's indeed very sensitive.

  To be exact, she is extremely sensitive to the three words "Nian Mu Yao" nowadays.

  He felt even more helpless towards this person, having used up all his strength but still couldn't grasp him, and now they were even more estranged, to the point where their encounters had become sarcastic coincidences like that morning.

  She is really tired...

  "It doesn't matter, there's nothing that can't be said." The merchant also wanted to make things clear with her, so as not to waste his efforts in helping her, "I do like him, and I still do now. But never mind, don't bother helping me anymore. Now I feel that no matter what method is used to pursue Yan Mu Yao, it's all futile, it doesn't belong to me, wasting my energy, up until now I've only gotten a moment of empty joy."

  "Since you like him, why not try a bit harder?" Song Yali deliberately probed, her face expressionless. "As far as I know, Xi Gu's uncle is still single. Have you figured out what position you are in his heart? Little niece or ambiguous?"

  The little niece is still ambiguous...

  Shang Shang was a bit dazed, in fact, both of these are hard to define her relationship with Yan Mu Yao.

  To be exact, from start to finish, it was all her own doing, muddled and careless, while Yan Mu Yao was like a spectator in the audience, watching the whole scene unfold with a sense of detachment.

  Neither a little niece nor an ambiguous relationship.

  Many people are just slightly different from strangers, or she is just a task given to him by Nian Jinsheng.

  That's all.

  "What's wrong?" Seeing her daze, Song Yalai waved his hand in front of her eyes.

  She came back to herself, coughed dryly and raised her head. "Thanks for your good intentions in trying to help me, but he never had me in his heart. This much I've only just realized from start to finish."

  "Alright..."

  Song Yali felt relieved in her heart, but on her face was a look of wanting to speak yet stopping herself.

  Shang Shang sensed her concern and explained, "Don't worry, I won't intervene between you and Nian Xi just because of this. For now, it's just an engagement, even if we can't escape, we'll just go through the motions. Once Grandfather recovers, we'll explain everything clearly to him."

  Upon hearing this, Song Yaoli finally felt at ease, "Shang Shang, you're really great."

  They soon parted ways with Song Ya Li.

  Nian Xi sent Song Ya Li back home in the morning and came over again in the afternoon to pick up Nian Jin Cheng from the hospital together.

  Shang Shang had nowhere to go, hesitated for a moment, and still went to Yan Jinsheng's ward.

  "What's wrong?" Just entering the door, Yan Jin saw that she was alone and subconsciously frowned.

  The shopkeeper's footsteps paused for a moment, and he smiled somewhat awkwardly. "He has some things to take care of, I'll come back later to escort you out of the hospital together."

  "What's wrong? Hmph! What could he possibly have going on?" Upon hearing this, Yan Jinsheng's face immediately fell, "Shang Yaotou, you'd better tell Grandfather the truth, did he go see that little girl surnamed Song again?!"

  "No." Merchant shook his head subconsciously, wanting to explain but couldn't muster up the enthusiasm.

  To be honest, Nian Jinsheng has made up his mind about this matter. Moreover, both she and Nian Xigu have a history of this kind of thing. Even if she were to speak eloquently, he probably wouldn't believe her anyway.

  The more you say, the more mistakes you make.

  She understands this principle.

  Getting more and more tired...

  In the past, when he was with Jin Sheng, he loved her as much as his own granddaughter, and sometimes even Jin Xi would feel jealous.

  Businessmen cherish this relationship, but now it has become a pattern of mutual suspicion, which is very powerless.

  Seeing her suddenly silent and distracted, Yan Jin's eyebrows furrowed even deeper, his voice already displeased. "Shang Feitou, be honest with Grandfather, are you and Xi Guo plotting again to ruin the engagement?"

  What did she say?

  Will he believe it if I say so?

  "Grandpa, it's really not like you said..."

  The merchant was somewhat annoyed but didn't dare show it, his mind a jumbled mess, just as Shen Tinghua happened to come in from outside.

  "What's wrong with you? I heard you yelling from far away. Shen Jinsheng, can't you be more aware of yourself? Have you forgotten what the doctor just told you? You're not supposed to get angry now!" Shen Tinghua scolded him as soon as she came up.

  She just filled a bowl of soup for him, "Drink it yourself!"

  She put away the other food in her hands one by one, ignored him, pulled Shang Shang to sit down, "Come on, let's eat."

  It was supposed to be dinner, but Shang Shang ate somewhat perfunctorily.

  The atmosphere in the ward was eerie, and Shen Tinghua's presence made Yan Jincheng refrain from speaking again.

  He couldn't hide the suspicion in his eyes, hastily ate a few mouthfuls, put down his chopsticks, "I'm done eating."

  Shen Tinghe took in her restless appearance, gazing at the direction of Nian Jinxiang, intentionally sending her away. "Mm, go take a look if your grandfather's test results are out yet. It's best to head back home early, this place is making me nauseous from the smell of disinfectant."

  "Good." The merchant was overjoyed and got up to leave.

  ————

  Out of the ward, walking to the corner of the corridor, Shang Shang only then realized that he had no idea where to go to get that so-called test result...

  Can only go back once more...

  "Looking back, I reminded you, it's better to cut off your relationship with Song Ya Li early."

  Just as he was about to turn around, a cold and clear voice came from the corner, and Shang's footsteps subconsciously stopped.

  It's Mu Yao!

  He disagreed with Nian Xi Gu and Song Ya Li's matter, why?

  "Why break off? Young uncle, you know that my engagement with Fu Shangshang is just a show. If Grandfather weren't in this state now, I would definitely resist to the end." Nian Xiguo subconsciously argued back, his voice also cold, "Young uncle, I really don't understand you. It seems like you're taking Fu Shangshang's side, but you clearly know that she and I are not each other's ideal match."

  Then silence.

  After a while, Yan Mu Yao's eyebrows were tightly furrowed, insisting, "In short, even if it wasn't Fu Shang Shang, your good match would never be Song Ya Li!"

  "Little uncle, what if I say no?" Nian Xi Gu looked at him coldly, his voice puzzled. "I thought you of all people in the Nian family would understand what's on my mind. Back then when I changed majors, you helped me keep it a secret and I'm grateful for that. Over the years, my father has been entrusting you with handling my affairs, and I've always respected you. But little uncle, this one thing, I won't listen to you."

  His breathing was slightly unstable, and he paused for a moment before adjusting himself. "Firstly, my feelings for Yalai are not just for play; otherwise, I wouldn't have brought her back to the Yan family. Secondly, Fushang has someone else in her heart, and now that we're engaged, it's hard to guarantee that Grandfather won't fall ill again and force me into marriage. If I were really with her, this marriage would be doomed from the start, with each of us having our own attachments. I don't understand why you're being so cruel when even Grandfather is being stubborn, and Fushang has done so much that even I, an outsider, can't help but be moved."

  Finally, he continued to persuade him, "Young uncle, even if you don't have feelings for Fu Shangshang, at least you should give her the opportunity to choose who to love in the future, instead of ruthlessly pushing her into an unfortunate abyss like this."

  "This has nothing to do with Fu Shangshang!" Yan Muyao suddenly spoke up, his voice almost a low growl with anger. After a moment, his tone turned even colder. "Yan Xiguo, your engagement with Fu Shangshang was already set in stone from the moment she entered the Yan family. Whether or not to get married later is not for you to decide. All discordant factors must be eliminated as soon as possible, such as... Song Yali!"

  In an instant, without waiting for him to retort, he continued, "Besides, what I'm discussing with you now is that Song Ya Li is absolutely not suitable for you. If you still persist in your obstinacy, I have plenty of ways to make you give up on her!"

  Before leaving, he warned him for the last time, "Xi Gu, you know me, so don't force me to take action!"