Chapter Forty-Two: You Like Her

On the way back, Fu Yiqing made a special stop at the florist to buy a bouquet of flowers.

Shu Ran’s heart grew heavier.

He even bought flowers—she was probably out of the running for real this time.

Fu Yiqing caught sight of Shu Ran’s expressive face and, pretending to be casual, explained, “It’s just etiquette.”

Shu Ran responded, “Hmm?”

Fu Yiqing said, “When visiting someone’s home, it’s common etiquette in many foreign countries to bring flowers for the hostess.”

So that was it.

Shu Ran’s dark eyes glittered, a smile threatening to break free—wasn’t Fu Yiqing just explaining himself to her? Still, she only responded with a nonchalant “Oh” on the surface.

As Fu Yiqing pressed the doorbell, Shu Ran suddenly realized she had truly come to Lin Jiahui’s home.

Never mind whether Fu Yiqing’s earlier words sounded like he was clarifying that he and Lin Jiahui had nothing between them—even if they did, would he need to explain himself to her?

Shu Ran was already caught in a whirlwind of wild conjecture.

By usual narrative tropes, someone with Lin Jiahui’s background would feign gentleness and generosity, flirt with the male lead behind the scenes, drive the heroine mad with jealousy, and force her to storm out in anger.

Was this how it was going to go?

Shu Ran decided she couldn’t afford to be timid, nor could she lose face. After all, she was Fu Yiqing’s only student—the title alone was enough to give her a cameo in any TV drama.

She straightened her back, took a deep breath, and braced herself for battle.

The door swung open abruptly.

A handsome face, tall stature, and broad chest—everything about the man radiated the allure of maturity.

He greeted Fu Yiqing warmly with a hug, “Barrow, long time no see!”

Fu Yiqing wore a polite smile, shook his hand, and patted his back lightly. “Indeed, it’s been a while, Andrew.”

Shu Ran’s gaze lingered on Andrew, not moving for a long moment.

Andrew finally turned to look at her. “Is this your student, Barrow?”

Fu Yiqing smiled, signaling Shu Ran to introduce herself. “After all this English practice, let’s see how you do now.”

Fu Yiqing often spoke English with Shu Ran. As long as the speech wasn’t too fast, she could manage just fine—even if left abroad alone, she’d find her way home in one piece, wouldn’t she?

Still, Shu Ran was somewhat stunned by the scene before her.

Could someone please explain what was going on? Why was there a man in Lin Jiahui’s home?

In TV dramas, wasn’t this the setup for the secondary female character trying to make the male lead jealous?

Still in a daze, Shu Ran was nudged by Fu Yiqing’s elbow, finally snapping back to reality. She nervously wiped the sweat from her palm and reached out, “Um... I’m Shu Ran, nice to meet you.”

Andrew’s smile widened at her flustered demeanor, and he shook her hand in return. “You really are just as my wife described. Don’t be nervous, I’m not my wife, and I won’t be testing your figure skating skills.”

He spoke slowly and kindly.

It took Shu Ran a few seconds to process his words, her expression shifting several times.

Wife—he meant wife, right? Or could it mean something else?

Shu Ran could hardly believe her ears. She had been bracing herself for heartbreak, only to discover that Lin Jiahui was nothing more than a rival in her imagination—the woman was already married!

Amused and exasperated by her own wild assumptions, Shu Ran managed to suppress her laughter, feeling a bit embarrassed by Andrew’s words.

They stepped inside just as Lin Jiahui emerged from the kitchen with a dish in hand. Her eyes curved even more when they landed on Shu Ran.

Fu Yiqing took off his coat, and Lin Jiahui hung it on the rack by the door.

Fu Yiqing then handed over the bouquet he had just bought.

Lin Jiahui accepted it with a gracious smile, and the flowers in her arms only accentuated her mature elegance.

At the dining table, Andrew and Lin Jiahui, mindful of Shu Ran’s English skills, thoughtfully slowed their speech to about eighty percent of normal speed. Shu Ran managed to follow along well enough to communicate smoothly.

In their conversation, they shared the whole story of how they fell in love and got married.

Andrew was Canadian, while Lin Jiahui was American.

Figure skating had brought them together.

Both had been figure skating athletes. They met at a celebratory banquet after a challenger’s competition—just a few words at first. Lin Jiahui hadn’t thought much of Andrew, despite his impressive looks; after all, most figure skaters were quite attractive.

But Andrew was different; for him, it was love at first sight.

At subsequent banquets, Lin Jiahui began to notice how often she ran into Andrew. At first, she thought it was just coincidence, but when the meetings became too frequent to ignore, she realized she herself had grown fond of him.

A clever woman wouldn’t have given herself away, but just then, Lin Jiahui injured her leg in a fall. Andrew, who had already finished his performance, gave up the evening’s exhibition skate to stay by her side through her darkest days.

The two of them supported each other for years. Andrew retired to coach at a Canadian figure skating club, while Lin Jiahui became a coach herself, eventually training Olympic champion Yuancang Yu.

As they recounted their past, their fingers remained entwined. When moved, their eyes sparkled with happiness; sensing the other’s emotion, they would turn and share a warm smile.

Shu Ran felt both fortunate for their meeting and envious of their bond.

No words were needed; a glance or a gesture was enough to convey understanding.

Resting her chin in her hand, Shu Ran watched the affectionate couple, her eyes shining and an involuntary smile blossoming on her lips.

Then Lin Jiahui turned, her gaze locking on Shu Ran. She tossed out a topic.

“Shu Ran, I imagine many boys must like you?”

Shu Ran shook her head almost without thinking.

Her clear eyes, natural expression, and quick reaction left the couple genuinely surprised.

Andrew turned to his wife, amazement in his smile. “Unbelievable!”

“Maybe you just don’t realize it,” Lin Jiahui pressed on with a smile. “What about you? Do you have a crush on any athlete, or like any boy?”

Shu Ran was about to sneak a glance at Fu Yiqing, then remembered that, given his age, he probably didn’t count as a ‘boy.’

So she shook her head again, looking as composed as ever.

Her forthrightness left the couple hard-pressed to tease anything more out of her.

Andrew shrugged, full of disbelief. “You’re lying—I don’t believe it. Haven’t you ever thought any athlete looked handsome?”

Now that he mentioned it...

Shu Ran thought for a moment. Seeing the couple’s disappointed expressions, she nodded, and their eyes lit up again.

“Yuancang Yu.”

Lin Jiahui frowned slightly. “Are you sure? You’re not just saying that because I’m his coach, are you?”

Shu Ran shook her head. “I’ve watched Yuancang Yu perform on TV. I think he’s truly amazing on the ice—and very handsome too.”

She spoke the truth. The moment she saw him in a live broadcast, she was utterly captivated by his presence on the ice. Yuancang Yu wasn’t only outstanding in looks; his performance was the real reason.

His technical skill and artistic expression had both reached extraordinary heights.

Every figure skater deserved admiration, but if she had to pick one she admired most, it was Yuancang Yu.

Lin Jiahui said proudly, “Would you like to meet him? I can introduce you.”

“Is that really okay?” Shu Ran asked, a little embarrassed but unable to hide her eagerness. “Really?”

The two women turned toward each other, excitement rising as their discussion began.

Andrew watched his wife indulgently. Occasionally, he would glance up and notice Fu Yiqing sitting with a glass of wine, sipping absentmindedly, his expression less than cheerful. Andrew asked, “Barrow?”

“Hmm?”

Andrew smiled shyly. “You seem... preoccupied?”

Fu Yiqing gave a formulaic smile. “Not at all.”

After dinner, Andrew washed the dishes in the kitchen.

Lin Jiahui led Shu Ran to a room to look at photos of Yuancang Yu. Shu Ran was as excited as any ordinary fan.

After all, idolizing someone was a common instinct in modern life. Even a casual observer would get excited if a celebrity appeared nearby, let alone a young woman like Shu Ran. Yuancang Yu was the “Ice Prince” in the eyes of figure skating fans. The moment Lin Jiahui mentioned she had treasured photos, Shu Ran eagerly followed her.

On the television, the leads of a drama were quarreling; the lively atmosphere in the living room was only on the surface. Fu Yiqing sat silently on the sofa, staring at the screen, but his mind seemed far away.

Hearing footsteps, he looked toward the room, only to meet Lin Jiahui’s eyes. She gave him a faint smile and turned back to the television.

Her gaze remained enigmatic. Carrying a plate of sliced fruit into the room, she soon returned and met his eyes again.

She walked over, picked up a pack of cigarettes from the coffee table, took one out, and offered it to Fu Yiqing, looking down at him.

Fu Yiqing declined. “You know I don’t smoke.”

She reversed the cigarette, put it between her own lips, and handed him another. “No smoking in the living room. Let’s talk outside.”

Sensing her intent was conversation rather than smoking, he took the cigarette and followed her onto the balcony.

Lin Jiahui closed the sliding glass door behind them. The curling smoke lent her an air of mysterious elegance.

Her usual intellect softened; a hint of mischief twinkled in her upturned eyes.

She folded one arm, smirking wryly. “You like her, don’t you?”

Fu Yiqing froze, then looked away.

Lin Jiahui thought he was going to deny it and was about to tease him further, but his tone cut her off. “Yes.”

The flame nibbled away at the cigarette. The two held each other’s gaze, the scene frozen in time.

Lin Jiahui stared at Fu Yiqing for a long while. Seeing he had nothing more to add, and noticing the unprecedented seriousness on his face, she struggled to recover herself.

All her teasing words faded away. She stubbed out her cigarette in a flowerpot, frowning.

It was hard to tell if her tone was pleased or displeased.

“Fu Yiqing, you really have surprised me.”