Chapter 44: Wherever I Go, She Follows

In the early morning, Fu Juxing woke her, carrying her into the bathroom and settling her on the washstand. Lin Wanbai, eyes still closed and brows furrowed, looked utterly drowsy. She tilted her head, disgruntled, and said, "I haven't slept enough yet."

"You can nap in the car for a while, and when we get to the office, I have a lounge; you can sleep there," he said gently, as if coaxing a child.

Lin Wanbai opened one eye, scrutinized his serious face, and said, "Do you really have to take me to the office with you?"

"Yes," he nodded. He reached out to turn on the faucet, waiting for the water to warm, then squeezed toothpaste onto a brush and handed it to her. "Will you do it yourself, or shall I help you?"

After a moment’s thought, Lin Wanbai took the toothbrush herself. "I don't want to go."

He pretended not to hear, watching as she brushed her teeth at her own slow pace, then handed her a cup to rinse. Afterward, he washed her face.

He practically guided her through every step, and while she used the bathroom, he washed up himself.

By the time they finished, the doorbell rang right on cue.

Liang Xi arrived with clothes for both of them—Lin Wanbai’s outfit was stylish and beautiful, just her usual taste.

Once dressed, Lin Wanbai remained reluctant as they went together for breakfast in the hotel restaurant before heading out to the company.

"It’ll take about half an hour to get there. You can catch up on some sleep," he said.

Lin Wanbai sulked, "Sleep, my foot."

"You could lie down with your head on my lap."

"Sleep, my foot," she retorted, turning to the window and closing her eyes, suppressing a smile. She mustn't seem too happy, or it would give her away at a glance. She needed to look aggrieved, like she was being forced into this.

She drew in a deep breath, smoothing away the trace of a smile that threatened her lips. The sky outside was overcast; there was no sun today.

She cleared her throat and said, "I want to go see Han Chen."

He gave no reply, as if he hadn't heard her. But Lin Wanbai wasn’t really seeking his permission—she was only informing him.

At the company, she entered with him; it was her second time there.

The company was named Ju Wan, a blend of the middle characters of their names. He hadn’t consulted anyone when registering it, simply chose those two characters. When Lin Wanbai saw the name, she felt it sounded a little odd, not quite fitting.

Other companies had bright, sonorous names, pleasant to the ear and meaningful.

But this name’s only significance was that it combined their names. As the first company Fu Juxing founded, it showed just how important Lin Wanbai was to him.

Of course, in most people’s eyes, this was just natural—after all, pleasing one’s wife, especially when she was also the primary investor, was only to be expected.

Inside, she noticed the company’s name had been slightly altered from what she remembered, the font more elegant now.

By the time they arrived, several employees were already at work. Their entrance drew many gazes. Lin Wanbai met them with composure, returning their stares with a smile.

The company was modest, occupying just one floor in an office building; they didn’t yet have their own headquarters. But someday, Ju Wan would certainly become the most eye-catching name in North City.

Once in the office, Fu Juxing took her to the lounge. The setup was simple: a bed, a sofa, and a table—nothing else.

"I’ve asked someone to bring you a laptop and prepared some snacks. If there’s anything you want, just tell me and I’ll have it arranged. Your workstation is being set up and will be ready tomorrow," Fu Juxing said.

"You can’t expect me to follow you everywhere for the rest of your life," Lin Wanbai protested.

He ignored her, "Aren't you tired? You can sleep for a while."

He was resolute. In short, as long as she was under his watchful eye, she wouldn’t be able to escape.

Lin Wanbai nodded, "Fine, I’ll rest for a bit."

She sat down at the edge of the bed.

Fu Juxing stayed with her for a while before leaving for work.

Not long after, Liang Xi brought the laptop and some snacks, neatly arranging them for her. "Madam, is there anything else you need?"

Lin Wanbai looked down at her phone, waved her hand, and Liang Xi tactfully withdrew.

She browsed Weibo for a while; the official account of S University had already issued a clarification, praising Lin Wanbai for her assistance.

They credited her with saving a promising young man. If it hadn’t been for her intervention, Han Chen would have had no future.

That was no exaggeration; Lin Wanbai truly had done a good deed.

So all those photos the reporters took before were simply of her visiting Han Chen, wishing to keep things low-key—never expecting such public attention.

The article posted by S University was emotive, accompanied by photos of Lin Wanbai and Han Chen interacting amicably, presenting them as nothing more than benefactor and beneficiary. Given their similar ages, it was only natural they might become friends.

Many reporters loved to take things out of context, capturing suggestive photos. The article condemned such conduct, asserting that unscrupulous journalists disgraced their profession.

It urged the public not to follow the herd, to think for themselves, and to refrain from commenting on matters they did not fully understand.

Lin Wanbai read the article carefully from start to finish; it was well written, without a single flaw.

There were many comments, of course, some negative voices as well. That was only to be expected—wealth was original sin, and conspiracy theorists speculated that the PR was just Lin Wanbai trying to salvage her reputation.

As she scrolled through Weibo, she suddenly noticed a new post from her own account.

A single photo, and one word: "Good."

The photo showed her asleep in bed, clearly taken by Fu Juxing—half his face was visible, lips curved in a faint smile. It was shot at night, a bit blurry, but his features were still discernible.

The photo was undeniably intimate.

She had never flaunted her relationship on her own Weibo, rarely even mentioning Fu Juxing. Her account focused on charity and philanthropy; in recent years, her followers had grown rapidly. Her posts were almost all positive—charitable work, beautiful landscapes, and inspirational quotes.

She had never posted anything like this.

She was stunned. She hadn’t posted it.

She rushed out to find Fu Juxing, who was just closing a webpage.

"You—why did you post a photo from my Weibo? And that kind of photo! You’ve ruined my pristine image!"

She stomped her foot in anger, then, as if remembering something, said, "I’m deleting it right now."

Before she could act, Fu Juxing snatched her phone away. "Leave it up for two hours."

"Why!"

"The previous scandals need to be clarified."

"Is this really the way to do it?"

"What does it matter?"

Lin Wanbai glared at him, unable to find words, but she really didn’t like having her private life so exposed.

"Am I not allowed to appear on your Weibo?" he asked.

"Hmph, well, now you have." She snatched back her phone and stormed off to the lounge, slamming the door.

Soon after, her WeChat exploded—many friends had sent her screenshots of the Weibo post, asking what was going on.

Liang Zhixia called her directly.

"What the hell is that Weibo post?"

She couldn't find her voice, but in truth, she wasn’t angry—in fact, she felt a little sweet inside. Not just a little, but very much so.

She sat there, half an hour passing by, her head dizzy from so much sweetness, something she was unaccustomed to.

Liang Zhixia ranted on the phone for ages, but Lin Wanbai said nothing. After hanging up, she called again.

"What are you doing?" asked Liang Zhixia.

Lin Wanbai just chuckled.

"You’ve gone silly, haven’t you? Was that post from Fu Juxing?"

"Yes, he logged into my Weibo without permission and posted it himself."

"You don’t sound mad at all."

"I’m acting very angry," Lin Wanbai said, chin raised in pride.

"Heh." Liang Zhixia gave a short laugh. "So, what’s up with you two? Have you made up? Is everything clear between you now?"

"Not yet. I’m waiting for him to tell me himself—he has to, eventually."

Hearing the irrepressible joy in her tone, Liang Zhixia sighed, "Women, so blind sometimes."

Lin Wanbai had much she wanted to say, but it wasn’t convenient here. "Let’s talk more another time."

They chatted a bit longer before hanging up.

The photo Fu Juxing posted went viral online. After two hours, Lin Wanbai deleted it, but by then, the image was everywhere—deleting it did nothing. Many people, especially her most loyal fans, had already taken screenshots.

When beautiful people show their love, it’s enough to make hearts melt.

Soon, online sentiment shifted—people began to say the two were a perfect match. More photos of them together were dug up, though there weren’t many since they weren’t in the entertainment industry.

The most recent was from a youth awards ceremony.

They looked stunning together.

Someone anonymously leaked a few of their wedding photos—just one or two, but enough to amaze.

With S University’s clarification and this wave of affection, public opinion completely reversed.

The rumors about Lin Wanbai and Han Chen vanished from the internet, scrubbed clean.

Any negative comments were deleted within seconds.

With such tight control, the online narrative became entirely unified.

Many now commented under Lin Wanbai’s Weibo, asking her to share more of her daily life.

At lunch, Lin Wanbai asked Fu Juxing how many paid commenters he’d hired.

"None," he replied.

"Don’t lie—I can see the signs."

"Not many," he said, placing a piece of meat in her bowl.

That afternoon, Lin Wanbai was still not free to come and go—she didn’t stay in the lounge, but sat on the sofa, reading through company documents. Fu Juxing wanted her to get familiar with things, so she wouldn’t feel out of place when she officially started.

That evening, they returned to Sibei District.

The old master had invited them home for dinner; Jiang Shuzhi was off visiting temples and would be away all week.

This was good news.

With only the three of them at dinner, things were far less complicated. The others were busy—some with work, others with socializing or entertainment.

In this small group, Fu Changjun felt at ease.

He led them to the small kitchen and called in an old friend to prepare the meal.

"It’s rare for just the three of us to dine together. How about a little wine?" he suggested.

"All right, but just a little. The doctor said you should cut back," Fu Juxing replied.

"I know," Fu Changjun said.

Lin Wanbai naturally had no objections.

Soon, the servants brought wine.

Fu Changjun was also aware of the online developments. When the scandal first broke, Jiang Shuzhi was delighted, even mentioning it at the table. When Lin Wanbai wasn’t around, she made no effort to conceal her dislike for Fu Juxing and was visibly pleased to see Lin Wanbai with someone else.

What she wished for most was their divorce.

"As an elder, I shouldn’t meddle in you youngsters’ affairs. But I still want to say a few words. Marriage isn’t a game. Once you’re married, you need to be responsible—for yourself, and for each other. There’s nothing that can’t be resolved through communication. This incident stirred up quite a storm—I don’t know what went wrong between you two," Fu Changjun said seriously.

"But I trust Xiao Bai—with her character and upbringing, she could never do such a thing. Unless you, young man, did something to let her down, pushing her to extremes. I’ve heard rumors—you’ve been keeping a woman at Lvyuan, haven’t you?"

At his words, Lin Wanbai’s smile faltered a little. She glanced up at him.

Fu Changjun was stern, as if conducting an inquiry.

"I also heard that woman is pregnant."

These were the very questions Lin Wanbai had wanted to ask—Fu Changjun was practically asking on her behalf.

She glanced at Fu Juxing, whose expression remained unchanged, though he didn’t answer right away.

Fu Changjun put down his chopsticks. "This must be made clear today. If you’ve made a mistake, I won’t let you off easily."

Lin Wanbai said nothing, eyes lowered, acting as if it had nothing to do with her.

But Fu Changjun wouldn’t let her off the hook. "Xiao Bai, tell me—did you have a falling out with him because of this?"

Put on the spot, Xiao Bai found even her food hard to swallow.

She licked her lips, but before she could speak, Fu Juxing answered.

"Yes, she’s pregnant, but it’s not my child."

"Explain yourself!" Fu Changjun slammed the table, growing more severe.

"It’s Fu Rong’s," Fu Juxing said.

Lin Wanbai knew who Fu Rong was—Juxing’s cousin on his mother’s side.

Fu Juxing’s maternal grandmother, Feng Yahan, had an elder sister, Feng Yajie, who’d married poorly. Her husband took everything and abandoned her. The Feng family had only these two sisters; their parents died young, so Yahan naturally helped her sibling. Fu Changjun, out of love for his wife, also offered support.

To show gratitude, Feng Yajie had her son take Fu’s surname. The boy had done well—like generations of the Feng family before him, he was a scholar and later became a police officer.

Unfortunately, his career was short-lived—married with a child, he died in the line of duty not long after.

His son, however, did not inherit his virtues. He was clever, but a notorious womanizer.

Lin Wanbai disliked him—whenever he appeared, trouble followed.

Fu Changjun was unhappy too. "Why do you have to clean up his mess?"

Fu Juxing lowered his eyes, staying silent.

"So where is he now?" Fu Changjun pressed.

"Abroad," Fu Juxing replied.

Fu Changjun almost laughed in exasperation. "So he’s run off to hide? He caused the trouble—got the woman pregnant—he should marry her. What’s he running for?"

"He says Xu Yunxue’s family background isn’t good enough for Aunt Yajie," Fu Juxing said.

Fu Changjun sneered. "And what about their own background? Honestly, it’s my fault—I’ve spoiled them so much they’ve forgotten who they are. Now, after making such a mess, they expect you to clean it up. Who do they think they are?"

"This isn’t your problem to solve. I’ll talk to Feng Yajie myself—she needs to discipline her grandson. If this continues, he’ll ruin himself."

He was genuinely angry, face darkening as he slapped the table. Pointing at Fu Juxing, he said, "You—have him brought back tomorrow. If Feng Yajie won’t punish him, I will. How is anyone supposed to live like this? As for you, you should have explained all this! Instead you were so secretive, making everyone think you were keeping a mistress. Your head really isn’t screwed on straight!"

"You may be close, but helping him like this only hurts him—don’t you see?"

Fu Juxing lowered his gaze and apologized sincerely.

Fu Changjun laughed in frustration. "Why are you apologizing to me? The person you owe the biggest apology to is Xiao Bai—she’s the one who suffered most. You should have told her everything from the start."

Lin Wanbai finally put down her chopsticks, bracing herself to respond. She wanted to say she didn’t care, but thought better of it—such words weren’t appropriate in front of Fu Changjun.

She sided with him, "Exactly. Hiding this from me caused such a mess. I really thought you had a child with another woman, and were secretly planning for her to use the child to get ahead. I warned you before—Fu Rong is nothing but trouble, and you never listened. Now see what’s come of it. If word of this reached certain people, they’d make a big deal of it—you’d never be able to explain yourself. Grandpa and I are reasonable, but how many others are? Most would seize the chance to gossip, and you’ve embarrassed not just yourself, but me as well. Letting people laugh at me."

Fu Changjun banged the table and nodded. "Xiao Bai is absolutely right. You need to reflect on this and sincerely apologize to her—a proper apology."

"I will," Fu Juxing replied. "In private, I will apologize sincerely."

There was a deeper meaning to his words.

Lin Wanbai glanced at him. Under the table, his hand found hers, fingers intertwining firmly.

She hesitated, then quickly pulled her hand free.

Afterward, Fu Changjun, striving to be evenhanded, inquired about the rumors between Lin Wanbai and Han Chen—after all, the gossip had been rampant, and though it was now cleared up, as an elder he had to ask.

Before Lin Wanbai could reply, Fu Juxing answered for her.

He covered everything up, never mentioning their near-divorce or anything ambiguous between Lin Wanbai and Han Chen.

"The young man did have family troubles and happened to run into debt collectors when Xiao Bai was present, so she helped out. I was there at the time. Lately, they’ve been seen together more often because he’s about to graduate and Xiao Bai has been feeling nostalgic for university life. S University is well-known for its campus scenery, and she wanted to visit. The young man is a student there, hence the photos. Their interaction was perfectly appropriate—the pictures were deliberately angled to cause mischief. I’ve already found the photographers responsible and will make sure they’re dealt with."

Lin Wanbai glanced at him, wanting to ask how he would deal with them, but held her tongue.

Seeing the couple’s relationship much improved, Fu Changjun was at ease.

He switched the topic to happier things.

It was nearly the anniversary of Feng Yahan’s death—a special year, the fiftieth anniversary and her eightieth "yin birthday." But the date fell on a holiday, near New Year's, and Fu Changjun rarely had a chance to commemorate it.

Since Jiang Shuzhi, with help from her family, had usurped all his authority, he had never been able to visit Feng Yahan’s grave or pay his respects.

In Jiang Shuzhi’s eyes, even after death, Feng Yahan remained her rival.

"Your parents are still missing. Your grandmother’s memorial will have to be arranged by you," Fu Changjun said, taking a sip of wine. The smile on his face faded, replaced by sorrow.

His spirits sank.

No words of comfort were necessary. So many years had passed, and he still held her in his heart. In a sense, Lin Wanbai thought, Fu Changjun was a man of deep feeling.

Of course, she still disapproved of marital infidelity. If you truly love someone, you should end your current relationship before starting another. Wanting both love and personal gain was sheer greed.

By the end of the meal, Fu Changjun was quite drunk.

Fu Juxing called the servants to help him to his room. Lin Wanbai followed, and after the old master was settled, she and Fu Juxing returned to their own room.

Back in their room, Lin Wanbai went to shower first.

Fu Juxing stood by the bed, removing his accessories one by one.

Then he picked up his phone and called Fu Rong.

The call connected quickly.

It was quiet on the other end, but the hurried breaths of a woman could be heard.

Fu Juxing could guess. "Where are you?"

"In bed," Fu Rong replied, utterly unabashed, without even pausing his activity.

"Come back tomorrow. I’ll book your flight."

"So soon? I’m not done having fun."

"That’s final."

He hung up and asked Lei Sen to send the flight details.

Then he set down his phone, unbuttoning his shirt as he walked toward the bathroom.

...

Lin Wanbai was utterly exhausted.

She felt as if she’d unleashed an insatiable beast. She barely had time to process all she’d learned that day before being swept up in a whirlwind—her mind was a confused haze.

That night, he drew close again. Lin Wanbai tried to kick him away, but soon both her legs were firmly pinned.

She shrank back, whispering, "Enough."

"I haven’t yet given you the serious apology you deserve—not enough," he said.

Her voice was tearful. "You’re insane."

After a moment’s silence, he murmured in her ear, with deep sincerity, "Yes."

The next morning, Lin Wanbai was woken by him again, carried straight to the bathroom, just like the day before.

This time, though, she truly had no strength left. She felt as if she hadn’t rested all night, and just as she finally managed to sleep, she was pulled up again.

When the hot towel was pressed to her face, her temper flared. She tore it away, threw it to the floor, and glared at him. But after a few seconds, she leaned toward him, wriggling a little and pleading, "Let me stay home and rest today, please? If you’re worried, let Grandpa keep an eye on me—I promise I won’t go anywhere, just sleep at home. Please? I’m begging you."

She looked up at him with all the sincerity she could muster.

Fu Juxing brushed aside the hair clinging to her face and smiled, seeming as if he might yield. Yet with that gentle face, he said, "No."

"Then—then don’t touch me tonight. Let’s sleep under separate blankets. No, in separate rooms," she bargained.

His smile deepened. He picked up another towel, wiped her face, and asked, "Do you want to put on makeup?"

She frowned, tugging at his collar, legs swinging. "I feel like I’m falling apart."

"You can rest at the office. Last night, I had Lei Sen arrange a better bed—you’ll like it."

Fu Juxing’s mind was made up. He wouldn’t change it.

He picked out clothes for her, styled her hair, and she did her makeup. Together, they left the room for breakfast.

Fu Changjun was already in the dining room, and Fu Yanchuan was there as well. He greeted them warmly.

Lin Wanbai tugged at her collar as they sat. The hickey on her neck was in a tricky spot—her high collar didn't quite cover it, and every movement revealed half of it. There was another at the nape of her neck, which she hadn’t noticed, and Fu Juxing hadn’t told her—he’d even tied her hair up to show it off.

Everyone could see quite clearly, including Fu Yanchuan, who noticed the faint bite mark on her right wrist as she reached for food.

Seeing their relationship so harmonious, Fu Changjun was pleased.

"Xiao Bai, you’re up early—are you planning to go to the office with Ah Xing?" he asked.

Fu Juxing answered for her, "Yes. From now on, she’s my secretary—wherever I go, she goes too."