Qin Shu spoke softly, “Jun Li's health isn't good. He's always pale. Yet, in spite of his poor health, he still took the time to care for President Ba.”

The chill in Fu Tingyu's voice dropped to subzero temperatures. “Are you feeling sorry for him?”

Anyone would empathize with a person like Jun Li.

Qin Shu snuck a glance in Fu Tingyu's direction. His face was set in a gloomy visage and his deep-black eyes rippled with frigidity. He and Jun Li were two completely different individuals. Fu Tingyu's love was so great that there was nothing he would not do for her. Some would have even described his love as a type of madness.

If anything, she felt greater heartache for the man who loved her than she did for Jun Li.

Before she died in her first life. She imagined what life might have been like for Fu Tingyu had he not met her. She fancied his life would have been better off, and that he would have met someone who would love him better than she ever could.

However, it was not to be. G.o.d had given her a new lease on life, granting her rebirth in a time when she was entangled romantically with him.

Perhaps it was fate – a fate she could not escape. If so, then she would live her life to its fullest. That, she discerned, was the fuel fanning her love and the reason she would wed him for life.

As for Jun Li…

Qin Shu's thoughts were cut short by an abrupt declaration of Fu Tingyu's. “Return with me to Jiang City.”

Qin Shu was startled when she heard it. “Why?”

Fu Tingyu ignored her question and continued, “If you want to go to university, you can go to one in Jiang City. Don't you like children? We can have one now.”

Qin Shu shook her head. She would not study at Jiang City's university. It was simply out of the question.

She had yet to make a trip into the mountains for the medicinal herbs she was looking for, and whether she would find them was up in the air.

If the medicinal herbs she was looking for weren't in those mountains, there were still places nearby she could explore in search of them.

Gritting her teeth, Qin Shu a.s.serted, “I'm not going back. If you want to have children, we can have them in the future when I'm a little older. For now, I just want to graduate from university.

Qin Shu's blunt refusal caused Fu Tingyu's eyes to darken. “Why must you stay in the capital? Is it because of Junli? Or is it because of someone else? Or maybe you don't want a child by me at all?”

Fu Tingyu swallowed his fury with great difficulty. His hands were clenched into fists in an attempt to reel in his temper. He did not want to resort to coercive force as he had done in the past when he dragged her back to Jiang City.

Every word of his felt like a sharp blade, tearing her heart into ribbons. She felt wronged – wronged in a manner that hurt her most. Even now, Fu Tingyu did not have faith in her. His lack of trust in her was more painful than any physical blow he could have meted out.

Her nose twitched and tears welled up in her eyes.

She wouldn't cry. Crying would not solve any of her problems.

She took a long shuddering breath, suppressing the tears that threatened to fall. “Why won't you believe me? Believe that I love you? Believe that I won't ever leave you?”

Fu Tingyu seized Qin Shu's wrist, a harsh light s.h.i.+ning in his opaque eyes. “If you return to Jiang City with me, I'll believe you.”

Qin Shu sniffled pitifully. “If I don't follow you to Jiang City, you won't believe me, will you?”

Fu Tingyu regarded Qin Shu in silence. The thought of simply hauling her home with him bubbled to mind. It was an urge so strong that he almost felt compelled to act on his desires.

“Are you saying that you won't go back to Jiang City with me?” a hard edge had crept into Fu Tingyu's voice when he learnt that Qin Shu didn't want to return with him.

“I will not go back to Jiang City, for now.” a bitter smile marring her lips. “Do you intend to have your way without any regard for what I want to do?”

It was at this moment that Ye Luo walked over. Although he had an emotional quotient akin to a log's, he could tell – almost instinctively – that something had happened between the fourth young master and Qin Shu.

He didn't dare find out what was wrong. He merely picked up President Ba who was sitting on the wooden bench and retreated five meters away.

President Ba, sensing Fu Tingyu's seething anger, cowered in Ye Luo's arms. He refused to budge even an inch from his position of relative safety.

President Ba felt as if he had met his saviour in Ye Luo. Fu Tingyu was beyond scary when enraged.

Qin Shu wilful insistence on the matter of staying in the capital made him purse his lips in distaste. It went without saying that he wanted her back in Jiang City with him.

Without responding or indulging further preamble, Fu Tingyu lifted Qin Shu off the bench in a bridal carry and stalked towards the car.

Qin Shu reacted by clasping her arms around Fu Tingyu's neck. The remainder of her strawberry ice cream left all but forgotten.

She looked at the man holding her in his arms, their bodies barely separated by a layer of clothing. She did not know what his intentions were and felt the sting of fear branding itself against her skin. Fu Tingyu really was planning to force her back to Jiang City without any consideration for her wishes.

If she really returned to Jiang City, what options would she have?

Run? She definitely couldn't run.

However, if she did not run, she would be locked up in Sheng Yuan without being able to do anything.

The car was not far and it would only take Fu Tingyu a short ten-minute walk to reach it.

Ye Luo immediately understood the fourth young master's intentions. He took the lead, making his way to the car with President Ba in his arms. He then opened the car's door and waited by its side.

Not a word escaped his lips as he hauled Qin Shu to the car. He bent down and stuffed her into the car. He snapped the door shut and spun around the back to get to the other side where he entered and sat down.

Ye Luo quickly sat in the driver's seat and placed President Ba beside him in the pa.s.senger seat, then he started the engine and drove off.

s.p.a.ce in the car was limited but thankfully the heat was banished by the cool air gus.h.i.+ng out of the air-conditioner.

The temperature inside the car seemed to drop by several more degrees with Fu Tingyu's cold chagrin. His simmering rage was a quiet but deadly force that sent s.h.i.+vers down her spine.

Qin Shu could feel his anger vibrating just beneath his skin. He was still in poor humour.

She didn't want to go back to Jiang City. Not now, at least.

By his tone, it was more than likely that he was planning to take her back to Jiang City by hook or by crook.

Recalling the sweet smile Qin Shu had sent Jun Li's way and the tender look of empathy she had worn as he departed was etched in his mind. He couldn't calm down.

The two of them didn't speak on the way back. A terrifying stillness settled over the car.

Ye Luo parked the car at the entrance of the hotel, then got out and opened the backseat door.

Fu Tingyu was the first out of the car and he traipsed to the other side. By then, Qin Shu had already pushed open the car door and gotten out. A firm hand reached for hers and clutched it in a tight grip; almost as if it were afraid she would run away.

Qin Shy peered up at Fu Tingyu. His features were impa.s.sive save for the arctic glint in his eyes. She trailed behind him as he marched into the hotel with purposeful strides.

Ye Luo picked up President Ba and walked into the hotel. There, he asked the hotel staff to prepare two portions of fish for him.

President Ba curled up in Ye Luo's arms lazily. It was so good not having any need to walk!

Qin Shu and Fu Tingyu made their way to the room they shared in the hotel, neither of them saying anything to the other.

Qin Shu didn't know what to say. She had said everything that needed to be said, and she didn't know what else she could do to make him believe her.

Fu Tingyu opened the door to their hotel room with Qin Shu trailing in his wake.

Once secure in their room, Fu Tingyu released Qin Shu's hand and closed the door behind her.

Qin Shu stood where she was, rooted in place. She watched as Fu Tingyu shut the door to their bedroom. Hesitating for a brief second, she grabbed Fu Tingyu's hand with the same firmness as he had used on her earlier.

“Are you really going to take me back to Jiang City?”

Fu Tingyu stared at Qin Shu. Judging from her tone, it appeared that she honestly didn't want to go back. He wasn't in a hurry to answer. Instead, he took out his phone and dialled for room service.

When the line went through, he spoke coldly, “Room 808, lunch service.”

He hung up as soon as he had said his piece. He had already instructed the kitchen on what was to be prepared for their lunch previously.

Qin Shu stood in place, waiting patiently for his answer. She hoped that Fu Tingyu would change his mind. She could not go back to Jiang City. Not before she scaled those mountains in search of the medicinal herbs she needed.