I raised stunning young ladies, but they all wanted to possess me.

Fu Yunshu sat in the chair and tapped her fingers on the armrest twice more.

She didn't care what Gu Yan was thinking and spoke directly.

"Master Gu, are you really not going to reconsider? Are you really not going to take a look at Wanqing?"

Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried an inexplicable persistence.

It wasn't the kind of aggressive insistence, but rather the kind of unwavering conviction unique to the older generation.

Gu Yan shook her head, her expression calm but her tone firm.

"I won't consider it, former Chief Minister, I really won't consider it, please don't make things difficult for me."

He paused, looking into Fu Yunshu's eagle-like eyes.

"I need to be alone for a while, to have some peace and quiet. My mind is a bit of a mess."

"Once I've recovered, I hope the Prime Minister can make arrangements for me and my grandfather to go to South Africa."

"I don't want anything else, I only have this one wish, I would be so grateful if you could grant it."

After he finished speaking, he leaned back on the pillow, closed his eyes, and didn't want to talk anymore.

Fu Yunshu remained silent for a few seconds; the room was so quiet that the ticking of the wall clock could be heard.

Then she nodded, her voice a little softer than before.

"Good, Master Gu, you have done a lot for Great Xia, and the Empire remembers it all."

"The Empire will not forget your contributions, and the Empire will fulfill your requests."

She stood up, straightened the hem of her cheongsam, and moved very slowly and elegantly.

"Take good care of yourself and don't think too much. Wanqing will take care of you during this time."

"That girl may be a bit talkative, but she's quite meticulous. Just tell her if you need anything."

Gu Yan suddenly opened her eyes and sat up straight as if she had been pricked by a needle.

His back was aching so badly he was wincing, but he couldn't care less.

"Wait, former Prime Minister, what did you say? Miss Fu is taking care of me."

His voice was distorted, as if someone was choking him.

"My injuries are quite severe, that's true, but I don't think Miss Fu needs to take care of me personally."

"Any servant will do, or I can manage myself. No need to trouble Miss Fu."

He spoke very quickly, as if he was rushing to say something important.

What a joke! He didn't know before, but now he knows that Fu Wanqing is the true direct heir of the Fu family.

She is Fu Yunshu's granddaughter, the biological daughter of the Fu family who was separated from her family for thirty years, and the future head of the Fu family.

How could he possibly accept being cared for by someone like that? It would be like taking his life away.

Moreover, now that he knows this secret, he's too busy hiding to even approach.

Fu Yunshu's lips twitched slightly as she looked at his anxious expression.

Whether he was laughing or sighing, his wrinkled face was expressionless.

"Master Gu, you have devoted yourself to the empire and suffered such a serious injury."

"It's only right that Wanqing takes care of you for a few days, so please don't refuse."

Her tone was flat, as if she were stating something perfectly natural.

After saying that, she turned and walked out, her steps still so steady and slow.

Gu Yan opened her mouth as if to say something, but the old man had already reached the door.

She pushed open the door, turned around and glanced at Gu Yan; those eyes were still so bright.

"Take good care of your injury and don't move around too much. If Wanqing talks too much, just bear with her."

"She means well, but she just can't stop talking. Don't find it annoying."

The door closed, the footsteps faded into the distance, and the corridor fell silent.

Gu Yan lay alone on the bed, staring at the luxurious ceiling, her mind buzzing.

He felt something was very wrong, extremely wrong; every cell in his body was saying something was wrong.

He devoted himself wholeheartedly to the cause, he made contributions to the empire, and the empire remembers his kindness.

What does this have to do with having Fu Wanqing personally take care of him? Can these two things be connected?

He saved Pei Yuran, and Pei Youyi took care of him, which makes sense because Pei Yuran is Pei Youyi's daughter.

He knew Lin Jinyu, and it makes sense that Lin Jinyu contacted him, since the two did have a relationship.

But Fu Wanqing, he and she were not related at all, and this was the first time they had met.

Why should Fu Yunshu let her own granddaughter take care of him? This doesn't make sense.

The old man said he was grateful for his contributions to the empire, but that's not how you express gratitude.

Sending a servant, a maid, or even the steward of the Fu family would be more appropriate than sending a granddaughter.

Let the true heir of the Fu family, the future head of the Fu family, take care of an outsider.

What kind of operation is this? It doesn't seem like a thank you gesture; it's more like they're arranging something.

A thought flashed through his mind, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.

Could it be that Fu Yunshu hasn't given up yet, and still wants him to see Fu Wanqing?

On the surface, it was said that Wanqing would take care of him, but in reality, it was to allow him to have close contact with Fu Wanqing.

Let him observe her, understand her, and discover what's wrong with her.

Isn't this just a way of binding him to the Fu family, making it impossible for him to leave?

Moreover, he just said he would take his grandfather to South Africa, and the old man said he would be happy to oblige.

But then he immediately arranged for Fu Wanqing to take care of him. Isn't that a contradiction?

If you really want him to leave, just let him go; why bother with all this?

Unless, the old man never intended for him to leave, or rather, he never intended for him to leave so soon.

Gu Yan felt increasingly uneasy as she thought about it, and cold sweat began to break out on her back.

He remembered what Fu Yunshu had said: "Wanqing will take care of you during this time."

The word "time" is too subtle; does it mean one or two days, or one or two weeks?

Or perhaps, he would continue until he saw through Fu Wanqing's problems.

He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, feeling a tightness in his chest.

That's it, he's boarded this pirate ship and there's no getting off.

He thought that refusing was enough and that everything would be fine.

But the old man didn't care whether he agreed or not, and just arranged for the person to come over.

If you say no, she says it's the right thing to do; if you say you don't need it, she says don't refuse.

This is not a discussion; it is clearly a notification, an order, a decision that is not open to negotiation.

Gu Yan leaned against the pillow, looking at the carvings on the ceiling, and felt her head ache even more.

It hurt more than when I was attacked by the Mirror Flower Seal, and it hurt more than when I was hit by the Steel Clan.

That kind of pain wasn't physical pain, it was the pain of mental exhaustion.

He remembered Fu Wanqing's radiant smiling face and her chattering voice.

I remember her saying, "I'll make you more soup later, it'll taste even better than today's."

That girl was genuinely happy, genuinely wanted to take care of him, and genuinely felt she was doing a good deed.

But she didn't know that her grandmother's arrangement for her to come here was probably not simply to take care of a patient.

Light footsteps came from the corridor outside the door, not Fu Yunshu's steady steps.

It's a light, bouncy rhythm, like a little rabbit hopping around.

Then there was a knock on the door, and that crisp sound came from outside.

"Mr. Gu, are you asleep? If not, I'll come in."

"Grandma told me to take care of you, so I'm starting work now. Please open the door."

"No, you can't move while lying down, so I'll come in myself. I'm coming in now."

The door was pushed open, and long pink hair swayed briefly in the doorway.