Chapter 26: The Art of Seduction

What was Fu Hanning, this unpredictable devil, trying to do now? Wasn't he gay? Wasn't he supposed to have no interest in women?

Gu Yining's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at him, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water, but no words came out. She was utterly flabbergasted.

Then, before she could gather her thoughts, Fu Hanning leaned in closer. His warm breath brushed against her earlobe, sending a shiver down her spine. The heat rushed to her cheeks, coloring her neck a deep crimson.

"Don't think I don't know you're playing hard to get," he whispered, his voice low and teasing.

"Y-you…" Gu Yining felt a surge of anger bubbling up within her. She was furious. How dare he make such assumptions about her?

As she struggled to push him away, she prepared to rise from his lap, but Fu Hanning's magnetic voice resonated through the spacious living room like a haunting melody.

"Everyone, listen up! From now on, she is the mistress of this household. Anyone who dares to look down on her or bully her will have to deal with me!"

With that, he effortlessly lifted Gu Yining and tossed her back onto the sofa as if she were nothing more than a toy.

Damn it.

Did he think she was just a ball that could be picked up and thrown away at his whim? Gu Yining cursed inwardly, feeling a surge of indignation. After finally managing to crawl up from the sofa, she found Fu Hanning already striding up the elegant wooden spiral staircase to the second floor, leaving her behind.

A cold draft swept across her face as she stood there in disbelief. Looking up, she found all the servants in the villa staring at her with identical expressions of shock and disbelief.

More than that, there was an unmistakable hostility in their gazes.

Fu Hanning, that bastard.

She had known he wouldn't suddenly show kindness by acknowledging her status in the Fu family. Instead, he seemed intent on subjecting her to humiliation in front of everyone.

"You even lied to me about being a family doctor; I must really be a fool to believe your nonsense," Chen Ma exclaimed, clearly feeling deceived. However, given Gu Yining's current status as the mistress, she dared not say much more and quickly retreated, her footsteps echoing softly as she left.

If Chen Ma didn't dare to speak up, neither would the other servants. They all seemed to be processing the shocking turn of events.

"Madam, if you need anything, please let us know. We'll take our leave now," one of them said politely, trying to keep the mood cordial despite the tension.

"Uh-huh." Gu Yining nodded, her mind racing as she tried to make sense of everything.

Once the servants left, they gathered outside to have a hushed discussion, their voices barely audible but still filled with disdain.

"How did the young master even fall for such an ugly woman?" one of them scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief.

"I don't get it either. I think I'm more qualified to be the mistress than she is," another chimed in, crossing her arms defiantly.

"Isn't the young master gay? I bet he just chose a hideous woman to spite his father, not wanting to follow through with the family marriage arrangement. He just needed someone to wear the title of mistress. Did you see how indifferent he is toward her? We won't have to fear her at all in the future," one of them mused, rolling her eyes.

"That makes sense," another servant replied, her voice filled with agreement.

---

That night.

All her belongings, including her clothes and personal items, had been carelessly tossed into a guest room on the first floor, which was adjacent to the servants' quarters.

Officially labeled as a guest room, but in reality, it was hardly different from the quarters the servants occupied.

Gu Yining couldn't quite tell if this decision was made by the servants themselves or if it had been silently approved by Fu Hanning. At that moment, she didn't have the energy to investigate further.

She had a new medical assignment that needed to be completed by tomorrow. There was no time for distractions or complaints.

Tonight, she had to get a good night's sleep and recharge for the challenges that lay ahead.

After taking a refreshing shower, she collapsed onto the bed, exhaustion washing over her like a tide.

Meanwhile, in the master bedroom upstairs, Fu Hanning stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, his bare chest exposed in a white bathrobe, exuding an air of confident charm. The glass of red wine in his hand swayed gently as he turned his wrist, catching the light in a mesmerizing dance.

The elegant English wall clock ticked away, and he noted it was past midnight.

Fu Hanning had cast his cold gaze toward the door several times, but still, he had yet to see Gu Yining enter.

He was waiting.

Waiting for Gu Yining to come over and thank him for the "kindness" he had just shown her. This woman had gone to great lengths to get into his bed; surely she wouldn't miss tonight's opportunity, would she?

Li Feng, pouring wine for Fu Hanning, seemed to sense the underlying tension in the air. "Young master, would you like to drink a little more?" he asked, cautiously observing Fu Hanning's demeanor.

Fu Hanning placed the goblet down on the coffee table with a slight frown and rose from the sofa, his patience wearing thin. "Get out," he commanded, his voice low but filled with authority.

Li Feng quickly set the wine down and hurriedly exited the room, sensing the storm brewing within his master. As the door clicked shut behind him, Fu Hanning was left alone, his mind racing with thoughts of Gu Yining.