Chapter 114: My Useless Brother

Lian Hanqi glanced over, frowned, and shook his head. “No.”

Yun Fu, clever as ever, instantly guessed what was going on.

Meanwhile, Deng Shiyu, watching the two approach together, felt her heart twist painfully within her chest. That woman was truly beautiful—a rare kind of beauty, dressed simply in sportswear with a high ponytail, her face so striking that even from afar she seemed capable of bringing nations to ruin. Walking beside Lian Hanqi, she wasn’t overshadowed in the slightest; instead, it felt as if they were naturally matched, as if they belonged together.

The expression on Deng Shiyu’s face nearly slipped.

And then there was Gu Zhishu, that big fool, chattering beside her, “Our little Fu is even more beautiful today, but my brother standing next to her is a bit of an eyesore.”

Qin Yi and Su Changzhou couldn’t help but look at him as if he were an idiot.

As for Lu Ting, he’d already moved aside; if Deng Shiyu decided to beat Gu Zhishu later, at least the blood wouldn’t splash on him.

Yun Fu walked along, quietly observing the estate. Occupying such a vast area in the precious land of S City—it was indeed worthy of the Lian family. It must be as large as two university campuses, surrounded by mountains, the air crisp and fresh. Pavilions and terraces, little bridges over flowing water, antique courtyards, and even a racetrack wide enough for horses to gallop...

“This used to be the royal hunting grounds. When we were children, we often played here,” Lian Hanqi said, noticing her interest and feeling his mood lighten as well.

Finally, the two reached the group.

Deng Shiyu watched Yun Fu draw near, even more dazzling up close, and forced a smile. “Who is she...? I haven’t seen her before.”

If she were an ordinary woman, she would have sensed the tension in the air. But Yun Fu didn’t even glance at her, simply nodded, and headed toward the stables.

Deng Shiyu felt as if she’d punched a pillow, her frustration stifling her breath.

“That’s Yun Fu, my future sister-in-law. But don’t mention it in front of her—my brother, that useless man, hasn’t won her over yet. I’ll go ahead,” Gu Zhishu explained, then hurried after Yun Fu.

Qin Yi and the others followed quickly.

Watching Yun Fu surrounded by several men, Deng Shiyu could no longer restrain her jealousy and hatred. Her gaze turned venomous, as if she could kill with a look.

—

Yun Fu eyed the black horse before her, which examined her with its nose, and curved her lips into a smile. “May I ride it?”

“Do you know how to ride?” Lian Hanqi asked.

Yun Fu nodded.

Seeing her spirited eyes, Lian Hanqi led the horse out of the stable and spoke gently, “Come, I’ll lead it for you. It’s not easy to tame.”

Behind him, Gu Zhishu couldn’t help but protest, “Cousin, you never let us touch Gale before! Favoring women over brothers!”

Lian Hanqi replied quietly, “You’re just now figuring that out?”

Deng Shiyu approached, watching Lian Hanqi hand his favorite horse to Yun Fu, and wished she could pull Yun Fu down and take her place. But she’d been raised as a proper lady; she could never behave so boldly.

Everyone chose their own horses.

After a while, Qin Yi tapped Su Changzhou and exclaimed, “Is that Little Fu?”

In the distance, two figures rode side by side—one in black on a black horse, one in white on a white horse. It was as if they’d stepped back into the days of wandering knights.

The girl, clad in black, rode a black horse, leaning forward slightly, her expression cool and aloof, tinged with rebelliousness, making it impossible not to watch her.

Lian Hanqi and his friends knew—having grown up together, learning to ride from a young age—that Lian Hanqi was always unmatched. Now, Yun Fu was on par with him.

Deng Shiyu’s gaze grew colder, and she pursed her lips. “Hanqi never went easy on me when we raced. I’ll have to talk to him about it later.”

She feigned innocence, but noticed the others’ expressions were odd.

“Shiyu, Brother Hanqi isn’t going easy on Yun Fu,” Qin Yi said, his voice unreadable. “Yun Fu’s riding is excellent.”

“Yes, I didn’t expect Little Fu to be so skilled. No wonder she was excited to see Gale.”

“Anyone who can tame Gale isn’t ordinary.”

Each of them praised Yun Fu.

But to Deng Shiyu, their words stabbed at her like needles.

As the two riders drew closer and finally returned, Deng Shiyu eagerly grabbed a bottle of water and walked over to hand it to Lian Hanqi.

He didn’t seem to notice her, instead taking a bottle from a servant, unscrewing the cap and handing it to Yun Fu. Only then did he glance at Deng Shiyu. “No need, I’m not thirsty.”

Deng Shiyu was mortified, her anger and jealousy burning her up inside. Yet she managed to restrain herself.

“Hanqi, are you upset because I stayed so late at Grandma’s yesterday? I’ll pay attention next time, please don’t be angry,” she said.

“I’m not angry. You all go enjoy yourselves,” he replied, his gaze never once settling on her, always fixed on that dark figure.

Deng Shiyu bit her lip and walked over to Yun Fu, who had just sat down. “Yun Fu, right? I’m Deng Shiyu. I grew up with the others. Since it’s our first meeting, let’s be friends.”

“No, thank you. I don’t like making friends.”

Suppressing the urge to scratch at Yun Fu’s face, Deng Shiyu forced another smile. “I saw you and Hanqi riding—it was impressive. I’m quite good at riding too. Why don’t we race?”

Yun Fu finally looked up, her eyes as dark as midnight, a coldness giving way to a hint of interest.

“You want to compete with me?”

“Yes!”

“What’s the wager? I don’t race without stakes.”

Before Deng Shiyu could reply, Gu Zhishu and the others interjected.

“No way! Shiyu, you’ve practiced riding since childhood, and Little Fu just started. It’s not fair.”

“Shiyu, race me instead.”

Seeing the group protect Yun Fu only made Deng Shiyu more determined not to miss her chance to embarrass Yun Fu.

She’d trained in riding since childhood, knowing Lian Hanqi was skilled, so she had to be as well. In the circles of S City, only Lian Hanqi could rival her—her family was proud of her many times.

She had always been proud, always outstanding, and this moment was no different.

“I saw Yun Fu ride just now—she was quite good, so I’d like to compete with her. It’s just for fun..."

“I’ll race you,” a cool voice interrupted.

Yun Fu had already stood up, her gaze sharp as a blade.

Deng Shiyu’s jealousy, anger, and unwillingness surged within her, fully awakened.